- Task organization and email processing at home.
- Morning Prayer in the cathedral.
- Responded via email to several detailed questions from the cathedral staff regarding Triduum liturgies.
- Pondered, and consulted with the Archdeacon and others, over some delicate administrative issues related to our diocesan summer camping program for children and youth. This will certainly test whether I received any extra dollops of tact and wisdom when I was consecrated!
- Took my ordination certificate (an impressive document, with two large purple ribbons and 21 red wax seals) in to be framed. Caught a meatball marinara at Subway on the run for lunch.
- Accompanied the Archdeacon to a downtown religious supply store to look at crucifixes. I've been hunting a largish one (30', ideally) for one of the walls in my office. We came back with a potential candidate for a "tryout."
- Back to the camp issue. Made a call to the (provisional) Bishop of Quincy (TEC) to discuss some points. Called Fr Swan for some more information. Called Bishop Buchanan again.
- Resgistered, arranged for payment, and made travel plans for attendance at the College for Bishops program for new bishops in North Carolina next month.
- Spoke with two priests at some length regarding the person whose canonical exams I mentioned yesterday.
- Lectio divina and Evening Prayer in the Cathderal.
- Home in time for a brisk one-hour walk (of about four miles), grateful for the lengthening days.
The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Ten years ago, minus about six weeks, I served as the supply priest for Trinity, Lincoln six days before my consecration as Bishop of Springfield. Today I was there for the final regular scheduled canonical parish visitation of my episcopate. (I have a few more gigs on my calendar: March 7 in Mattoon, the Chrism Mass, the Triduum at the cathedral, May 30 in Cairo, and June 27 back at the cathedral--May 2 is available and not yet spoken for--but the every Sunday routine of my life for the past decade (in a larger sense, for the last 32 years) is at a major flex point.) As much as it could have been in the midst of a pandemic, this morning at Trinity was luminous. We confirmed eight adults, six of them qualifying as "young." My homily had to compete with the sounds of active young children. (I would much rather do that than have no kids in church.) Trinity is one of the exciting points of light in my ministry in the diocese. I took my time getting out of Lincoln because I wante...
Comments
Post a Comment