Strangely Warmed

Apart from saying nice things about each other, does the proposed  full communion agreement  between the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church have any practical benefit? Already, any baptized person can take communion in the Episcopal Church. United Methodists don’t even require baptism. That doesn’t mean the agreement would have no effect. In one context, at least, it would be quite valuable.  Some of the principal beneficiaries of the agreement would be Episcopal members of the United States military forces and their families. There are not enough Episcopal chaplains to provide sacraments at every military installation or in every deployed area of operations.  There are not enough United Methodist chaplains to do so, either, and our numbers are shrinking as well. United Methodist laity, though, are usually happy to receive communion from any Christian minister, and it doesn't need to be every week. United Methodists are easy to accommoda...

I love the prayer of confession in the rite for Morning Prayer. Here is the version found in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (BCP) , and in John Wesley’s 1784 Sunday Service of Methodists in North America.   Almighty and most merciful Father;  We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep.  We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.  We have offended against thy holy laws.  We have left undone those things which we ought to have done;  And we have done those things which we ought not to have done;  And there is no health in us.  B ut thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.  Spare thou them, O God, who confess their faults.  Restore thou them that are penitent;  According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord.  And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake;  That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,  To the glory of t...