VicarDoodle

Lenten Sermons

2008-02-29T11:25:00.000-08:00

The themes and character of Lent always make for a preaching challenge. Here are my offering from the second and third Sunday's of Lent. Rethinking Penance and That Living Water. Let me know what you think.

Light from light

2008-01-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year. May yours be filled with joy and peace - and send a bit of that out into the world. At Faith, our year started out wonderfully, the Feast of the Epiphany was a time of celebration for four of our young people as they made their passage from childhood in their Rite 13 ceremony. For them, the light of adulthood is dawning and so it was a great chance to preach about light. You can read the sermon here.

Advent at Faith

2007-12-19T10:22:00.000-08:00

And the joint is jumpin'! We now officially have more members than we have chairs in the church. What a lovely problem to have. We are planning our first ever Childrens Christmas Eve service. The Vicar is very happy!

On Sunday afternoon our Christmas pageant was filled with the wonderful moments that only children can bring. The angel Gabriel, played by 3 year old Julia, made the succinct annunciation to Mary "You're going to have a baby!" Mary's expression of surprise, well emoted by 5 year old Sage - complete with wide eyes and hands clapped to her cheeks. The angel then moved over to Joseph, played by 10 year old Hannah in her first trouser role, and told him "Your mother's going to have a baby!" That surprised us all.

Here's some sermon catch up. 2nd Sunday of Advent and 3rd Sunday in Advent.

The Peace Child

2007-12-03T14:03:00.001-08:00

Preaching about peace is occasionally perilous. I've been excoriated any number of times for daring to do so. Well, here's another one. The story of the Peace Child is a powerful witness to the sacrifice necessary to truly seek peace.

Leaving ordinary time

2007-12-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Catching up a bit, here's the sermon from Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday after Pentecost and before Advent. To read about our transition from ordinary time to extraordinary time, click here.

Avoiding the apocalyspe

2007-11-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

This is always such a fun time of year to preach - all of that fire and brimstone! Here's my take on Malachi and Jesus talking about the end of the world. Click here.

Seeing through the smoke

2007-10-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

I just got a call from an old friend wondering how we were doing out here and it gave the me kick in the pants to post and say that we're ok here - Laguna Niguel has sat safely in the middle of the doughnut - fires all around but none that have reached here. Some of Faith's members are closer and I'm trying to keep tabs on them. The air quality is as bad as you might expect - it hurts your lungs even when you're inside. Max the church dog can't understand why he can't be outside as usual.
There will be lots of talk when these fires are finally out - the Orange County fire has been called arson - something too monstrous to consider. Resources are stretched to keep up. The National Guard has pointed out that a lot of their equipment is in Iraq, fire departments are underfunded despite plans to change that after the 2003 fires. Water is a serious issue and only going to get worse. Development continues despite concerns about how many people Southern California can accomodate. For right now, I'm contemplating how we can express our thanks and support for the Fire Departments. Please pray and thank you for your concern.

Returning to normal

2007-10-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

What can I say about jet-lag? The 9 hour time difference between Europe and California will leave you a little puny. Regardless, it was wonderful to get home, although we got back to find several people in the hospital so there was some pastoral care to catch up on. We also learned that Faith had lost its most senior member, Doris Martin. As per her wishes, we held no special service but celebrated her life in the context of our regular worship - which is really a good way to say good-bye. Click on her name to read the sermon about our quiet oak of righteousness and how she was an example to all of us to stand still and strong in the midst of great change.

Rest in peace, Doris.

Back from Beirut

2007-09-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the silence...the internet was hard to accomplish during our short stay in Beirut. What an amazing place. Needless to say, security was high following the assassination of the MP last week but there were really no difficulties. We did miss a trip out to Jeitha caves because we couldn't get through downtown Beirut on Tuesday when the parliament was meeting but we still found lots to do. The city is an interesting melange of old and new, abandoned and rebuilt, expecting trouble and building for the future. The number of cranes at construction sites is staggering - new hotels and condos going up all over the place.

We visited the American University in Beirut and the International College, which is the school where Peter's father was the president and thus where Peter and his siblings grew up - quite a remarkable place in an exotic setting. No wonder Peter has such a curiosity about the world and a real wanderlust.

We are now in London at the Priory of the Assumption where I will give my talk tomorrow night. We're hearing the sounds of Vespers being sung right now - lovely! Later we'll be off to wander by the Thames and search out some pub time!

Home soon!

What's Scottish for geek?

2007-09-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

because I am one now. I have totally fallen in love with this country and the people. We've been touring around and eating salmon and going "Oooh, look a' tha'!" I now own a beautiful new celtic cross, a scottish knit sweater and a Scotland cap - as I said - I'm a total Scotgeek.

