Blinders

Yesterday Mom asked me to consider writing an article about the Annual Meeting for the parish newsletter. I said I'd think about it. I haven't had any great inspiration as yet--at least not for something that could actually go in the newsletter. Here's what I'd like to print:

How to Make Blinders

Step One: Print out a copy of Grace Happens, the parish newsletter. Make sure to print it one-sided.

Step Two: Go to http://parenting.leehansen.com/downloads/coloring/halloween/pages/eyeglasses1.htm
and print this pattern on the blank side of the newsletter pages.

Step Three: Cut out all the pieces. DO NOT cut out the middle parts of the frames, where the lenses would be in a real pair of glasses.

Step Four: Tape or glue the ear pieces to the frames.

Step Five: Put on the blinders whenever information concerning the status of Grace Episcopal Church is offered to you.

Optional: Put in earplugs while wearing the blinders.

Well, if not the newsletter, perhaps posted anonymously on one or more of the bulletin boards around the building?

Peace,
Jeff

Observations From A Train Window

There are times when I feel like I am growing old on the train back and forth to the City. Yet every time the train passes heavy--or stopped--traffic on I-95, I am thankful that I have the opportunity to commute to the City by train. Sometimes the cost of a monthly ticket seems steep. Until I calculate the cost of gas, the cost of parking in Midtown, and wear and tear on my car. Riding the train also provides me with 10 hours of potential reading time every week.

Travelling by train offers the opportunity to observe the scenery; something you can't really do while driving a car. Of course, riding a commuter train is very different from riding cross country, because their very purpose takes them primarily through urban areas. You still see quite a variety of landscapes: residential neighborhoods, parks, golf courses, cemeteries, commercial districts (especially around the stations), industrial areas, back yards, parking lots, alleyways, storage areas, and dumping grounds. For the most part you see the rear sides of buildings and their backyard areas.

Back yards are fascinating. There you see the things that people don't want the rest of the world to see: storage sheds, garages, swimming pools, play areas, parking areas, dumpsters. It is similar to looking at the work areas of many of my colleagues. The desks are neat and orderly. Just don't look in the desk drawers or under the work table! Like those work drawers and under table areas, back yards run the gamut from neat and orderly to complete chaos. The industrial areas intrigue me, too. As with back yards, they run from neat, orderly, and efficient to total disaster areas.

For over six years I have ridden this same stretch of the Metro North New Haven Line. I watch the seasons change. I watch the landscape change. On the Glenbrook site of the engineering company where my grandfather worked now stand condominiums. A commercial area in Stamford is becoming more and more residential as stores are replaced by high-end rental buildings. Parts of Harlem along the rail corridor are becoming gentrified. Grand Central Terminal evolves almost weekly.

I know that I probably will not be making this commute for much longer. My journey will most likely take me away from this part of the country where I have spent most of my life. When I return, whether for a visit or for a new job, it will have changed. The view from the train window will be familiar, but not quite...

Peace,
Jeff

Of Lightning Rods And Church Communities

I'm still processing what happened at yesterday's Annual Parish Meeting. Or should I say grounding myself after having served as a lightning rod.

It is no secret that Grace Episcopal Church is in financial trouble. No secret to anyone willing to listen, that is. It seems that the Treasurer's bombshell--at least it was a bombshell to a number of folks in the parish--brought a few people up short. We're using half of our remaining endowment to balance this year's budget? Welcome to the real world, fellow members of Grace Episcopal Church!

Then started the questions and comments. How do we get more people to join and increase our pledges? You can't expect the current members to give more. Why aren't the groups for which we provide space paying more rent? If it costs that much money per week to keep the building open, they aren't paying their fair share.

Finally, I spoke up. I told about my experience of visiting another parish, signing the guest book, and receiving a box of pledge envelopes the Wednesday after my visit. I said that increasing membership in order to increase pledges is looking at the problem the wrong way around. I pointed out that Grace has always viewed itself as a congregation doing outreach to the community, and that the other congregations worshipping in the building have been part of that outreach. I continued that if we start to treat the parish as a business rather than a church, then we risk ceasing to be a Christian community. Finally, I pointed out that given the fact that we were using more than $280,000 from our endowment to balance the budget, we as a parish are not paying our fair share of the operating expenses either.

What they heard was me calling them unchristian.

At that point I said nothing more. Others in the congregation spoke up to tell them I had not called them unchristian. Nor had anyone asked them to give any more financially. Lois reminded the congregation that there have been ample opportunities for them to discuss the parish's uncertain future--the meagerly attended cottage meetings being one attempt by the leadership to engage everyone in the conversation.

I continued to be the recipient of dirty looks for the rest of the meeting and as the meeting broke up.

I am not going to apologize for being the truth teller. Nor am I going to apologize for having a vision of church, of Christian community, that is larger than what many at Grace Episcopal Church can see. Nor for being angry about the way so many have worn blinders for so long when it comes to the financial situation of the parish.

