I went to Mom's for dinner this evening, since my brother and his middle son were back from their college visit in Boston. We had a wonderful meal of stuff-your-own baked potatoes. She cooked both the potatoes and the pulled pork in crock pots. Delicious!
After dinner Bill went up to rest, and the rest of us were sitting at the dining room table, as the family often does after a meal. Out came the computers and the books.
Mom on her new iPad playing tiles.
Scott on Jimmy's laptop playing Hearts.
Me on Mom's laptop playing Spider Solitaire.
Joe, the 12 year-old, reading his new book.
Jimmy, the 17 year-old doing English homework with pen and paper.
I wish I'd had my camera.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Passing on The Stories
When I was a child, extended visits with my Harre grandparents always meant spending some time with Grandma looking at family documents and pictures that she kept in one drawer of her dresser. She'd tell me stories about her family and Grandpa's. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to realize that I should be recording the stories in some way, both of us had forgotten most of them.
Third quarter of my freshman year in college I took a 20th Century U.S. History course. The professor selected only one textbook for the class that took adifferent approach to exposing students to the history of our nation. It's one of the few college textbooks I regret getting rid of. It covered the usual facts, figures, social trends, political movements, etc. But each chapter of facts was followed by a chapter that told how they affected the lives of several families, including two that immigrated to the United States during the 20th Century. For our term paper, the professor asked us to interview relatives and write a history of our own families in the 20th Century.
And so I became the official family historian. My niece Michaela called me for help with an eighth grade project. She asked some questions, and I printed out a Register Report for the Harre side of the family for her. Her brothers John and Jimmy each called in their turn when they had the same eighth grade project.
When Joe, the youngest, and I chatted online a couple of weeks ago, he asked what I knew about the family history. I wondered if he had the same project, even though he attends a different parochial school than his older siblings. No, he responded, he was just interested. We made plans to spend time together while his father and older brother visited a college in the Boston area.
Joe asked questions about the Harres, the Hilsmanns, and the Bancrofts. We did some poking around on Ancestry.com looking at a collateral branch of the family. He learned to fill out a Census form gathering data on the Charles Harra family from the 1880 Census. With some practice under his belt, he tried looking for information on his mother's side of the family. We didn't find very much, and I told him he needed more information about his Dougherty grandparents. I printed out some simple forms to help him talk to his mother, aunt, and uncle and gather the information he'd need to start digging further. I also printed Register Reports for the Harres, Hilsmanns, and Bancrofts for him to take with him.
Oh, and I showed him some of the same family documents Grandma showed me all those years ago.
Even if he decides that genealogy isn't his thing, the fact that Joe was interested in spending some time with Uncle Older Guy to learn about our family made for a nice day.
Third quarter of my freshman year in college I took a 20th Century U.S. History course. The professor selected only one textbook for the class that took adifferent approach to exposing students to the history of our nation. It's one of the few college textbooks I regret getting rid of. It covered the usual facts, figures, social trends, political movements, etc. But each chapter of facts was followed by a chapter that told how they affected the lives of several families, including two that immigrated to the United States during the 20th Century. For our term paper, the professor asked us to interview relatives and write a history of our own families in the 20th Century.
And so I became the official family historian. My niece Michaela called me for help with an eighth grade project. She asked some questions, and I printed out a Register Report for the Harre side of the family for her. Her brothers John and Jimmy each called in their turn when they had the same eighth grade project.
When Joe, the youngest, and I chatted online a couple of weeks ago, he asked what I knew about the family history. I wondered if he had the same project, even though he attends a different parochial school than his older siblings. No, he responded, he was just interested. We made plans to spend time together while his father and older brother visited a college in the Boston area.
Joe asked questions about the Harres, the Hilsmanns, and the Bancrofts. We did some poking around on Ancestry.com looking at a collateral branch of the family. He learned to fill out a Census form gathering data on the Charles Harra family from the 1880 Census. With some practice under his belt, he tried looking for information on his mother's side of the family. We didn't find very much, and I told him he needed more information about his Dougherty grandparents. I printed out some simple forms to help him talk to his mother, aunt, and uncle and gather the information he'd need to start digging further. I also printed Register Reports for the Harres, Hilsmanns, and Bancrofts for him to take with him.
Oh, and I showed him some of the same family documents Grandma showed me all those years ago.
Even if he decides that genealogy isn't his thing, the fact that Joe was interested in spending some time with Uncle Older Guy to learn about our family made for a nice day.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The Local Library
Yesterday I walked to the Norwalk Public Library. Not only had I read all the books I'd borrowed, they were several days overdue. $2.40 overdue. I came home with four new books.
I've been going to the local library for as long as I can remember. When I was growing up, Tuesday was library night because it was the one day the library was open in the evening. After dinner we would get in the car, drive to the library, return the books we'd finished, and get new ones. My brother and I both participated in the summer reading programs. My first job was as a Page at the Darien Public Library, and I knew the Dewey Decimal System backwards and forwards. It was quite a shock to go off to college and have to learn the Library of Congress cataloging system.
Libraries have changed a lot since my time as a Page. I've watched the catalogs move from cards filed in banks of drawers to computer systems. But there are still slips of paper and pencils for patrons to jot down the information they need to find a book on the shelves. Music collections have migrated from LPs to cassette tapes to CDs, and now some collections are available digitally. Movie and television show collections have made a similar journey, although there were no video tape collections until I was in college, and then only limited ones.
