Thursday, December 28, 2006

New West Hell

A long time, long ago friend who I've not interacted with in some time died Christmas Eve.

"Charles W. "Bill" Eubank, Jr. died December 24. There will be a graveside service tomorrow at 2:00 pm at Oakwood Cemetery, Fr. Chuck Treadwell officiating. There will be no visitation."

In College a few of us hung out together and spent quite a bit of time in his home. Later the wife and I socialized with he and his second wife. Bill's first marriage ended rather early and he had only a daughter from that first marriage. Over time, he introduced me to quite a bit of local history and even the writings of Wm. Cowper Brann, The Iconoclast. When we first begun spending time with him, he jokingly referred to his home as:

"New West Hell - C. W. Eubank, Prop."

In retrospect, that could have referred to how things were going for him back then and seemingly continued to do so. Much later I would run into him from time to time and he always seemed kind of sad, not really in tune with the world and what was going on around him. He was a person of another era. I saw him last just a few days ago in the parking lot of the H.E.B. but didn't get a chance to say hello. For numerous reasons, I mourn his passing. He was a good guy.

Rest in Peace Bill

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Proud he's our Bishop

Bishop Don Wimberly, Diocesean Bishop of Texas, just issued the following statement to his flock regarding current events in Virginia. His words make me proud that he's our Bishop and give me hope that we may survive the current upheval within our denomination.

A Statement on the Diocese of Virginia:

The decision of several congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia to withdraw from the Episcopal Church has highlighted once again the current challenges faced by the Episcopal Church and the global Anglican Communion. According to the Anglican Communion Office in London, the Archbishop ofCanterbury has not granted these congregations "any official status within the communion's structures, nor has the Archbishop indicated any support for its establishment."


"I am saddened that Bishop Peter Lee and the leaders in these Virginia congregations could no longer continue together as one church," said the Rt.Rev. Don Wimberly, Bishop of Texas. Acknowledging the pain experienced by all those involved, he added, "I know that Bishop Lee has reached out to these congregations in ways that most bishops would not. I believe he has provided every opportunity to pastorally deal with the current crisis in their diocese."

Bishop Wimberly emphasized his vision for unity within the 158 congregations in the Diocese of Texas. "I give thanks for the sense of being One Church,"he said. "I take the sacred trust given to me as Bishop of the Diocese of Texas to heart, and it is with this trust that I lead all of our congregations forward in mission and ministry.

"The vision of One Church is focused on those to whom the Gospel of Christ is Good News. We endeavor to move forward as One Church, united beyond division," he said.

In previous statements to Diocesan Council and elsewhere, Bishop Wimberly has said he intends the diocese to remain a member of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

In a statement to the clergy and members of the diocese, Bishop Wimberly said, "It is Advent. It is only a short while now before we celebrate the second most holy day of the Christian year. Let us with expectation raise our eyes and voices above the clamor of our time to join with the heavenly chorus that proclaims God in Christ Jesus as our savior. Let us with joy meet our Lord who is Emmanuel, God with us, our deliverer and our hope."

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Republican Federalism

Am doing some investigation as to where exactly my political thoughts lie. Am I a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or something else?

I have come to determine that I am a Federalist supporting a Republican form of government as opposed to a true Democracy. Pretty much in line with most of our “Founding Fathers”, BTW. Understand that I’m not talking political parties, but rather by definition political ideologies. I suppose that’s what also causes me to consider myself a Conservative in the most accurate definition of the word.

Which begs the question: Exclusive of what today’s parties stand for, what is your true persuasion?