Thursday (Ss Cyril & Methodius)

  • Usual Thursday morning weight and treadmill workout.
  • Processed a handful of emails at home.
  • Morning Prayer in the cathedral.
  • Drove to Normal to bless the room newly-designated as a chapel at Christ the King, for use by both the pre-school and the church. Spoke by phone on the way with one of our priests over a sensitive pastoral matter in the parish.
  • Presided at the chapel blessing, followed by a presentation by some of the pre-school kids and a tour of their classroom while in session. This is a wonderful ministry, and I could not be more pleased that we have something like this in the diocese.
  • Lunch with Fr Desmond and some of the lay leaders of Christ the King--at an Indian buffet, or course!
  • Back in the office at 2pm. Caught up on some emails.
  • Tended to some administrivia.
  • Took a phone call from another priest over yet another pastoral situation.
  • Took a phone call from a deployment officer in another diocese regarding a priest who is canonically resident in Springfield.
  • Consulted with the Archdeacon at some length over a couple of strategic and administrative issues.
  • Produced a first draft of a sermon for Lent II (24 February at St Mark's, West Frankfort).
  • Worked on my still-evolving "aspirational" liturgical customary for the diocese.
  • Evening Prayer in the cathedral.

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