Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

6 January 2015 A.D. Maryland TEC Clergy Summoned by Bishop to Meet Tuesday, 6 Jan 2015, After Suffragan Bishop Kills Cyclist in Hit-and-Run; Previous to this Homocide, She Had Preached about Traffic Violations and Consequences


6 January 2015 A.D.  Maryland TEC Clergy Summoned by Bishop to Meet Tuesday, 6 Jan 2015, After Suffragan Bishop Kills Cyclist in Hit-and-Run; Previous to this Homocide, She Had Preached about Traffic Violations and Consequences

Broadwater, Luke. “Bishop summons clergy to meeting after death of bicyclist in Baltimore.” The Baltimore Sun.  4 Jan 2015. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/north-baltimore/bs-md-episcopal-cathedral-20150104-story.html.  Accessed 5 Jan 2015.

Bishop summons clergy to meeting after death of bicyclist in Baltimore


Rev. Canon Heather Cook

Rev. Canon Heather Cook

Handout photo

Rev. Canon Heather Cook has been elected Bishop Suffragan of Maryland.

Rev. Canon Heather Cook has been elected Bishop Suffragan of Maryland. (Handout photo)


Preacher shaken by death of Baltimore bicyclist Thomas Palermo.

Bishop has summoned all the clergy of the Diocese of Maryland to a meeting Tuesday.

The Episcopal bishop of Maryland has summoned all the clergy of the Diocese of Maryland to a Tuesday morning meeting in Frederick County after a high-ranking church official was involved in a crash in Baltimore that killed bicyclist Thomas Palermo, a married father of two.

Church spokeswoman Sharon Tillman confirmed Sunday that Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton has called church clergy to a meeting at the Claggett Center near Buckeystown. She said the meeting was closed to the public to "allow clergy time to process the tragic events of the past week that involved a colleague."

Tom Palermo memorial ride

CaptionTom Palermo memorial ride

Lloyd Fox, Baltimore Sun

Friends and fellow bikers ride along Roland Ave. for Tom Palermo.

Friends and fellow bikers ride along Roland Ave. for Tom Palermo. (Lloyd Fox, Baltimore Sun)

 


Tom Palermo memorial ride

CaptionTom Palermo memorial ride

Jerry Jackson, Baltimore Sun

Hundreds of cyclists ride on on University Parkway on a memorial ride for cyclist Tom Palermo.

Hundreds of cyclists ride on on University Parkway on a memorial ride for cyclist Tom Palermo. (Jerry Jackson, Baltimore Sun)

 


Tom Palermo memorial ride

CaptionTom Palermo memorial ride

Jerry Jackson, Baltimore Sun

Hundreds of cyclists ride in memory of cyclist Tom Palermo.

Hundreds of cyclists ride in memory of cyclist Tom Palermo. (Jerry Jackson, Baltimore Sun)

 


Tom Palermo ride

CaptionTom Palermo ride

Karen Jackson, Baltimore Sun

Hundreds of cyclists ride in memory of cyclist Tom Palermo.

Hundreds of cyclists ride in memory of cyclist Tom Palermo. (Karen Jackson, Baltimore Sun)

 


Tom Palermo ride

CaptionTom Palermo ride

Karen Jackson, Baltimore Sun

Hundreds of cyclists ride in memory of cyclist Tom Palermo, who was killed in a crash.

Hundreds of cyclists ride in memory of cyclist Tom Palermo, who was killed in a crash. (Karen Jackson, Baltimore Sun)


Tillman said, "This is about the clergy and how they are processing the tragic events of last week. Heather Cook's future is not in the clergy's hands; it depends on the police report and state's attorney's office."

Police are continuing to investigate the 2:40 p.m. Dec. 27 crash on the 5700 block of Roland Ave. Episcopal officials have identified the driver of the car as Bishop Suffragan Heather Elizabeth Cook, the second-ranking official in the Diocese of Maryland. Cook initially drove away from the scene but returned a short time later, according to the diocese and witnesses at the scene. Another bicyclist followed her to a gated apartment complex. No charges have been filed.

Cook, who has been placed on administrative leave, is "barred from performing any duties of a bishop or a priest," Tillman said.

Palermo's death has galvanized many in Baltimore in recent weeks, prompting hundreds to attend a memorial bike ride earlier in the week and Sutton to ask all church members to engage in "silent prayer and reflection" on Saturday.

Cook's attorney, David Irwin, said he has yet to receive any police or accident report, and couldn't comment on the details of the case. Irwin also declined to comment on the meeting.

"She's distraught about the tragedy of the death of the cyclist," Irwin said of Cook. "It's a horribly sad situation."

Irwin said Cook is declining to comment.

Episcopal bishop involved in bicycle crash has DUI record

Episcopal bishop involved in bicycle crash has DUI record

 

Court records show that the Episcopal bishop involved in a fatal bicycle crash in North Roland Park on Saturday pleaded guilty to DUI in 2010. (Baltimore Sun Video)

Court records show that the Episcopal bishop involved in a fatal bicycle crash in North Roland Park on Saturday pleaded guilty to DUI in 2010. (Baltimore Sun Video)

The acting dean of the diocese told about 100 worshipers at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Baltimore on Sunday that he was shaken by the crash.

"During this Christmas season in particular, it has been very hard to hold onto the joy," said the Rev. Rob Boulter, who delivered Sunday's sermon. "I [became] aware of Thomas Palermo being killed. ... It shook me. It really shook me."

"The Palermo family is totally devastated," Boulter added. "No Christmas will ever be the same for them."

Church officials on Sunday passed out a statement from Sutton that said Cook has been placed on administrative leave. In the statement, Sutton said he would "meet shortly with the Standing Committee to discuss ways we can move forward."

During Boulter's sermon, he used the tragedy to tell churchgoers to rely on God even in their darkest times. "God doesn't take away the darkness. But God through Jesus shines a light into the darkness," he said. "It feels very dark indeed."

Boulter said he was heartened by last week's 3-mile bike ride for Palermo that started at the church and traveled to the site of the crash. Hundreds of cyclists rode to the site of the accident Thursday to remember Palermo and to send a message to the wider community about the vulnerability of riders on city streets.

Biking advocates bemoan slow pace of promised safety improvements

 





 

"I saw glimmers of light before the memorial bike ride Thursday for Tom Palermo," Boulter said. "Glimmers of light shining in the darkness. Hundreds of people gathered here at the cathedral just to show their concern and love for that man."

Cook, who has spent 20 years as an Episcopal priest, was charged in 2010 in Caroline County with driving under the influence of alcohol. She pleaded guilty, received probation before judgment and was ordered to pay a $300 fine.

Police continue to investigate what caused the fatal crash involving Palermo. Detectives believe a Subaru station wagon was traveling southbound when it struck the bicyclist.

Before being elevated to a position as a high-ranking bishop, Cook was subjected to a background check regarding the drunken-driving incident, but church officials determined the incident shouldn't exclude her. Cook was also subjected to a psychological investigation at that time, according to the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.

"One of the core values of the Christian faith is forgiveness. We cannot preach forgiveness without practicing forgiveness and offering people opportunity for redemption," the diocese said in a statement. "We, too, are all filled with questions for which there are still no answers, and we are all filled with anger, bitterness, pain and tears."

Palermo, a 41-year-old senior Johns Hopkins Hospital software engineer and a master bike frame builder, lived in the Baltimore County community of Anneslie.


twitter.com/lukebroadwater

No comments: