Thanksgiving...

...for family: past, present and yet to come;

...for friends near and far, who grow dearer each new day;

...for travel, and conversation, and laughter, and tears;

...for odd traditions that both set us apart and bring us closer;

...for God's incredible grace, in all of the above and then some.

"This is a day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps. 118:24)

Oh, my...

Dave pointed this out on his blog.

I have no words.

Quick Notes

You might want to take notice of a few changes I've made this week.

In the blogroll, Mitch and Ryan are the new kids on the block, and Heather has returned to the blogiverse, after an unwilling technological hiatus. Welcome, and welcome back!

I've also added a few links, for places and people that are important to me, or that I think are just plain cool. The latest of these points you to some absolutely gorgeous glasswork done by a couple of guys Bruce knew growing up. Here's some examples:





While you're looking at all the pretties, I'm headed off to finish my systematics paper before we venture down to sister-in-law Bonnie's house tomorrow, to eat too much and play with the nieces and nephews. Have a grand Thanksgiving, my friends!

I do love a man in uniform...

The first uniformed player on the left was, I am assured by former classmates, "the best second baseman Corydon Central ever had!" He grew up to be a pretty awesome husband and father, as well.

BlogLab 101

I have utterly wasted several hours fiddling around with my blog.

Now, I've done some programming, here and there; you can't be an engineer and not spend some time coding. But it's been a while since that was a regular part of my routine, and what I know about HTML would not fill a sheet of notebook paper, even with wide margins.

So I've been learning the old-fashioned way, by trial-and-error. Cut and paste, and preview.

That's too small.

No, now that's too big.

Dear Lord, not that color!

I wonder what happens if we leave this part out...

Oops!

So, the results of my experimenting to date are currently what you see. Widened the left column, tweaked the colors a little, played with the fonts. Not much, for the length of time I've spent on it, but there is a learning curve.

What do you think?

Kyrie

There are old holes in my soul that never quite close, and which continue to color my world in painful ways.
Lord, have mercy.
I look at the path You set before me, and can see only how inadequate I am to walk it.
Christ, have mercy.
It is so hard to keep focused on Your will, even though I stumble when I try to make my own way.
Lord, have mercy.

Home

Yesterday was the last of my classes for a week; Thanksgiving, and hence Reading Week, is upon us. I don't have classes on Friday this term, so I packed up and drove south last night-- after dinner with Tripp & Trish (who I hope is feeling better-- she's bothered by an impertinent bug that seems to be wending its way through the North Shore. A large chunk of Seabury is also coughing and wheezing).

I've spent most of the day rooting through articles and websites, researching Stage 3 of my systematics project-- the "family values" portion of the program. I am struck, believe it or not, by the commonalities between the extremes in this debate. Both the fundamentalist "proof-texters" and the "ignore the patriarchy" crowd seem to me to suffer from an appalling lack of logic, of failing to think through their positions. The adjective "knee-jerk" applies equally, IMO, to so-called conservatives and liberals; and, after having spent a few hours wading through websites and diatribes, I'm inclined to remove the "knee."

So, here's the agenda for the week:

Homework
Systematics - Stage 3 paper, reading, journal
Preaching - reflection, homily exercise, paper

Housework
Bathroom - finish the drywall
Sewing - Gene's pants, Mark's stole, Kate's chausible

Thanksgiving
Sister-in-law Bonnie's house in Indy on Thurs
--->(email Faye for sweet potato recipe!!)
Dad and Pat in town on Friday

This will be busy time, but good.

One more thing...

On Tuesday I will take my daughter and her 12-year-old cousin, to the airport. No, I am not going anywhere; I'm just the chauffeur. They will be meeting my brother and his wife in Memphis, and traveling with them to Cancun. They're meeting some other friends there for the week, several of whom have children. CJ and Colin will be spending part of their time as babysitters for their 3-year-old cousin, as well as a few other kids.

My teenager is in Mexico for the week, while I'm in the soon-to-be-frozen Midwest. What's wrong with this picture?

Plunge Presentation

I didn't blog it yesterday-- didn't have time to blog anything-- but my plunge group gave its class presentation in the morning. We had an initial scare with a technological issue-- the video port on my iBook will not accomodate the larger plug that comes off the Seabury Lounge projector. Fortunately, there are far geekier folks than I in our class, and Dave and Mark were able to do an end run that allowed the display to work as planned.

