Some good post-Katrina news

As you may have noticed, Katrina is bringing out the worst in people. Today, two Corpus Christi residents were caught trying to pose as evacuees so they can get those $2000 checks from Uncle Sam. Watch out for more of that.

But Katrina has also brought out the best in people. I’ve heard a couple items that are most encouraging.

1. I can’t verify this, but I’ve been told almost 200,000 households have offered temporary housing to Katrina victims. If so, that is outstanding.

2. We have some Katrina evacuees here in Corpus Christi. So many people have volunteered their time to help them that the city manager told the city council, “We have to call an end to the formal process of asking for volunteers.”

Personally, I’ve tried to volunteer some time and goods, and the agencies I contacted were so swamped with work and help, none have gotten back to me!

You mean it’s not all Bushracismtaxcut’s fault?

I’ve been watching the Katrina blame game with disgust. It became clear early on that some people would try to use this tragedy to get Bush and play the race card. I’ve gotten quite agitated about this so I may rant on this later.

But first, some facts have come out that Bush-bashers might find inconvenient. For they seem to indicate that, even if the feds had their miscues, the state and local governments were much bigger bunglers in the aftermath of Katrina. Christopher Johnson is on this here and here. I’ve just discovered the Political Teen, but that boy is on this with a ton of links. The Junkyard Blog is all over Louisiana Governor Kathlen Blanco as is the The Mudville Gazette.

Funny. I don’t hear the Democrat grandstanders complaining about Democrat Governor Blanco.

If you want me to donate to Katrina relief . . .

Do not, I repeat, do not use a “fill the boot” campaign or other such method that accosts drivers in traffic. I dislike that almost as much as phone solicitations. I strongly object to Corpus Christi firemen or anyone else being a hazard and slowing down traffic by soliciting at already congested intersections. Some of the firemen actually get right in the middle of road.

In case anyone thinks I’m Scrooge, I’ve donated generously to Katrina relief and intend to give more. But willfully adding to traffic slowdowns and hazards is not the way to get my money for any cause.

An interesting problem to have II – Movie Night and Men’s Groups

On Friday, I’ll go to Movie Night at a church friend’s house. About once a month, us single guys at my church go to one of our houses to eat, drink beer, bull s . . . I mean talk, and watch a movie or two. We might allow a married guy to join us, but no wimmin.

I know that doesn’t seem like a big deal. And I haven’t thought much about it until now, and I didn’t think much about it when I decided to join my parish. But I think Movie Night is a important reason we’ve attracted a few single guys.

But don’t other churches have a lot more to offer in men’s groups and programs? Well, yes and no. You see, the problem is that most Men’s groups consist of the following: married men’s groups, purity groups, accountability groups, and bible study groups. I can’t speak for all single guys, but very few of these are attractive to me.

>>>> Married Men’s Groups

Now most married men’s groups don’t advertise themselves as such. But a lot of “men’s groups” are just that. They address how to be good husbands and fathers. And frankly, I’ve had more pressing concerns, like how to find a good wife in the first place, concerns such groups ignored. And, maybe I have more sense than most men, but most of what I’ve heard from such groups was not especially helpful in preparing for marriage. If I marry and have kids, I’m certainly not going to ignore them or my wife (unless she nags). Most of what was taught in married men’s groups was rather obvious to me.

And “men’s groups” really being married men’s groups as if single men didn’t exist or weren’t important rubbed me the wrong way.

>>>> Purity Groups

Again, they aren’t called that, but there are groups that beat up on men to be sexually “pure.” Though, again, I can’t quite put a finger on it, these have rubbed me the wrong way as well. Maybe I’m a rarity, but purity usually hasn’t been at the top of my priority list, though I struggle with my thoughts and lusts like any guy.

But to be frank, I’ve lived a celibate lifestyle for a long time, a llllllllong time. I don't know how much more purity I can handle. Heck, I wonder if some impurity every decade or so might do me some good. And the standard most purity groups set seems to be a bit higher than what the Bible sets. The Bible’s clear standards are high enough, thank you. I don’t need any pressure or guilt laid on me to attain to some obsessive legalistic standard.

>>>> Accountability Groups

Close relative to purity groups, these are groups of men who don’t mind their own business but instead ask each other extremely personal questions that have no respect for privacy or dignity. Oh please let me join!

>>>> Bible Study Groups

These aren’t so bad as the above, though they can have their issues, too. And I’ve been to some good ones and benefited from them. But you know what’s interesting about the best one I’ve been to? I’ve enjoyed more taking a younger friend out to breakfast afterwards and talking about whatever was on his mind. But still most of these have been good experiences for me, largely because my last church excelled in Bible teaching.

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But I think single guys also need times to get together without an agenda just to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Many guys, including this guy, need that more. And my parish definitely has that.

We don’t have the other types of men’s groups. And I don’t miss them one bit.

An interesting problem to have

It’s come up in casual conversation in my parish that we have attracted single men, but not single women. As you may have noticed, more churches have the opposite problem of repelling men and would love to have our “problem.”

From time to time, I may speculate why our parish has this interesting demographic. For starters:

1. We are a small parish, about 60-80 I would guess. So it could be a fluke. If we continue to grow, the numbers likely will even out. And good looking single men like myself are sure to attract single women sooner or later. (Why are you laughing?)

2. Our worship is definitely not feminized as at many churches. There are no Jesus-is-my-boyfriend songs. No sugary sweetness. Even the way we sing the canticles is more masculine than at many churches.

3. Like all REC parishes, we have no women priests. Like it or not, many men just don’t relate well to women priests or pastors.

This isn’t a pivotal doctrinal issue with me. I have no problem being in communion with churches who have women priests. I even think a Biblical case can be made for women priests (although I would disagree with it).

Yet, something just rubs me the wrong way when I’m in a service with a woman priest. And I prefer communion be giving to me by a man. Maybe that makes me a male chauvinist pig. But that’s the way I’m wired. And I’m not alone.

4. Except for our excellent organists (who play up in the balcony), women don’t have highly visible roles in worship. And while I don’t think that attracts any men, maybe that has turned off a female visitor or two in the past. I don’t know. And I do think the average woman responds better to male leadership than the average man does to female leadership.

Well, that should stir up enough discussion for now.

Bad Liturgy And Bad Theology

It’s been suggested here and elsewhere that I’m a bit picky and paranoid even when it comes to liturgy. And that certainly may be so. But there are reasons for that.

One big reason is that good liturgy reflects and teaches good theology. Even in liberal or otherwise doctrinally errant churches, IF they stick to good liturgy, good theology is taught in spite of themselves.

But bad theology and bad liturgy feed on each other. We can see that in North America. And, sadly, that can be seen even in the Church of England.

God help me (and the perpetrators) if I encounter stuff like that while I’m over there.

Anglican Liturgy Primer

I found this excellent brief primer on Anglican liturgy over at All Too Common. I learned quite a bit from it myself. I was surprised by just how ancient are some of the elements of the liturgy.