It becomes clearer with each passing day that many members of the parish still think in terms of church the way it was in the 1950s and 60s. Church will never be that way again. The more I see and read, the more I believe that Phyllis Tickle has it right. We are in the midst of a great upheaval in Christianity.

In the meantime, I will pray the prayer Lois now uses on every piece of parish communication:

What is God calling us to do in this place?

And pray that other members of the parish will do the same and seriously listen.

Peace,
Jeff

Blame It On Elizabeth

Kaeton, that is. I was perusing blogs in the wee hours (not a "sleepless night," just up late because I had a nap from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.) and found this post on her Telling Secrets. So I decided to go take the quiz myself. And the results (I knew I liked Elizabeth for a reason!):

You are Origen!
You do nothing by half-measures. If you’re going to read the Bible, you want to read it in the original languages. If you’re going to teach, you’re going to reach as many souls as possible, through a proliferation of lectures and books. If you’re a guy and you’re going to fight for purity … well, you’d better hide the kitchen shears.

So I went looking for a couple of others.

Here's the Are You A Heretic? quiz, which I think I've posted about before. In any case, the results don't surprise me:

You Scored as Pelagianism

You are a Pelagian. You reject ideas about man's fallen human nature and believe that as a result we are able to fully obey God. You are the first Briton to contribute significantly to Christian thought, but you're still excommunicated in 417.

Pelagianism 58%
Modalism 50%
Socinianism 42%
Chalcedon compliant 42%
Monophysitism 33%
Monarchianism 33%
Nestorianism 25%
Adoptionist 25%
Apollanarian 17%
Arianism 8%
Gnosticism 8%
Donatism 0%
Albigensianism 0%
Docetism 0%

Next up is Beliefnet's Belief-O-Matic. I know I've taken this before with different resuts (I think I came out Liberal Quaker the last time), but here are this morning's:

Your Results

The top score on the list below represents the faith that Belief-O-Matic, in its less than infinite wisdom, thinks most closely matches your beliefs. However, even a score of 100% does not mean that your views are all shared by this faith, or vice versa. Belief-O-Matic then lists another 26 faiths in order of how much they have in common with your professed beliefs. The higher a faith appears on this list, the more closely it aligns with your thinking.

1. Neo-Pagan (100%)
2. Mahayana Buddhism (80%)
3. Hinduism (78%)
4. Liberal Quakers (76%)
5. Unitarian Universalism (75%)
6. New Age (75%)
7. Jainism (74%)
8. Sikhism (72%)
9. Reform Judaism (71%)
10. Theravada Buddhism (65%)
11. Baha'i Faith (61%)
12. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (61%)
13. Orthodox Judaism (53%)
14. New Thought (52%)
15. Orthodox Quaker (52%)
16. Taoism (51%)
17. Secular Humanism (49%)
18. Scientology (42%)
19. Islam (37%)
20. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (36%)
21. Seventh Day Adventist (33%)
22. Eastern Orthodox (30%)
23. Roman Catholic (30%)
24. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (29%)
25. Nontheist (26%)
26. Jehovah's Witness (26%)
27. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (26%)

Beliefnet has a bunch of quizzes, but I only took two more.

Which Archangel are you? Okay, this one surprised me:

You scored 46, on a scale of 0 to 100. Here's how to interpret your score:

26 - 50 You are Michael, Archangel of the South. You are the only angel identified as an archangel in the New Testament Bible, the strong and brave leader of all other archangels. In the Christian faith, you are best known for wielding a sword and conquering the serpent during the battle in Heaven (Revelation 12:7-12); in the Jewish faith, you are best known as the patron of Israel. Courageous, authoritative, and fearless, you are passionate about protecting others and helping them overcome temptation. Those who seek constant vigilance and encouragement to follow laws look to you as their patron. You share an archangel feast day with Gabriel and Raphael on September 29.

How hip is your church?, which in my opinion needs to be reworked... Here's how I saw Grace Episcopal Church:

You scored 20, on a scale of 0 to 35. Here's how to interpret your score:

14 - 23 On the edge. You prefer the middle ground of a traditional church setting with some Gen X additions.

Peace,
Jeff

Odds And Ends

I've been meaning to post this for days:

The morning of the Inauguration I received a birthday card in the mail at work from my friend Sharon--probably the last one of this type I will ever receive.

On the front of the card is a picture of (now former) Vice President Cheney speaking with (now former) President Bush.

Cheney: Did you hear we're getting over 100 Brazillian troops to help us?
Bush: Wow... that's fantastic.

Same picture on the inside.

Bush: How much is a brazillion?

Followed with the birthday message: A brazillion wishes to you on your birthday!

= = = = = = = = = = =

For another piece of "last of the old Presidency" humor go take a look at this post on Susan Russell's An Inch At A Time.

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If you haven't seen this clip of Gene Robinson on the Daily Show, go! Especially, the first 50 seconds or so.

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A friend relating a conversation that he had with his spouse regarding the cold weather in Washington, DC, at the Inauguration: Remember all those who said "It will be a cold day before a black man gets elected president!"...

