Information in the Episcopal Diocese of Western
Michigan
Information you tell me about yourself is held in confidence
unless I am required by law to report it (e.g. reporting child abuse). As
I work to bring positive change to the diocese, information you tell me about
another person, parish, etc. is only helpful if I can share that information. I
may choose to check out the accuracy of the information and to name its source.
Information that is presented as confidential about another, which I can’t
use to affect change, is not helpful and therefore best kept to oneself.
Articles from the Bishop
These were initially published in our diocesan newspaper, The Vision (formerly
the Western Michigan Episcopalian).
-
Respecting Adult Decisions
- When I have opportunities to talk about
Church growth, I am often asked, 'How do we go about getting
the members who have left, to return?”
[continue]
-
Criticism:
Building Community or Tearing it Down?
- Misdirected criticism is, in my opinion,
the biggest roadblock to churches becoming vibrant and healthy
Christian communities. On the other hand, properly directed criticism
can lead to the growth of an individual and a community of faith. [continue]
-
Do Emotionally and Spiritually Weak People
Dominate the Church?
- The Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians
says, “...the
members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and
those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe
with greater honor and our less respectable members are treated
with greater respect, whereas our more respectable members do not need
this.” (12:22-23) [continue]
-
Overfunctioning is Poor Stewardship
- A woman, I will call "Molly," came to see
me when I was a parish priest. Her presenting problem was that
her husband didn't appreciate her and seemed distant in their relationship,
her children were lazy and didn't contribute to the functioning
of her family by doing chores. She was tired and depressed and
burned out. She complained vehemently about the way in which her
family did not take responsibility for anything. "I have to
do it all!" she proclaimed, "I'm
stuck with all the responsibility." Molly was a classic over-functioner. [continue]
-
Passion vs. Intensity
- It is so important for me to have a trained
and wise spiritual director. I am blessed to have such a director. “You
are a passionate person,” she
said, “you are also intense.
I liked the first part of that
statement, but I didn’t like the second part. [continue]
-
About the Windsor Report
- As many of you know, Canterbury has issued
a document called 'The Windsor Report,' which has addressed the "goings-on" in
the Anglican Communion. [continue]