We're in St. Andrews now and Peter is about to play a practice round before the tournament tomorrow - so I'll be the dutiful wife walking along with him, praising every shot, thinking how cute I look in my new sweater.

Adieu, Paris

2007-09-16T01:22:00.000-07:00

Packed up and ready to head to the airport at noon, just one short radio interview to do before the taxi comes. It's a very different feeling leaving Paris this time, no tears or broken heart, just incredible joy and gratitude for all that has happened. I had dinner with Matthieu last night (cute little crèperie) and we reflected on the whole book process and the last two weeks.

There's every indication that there will be favorable articles and reviews starting to come out this week so that's kind of nice. Saw some more old friends yesterday which was great but I'm looking forward to seeing Peter at the airport in Edinburgh this afternoon. He's been cramming in as much golf as possible - five straight days of 36 holes each day - hope that will last him for a while.

I'm not sure how much internet access we'll have for a couple of days but I'll do my best to describe the beauty of Scotland as soon as I can find a connection.

Now off to the land of kilts and single malt scotch!

Places to go...people to see...

2007-09-12T23:36:00.000-07:00

Me to talk about...how could I not be having fun. Everyone has been just terrifically nice - the reporters are all considerate of the brain lapses that occur from time to time - hate it when that happens on live TV but...c'est la vie! Gilles Paris, Super-Publicist remarked -after I noted how nice every one was - that if I wanted he could find someone who would be mean to me. And then he and Laurent (who has been my long suffering baby-sitter,who takes me everywhere and keeps me from getting lost, retreived my wallet when I left it in a market -what a dope!) began naming all of those reporters who who could be counted on to be less than sweet - humour Parisian style.

I was in Lyon on Tuesday - beautiful city, birthplace of Antoine de Saint-Exupery and burial place of St. Ireneaus - one of the big names of the early church; yesterday in Brussels - which included a sprint through the train station to catch the TGV home and now back in Paris. Peter is in Scotland - he played well enough to make it into the second round of the tournament at St. Andrew's but alas - is now playing for fun instead of the prize. I'll be joining him on Sunday. Miss you all but the Vicar is having a blast!

Prada - at last!

2007-09-10T02:33:00.000-07:00

On avenue Montaigne - one of the swankiest streets in Paris - I got all of the Prada I could afford. Maybe some day, if the book sells a bazillion copies - I'll go in and buy something!

The Green Wall

2007-09-10T02:28:00.000-07:00

This is the outside of the Musée Branly - the anthropological museum near the Eiffel Tower. The plants - of many sorts live and grow in a mesh on the wall. I'm wondering how that would work in a California courtyard?

Those cute little kids

2007-09-10T02:21:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad that Peter snapped this one quickly - they were adorable!

Children's day in Paris

2007-09-08T02:07:00.000-07:00

We had the afternoon free before doing a live TV show at 10 pm so Peter and I hopped on the Metro in search of the wonderful new museum Musée Branly - the museum of anthropology. It's right next to the Eiffel Tower so it was also a fun stroll. In the park under the Tower we encountered the most charming scene - dozens of little be-smocked five year olds - the girls in pink and boys in what looked like graduation robes - mini Toulouse Lautrecs running around on the grass. Undoubtedly to protect their school clothes but a delightful sight. Peter managed to snap a photo (soon to put on the blog) before their teacher - aka the warden - shooed us away with a sweep of her hand and a grand cloud of cigarette smoke.

On the way home we fell upon some more charmers - two kids coming home from school on the Metro with their nanny. They were eating the traditional four o'clock snack, baguette with chocolate. The girl had Julia hair - for those of you from Faith who understand the reference. Blond and curly and an attitude that said; "Watch out world, and especially you men; you don't stand a chance!"

The Museum is terrific - a multi-sensory delight - more later... Off to the Musée d'Orsay...un jour totalement libre!

Motorcycle "Mother" Gracen

2007-09-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

Ah, Paris

2007-09-05T00:53:00.000-07:00

We arrived with a minimum of travel troubles - Air New Zealand has great leg room! We started off with a bang - a meeting as soon as we arrived - a team of five working on the publicity which began yesterday with six interviews and filming: The schedule was pretty frantic so at one point I got to go on a motorcycle ride through Paris. There was one moment between a bus and a truck that was scream worthy but it was really a blast! and the fastest way through the traffic here.

I haven`t yet figured out how to get pictures from their various hiding places but I will soon and then you too can see how ridiculous I look in a helmet!

Here's the book cover

2007-08-31T14:45:00.001-07:00

Peter took this photo. Is it any wonder that I love him - no one else can get a good picture of me!

The Vicar is back

2007-08-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a year since I posted but in that year I have had some pretty big things happen. First Peter Schuller and I got married on February 2, 2007. It was a wondrous event - the first wedding to be held at Faith Episcopal. The whole church was in attendance and they put on a beautiful reception.