Peace,
Jeff

Some Thoughts On The Second Day

Every time I hear a newscaster say "President Obama," I experience cognitive dissonance. After eight years I am conditioned to expect "Bush" after "President."

This evening while walking I had a realization after hearing President Obama mentioned on the radio. Not only have we never had an African-American President before, I don't think we've had a President who wasn't of Northern European extraction. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Jackson, Tyler, Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, Hoover, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton... None of Italian ancestry, none of Polish, none of Slavic, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese, let alone Native American... No Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Mormon Presidents either, and only one Roman Catholic.

So much for the melting pot image our nation had of itself well into the last century.

It also intrigues me to read/hear the comparisons of President Obama to President Franklin Roosevelt. While I see similarities in what they've been dealt, we really can't compare their presidencies until President Obama has completed his term of office. And I'm still waiting for the comparisons of President George W. Bush to President Hoover.

Peace,
Jeff

Practicing

I've worked myself up to 30 minutes each time I practice my flute. That's a good length of time for daily practice. I'm not yet practicing every day, but I am practicing regularly. I like to spend about half my time practicing what is called traditional music--Irish, English, Scots, French Canadian, and New England tunes played for Contra Dances and English Country Dancing. Playing traditional music has a very different feel to it than playing classical music. For example, if you play violin, you play fiddle for dances. Same instrument, different approach. I've found that playing traditional music has improved my skills for playing classical music.

Today I spent half my practice time working on one four-line exercise from Das Floetenbuch Friedrichs des Grossen (The Flute Book of Frederick the Great). The book consists of 100 exercises composed by Frederich the Great and Johann Joachim Quantz. The are designed to improve tone and articulation. In other words, lots of sixteenth notes and interesting intervals between notes. These, however, unlike some "daily exercises," have a musical quality to them, so they're rather fun to play.

I also spent a little time on the second movement of the Bach Partita. I may not be ready to audition for the YouTube Orchestra, but one day in the not too distant future I should be able to play the Partita in public.

Peace,
Jeff
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Two Thoughts On Yesterday

No, I am not ignoring yesterday's historic events. However, many folks have written more eloquently about it than I possibly could. I do want to leave you with two thoughts.

Yesterday we witnessed the world changing.

Six months from now let us remember how we all felt yesterday during the Inauguration of President Obama.

Peace,
Jeff

Catechism

cat*e*chism (kat' ǐ-kǐz' əm) n. 1. A book giving a brief summary of the basic principles of Christianity in question-and-answer form. 2. A manual giving basic instruction in a subject. 3. A body of fundamental principles or beliefs, esp. when accepted uncritically. 4. A close questioning or examination, as of a political figure.
--The American Heritage College Dictionary, 4th ed., 2002.

Who knew?

We do have one in the Episcopal Church. Honestly. It's on page 843 of our Book of Common Prayer. Although it's titled "An Outline of the Faith, commonly called the Catechism." Most of the church doesn't seem to pay much attention to it except in relation to Confirmation. Occasionally it will get pulled out when teaching new folks about our church. We used it in my confirmation class as a beginning place for discussion. I was 29 at the time, and if I found it boring, I can only imagine what teenagers think of it.

From time to time I refer to it in the course of my work as the Children's Formation Officer for the Episcopal Church. And sometimes I bring it up in conversations, especially when I get on my "the Episcopal Church doesn't believe its own Prayer Book" soap box.

If we're going to teach about Christianity and the Episcopal Church, then we need to think outside the book. The book is a great starting place, but let's face it, not everyone learns by reading, and even those of us that do are not held by the rote repetition of the Catechism. So what do I mean by outside the book? If you're not already familiar with Father Matthew Presents, I suggest you go to YouTube and check him out. We ought to be including his videos in Confirmation classes, newcomer classes, and quite frankly, many of our Christian Education/Formation programs.

Here is just one example of his work, and while it's not typical of it, it is a powerful piece.



Peace,
Jeff
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And Finally, The Sermon

After I posted last night, I got involved in conversations with a couple of friends online. As a result, I didn't finish typing the sermon and making edits until about 1:00 a.m. Thankfully, there were no 3 a.m. messages from the Holy Spirit, so I got a good night's sleep. This morning I woke up just before the alarm clock went off at 8:00, so I had time to review the sermon one more time, eat some breakfast, get dressed, and arrive at church in time for the 9:00 presentation of the 2009 budget. I did make a few more minor edits. However, I had not planned for the snow. In fact, I didn't even know it was snowing until I opened the door to the back hallway to leave for church. Even after cleaning off the car and driving very slowly on slippery roads, I was not the last one to arrive for the budget meeting.

So here it is, this morning's sermon:

Second Sunday after Epiphany, Lectionary Year B: 1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20); John 1:43-51

Loving God, you call us to be your stories in the world. We come before you seeking to be touched by your story. Open our lips to share our stories with one another and to bring comfort, inspiration, joy and laughter to each other. Amen.

