Tsunamic Disaster Response
With numbers of dead and homeless rising across southern Asia in the wake of December 26th's unprecedented Indian Ocean tsunami, Episcopal Relief and Development has begun emergency response efforts and welcomes financial contributions to aid these initiatives.
ERD representatives request that contributions be directed to Episcopal Relief and Development, South Asia Relief Fund, P.O. Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101. Contributions may also be forwarded on-line ( http://www.er-d.org/ ).
The Earth Charter
At the 94th Olympia Diocesan Convention a resoultion was passed which states: "Resolved, that the Committee for the Environment and the Commission for the Church in the World offer ways for the Diocese and its congregations to explore the Earth Charter as an inspiration for the church's work in the world." In accordance with this resolution St. David's Vestry and the Adult Forum will formally embark on a study of the document known as the "Earth Charter." We encourage any other member of our congregation and the public to likewise pursue the study of this document. A copy of this document can be obtained in PDF format by clicking here. Additionally, information about the history and formation of the Earth Charter can be found here: http://www.earthcharter.org/ An in-depth study of the Earth Charter can be obtained as a PDF file by clicking here.
Hispanic Woman Ordained Bishop
The Rev. Bavi Edna “Nedi” Rivera was ordained a bishop in the Episcopal Church in a worship service on January 22, at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Wash. She will serve as the suffragan bishop (meaning assistant bishop) for the 33,000 Episcopalians living in western Washington. She will be the first Hispanic woman bishop and only the 12th woman bishop in the history of the denomination.
The diocese was seeking a bishop who would lead the church in its efforts to expand ethnic ministries, evangelism and the work of faith formation.
Rivera is the daughter of the Victor Manuel Rivera who served as the Bishop of San Joaquin, Calif., from 1968 to 1988. She served as rector of St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in San Francisco until her election as bishop. She was ordained a priest in 1979.
The Episcopal Church was the first province in the Anglican Communion to ordain a woman as bishop when Barbara Harris was consecrated bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Massachusetts in February of 1989. Rivera becomes the 16th woman bishop in the history of the world-wide Anglican Communion of seventy million members.
Contact our legislators
Click on the following to e-mail:
Senator Patty Murray: senator_murray@murray.senate.gov
Senator Maria Cantwell: http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html
Rep Rick Larsen: rick.larsen@mail.house.gov
The Griffin/Gryphon
The old “Vicarage” has been renamed Gryphon Hall. The Gryphon is our new mascot. But do you know what it symbolizes in ancient myth and Christian art? Here is a synopsis:
THE Gryphon is a monster with the body of a lion, the head and wings of an eagle, and back covered with feathers. Some ancient representations and writers indicate that the Griffin had a snake-like tail. Most of the time, only the female had wings and males had spikes on their back instead of wings. Like birds it builds its nest, and instead of an egg lays an agate therein. It has long claws and talons of such a size that people are said to have made them into drinking-cups. The talon of a Gryphon was said to detect poison in a liquid when used as a drinking cup. Very handy for the nobility, as this was a common form of assassination.
INDIA is assigned as the earliest native country of the Gryphons. Gryphons found gold in the mountains and built their nests on the treasure, for which reason their nests were very tempting to the hunters, and they were forced to keep vigilant guard over them. Gryphons became known as guardians of treasure. Their instinct led them to know where buried treasures lay, and they did their best to keep plunderers at a distance. The Arimaspians, among whom the Gryphons flourished, were a mythical one-eyed people of Scythia. The Gryphon is also found depicted in ancient Babylonian, Assyrian, and Persian paintings and sculptures. It is believed the myths found life around 3,000 B.C. and the Gryphon was said to be the Pharoah's companion in Ancient Egypt. Later, Gryphons became sacred guardians in Minoa.
GRYPHONS are usually heroic-like symbols. They are well known for their speed, ability to fly and having eyes like an eagle, as well as the strength and courage of a lion. In Egyptian hieroglyphics, Gryphons represent heat and summer. In Assyria (an ancient empire of western Asia,) both the Gryphon and the dragon were symbols of wisdom. In Roman art, Gryphons are often seen pulling the chariot of Nemesis (goddess of justice and revenge.)
IT was characteristic of early Chrsitians to incorporate and Christianize pagan symbols into their iconography and worship. In the earliest stages of Christian development, the Gryphon had the connotation of evil, mainly due to the snake-like tail which suggested Satan’s temptation of Eve. But later, the Gryphon became the representation of Christ. The Gryphon’s dual nature led it to be associated with Jesus Christ, God and man, king of heaven and earth. The eagle half of the Gryphon signified Christ's divinity and the lion half represented His humanity. Because no one could block the path of a Gryphon, this creature was especially associated with that passage in the Gospel which records Christ's marvelous passage through the crowd at Nazareth who were determined to throw Him off a cliff. [Luke 4:28-30]
GRYPHON-like images are represented in Celtic art, especially in the Book of Kells. During the Middle Ages, Gryphons were symbols of Christ's resurrection. The strength of the lion and the wisdom of the eagle combined in the Gryphon to symbolize the strength and wisdom of God in Christ, who had the power to overcome death. Gryphons also were often displayed as gargoyles on buildings, churches and cathedrals.
SO there you have it. When someone asks, “Why the Gryphon?”, you can now wow them with your erudite display of knowledge.