Regarding the Mission Funding Initiative, the article says:

"The project's executive director, the Rev. Charles Fulton, also told Council that his office's efforts are not meant to interfere with parish and diocesan fundraising efforts. 'This is not going to be an end run around local leaders,' he said."

But...

I am the development officer of the Diocese of Washington. The major gifts folks had a big dinner at the Library of Congress last week and never even told me they were coming. They invited several of our key donors--people who had supported both the annual Bishop's Appeal and the John T. Walker School for Boys. This at a time when we have just laid off four people and cut back on the publication schedule of Washington Window, while still, somehow, increasing our giving to the national church.

My boss, Bishop John Chane was invited to the dinner, but only because it came to light at the most recent House of Bishops Meeting that Bishop Mark Sisk had neither been informed of, nor invited to, the dinner that these folks had held in his diocese back in January.

After the ensuing flap, an invitation suddenly appeared in Bishop Chane's mailbox, at least two weeks after the rest of the guests, including 815 staff members, had been invited.

As I have looked into this matter, I have discovered that any number of people have complained about this campaign, from archivisits to executive council members, but it doesn't appear that anything has been done.

The consultant I work with here in the diocese worked for NPR before her retirement, so she has some sense of how a national organization goes about raising money without alienating its local affiliates.

Not like this.

'One of our biggest challenges is the fact that conservative members of this church now feel that they are on the extreme right end where they used to be closer to the middle. That's a perception, but it's a real perception [that] causes significant amount of distress and reactivity.'" KJS

One of my biggest *challenges* has always been listening (over six decades worth) to clergy/laity trash LGBT people like me while I´m sitting next to them silently in a pew, at school or at work...I just sat there and sat there and realized they were often not fully aware of all the ¨realities¨ regarding human sexuality nor the REAL character of their friends and family whom they were demeaning...they were often damning, to Hell, LGBT human beings...I almost believed they were right and attempted to kill myself.

ALL CHRISTIANS ought spend more time doing rigorous self-searching as to the TRUE measure of their own character...it´s comforting and brings happiness and peace of mind.

Gradually, I find myself more clear on the Christian person that I´m ¨called to be¨at The Body of Christ. It´s much better than the member who once thought he ought be located closer to the dumpster behind the parish hall.

My personal experience inspires me to suggest:

Stiff upper lip,¨ and all that...sit quietly, more will be revealed and less concealed, keep praying for Gods ¨will¨ and the ¨distress¨ and feelings of being ¨marginalized¨ will slip away.