And computers. More and more libraries have computers available for patrons to use. That is a vital community service. Computers are often the first place researchers begin these days. Unfortunately, it's the only place for some. If it's on the Internet, it must be true, and it must be everything there is on a subject. We aren't doing a good job of teaching our students to think critically. But that's a post for another time.
Libraries remain a primary place for conducting research. Many periodicals and genealogical records are still on microfilm, and the only place to read microfilm is at a library that has microfilm readers. Libraries make it possible to access hard to find books and other printed materials through interlibrary loans. One of my childhood memories is of Mom and her projects. If there was something she wanted to know about or figure out how to do, off she went to the library. She built a solar oven. She taught my brother and I how to fix our own bicycles. And when I came out to my family, one of the first things she did was go to the library and find every book she could about homosexuality, lesbians, and gays.
Libraries have long been places for community gatherings and events. In the last few years, some of the larger bookstore chains have made themselves those kinds of places for their communities. While these bookstores had financial and advertising resources, local public libraries have endured budget cuts. Yet they have remained important gathering places for their communities. And now we watch as the digital age begins to impact the large bookstore chains the same way they impacted the small bookstores. Now in Chapter 11, Borders is closing some 275 stores.
Our public libraries have adapted with the times, and they will continue to do so. We must continue to support them and urge our city governments to do the same.
I've been going to the local library for as long as I can remember. When I was growing up, Tuesday was library night because it was the one day the library was open in the evening. After dinner we would get in the car, drive to the library, return the books we'd finished, and get new ones. My brother and I both participated in the summer reading programs. My first job was as a Page at the Darien Public Library, and I knew the Dewey Decimal System backwards and forwards. It was quite a shock to go off to college and have to learn the Library of Congress cataloging system.
Libraries have changed a lot since my time as a Page. I've watched the catalogs move from cards filed in banks of drawers to computer systems. But there are still slips of paper and pencils for patrons to jot down the information they need to find a book on the shelves. Music collections have migrated from LPs to cassette tapes to CDs, and now some collections are available digitally. Movie and television show collections have made a similar journey, although there were no video tape collections until I was in college, and then only limited ones.
And computers. More and more libraries have computers available for patrons to use. That is a vital community service. Computers are often the first place researchers begin these days. Unfortunately, it's the only place for some. If it's on the Internet, it must be true, and it must be everything there is on a subject. We aren't doing a good job of teaching our students to think critically. But that's a post for another time.
Libraries remain a primary place for conducting research. Many periodicals and genealogical records are still on microfilm, and the only place to read microfilm is at a library that has microfilm readers. Libraries make it possible to access hard to find books and other printed materials through interlibrary loans. One of my childhood memories is of Mom and her projects. If there was something she wanted to know about or figure out how to do, off she went to the library. She built a solar oven. She taught my brother and I how to fix our own bicycles. And when I came out to my family, one of the first things she did was go to the library and find every book she could about homosexuality, lesbians, and gays.
Libraries have long been places for community gatherings and events. In the last few years, some of the larger bookstore chains have made themselves those kinds of places for their communities. While these bookstores had financial and advertising resources, local public libraries have endured budget cuts. Yet they have remained important gathering places for their communities. And now we watch as the digital age begins to impact the large bookstore chains the same way they impacted the small bookstores. Now in Chapter 11, Borders is closing some 275 stores.
Our public libraries have adapted with the times, and they will continue to do so. We must continue to support them and urge our city governments to do the same.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Bush Burned with Fire
The second Sunday of every month my parish offers Practicing Prayer for adults. It is part of, and actually predates, our Religious Education for All Ages, which takes place on the second and last Sundays of every month. We chose that particular name because "Sunday School" and "Christian Education" are perceived as being only for Children, and "Christian Formation" isn't a phrase or concept that many of the members of our continually evolving church community recognize or fully grasp yet. The name is a work in progress that suits our needs in the current moment.
Back to Practicing Prayer.
Sometimes we talk about ways of praying. Sometimes it's about how prayer works in our lives. Sometimes we ask for prayers for ourselves and others. Sometimes we might not recognize what we do as prayer. Always we pray together.
Today was the second in a series of sessions we call Sharing Our Stories. In the first session we shared stories about our Baptism. This morning I pulled a table to the middle of the room and put on it crayons, colored pencils, four-color pens, white paper, lined paper, and some sheets of assorted colored paper. I opened the with the following collect, written by my Education for Ministry group when I was a Year 3 student (and I have permission to share):
After 15 minutes or so, we reflected on what it was like to put our stories on paper using the right side, the creative side, of our brains. And we shared as much of our stories as each of us was comfortable sharing. There were some powerful stories, which I cannot share. But I can share my own story.
The particular incident I chose to put to paper is a story I've shared before, including in a sermon, which I'll quote here, since it's as good a version as any:
Today was the first time I used art to explore this particular part of my story. As I looked at the drawing, getting ready to share with the group, I realized that moment on the street corner was my burning bush.
"...and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed." (Exodus 3:2, NRSV)
In the 30 years of living with and discerning the meaning of that message, there have been times when I felt like the bush and times when I felt like the fire. And sometimes I've been burned. And sometimes I've burned. Sometimes William Tyndale; sometimes Henry VIII. Sometimes Mary Dyer; sometimes Captain John Evered. Sometimes the Pequots and Wampanoags; sometimes the English colonists. The Tiananmen protesters; the Chinese government. Intentional and unintentional.