The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. 1 Samuel 3:1]

To hear many of our evangelical brothers and sisters tell it, the Lord speaks to them frequently, most often to chastise liberal Christians and an increasingly secular world. To most of the rest of us, however, it does seem as if God rarely speaks. Not too long ago the United Church of Christ, probably the most liberal of the mainstream Christian Denominations, released an advertising campaign which said “God is still speaking,”. Their purpose was to say that part of their response to God’s call as a denomination is to be welcoming absolutely everyone; that everyone has a place at the table.

Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me. [3:4-5]

In a world where we do not often hear God speaking, we do not always recognize God’s voice. And if we do, our reaction may not always be what one might expect. Some us laugh, as Sarah did when the Lord told her and Abraham that she would have a son in her old age. Some of us try to ignore what we hear as Jonah did when God called him to go to Nineveh.

The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again”. [3:6]

When a call comes, we are not the only ones who have difficulty hearing it for what it is. We live in a culture—and often a church—that caused one comedian to comment, “Why is it that when we talk to God we’re praying, but when God talks to us we’re schizophrenic?”

The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. [3:8]

There are the times when those around us understand that God is calling us before we do ourselves. In a way, that’s what happened to Nathanael in today’s reading from John. Philip extended an invitation to Nathanael, who goes to see Jesus in spite of his reservations. As a result, Nathanael becomes one of Jesus’ disciples.

Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” [3:9]

If God is persistent, so is Samuel. He could have chalked the whole thing up to Eli’s old age, rolled over, and gone back to sleep. Once we do perceive that it is God calling us, we need to prepare to hear, not only from God, but from those around us in our faith communities as well. During Advent we prepare for the coming of Jesus, learning ways to open our lives for his message. During Epiphany many of our readings are about God’s call to different people, including Jesus.

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said “Speak, for your servant is listening.” [3:10]

Opening himself to God, Samuel became a prophet. The Hebrew word used is nabi. Greek translators rendered it as prophetes, from which comes our word prophet. However, as W. F. Albright points out in From Stone Age to Christianity, the term is not restricted to our current understanding of the word prophet. “The origin of the word seems to have meant ‘one called to a task by god.’” Not just prophecy, but any task. “Samuel is called to be much more than prophet in the sense of oracle giver; he functions also as priest, and will become as well one part warrior, one part judge, and one part governor.”[1]

Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears tingle.” [3:11]

And God proceeded to do just that. God continues to do that through people recognized and unrecognized by us. One such person was the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., commemorated by our nation this weekend and by the Episcopal Church on either January 15th, the anniversary of his birth, or April 4th, the anniversary of his death. Dr. King certainly stirred up our country and made a lot of ears tingle. Over the years he has been seen as an uppity black man, a trouble maker, a hero, and a prophet. He changed our nation and our world, and yet…

And yet…

Why is it that most congregations only drag out Lift Every Voice And Sing for Martin Luther King weekend and Black History Month?

Why is it that companies think one session of diversity training resolves all the issues in their workplace?

And how on earth can anyone believe that the election of an African-American man as President of the United States means that we as a nation have finally overcome racism?

When I asked a colleague at work these questions, she asked me, “How are you going to answer them?” My response was, and is, I can’t. I cannot answer them for you, for the Episcopal Church, for the United States, or for the world. I can, however, lift them before you both in response to God’s call and as a part of God’s call. My colleague also asked, not just of me, but of herself, What are the core values we can hold up for the coming days, weeks, and months? In our lives? And again, I cannot answer that question for anyone, but I can lift it before you both in response to God’s call and as a part of God’s call. Does that make me a prophet? Perhaps. While I do not perceive that as my call, there are those of my friends—and others—who tell me I am. It is a dangerous place to live, and like my friend who, when people around her tell her they perceive her call to be that of a prophet, puts her hands over her ears and says, “La, la, la, la, la, la, la,” I don’t want to go there. But I cannot let the questions go unasked.

Actually, there are times I also want to go “La, la, la, la, la, la, la” when I contemplate what I perceive to be my call to the ordained ministry. I don’t want to go there, but I cannot let the questions go unasked.

Are you hearing God speaking? Is there a call for you coming through? These probably aren’t questions to answer now. Neither are the ones I asked earlier. But they are questions we all need to consider, so if Advent is a time of preparation, and Epiphany is a time to hear stories about other peoples’ calls, then perhaps Lent may be a time to reflect on what we’ve been hearing. And Easter. And Pentecost. And next Advent. And, as I’ve said before, God is persistent.

You may, like me, feel that the call you’re experiencing is different from the call you’ve perceived. You may, like me, feel that your faith community is already answering its call in the world. For you, and for me, I have another question to raise up. Why do we think God only calls us once, or to only one task at a time? And if for you, as for me, the seed of a call germinates, seek out members of your faith community to form a discernment group. Remember that discernment is not just for those who perceive their call as one to ordained ministry. It is for anyone called to any task by God.

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. [3:19-20]

God IS still speaking.

Let all God’s people say, “Amen!”

[1] Education for Ministry Year One: The Old Testament. de Bary, Edward Oscar, Ed. 3rd Edition. Sewanee, TN: The University of the South, 1999. p. 336.

