When bishops of the Episcopal Church met March 13-17 at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, N.C., for their annual spring House of Bishops retreat, they took up an array of weighty topics that included, in addition to preparation for this summer's General Convention, an agreement to write a new pastoral letter to the church on racism, to be adopted next year, and to appoint a commission to give attention to issues of addiction and substance abuse as it relates to people serving in church leadership.
Episcopal News Service's news summary of the House of Bishops retreat is available here.
During a light moment in the bishops' schedule, some fun was had at the expense of a good
Courtesy Photo
Bishop Rickel, in his Seattle office, sporting Patriots gear sent as a gift from the Diocese of Massachusetts.
sport, Bishop Greg H. Rickel of the Diocese of Olympia, who, wearing New England Patriots gear in deference to the Super Bowl-winning team, was subjected to an "Ode to Super Bowl XLIX" by Bishop Alan M. Gates of the Diocese of Massachusetts (text appears below).
The two bishops had joined a challenge at Super Bowl time to see which of their dioceses could raise the most money for Episcopal Relief and Development before the Feb. 1 kick-off.
Patriots and Seattle Seahawks fans rose to the challenge and together raised a grand total of nearly $38,500, with the winner being Episcopal Relief and Development and its disaster relief, public health and economic development ministries around the world.
# # #
ODE TO SUPER BOWL XLIX
The bishop in Seattle thought
his West Coast football juggernaut
was destined once again to claim
the crown of champs in gridiron fame.
And so he threw the gauntlet down
before the prelate of Bean Town.
“The game’s a foregone deal,” said he,
“but raise some cash for ERD!”
Donations came from coast to coast,
and, in the end, Pats fans gave most.
But ERD was the true winner,
with forty grand from saint and sinner.
Upon that fateful Sunday night
the teams came out, engaged the fight,
tied at the half; and then came sparks
when Katy Perry danced with sharks.
Seattle led to end the third,
but then the Pats fans’ prayers were heard.
Still, as the game drew near an end
those plucky Seahawks surged again.
A single yard was all they needed.
But – oh – the intercept succeeded.
And as, when Mudville’s day was done,
there was no joy in Washington.
Seattle vowed a white-hot curse,
and Boston’s winter just got worse.
The tow’rs of snow and ice went high’r
as Pats fans felt the Seahawks’ ire.
But Belichek can do it all:
deflate your hopes, deflate your ball.
And Brady’s skills will never fail ‘ya:
so Rickel’s here in Pats regalia!
--The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates