Tuesday, May 22, 2007

More Fun with the Tuesday 2

Ok, so I am going to post the Tuesday 2 - -we all can write for the blog! Lat week we talked about fun and games. Here is what I thought of for this week. Play along in the comments.

It's Pentecost - -the Church's Birthday! I'm stealing Nancy's idea for a children's sermon with cupcakes, and this has me wondering about birthday traditions.

1) What was your favorite birthday tradition as a child or as an adult?

2) How will your congregation celebrate Pentecost? Any traditions that you think should or should not be happening?

Have Fun!

Julie

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Grieving and Pastoring Together

This morning a dear church member died suddenly. He is the spouse of the PNC chairperson, he created and maintained the church's (and presbytery's) websites, he was an elder (active until Jan.--now his wife is active), he came to every presbytery meeting (often as a member of the nominating committee) and he always collected tickets at the Church Turkey Supper (which is tomorrow).

I drove his wife to the hospital, and stood with her through her goodbyes. The funeral is Saturday. I could use all the prayers you can muster.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Introducing: The Tuesday Two


I participate in something called "RevGalBlogPals." It is a webring open to woman pastors and their friends--i.e., everyone. It is moderated by a team of about ten women. They create community on the web by a number of activities throughout the week, including something called the "Friday Five." Friday Five is essentially a game-- a meme whereby folks reveal something about themselves around some theme (you can click on the link above to look through the archives to see how they do this).

So, I was wondering about a fun way for us to do some of the same things, and I was wondering it on a Tuesday morning, so...

Introducing the Tuesday Two! I will invite those who have an interest to take turns with me thinking up simple pairs of questions that we can post on a Tuesday morning (or Monday night). Hopefully this will be both fun and a conversation starter. I will get things started today by posting my answers to the questions. I invite your answers in the comments, and then a conversation, if you like, again, in the comments. Again, participation is entirely optional (though, obviously, it would be fun to hear from all of you!).

Tuesday Two: Games, Games, Games

One of the things my family loves to do is to play games... board games, card games, word games while waiting for a table in a restaurant... you name it. As my children have grown we have moved from "Life-Junior Edition" to Scrabble and even chess (at which they outpaced me pretty much upon learning how the pieces moved). So I ask each of you:

1. What games do you remember playing as a child that gave you great joy (and is there any reason you can't play them now? Emrys, this is pretty much a shout-out to you...)?

2. What "games" have you encountered in congregational life, either as a pastor or as a member? I do not assume these are all negative in nature (though they might be).

Pat's Tuesday Two: Games, Games, Games.

1. I think the best games I played as a child involved whole groups of kids playing hide and seek over the space of a block on which we all lived. We hid under stairways, in the alleys between houses, in our own houses (though that became sort of obvious). But it was a great adventure-- the game had permutations involving themes (there was Peter Pan hide and seek, there was its cousin, Pirate hide and seek, there was Cinderella hide and seek). Imagination, running around, the thrill of discovery. It was great.

2. It has just occurred to me (and honestly this was not in my mind when I started this post) that congregation members can play a version of hide and seek as well. Hide your (strong) feelings about something from the pastor, and hope that she can figure it out. This seems to be a pretty common congregational dynamic, if anecdotal evidence is at all reliable. This doesn't always have a negative outcome... sometimes folks will talk openly if approached directly and pastorally, using our CPE training and listening, listening, listening. But sometimes, the person doesn't want to be found-- that is a tough moment.

There you have it. Friends, I hope you are all well. If you can't get to this today, try to post when you can. Peace, Blessings.

Mags

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

I saw the moon

Friends, though I know this isn't what was meant by the title of the blog-- not literally, anyway-- I had an actual moon sighting I share on my blog, Magdalene's Musings.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Silly me!

So I set up the blog and then didn't join...silly me!

Just as an FYI, I'm listed as KnittinPreacher -- my other blog is anonymous,

Peace to you all --

Julie

The Rabbi Is On

Shalom, chaverim!
Shalom, chaverot!
e

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Greetings!


Hello Friends, and thanks so much to Julie for creating this blog! It is my hope that this will be a kind of well-- filled with the Spirit, the Living Water, and reflections on the Word... not to mention our gripes, complaints, and earnest requests for prayer and solace in dark times.

I offer this prayer, composed by Hildegard of Bingen, (as well as this illumination of hers) as my "hello" to all.

HOLY SPIRIT,

making life alive,

moving in all things,

root of all created being,

cleansing the cosmos

of every impurity,

effacing guilt,

anointing wounds.

You are lustrous

and praiseworthy life,

You waken and re-awaken

everything

that is.


Amen.