Postscript:

If I'd had a laptop, an LCD projector, and a screen this morning--or stumbled across this earlier than last night (although my sermon was very different until last night)--I'd have played this after I finished speaking.



It's based on the UCC campaign I mentioned, but I can't find it on the UCC's God is still speaking, (yes, it ends with a comma) site.

Peace,
Jeff

Of Cafes and Sermon Writing

About 5:30 this evening I gave up trying to write my sermon here at home. Too many distractions with which to procrastinate. I changed clothes, packed up my Harper Collins Study Bible, folder of sermon notes, and a few other odds and ends, and headed out for something to eat. After a heavier supper than I should have eaten, I drove to the local Barnes & Noble and settled myself at a table in the cafe. I spent the next 3 1/2 hours writing my sermon from scratch (and by hand, I don't yet own a laptop), because as usual, I had a completely different approach come to mind during supper.

The cafes in the large bookstore chains have become community gathering places. Students work with tutors or gather to study together. Blind dates have their first meeting. Knitting groups knit and gossip over coffee. Chess players meet once a week to face off against each other. Sometimes there will be an author's reading or a music performance. Friends come just to hang out for a while. I've seen couples meet with their wedding planners, consultants meet with prospective clients, and committees plan events.

After I finished my draft, I got an ice tea and settled in for about an hour's recreational reading. It's always good to take a break before editing. Now that I'm home, I'll type up my draft and make some minor edits. Then it's off to bed. Hopefully, I won't have any 3 a.m. inspirations from the Holy Spirit.

Peace,
Jeff

A Sampling From The Tempest In The Anglican Teapot

Although I haven't been commenting on the Tempest in the Anglican Teapot, and for a while I'd even stopped reading most of the Anglican and Episcopal blogs, that doesn't mean I haven't kept up with the goings on. A couple of weeks ago I ventured back into Anglican/Episcopal blogland, although I'm a bit more selective about which ones I read. Same tempest; same teapot.

This morning, when I should be working on my sermon for tomorrow, I have been browsing the blogosphere. Here is a sampling of what I've been reading:

• Mark Harris' post on his Preludium about the former bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, Robert Duncan
• Barbi Click writing about the former bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Forth Worth Jack Iker's obsession on her Feathers and Faith
• Jan Nunley's post on the persistent erroneous timeline regarding Gene Robinson's divorce on her Jawbones
• Father Christian's GAFCON blog with this post on Matt Kennedy's whining about the goings on in Binghamton (Father Christian popped up around the time of the GAFCON conference and is a hoot)
• Finally, a dose of real life from Elizabeth Kaeton, told with her usual humor, warmth, and view of the world on her Telling Secrets

If you want to see what the orthodites are saying, I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding their sites.

And now back to the sermon, which seems to have changed direction for the fifth time in the last 48 hours...

Peace,
Jeff

Blog Reading Recommendations

One of the things I miss about having a public blog is some of the conversations that happen across the blogosphere. And given the current atmosphere at work, I also have to watch what kinds of comments, if any, I leave on other people's blogs. Unfortunately, if I write "X," someone invariably says "The Church Center believes X" or even "The Presiding Bishop believes X."

[sigh]

There have been some interesting conversations going on about church, how we do church, and how we "grow" church (gee, you mean like, oh I don't know, umm... Evangelism?). Go take a look at this post and this one at Father T Listens to the World. Better yet, go read "Of Tortoises and Hares" at Elizabeth Kaeton's Telling Secrets. Elizabeth is one of my favorite bloggers. Make sure to read the comments on all of the above, too. Here's just a taste of what Elizabeth wrote:

It's not that I'm not concerned about the state of the church. I am. But, I think we've been asking all the wrong questions and trying to "fix" the problem without first taking the time to make an accurate assessment and diagnosis.

For example, instead of asking, "How can we ordain LGBT people or bless their relationships?" why not ask, "What might God be doing, at this time and place in our history, in bringing so many LGBT people to the church? What can they teach us about what we might have taken for granted about human sexuality, covenanted relationships, commitment and service?"

If we started with those questions, we might end up in an entirely different place.

Some of us are having similar conversations at my parish (see my post "Musings On Grace Episcopal Church"). Prayer vs. program. Hmmmm....

Peace,
Jeff

Now We Are Nine and Forty

If you don't get the reference, go back and take a look at last year's birthday post.

Yesterday after church, Mom and I went to a nearby Mexican restaurant for lunch. It was nice to have time for just the two of us. The small box wrapped in blue paper she gave me turned out to be an add-on for Carcassonne that I've had on my Amazon.com wish list for a while: The Princess and the Dragon (I love the BoardGameGeek site, even if I'm not quite one). Sometime soon we'll have to break it open and play!

This morning I arrived at work to find a LARGE balloon taped to my computer monitor. The attached note said it was from the folks of the Evangelism & Congregational Site Center. If you hit it, it sings "Happy Birthday" twice through. People kept stopping by my cubicle and hitting the balloon to the great amusement of my coworkers. I think Suzanne got the biggest kick out of it. I told Angie she is in big trouble when her birthday rolls around! By the end of the day my response someone hitting the balloon was to hit my Staples Easy Button, so "Happy Birthday" was followed by "That was easy!"

