A different Annual Parish Meeting

...for me, anyway. For the first time in I don't know how long, I have nothing to do to prepare for tomorrow's Annual Parish Meeting. No "Servants of the Sanctuary" report (Larry has that responsibility now), no Webmaster's report (none was requested, nor needed), I'm not on the Vestry and wasn't asked to stand, which will make 2010 my third year's vacation from the Vestry.

I rolled off in 2008 after untold years of being on (since sometime in the 90s), and Fr. McGrath's effort to have me come back on last year failed when the Parish decided to elect "new blood" instead. I fully supported that, by the way -- it's not my fiefdom and I don't want it. But membership means more when one has also held some responsibility, and if there's ever any difficulty there are others who have Been There Before to advise.

New calendar, new roof

Fr. Davis has set up a new online calendar for St. Bartholomew's, courtesy of Microsoft. This is both more detailed and convenient than the schedule formerly maintained on the Announcements page!

He also reported in an e-mail that a new roof is to be installed on the church. I'm not sure if the current roof is the original, but if so it's 24 years old and certainly near end of life.

Selah

Any blogging in the next week will be second-hand. I fly out to Orlando tomorrow for a week of meetings, returning the following Thursday. A check shows none of our Anglican churches nearby and I'll be without a car.

Kairos Cookie Bags

Kathy was back from the Kairos weekend, but a bit late for Mass. Still, she was in the Parish Hall after the service and absolutely delighted with the way the kids had decorated the cookie bags.

Each day during the Kairos retreat, when the prisoners attending the retreat spend their days in the Chapel instead of their normal "programs" (school and/or work), each and every inmate in the entire institution receives a bag of a dozen cookies from Kairos. These are not plain white bags, but are decorated -- by children, Sunday Schools, the elderly, and so on. The message: "Somebody cares."

Repairs

Hard to believe we've been in this building for almost a quarter-century (25 years on Christmas Eve 2011). It still seems almost like yesterday we were putting it up.

But there are the occasional repairs needed, though we seem to have quite a variety of talents among the men. Okay, putting in the new timer switch upside down was a goof on my part (I didn't see a "top" or "bottom" marking on the timer body and the handle looked symmetrical, though I discovered today it's not), but that can be rectified when we get the proper wall plate for it.

Paul decided it was time to patch a couple of spots in the linoleum. I probably could have figured out how to do it but didn't have the necessary tools. Paul did, and proceeded to patch with a couple of pieces from the roll end, stored away for just such an eventuality.

Supplies for Mens' Breakfast

Yesterday we resumed our monthly Mens' Breakfast, Fellowship (and Work Party -- a few little repairs) and, happily, Master Chef Gordon was present. He had asked me last Sunday to pick up a few items for the breakfast. Most were fine but when I went for the pancake syrup I found a bewildering number of choices in front of me -- this was clearly going to take a bit more time than I had if I were going to make it to Morning Prayer in time.

Then I spotted the perfect choice for the Mens' Breakfast:

Kairos widower

My wife is away now to a Kairos (related to Cursillo and Walk to Emmaus) Prison Ministry weekend, working "base camp": a station outside the prison where all the cooking for the retreat inside and for the volunteers going in is done. This one is at the Washington State Corrections Center for Women in Purdy, Washington. It is a two-day followup to the big 4-day Kairos weekend last fall; there will be another such 4-day this March, beginning the day I fly home from a conference and unrelated committee meeting in Baltimore and D.C.

I fully support this and the efforts by St. B's to support her also are gratifying. But it makes for a long lonely weekend. On the other hand, it's less than what she suffers every time business takes me elsewhere -- a situation that occurs often and looks like it will become much more prevalent this year.

But... she is coming with me to Paris in 3 weeks time for another of my committees' meeting. After my meetings are done we will have two days to tour together. Parisian French is her other native language; it will be a good time and will make up for this separation!

I wonder if there are any Anglican churches in Paris.

The latest Christus Rex is out...

Hmmm, the autocompletion feature says I've used that title before. So... I've used it again. The latest Christus Rex (provincial newsletter of the APCK) is out and as usual Monty has done a splendid job. I really enjoyed reading the lead story of the (hi)story of St. Thomas in San Francisco, which I visited two or three years back when I was down there for a day, for work.

