Sunday Night at the Cafe: Jesus wept

Saturday at the Cafe: You Raise Me Up

Rowan Williams: Anglican future looks 'chaotic and uncertain'

From the London Times:

The future of the Anglican Communion looks “more than usually chaotic and uncertain”, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has admitted.

In what amounted to a plea to the Church of England’s Anglo-Catholics to resist the temptation to convert to Roman Catholicism over the issue of women bishops, he said: “God knows what the future holds for any of us . . .” He insisted, however, that it remained possible to be at once holy, Catholic and Anglican.

Dr Williams did not refer directly to the Pope’s response to requests from some Church of England bishops and traditional Anglicans around the world for a means of admission to the Catholic Church. He said that it was still possible “to lead lives of Catholic holiness even in the Communion of the See of Canterbury”.

The Catholic Church’s Holy See published the Apostolic Constitution or Papal decree this week, setting out the norms for the new Anglican Ordinariate, which will allow Anglo-Catholics to become Roman Catholics while still retaining their liturgies and other aspects of their Anglican heritage.

The new ordinariate is likely to be named after Cardinal John Henry Newman, the Catholic convert from Anglicanism who is to be beatified next year when the Pope visits Britain.

Dozens of members of the traditionalist group Forward in Faith could opt to move to the ordinariate if the Church of England General Synod proceeds with the consecration of women bishops without making some kind of statutory provision.

Dr Williams was preaching on All Saints’ Day at All Saints, Central London, at a service to mark the 150th anniversary of the church’s consecration. All Saints is a prominent centre of Catholic Anglican worship in Britain. In the sermon, published yesterday on his website, Dr Williams, whose own background is from the Church of England’s catholic wing, paid tribute to the Catholics and Anglicans who went to see the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux during their recent tour of Britain.

He added: “God knows what the future holds for any of us, for any of our ecclesiastical institutions, but we can at least begin with what we can be sure of — that God has graced us with the lives of saints, that God has been credible in this fellowship with these people.”

He added: “This church with its very particular place in the history of the Church of England is one small but significant facet of that great mystery and that great gift. And at times when the future seems more than usually chaotic and uncertain, it doesn’t hurt simply to give thanks.”

Dr Williams will go to Rome next week, when he will have an audience with the Pope and deliver a public address at an ecumenical conference at the Gregorian University.

Read it all here.

Saturday at the Cafe: Mighty to Save

Bob Dylan returns to Fairfax

UPDATED THOUGHT: Do you think it was "coincidence" that Bob Dylan decided to play the "Patriot Center" on Veterans Day? Certainly the set-list played well to a country at war just outside the nation's capitol as well as to veterans who come home - or not come home - from war.

Bob Dylan returned to Fairfax tonight, bringing with him a mosh pit (but no giant claw) and a much younger crowd. How many guys can pack in 20-somethings into an arena at the age of 68? But he didn't seem to be anywhere near to pushing 70 - it does seem he's so much younger than that now.

Great set-list, tracking with theme of separation through the first part of the night, he later turned to a broader set and who knows what theme he might have had? Perhaps each was a whim, but they certainly seemed to build on each other through the night. I was about three or four "rows" back from "the rail" which gave me a good view, if not for the rather sloshed blond coeds who would come through with handfuls of beer as though that might help them get to "the rail" faster. I'll post the setlist as soon as it becomes available.

Had a blast - Dylan has left the keyboards where he's stood for the past four years at least and is coming out to a mic at center stage which he grabs like he's a Las Vegas crooner or at least Leonard Cohen. He's very good at it though and so perhaps he was right all those years ago in San Francisco - he is a Song & Dance Man after all.

Met up with Cafe Regulars Thomas and Mary Alice at Brion's Grill where we had burgers before heading over to the Patriot Center at George Mason to get our wrist bands and head in. We had a great time of sharing and met up with two other local folks and spent the evening hanging out and swapping stories.