Second - I have a book that is about to be published in Paris. Le Bon Dieu aussi s'habille en Prada whch means God also wears Prada. It's is primarily about my years in Paris as the only woman priest in town. My time there started at September 11th time and was punctuated by some pretty amazing experiences. On September 2, Peter and I are heading to Paris where I will be doing book promotion for about two weeks. We will also travel to Scotland and Beirut (to visit Peter's Dad) and London where I will be the opening speaker for the annual series put on by the Augustinians of the Assumption. The topic of this year's series is Joy - and I get to kick it off.

I plan to post as regularly as possible to share what's going on. Unfortunately, I have to teach myself to use this thing again! It's good to be back!

The Lake of the Wounded

2006-07-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

I'm still running about a week behind on posting so this is last week's sermon, but such a beautiful story that it should sound good at any time. The story The Lake of the Wounded is from a book called The Keepers of the Animals, by Michael Caduto and Joseph Bruchac. All by itself, it's worth a read, but go here to read the sermon, too.

Hearing the Lord's Prayer Again

2006-07-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

The Vicar has been distracted and never got around to posting last week's sermon. So here it is - all about the Lord's Prayer. I've been challenging the congregation to try out the more contemporary language in our prayer book and wanted to share why I think it's a good idea to do so.

Dont expect Warren Buffet to do it all

2006-07-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

I was going to be in summer mode and recycle a sermon for today but then these lessons came up and I couldn't leave them alone. As generous as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are being, the work of creating a balanced and just society is not the work of individuals. Here's a sermon on the generosity that becomes a part of the fabric of our society.

Have a wonderful 4th of July.

It's a girl!

2006-06-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

The Right Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop of Nevada and our new PB! God does new things and we are glad!

The Gnostics and Walt Whitman

2006-06-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Gnostics are a hot news item between The DaVinci Code and the Gospel of Judas. This sermon gives some background on them and what we know about their theology. The reading from 2 Corinthians today includes a kind of gnostic thinking that says that being in a human body separates us from God. To that I say hogwash and called on a friend for help - Walt Whitman. We read some of Walt Whitman's I Sing the Body Electric to be a counterpoint to St. Paul's "while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord." Enjoy!

New favorite CD

2006-06-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Renée Fleming has possibly the most exquisite voice on earth. Her CD Sacred Songs includes two Ave Marias, the Bach-Gounod and the Schubert, the beautiful Fauré Pie Jesu, gems by Handel Mozart, Berlioz, and others. Of particular joy for me, a dear friend of mine, Nicole Chevalier, sang at my ordination. The two songs she sang, Bernstein's A Simple Song and the Mozart Laudate Dominum, are both on this CD. Ah bliss!

As a side note, Nicole is developing quite a reputation in Germany, she is resident with the opera company at Freiburg and is beginning to perform in some of the larger houses. Someday I'll be able to say, "I knew her when..."

The Gospel of Judas

2006-06-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I went to a talk by Dr. Marvin Meyer who is part of the team of scholars working on the recent find that is causing such a stir. The story of how the codex or book came to light and the work to restore it in order to translate it is a great story in itself. The Gospel of Judas is obviously one of those book that did not make it into the list of accepted book of the Bible as it was forming. It is written from a very gnostic viewpoint and casts Judas as the only disciple who really understood Jesus. Is it any wonder that an church founded on the legacy of the other apostles would be disinterested in such a text?

Dr. Meyer pointed out that the story of Judas - whose name becomes synonomous with treachery is also a way of casting blame on the Jews. The portrayal of Judas went through a progression from Mark, the earliest gospel until the writing of the latest, John. Judas becomes increasingly more demonic as his story developed over time. The names Judas and Judah are a bit too close to be easily distinguishable - possibly making the name Judas an ugly word game. This is a marvelous time to consider carefully the impact of the anti-semetic content of our scripture, to understand how some of those texts came to be there and rethink how we teach them.

Hope to get a good sermon out of this for Sunday.

The Divine Genogram

2006-06-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

Ah, Trinity Sunday - how to preach about the incomprehensible? Well, luckily some friendly voices, like Kathleen Norris and C.S. Lewis came to my rescue. The Trinity is all about relationship. Here's a sermon about the mysterious God who is three and yet one.

To read today's lessons, visit the Lectionary Page.

Memorial Day Thoughts

2006-05-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Some members of my congregation have expressed some level of distress at the pro-peace nature of many of my sermons. They heard in them a disrespect of our troops. I offer this sermon to clarify that impression.

This Memorial Day weekend, stay safe on the roads, enjoy your picnics and congratulations to Danica Patrick for her 4th place finish - the best finish by a woman in the Indianapolis 500.

