Friday (Martyrs of Uganda)

  • Usual morning routine; MP in cathedral.
  • Prepared music for a sung Psalm at next Friday's ordination of Jeff Kozuscek to the priesthood.
  • Met with the Rev. Mollie Ward, and talked about her work as a hospital chaplain and CPE supervisor at Advocate BroMenn hospital in Bloomington. Glad to be able to learn more about one of the extra-parochial ministries of our diocese.
  • Talked with the Archdeacon at some length about some property and finance issues. (The two usually do seem to go together.)
  • Tried to register for the September House of Bishops meeting in Quito, Ecuador. Ran into various technological snags, and the job is not yet done. Grrr.
  • Lunch at home while Brenda hurriedly packed in response to the news that our daughter had officially gone into labor in Chicago.
  • Had trouble getting traction on the task list the rest of the afternoon. One of "those days" that just seems to get away and you're not quite sure what happened. Did, however, make serious progress on a sermon for Pentecost (June 12) at Emmanuel, Champaign.
  • Evening Prayer in the office between phone calls to/from Brenda helping her negotiate Chicagoland roadways and traffic. Then I loaded what seems like most of my liturgical haberdashery in the car since I won't be back in the office until the 14th.
  • Got news that little Elsa (well, not so little at 9 lbs. 11 oz.) was born around dinner time. Brenda is there helping take care of big sister Charlotte, so I'm on my own for a few days. Poor me. If I go missing, question the orange tabby first. With a little enhanced interrogation, he'll talk.
Here's Elsa. What's more blessedly beautiful than new life?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Image
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...
Read more

Spring 2018 House of Bishops, Day 3

Image
We have new stricter social media rules now in the HOB--no photos taken during a session without the permission of those in it. So ... I'm having to be more creative about finding pics for the blog, because I'm not going to take a panoramic group shot and then contact everyone whose balding head shows in the photo! Once again, the day began with Eucharist. This time, though, I took a pass, and opted for a vigorous walk on a brisk morning. Having looked at the liturgy sheet in advance, there were enough triggers that I knew the net spiritual effect for me would be negative. #selfcare  I will say, however, that HOB worship has gotten incrementally less problematic during the tenure of the current Presiding Bishop, and I give props for that. When we convened at 10:15, there were the usual announcements, then a whirlwind set of summary reports from bishop members of the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) and the Task Force on the Study of Marriage. The full report...
Read more

Saturday

Out the door at 8:30, headed south. Arrived at St Paul's, Alton at about 10:15. Presided over the installation of the Revd Cindy Sever as Rector of Alton Parish. It was an energetic and lovely ceremony. After the post-liturgical potluck I headed further south still, arriving at St James', Marion in time for their regular Lord's Day celebration, which occurs on the eve thereof. Presided, preached, and laid hands on one person renewing her baptismal vows. Dinner for vestry and spouses at the home of St Andrew's, Carbondale parishioner Trish Guyon, which is always an elegant affair. By now she knows what I like to drink and what I like to eat, so it's pretty special.
Read more