new best friend

This must be the final rite of passage for new clergy: the first solo planning of Holy Week and Easter services. I think I've got a handle on it. I'm trying to create a unified expression for the services. It's important to me that they all relate to each other thematically. Well, of course they do scripturally. I'm talking about visually, and spiritually. The Liturgy Committee and I have been working on intentional design of the worship experience. Each thing we use, that people interact with, has meaning and a reason for being there. Everything works together to get the same point across to the worshipers. For instance, we took down the shiny brass candlesticks on the altar and are using something more subdued for Lent. Brass speaks of lightness, and celebration. We're using wild grasses, all dormant and brown, instead of pretty coloured flowers. The grasses speak of the quiet anticipation of Easter, springtime and resurrection to new life. Likewise for Holy Week and Easter, I want to convey purpose for each thing we do. The services can be long, so they must be meaningful, and I believe unified in expression. It's all quite a big plateful. In and amongst all this creative expressiveness are the down-and-dirty logistics of pulling it all off well. Meet my new best friend:













Thank goodness for detail-oriented people, and for those who do simple line drawings well. We were so liturgy-heavy at seminary, and I felt like I got bogged down in details often. Trying to parse out all those experiences now is proving daunting. I don't know how I'd get through this first Holy Week/Easter without a technical manual. I'm reminded of so many presiders at seminary who said, "just tell me where to stand."

guns, golf, and remote revenge

I bet continuing education credits never meant learning how to play golf and basic firearms safety. Okay, here's the story.

I was recently asked to go to a person's house to remove a gun for the person's own safety. Naturally I said I would, because I'm a helping kind of person. This is a perfect example of not thinking first and acting outside one's comfort zone. And the big duh prize goes to... me. I thought I was looking for a hand gun. I'm from Chicago. Everybody has a hand gun. I figured I would simply tuck a hand gun into my jacket pocket, take it out of harms way, and be done with it. But no, what I found was a rifle. Can't fit a rifle into my jacket pocket. Then I realized it was still loaded. I don't know how to put bullets into a gun, and only one way to get them out. I stood there holding the thing trying to figure out how to safely handle it. My dad had a rifle when I was little. He used to shoot beer cans from the back porch. The first time he fired it, I was so afraid of the loud noise, I never wanted to go near it again. Fast forward to me crouched on the kitchen floor trying to get ammunition out of it, and recalling all those movies where someone says, "Don't worry, I've got the safety on." A parishioner offered to teach me how to shoot a gun last fall. I almost called him to talk me through what I was trying to do. With all the hunters and shooting sports that go on around here, I think it would be good to get at least a working knowledge of firearms safety. I've seen gunshot wounds, and have had a gun pointed at me. I think now's the time for my next con-ed class.

On the safer end (she says because she hasn't done this either), it's also time for me to learn how to play golf. Golf is big around here - real big. A colleague asked me today if I played. If by "play golf" he means chasing a ball through a field, then yes I play a splendid game. It's my understanding that golf between colleagues is more schmooze than golf. If this is true, I have nothing to fear. My schmoozing skills are well above par. I think though, that I'm going to have have at least some working knowledge of how to get the ball from point A to point B according to the rules.

I almost regret what I did to Mr. Kennedy all those years ago. In my childhood home, my bedroom window looked into my neighbor, Mr. Kennedy's, living room window and right to his television. He used to watch golf on TV all the time, and I thought it was really boring, or maybe I was just really bored. When we got cable in my neighborhood all the remotes and receivers were the same. One day when his game was on I happened by the window and I thought I'd try an experiment. As the ball neared the cup I aimed our cable remote from my bedroom window to the TV in his living room and changed the channel. It worked! Cable TV delivered on it's promise of excellent entertainment. He freaked every time. I thought it was hilarious. He had no idea. Could this be Mr. Kennedy's ghost getting his revenge? Should I wish I'd paid more attention to what he was watching, and less on tormenting the poor man? Hhmmm... no, not really.

brilliant invention

When a paper cup simply won't do, a plastic container would be unheard of, and a thermos is just out of the question... behold "Travel China!"

















Meet my response to the travel mug. We've had a stray lid on the shelf for a couple weeks, and I just happened to be returning my tea cup to the same shelf when it hit me. It's the best of both worlds. The lid fits perfectly: snug, leak proof. At the same time, the purity of the beverage flavours are unassaulted by artificial materials. It's utilitarian elegance. I thought it was a stroke of genius.

















Even Sasha approves.

Okay, it's not perfect. It won't take being bashed around on the dash board, it won 't fit into a cup holder, and it won't keep my tea hot for very long. But look at it! It's a china cup with a to-go lid. These will be on the market in no time, just you watch.

lent so far

I missed the first Sunday in Lent. I was in Maine celebrating my parents' 60th wedding anniversary. I was so bummed to miss that day. The Liturgy Committee and I have been working on planning the seasons since October, and were finally at a point where we can make some changes in how we do our liturgy. Reports of last Sunday were favourable. No one rebelled over what we did. Today I got to play.

We were trying for a few things. I know, I know: Laurel's Law # 11 clearly states, "Don't try to do too much at one time." Kinda broke that one.

We wanted to make each season distinct. We learn something new about Jesus in each season, so each season should reflect a developing understanding of our relationship. So, we did the usual purple appointments, and coverings for crosses. Then I took out the big brass candlesticks on the altar, and replaced them with purple pillars on a dark turned wood pillar stands. We changed out the wafers - yes, the Jelly Belly wafers of Feb 6th - with a homemade Dakota wheat bread. The usual Port wine was swapped out for a Cabernet Franc. In order to connect our liturgy with the outside world - I preached we're not a museum, or a place to escape the hurts of the world - the bread is made by a person just starting a catering company. It's a gutsy move in an economy like this. Jesus was pretty gutsy in his economy too. The wine is from a local MI winery. Our liturgy now supports local business and agriculture. The entrepreneurial baker has already taken a week's worth of orders for her outstanding bread!

We've introduced Bishop's Blend coffee at coffee hour to further connect us with the outside world. That's more obviously a MGD move.

Next season we'll use a different bread and wine that will reflect the nature of that season.

Innovations in liturgy: so far so good. I'll try not to push my luck with Law # 11.

very

I've been elected Chair of my Deanery. Check it out: the new kid is making waves already. We use the term "Chair," rather than "Dean" of the Deanery here. I'm not one to stand on titles, but The Very Reverend Me would've been cool. I've been working on slowly introducing new ideas and organizational leadership models at St. College Town, and it's been a good experience. Now I think I'm going to have to consider different kinds of models with this new organization. They elected me in large part because I am the new kid, and so fresh ideas, and new perspectives, and all that, come in the package. The other side of that is of course stepping into a system that has already been in play for a long time. I don't know everybody well enough yet to jump in with bold leadership. I think every move I make will have to be really well considered if I'm gong to be successful. I can ride the "new kid" wave for a little while, but while I'm enjoying that temporary free range I've got to be earning real street cred if I and this group are to be effective in our mission. I totally dig this.

Oh, another cool thing: my Bishop has asked me to preach at our Diocesan Convention Eucharist. Now I ask you... how cool is that? He said the propers haven't been chosen yet, so I could pick whatever I want. The theme is healing. I've always thought it would be really cool to preach in front of that kind of congregation: huge, and filled with more experienced and better preachers than me. I like the challenge.