tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post7977701079516469985..comments2023-12-25T23:40:17.701-05:00Comments on Confessions of a Carioca: Toward General Convention: PolityDaniel Martinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15980949721733826978noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-23102372468658089422012-07-02T01:51:27.661-04:002012-07-02T01:51:27.661-04:00James Russell Lowell, not Walter Russell Bowie, bt...James Russell Lowell, not Walter Russell Bowie, btw.Levihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13172074621528093157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-28690869494983894042012-06-16T17:07:04.405-04:002012-06-16T17:07:04.405-04:00Idle thoughts of a scattered mind....
I seem to r...Idle thoughts of a scattered mind....<br /><br />I seem to recall that the so-called N/national C/church looked at property in greater Kansas City some years back. Could I be dreaming? Something must have scared someone, as 815 is still 815. Many people do not know how very up-to-date things are in KC, and what a pleasant metropolitan area it can be. (Admittedly, I was ordained to the priesthood in greater suburban KC, on the KS side of the border, so I could be prejudiced.) Moving right along....<br /><br />I have read and been told for years that, regardless of the place, institution, and so on, the top-down, hierarchical model for just about everything is passe. If so, why do I feel that the current PB is greatly attached to power, and the use thereof? A friend in another, more liberal diocese refers to it all as the spread of "the imperial episcopacy." Or perhaps I mean "episcopate."<br /><br />It will be interesting to see how the experiment works in Western Kansas, i.e., the new bishop is also rector of Grace Church, Hutchinson, one of the few parishes of any size in the diocese. Might not work everywhere, but it might prove useful in many places. And even lead us back to the old model of the PB, and how he/she functions, on a different plane from that of W. KS and other small, rural dioceses.John Richmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13587302719107504726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-15646788063134675252012-06-15T00:03:07.369-04:002012-06-15T00:03:07.369-04:00Well said, Bishop Martins. And I'd vote for y...Well said, Bishop Martins. And I'd vote for you as PB - it'd be another one of those "for your sins" kind of jobs. I suppose it takes a really juicy one to deserve the punishment of being PB?Fathernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-83281824412752584102012-06-14T11:04:45.588-04:002012-06-14T11:04:45.588-04:00In the 1970s, Prime Minister Trudeau initiated a p...In the 1970s, Prime Minister Trudeau initiated a policy of decentralization, whereby federal HQs and processing centres were moved from Ottawa to various cities across Canada, both to help the local economies and to get gov't closer to the people-- one of the good things he did. Could GC effectively delegate various office to various provinces? Another example north of the border: the Mothers' Union elects all of its executives from a single diocese each time so that they can get together easily and cheaper than if they were spread across Canada (where airfares are far higher than in the US). Also, I have long thought that units like ERD & PWRDF (the Cdn equivalent) should be reduced to merely funnelling funds to their international partner, Action by Churches Together, thus eliminating a lot of middleman costs.St Michael's Episcopal Churchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10622056104708014205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-12466862533470509522012-06-12T19:18:21.574-04:002012-06-12T19:18:21.574-04:00Dave, the mortgage is the only piece of that that ...Dave, the mortgage is the only piece of that that would worry me. Property is generally only not affordable if you have to spend more on the property than it either brings in through renting or saves in reduced expenses. Of course, a business facing liquidation through bankruptcy will also have to sell the property even if the business's ruin had nothing to do with property costs. Further, if the mortgage can't be entirely discharged with money left over or at least reduce expenses enough to cover renting new offices and the transition expenses, selling will just leave us worse off than before.Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13323740465436735706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-10161177449265782762012-06-12T16:20:14.934-04:002012-06-12T16:20:14.934-04:00Dan Martins for Presiding Bishop, 2015!
(While co...Dan Martins for Presiding Bishop, 2015!<br /><br />(While continuing to be Bishop of Springfield, of course...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-1071561341629915922012-06-12T15:17:02.745-04:002012-06-12T15:17:02.745-04:00I concur with the assessments and the solutions he...I concur with the assessments and the solutions herein presented. Unfortunately, too many of the entrenched powers will not give up their positions willingly. Although, I will/do pray for a movement of the Holy Spirit!<br /><br />Jon--If you have what amounts to deficit budget, a significant draw on the endowment, and a large mortgage on a property, is it really affordable?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18083997696251544933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-59983534626441607932012-06-11T22:29:00.315-04:002012-06-11T22:29:00.315-04:00I'm ambivalent about subsidiarity as a rallyin...I'm ambivalent about subsidiarity as a rallying cry. In the business world it seems like the most successful businesses are the really huge ones, and they only talk about empowering smaller parts of the company as an excuse to push costs down the pay scale. That said it very well might be possible to decrease the staff and quantity of work done at the national level, although the Pension Fund might be a counter example.<br /><br />I disagree almost completely on selling 815, however. As a general rule, one should only sell property if one can't afford to keep it. I wouldn't object to the staff leaving NYC, but we should only do so if it makes sound financial sense.Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13323740465436735706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-28785544279375241122012-06-11T21:43:53.345-04:002012-06-11T21:43:53.345-04:00I support your ideas. I think reducing the adminis...I support your ideas. I think reducing the administrative costs of the church is key, put the money into mission and growth. The PB should also serve as a diocesan bishop, and the PHOD needs to preside at the HOD and that is it.Fr. Everetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06872213155156516167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-88436318423463332002012-06-11T20:39:16.728-04:002012-06-11T20:39:16.728-04:00I really like the idea (advanced somewhere) of rel...I really like the idea (advanced somewhere) of relocating the office to adjacent to the Washington National Cathedral (perhaps using facilities formerly occupied by the College of Preachers). The administrative offices can be virtually anywhere, and if the PB is also a diocesan bishop, than that person would presumably have his or her office in that diocese, not at the "national church" administrative offices.Tom Sramek, Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17891982131922786298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34346296.post-68537392136048092482012-06-11T19:31:59.752-04:002012-06-11T19:31:59.752-04:00Bishop Daniel, I'm with you 110% on the PB, an...Bishop Daniel, I'm with you 110% on the PB, and about 90% on the PHoD. As to NY, I don't think the city is the problem, but the size of staff. I'd be happy to see a much smaller staff in the present building, with other floors rented out to help pay down the debt. A move might cost more, and feed the notion that the location is really important.Tobias Stanislas Haller BSGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08047429477181560685noreply@blogger.com