Guest Blogger, Bishop Murcheson James, Presiding Bishop of the 'Eighth Episcopal District' for the Gospel United Church

With today being Father's Day and all, I thought it fitting for me to say a few words about Sister Bowen's upcoming book, More Church Folk, seeing that I've been blessed with wonderful sons, and now daughters, in the ministry.

I've read Church Folk several times and was always tickled by her protrayal of me. I'm just a country boy at heart and there are times when I'd rather be in my garden tending to the tender shoots of my prized collard, mustard, and turnips greens, instead of dealing with all of the complicated intricacies of presiding over an entire Episcopal District full of churches, preachers, pastors, presiding elders, and first ladies. It takes prayer, incredible bodaciousness, and just a little bit of Gospel Gangsta (to quote the younger preachers) to run a district.

'Cause you know folks can be just a little bit crazy. And those of you who've read Church Folk, know that the preachers in the Gospel United Church can turn it out. The good preachers are not to be messed with. And the bad preachers like that Marcel Brown and his daddy....oh, excuse me.......Lee Allie is eyeballing me to get back on track with the book. I don't know why Lee Allie is being so bossy about this blog spot....

Anyways...I've read the galleys for More Church Folk, and I like what the missy has done...she has served it up.

I have to go. On my way to Lambert Airport in St. Louis, to head up to Chicago. We just finished with the Missouri Annual Conference, which was held at Freedom Temple in St. Louis. I love that conference. I hope Eddie Tate will make sure to get me some of that fancy popcorn folks always talking about in Chicago, Murcheson (aka, Bishop James)