Wednesday (St Sergius)

  • Intercessions and MP in our domestic chapel. Tea, breakfast, crossword, email scanning, task planning--i.e. the usual morning routine.
  • Did some final proofreading edits on my synod address and sent the text off to the Communicator so she can begin to prepare some PowerPoint slides.
  • Made and communicated a difficult decision about a mission travel opportunity next spring. Regretfully having to decline.
  • Reviewed some materials pertaining to the Lambeth Conference.
  • Reviewed an appeal from the Diocese of Southeast Florida for contributions in relief of hurricane damage in the Bahamas. Arranged for a discretionary fund gift.
  • Forwarded to parish clergy some materials related to congregational development from one of the presentations at last week's House of Bishops meeting that was actually worthwhile.
  • Scheduled a service appointment for the YFNBmobile for when I'm in Springfield this Friday.
  • Took a walklet with Brenda, the route of which I leveraged to be able to stop by Pizza Hut and pick up some lunch. Consumed said lunch in from of a mindless TV episode. (If you must know: NCIS New Orleans.)
  • Sat intensively with my notes for the readings of Proper 24 until they yielded a homiletical message statement, which will be developed into a sermon for my visitation to St Paul's, Carlinville on October 20.
  • Answered a query from my tax preparer for more info (we're "negotiating" with the Illinois Department of Revenue).
  • Attended to a small pastoral-administrative matter.
  • Reviewed both quantitative and qualitative feedback on the ministry review instrument that the Standing Committee and I agreed on and which was completed by about 20 laity and clergy in the diocese. This is in preparation for my meeting with the Standing Committee on Saturday.
  • Reviewed a report from our historiography team. I wish I knew of a simple and inexpensive process for digitizing our diocesan archives (which contain enough information, I would suspect, for multiple doctoral dissertations to be written).
  • Reviewed a recently-submitted Mission Strategy Report.
  • Took another walk, this time longer, to get to my step goal.
  • Evening Prayer in our domestic chapel.

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