Again, the crowd on the floor tracked to teens and twenties - with a few smatterings of oldies but goodies as well as some relics from the 60s. I was standing next to a boisterous gang of teen boys who spent the pre-concert time laughing and shoving each other in fun. Once Dylan took the stage, though, all four of them stood immovable, transfixed, staring at the man behind the keyboard and mic. I mean, they were like statues, eyes wide. Yeah, that's really Bob Dylan.

You know, there's nothing quite like seeing four teenage boys stand in awe.

Dylan sounded great - channeling his New Orleans Bluesman persona when necessary and at other times sounding as clear and concise as he may have in 1974. Charlie Sexton rocked the place - the band was electric and tight and it was clear Charlie was taking the lead - after Dylan, of course.

There was no opening act, Dylan took the stage just after 8:00 p.m. and played for two hours. Thomas and I swapped lists of what we'd like to hear Dylan play. I got my High Water and Forgetful Heart and and Jolene, Thomas got his Man In a Long Black Coat and Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum. Dylan played many other favorites, from Don't Think Twice, to Ain't Talkin' to Ballad of a Thin Man. We had fun calling out the songs. One guy, though, who was in front of me managed to call out a song (Highway 61) before Dylan and the Band had even played the first note. That was pretty cool.

The photos (and short video of Forgetful Heart) I took were with the handy-dandy cell phone - but at least they are there. And so was I. Thanks, Bob.



Here's the set-list:

1. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
(Bob on keyboard, Donnie on pedal steel)
2. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
(Bob on guitar, Donnie on lap steel, Tony on standup bass)
3. Man In The Long Black Coat (Bob on guitar, Donnie on lap steel)
4. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
(Bob on keyboard then center stage on harp, Donnie pedal steel)
5. If You Ever Go To Houston (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on pedal steel)
6. High Water (For Charley Patton) (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on banjo)
7. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)
(Bob on keyboard and harp, Donnie on lap steel)
8. Forgetful Heart (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on violin, Tony on standup bass)
9. Cold Irons Bound (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on lap steel)
10. Workingman's Blues #2 (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on pedal steel)
11. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)
12. Ain't Talkin' (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on viola)
13. Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on lap steel)

(encore)
15. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on pedal steel)
16. Jolene (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel, Tony on standup bass)
17. All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on lap steel)

Thanks to BobLinks. Bill, you rock!

UPDATE: RWB's friend Russ has a terrific review (with real pictures unlike my cell phone attempts!) at RWB - check it all out!

NEW UPDATE: More reviews at RWB and a really good one from The Washington Post. Okay, I'll keep my Washington Post subscription on the Kindle. Here's an excerpt:

The 68-year-old Boy From the North Country born Robert Allen Zimmerman has been trying to break his own myth since the mid-'60s, when he alienated fans of his early folk albums by plugging in and rocking out. Since then, his muse has come and gone, but his contrarian streak has been a constant.

For the past 20 years, the road has been constant too. Dylan tours endlessly, turning up at a half-full arena or a minor league ballpark near you again and again, as if to prove he's no sage, just an itinerant song-and-dance-man. Though late-period albums like "Time Out of Mind" and "Love and Theft" have evinced a creative renewal, he's often been erratic, even indifferent onstage. Still, there's something noble in his doggedness, singing on even though thousands of shows have curdled his voice into a viscous, gut-shot croak. On a good night, he can still remind you why people worshiped him in the first place.

Wednesday was a good night.

At the Patriot Center, Dylan seemed interested, even invigorated, as his crackerjack five-piece band tore through a set that emphasized the brilliant extremities of his ocean-deep discography. He kept mum save to utter a single "thank you" and to introduce the players at an auctioneer's tempo. But his singing was clear and direct -- and his manner determined.

Though his main instrument is the keyboard these days, he strapped on a guitar to hack his way through a bloody "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" and "The Man in the Long Black Coat" early in the set, always a good sign. He stayed in front of his lithe, limber combo to blow harp on a buoyant "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum," swaying and preening like . . . well, like a frontman. A queasy smile radiating from beneath the wide brim of his hat, and sporting a day-glo shirt to match the trim of his undertaker's suit, he looked like Jack Nicholson's incarnation of the Joker. But just seeing him appear to take pleasure in his songs and his band was enthralling.

