Tuesday (Phillips Brooks)

  • Task planning over breakfast at home.
  • Briefed the Archdeacon on some of the interesting factoids of my weekend with Ordinariate Catholics in Houston.
  • Confirmed with the Dean that we are on the cathedral's calendar for the Chrism Mass on March 24.
  • Morning Prayer in the cathedral.
  • Responded to a request from two of our "communities" that are not going to be quite "eucharistic" on Epiphany IV and Epiphany V, for homilies of mine that might be read on those occasions when they gather for Morning Prayer. In this context, I did what I was already needing to do anyway, and did some relatively minor but significant surgery on an old homily text for Epiphany V to make it usable at St John's, Decatur on February 4.
  • Dealt with some administrative and financial details on behalf of a couple of our congregations that are experiencing a pastoral hiatus.
  • Reviewed and responded to a draft plan for the celebration of Emmanuel, Champaign's centennial of their building this coming May.
  • Wrote a pastoral check-in email to one of our clergy who has had a rough month.
  • Reviewed and commented on a rough draft of a liturgy plan for the clergy retreat.
  • Took a phone call from my Roman Catholic counterpart, Bishop Paprocki. We set up a lunch date.
  • Burnt ends from HyVee for lunch, eaten at home.
  • Kept an appointment with my estate planning attorney.
  • Responded by email to a letter informing me of a case of serious sexual abuse (against the author of the letter) by a cleric of diocese several decades ago. The perpetrator is deceased. I assured him of our profound sorrow over what happened, and that he is indeed heard.
  • Read and responded by email to a long and substantive letter from a lay person of the diocese seeking some pastoral care.
  • Reviewed by visitations for the coming month, and created appropriate e-reminders about being in touch with the clergy involved.
  • Evening Prayer in the cathedral.

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