After a successful stint as Presiding Bishop (Episcopal), an era that saw attendance fall like water over Niagra, Former Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori is taking her act to Long Island, a diocese that lost 33% of its average Sunday attendance during her tenure as Presiding Bishop. The news quoted below tells the story,
That is called tying a lead weight to a sinking stone. That Diocese has already seen a 33% drop in Average Sunday attendance from 2006-2016, yet they still find enough money to fund a "Vicar for Community Justice Ministry".
Check back in 10 years to see how that worked out.
Former Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori named Feminist Scholar-in-Residence at Grace, Brooklyn HeightsJefferts Schori will give keynote and lead part of daylong workshop at the parish on June 16.
The 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and Primate in the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, will be the speaker and workshop leader at this annual event at Grace Church in Brooklyn, New York, titled “Women Leading Change Toward Abundant Life for All.” The bishop was the first woman presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church as well as the first and to date sole woman primate in the Anglican Communion.
All are cordially invited to this free event which is sponsored by Grace Church and its Gender Equity in Word & Deed Committee, The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island and its Mercer School of Theology, and the parishes of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity, Brooklyn Heights, and All Saints, Park Slope.
Noting the historical exclusion of women and sexual minorities by too many past and current religious and civic leaders, the Rev. Marie Tatro, Vicar for Community Justice Ministry for the Diocese of Long Island, shared, “As the #MeToo Movement has challenged our society to reckon with the sins of the past and present, our Church -- and all organized religions -- must also participate in a broad-based reckoning. In particular, we need to confront the history of discrimination that has systematically excluded women from leadership.” She added, “Bishop Katharine’s 2006 election as our first female Presiding Bishop, and first Anglican primate in the world, not only broke through the ‘stained glass ceiling,’ it launched a rocket through it, and her voice and wisdom are vital to our conversation."
That is called tying a lead weight to a sinking stone. That Diocese has already seen a 33% drop in Average Sunday attendance from 2006-2016, yet they still find enough money to fund a "Vicar for Community Justice Ministry".
Check back in 10 years to see how that worked out.
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"our Church -- and all organized religions -- must also participate in a broad-based reckoning. In particular, we need to confront the history of discrimination that has systematically excluded women from leadership.” I suspect some 'organized religions' will opt out. Just guessing though.
ReplyDeleteMen and Women are not equal. I can never bear or suckle a child. The call for gender equity is a ruse to give women an out from Motherhood by being an CEO at a crony business, a womyn's study academic at any American college, or whatever to escape the demands of childbearing and Motherhood. Being a Presiding Bishop is child's play compared to being a responsible Mother and raising responsible, disciplined children.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fine thing to be the first female something-or-other, but being competent in the job would be even better. Her tenure was a disaster for ECUSA, and a disaster also for the souls in her care.
ReplyDeleteBreaking the stained glass ceiling is nothing compared to breaking the foundations of Christianity, and she accomplished both.
ReplyDelete