- Clergy ClatterSomeone recently asked me if I was going to continue “Clergy Clatter” after I retired from Epiphany. Sadly, my answer was “No.” I say sadly because it has been sort of a journal of my life with you for 30 plus years. You have been very much a part of it with me. Anyone around … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterHave you ever planned things carefully, and then had them just fall apart? That’s kind of what’s been going on with my plans to retire from Epiphany. It’s actually become sort of amusing – to me. As you know, I first spoke with the bishop about it in January. She said she wanted to meet … [Read more…]
- Clergy Clatter“You have to get us back to where we were before the pandemic.” As many of you know, I live on the edge of a salt marsh that is part of the Elizabeth River flood plain. It’s not the prettiest salt marsh in the world, but it’s special to me. If I stand on my … [Read more…]
- Clergy Clatter“You have to get us back to where we were before the pandemic.” Almost every time we gather, whether for Sunday worship, vestry, a chat in my office – I am told that the pandemic is over. Now I need to get things right again. I need to get attendance back to where it was, … [Read more…]
- Clergy Clatter“You know Lent comes early this year” I heard someone say as the clergy were vesting for Fr. Green’s Requiem Mass. WHAT? “How early is early?” I wondered. As soon as I could get to a calendar I checked it out. Yee Gads! Three weeks! Maybe Epiphany would like to skip Lent this year. One … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterAt a Christmas gathering, Marcia Cronin and I got into a discussion over popular Christmas carols. She told me the following story about “Joy to the World.” It has to be shared, so in Marcia’s words, here it is. Enjoy! “Joy to the World” always brings a smile to my face, both for the joy … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterI’m writing this on the evening of All Saints’ Day. We celebrated Halloween last night. It was a beautiful evening with perfect weather, and as I waited for trick-or-treaters, it brought back a humorous memory that I had long forgotten. I hope you’ll find it amusing. Back in the early 1970s, before the interstates were … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterIt’s not a good omen when a priest is heading into church to hold a service, and he hears a horrendous crash, braking glass, and a lot of voices yelling. Somehow, the priest knows that this is going to be a special day in his life and ministry. What in the world is going on? … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterIf you follow Facebook, you may have seen the item on Costco selling coffins and burial urns in their stores. It seems that they started selling them in Australia in 2015, and are now adding them to stateside stores. Costco would not be expanding a product line if it wasn’t selling. The display is well … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterWith advancing age, does not necessarily come advancing wisdom. I can attest to that! Having had a very mild early summer, and living in a big house that gets great natural ventilation and has limited A/C, I decided to go the summer without A/C. Just throw open all the windows, turn on the ceiling fans … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterThere is a TV news show that often follows the big national news programs. It’s called “Inside Edition.” It usually doesn’t cover the big worldwide interests, but the next level down – things that may be of interest to some viewers, but not everyone. Last night (Tuesday night) they had a segment on “new scientific … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterLast week, I got mixed up and thought Clergy Clatter was due a week early. As I sat to write this little piece of “clatter”, the painful news of the school shootings in Uvalde Texas was all over the air waves. It’s another one of those horrible episodes with which our civilization seems to be … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterFrom time to time I hear a story that I think would make a good “Clergy Clatter.” Sometimes I invite the story teller to write a “Clergy Clatter.” My invitation is usually refused, but this month Tina Wright accepted. Please enjoy. Richard + A Special Visitor to The Church of the Epiphany My husband, Len, … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterAs I tried to come up with a theme for this Clergy Clatter, I seriously wanted it to be something happy and light, reflecting the warmer weather and spring flowers, and the joy of Easter. But my thoughts kept going to the war in Ukraine. I really didn’t want to write about it, but it … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterGood grief! It’s Lent. From where did that come? I usually have my Lenten planning well under way right after Christmas. But we were just closing down after Christmas – and now we’re opening up right at the start of Lent. That blasted pandemic! Well, if the pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s adaptability. … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterIt’s been a few years since we’ve have any significant snow around here, but we got a pretty good one last weekend. Max was not happy with it, since it was well up over his belly on my decks, which meant he had to sort of swim through it. This last snow reminded me of … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterLast year at this time, we were frantically trying to figure out how to celebrate Epiphany’s 100th anniversary. The first service held in the building was on January 6, 1921. The Anniversary Committee had been working hard on plans, we were on the bishop’s calendar, and certainly the pandemic wouldn’t go on much longer. Well, … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterAccording to NPR, there are three fruit that are native to America; Blueberries, Cranberries, and a third that is unfamiliar to me. I love both Blueberries and Cranberries. Chicken and Turkey just have to be served with Cranberries. So – a few days before Thanksgiving I stopped by Boston Market drive through and ordered a whole … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterI’m writing this within a few hours of returning from our annual Fall Clergy Conference, now called a Clergy Gathering. Retired clergy rarely attend these meetings, but I enjoy being with long time friends, meeting the new clergy, and keeping up on what is happening, especially since I’m still in active ministry. The first one … [Read more…]
- Clergy Clatter“Why would you suggest something like that?” That was one of the comments I got after my question during announcements Sunday as to whether or not some folks would like a simple early morning Eucharist on Wednesdays. And I do understand the puzzlement. Why make more work for myself? But the fact it is, I’m at … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterWe all know them. They’re everywhere. They walk out in front of our cars. They mess up our sidewalks. They are so pretty, but such a pain in the neck. Of course, I’m talking about Canada Geese. Recently there was a late night segment on TV about a goose that was discovered with a severely … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterWell, we seem to have somehow avoided the 17-year invasion of Brood X cicadas that some of our neighboring regions experienced. Actually, I was sort of looking forward to it. I can remember as a kid being terrified of the things. I hated the sound that they made up in the trees. Something that big … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterAs we begin pulling ourselves up out of this Covid 19 pandemic, with which we have lived for the past 15 months, I want to reflect on some of my own feelings and fears, lest they just get lost to time. The human mind is blessed with an uncanny ability to forget painful and frightening … [Read more…]
- Clergy ClatterEveryone seems to have a favorite season of the year. Mine is spring. The days are longer and warmer. Utility costs are down. The full moons are haunting, especially this week’s “Pink Moon”. Flowers are blooming and trees and shrubs are turning green. Easter is in the mix, with its wonderful music and messages of … [Read more…]
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A compilation of The Rev. Richard O. Bridgford’s most memorable articles from his nearly 25 years at Church of the Epiphany. Enjoy history, humor, nature, travel, and wacky experiences with Fr. Bridgford, his two-legged and four-legged friends! Recall:
- the New Year’s resolutions he couldn’t keep
- the year Santa’s elf delivered Baby Jesus to the creche
- the volcano that threatened his vacation
- sweet elderly widows and “a little afternoon sherry”
See if he has written about YOU
Proceeds go to The Church of the Epiphany
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