A Two Goal Lead is the Most Dangerous Lead...

The above video, if it works, is a video of the the nest that was built by a Robin in our front yard. We were all excited to see the development of the little family, but alas, something got into the nest and destroyed all the eggs, well, all but one, but the mother decided not to return and eventually the third egg disappeared as well. Cool new videos from our new place...

Literally. I walked over to look at our Garden the other day and there were green things growing. Very cool, I will get some pictures up here regularly so people can see the progress of our Garden. Literally, last Sunday morning before services I went and looked at the plants that had come up the day before, and then returned after the 8AM service and all the peas had sprouted!!! I am so grateful for the work of the people who have put so much energy into this, it is exciting to watch the vision of a couple of people galvanize a congregation and bring us all great joy. Grow Garden! A+

I used the following for my two sources to craft a sermon on Sunday morning. Anthony De Mello says this about the needs of the Church: “The greatest need of the Church today is not new legislation, new theology, new structures, new liturgies – all these without the Holy Spirit are like a dead body without a soul. We desperately need someone to take away our hearts of stone and give us a heart of flesh; we need an infusion of enthusiasm and inspiration and courage and spiritual strength. We need to persevere in our love without discouragement or cynicism, but with a new faith in the future. In other words, we need the fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” And from a man I knew as a student at St Thomas, The Rev. Stephen Stanley, at the time chaplain at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. If you are confused – Thank God! If you do not have all the answers – Thank God! If you do not know exactly what God is up to – Thank God! If you have to wait up on the Lord – Thank God! ...

The following was found int he Parish Visitor from May 21, 1910, and interesting little bit about the rectory that was found and secured for the rector at the time, Irving Peak Johnson. From the May 21, 1910 Parish Visitor Gethsemane Parish Visitor Published every Saturday at Minneapolis, Minn. By the vestry of the Church of Gethsemane. The rector has waited for the actual passing of the deed before formally expressing to the committee in charge of this work, and to the constituency which they represent, the deep appreciation which he feels for their generosity and interest in this matter. The securing of a rectory is a matter so much bound up with the comfort of the rector and his family that which he nevertheless feels is most vital to the interests of the parish. If it were merely a matter of his own personal comfort, he would say that the rector, as well as others, might run his chances in the securing of a home; but a parish has a social side as well as a religious one, and no pa...

I did not preach this Sunday, we had the Rev. Dr. Lucy Hogan in for a sermon, and the baptism of her Granddaughter. Very exciting. I did do a little winging it homily at the 8AM service, we did not do the Ascension readings, using instead the readings for 7 Easter. Here they are: The Lectionary Page The Acts reading is one of those wonderful visual readings that the writer of the Gospel of Luke-Acts uses to express the power and possibility of God. Paul and Silas are freed from prison by an earthquake. My brief homily touched on how we can revel in the imagery of this story and how God does the impossible in freeing God's disciples. However, the Gospel, from John, offers us the real impossibility. What does it mean to be one? What does it mean to be one for the Church. This is the impossible feat that we should all be impressed if it were accomplished by God. Breaking a couple of short tempered disciples from prison is no problem, making the world one, or all Christians on...

There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done. Nothing you can say that can’t be sung. Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game. It’s easy. Nothing you can make that can’t be made. No one you can save that can’t be saved. Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time. It’s easy. All you need is love! Do do do do doooooo… The Beatles have a sort of soft, prophetic lilt to this song. Tunefully they proclaim the bridging and healing powers of love in the world. You can do anything, go anywhere, save everyone, because all you need is love. However there is one phrase wrapped in the song that I simply cannot, or perhaps do not want to, agree with. It’s small, but don’t over look it. Right there, taunting you before the refrain. Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time – it’s easy. I subscribe to the idea that there is little about love that is easy. I suppose it really depends what kind of love you happen to be looking at. There is familia...