Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 11)

• On the road with Brenda yesterday by 1pm en route to some of the far corners of the diocese. We checked into our hotel in Olney just past 4, then hunted down St Alban's Church, which, alas, has been closed for a number of years. Ideally, of course, we would have mission work going at least in all our county seat towns, but the shrinking and graying of rural American makes that a stiff challenge.
• It was then about 45 minutes east and north again to Robinson and St Mary's Church, where we were greeted by priest-in-chage Fr Gene Tucker, and the one to whom he delegates local duties at St Mary's, Deacon Ann Tofani. We had a congregation numbering in the low 20s, which is pretty good for that church, including one whom I received into the communion of the Episcopal Church. Robinson is the birthplace of the Heath Bar, and the Heaths were Episcopalians. We left town well-supplied with that particular confection!
• This morning we were up bright and early and heading south down IL131 to Albion for an 8:30 liturgy. St John's is the oldest Episcopal church building in Illinois, having been erected in 1842. Deacon Bill Howard does a fine job looking after this congregation, and presented five adults for confirmation. 
• After a brief time of informal visiting with the people of St John's (about 25 in church--again, a good showing), we were rolling again, this time east on IL15 to Mt Carmel, right across from Indiana on the Wabash River, and the Church of St John the Baptist. This time, the congregation number nearly 30, and we enjoyed the warm hospitality of Fr Brant Hazlett and his flock (including three generations of his own family). Post-liturgical nourishment was at a place called Hogg Heaven. You can guess what was served ... and it was very good.
• Pointed the wheels of the Bishopmobile back in a northwesterly direction around 2pm, and rolled back into the friendly confines of the Leland Grove Palace (aka our house) 170 miles later, at 5:20, not having touched an inch of the Interstate system. We've got lots of miles of nice interstates in this diocese, but sometimes you just can't get anywhere on them.

• On the road with Brenda yesterday by 1pm en route to some of the far corners of the diocese. We checked into our hotel in Olney just past 4, then hunted down St Alban's Church, which, alas, has been closed for a number of years. Ideally, of course, we would have mission work going at least in all our county seat towns, but the shrinking and graying of rural American makes that a stiff challenge.
• It was then about 45 minutes east and north again to Robinson and St Mary's Church, where we were greeted by priest-in-chage Fr Gene Tucker, and the one to whom he delegates local duties at St Mary's, Deacon Ann Tofani. We had a congregation numbering in the low 20s, which is pretty good for that church, including one whom I received into the communion of the Episcopal Church. Robinson is the birthplace of the Heath Bar, and the Heaths were Episcopalians. We left town well-supplied with that particular confection!
• This morning we were up bright and early and heading south down IL131 to Albion for an 8:30 liturgy. St John's is the oldest Episcopal church building in Illinois, having been erected in 1842. Deacon Bill Howard does a fine job looking after this congregation, and presented five adults for confirmation. 
• After a brief time of informal visiting with the people of St John's (about 25 in church--again, a good showing), we were rolling again, this time east on IL15 to Mt Carmel, right across from Indiana on the Wabash River, and the Church of St John the Baptist. This time, the congregation number nearly 30, and we enjoyed the warm hospitality of Fr Brant Hazlett and his flock (including three generations of his own family). Post-liturgical nourishment was at a place called Hogg Heaven. You can guess what was served ... and it was very good.
• Pointed the wheels of the Bishopmobile back in a northwesterly direction around 2pm, and rolled back into the friendly confines of the Leland Grove Palace (aka our house) 170 miles later, at 5:20, not having touched an inch of the Interstate system. We've got lots of miles of nice interstates in this diocese, but sometimes you just can't get anywhere on them.

With the confirmands, an acolyte, and Deacon Bill Howard at St John's.