Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Bob and Ellen Have a Blog!

The St. Anne's mission trips to the Dominican Republic have been made possible in part by the hard work of Rev. and Mrs. Bob Snow, missioners to the Diocese of the Dominican Republic. I have been on their email list for a while now and look forward to their newsletters, appropriately titled "The Snow Scoop."

It seems that the Snows are now able to take advantage of technology (that means precious access to a computer and reliable electricity!) and have launched themselves a blog!!

Keep up with the adventures of Bob and Ellen as they shepherd short-term mission groups, support Episcopal schools on the island, befriend folks who live on the streets, encourage new priests, visit and publicize areas of particular need in the diocese and, most of all, embody the message of God's love and Christ's care to all they meet.

The Snow Scoop Blog is in my links list.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

The Church Dog

Ollie.

I'm not sure how old a dog Ollie got to be. I've known him almost nine years and he wasn't a pup when we met. Today, Trinity Sunday 2008, Ollie died, peacefully, in his home. In the next days, there will be lots of Ollie memories shared amongst the St. Anne's family. Here are some of mine:

** Nails clicking on the tiled office floor as he came out of the rector's office to say hello.
** Ears flying as he rounded the corner from his usually successful search for any communion bread "returned to the earth."
** Doggie snores during a contemplative prayer session.
** Doggie farts during a meeting. (Ya just had to laugh!)
** That great Ollie smile when he recognized you.

Ollie had something special. He wasn't the prettiest dog I every met; he was a beagle/basset guy with big paws and a comic gait. He had his warts, bumps and lumps. He had a profound sense of companionship. He was quite the gentleman.

Ollie, Church Dog, rest in peace.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

How We Go 'Round and 'Round

I've joined a women's fitness program offered by a local runners group each spring. Mind you, I'm in the walking category. The program meets on Mondays and we're supposed to walk, walk/run or run on our own during the week. I was trudging along yesterday when I found myself laughing at a particular circle game.

I live in a planned community where straight streets are the thoroughfares and houses are arranged on curvy streets. Near my house is a street that's actually a circle and is used as the neighborhood exercise track, that's where I was walking. On my second lap around the circle I noticed a family. Mom, dad, and toddler were walking the opposite direction from me. Mom held the boy's hand, dad pushed a stroller in case someone's short legs gave out. Then, a teenager whisked elegantly toward me. She sprinted lightly past the young family. I saw her again as we all made our way around the circle. That's when it hit me... we were three stages of life playing our circle game. The teenager, the young family and the grandma.

Laughing, I trudged more easily around the last circuit before heading for the house, the house where I had been the young mother, and from whose door a teenage runner had sprinted out to lap a grandma on the circle road.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

More Church - Youth Sunday 2008

Today the acolytes were very short, the lay readers stood on a platform to reach the microphone, the bulletins were handed out by more short people and the sermon was preached by two handsome young men who I remember clearly being short not too long ago! Youth Sunday had made its annual appearance.

The confirmation class is charged with writing the Prayers of the People. It takes me a long time to convince the kids that they can pray for just about anything. They keep trying to use the standard churchy words and I keep saying, "This needs to sound like YOU are talking, I want to hear YOUR voices, your concerns." It's a highlight of the annual church cycle for me.

So, for your reading pleasure...

Prayers of the People

written by
St. Anne's Confirmation Class of 2008

We pray for the Church in the world:
for our diocese, Shrine Mont and the people who help there, for Hope and Resurrection School in Sudan, for all St. Anne’s members and other church members, and for resolution of any big problems in the church.

We pray for our country and all in authority:
for our president, vice-president and the upcoming president and for all elections; for those who must make big decisions - that they make the right choices and not stupid decisions; for the troops and all people fighting for our safety.

We pray for the welfare of the world:
for conservation efforts that give us a better understanding of global warming and pollution in water like the Potomac and the Chesapeake, for an end to world hunger, AIDS, malaria and poverty and for the hope of world peace.

We pray for our local community:
especially for the animal shelter in Ashburn that’s having trouble getting money, for soup kitchens and other places that help the poor people of our community, especially the children; for the Embry Rucker Shelter and for all community members who help others.

We pray for all who suffer and for those in any trouble:
for the families of the troops, those who are homeless, those affected by the Virginia Tech shootings, for people who worry about sick friends and family members and for children in Africa.

We pray for our friends who have cancer including Amy B. and Allie, Paul and Ethan, Hailey and Emily, a musician friend and Ali C. whose cancer is in remission; and we pray for those who are disabled, sick, sad or just not feeling well and that they may feel better.

We pray for all who have died, including those who died in the Virginia Tech incident, soldiers who died in Iraq and Vietnam, Amy Schram, Alice Bond, Cecilia Gillen, Jeffrey V., Marla, David, grandparents, and people who died in the name of God; that they will all shine in Your presence and that their family members can be happy.

And we want to thank you, Lord, for birthdays and anniversaries, for a safe community, a strong future, healing, hope, graduation, the end of the school year, summer and pools opening, Relay for Life, love, and the opportunity to continue our faith journey.

Amen.

... I swear, these are their words. I took out references to specific political candidates but the rest of it is all kid. Congratulations to their parents. And, watch out world, these kids have plans! (To see last year's prayers - click.)