Gone Fishin'

2006-05-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

As I leave for my first vacation since coming to Southern California more than a year and a half ago I leave you with something that I find compelling and exciting.

This past week, the clergy of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles were treated to the wisdom of Phyllis Tickle (contributing editor in religion for Publishers Weekly) who put what is going on in the church and indeed our country into the perspective of a new Reformation, not unlike what happened with Martin Luther in Germany 500 years ago. In fact, she says that this phenomenon repeats every 500 years and we're due. Her brand new book is Prayer is a Place and it ties together these strands of new reformation. Today's sermon was not written down but was an attempt to share this information - so, sorry, no post.

We're feeling very cutting-edge here at Faith because the three most important strands, as Dr. Tickle identified them, are already being engaged here: Brian McLaren's A Generous Orthodoxy; the work of Eric Elnes and his Phoenix Affirmations and the movie What the Bleep Do We Know.

Phyllis Tickle says that the story and definition of reality that have carried us from the last reformation have been ruptured and something new is taking shape. How cool it is to be here at this particular time!

It's good that I'm going to spend 10 days driving in the midwest visiting my kids and friends so that all of this settle in my brain. Plus I think the congregation deserves a break from me. I'll be back with new posts in a couple of weeks.

A vision of plowshares

2006-04-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

This weeks lectionary brought us the prophet Micah's vision of a time when we would learn war no longer. There are those who fear that this is naive and they may be right but Easter calls us to hope and work for a better way - a way of peace and love.

In the sermon, I told the story of 15 year old Ava Lowry from Alabama who started the website Peace Takes Courage and has created what she calls animations - montages of images of war over incongruous music like Louis Armstrongs Wonderful World or Yes, Jesus loves me. Visit Peace Takes Courage.

Blessed Easter!!

2006-04-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

Alleluia!

As you might imagine, Holy Week and Easter are an intense time for clergy. I needed to take a serious break after a full Easter weekend, complete with a house full of family. Now that I'm back among the open-eyed, here are the sermons from Easter weekend; the Easter Vigil and Easter morning.

The congregation gave me the gift of a day at Burke Williams Spa which I scheduled for the Wednesday before Easter - talk about being spoiled! It is now my new favorite place. Between the herbal wrap, massage, facial, pedicure and manicure, the Vicar was ready for Easter, head to toe! I wonder if the congregation wants to make this an Easter tradition?

A Day of Consequences

2006-04-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

Palm Sunday - the color is red for the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a day that begins in triumph and ends in despair. Judas is probably receiving lots of attention in pulpits around the world and it was no different at Faith. However you understand Judas, he is a reminder of the consequences of our actions. Read the sermon here.

The Vicar encourages you to engage the rest of Holy Week. Easter will have particular ring to it if you have experienced Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Caught in our own web

2006-04-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

For the last four Sundays I have read from Friedman's Fables - a group of stories by Rabbi Edwin Friedman that illustrate how we relate to one another and ourselves. This Sunday's fable was called Caught in Her Own Web all about a spider named Ms. Muffet who unexpectedly spun a perfect web. It was complete symmetrical and even and, well, perfect. She became so obsessed with its perfection that she freed all of the bugs that it snared until she starved to death. The short sermon that followed is here.

Friedman's Fables is a wonderful modern Aesop. I recommend it.

It's not that I'm not preaching

2006-03-24T14:35:00.000-08:00

but my Lenten sermons all include reading from Friedman's Fables. Rabbi Dr. Edwin H. Friedman was a family therapist who applied family system's theory to congregations. His work is studied in seminaries and has had a great impact on how we understand how we behave in relationships.

Because I'm not sure of the copyright implications of reproducing the fables within a sermon, it seems wiser not to do so. I highly recommend these fables as charming illustrations of how we hear or fail to hear one another. My premise is that if we cannot learn to communicate well with one another, how will we ever learn to listen to God?

Ta Da!

2006-03-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

At long last, the dream is realized, the vision completed and the now the real work begins!

A new look for the altar, too.

2006-03-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

Faith's altar has served a mobile congregation well, consisting of a beautiful slab of rare wood and sawhorses. Now it is finally in place to stay, dressed up with a frontal and changeable colors for the different seasons.

This contemporary patchwork is full of symbolism. The twelve squares, one for each apostle, each measuring 12"x12" repeat the squares of the panelling. Together they speak of diversity in unity.

The ashes of a well lived life

2006-03-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a holy and penitential season of preparation for the joys of Easter. Here's a sermon about ashes.

Seeing clearly

2006-03-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Vicar has had the best of intentions to post sermons and pictures of the Dedication and Consecration of Faith Episcopal Church but all sorts of stuff, including laser surgery two days ago, has conspired against her. But now, armed with 20/20 vision in both eyes for the first time in over 40 years, she is going to be a posting dynamo.

