The mail

The Revd Rick Greenwood, Nashville, TN Got any extra copies of Covenant 17 I can have to put out on our "tract" table?

Jeanne Bodfish, Nashville, TN Enclosed is a much overdue contribution for Covenant. Keep 'em coming, bro!

Saradell Crawford, San Antonio, TX I've intended to write ever since I've received Covenant. I particularly want to thank you for this recent issue (#17) which I will share with our bishop -- a muchly troubled man. He voted against the Robinson ordination, but unlike some, he is struggling to reconcile his diocese, to keep us all talking and worshipping together. From what I hear... the atmosphere here is far less poisonous than in Tennessee. (Check enclosed.)

Elaine Smyth, Nashville, TN Congratulations on your very readable internet site. We still enjoy getting a copy in the mail. Thanks. Check enclosed.

Judy Grace, Nashville, TN I enjoyed the Covenant (17), as usual. I've had to give it to a friend, as she was eager to see what you had to say. Thanks for putting into words what so many of us feel about the church we love and for speaking for so many of us.

Scott Kammerer, Nashville, TN Regarding the editors' comments to the letter from Marge Rogers of Nashville, concerning St. Bartholomew's and its former priest Fr Thomas McKenzie (COV17): It was not Fr McKenzie's decision to refuse to host the ECW speaker in the fall of 2003. The vestry of St. B's made the decision. Most importantly, no one is "banned" from St. B's; in fact all persons are welcome for worship and fellowship. However, the leadership of St. B's does exercise some appropriate discretion concerning who is given an official forum to teach and/or preach there. Ed note: Kammerer is senior warden, St Bartholomew, Nashville.

Nancy Lowry, Amherst, MA I had the dogs all revved up for their afternoon walk and detoured for a last minute mail check. The mail was there, along with Covenant 17. I opened it immediately, and much to the dogs' dismay, read it on the spot, starting with "Let's Pretend or Let's Be Who We Are" by Bishop Swing. It was a great article.

As the dogs began to exert a little more enthusiasm to get going, I moved on to the review of Bishop Alexander's book. I have bought several of these slim volumes and given them to people (including our Bishop of Western Massachusetts), and lent my own out to yet others, with the comment that the most moving part of the book for me is on page 60, where, coming down to the wire, he was still uncertain about how to vote regarding then Bishop-elect Robinson: Another bishop was speaking against Gene, saying Gene Robinson was a highly gifted Bishop-elect, and if only he had kept his sexuality to himself, a secret, then he would have been able to vote for him.

Bishop Alexander realized at that instant that truth was a major issue in the vote, and he decided to vote approval for New Hampshire's choice -- at that point in his journey in understanding sexuality issues it became a matter of telling the truth rather than asking someone to live a lie.

So -- thanks for putting this little journal together -- we certainly need its voice in these times.

[COVENANT, Number 18, October 2004]