"...and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed." (Exodus 3:2, KJV)
I learned a long time ago that I'm not perfect. I can only hope that the general thrust of my life has been, and will continue to be, in the direction of hope, healing, reconciliation, and justice.
I struggle with what it means to be a Christian in today's world. I struggle with what it means to pursue a call to ministry in God's church. And I struggle with discerning what the full meaning of that call is. That can only be done in community. Sharing stories.
"The bush was blazing away but it didn't burn up." (Exodus 3:2, The Message)
Back to Practicing Prayer.
Sometimes we talk about ways of praying. Sometimes it's about how prayer works in our lives. Sometimes we ask for prayers for ourselves and others. Sometimes we might not recognize what we do as prayer. Always we pray together.
Today was the second in a series of sessions we call Sharing Our Stories. In the first session we shared stories about our Baptism. This morning I pulled a table to the middle of the room and put on it crayons, colored pencils, four-color pens, white paper, lined paper, and some sheets of assorted colored paper. I opened the with the following collect, written by my Education for Ministry group when I was a Year 3 student (and I have permission to share):
Gracious Creator of the world, whose Son shared our human experience, and whose spirit abides in each of us: Grant us the ears, the heart and the patience to hear each others' stories and to understand the disappointments and hopes that are part of our lives, So that we can see your presence at work in our lives, learn to trust your guidance in all that is yet to come and be open to receiving hope through the blessing of your lovingkindness; Through Jesus Christ our hope and salvation, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, now and for ever. Amen.Then I went over the ground rules necessary to make the group a safe place where people can feel free to share as much or as little as they wish. I explained that there are many ways of recording our story, and today we were going to draw, sketch, or write about a time when we felt God's presence in our lives. To get us started, I read verses 1-18 of Psalm 139 while they started. When I finished reading, I started on my own drawing using crayons.
After 15 minutes or so, we reflected on what it was like to put our stories on paper using the right side, the creative side, of our brains. And we shared as much of our stories as each of us was comfortable sharing. There were some powerful stories, which I cannot share. But I can share my own story.
The particular incident I chose to put to paper is a story I've shared before, including in a sermon, which I'll quote here, since it's as good a version as any:
It happened when I was in graduate school in Madison, Wisconsin. It was one of those perfect Fall days. There are days even now when the sky is just the right shade of blue, or the smell of the leaves will take me back to that day. I was standing at a corner waiting for the light to change so I could cross the street. Suddenly—or at least it seemed very sudden—everything seemed to be sharper, brighter. Even now the logical part of me wants to try and explain the sensation away as a cloud moving away from the sun, or a shift in the way I was standing so that I was no longer in the shadow of a building. But I don’t think it can be explained away that easily. Then along with that sharpness, that brightness, I became aware of a message—it wasn’t exactly words that I heard aloud or in my head. It said, “I need you. You have a ministry in my church.” And then just as suddenly, it was just another Fall afternoon on a Madison street corner...
Over twenty years later I am still struggling with the implications of that experience, and what it means to minister in God’s church and in the world. I have come back down the mountain and shared the story, sometimes with ease and sometimes with unease. I have been blessed by many people over the years who listened to my story and told me theirs. Together we are finding the many ways to live out God’s call to us.
"...and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed." (Exodus 3:2, NRSV)
In the 30 years of living with and discerning the meaning of that message, there have been times when I felt like the bush and times when I felt like the fire. And sometimes I've been burned. And sometimes I've burned. Sometimes William Tyndale; sometimes Henry VIII. Sometimes Mary Dyer; sometimes Captain John Evered. Sometimes the Pequots and Wampanoags; sometimes the English colonists. The Tiananmen protesters; the Chinese government. Intentional and unintentional.
"...and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed." (Exodus 3:2, KJV)
I learned a long time ago that I'm not perfect. I can only hope that the general thrust of my life has been, and will continue to be, in the direction of hope, healing, reconciliation, and justice.
I struggle with what it means to be a Christian in today's world. I struggle with what it means to pursue a call to ministry in God's church. And I struggle with discerning what the full meaning of that call is. That can only be done in community. Sharing stories.
"The bush was blazing away but it didn't burn up." (Exodus 3:2, The Message)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Cooking for One
When the time came for me to head out on my own after college, my parents gave me a cookbook called Cooking for One. I was perfectly capable of cooking. Give me a cookbook, and I can cook just about anything. I've even made spaghetti sauce from scratch in an electric skillet. Cooking for one person, however, involves a bit of thinking about portions, cooking time, etc. If I remember correctly, the book even talked about shopping for one.
I haven't had that book for years. I think I left it behind when Brian and I separated. I figured he'd need it more than I would. He wasn't helpless in the kitchen, but the extent of his cooking skills at that time were boiling and microwaving pre-packaged meals.
Lately I've found myself thinking about that book. As I said, give me a cookbook, and I can cook just about anything. Not that I need the cooking instructions, but sometimes I could use the help with meal planning.
Let's face it, cooking for one is a waste of time and energy. You can prepare a meal for four or six in the same amount of time. So a lot of the time I end up eating a very similar, if not identical, menu every day.
But it's not just cooking for one. It's getting the car to the shop. It's having someone watch out for you when you're hospitalized. It's a myriad of little things that become bigger things when you're a single person.
I'm fortunate. I have family living nearby and plenty of friends always willing to help out. I do the same for them.
I still cook for one most days.
