Bishops and bishops

            As the result of an election on July16, my next door neighbor is now the Episcopal Bishop for the state of Alabama.  Now a state Bishop in the Episcopal Church is a person with extensive power and influence.  He will receive respect and adulation from the state’s Episcopalians.  He will travel extensively as one of the governing Bishops in the United States.

            He will also walk a difficult path with all the changes going on in society and within every denomination.  Turmoil in the Episcopal Church has been openly reported in the media.

            Now the truth is, I’m a bishop too.  Note the word is spelled with a small “b.”  The translation of the Greek word bishop in the New Testament is “overseer,” and is used in conjunction with presbyter, meaning “elder,” and poimen, a word that means “shepherd” but is equivalent to the English word “pastor.”  All three of these terms are used in the New Testament to describe the leader of a local congregation.  So I am a bishop, presbyter and poimen.

            A few weeks ago my neighbor got his long handled pruning saw trapped in a large branch he was cutting.  It was fairly high and he had no way to free it.  So, like any good neighbor, I carried my extension ladder and chain saw next door, climbed up in his tree and cut the limb, freeing his saw.

            That was one bishop going to the aid of another bishop.  Now doesn’t that sound holy?  But of course it was a very mundane situation.  It was just one man going to the aid of another man.  But it also illustrates that even Bishops are just ordinary men with ordinary problems. 

Grace and peace.

The First Amendment

       The folloing is the post which was not posted at the first of the Month.  I still don't know how I goofed.

            We again celebrated our nation’s birthday on July Fourth.  We celebrate independence from Great Britain and the establishment of the United States as an independent country.  I also celebrate the establishment of a country where there is separation of church and state.

             On my van is a bumper sticker which reads, “Separation of Church and State. Good for Both.” A middle aged man, who identified himself as the son of a Baptist preacher, was loading some chairs into the van.  He commented that “Separation of Church and State” is not in the constitution but are words penned by Thomas Jefferson.  He was familiar with the issue, he assured me.  The claim that the words are not in the constitution is one of the facts marshaled against such separation by those who would end the neutrality of our government in religions affairs.  Generally they are advocates for Bible reading or study in public schools (Which Bible or which religion?), monuments or other religious symbols on government property, or government money to pay tuition to religious schools.

            Those who use this argument seem to ignore the context in which President Jefferson wrote.  In a letter of assurance to the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut in 1802, he coined the phrase in explaining the impact of the First Amendment to the Constitution.  The amendment, of course, states the government shall make no law concerning the establishment of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion.  Jefferson said, “Thus building a wall of separation between church and state.”  The amendment itself, in Jefferson’s opinion, built the wall.  He was only explaining it.

            Jefferson believed religion to be a private matter between an individual and his God, and government should not get involved.  Where government has been involved with religion the results were bad for both.  We only need to study European history, or look at contemporary nations where governments seek to impose religious practice on their people.

            As we celebrate the freedom of our country, also celebrate with me freedom of religion in our country.

Grace and peace.

Planning Ahead

       In my lack of computer knowledge I sometimes think I have posted something and then do not see in on this blog.  Such is the case with some thoughts on July 4th and our celebration of freedom.  If I find it somewhere in my files, I will post it later.

       In Proverbs we are told; "There are many plans in a man's heart." (Proverbs 19:21)  That is so true.  Our heads are full of so many different plans.  And planning is wise.  Planning ahead is necessary, but some things don't work out the way you think they will.  Twelve years ago, when we moved back to Birmingham, Liz and I purchased a large house with a large lawn.  I enjoyed keepting the lawn, trees and shrubs.  I also enjoyed handyman projects.  I enjoyed repairing things which needed repair.  I single handedly remodeled all three bathrooms.  We imagined living out our lives in a home we really love.  But things changed.  We got older.  The stairs have become a challenge for us both.  And the home repairs and landscape are now more than I want to keep up with.  We need to downsize to one level.  So we find ourselves trying  to sell our loved house in the worst housing markets in decades.  As it turned out we did not plan far enough ahead.
       When my father-in-law died in 1989, he was buried in a plot in Elmwood cemetery which had been in the family for decades.  Liz and I decided we needed to plan ahead for our own resting places.  A couple of decades ago we purchased a companion mausoleum crypt at Elmwood (i.e. a place for the two of us).  But this time our plans changed and we no longer need the mausoleum crypt, so we have offered it for sale at a bargain price.  But it seems there is not much traffic in the resale of cemetery plots or mausoleum crypts.        
       The Proverb says; “There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel – that will stand.”  Only the Lord knows the future and we need to know that our plans may not stand, only God’s.

        The old saying is true; the only sure things in this world are death and taxes.  The only sure thing in preplanning is to plan our location in the next life.  Jesus said; "I go to prepare a place for you."  You can have an eternal place in heaven if you welcome Jesus into your heart now.

Grace and peace.