Overall, what we had to say was very well recieved. This may surprise you, but there was some puzzlement over the fact that our plunge parish is a generally healthy, functioning, Christian community. Not perfect, no; but not torn, or especially conflicted. So many of us have seen that sort of dysfunction in congregations to which we've belonged, as well as in myriad case studies we've discussed in our classes, that we've been somewhat conditioned to expect it. It's pleasantly disconcerting to find a place, and a parish family, where that's not currently true.

In other words, dear Philippians: y'all are living out the Gospel, all things considered, in some wonderful ways, and it showed. Thanks for sharing that with us.

Systematics Journal Entry #11

This assigned reading was a little different. Instead of selections out of one of our texts, we read sections of “God Ordained This War:” Sermons on the Sectional Crisis, edited by David B. Chesebrough. These sermons were preached in the mid-19th century, on the subject of slavery, and the selected portions in our reading reflect both pro-slavery and anti-slavery positions.

I found myself, after an initial rough start, resonating somewhat with Theodore Parker’s approach to the issue. Initially this was a bit of a struggle, as his style is rather pedantic; it felt more like a lecture than a homily to my 20th century ears. Additionally, I did have difficulty with some of his viewpoints: his emphasis on personal conscience, for example, over and against the larger body of Christ; or his justification of violence as defense against violence. However, his structure was easy to follow, and built logically, and you will not be surprised to hear that I did like his argument for considering themes within the whole of scripture as the basis for living out one’s “duty as a man,” rather than selected texts used to support one’s preferred position. Some of that may become a source for my paper!

Systematics Journal Entry #10

(Yes, journal assignments are back, too!)

Our assigned reading load for the last two weeks, while we were off on Plunge, was pretty light. For this I am grateful, as we were kept pretty busy while we were gone. Thanks, Gregg!

Moreover, the reading-- several sermons out of Rutledge’s Help My Unbelief and Williams’ Ray of Darkness-- were both easy to follow and meaty food for thought. I enjoyed them, and found myself reading one chapter at a time, in order to allow time to think about and digest the words and thoughts expressed. I’ve become something of a preaching geek, it seems; and, while a good sermon loses something (in my opinion) in the translation from oral to written media, some of the flavor of proclaiming to the assembled still remains.

I have been a fan (for lack of a better word) of Fleming Rutledge’s preaching for several years. She came to our diocese for a clergy conference two years ago, and graced our parish by preaching at Sunday services that week. This was only two weeks after Sept. 11, and I can still remember not only her words, but her tone, and demeanor as she spoke. And that’s what I see, and hear, as I read the words in her book. She has a knack for hopeful realism-- being able to point out the implications of the scriptural teaching for our contemporary life; and conversely, for seeing in the world around us the work of God, or the need for it.

Williams’ text, on the other hand, was a pleasant surprise. I have grown accustomed to the effort it takes to slog through his sometimes very dense theological writing, enough that I’ve been maintaining that one of the reasons he was called to the archbishopric was to reduce his opportunity for confusing worshippers from a regular Sunday pulpit! However, his sermons were not nearly so impenetrable; they were, in fact, consistently readable, and written with an insight and occasional touch of humor that I appreciated. My favorite homily is the one entitled “I Do Not Know the Man,” based on Peter’s denial of Jesus in Matthew 26. Williams writes (or preaches) in Peter’s voice, expanding on the source of that denial-- the fear, the conflict, the anguish that moved Peter that day, and continues to move us today. Two weeks later, and I still feel that lesson.

Check it out!

Yet another Seabury blogger! Yes, another of our student body has moved out of his class site, and into the personal blog world. Stop by and say hello.

Back home in Indiana...

...and happy to be here. Don't get me wrong; Mississippi was great-- the parish was wonderful, people were kind and generous beyond reason, and I've already told you about the food. But I was ready to be done.

{Unpaid travel promotion: Southwest is a terrific airline. Flights were on time (actually early, coming back!), employees were pleasant, luggage arrived inspected, but unscathed and on schedule.}

So, after a very smooth flight (and nearly empty: we each had our own row), we landed yesterday afternoon. Bruce picked me up, we retrieved the luggage, and the kids were waiting when we got home. Lots of hugging, and talking, and catching up. I called home every day, but conversation is sweeter when accompanied by snuggles.

In summary: Glad to have gone, and even gladder to be home.