I haven't had that book for years. I think I left it behind when Brian and I separated. I figured he'd need it more than I would. He wasn't helpless in the kitchen, but the extent of his cooking skills at that time were boiling and microwaving pre-packaged meals.
Lately I've found myself thinking about that book. As I said, give me a cookbook, and I can cook just about anything. Not that I need the cooking instructions, but sometimes I could use the help with meal planning.
Let's face it, cooking for one is a waste of time and energy. You can prepare a meal for four or six in the same amount of time. So a lot of the time I end up eating a very similar, if not identical, menu every day.
But it's not just cooking for one. It's getting the car to the shop. It's having someone watch out for you when you're hospitalized. It's a myriad of little things that become bigger things when you're a single person.
I'm fortunate. I have family living nearby and plenty of friends always willing to help out. I do the same for them.
I still cook for one most days.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
And The Answers Are
So do we really need to spend so much air time on how Christina Aguilara messed up the words of the National Anthem?
Monday, February 7, 2011
While Egypt Is in The Spotlight
Egyptians continue to protest the government of Hosni Mubarak. Their struggle for freedom remains one of the top news stories, rotating through the headlines with Christina Aguilera flubbing of "The Star Spangled Banner" at yesterday's Super Bowl and the weather.
But there are other stories. Stories once in the headlines that no longer capture our attention. Stories that are no less important than Egypt. And certainly stories that are more important than Ms. Aguilera's flub.
Can you identify these maps and what ongoing news stories are connected to them?
But there are other stories. Stories once in the headlines that no longer capture our attention. Stories that are no less important than Egypt. And certainly stories that are more important than Ms. Aguilera's flub.
Can you identify these maps and what ongoing news stories are connected to them?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Home Again, Home Again
There is something about sleeping in your own bed.
Whenever I leave for a trip, one of the last things I do before departure is put clean towels in the bathroom and clean sheets on the bed. It feels good to slip between clean sheets after a day of traveling.
Today's trip home was easy compared to Monday's trip to Charlotte. I was able to check in for my flight at the hotel after lunch. The shuttle ride to the airport took about half an hour. I got to the airport in plenty of time to eat a leisurely supper and then get some work done for the NAECED board.
There was a brief delay leaving because catering forgot a piece of equipment for the plane. We still would have arrived early because of the tail wind, but we ended up in a holding pattern as the rerouted arrival vectors for incoming flights at LaGuardia due to deteriorating weather conditions. In the end, we arrived on time. A quick phone call to arrange for transportation home, followed by a short wait, a 40 minute van ride, and I was home.
In spite of the weather, and there were a lot of travel stories shared at the conference, no on missed the conference because of it. The only absences were due to illness.
This morning's schedule was breakfast at 8:00, Eucharist at 8:30, workshops at 10:00, and lunch at 11:45. I attended Vicki Garvey's "Biblical Family Values: Not." It was a humorous and informative romp through the Bible following the threads of participants' remembering family incidents that are there.
After lunch, several of us sat in the lobby of the hotel waiting for our rides to the airport. It felt good to just sit and talk.
And so I am home. I will probably have some further reflections on the conference tomorrow. But for now, I'm going to enjoy sleeping in my own bed.
Whenever I leave for a trip, one of the last things I do before departure is put clean towels in the bathroom and clean sheets on the bed. It feels good to slip between clean sheets after a day of traveling.
Today's trip home was easy compared to Monday's trip to Charlotte. I was able to check in for my flight at the hotel after lunch. The shuttle ride to the airport took about half an hour. I got to the airport in plenty of time to eat a leisurely supper and then get some work done for the NAECED board.
There was a brief delay leaving because catering forgot a piece of equipment for the plane. We still would have arrived early because of the tail wind, but we ended up in a holding pattern as the rerouted arrival vectors for incoming flights at LaGuardia due to deteriorating weather conditions. In the end, we arrived on time. A quick phone call to arrange for transportation home, followed by a short wait, a 40 minute van ride, and I was home.
In spite of the weather, and there were a lot of travel stories shared at the conference, no on missed the conference because of it. The only absences were due to illness.
This morning's schedule was breakfast at 8:00, Eucharist at 8:30, workshops at 10:00, and lunch at 11:45. I attended Vicki Garvey's "Biblical Family Values: Not." It was a humorous and informative romp through the Bible following the threads of participants' remembering family incidents that are there.
After lunch, several of us sat in the lobby of the hotel waiting for our rides to the airport. It felt good to just sit and talk.
And so I am home. I will probably have some further reflections on the conference tomorrow. But for now, I'm going to enjoy sleeping in my own bed.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Mister Secretary
It's been a cold and rainy day here in Charlotte. I can't believe that I'm going to say this, but I think I would prefer snow. There's something about cold rain that seeps into your bones in a way snow doesn't.
The Tapestry Conference is in full swing. We started with a breakfast that actually included a protein choice--a change from past conferences. Yes, we do read the evaluations after every conference.
The morning consisted of our first workshop sessions and the NAECED Annual Meeting. We elected three new board members to replace retiring members, and we elected new officers.
Here are the new Secretary and the new President:
Lisa Flores, who was my predecessor as Secretary is now our very capable President. She and I already have an excellent working relationship.
Here are incoming President Lisa Flores and outgoing President Debbi Rodahaffer:
Debbi has been a thoughtful and pastoral leader who has helped the board evolve and grow as we've navigated the waters of a growing and changing organization. Fortunately for us, Debbi still has a couple of years left of her board term, so she will continue to be a loving, outspoken, and treasured colleague on the board.