Laser surgery is quite simply amazing. I now have one eye for distance and one for closer up. My brain has not yet caught on to its role in choosing which eye to use but I'm sure it's up to the task. It is weird to come out from behind my glasses - feeling a little exposed right now. But, I get to wear cool sunglasses! How very California of me!

The End is Near

2006-02-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

No that's not some statement of doom and destruction - it means that the construction is in its final touch-up stage! My children had a word for such a moment - Yippy-hoo! That says it all. The Vicar will be glad to put her hard-hat on the shelf. The place is wonderful. The image of Harry Potter's magic tent describes Faith Episcopal Church now - plain on the outside and surprising and magical on the inside. There's a flurry of activity to get ready for this coming Sunday. Bishop Jon Bruno is coming to dedicate and consecrate the building and, despite it being the first Sunday of Lent, we are going to party!

All sorts of projects are in the works - a frontal for the altar, deep purple hangings for the pillars, a top to bottom cleaning and a brunch that pulls out all of the stops. The choir is calling extra rehearsals and Max is getting a new bandana! Pictures soon!

Bringing the Mountaintop Down to Earth

2006-02-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

The Vicar spent many hours enjoying the Winter Olympics over the past two weeks. Some of it was thrilling, some of it was just plain silly and some of it was worthy of a sermon for the Sunday on which we read about Jesus' transfiguration on the mountaintop. Read it here.

To read the lessons for this week, visit the Lectionary Page.

God's new thing

2006-02-22T09:52:00.000-08:00

Rabbi Mark Gellman, columnist for Newsweek, is one of my favorite writers on the spiritual side of life. Although I often quote him, this week his column was just too good - so I had to share the whole thing. Here he helps me understand God's words from the prophet Isaiah "See I am doing a new thing - can you not perceive it?" While it looks like the world is stuck in old destructive patterns, God continues to to bring us new possibilities. Read the sermon here and let me know if you can see it, too.

To read the lessons for this week, visit the Lectionary Page.

2006-02-22T09:44:00.000-08:00

Isn't my daughter clever! I received some really cute (and fattening) valentines but this has to be my favorite. Thank you, Melanie.

Melanie visits the Big Easy

2006-02-03T04:33:00.000-08:00

Hello Faith-ites and blog readers! First of all, it was wonderful to see you all at Christmas. I had really missed this group and was thrilled to see how well the construction was coming along (once my head stopped spinning from the fumes). To anyone who has emailed me recently and not gotten a response - please try again. This semester hasn't been conducive to correspondence, but I really do want to stay in touch and would love to hear from all of you.

I'm writing because I have some exciting news. A couple of weeks ago I wrote an essay for a scholarship competition. The question we were supposed to answer was "describe one challenge facing the profession and how you feel it might best be addressed," so I wrote about digital preservation. (Ever found a stack of old letters and journals and wondered what there will be left of your emails, etc in the future? Well, that's happening in the library world on a grand scale.) Apparently it was a hit because yours truly was selected to be the IU student intern to the American Library Association Annual Meeting in New Orleans this June. That means they will send me there, put me up and feed me, in return for 20 hours of work at the conference and a presentation to my ALA Student Chapter when I return. I'm incredibly excited - it should be a wonderful experience and lots of fun, plus of course it's always an ego boost when someone picks you out of a stack and gives you funding. :)

Before you ask, yes, that does say New Orleans. The ALA Annual Conference is a big one - thousands of librarians descend on a city each year (last year it was Chicago). As a result, they pick the destination and start planning years in advance. When New Orleans was selected, it was understood that it would be hot and sticky - no one knew that half the city would have been destroyed by a hurricane. The ALA - event planners, leadership, membership, friends and most likely sympathetic outsiders - debated for months over whether or not to move the conference. The result was a decision to stay put. For any of you who have been wondering why, exactly, I'm going into library science, I think the ALA's answer pretty much sums it up:

"New Orleans was scheduled as the host site for the 2006 Annual Conference June 22-29, 2006, almost 10 years ago. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, ALA board members and staff re-examined the viability of the city to host the anticipated 20,000+ attendees. After almost two months of investigation, the ALA announced on October 21 it would keep the conference in New Orleans. Recovery efforts are well underway, and the ALA Annual Conference will help to provide the jobs and tax revenues needed to reestablish the city."

They didn't decide to stick with New Orleans because it would be too much work to move it, or because the planning committee had their heart set on beignets - they decided to stay because it was the right thing to do, and would help with the recovery effort. Job postings for librarian positions almost always ask for a 'service orientation' as a qualification for hire. It can be tempting to brush that off as meaningless jargon, but I don't think I will ever again doubt the library world's committment to serving the public.

