Friday

Reconvened with the Nashotah trustees at 9am and we finished our work around 11:15. I have high hope that we have charted a sound course as we try to negotiate the parameters of our work together. When dedicated people come together around the welfare of an institution they love, the moment can be fraught. Nashotah House is the only seminary available to Episcopalian candidates for ordination that will soak them in the Catholic and Benedictine inheritance of Anglicanism and send them out not only with the skills but with the sense of self that will enable them, more often than not, to be effective as priests and pastoral leaders. If you care about that end, then please support one of the major means toward that end, and give generously to Nashotah House.

Having a small amount of extra time on my hands (we had expected to work until noon), I caught an early shuttle to the airport and deferred eating lunch until I was all checked in. The more I travel, the more grateful I am for TSA Pre-check status.It makes clearing security much less traumatic. Checked in by phone with Carol Goodman, wife of Fr Tim, who is recovering from a major heart attack. Everything went well and my layover in Chicago was mercifully short. Landed in Springfield just as the sun was setting, and in time to take Brenda out to a lovely birthday dinner.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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

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

Saturday (St Charles, King & Martyr)

Substantive phone conversations with the rector of Lincoln, the President of the Standing Committee, and the Canon-to-the-Ordinary. Attended the live-streamed memorial service for a former clergy colleague, and continuing friend, with whom I was in serious conversation about coming to the diocese less than a year ago, who died quickly of COVID at age 66. Then, earlier than I actually needed to, but wanting to get out of town ahead of the snowstorm, I packed up and headed south to Lincoln, where I had time to do some significant reading before hitting the sack.
Read more