Jack’s Winning Words 7/30/21

“At the end of the day, I’d rather be excluded for who I include, than be included  for who I exclude.”  (Eston Williams)  Sometimes pastors have to make decisions that are not approved by everybody.  Rev Williams was a longtime Methodist minister in a small Texas with a sizeable LGBT community.  He made a pastoral decision to perform a same-sex wedding.  Today’s quote is what he said when criticized for his pastoral act.  When Martin Luther was criticized for his church-reformation ideas, he said, “Here I stand.  I can do no other.”  Have you ever faced a  decision of conscience?  ;-)  Jack

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  we episcopalians have gay, divorced bishops... but we divorced folks still can't get married in a regular ceremony in the main sanctuary. a tad hypocritical, no?===JACK:  Have you checked with a priest lately about this?  I'm sure that it's being done in some places. 

FROM GRANDMA SANDI:  That’s a quote I love.===JACK:  Maybe you can include it in your next book on "values."

FROM WILLMAR REV:  More often than not nowadays! 0;-/===JACK:  It will be at the A of G doorstep sooner or later.  I'm sure that the quote (out of context) could be used by you in some situation.

FROM SHALOAN JAN:  Yes!  And, I was excluded for whom I excluded, who was a toxic presence in the congregation.  :-(  Pastoral decisions are often not popular; that's why they are pastoral and not popular in the first place!===JACK:  Did you shake hands and say, SHALOM" to them on your parting?===SJ:  Those who thought I was "wrong" were not hand-shakers.  I did sit next to them at the funeral of a member who was the mother of a pastor-friend of mine.  I purposely walked into the pew and sat next to one of the lie-shouters at the meeting you attended at my request.  Thank you, again, for being there in 2011.===JACK:  Is the "Shalom" greeting ever given to people you disagree with?

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  Are you included in groups with labels like bigots, racists, homophobes, or misogamists?  Perhaps you better identify with groups who identify with terms like caring, inclusive, justice  or equality. It is ironic that many of the members of those first groups also claim to be in a group that they call the “moral majority”. They make some claim (indefensible as is may be) to a moral high ground for their exclusionary position. In fact, their position is neither moral nor a majority. It doesn’t take long, once one starts excluding whole classes or groups of people, that you find yourself in the minority. ===JACK:  We usually choose who it is that we associate with.  Sometimes our views and actions choose for us.