Meetings at the Diocesan Center

I slept really well,             .  .  . for two hours. Now I have been up the rest of the night and I suppose I will find out what time it is when the sun comes up and I can find a computer to transfer my handwriting.

From one of the documents the Diocese of Ohio produced in the early 70’s, recovered by Brendan, I learned that the ArchBp of Canterbury was a great instigator of what helped bring Tanga and OH Diocese together in the first place. He said in 1964, “That the church that lives to itself will dye by itself.” How true, How true. We are crippled by self absorbtion. How can we at St. Paul’s, for example be raising money for a roof project and repairs that could conceivably be patched when the Tanga Diocesan Center has had leaks that look as historic as the pictures of Bp. Burt and Bp Juma who hang beside them. There are cracks in the walls that would scare a blind realitor and the center has no water right now. Furthermore, the cathedral has entire patches of roof missing. (Before I convince anyone not to give to SP roof project, not that forestalling might cost more than replacing now.)

The Rev. Peter Kihiyo, Joe Bridges, the Rev. Herbert, Brendan and myself met all day Wednesday sharing personal stories, history of the conection between Tanga and OH, and thoughts on companionship. Both Peter and Herbert have remarkable stories of their calling to priesthood. They both waited with great patience for their calls to mature (Peter was a teacher and Herbert was an accountant).

Several times we came back to the story of Jacob visiting Joseph in Egypt. Bp. Juma made reference to this story in a short address to the Diocese of OH in 1973 which Peter read for us. Jacob had reawakend hope, as Herbert pointed out, for the relationship that would be rekindled with his son “who once was lost but now was found.” Joseph could not contain his excitement and eagerly reconciled with his brothers fulfilling their need for drought relief as they fulfilled his need for family and community. So loud was Joseph’s weeping for joy that Pharoah’s household could hear him. Gen 45:2 Plagued with lonliness in a wealthy and disconnected culture do we in OH share in this story with Joseph?

It was difficult for all four of us to sit all day, but the high point for me came at the end when Brendan was trying to have mercy on us and wrap it up. Herbert talked about how when Christians are committed there is little God can not do with us. His cathedral congregation of St. Michael’s and all angels was recently able to renew their commitment by planting a couple acres of corn in a church plot and then harvesting the corn together. Peter added the importance of priests being committed. Then in words from the Holy Spirit he echoed words Brad Purdom, Canon for Congregational development in OH, and I had exchanged in heartfelt conversation this spring. Peter said that priests are trained in theology, but they also need to be entrepreneurs. Priests need to draw out resources from their areas instead of draining resources.

I should preface his last sentence by saying that most everyone in this part of Tanzania has a garden in not livestock (In fact, a local veterinarian employed by Heifer Int. has an office in the diocesan center.) Peter’s last statement, “some priests don’t even keep a chicken.” “Amen”, I cheered, a chicken in every church.

The practice of “keeping” (a chicken, a flock – Moses, David, Amos… the Hebrew word Shmar) is critical for the church’s entrepenuership of the future. While some in the U.S. are engaged in a “greening “ of Levitical laws for an age of environmental crises, the church can pour water on the parched needs of our land and communities by keeping soil, plants, animals, widows, orphans… This is only a rephrasing of Jesus’ words to love our neighbor. Joseph saved Egypt and Caanan by seven years of keeping (harvests) for seven years of famine. The crises reconciled his family and holds hope for us.

Speaking of keeping chickens the cocks are finally crowing (I hope I haven’t denied Jesus, but quite the opposite). The other children of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph havejust begun their micro phoned prayer for this fourth? Day of Ramadan, and I am wide awake.

Daniel