She gave each of the board members a small gift. When she handed me mine, she commented that a necklace probably wasn't the most appropriate gift for me. Along with the card in my bag was a Louisville Slugger hat (Debbie is from Louisville). Did I wear hats? Yes, Debbi, and this picture is for you:
It wasn't until much later, when I was rearranging things in my brief case, that I found another small package tucked inside the gift bag. It held a magnet that reads "Dream" and small set of black and silver Anglican Prayer beads.
Here is the 2011 NAECED Board:
Standing, L-R: Jenifer Gamber (Vice President), Lyle SmithGraybeal, Andrew Kellner, Lisa Flores (President), Kellee Wattenbarger (Conference Chair), Emily Given, Debbi Rodahaffer, Kathy Graham, and Vicki Garvey.
Sitting, L-R: Malinda Harris (retired; Board Advisor), Laurie Bailey (Treasurer), Cathy Ode(retired; Board Advisor), Wendy Barrie, Jeffri Harre (Secretary), and Lisa Kimball.
Missing: Julia McCray-Goldsmith (retired; Board Advisor).
I look forward to working with this great group of talented and knowledgeable folks during the coming year.
Because I needed my computer to take notes at the Annual Meeting and the afternoon board meeting, I used my new briefcase (a birthday present) to carry things around today. It's a Lands' End Lighthouse Deluxe Briefcase. I've used their canvas Square Rigger briefcases over the years and really loved them. On occasion I've even packed for a weekend trip in one. However, if I end up with a job that requires more travel, I thought the Lighthouse Deluxe might be more practical. It has a lot of pockets, a detachable inner sleeve for a laptop, and a zipper that opens to provide a couple more inches of space. I'm still learning the best way to use all the pockets, and occasionally I end up hunting around for something because it's not where I thought it ought to be. I've had it less than a week, but this trip is proving to be a good test run. So far, I really like it. Thanks, Mom!
Conference sessions ended at 3:00 this afternoon. The board met briefly before returning to the hotel. Back at the hotel, I stopped at the Charter Tea sponsored by the Formation Team of the Episcopal Church Center to engage conference attendees in conversations about the Charter for Lifelong Formation.
After the tea I caught up with one of the members of the Council for Lifelong Formation (formerly the Episcopal Council for Christian Education). She had a gift for me from the Council: a large sketch book and a set of colored pencils. They wanted to let me know how appreciative they are of my work with them and say goodbye. I will miss these folks, but I'm sure our paths will cross as we all move into the next stages of work within the church.
I went out to dinner at one of the local brew houses with Krisan. We had great conversation and a lot of laughter over a leisurely meal. It was nice to catch up and see where our journeys are taking us.
Tomorrow is the last day of the conference. We end with Eucharist followed by a box lunch. I still have to pack, and there's more going back with me than there was coming down here.
The Tapestry Conference is in full swing. We started with a breakfast that actually included a protein choice--a change from past conferences. Yes, we do read the evaluations after every conference.
The morning consisted of our first workshop sessions and the NAECED Annual Meeting. We elected three new board members to replace retiring members, and we elected new officers.
Here are the new Secretary and the new President:
Lisa Flores, who was my predecessor as Secretary is now our very capable President. She and I already have an excellent working relationship.
Here are incoming President Lisa Flores and outgoing President Debbi Rodahaffer:
Debbi has been a thoughtful and pastoral leader who has helped the board evolve and grow as we've navigated the waters of a growing and changing organization. Fortunately for us, Debbi still has a couple of years left of her board term, so she will continue to be a loving, outspoken, and treasured colleague on the board.
She gave each of the board members a small gift. When she handed me mine, she commented that a necklace probably wasn't the most appropriate gift for me. Along with the card in my bag was a Louisville Slugger hat (Debbie is from Louisville). Did I wear hats? Yes, Debbi, and this picture is for you:
It wasn't until much later, when I was rearranging things in my brief case, that I found another small package tucked inside the gift bag. It held a magnet that reads "Dream" and small set of black and silver Anglican Prayer beads.
Here is the 2011 NAECED Board:
Standing, L-R: Jenifer Gamber (Vice President), Lyle SmithGraybeal, Andrew Kellner, Lisa Flores (President), Kellee Wattenbarger (Conference Chair), Emily Given, Debbi Rodahaffer, Kathy Graham, and Vicki Garvey.
Sitting, L-R: Malinda Harris (retired; Board Advisor), Laurie Bailey (Treasurer), Cathy Ode(retired; Board Advisor), Wendy Barrie, Jeffri Harre (Secretary), and Lisa Kimball.
Missing: Julia McCray-Goldsmith (retired; Board Advisor).
I look forward to working with this great group of talented and knowledgeable folks during the coming year.
Because I needed my computer to take notes at the Annual Meeting and the afternoon board meeting, I used my new briefcase (a birthday present) to carry things around today. It's a Lands' End Lighthouse Deluxe Briefcase. I've used their canvas Square Rigger briefcases over the years and really loved them. On occasion I've even packed for a weekend trip in one. However, if I end up with a job that requires more travel, I thought the Lighthouse Deluxe might be more practical. It has a lot of pockets, a detachable inner sleeve for a laptop, and a zipper that opens to provide a couple more inches of space. I'm still learning the best way to use all the pockets, and occasionally I end up hunting around for something because it's not where I thought it ought to be. I've had it less than a week, but this trip is proving to be a good test run. So far, I really like it. Thanks, Mom!
