Tuesday (St Hilary)

  • Since last night ended with Brenda's car stranded halfway down our driveway because of its inability to climb past the sheet of ice the pavement had become, I got up, back the vehicle onto the street, and headed to Ace in the (AWD) YFNBmobile to procure some sand and salt. After treating the driveway with said products, I headed into the office, offering the short form of Morning Prayer on my drive.
  • Conferred with the Archdeacon on a slowly emerging but substantive administrative and pastoral concern.
  • Attempted to speak by phone with a new member of the Nashotah House board (the rector of a very prominent parish), but had to settle for his Executive Assistant and an email.
  • Via email and phone, took care of some of the logistical details pertaining to a short-notice visit to the diocese from the Bishop of Peru (one of our companion dioceses). I think we're in good shape to welcome him.
  • Via Google+ video hangout, received tutorial instruction in some of the finer points of working with our website from Lisa Cerezo, who, along with her husband Jason, takes care of the website and edits the Current.
  • Attended to some document issues related to a planned trip in April--continuing education for the Class of 2011 bishops, in Cuba. Going to Cuba is possible for Americans under certain well-defined circumstances, but you have to jump through a few hoops. The meeting is in Cuba because the bishop of the Episcopal Church in Cuba shared with us in our "baby bishops' school" residency program one week each summer during the first three years of our ministries.
  • Lunch from ChiTown's Finest (Italian beef), eaten at home.
  • Returned to working on the Cuba trip documents. This took longer than it should have, partly because I was fending off a flurry of emails and phone calls.
  • Fleshed out, refined, and printed a working text of my homily for this Sunday, to be delivered at Christ the King, Normal.
  • Took care of a small but important administrative issue by email.
  • Made air travel and car rental arrangements to attend a meeting of the Communion Partner bishops, along with our Canadian counterparts, in Florida next month.
  • Evening Prayer in the cathedral.
  • After dinner at home, I roughed out the broad strokes for this year's Lenten teaching series, at St Michael's in O'Fallon. I also worked some on my clergy retreat addresses.

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