reverendjaneausten

Wow- what a whirlwind! The service at St. Mark's was so sweet, even if the music did not work out as planned--that there was any at all is a tribute to Markie's heroic efforts and his rendering of Go Tell it on the Mountain was a real highlight! My first Children's service was so wonderful--the children made it so! There will always be smiles as I think of Alexa and Megan's earnest responses to the questions and Blake's shining eyes as he opened his hand to show me that he still had the Baby Jesus sequestered there. As a best gift, I got a hug from him--my first! I hope not my last. Christmas Eucharist was special too, thanks to the fresh bread that Mary Jane provided. All of her love added in was so touching. Graff and Shannon were wonderful as Crucifer and Server, and Granny Lee sang "I wonder as I wander" in her wonderful way. There were things I would have wished to be different, but the important pieces were in place I think. Then home and a few days ...

They speak for themselves!

Reprinted with Permission, Gary Hall St. Mark’s, Hazard, KY December 16, 2007 [Janey Wilson Ordination] It is a great pleasure for Kathy and me to be here with you in Hazard celebrating Janey Wilson’s ordination to the priesthood. Although Janey was only at Seabury–the seminary in Evanston where I work–for a year, it was an intense year: she managed to do about two years’ work in one year’s time and emerge from the experience still married and healthy and in one spiritual and psychological piece. I have long admired her intelligence and compassion and energy, and I know she is already serving her congregations with grace and wisdom and love. I also know that about the last thing you came to her ordination for was the sermon. So I won’t say a lot, just enough to help us all focus a bit on what God might be up to in calling and ordaining Janey Wilson to the Sacred Order of Priests. I went to seminary in the Boston area, and one year a classmate of mine decided that she would buy a...

Courtesy of my brother Richard who was very dedicated in getting these.

Ordination to the Priesthood was one of the most amazing experiences in a very blessed life. After fretting and fuming in ways I usually do not (but whose idea was it to make Ordination at the end of finals week??) it was perfect, perfectly wonderful and I am still floating--in fact I missed a meeting yesterday. [oops.] There were either 90 or 93 people there, and it was everything I wanted it to be, both for St. Mark's and for myself. It was very simple and the word people keep writing to me is sweet. They hasten to assure me that they do not mean cloying or trite, but rather that old-fashioned sweetness of Spirit. The people who made the trek through the awful weather were treated to a beautiful falling snow outside the clear windows of St. Mark's. The people of St. Mark's, used to 20 in church on a well attended Sunday, got to be surrounded by love and singing and a most powerful Presence. Everyone sang, and prayed and laughed together. Graff was a wonderful Crucifer and...

I need to go for the latter. As usual, even though this cold has me slogging through a haze, I cannot stay Eeyore for too long! Enough of that. People are being wonderfully kind and supportive. My beloved has fed me today, cleaned the kitchen and done laundry so that I can do whatever I need to do. That would be tomorrow's sermon, working on the bulletin and finding and excavating the portions of our house that are rumored to exist. This service a week from tomorrow will not be perfect--and I doubt that I would want that kind of plastic, really. There will not be many people there, but the people who are there will want to be and that is more than enough. My prayer is that all of the major bumps get smoothed before hand or kept from me until I can laugh over them later. Oh and a lack of ice and snow for transportation purposes would be appreciated. . .

Here are photographs of the transformation at St. Mark's in Hazard! I feel as though the days to Ordination are in reverse proportion to the energy, time and talent I have to prepare for the service. One of my comrades, trying to be supportive, said, "Gosh, how are you doing this without a secretary?" You will be glad to know I did not hit him. I have not even had time to ask all of the people I want to ask to do things; there is likely to be sparse music, and I am such a techno-idiot that the bulletin seems insurmountable at this moment. I cannot type or select music while driving. When I am home, despite living with incomparable men, there is so much home stuff that demands attention and we are literally wallowing in debris. Anybody got an extra fairy godmother or patron saint of the incompetent to share? Or extra kleenex? Maybe I will just sob in the shower and save another task. Here endeth the whining. Thanks for listening!

My husband's entire family spent five days together for Thanksgiving in the Colonial History Mecca for the United States. This was a gift from Uncle Jim, which made it even more lovely! We were based in Williamsburg but got to Jamestown as well for the 400th anniversary visit. It was a perfect gathering-plenty of together time as well as time to carve out in smaller family sub groups. Our middle son's fiance and HER family (complete with Holly, their beautiful Golden Retriever) also joined us which was fun. We spent several evenings immersed in the Avalon Hill game, NAVAL WAR. We left our dogs kenneled at a posh rural retreat where they could play in safety. They had a web cam, and when we looked in, Erik's dogs Neo (Large Police Dog) and Freyja (Larger Great Dane puppy) were being badgered by our Border Collie, Seabury. I think she barked for all five days and was not even hoarse! Most special was worship together at Bruton Parish Church on Thanksgiving morning. It was spe...