Conference sessions ended at 3:00 this afternoon. The board met briefly before returning to the hotel. Back at the hotel, I stopped at the Charter Tea sponsored by the Formation Team of the Episcopal Church Center to engage conference attendees in conversations about the Charter for Lifelong Formation.
After the tea I caught up with one of the members of the Council for Lifelong Formation (formerly the Episcopal Council for Christian Education). She had a gift for me from the Council: a large sketch book and a set of colored pencils. They wanted to let me know how appreciative they are of my work with them and say goodbye. I will miss these folks, but I'm sure our paths will cross as we all move into the next stages of work within the church.
I went out to dinner at one of the local brew houses with Krisan. We had great conversation and a lot of laughter over a leisurely meal. It was nice to catch up and see where our journeys are taking us.
Tomorrow is the last day of the conference. We end with Eucharist followed by a box lunch. I still have to pack, and there's more going back with me than there was coming down here.
Welcome to the 2011 NAECED Tapestry Conference
The board began its day having breakfast with the board of the National Organization of Episcopal Resource Centers (NOERC), the other organization that participated in the planning and implementing of the conference.
We ate at Mert's Heart and Soul, which is next door to the hotel and is only open for lunch and dinner. One of our members is friends with the owner, so we were special guests for a scrumptious breakfast of salmon cakes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, cheese grits, spicy home fries, and biscuits. No conference business was discussed. It was a time for the two groups to get to know each other better.
After breakfast, NOERC had some Resource Center specific activities while the NAECED board and the conference planning team went to St. Peter's Episcopal Church, the host parish for the conference.
We also set up the registration table in the lobby of our hotel, the Holiday Inn Center City. At the registrations table board members were handed foam tiaras.
Well, we are in the Queen City!
At the close of registration, we hosted a welcome reception in the board room on the 14th floor. Following the reception we walked to St. Peter's for dinner and the keynote presentation.
Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook, our keynoter, is Professor of Practical Theology and Religious Education at the Claremont School of Theology. Prior to her joining the Claremont faculty, she was Academic Dean of Episcopal Divinity School. Before that she was the Director of the Ministries with Young People Cluster at the Episcopal Church Center. Her presentation was entertaining and informative. Hopefully, we'll have a copy on the web site in a week or so. I'll also find a better picture!
One of the great things about conferences like this is seeing friends we haven't seen in a while. Here I am with Krisan Lamberti from the Diocese of Southeast Florida.
It's late. Actually, it's early Friday morning, so I'm off to bed. More later.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
A Morning Walk
When I arrived in Charlotte in the middle of the night on Monday, the taxi drove past a statue that I could only see in silhouette given the late night lighting. It reminded me of the illustrations of Fairy Godmothers based on 18th Century costume. When I went for my walk Tuesday morning I found that the statue stands a block from the hotel. It is a statue of Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, for whom the City of Charlotte is named. Which of course, explains the 18th Century dress.
By most accounts, North America's last English Queen was not an attractive woman, and the sculptor has not tried to pretty her up. The plaque with the statue talks about her good qualities and her benevolence. What little local history I've read over the past couple of days says that while King George was not popular, Queen Charlotte was beloved.
A little further from the hotel is the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets, which is the heart of the city. On each of the four corners stands a statue representing an aspect of Charlotte's history.
This morning's walk was much pleasanter than yesterday's. The sun was out, and it was much warmer, even with the wind. Today was also the last day I will be able to take a leisurely morning walk.
The Tapestry Conference begins tomorrow afternoon. For those of us on the NAECED board, we begin tomorrow morning with breakfast with the board of the National Association of Episcopal Resource Centers. After breakfast the conference planning team and members of both boards will do the remaining set up we need to complete before the conference. I have a very full schedule for the next three days.
By most accounts, North America's last English Queen was not an attractive woman, and the sculptor has not tried to pretty her up. The plaque with the statue talks about her good qualities and her benevolence. What little local history I've read over the past couple of days says that while King George was not popular, Queen Charlotte was beloved.
A little further from the hotel is the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets, which is the heart of the city. On each of the four corners stands a statue representing an aspect of Charlotte's history.
When arriving at the square, visitors will notice the four giant sculptures standing on each corner of Trade and Tryon by artist Raymond Kaskey of Washington State. The statues are titled "Transportation," "Future," "Commerce," and "Industry."
Transportation is represented by a railroad worker holding a hammer in his hand.
The figure of a woman holding a child represents the Future of the city of Charlotte.
Commerce is symbolized by a gold miner spilling money on the head of a banker. The face of the banker is modeled after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.
There are many more sculptures, statues, and murals scattered throughout the downtown area. These are the ones that drew my eyes during my walk this morning.
Industry is represented by a woman in a bonnet, symbolizing the mills and early industry of the area. The child peeking from her skirt suggests past child labor.(Quoted text from the 101 Independence Center web site. Photos by me.)
This morning's walk was much pleasanter than yesterday's. The sun was out, and it was much warmer, even with the wind. Today was also the last day I will be able to take a leisurely morning walk.
The Tapestry Conference begins tomorrow afternoon. For those of us on the NAECED board, we begin tomorrow morning with breakfast with the board of the National Association of Episcopal Resource Centers. After breakfast the conference planning team and members of both boards will do the remaining set up we need to complete before the conference. I have a very full schedule for the next three days.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Democrats Are Coming!
