My Rant for the month (at least I hope this is it for the month)
I am removing this post. After the meeting I had today with some of my colleagues, I believe that this is the wise thing to do. We need to move forward. I am much more hopeful now than I was when this post was made.
2 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Ann Marie, I have heard these same rants and not only from my own lips for about 30 years. What might be good would be finding some of us who have been "in the bizness" for the past 30 years.
In the early days of women's ordination there was a good sense of collegiality among the women clergy. We supported each other when we came upon the patriarchy of the Church.
I often find more patriarchial comments at Integrity than in other places. It is not surprising that we LGBT folks step on each other when we are threatened especially when we view the other gender with suspicion or confusion. But your bishop did set you up.
Get in touch with some of us who have been through the mill--even after 30 years, the battle ain't over.
The women clergy in these diocese used to have supper once a month. Unfortunately, with the exodus of a number of our female clergy and with a lack of collegiality because of a certain issue, this have ended.
I was at the college a month or so ago talking about the need for more studies about women in the Bible and the early church etc. I was reminded that the women of this diocese used to meet regularly. It may be something I will have to work at organizing. I will think about it over the summer and hopefully get something in place by the fall.
Another suggestion that was made was that a few of us get together and rough out a proposal for a Women in Ministry conference that the college could help sponsor. Emmanuel is connected with both the United Church college and the Lutheran seminary through the Saskatoon Theological Union (STU). This is something else I hope to work on over the summer.
The meeting with Integrity went well, actually. I placed what had happened in front of them and the dynamics around it. I told them that I was willing to tell the bishop "no" should that be what they wanted. They were supportive of me, but do want a process where their voice is heard (and rightly so). I will see what I can do to arrange it (once again - for the fall).
The Lutheran bishop was one of the first women ordained in the ELCIC. I had her out to speak in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the ordinations of the first women in the Anglican Church of Canada. Her husband is a good friend of mine and mentored me when I first started in the parish here. She stands a good chance of becoming the national bishop for the ELCIC.
A few months ago, I was complaining to my father about a bunch of stuff to do with being a female "revisionist" in a strongly male and conservative diocese. He could emphathize to a certain degree as he was one of two "liberals" in the city deanery in the 1970's but he also said that he could only imagine what the added layer of being female would add to it.
We react to things the way we have been socialized to respond. It is not so surprising that those who have struggled for full acceptance will sometimes not be fully accepting themselves. As well, we have learned our responses and tend to use the same ones that have been used on us. It is what we know and, as such, is often our first response.
2 comments:
Ann Marie,
I have heard these same rants and not only from my own lips for about 30 years. What might be good would be finding some of us who have been "in the bizness" for the past 30 years.
In the early days of women's ordination there was a good sense of collegiality among the women clergy. We supported each other when we came upon the patriarchy of the Church.
I often find more patriarchial comments at Integrity than in other places. It is not surprising that we LGBT folks step on each other when we are threatened especially when we view the other gender with suspicion or confusion. But your bishop did set you up.
Get in touch with some of us who have been through the mill--even after 30 years, the battle ain't over.
Muthhah+,
The women clergy in these diocese used to have supper once a month. Unfortunately, with the exodus of a number of our female clergy and with a lack of collegiality because of a certain issue, this have ended.
I was at the college a month or so ago talking about the need for more studies about women in the Bible and the early church etc. I was reminded that the women of this diocese used to meet regularly. It may be something I will have to work at organizing. I will think about it over the summer and hopefully get something in place by the fall.
Another suggestion that was made was that a few of us get together and rough out a proposal for a Women in Ministry conference that the college could help sponsor. Emmanuel is connected with both the United Church college and the Lutheran seminary through the Saskatoon Theological Union (STU). This is something else I hope to work on over the summer.
The meeting with Integrity went well, actually. I placed what had happened in front of them and the dynamics around it. I told them that I was willing to tell the bishop "no" should that be what they wanted. They were supportive of me, but do want a process where their voice is heard (and rightly so). I will see what I can do to arrange it (once again - for the fall).
The Lutheran bishop was one of the first women ordained in the ELCIC. I had her out to speak in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the ordinations of the first women in the Anglican Church of Canada. Her husband is a good friend of mine and mentored me when I first started in the parish here. She stands a good chance of becoming the national bishop for the ELCIC.
A few months ago, I was complaining to my father about a bunch of stuff to do with being a female "revisionist" in a strongly male and conservative diocese. He could emphathize to a certain degree as he was one of two "liberals" in the city deanery in the 1970's but he also said that he could only imagine what the added layer of being female would add to it.
We react to things the way we have been socialized to respond. It is not so surprising that those who have struggled for full acceptance will sometimes not be fully accepting themselves. As well, we have learned our responses and tend to use the same ones that have been used on us. It is what we know and, as such, is often our first response.
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