Mountain driving is so interesting. As a mid-western/north-eastern Ohio kind of gal I have not had much experience with that. This morning I left early to get to church in time to set up Morning Prayer in the Parish Hall. Our church has been cleared out so that we can repair and paint the 1960's era faux paneling and do electrical work. Ordination is 27 days away and it looks as though there are at least 30 days of work left! Although some are "not in favor" of this change, most seem pretty excited. I think it will really open the space. If you want to see pictures, e-mail me. When I try to load them here it becomes scripted gibberish. The clouds and fog were often interchangeable this morning, but there were times when the clouds were just like a horizontal veil. Sometimes I would be in one realm and sometimes in another! Then at one point the sun's rays were coming through and slicing vertical lines along the vapor. At the same time the hills were a lovely bronzed...

The church and city are being so wonderful. The Parish House is tiny, so City Hall has been offered and trolleys will be available to take people up the hill to the church! Not only that, but a Hurricane Andrew refugee, a brilliantly colored Macaw named Ms. Ed will be present at the reception. Some pieces are coming together despite my ineptitude, which seems wholly miraculous.

One of the towns I drive through is Manchester, KY. Manchester is a town that supports its military citizens in a big way. Several weeks ago, a deployed group returned. Two miles out of Manchester, the posters and yellow ribbons welcoming them home were blowing in a gentle wind. You could feel the joy of the entire town at their return. East of Manchester, there is a marker with a rifle forming part of a cross. At the base is a pair of boots, and the helmet rests on the butt of the rifle. This week, flowers were added and today a large 4X6 flag flew low to the ground as part of this memorial. I think this particular remembrance might be for Sgt. Stanfill, who died in an accident on the Hal Rogers Parkway just east of Manchester a couple of years ago. Even though Sgt. Stanfill perished on the road I drive several times a week instead of on a far away battle field, I am glad the citizens of Manchester --or perhaps his family-- honor his service in such a way. We observed the tradition...

This week I was about as organized as the leaves falling off of the trees. A dear friend died a week ago today. His funeral was Thursday this week; for those of you who know, it was the Deacon who gave me all of his stoles. His funeral was lovely and it was a huge honor to wear his white stole and serve at the Altar as Deacon. His wife was so touched to see that. I have been nesting prior to hibernation I think! I have washed quilts (after the washer died and was replaced) and rearranged things for winter somewhat. That is my usual mode of procrastination when I ought to be doing other things. On the other hand, it is one of the few times the house claims my attention! I had a better domestic week than a professional week, but I think that was perhaps overdue. How do people balance this?

Since we could not have Eucharist this morning we did the Liturgy of the Word today from Rite 2 instead of Morning Prayer. During the Prayers of the People, we had a candle lighting. We had a soft , nubby thick muted olive throw on a side table, and then two inexpensive 14" square chargers that were shiny black. They were positioned on an angle like diamonds. On top of them were multicolored, polished river pebbles of various sizes. Then tucked among them were 40 tea lights, 20 on each plate. In the open spaces between the tops of the two diamonds there was a plain, square crystal candle stick with a tall white pillar candle in it. All around the plates were sea shells in various colors of black, cream, white and gray. People came and lit the tea lights in the flame of the big candle and stood for a moment, taking a sea shell when they went back to their seat. The pianist played soft hymns the entire time. There has been some really hard loss this year; some people sobbed ...

Today I had Spiritual Direction with a small dog in my lap. It was delightful because the dog relaxed against me and was so glad I was there! I wish our dog did that sort of thing but she is a boy's dog--she plays football, soccer and is an energetic and companionable walker. Tonight as I was putting mashed potatoes away, they slid to the floor and splashed everywhere- the cabinets, the rugs and the jeans of the man I adore. Needless to say, the dog paid for her keep tonight! ;-)

I do not think I have ever held on to summer and daylight as I have this year. I think being new clergy and not having enough hours in the day might be part of the struggle. I am selfishly grateful for the sun roof in the car since I spend so many hours on the road. Still, I would like to have a 62 hour sunny day where I have no other obligations so that I could pretend to get my world into some kind of order. (I would bask and nap for the first 8 at least.) Walking the dog in the starlight is not without appeal of its own, however. . .

It will, I believe, be everywhere found, that as the clergy are, or are not what they ought to be, so are the rest of the nation. Jane Austen , Mansfield Park But no pressure. . .

I spend a lot of time on interstates and parkways these days! I am not sure a blog will really be interesting but I will try to at least keep people current with what is going on and the musings that accompany such things. Although Taize is good for contemplation, it is also energizing. The trees seem to sing with me as I go up and down the hills; there is repetition in the road and the music. The two hour drive to Hazard seems shorter as I grow more connected to the people. I am so drawn to their courage and their desire to not just survive but thrive. I humbly hope to be worthy of such faith.