Since yesterday morning the city of Charlotte has been abuzz with the news. The 2012 Democratic National Convention will be held here. From my visitor's perspective, the downtown area seems ideally set up for such an event. Charlotte had been on the list of prospective cities for the 2012 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, until Convention chose to return to Indianapolis.
But for most of the nation, the Democratic National Convetnion is a tiny blip on the radar screen. The massive winter storm has been the major cities for the past couple of days, with the protests in Egypt taking a close second. Followed by whether or not the Groundhog will see his shadow (Punxsutawny Phil didn't).
And for those of us here for the NAECED Annual Tapestry Conference and Annual Meeting, the storm is definitely high on our list. Will people be able to get here--inlcuding some of our board members and speakers?
It's always a risk holding a meeting during the winter. I remember people questioning the decision to hold Will Our Faith Have Children? in Chicago in February. No one would be able to get there because of the weather. As it turned out, getting to Chicago wasn't the problem. The last day of the conference, a major blizzard closed airports along the East Coast from Washington, DC northward. Some of us didn't get out of Chicago for two days after the end of the conference.
But for those of us here setting up the conference here, we have plenty to do other than focus on the endless winter storm updates. Registration begins tomorrow afternoon. While we are so far ahead of where we've been in past years in terms of preparation, there are all those little things that can't be done until the last minute.
The clock is ticking.
And speaking of clocks, this is the view outside my hotel window. I couldn't tell what it was when I checked in, but looking out the window while working at the desk yesterday morning, I saw what it was.
It's a giant sundial.
But for most of the nation, the Democratic National Convetnion is a tiny blip on the radar screen. The massive winter storm has been the major cities for the past couple of days, with the protests in Egypt taking a close second. Followed by whether or not the Groundhog will see his shadow (Punxsutawny Phil didn't).
And for those of us here for the NAECED Annual Tapestry Conference and Annual Meeting, the storm is definitely high on our list. Will people be able to get here--inlcuding some of our board members and speakers?
It's always a risk holding a meeting during the winter. I remember people questioning the decision to hold Will Our Faith Have Children? in Chicago in February. No one would be able to get there because of the weather. As it turned out, getting to Chicago wasn't the problem. The last day of the conference, a major blizzard closed airports along the East Coast from Washington, DC northward. Some of us didn't get out of Chicago for two days after the end of the conference.
But for those of us here setting up the conference here, we have plenty to do other than focus on the endless winter storm updates. Registration begins tomorrow afternoon. While we are so far ahead of where we've been in past years in terms of preparation, there are all those little things that can't be done until the last minute.
The clock is ticking.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Getting Out of Dodge
It's a cold and rainy morning here in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although, it's not as cold as it is at home. It was 14 degrees when I left New York last night, and it was 39 when I landed in Charlotte just before midnight. I wasn't supposed to be here until late tomorrow morning.
I've been keeping an eye on the approaching storm since late last week. I told my friend Den to lay off the Viking Snow Dances. Sunday evening I started watching the US Airways website for Travel Advisories.
By yesterday morning, it was pretty clear that the storm was headed our way. It didn't look like it would be bad until Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Still no Advisory from US Airways. But since the weather forecast was for ice staring Tuesday night, I figured I'd probably end up flying out late Tuesday afternoon. I decided I'd better get the laundry done.
Mom arrived just as started folding the laundry. She dropped by to deliver my birthday present (a new brief case that she wanted to make sure I had for this trip) and take me down to our priest's Open Table at the local Dunkin' Donuts. About a minute later, the alert from US Airways went up on their web site.
The scramble began!
Mom went by herself to meet Lois as soon as it became obvious I wasn't going to be able to meet with them. First I called the hotel reservations system to make sure they had a room available for the extra nights. Then I went online to change my ticket. I ended up having to call the airline because the online system screwed up my reservation. In spite of the looming weather, I only had to wait five minutes on hold before a representative was available to sort out the problem. I booked a seat on the last flight of the evening from LaGuardia to Charlotte. With the new ticket in hand (or at least in email, how things have changed since the first time I flew in 1977), I called the hotel again and booked the room.
Arranging transportation to the airport, however, proved to be complicated. Because I had less than six hours before I needed to be at the airport, my usual shuttle service couldn't book me. Nor could my back up service. Nor the second back up. Fortunately, Mom and Bill said they could get me there, if it came to that.
Packing was a frantic affair. Usually, I have my packing list done days ahead of time, but I had planned on finalizing it yesterday and packing today. Do you think I could find my list? I made a new one as I packed because I like to keep one with me in case the airline misplaces my luggage. Even when I pack carry on. You never know when the airline will make you check your bag because they've run out of room on the plane. A couple of things were still damp, but they would survive a short time in the suitcase before being hung up again once I got to the hotel. If I forgot anything, Charlotte isn't the middle of nowhere. I can run out and buy what I need.
In the middle of this, our new deacon called. Sally and I arranged the call on Sunday, so we could figure out why she was having trouble accessing the parish Outreach blog, which she is taking over. She asked why I sounded rushed, and I explained the situation. She offered to do the blog another time, but quite frankly, it was good to have something else to focus on besides worrying about the abruptly rescheduled trip. We got everything taken care of in less than an hour, and I was done packing by 5:00.