Weekend

Yesterday Tom drove us up to walk around the Gray Center, the Diocese of Mississippi's Conference Center and Campground. It's a beautiful gem of a facility. The conference center is at one end-- a large building with dining room, guest rooms for more than 100, and 2 or 3 meeting spaces (that can be divided for smaller groups). There are also three cottages for smaller groups to use; each will sleep 16 people. A largish chapel is also there. It's light and airy, and designed to be a flexible space; the altar, and the platform on which it rests, are moved easily, and the seating is all chapel chairs, quickly rearranged to suit a group's worship. There's also a small outdoor chapel (altar and wooden benches) down by the road.

At the other end of the property is the campground: Camp Bratton-Green. Rustic facilities, here: ample, but low-tech (no frills). Cabins, large meeting room, craft shack, dining hall, pool and chapel (again, indoors and out). I spent lots of years at church summer camps, and felt quite comfortable. There was a Vocare group using the space while we were there, so we were careful to stay out of their way, and sort of tour behind them-- poking our noses into places as they moved from one part of their schedule to the next.

Both facilities, as well as an environmental education center called EarthLab, are contained within some 700 acres of beautifully forested land. Tom describes this place as part of the heart of the diocesan community, and I can see why.

Last evening the vestry hosted a dinner for us, once again laying out food that was way too good. I don't like sweet potatoes, not at all, but Faye did something magical to these. She's promised me the recipe, and I intend to collect. They were incredible-- although I will say they didn't quite send me into the raptures that my classmate expressed a few days ago. Remember "When Harry Met Sally?" That's nothing. You should have been there "When Dave Met Fat Tuesday's Lemon Pie.").

Another busy day

This morning I got to meet an old friend for the first time-- and discovered that his live persona is every bit as awesome as his virtual reality.

This afternoon we chatted with David, the organist/choirmaster, and got his views on the musical life of the parish-- a very important piece of the St. Phillip's puzzle.

This evening Carolyn's host, Grace, took us out for dinner. Yet another fine Mississippi meal. I warned Bruce this evening that there will be more of me coming home than left a week and a half ago.

Stewpot

That's where we spent the day-- learning about this onetime food pantry that has grown into an amazing collection of outreach services: food, clothing, emergency and transitional shelters, medical and legal clinic services, after school programs... the list is phenominal, as are the people who do all the work that goes into this ministry. Dexter was our escort: former Green Beret Colonel, called by God to the vocational diaconate-- and one of the best things about St. Phillip's, to date. I am in awe.

Tomorrow we only have one meeting: this curate from the Delta, who's wandering down to chat with us. I've been reading his stuff online for a while, and can't wait to lay eyes on him. I hear he's pretty cute.

Oh, and one more thing: Stop by and say hi to Mitch, the newest Seabury blogger!

Catechesis

Well, the sermon went well. I was initially nervous, because on top of everything else, this is the first time I haven't preached with a manuscript in front of me (wrote it on the laptop, and then had no way to print it!). But when the time came, I was very comfortable standing in the aisle with my little handful of notes.

The small group who came to worship was very gracious about my homiletic efforts. Bubba (yes Virginia, there really is a Bubba) told me he was concerned when I came out that I'd be "talkin' Yankee jargon," (by which he meant I'd be speaking too fast to understand), but was grateful to note that I managed to "preach almost normal." I'm taking this as high praise.

We spent time after the service chatting with the dozen or so people who stayed for coffee and cookies, which was fun. Then we spent a good couple hours with Pam, who heads up the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, which is what is used here for Christian Ed up to about 6th grade. It's a wonderful program, and she just comes alive when she's sharing it. We ended the morning by going out to lunch, and soaked up some more local culture (I had a catfish po' boy, which was terrific).

Tonight is choir practice; and we're all singers, so this'll be fun.

Wee sermon

Proper 26, Year B
Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 12:28-34

The scriptures today are familiar ones-- that teaching we call the Great Commandment. And we get to hear it twice: first in Deuteronomy, when Moses gives them to the Israelites. Then, in Mark’s Gospel, where Jesus repeats it for the benefit of the temple scribe and a bunch of gathered religious leaders come to question him. Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees... not an easy crowd. In Episcopal terms, this would be a little like trying to talk about "proper worship" with a group of Anglo-Catholics, Evangelicals and Charismatics all gethered together! In other words, they were a diverse lot, and it’s not unlikely they were looking to trip one another up, as well as Jesus. But he was not so easily caught, especially when it came to knowing Torah, the books of the Law.

