A story…
Bp Michael shared with me a story of a time (in the 80s) when he was rector of a Church in Las Vegas. That Lent, the local Roman Church was undergoing construction work and the congregation was using the Episcopal sanctuary. Also, the local Orthodox congregation – whose priest was later Bp Nikolai of Alaska – was using the Episcopal sanctuary (as their church was being built).
In the Tabernacle over the Episcopal Altar that Lent were three ciboria: the Episcopal one, the Roman one and the one containing the Pre-sanctified Gifts for the Orthodox community.
I’m not sure which image I find more striking: that Jesus was so present or that his people were so divided.
This is a nice story but a sad one at the same time. Why is it we can share the same worship space and tabernacle but we cannot share communion? Ahhhh politics…
Yes, divided, but looking toward the future, can you have imagined even sharing the same worship space in the past? Bit by Bit, the Spirit is drawing us together, kicking and screaming – or so I think. :)
Well… that *was* the past. I can’t imagine this happening now (for any number of reasons). But I do find this hopeful: that two of the three Clergy are now Bishops.