Maybe it was the freshness of the material that kept him so attentive: He played more songs from the present decade than from the '60s. Though he now favors arrangements that place the roll above the rock, "Highway 61 Revisited" felt doubly urgent and volatile sandwiched between "Workingman's Blues #2" and "Ain't Talkin,' " both from 2006's terrific but more mannered "Modern Times." "Ballad of a Thin Man" swirled with noirish menace.

And then it was over ...

Read it all here. Photo from RWB.

Virginia Supreme Court sets dates for appeal by the Diocese of Virginia and The Episcopal Church

We've learned that the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Virginia has issued two Certificates of Appeal - one for the Diocese of Virginia and one for The Episcopal Church. This sets in motion a timeline for the appeals process. The Appellants' (Diocese of Virginia/Episcopal Church) briefs are due by December 21, 2009. They could file earlier though. That will be interesting to watch. The rest of the dates flow from there. Stay tuned - and please keep watch and pray.

Monday Night at the Cafe: You go your way, I'll go mine

And you wonder why I like Dylan so much these days. This is a great cover of the song. I'll see Mr. Dylan on Wednesday.

Sometimes it gets so hard to care,
It can't be this way ev'rywhere.
And I'm gonna let you pass,
Yes, and I'll go last.
Then time will tell just who fell
And who's been left behind,
When you go your way and I'll go mine.

B. Dylan

Archbishop interviewed by The New York Times

NYT: We should point out that you were deposed from ministry of the Episcopal Church by the presiding bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, after you threatened to have your diocesein Pittsburgh secede.

Duncan: That was a year ago, but what’s interesting is that virtually no one in the Anglican world accepted that sentence. Within two weeks of being deposed, I was received at Lambeth Palace in London by the archbishop of Canterbury, who continues to consider me a bishop.

That's right - he did. Read it all here.

Former TEC Dioceses Welcome Congregations

Former dioceses in The Episcopal Church welcome more congregations into the fold. From The Living Church:

As two former Episcopal dioceses hold conventions this weekend, they are beginning to incorporate congregations from across the nation.

The Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh will vote on welcoming Harvest Anglican Church, Homer City, Pa.; Church of the Transfiguration, Cleveland, Ohio; HolyTrinityChurch, Raleigh, N.C.; and St. James Church, San Jose, Calif.

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth (Southern Cone) plans to receive St. Gabriel’s Anglican Church, Springdale, Ark., as a new mission station. It also will welcome two existing parishes: St. Matthias’ Anglican Church, Dallas; and Church of the Holy Spirit, Tulsa, Okla.

On Oct. 30, the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee went to court against St. Andrew’s Church, Nashville, which left the Episcopal Church in 2006 and has since announced its affiliation with the Diocese of Quincy (Ill.).

The Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin (Southern Cone) has welcomed three neighboring California parishes — St. Andrew’s in the Desert, Lancaster; St. David’s, San Rafael; and Santa Maria de Juquila, Seaside — and Jesus the Good Shepherd, Henderson, Nevada.

In the context of the Anglican Church in North America’s constitution [PDF], such an elastic definition of diocesan borders is a feature and not a bug.

“Congregations and clergy are related together in a diocese, cluster, or network (whether regional or affinity-based), united by a bishop,” the ACNA’s constitution says. “Dioceses, clusters or networks (whether regional or affinity-based) may band together for common mission, or as distinct jurisdictions at the sub-Provincial level.”

The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) is establishing one type of network within ACNA: regional districts.

The Rt. Rev. David Bena, a suffragan bishop of CANA and a former suffragan in the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, is guiding the growth of the recently established Anglican District in the Northeast.

