Could it be that the budget for the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota has blossomed to the extent that TWELVE Missioners could be added to the Diocesan staff? ER--no--it's just a shift in terminology.
Names are very important to the new bishop, Brian Prior. We are now "The Episcopal Church in Minnesota" rather than the "Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota," as handsome mugs distributed at -er-Diocesan--Convention remind us each day with our morning cup of Joe. Similarly, we no longer have a receptionist, finance officer, or Bishop's secretary. Instead, we have a "Missioner for Hospitality," a "Missioner For Management," and a "Missioner for the Bishop." The former Canon Missioner whose work has been taken up in part by the regional deans, has now morphed into the "Missioner for Formation," whose responsibilities now include overseeing the development of the additional "Total Ministry" or "Shared Ministry" teams necessitated by more and more churches being unable to afford seminary-trained clergy. We even have a "Missioner for Canons"--sure is nice to think that the canons might one day be evangelized. We have a "Missioner for Ministry" and a "Missioner for Financial Resources." If it weren't for the fact that the daily maintenance on the "Mission Center" is contracted out, we might have a "Missioner for Custodial Resources."
But--the piece de resistance in our Newspeak vocabulary is the redundant "Missioner for Missions." Timothy Hodapp's job is to coordinate "resource sharing and networking with faith communities, develops Covenant Congregations, and serves as a resource in building the new relationships. He is a primary resource for those imagining how to develop new or emergent faith communities and also coordinates the activity and vision for Regional Deans, resourcing them to serve their regions." Given that Tim is a partnered gay guy, it would be difficult not to notice that among Minnesota's Episcopal "Faith Community," the more things change, the more things remain the same, and that a rose by any other name would--well, you get the idea.
4 comments:
So, Anglicat, have you lost hope for the new guy in purple?
"Mission Control" is steering the spaceship Minnesota to places where no man has gone before.
Oh no, Watcher/Waiter. Things are vastly better under the new leadership. Hopefully, all the Newspeak will be sustantiated with a new emphasis on action (getting out there and spreading the Gospel) rather than status (I'm Officer of this, Officer of that; bow in homage, peasant). Still, it is discouraging that of the Bishop's top executive staff--er missioners, three are partnered gay or lesbian. It remains to be seen whether they will allow comfortable space in their tents for conservatives to live and move and have their being. Please join me in continued prayer for the Episcopal Church in Minnesota.
I want to be a secretary to the Missioner for Mission. Something like "Missioner for Administrative Ministry in Mission to the Missioner for Mission." Would totally rule.
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