More posts will be forthcoming on my own thoughts about travelling to New Orleans, but for now I'll sign off, reminding you to keep in touch and support your local Vicar.

Melanie

Laguna Max and Friends

2006-02-01T15:11:00.000-08:00

Max auditions for a calendar...The tide pools at Laguna are a great place for a Westie play date. Max and his buds, Snoop and Lucy, met up for photogenic afternoon.

2006-02-01T15:09:00.000-08:00

Max with Snoopy and Lucy on the rocks at Laguna Beach.

Laser Tag

2006-02-01T15:01:00.000-08:00

I'd never gone before ... what a hoot (in a pacifist, non-violent sort of way of course!). My youth group thoroughly enjoyed making me their favorite target. Then they all tried to run me off the road in go-carts! Being the Vicar is fun!

In Praise of Young Women

2006-01-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

It was a good morning at Faith. We celebrated two of our 13 year old girls as they make the transition into womanhood. The Episcopal Church has a special ceremony called Rite 13. Many of the members of Faith have watched Laura and Kelsie grow from babies to the beautiful young women pictured below - so there were lumps in many throats. The Vicar, however, remained composed (an rare thing!) as she preached this sermon. Special thanks to the beautiful poetry of Rabindranath Tagore.

Even the lessons cooperated today. Read all about the boy Samuel in the Temple on the Lectionary Page.

2006-01-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

Laura and Kelsie, two fantastic young women ready to hurl defiance at the darkness.

Serendipity in resealing the parking lot

2006-01-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

Serendipity - the experience of finding something unexpected while pursuing a different goal. Today, Faith worship happened at the beach because our parking lot was out of commission. Rather than risk black, sticky footprints on our new tile and carpeting, we took advantage of the nearby natural wonder - the edge of the Pacific Ocean. It was glorious. I'm not sure how often I can get away with letting the sound of the surf be the sermon, but it worked today. I'm told that behind my back a whale and a seal made an appearance.

It was a really good combination of images for the Sunday after the Epiphany. The Feast of the Epiphany is when the Magi arrived to pay homage to the infant Jesus - that was Friday, Jan. 6th. Today we celebrated Jesus' baptism - not exactly a straight shot on a timeline but that's how the church calendar does it. Anyway, we had sand - a good image for journey of the foreign astrologers from the east. And we had water - beautiful, gentle surf that spoke eloquently.

We went because we had no where else to worship. We ended up glad we weren't anywhere else. Serendipity by the sea.

Holy Name - True Name

2006-01-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of you. May 2006 bring you joy and blessings. This day is not just New Years Day, it is also the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. Here's today's sermon, all about naming.

To read the lessons for today, visit the Lectionary Page.

Don't be afraid

2005-12-24T18:54:00.000-08:00

Christmas Blessings to all of you, to my family and friends, here and scattered around the world. Joyeux Noel. Here's tonight's sermon. May peace and love and joy be born in you.

Let It Be

2005-12-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

Little did I know, as Advent began, that it would have such a Beatles' theme - but there you have it.

When I find myself in times of trouble,
Mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom,
Let it be.

The Gospel of Luke gives us the beautiful story of Mary and the angel Gabriel . Mary's brave reply to the news of her impending pregnancy was "let it be with me according to your word." It's wise counsel on healthy, holy waiting. Here's a sermon about waiting.

To read the lessons for this last Sunday of Advent, visit the Lectionary Page.

The Gospel and John Lennon

2005-12-13T14:36:00.000-08:00

The 25th anniversary of John Lennon's death had us all remembering - and imagining. So here at Faith, we read Imagine and listened to it as inspired writing. Here's the sermon that went with it. But before you read it, spend a little time with these words...

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

The Nicene Creed, and then some...

2005-11-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

The sermon today was motivated by the number of people who ask me why we continue to say the Nicene Creed every Sunday. Never mind that the Book of Common Prayer includes it as a non-optional part of Sunday worship...there are real issues here. The sermon was an attempt to address those questions, complaints and concerns.

What follows was read today with our youth reading the interpretive parts while the rest of the congregation read the traditional language.

We believe in one God,
The Father, the Almighty
Maker of heaven and earth
Of all that is, seen and unseen.

We trust in God, the beginning of all things,
maker of the stars that sing and the hills we walk,
molecules and mystery, a universe of meaning.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
The only Son of God,
Eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
True God from true God,
Begotten, not made,
Of one Being with the Father,
Through him all things were made.

We trust in Jesus Christ,
the only one who perfectly loved God.
He was the image of God made complete in human form.
So full of God was he, that to know him
is to know the heart and mind of God.
He was one of us but more.

For us and for our salvation
He came down from heaven;
By the power of the Holy Spirit
He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
And was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered death and was buried.

