Sunday, 27 April 2008
Sunday at St James, Gorton
This week I was at the closest church of the 3 -- St James. Let me introduce you to the place and people ...
Sunday at St Philip's, Gorton
After St James, I walked to St Philip's the next closest church ... they had finished their liturgy (which a colleague had led). You can see there are different characters to the two churches; and there's a third I didn't get to this week.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
My Gorton Neighborhood
Here's a walk around my Gorton neighborhood .. won't you join me?? (there are about 50 photos and it takes about 3 minutes to watch.
Happy Saturday & Happy Orthodox Easter
A photo of JD and me just outside our garden wall and side pathway with St James Church in the background. My mom took this on her trip here in May 2007 - although it does look like winter - it was a cold rainy summer last year.
LATER I had my hair "done" (not this photo) at a local shop (just 20 steps away) and my hairdresser Marie reminded me that this evening is Greek Orthodox' Great Vigil (11 pm) and Easter Liturgy (1 AM). So Happy Easter to my Orthodox sisters and brothers!
Friday, 25 April 2008
Friday Five
Singing Owl on Rev Gal Pal Blogs asked this week's Friday Five:
Yesterday I had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation--gulp--was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on.
1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not live
without? Electricity ! Which runs so much of what I take for granted ... I'd love to be able to produce my own however with solar and/or wind generation!
2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day?
Why? Nothing really .. it's what we humans do with the devices that are the problem, isn't it? Anything that can be used for evil, or make us "crazy" (which I think is the subtext here) had at one time a good and proper use. However, from time to time on public transport here in the UK, I'd wish there was a "MUTE" button on people using their mobile (cell phone) around me!
3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? If
so, do you use it (them)? hmmm older than a CD player ... no; and only one due to a student budget, otherwise it would be more probably. OOPS - just realized we do have a tiny electric radio in the kitchen but that's because we're in England.
4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or something
else? Probably a mix, as above, it's what we do with things that scares me but the amazing creativity of making things smaller and smaller (ie technologies) - that is exciting. Thinking of what it means to be a scientist these days is a challenge that our theology hasn't caught up with in many cases.
5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain? Bonus
points if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process. Living without a car puts you in touch with some of this; not to romanticize our forebears but there is something about being closer to the people around you - not being insulated - that is humanizing. Although it takes a lot to do when the people around you are not like yourself (ie the immigration and changing ethnic/religious demographic). How to bring it back ?? Probably through lots and lots of relationship building : talking casually with people is impossible in cars, but on foot or public transport it happens more naturally. Making the environments where casual talking, milling around, "doing" something without purpose - all that can start to be a way to regain what I'd describe as "knowing one's neighbor" which needs to happen before you can begin to "love your neighbor."
Yesterday I had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation--gulp--was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on.
1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not live
without? Electricity ! Which runs so much of what I take for granted ... I'd love to be able to produce my own however with solar and/or wind generation!
2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day?
Why? Nothing really .. it's what we humans do with the devices that are the problem, isn't it? Anything that can be used for evil, or make us "crazy" (which I think is the subtext here) had at one time a good and proper use. However, from time to time on public transport here in the UK, I'd wish there was a "MUTE" button on people using their mobile (cell phone) around me!
3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? If
so, do you use it (them)? hmmm older than a CD player ... no; and only one due to a student budget, otherwise it would be more probably. OOPS - just realized we do have a tiny electric radio in the kitchen but that's because we're in England.
4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or something
else? Probably a mix, as above, it's what we do with things that scares me but the amazing creativity of making things smaller and smaller (ie technologies) - that is exciting. Thinking of what it means to be a scientist these days is a challenge that our theology hasn't caught up with in many cases.
5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain? Bonus
points if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process. Living without a car puts you in touch with some of this; not to romanticize our forebears but there is something about being closer to the people around you - not being insulated - that is humanizing. Although it takes a lot to do when the people around you are not like yourself (ie the immigration and changing ethnic/religious demographic). How to bring it back ?? Probably through lots and lots of relationship building : talking casually with people is impossible in cars, but on foot or public transport it happens more naturally. Making the environments where casual talking, milling around, "doing" something without purpose - all that can start to be a way to regain what I'd describe as "knowing one's neighbor" which needs to happen before you can begin to "love your neighbor."
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Baptisms - all the time
Here in the Church of England, unlike The Episcopal Church, we do baptisms ALL the time! Usually in the 3 churches I serve, we try to limit them to once a month. Here I am with one of the baptismal candidates and his parents. What a beautiful smile-y face he has, big rosy cheeks, and that sailor suit - absolutely precious! His name is "Alfie". The sermon I preached that morning used the 5 letters of his name to teach about God, the church, and baptism.
A is for the Alpha and Omega - for our Amazing God
L is for Life - the miracle of new life in baptism, and Love of mother and father
F is for Family - the birth family, godparents, and all the Christian family
I is for "I" - each one of us and the pieces that make us who we are
E is for Example - everyone at the service this morning is meant to be an example.
God bless Alfie (his baptism was just about one year ago...)
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
faith story
Here's a fabulous "opinion" piece from Episcopal LIFE Online about a young woman in Princeton and her encounter with a college worker - chaplain - and the change in her life. It is reflective and points the way to where the Episcopal Church can be meeting the needs of young adults.
Read "A different kind of truth: College student falls in love with Anglicanism" and I hope you'll agree.
BTW - Paul Farmer's book "Mountains beyond Mountains" is still a great book and has had a profound effect on JD's family (esp one niece in coming to her vocation.)
Would that we all could have this kind of effect on a young person's life? Perhaps we can! Why shouldn't we all be able to listen and share out of our own experience??
Read "A different kind of truth: College student falls in love with Anglicanism" and I hope you'll agree.
BTW - Paul Farmer's book "Mountains beyond Mountains" is still a great book and has had a profound effect on JD's family (esp one niece in coming to her vocation.)
Would that we all could have this kind of effect on a young person's life? Perhaps we can! Why shouldn't we all be able to listen and share out of our own experience??
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