“In the Northeast we had ten parishes that were interested in doing mission and ministry together,” he told The Living Church. “They were not connected except by bishop visitations.”

The new district will unite seven congregations in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Two other CANA districts unite congregations in Virginia and in the Great Lakes.

“We are going to coordinate on overseas missions and concentrate on the possibility of planting new churches,” Bishop Bena said of his district. “We’re also talking about trying to plant some churches up here in the rocky soil of the Northeast.”

While serving in Albany, Bishop Bena could travel from one end of the diocese to the other within six hours. Today, he travels more by airline than by car. His work also has him providing pastoral guidance to two different types of congregations: those that separated from the Episcopal Church, and those that have approached CANA from evangelical and independent backgrounds.

Read it all here.

Saturday at the Cafe: Wayfaring Stranger

U2 Live from the Rose Bowl

Friday Night at the Cafe Things Have Changed

Episcopal Diocese of Virginia endorses workshop to find "the way forward" to institute same sex blessings in the diocese

Via e-mail from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia Region IV:

The Way Forward
Part 2

Join us for a Workshop to explore The Way Forward to full inclusion and blessing in the Church within this Diocese. This meeting will be a follow-up to a similar event that took place at St. Mark's, Richmond in September. Members of parishes who participated in the Diocese's listening process last spring and summer have been invited to discuss their experiences. We will also discuss the next steps in our discernment for "the way forward." One and all are welcome!!

Saturday, November 14, 2009
12:00-3:00 p.m.
St. Anne's Episcopal Church
1700 Wainwright Drive, Reston VA 20190

Light lunch provided, $6 donation requested.

Bob Dylan: The Baby Huey of our Generation?

Today on Tap we have Andrew Ferguson's brilliant smack-down in the Weekly Standard (didn't they get the memo, Sean?) of Bob Dylan's entire career ever published - pushing the infamous Rolling Stone review of Self Portrait off the #1 Spot. At least Greil Marcus and Bob Dylan ended up friends.

Well, this one - it's a hoot!

We expect the same thing to happen with Mr. Ferguson, so Mr. Ferguson, do get the boat ready.

Not only is Dylan sent up, dressed down, and shipped out in the most amusing though lengthy stylistic prose, so is every single one of his fans - no small feat, really, calling us "the battered wives of the music industry." That's true if you think Baby Huey should be banned from YouTube for being so non-PC (ah, but we were so much older then). One wonders if Mr. Ferguson has seen the latest music video for Beyond Here Lies Nothing? Baby Huey? I think not. No, I think not.

The composition of this review - which was to be covering Dylan's new Christmas album - is so all-encompassing of the man's nearly 50-year career, well, it seems it had to be made into a dramatic reading.

What else could we do?

It really is the only way we could think to respond - we had a blast recording it, for there is surely evidence that it's not the fans Dylan badgers - but the smug, self-righteous indignant non-producing critics. It's also clear that Mr. Ferguson missed Together Through Life, surely not the album one would have sensibly produced with Obama in the White House.

In fact, does it not just pleases the mind to imagine Mr. Ferguson finding himself out out with Dylan on the next three-hour tour boat out of Honolulu? Would that not be a fitting response - a life spent marooned on the same deserted island. From Baby Huey to Lil' Buddy? Ah, the possibilities - for they do seem to be two of a kind!

No wonder Mr. Ferguson's in a bit of a huff.

So here is the latest Dramatic Reading at the BabyBlueCafe:



Once again we have dramatic reading here at the Cafe. Click the recording above, or click here.

iTunes has recently changed locations for podcasts when Apple's web services changed to MobileMe - so stay tuned for that location.

NOTE: To download the latest version of QuickTime, click here. Also, Firefox or Safari work best. MS Internet Explorer belongs in the Smithsonian next to the TRS80.

And just so we are all on the same page, we bring you Mr. Ferguson's Bob Dylan - the Baby Huey of our generation!

Vote!

This is exactly like the machine I used the very first time I voted. Remember, in many parts of the United States today is a day to Vote!