Looking forward to Saturday and the resumption of Morning Prayer followed by the Mens' Fellowship Breakfast. I've rather missed that ever since... when was the last time we held that? I forget. Though it seems we won't be enjoying either Gordon's or Ranjit's culinary skills this Saturday.

And looking at how my travel schedule for the remainder of winter is suddenly beginning to build --possibly speaking at a conference somewhere in New Hampshire, possibly conducting a class in Ohio, on top of a week each for meetings in Orlando and Paris (already booked)-- I might be missing more of these fellowship breakfasts.

Catkins

While the rest of the country freezes, it's been almost like spring here. Unusually warm for January, it was nearly shirt-sleeve weather Sunday. The catkins are already out. (Sorry for the blur; I rarely use close-up mode.)

Anglo-Catholic Fight Song

I have a video of part of this, performed by Fr. Davis, Matt and Paul, taken with my Nikon pocket camera during the Epiphany party yesterday, but will have to figure out how to get that into the right format for uploading. For now, the words to the "Anglo-Catholic Fight Song" (sung to the tune of "The Church's One Foundation"):

Our church is mighty spikey
with smells and bells and chants
And Palestrina masses
that vex the Protestants.
O happy ones and holy
who fall upon their knees
For solemn Benediction
And mid-week Rosaries.

Though with a scornful wonder
men see our clergy, dressed
In rich brocaded vestments
as slowly they process;
Yet saints their watch are keeping
lest souls be set alight
Not by the Holy Ghost, but
by incense taking flight.

Now we on earth have union
with Lambeth, not with Rome,
Although the wags and cynics
may question our true home;
But folk masses and bingo
can't possibly depose
The works of Byrd and Tallis,
or Cranmer's stately prose.

(Here shall the organist modulate)

So let the organ thunder,
sound fanfares "en chamade;"
Rejoice! For we are treading
where many saints have trod;
Let peals ring from the spire,
sing descants to high C,
Just don't let your elation
Disrupt the liturgy.

Just the thing for the next "ecumenical event" with choirs from a number of churches. I'm sure it will be well received.

Taking down the lights

I always wondered who took down the Christmas lights and decorations, since I've never been around when that took place. But yesterday I learned they were taken down by the folks who showed up for 10 AM Holy Communion. Everything except the creche, now with the Wise Men in it, it being Epiphany.

Welcome, Ahra!

Reading Fr. Davis' blog entry on Christmas, I finally learned our new organist's name: Ahra. It's been awkward because I was not well Christmas Eve when she started and after the Carols & Readings I just needed to get home ASAP to rest. And it has been sort of the same since; I noticed she didn't come down to the Parish Hall afterwards today, and presumably last Sunday as well.

But it's a delight to hear her professional touch on the organ -- like and yet unlike Josephine's. (Believe me, I am not putting down our "retired" organist one bit; I know better than most what she put into the effort, but she will be the first to say she's not a professional. But I am delighted to say that instead we will hear her harp and her voice more.)

And though I now know the choice of the unfamiliar alternate tunes for the Carols was accidental, upon reflection I like it. (So much for Tradition? Maybe I need to go watch that "Fiddler on the Roof" DVD I received for Christmas!)

So.... welcome, Ahra! And next Sunday I will try to finally introduce myself.

Busy times

What with announcements during the service and after, it looks like a busy week ahead. 10 AM Communion on Epiphany, 6 PM Evensong, but the Epiphany Party will be next Sunday after the service. Maybe this year somebody will find the coin in the cake!

Kathy has put out her first call for 100 dozen cookies for the upcoming Kairos 4-day "retreat" at the womens' prison in Purdy.

The Jesse Tree (or Giving Tree) came down today, but the collecting and assembling of health-kit gift bags will continue until next Sunday.

And it turns out that Rhonda, among her many talents, is a painter and will be exhibiting for a month, beginning January 9th (6 PM), at the Blowing Sands Gallery in Ballard.

I think I've forgotten something, but I can't be sure. I hope Fr. Davis will be able to get some rest this week; I am sure he needs it after the frenetic activities of Advent and Christmas.

Oh yes. Deacon Ed's Bible class is due to begin, 9 AM Sundays in the Parish Hall, though an official announcement has not been received.

(I see Fr. Davis has updated his blog regarding Christmas; maybe we need a little session on digital photo color balance correction [grin].)