Saturday: Three Days in One

This past Saturday (Feb. 12) was a long day. It was as if I was living three days in one.

Day One
I woke up at 4:30 a.m. No, not on purpose. I can't even blame it on DJ. I just woke up.

It had been a stressful week, and I have an equally stressful week ahead of me. So maybe that was it. I've also developed the theory that, when I feel like I don't have enough time to do all the things on my list, I wake up early.

Waking up at 4:30 was impractical for the first thing on my list: shopping. Not many stores open at that hour. Heck, even the greasy spoon I often go to on Saturday mornings wasn't even open yet.

But after a period of tossing and turning, it became clear I wasn’t getting any sleep or rest; so I got up.

Made breakfast. Then started playing on the computer. Finally posted something here. Did some work fine-tuning how the page renders. Added some recommendations (as I mentioned several weeks ago), which you'll find under the long archives list.

Surfed to the Metropolitan Library Site to reserve a pair of books by Jim Wallis (editor-in-chief of Sojourners). While I was at it, I sought the dates for the next library book sale. No, they don't sell books from the library. People donate books, and the profits go to benefit the library. If you're interested, the sale will be last week-end of February.

By this point, it was 8:30, and I figured the grocery store was open. Had a couple of stops first: refueling the car, getting cash from the ATM, post office. Then, the grocery store. Early in the morning is a great time to go to the grocery store, as there are relatively few other people around.

If you want to feel like you've stepped into an especially cheesy episode of "The Twilight Zone", go to the Super WallyWorld early in the morning.

Like 6 a.m.

Day Two
Got home between 9 and 9:30. I figured I would need to leave around 10:00, so this gave me time to do some reading. I read about three articles in the last issue of Parabola (The Seeker). I'm taking my own sweet time about it, but this may be the first issue of Parabola that I've read cover to cover.

Where was I going at 10:00? I was going to a diocese-wide meeting reflecting on, and responding to, the Windsor Report. Yep, more church politics. Must be a glutton for punishment or something.

This was a bit of Episcopal trivia that actually made the national news, so you may have heard a bit about it. Last summer, the Episcopal Church in America ordained Gene Robinson, an openly homosexual man, as bishop.

At the same time that General Convention approved this action, it also opened the door a crack for the blessing of same-sex unions. And, coincidentally, the Canadian diocese of New Westminster actually did begin blessing same-sex unions.

Most Protestant denominations in America answer only to themselves. What the Presbyterian Church does in the U.S. has little impact on the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, so far as I know. There may be denominational "family" relationships across international borders in the Lutheran Church or Baptist Church, but I'm not aware of them.

The Episcopal Church recognizes that it is part of the wider Anglican Communion, and many in the Episcopal Church take great pride in this knowledge. As the Windsor Report takes great pains to point out, there is no central authority in the Anglican Communion. While the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is symbolic of our unity, he is not an "Anglican Pope". Nor is the Lambeth Congress a Curia.

The 1998 Lambeth Congress resolved that homosexual practice was incompatible with Scripture, and advised against ordaining those involved in same gender unions. This resolution was not a law, per se, but was certainly a concern to be taken seriously by members of the world-wide communion. Approving the ordination of Rev. Robinson, the Episcopal Church, to quote the report, had "not attached sufficient importance to the impact of their decisions on other parts of the Communion."

When the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A.'s General Convention voted in favor of ordaining Rev. Robinson, they acted unilaterally. The interesting thing about this is the action took place last summer, just a few months after our national leaders acted unilaterally to invade Iraq. I mentioned that connection at the time, in this space.

So: all this is the background for the meeting I attended Saturday at St. Mary's Church, Edmond. Thirty churches from across Oklahoma were represented; I estimate there were a little over 100 in attendance.

The session began at 11:00, and was divided into three parts. In the first two parts, two different priests offered synopses of the report. Although neither directly stated his opinion on the question of the ordination of gays, I suspect they represented opposite points of view. The room was already divided into small groups (13 tables with about 8 people at each table); these groups then addressed the question of the day.

The Windsor Report states that the Episcopal Church has strained the bonds of affection within the world-wide Anglican Communion by its actions. So, the groups were asked a two-fold question: how have we experienced "bonds of affection" in our own lives, and how can we strengthen them.

Interestingly, our table focused on a very local level – regarding relations in our state rather than the national church or the world. As one member put it, "How can we hope to mend relations with folk across the sea when we can't face the person sitting next to us?" It's a statement reminiscent of the First Letter of John: "How can you say you love God, whom you cannot see, at the same time you hate your neighbor, whom you can see?" (paraphrased).
The Episcopal Church in Oklahoma is far from dominant. We are a very small pocket in a predominantly fundamentalist Baptist territory.

Episcopal congregations in rural Oklahoma communities are struggling to keep their doors open. The fact that our Diocesan bishop, Robert Moody, chose to vote in favor of Gene Robinson's ordination has not helped.

Even the larger churches (like the Cathedral) have lost members; other members have chosen to stop donating to the church. So, while a brave and bold stand, Bishop Moody's vote has had a direct economic impact on churches in the Diocese of Oklahoma.

Given this, the focus on strengthening the bonds of affection at home make a great deal of sense.
The meeting ended a little after 3:00, with a prayer.

Day Three
I had already made arrangements to meet Alexandria at 3:30 at a local bookstore. Alexandria recently moved to Oklahoma City from Michigan, and has been attending St. Paul's since November of last year. I first became aware of her when she attended one of the classes I was leading on the Rosary.

Being a typical straight guy, I noticed right away that Alexandria was single and attractive. I soon learned that we have many common views and common interests. So, it made sense to ask her out for a "coffee date".

We'd been visiting for a while when Alex told me she was already seeing a man in Florida - she goes to see him about once a month. He is someone she has known since high school, and it's clear the ties between them are pretty strong. She also mentioned that she had once tried dating two men at once, and found it to be too stressful.

Naturally, I was a tad disappointed. But I found the way she shared this vital information to be very caring and tender.

When I asked her out, I figured the worst that could happen would be that I gained a new friend. And we seem to be off to a great start.

We met a little after 3:30, and parted about 7:30. It seems telling to me that, even as tired as I was, I wasn't aware of the time. I thoroughly enjoyed Alex's company; and it would seem that she enjoyed mine as well. Even though I was very scattered, in my sleep-deprived state.

I gave her a school-style valentine on Sunday, and she sent me a very nice electronic valentine on Monday.

We agreed we'd like to see each other again.