At his birth, he brought heaven to earth.
He taught the truth of love.
His violent death broke human hearts and God’s.

On the third day he rose again
In accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into Heaven
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
And his kingdom will have no end.

At sunrise on Easter morning,
his light flooded the world and shines forever to bring peace.
The day will come when, just as he revealed God,
the whole world will be as he is.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.

We trust in the Holy Spirit,
the wind that whispers God’s love,
the spark of imagination and justice.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
And the life of the world to come.

We trust that God is present
when people gather in prayer and praise.
In baptism we give ourselves to the hope of the church
as the kingdom come.
We know that death is not the end and that someday
God’s dream of the future will awake in our present.

Sharing what is God's

2005-11-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

Ever since putting us in the garden, God has been noticing how we have managed all that we are given. In church-speak, that's stewardship. All that we are given, is given to us to share. Here's a sermon about it.

To read the sometimes scary lessons for today, visit the Lectionary Page.

We've got walls!

2005-11-13T11:44:00.000-08:00

And mountains of dust and excitement.

Embrace Your Inner Saint

2005-11-06T11:51:00.000-08:00

This morning was a little wacky at Faith - the pictures below tell the story. The homily was a light-hearted look at the saints. Read it here.

To read the wonderful lessons for All Saints Day, visit the Lectionary Page.

2005-11-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Somebody put drywall in my church! Not to mention stinky insulation, so we worshiped outside on the patio. At least we now have walls, but they are fuzzy.

2005-11-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

Lorelei, the best administrator in the world, whose work is never done.

2005-11-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

Worship en plein air.

2005-11-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

Birthdays for the young and the young at heart.

2005-11-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

And Max's particular form of celebration!

2005-11-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

A little stardust for your weekend from the Orion nebula. Go sit under the stars with someone you love.

How Rosa Parks saved us

2005-10-30T12:25:00.000-08:00

In honor of the life and work of Rosa Parks, at Faith Episcopal this morning, we heard the words of Harriet Tubman and the story of a snapping turtle. If you wonder how that goes together, read the whole sermon here.

Here's today's reading from Harriet Tubman, courtesy of Marcia Riggs Anthology Can I Get A Witness?.

“I knew of a man, who was sent to the State Prison for twenty-five years. All these years he was always thinking of his home, and counting by years, months, and days, the time till he should be free, and see his family and friends once more. The years roll on, the time of imprisonment is over, the man is free. He leaves the prison gates, he makes his way to his old home, but his old home is not there. The house in which he had dwelt in his childhood had been torn down, and a new one had been put up in its place; his family were gone, their very name was forgotten, there was no one to take him by the hand to welcome him back to life.”

“So it was wid me, I had crossed de line of which I had so long been dreaming. I was free; but dere was no one to welcome me to de land of freedom, I was a stranger in a strange land, and my home after all was down in de old cabin quarter, wid de olde folks, and my brudders and sisters. But to dis solemn resolution I came; I was free, and dey should be free also; I would make a home for dem in the North, and de Lord helping me, I would bring dem all dere. Oh, how I prayed den, lying all alone on de cold, damp ground; ‘Oh, dear Lord,’ I said, ‘I haint got no friend but you. Come to my help, Lord, for I’m in trouble!’ ”

Preach it Sister Tubman!

Some things never change

2005-10-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Jesus was frequently challenged by the religious and political voices of his day - sounds familiar! The French are fond of saying Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose which means "the more things change, the more they stay the same" Here's today's sermon that ponders this idea.

To read today's lessons, visit the Lectionary Page.

Wow!

2005-10-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

Isn't this the most beautiful thing? Kind of makes you believe in a divine artist at work. I love the Stumble Upon feature on the Firefox web browser - this is the kind of thing that turns up. Visit Astronomy Picture of the Day and see more of these extraordinary cosmic beauties.

Faith - a work in progress

2005-10-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

Our first Sunday back in our "not quite finished" space. Lots of excitement, not to mention twice as many people this week!

All dressed up...

2005-10-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

Computer gremlins struck Faith so this sermon is a little late. Here we try on Jesus' parable of the wedding banquet and the guy who dared to show up underdressed. Here's a sermon all about finding the right clothes.

To read Sunday's lessons from Isaiah, Philippians and Matthew, visit The Lectionary Page.

A blessing for Max

2005-10-11T15:55:00.000-07:00

Heaven knows that he needs it! The question is "will it hold him until next St. Francis Day?"

Greetings from the balmy midwest

2005-10-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, Faith-ites and blog readers! The picture above is of Indiana University's famous Sample Gates. The Sample Gates are the gateway from downtown Bloomington to campus and they are stunning in all seasons. I tried to find a picture with fall foliage, but as the steamy midwestern summer is stretching into October, the tulips will do nicely. If you ever have a chance to visit Bloomington you should definitely take it, because IU's is truly the most beautiful campus anywhere.

