May 2020 Oh – have I ever learned a thing or two during this “shelter in place.” First – I don’t ever want to retire unless I go directly into a nursing home. Secondly, I really get tired of my own company. Third, I knew I was a bad cook, but I didn’t know HOW … [Read more…]
April 2014 I always find it difficult to write Clergy Clatter during our observance of Lent, while looking forward to the joy of Easter in just a few weeks. Lent, for me, is a serious time of reflection and preparation. But I experience Easter as an eruption of joy and excitement. It’s hard to write … [Read more…]
April 1, 2020 When I was in seminary, one of the required classes in the core curriculum was “Homiletics” (preaching). It was held in an old chapel that they called the Oratory. It met twice a week, and at each session, two students preached on an assigned text. We then picked each other apart, unmercifully. … [Read more…]
March 1994 We are in the middle of Lent. Like many practices in the Church, the observance of Lent has seen its changes over the years. Originally intended as a period of preparation of candidates for Baptism, Lent evolved into a highly structured observance for the whole membership of the Church. The Anglican Church has … [Read more…]
March 2020 Sometimes one just has to bite the bullet. For years we’ve been debating the pros and cons of going to an electronic newsletter. We’d chew on it for a while in the office and at vestry. Then we’d put it away and continue what we were doing. But outside forces are pushing us … [Read more…]
February 2004 Dear God, I had to send Bridget to you today. I took her to the vet to see if something could be done about her arthritis. X-rays showed that she did not have arthritis but very advanced bone cancer. The vet said that she was in a lot of pain. She never let … [Read more…]
February 2020 A haunting dilemma. A group of us took a weekend in New York City before Christmas. We saw the Christmas Show at Radio City, visited Rockefeller Plaza, Times Square, Saint Mary the Virgin, Grand Central, and all of those other wonderful Midtown Manhattan “must sees.” Someone suggested that we visit the 9/11 Memorial. … [Read more…]
January 2000 Following are a few of my well-intended New Year’s Resolutions. I don’t promise to keep any of them, but at least you know I’m thinking about them: I’ll clean and straighten my desk to keep Merle happy. I’ll mention Jesus more in my homilies to keep Gertrude happy. I’ll start services on time … [Read more…]
January 2019 I’ve debated for the past few years whether or not to put up my Christmas Tree. When you live alone, it’s easy to set that sort of thing aside as “too much trouble.” I’m one of those strange people who assigns personalities to inanimate objects. And each year at this time, I think … [Read more…]