And here’s something to notice: though there are other places in scripture that Jesus expands, and explains, and interprets Old Testament teaching, this one he simply repeats verbatim.

“You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength..." But then he adds to it: "...and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Now, the folks that were listening to Jesus would have been thinking of the "other commandments" to which Jesus refers as those contained in the Torah-- the 600+ rules and regulations that that good Jews would be expected to follow.

But as a Christian, when I hear “Other Commandments,” the first thing I think of are the Ten Commandments. You and I could probably sit here and list them off pretty promptly-- and, depending on how thoroughly we were drilled as a child, maybe even in order.

When I was young and learning them, I thought of them as the “Shalt Nots” (yes, this is one of those things I still think of in the King James Version). That’s how most of them start. “Thou Shalt Not murder, steal, commit adultery... 8 of the 10 are Thou Shalt Nots-- and for very good reasons, I think.

That list of Shalt Nots was in the news again this week. On Monday, the Supreme Court announced that it would not hear the appeal of the Alabama judge who had installed a stone monument to the 10 Commandments in the courthouse, and was fighting its removal. The judge was interviewed on the television; he was very angry, and promised to keep fighting to reinstall it. He feels that the large stone image of “shalt nots” is that important.

Well, maybe. I certainly wouldn’t argue with anything on that list. But look again at what we heard and read this morning:

“You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength... and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

We are told that as good, and righteous, and important as those commandments are, there is something more important still. The list of “Shalt Nots” is summed up and overridden by “Shalls.” Don’ts become Do’s. Negatives become positive. Warning becomes promise.

Now, this sounds wonderful, and it is; but don’t be fooled. Wonderful is not the same as easy. It’s not like we can count on our fingers, and assume two rules are easier to live by than 10. Those two up the ante on the 10, and then some. Listen to the way this same verse is written in another translation:

“You shall love the Lord God with all your passion, and your prayer, and your intellect, and your energy; and then love your neighbor as much as you do yourself.”

No, that's not easy. It's an awesome responsibility-- to not simply follow the rules, and sort of passively be well-behaved; but to step out, to act, in a fully absorbing way. “Seeking and serving Christ in all persons," as we promised again just last Sunday.

That’s All Persons. The enemy as well as the friend. The criminal as well as the victim. A controversial new bishop, as well as those who oppose his consecration. It is an incredibly hard task, to try to love those we don’t like, or with whom we disagree, or fear, or distrust. This, I believe, is why we are commanded to turn to God first, and with our whole selves; because only in God is it possible at all.

“You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength... and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Maybe these are the words that should be carved on a monument-- not one of granite, but on our hearts and in our lives.

Adventures

We're learning a lot, here-- people are eager to share about the parish, and the community, and the area. We had a long chat yesterday with Tom, the rector. Very laid back soul-- hard to imagine he and our focused, intentional Ruth were classmates! Spent today at the U. Miss Medical Center with Bruns, the curate-- an amazing man, and one of my newest heroes.

Tomorrow, believe it or not, I'm preaching at the weekday Eucharist. It's a small service, being on a weekday morning, so I guess that Tom figures I can't do too much harm in the 3 minutes he says is a normal homily for that group. Yes, I'm nervous-- he brought it up yesterday, and I've never preached on that short notice, regardless of how long or short it is. So it will be a tiny talk-- and if it doesn't flub too badly, I'll try to get over and post it.

But now, I need to get out of this parking lot and get some sleep!

Life in Jackson

We have settled in Mississippi, and are keeping busy! The people here really are friendly, and keep feeding us incredible amounts of food. This keeps up, they'll be rollin' us onto the plane.

Our first big adventure was the Red Beans and Rice Festival. Great fun-- 40 or 50 booths competing for the Grand Champion recipe. The whole thing is put on as a fundraiser for The Stewpot-- a local food ministry originated and sponsored by members of St. Philips (the deacon here is the director).

If you go here, you'll see our close encounter with the apparent mascot of said festival. Never a dull moment here in Jackson.

We have now found a lovely little coffee shop with FREE wifi; so I'll be able to post a bit, here and there. This is a wonderful thing-- I was beginning to twitch with withdrawl symptoms.