Pencils

Can anyone tell me what the little pencil symbol that often appears at the end of a post (next to the comment line) means on E-blogger? Sometimes it's there and sometimes not. ?

Spelling Lesson

It's been exactly one week since the Presiding Bishop-elect's name was announced, and already I've seen the following variations on spelling her name:

Katharine Jeffers Schori
Jefferts-Schori (gotta figure that people will want to hyphenate)
Jeffers Schiori
KathErine

And, last Sunday the new President of the House of Deputies pronounced the PB-elect's name "Skori." Ah, well.

It's still a long time till November 1...stay tuned for more name variations!

Home is Where the Boa Constrictor Is

It's good to be home, although yesterday's sighting of a woman walking with a boa constrictor (yes, a real one) around her neck didn't do much to convince me that we're in our quiet and predictable neighborhood in Davenport.

Sometimes I just shake my head at church politics. It both fascinates me and so irritates me that I wonder why I'm going down this path. I've just returned from my second (and last) time serving as a lay deputy at General Convention. We spend ten days in legislative sessions (needlessly long, bringing up a whole host of concerns about the costs involved) that proceed at a snail's pace. During two sessions in the second week, deputies debated for nearly 45 minutes each the amount of time we ought to allow for debate! We could have considered several more of the 300+ resolutions in that time.

Both the House of Bishops and House of Deputies passed legislation responding to The Windsor Report that left virtually everyone dissatisfied; as the newest resolution appeared on the last legislative day with very few hours remaining, debate was hurried, people were emotionally spent, and the overall energy for such a weighty matter seemed questionable. Nonetheless, I wish to note how encouraged I am by our Presiding Bishop-Elect's remarks to the House of Deputies, in which she stated that this resolution is "far from adequate." Indeed she is right; we were left with watered-down language that tried to appease many, but in the end did no such thing.

As I cast my vote to confirm the election of Katharine Jefferts Schori, I felt such a part of history in the making. After her name was announced to a hushed crowd of thousands last Sunday, one of my favorite Seabury people (also a deputy) threw his arms around me and nearly lifted me off the floor in excitement!

Of course, I love that Katharine Jefferts Schori is a scientist. You may know that I am partial to scientists. In my recent experience, Jefferts Schori also pays attention in a way that looks different to me. She was the only PB candidate that took the time to attend and testify at the hearings on the budget. She presents as wise, calm, and mightily centered. I am quite happy about her election, and I am delighted to have gotten one of the buttons that appeared on Monday, which says, "It's a girl."

Joyful

The party is winding down here in Fayetteville, Arkansas as we celebrate Suzanne's ordination to the priesthood today. The church was packed, the support and love were palpable, and all went well -- even if Bishop Maze did forget his miter.

Everyone in the parish is so welcoming and gracious; they kept begging John and me to stay. Can't, though; tomorrow I fly to Columbus to join thousands of Episcopalians at General Convention. This will be an introvert's mighty challenge, but I'm looking forward to it, and to connecting with Seabury buddies in a new location. Derrick, Laurel and M.E. should be there shortly after I arrive. As I am travelling sans laptop, I shall reconnect with blogging friends following the close of convention. In the meantime, please pray for the Convention proceedings and for those of us engaged in them.

I thank God for a joyful day and for Suzanne, our new priest. (Last seen, though, here at the party, she was wearing a tiara!)

Greek Practice, Green Books and Cribs

On this feast of Pentecost, several of us read the gospel lesson in different languages while our deacon read the lesson in English. John read in German and I made my way through the Greek....only butchering it a few times, I think. (At least here, no one had bottle caps to toss in my direction.)

After that, we got our preaching assignments for the summer. It's all I can do to talk myself out of looking those up right away and starting to prepare. These next three days are sabbath, and I promised myself I wouldn't do church work. However, I have been reading General Convention's so-called Blue Book (which actually is green) and am amazed at some of the new prayers being proposed for life transitions. I think that my favorite is the one marking the move from a crib to a bed. (Yes, it's in there.)

June: On the Road

We're heading back to the quiet, slower-paced Davenport today, but we won't be there long. Here's what the month looks like:

June 7 - drive to Fayetteville, Arkansas for an ordination and festivities
June 10 - ordination!
June 11 - fly to Columbus for GC
June 16 - to Indianapolis for a wedding
June 17 - back to Columbus in plenty of time for the...
June 18 - Seabury dinner
June 22 - drive back to D'port
July 1 - back to Evanston to move to Steve's apartment, and to see Noah, who will be in Chicago for the American Guild of Organists' Convention.

Time to pack!