ECCIM CCAB 2009 Chicago

After a stellar round of appointments by the "powers that be" in filling vacancies in ECCIM, the group announces today, November 19, via a tweet from Sarah Eagleheart:

• Exec Council on Indigenous Ministry elected their leaders w/Chair - Bp Michael Smith, Vice - Frank Oberly & Secretary- Rachel Taber-Hamilton

I know that this will cause dancing in the streets in some portions of Native Ministry and much sadness and consternation in other portions of Native Ministry. For those that think Native Ministry is more than Advocacy, maybe it has something to do with catechesis, than this is a sad day. A search of the resolutions of General Convention and Executive Council since the 1980's produces an interesting and disappointing portrait of Native Ministry at the, excuse me for inappropriate/forbidden usage, national church level; oops, by decree, it is at the TEC level. No longer is it the national church but TEC, which sounds like a youth event.

I then see that ECCIM went on to discuss "Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery" in a tweet from Terry Star. This resolution was hailed by white liberals and secular injun groups but puts Native Christians in a weird position as to what does it really mean for us. Prior to or during General Convention no one contacted groups like the MN Department of Indian Work for our input or the input of local (dare I use the word grassroots) Episcopal native congregations about the impact or necessity of a General Convention resolution such as this to assist us in our work of baptizing, confirming, burying, marrying, and reaffirming people that look to our altars for spiritual action, guidance and support.

I am finding that blogging is harder then Twitter and facebook but as I get the hang of writing offline with documentation and then posting it may make more sense to me. One thing about this method, blogging, is that things that some think I pull out of the air or make up are linked to for their enjoyment and satisfaction.

Once I get the hang of linking documents it will be even more fun because I have been converting, archiving, updating formats of documents since I was first a consultant to MCIW in the early 1980's. I did destroy some hard copy before I figured out and acquired a sheet feeder document converter. I am getting ready to upgrade my hardware and software to improve my hardcopy to PDF conversion speed - it my blizzard project.

I need to go read awhile - something about the peasant's of Jesus' time little tradition/culture and its relationship to the ruling powers. It is a critique of New Testament studies based on theology, spiritualization, and the disconnect of Jesus from the movements using his name that emerged in the 1st and 2nd centuries.