Seventh Sunday of Easter

On the road at 7am to St Christopher's Church in Rantoul, in the northeast corner of the diocese; the closest parish north on I-57 would be in the Diocese of Chicago. Met Fr Steve Thorp and Deacon Ann Alley in time to get our dance steps straight for the 9:30 celebration of the Eucharist. After the Mass, there was a festive repast in the parish hall followed by a spirited conversation about mission strategy. I'm finding that, while my usual stump speech has some items in it that will unsettle many Episcopalians, most of the Episcopalians I run into on these occasions are sufficiently clear-eyed that they're ready to entertain the possibility of letting themselves be unsettled. Home around 2. Brenda and I watched the rather dark and disturbing Lars von Trier film Melancholia. Eventually I packed and got behind the wheel again at 8:15 for Bloomington. Better to make the drive tonight and spring for a hotel than have to leave Springfield tomorrow in time to catch a 6am flight from BMI. Headed to my second of three annual installments of "baby bishops school" at a conference center near Asheville, North Carolina.

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