TRANSGENDER

 Olivia nee Robert was in college when he said he felt more like a woman than a boy. He changed his name. He went on to medical school and now practices medicine with ttrannsgender people in Oregon. His mother and father are lawyers. Mother is fine father does not speak of Olivia at all. Olivia married his high school sweetheart and they live together. I do not know if they fuck or has she had surgery.

I do not know of any who want to change back. There may be some who do. I do not know if the surgery can be reversed. I have not heard that transgender people have any particular health problems. I don't know whether more men than women more women than men. I'll bet you could google for that information.

TRANSGENDER AND POWER

 Transgender is confusing for all of us. At Trinity we had Alice She had been a male journalist. Married and had two children. When she became Alice she brought her son to church.  One day the boy came up to me and asked, "Have you seen Alice, my Dad?"

The first time I saw raw male power was when I was in seminary 1953-56. The movement was in the air to ordain women to the  priesthood of the Episcopal church. I witnessed ridicule, sexism and lying by clergymen that women should not be ordained. It took 20 more years before the first women were ordained. I was an early supporter, in the 60s, of the ordination of women.

Male dominance has been a menace to women but also to many men not driven to power and money.

CHURCH AND STATE

 

The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws that regulate an establishment of religion, or that prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, or the right to petition the government for redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Here is the first sentence of the Bill of Rights of The United States. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

This means Congress may not create an established church as in England, France, Spain and Germany. They did not want a Church of the United States, like a Church of England about which the colonists knew. They also did not want Congress to interfere with the practice of religion.

They did not want to restrict religion. They wanted to restrict church. They did not want an established church. Religion was not to be interfere with. Congress may not  prohibit the free exercise thereof; religion.

Putting a creche or a Menorah in a public place is not establishing a church. It is allowing the free expression of religion. Many people in this country have a religious bent. They are free to exercise it.

People are free to resent those symbols. They may be in poor taste. They may offend some. But, we should not have laws preventing such public displays of religion. Religion is here to stay.

CHURCH AND STATE

 The idea of the separation of church and state does not appear in the Constitution. The first Amendment prevents the government from making laws that that regulate the establishment of religion and or that prohibit the free exercise of religion. Religious groups may ask government for financial assistance. The courts and governments may or may not approve their requests.

LETTER NEVER SENT

TO THE VICAR

We, the undesigned strongly protest your relieving The Rev. Deacon Jacqueline Cherry of her duties at Church of Saint John the Evangelist, San Francisco. You have banished and told her to stay away from the church for a year. We acknowledge that you have the canonical right to do so as Vicar, in consultation with the Bishop.

Jackie has won the love, friendship and respect of many of us in the past 32 years she has been a member of St. John’s. We huddled with her through two kidney transplants. She ministered to the sick and dying amongst us, especially during the AIDS epidemic. She has shared her life and trials and joys with us in her sermons. She was  a member of the congregation before she was ordained Deacon.

Jackie has the care of her teen son Felix and her former partner Beth Feeman, seriously ill with cancer and her own delicate health. Jackie needs the love and support of her Christian community. 

We protest your lack of compassion, caring and love in your banning her from worship in her parish community.  We urge you to restore her to full membership in the congregation where she has worshipped all these years. You have the power and option to restore her to full membership for the year. Please do so.

Sincerely,

Robert Cromey ET AL

A WEEK

 Saturday, June 24, 2023

Dear Sandy,

I am a decisive person. I make up my mind to something and I do it. Since poor balance is my new nemesis, I have to think about which foot goes where, when I stand up. While blessed Ann recovers, I have to decide, to empty the dishwasher or make breakfast. Put the pots and pans in the drain board before the dishwasher or wait until after lunch. Standing up, do I get up first and then push the chair back, or push it back first and then stand up. I am just in “sixes and sevens” about what to do.

Ann is healing quite clearly each day. I am proud of her to staying in bed and then getting up for small doses of email answering. The big test is how much weight can she put on her left leg before pain sets in.

We get wonderful help from our church members and friends. Claudia brought us whole cooked chicken and. “fixins” dinner plus pink tulips flowers. Roz got our special olive oils and took my red, blue and green winter sweaters to be dry cleaned and will pick them up. Jan took me grocery shopping on Tuesday and carried the goodies up the fifty steps to our kitchen. Dani and Iris brought us us home baked cookies, a bowl of apples and flowers. Michael and Rory brought us bottles of sweet and dry vermouths for our favourite boozes.

As a general rule don’t linger more than15 minutes when visiting the sick. We have had a few abusers.

Here is my daily schedule. Up at 5 AM Breakfast for two, set out prunes and orange health drink for Ann, empty dishwasher and take a nap. Then I write for an hour and prepare lunch for Ann and me. Nap. Read, Cocktails, prepare dinner, eat dinner, fill up the dishwasher, watch Netflix shows and to bed by 11PM. Ann reads in bed. She also has been watching Jane Austen novels written for TV. I do some exercises each day. To the gym on Wednesday. 

About twice a month we entertain friends feeding them Thai, Indian, Mexican, Pizza or Chinese take out. We make them clear the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher. They cheerily help.

We are very happy that Sarah and Leigh are coming to visit next week. They are always so helpful while they're here. Maybe more so this year, We will dine at Harris’ restaurant, my fav, on Wednesday next week. Poor Ann will still be confined to bed.

I see that Putin is harassed by internal military mercenaries to make it harder to fight the Ukrainians. Good, I guess. I still hate war.

All for now,

All love,

Robert