Mom and Bill picked me up at 7:20, and I was through security by 8:30. That gave me a chance to eat a light supper and send out a couple of emails. I let my Education for Ministry group know that I was on my way to Charlotte early because of the impending weather. Even though they can meet without me, their mentor, if necessary, I cancelled tonight's meeting because it was pretty clear that the storm wasn't going to miss us. It's the third time this month we've had to cancel due to weather.
We boarded our plane on time, but we took off 30 minutes late. First, they boarded some flight crew members going home to Charlotte. They filled up the four empty seats. We didn't pull away from the gate until 15 minutes after our departure time. Then the inevitable taxi, wait, taxi, wait, taxi...
We arrived in Charlotte just before midnight, and I was in my room by 12:40 this morning. It was the right decision. And as long as I'm here, I'll be able to help the conference team with set up.
I can't remember a winter when we've had this many storms one right after the other. Especially with this much snow and no thaw and melt in between. Roads are getting narrower. Sidewalks, even those people have cleared, are buried under plow-created snowbanks. Parking lots are shrinking, which is the reason Lois' Open Table moved from the Starbucks on Westport Avenue to the Dunkin' Donuts on West Avenue. Roofs are leaking, and some are in danger of collapsing. Schools are running out of snow days. People are getting weary of snow.
Yet it IS winter. The weather is not something we can control. And neither can our municipal and state governments. On the other hand, it seems many municipalities could have done a better job of planning. A lot of us could have done a better job of planning, too. And we all need to be flexible. The ability to be flexible, after all, is what made it possible for me to get to Charlotte ahead of the storm!
I've been keeping an eye on the approaching storm since late last week. I told my friend Den to lay off the Viking Snow Dances. Sunday evening I started watching the US Airways website for Travel Advisories.
By yesterday morning, it was pretty clear that the storm was headed our way. It didn't look like it would be bad until Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Still no Advisory from US Airways. But since the weather forecast was for ice staring Tuesday night, I figured I'd probably end up flying out late Tuesday afternoon. I decided I'd better get the laundry done.
Mom arrived just as started folding the laundry. She dropped by to deliver my birthday present (a new brief case that she wanted to make sure I had for this trip) and take me down to our priest's Open Table at the local Dunkin' Donuts. About a minute later, the alert from US Airways went up on their web site.
The scramble began!
Mom went by herself to meet Lois as soon as it became obvious I wasn't going to be able to meet with them. First I called the hotel reservations system to make sure they had a room available for the extra nights. Then I went online to change my ticket. I ended up having to call the airline because the online system screwed up my reservation. In spite of the looming weather, I only had to wait five minutes on hold before a representative was available to sort out the problem. I booked a seat on the last flight of the evening from LaGuardia to Charlotte. With the new ticket in hand (or at least in email, how things have changed since the first time I flew in 1977), I called the hotel again and booked the room.
Arranging transportation to the airport, however, proved to be complicated. Because I had less than six hours before I needed to be at the airport, my usual shuttle service couldn't book me. Nor could my back up service. Nor the second back up. Fortunately, Mom and Bill said they could get me there, if it came to that.
Packing was a frantic affair. Usually, I have my packing list done days ahead of time, but I had planned on finalizing it yesterday and packing today. Do you think I could find my list? I made a new one as I packed because I like to keep one with me in case the airline misplaces my luggage. Even when I pack carry on. You never know when the airline will make you check your bag because they've run out of room on the plane. A couple of things were still damp, but they would survive a short time in the suitcase before being hung up again once I got to the hotel. If I forgot anything, Charlotte isn't the middle of nowhere. I can run out and buy what I need.
In the middle of this, our new deacon called. Sally and I arranged the call on Sunday, so we could figure out why she was having trouble accessing the parish Outreach blog, which she is taking over. She asked why I sounded rushed, and I explained the situation. She offered to do the blog another time, but quite frankly, it was good to have something else to focus on besides worrying about the abruptly rescheduled trip. We got everything taken care of in less than an hour, and I was done packing by 5:00.
Mom and Bill picked me up at 7:20, and I was through security by 8:30. That gave me a chance to eat a light supper and send out a couple of emails. I let my Education for Ministry group know that I was on my way to Charlotte early because of the impending weather. Even though they can meet without me, their mentor, if necessary, I cancelled tonight's meeting because it was pretty clear that the storm wasn't going to miss us. It's the third time this month we've had to cancel due to weather.
We boarded our plane on time, but we took off 30 minutes late. First, they boarded some flight crew members going home to Charlotte. They filled up the four empty seats. We didn't pull away from the gate until 15 minutes after our departure time. Then the inevitable taxi, wait, taxi, wait, taxi...
We arrived in Charlotte just before midnight, and I was in my room by 12:40 this morning. It was the right decision. And as long as I'm here, I'll be able to help the conference team with set up.
I can't remember a winter when we've had this many storms one right after the other. Especially with this much snow and no thaw and melt in between. Roads are getting narrower. Sidewalks, even those people have cleared, are buried under plow-created snowbanks. Parking lots are shrinking, which is the reason Lois' Open Table moved from the Starbucks on Westport Avenue to the Dunkin' Donuts on West Avenue. Roofs are leaking, and some are in danger of collapsing. Schools are running out of snow days. People are getting weary of snow.
Yet it IS winter. The weather is not something we can control. And neither can our municipal and state governments. On the other hand, it seems many municipalities could have done a better job of planning. A lot of us could have done a better job of planning, too. And we all need to be flexible. The ability to be flexible, after all, is what made it possible for me to get to Charlotte ahead of the storm!
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