My colleague Ruth-Ann, who has been on a campaign for me to expressing my creative side, gave me a suede case with a drawing pad and 12 pastels. Last year it was a similar case with colored pencils. I haven't worked with pastels since junior high school art class! Mom is often on a similar campaign. One of these days I need to bring these two women together--although I'm not sure about the results of a combined campaign...!!!

My brother called this evening to wish me a happy birthday, and we chatted for about 15 minutes or so.

One of the things I used to do every year was clip the "If today is your birthday" piece from the Horoscope column in the local paper and tape it into my journal. This evening I went looking to see what was online and found:
Cafe Astrology
The New York Post: "You need to be a bit more forceful this year. You need to let others know that if they want a peaceful life they had better give you whatever it is you desire. You don't have to raise your voice. They'll get the message from the look in your eye. "
Georgia Nicols: "Founder of Amazon.com Jeff Bezos (1964) shares your birthday today. You're inspired by high ideals and you're extremely committed to your goals. In fact, you will make sacrifices for what you truly want. You're interesting, talkative and full of stories. You're drawn to unusual occupations and hobbies. You know how to sell an idea if it's important. Your year ahead will be wonderfully social, pleasure-loving and perhaps focused on romance."
This should be an interesting post to look back on in a year.

And just for fun, here's the Wikipedia entry for January 12.

Peace,
Jeff
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Thoughts On A Bumper Sticker

Yesterday I ran some errands before church. A car pulled onto the highway in front of me, and I noticed one of its bumper stickers. At first I thought it had a word on it, but I couldn't make out the letters. Then I realized it was a series of symbols, some representing different religious traditions. Ah, I thought, someone who belongs to an Interfaith church. Traffic slowed as I got off my exit, and I finally saw that the symbols did indeed spell out a word:

When I went looking for it on the Internet, I found at least two other versions, an international one:

and one using flags:

I thought it was kind of neat. Of course, when I went looking for a picture of the bumper sticker I also found a variety of blog postings on the subject. Here are a few to peruse:

• Tom McMahon - The Ten Most Obnoxious Bumper Stickers Found In Madison
• The Political Environment - The "Coexist" Bumper Sticker's Meaning, Symbolism Gets Deeper
• Edu Blather - Coexist
• Pondering Wanderer - Coexist

And at one point, the McMahon post started a brouhaha in Madison, Wisconsin. Having spent the 1982-83 academic year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, that doesn't surprise me.

It never fails to call me up short when some Christians are so insistent that their religion is the only way to the truth. They fail to remember that their beloved Jesus was a Jewish man calling people into rightness with God. When the Canaanite woman confronted Jesus (Matthew 15:21-28), he sent her on her way having commended her on her faith and healed her daughter. He didn't send her away a Jew, or even a Christian. And given what Christians have done to Jesus' proclamation of the Kingdom--of rightness with God--over the centuries, I have to question the "truth" of their religion.

At the end of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) Jesus tells the lawyer "Go and do likewise." We would all do well to ponder those words again.

Peace,
Jeff

Observations At The Church Center

One of the exercises we did Wednesday with Visions was the Power Walk. "Those of you who are X move to my left, and those of you who are Y move to my right." It is one version of a familiar ice breaker activity. There were some interesting learnings for us:

• Episcopalians and non-Episcopalians who work at the Episcopal Church Center are about equal in numbers.
• The number of clergy employed was vastly lower than most of us perceived. However, the number of clergy in positions of influence and power...
• When we separated into "those who grew up in middle class families" and "those who grew up in working class families," it was surprising to hear in later discussions how many people interpreted that as "well off" and "poor."
• The smallest group was those of us who identified as lesbian, gay, and bisexual.

While I was not surprised that we are a minority among the employees of the Episcopal Church Center, I was surprised at just how small that minority is. I was also startled at how vulnerable I felt standing there in that very small group. My next thought was, "And the orthodites [to borrow a new term from this post by Elizabeth Kaeton] think we're taking over the Episcopal Church?"

A lot of folks at the Church Center are still talking about the work Visions did with us. We hope that the leadership will follow up with more of this type of work over the course of the year and not let it drop saying, "Well, we've done our diversity bit, so we're good for a while."

Peace,
Jeff

In House Days

When people asked me what was on my schedule when we returned to work this year, I told them we were in for a week of rah-rah stuff. Okay, I was wrong. The scavenger hunt, which I was volunteered by my boss to help organize, turned out to be a really good thing. People's initial reaction Tuesday morning was somewhat negative, but once the teams opened the envelopes and actually started puzzling out the clues and searching for the markers, they had a good time. In fact, people were still talking about it at dinner Tuesday night. I received a lot of compliments on the way I wrote the clues.

The multicultural visioning day (yesterday) crammed way too much stuff into one day. However, everyone really appreciated the small groups. It was also interesting to hear an outside organization say out loud many of the things that staff have been whispering over the past year. And in such a way that upper management could hardly ignore them. There seems to be enthusiasm for continuing the visioning work.

