U.S. Episcopal leader says church must be inclusive

The Episcopal Church must reach out and “embrace all whom God sets before us,” the church’s top American cleric told a Sparks’ congregation Sunday.

The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church in the United States, gave a sermon at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church as part of the Diocese of Nevada’s annual convention this weekend. The event coincided with the 100th anniversary of St. Paul’s.

In his sermon, Griswold cited Christ’s analogy of the kingdom of heaven being like a wedding banquet, a feast reserved not for the chosen but for all people.

“And so the door to the banquet hall is flung wide and all sorts of riffraff, troublesome to us but close to the heart of God, are ushered in and given a place at the table,” Griswold said.

Throwing the doors open has been a recurring theme at Holy Innocents of late; it was one of the images that kept coming up in the recent Bishop’s Committee retreat – the one that started the new “Mission, Ministry, Evangelism” program that we’re in the process of formulating.

On a recent Sunday, this metaphor was taken to an extreme. It was a warmish fall day outside, but quite chilly inside. The red French entrance doors were both opened wide. No one got up to close the doors, because keeping the doors open and in fact opening them even wider has been a topic of several recent sermons. So no one closed the doors, but everyone kept their coats on.

Now that the weather has finally changed from Indian summer to late fall, the doors will remain closed during services, but they are always “open” to everyone.

Hurricane Wilma battered the beaches of Cancun and the situation there is still pretty dire. Large crowds of people have been released from shelters but reports of looting are widespread, while many tourists are still waiting for the airport to reopen.

Cancun is part of the Diocese of Southeastern Mexico. Regular Anglican services are held there during the “high” tourist season at the Casa Magna Marriott. Little is known how badly the hotel has been damaged in the storm or what the situation is with the local Anglican community at this time.

Information:
Diocese of Southeastern Mexico
St Michael and All Angels, Cancun

ECUSA Meeting Focuses on Rita and Katrina Devastation:

The five-day gathering of the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A. in Puerto Rico drew to a close earlier in the week. The members focused on the devastation wrought by the recent devastating hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, to hit the Gulf Coast.

A report by the ECUSA House of Bishops read: ?Throughout this meeting, we have been reminded that in sharing the grief of so many along our nation?s Gulf Coast, and in considering our relationships one to another and within the larger Church, we so always bearing hopeful witness to the power of Resurrection.?

The first day of the meeting saw descriptions from Duncan Gray, Bishop of Mississippi, Charles Jenkins, Bishop of Louisiana, and Philip Duncan, Bishop of the Central Gulf Coast, of the devastation of the hurricanes in their areas.

Numerous churches have been destroyed throughout the hurricane-afflicted areas, Mississippi, one of the lesser hit areas, losing six churches and nine rectories completely.

ECUSA has been heavily involved in the relief response to the devastation. Members at the meeting were able to hear accounts of the work going on the affected areas by different ministries within the Church.

Donations are still needed at Episcopal Relief and Development. People who have lost everything need our help.