The other really popular piece was a small bio booklet produced for the week. Everyone was asked to contribute a brief bio. Lots of interesting facts about our coworkers.

The only two real complaints were that too much stuff was crammed into the three day schedule and that it should not have been scheduled immediately after the Christmas/New Year holiday time. So many of the staff take one or both weeks off, and we still have not had time to catch up on email and address beginning of the year tasks.

All in all, it was a good start to the new year.

Peace,
Jeff

Musings on Grace Episcopal Church

The following thoughts are based on some things I jotted down in my Moleskine notebook Monday morning. They are still evolving.

Grace Episcopal Church is a community. Like any community it changes--it grows and shrinks, it goes through cycles and phases. Eventually, we will all leave Grace Episcopal Church--and any community to which we belong. Instead of worrying about Grace Episcopal Church's survival, we should cherish the time we have together for as long as we are together.

The members of Grace Episcopal Church have nurtured me, aggravated me, loved me, disliked me. I have, as a part of Grace Episcopal Church, nurtured, aggravated, loved, and disliked.

I missed Grace Episcopal Church when I left, but I survived. I went to a different church, a different community.

I can't make Grace Episcopal Church in my image. The other members can't make Grace Episcopal Church in their individual images. We can only create a community in our collective image. We join communities on the basis of shared commonalities, interests, etc.

I can't change Grace Episcopal Church. I can only change how I interact with Grace Episcopal Church. If enough members of the community change how they interact with it, then Grace Episcopal Church will change. We will be changed as well.

Things ARE happening at Grace Episcopal Church. We have a thriving youth group. It may not be large, but the kids involved are thriving. We have outreach efforts. There may not be a lot of people involved, but given the size of our congregation, a sizable percentage of our members are involved. We have a music program. It may not be everything we want or hope for, but it is growing. We have a variety of education programs. They may not be large, but they provide learning opportunities which members do attend, learn, and share.

The last thing I want to do is sugarcoat Grace Episcopal Church's situation. However, the congregation is what it is. If I truly love this community that I have chosen to belong to, then I have to love it as it is. This is not a "yes, but" situation. It must be a "yes, and." I am still learning what it means to live out that "yes, and" call in this part of God's creation.

Peace,
Jeff

Epiphany

Today is the day that I traditionally take down the Christmas decorations. I didn't have all that much to put away, just the tree and one nativity set.


Oh, yes, and put the bear's Christmas outfit away. Everything else got packed up during December's Great Water Disaster.

Why did I have even one Nativity out? Because it was a Christmas present from Mom. She bought it for me when the African Handcraft table visited our church.

This isn't the best picture of it, because you can't see some of the carved details. It was made in Kenya, and I believe it's carved from soapstone. There are a couple of interesting things about it. There are two Josephs and four Wise Men. I'm sure one of the Josephs is meant to be a shepherd, although it could be two shepherds and no Joseph. As for the Wise Men, Matthew never gives us a specific number. Three just happens to be a tradition that developed over the centuries. You have to look closely to see the fourth one, he's standing behind the Joseph closest to the Baby Jesus--it's not a shadow. It really is a beautiful set.

And here is a BBC video of the Three Kings Parade in Madrid Spain. Do I even want to know about the geese?

Peace,
Jeff

In House Week Begins

Okay, I have to admit, they planned a really good workshop for today. They brought in Luther Snow who wrote THE BOOK on Asset Mapping. I've been through the process a couple of times before. It's one of the things Thom Chu was really good at leading. But to be led through the process by Luther Snow himself was amazing. It gave me some food for thought on both my job and my parish. More on that as I develop those thoughts.

However, the rest of the week is going to be a lot of rah-rah stuff. In honor of their continued efforts to improve morale, I offer the following video.



Peace,
Jeff
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Vacation Ends

Lunch and breakfast await in their brown paper bag in the fridge. The knapsack sits by the door. The alarm clock stands ready to ring at 6:00 a.m. After two weeks the routine begins again. Or perhaps I should say anew. I added a couple of things back into my daily routine, and I hope they become habit. I started last month, well before New Year's Eve, because making resolutions always seems a set up for failure. Lifestyle changes, not resolutions, are what I hope I'm making.

This afternoon I actually worked on one of the audition pieces for the YouTube symphony--the Bach. If I had two months, I might pull it off. Right now, after weeks and weeks of not playing regularly, I just don't have the stamina to get through the rehearsal time needed in the next 24 days. If I can't make a reasonably good audition, then I don't want to put a video (or two) out there to sit on the Internet for heaven knows how many years into the future. However, I can set the goal of learning the pieces. Who knows, there's always an off chance... And playing music relaxes me. Maybe it's time to contemplate taking lessons again.

So tomorrow it's back to work. Prayers are always appreciated.

Peace,
Jeff
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Of Flying And Walking

In September of 2007 when the Presiding Bishop introduced the group that presented the plan for the reorganization of the Church Center, she used the image of building a plane while flying it. I suppose she thought it was an apt analogy coming from a pilot. A few months later the Evangelism and Congregational Life Center had an off-site retreat to do some visioning. The outside facilitator was very good, but he brought along a copy of this video:



Few of us were amused, in spite of our nervous laughter. It takes a lot of focus to fly a plane. So does building one. Divided energies do not make for smooth flight or smooth construction. The image has become our transition period--rough and ragged.

Last month at a meeting of the Diocesan Christian Education Officers (did the bishop of West Texas realize he was naming my friend Lou the CEO of the diocese when he gave her that title?), our guest speaker used a different image. She spoke about building the path while walking it. I found it a much more manageable and doable image. You can only move forward on a path as you complete the next piece of it. It's probably also more in line with what my life is like right now, taking one step at a time, working forward toward a goal but not necessarily being able to see the goal.

Some might say that the flying plane image shows more vision. I would point out that Daniel Boone had as much vision crossing the Appalachians as Charles Lindbergh did crossing the Atlantic.

Peace,
Jeff
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In The Mail

Today I found two envelopes and a magazine in my mailbox. I haven't received that much mail in more than a week, not since the Christmas Card deluge ended. That began after less than a month's respite from the seemingly endless campaign mailings that stuffed our mailboxes from the middle of September until Election Day. Now that so many people use email and social networking such as Facebook, I just don't receive that much non junk mail. And even the junk mail has tapered off, although spam continues to increase exponentially. I had a total of 121 emails today, 190 of which wither in the spam folders or should have been.

The first envelope I shredded--yet another credit card offer. Now that I've paid off my credit card debt and closed the accounts associated with it, I have one credit card and a debit card that can serve as a credit card when needed. The credit card is an American Express Card, which must be paid in full every month. I use it primarily for business travel, but I will use it for other purchases now and then to keep it active and accumulate points. Eventually, I can use the points to purchase an airline ticket for a vacation! The debit card, even when used as a credit card, pulls the funds directly from my checking account. Friends with more financial savvy than I have tell me that eventually I will need to get a regular credit card to improve my credit rating. Given the economy and the trouble banks have gotten themselves into with extending credit accounts, I'm not so sure that's going to count for much in the coming years. And I have time. I probably won't be in a position to purchase a home of my own for at least the next few years.

The second envelope came from the U.S. Census Bureau and contained The American Community Survey. Oh joy. This from the brochure that came with the survey:

How do I benefit by answering the American Community
Survey?

The American Community Survey provides up-to-date information for the nation, states, cities, counties, metropolitan areas, and communities. By responding to the American Community Survey questionnaire, you are helping your community to establish goals, identify problems and solutions, and measure the performance of programs.

Communities need data about the well-being of children, families, and the elderly to provide services to them. The data are also used to decide where to locate new highways, schools, hospitals, and community centers; to show a large corporation that a town has the workforce he company needs; and in many other ways.

I'm not sure how they selected who would receive the survey, since mine was addressed "To The Resident Of". And having worked in a field that depended on Census data and the interim updates, I understand the importance of the survey. Unfortunately, it won't help us dismantle No Child Left Behind or further the fight for marriage rights by lbgt folks.

The magazine was The Flutist Quarterly, a publication of the National Flute Association. I have been a member for over 20 years, and the Quarterly has been the primary means of communicating with the membership. A couple of years ago they upgraded the website, which they are in the process of making the primary communications tool. It takes time. It keeps me in touch with what's going on in the flute world, including new music and recordings. The primary piece of news for me in this issue is the date and location of the annual convention, which I've never attended. This year, however, it is in New York City, so I'm planning on attending because I won't have to worry about transportation or lodging costs. One ad for Chop Saver lip balm also caught my attention because of the rather large picture of James Galway. His hair is grayer than what hair I have left. You can see the picture on the first page of their web site, it's one of several in a slide show that plays there. I know we're all getting older, but it was still a surprise.

Peace,
Jeff

Happy New Year

Amazing how much better things look on a sunny day! I'm taking a page (or is that a post?) from Elizabeth Kaeton and posting this for today:



And while I was searching for this on YouTube, I saw this interesting project:



Here's the blurb that accompanies the video:

Play your part in music history and join the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. You just need to upload two videos: your contribution to the Tan Dun piece and a general audition video. Good luck!

There's a whole section devoted to it here that includes a link for downloading the music and video master classes for each instrument. After sight reading through the Haydn yesterday, I'm tempted. I've looked at the flute part for the symphony and the flute master class video. One piece I could probably prepare, but two by the January 28th deadline...

The recommended pieces (choose one or two) for the general audition video are:

• Bach: Sonata for Solo Flute in a minor, BWV 1013: Mvt. IV, Bouree Anglaise

• Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E Minor: Mvt. IV, bar 89-105

• Mendelhssohn: Symphony 4 in A Major ("Italian"): Mvt. IV, Saltarello, bar 6-34

While I have been working on the Bach, I've been working on the first movement.

Note to self: See first video in this post. Work from there...

Peace,
Jeff