Of course, I may be biased.

For those of you who have been asking the Vicar for news about her daughter, here it is - straight from the horse's mouth. After four weeks of classes, I think I can safely say that I'm enjoying grad school and I think I'm going to make at least a moderate success of it. I'm taking lots of classes, I have a job in the library and I've made some wonderful friends. I'm also a bit stressed and fairly sleep-deprived, so I'll save all the details for my Christmas visit to California.

I will be eagerly following the news of the renovation and looking forward to seeing all of you. Take care and keep in touch!

Melanie

Velvet Elvis

2005-10-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

Few things will bring out my tendancy toward a drawl like preaching about Elvis. The wonderful little book Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell inspired this sermon. I thank him and his ministry at Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Must get reading

2005-09-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

A favorite blogger of mine, Kevin Drum of The Washington Monthly's "Political Animal" posted the American Library Association's list of most frequently challenged books. He lamented that he'd only read 14 of them. I'm embarrassed to say that he's read more than have I.

Many of these books are classics and many are extraordinary books for young people. As usual, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer are on it. I think that Judy Blume is the most frequently challenged author. Peter Mayle's Where Did I Come From? - an absolutely priceless cartoon illlustrated answer to kid's questions about sex and babies - for heaven's sake - no wonder we have a generation of kids that are so confused and and ill informed about the realities of sex! "Just don't do it" hasn't proved to be a very successful strategy.

Several of these books are sitting on my shelves at home, as yet unread. I'm going to start there. An open mind is a good thing. A challenged mind is even better. Plus I'll make my soon-to-be-librarian daughter proud!

The latest construction photos

2005-09-25T12:28:00.000-07:00

This will be so much more interesting than acoustic tile ceilings!

2005-09-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

We'll have skylights over windows.

2005-09-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Ready for the paneling

2005-09-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

The church can be a dangerous place. Be prepared!

Oh, the humiliation...

2005-09-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

I was sure that if I licked that paw long enough, I could fix it. My doctor (evil woman that she is) said that antibiotics and this contraption were a more effective treatment. Drat!

2005-09-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

This is a very bad thing.

A Life Worthy of God

2005-09-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

I use Firefox as my web browser and enjoy the "Stumble Upon" random search program. I've found wonderful and wacky things using it - this week it was Einstein's essay "The World As I See It" It just had to make itself into a sermon and so it did. Read it here.

To read today's lessons, go to The Lectionary Page.

Righteous Anger

2005-09-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

Does the world seem like an angry place to you? There's plenty of evidence of it. How we deal with anger often determines the outcome of a situation. The Bible has quite a bit to say about it and so did the Vicar today in this sermon.

To read today's lessons, visit the Lectionary Page.

Peace

2005-09-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of living on the coast.

The Renovation of Faith

2005-09-10T14:22:00.000-07:00

That's where the altar used to be!

2005-09-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

I believe that's the new vesting room.

2005-09-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

It will look like a church soon!

What We Know

2005-09-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

My congregation was glad that I wrote two sermons this week. They know that I do righteous anger well and this week has produced a lot of it. This sermon, is the saner version of What We Know in the aftermath of Katrina.

Read this week's lessons - they are so appropriate as to be spooky!

A Time for Giving

2005-08-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

A Christian life is to be one of self-giving love. The people of the Gulf Coast are going to need us to do so for a long time. Here at Faith, we are going to contribute to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund - and I hope we give till it hurts. Let us pray for sound leadership at this time to deal with the scope of the devastation. We send our prayers of condolence as well as those for strength and courage to our brothers and sisters in need.

In Katrina's path

2005-08-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

Please pray for all those who are in Katrina's path. The gulf coast is about to be hit and hard. God keep you safe.

Max the Dog Meets Satan

2005-08-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Max continues to supply me with good preaching stories and this one is absolutely true. The sermon is all about wrestling with Tempter. Max proved to be up to the task, are you? Read it here.

Visit The Lectionary Page to read today's lessons.

Shame on you, Pat Robertson

2005-08-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

And shame on all of us who do not stand up and say this is wrong. For those of you who may have missed the brouhaha, yesterday on The 700 Club, Pat Robertson called for the assassination of President Chavez of Venezuela. Mr. Robertson is the founder of the Christian Coalition. While our Constitution protects his right to say all manner of outrageous things, scripture say "Thou shalt not kill." The integrity of my faith demands that I stand up and say that this is not a message from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Mr. Robertson, you do not speak for me or any expression of the Christian message with which I am familiar. Perhaps the folks at the ABC Family network need to hear that from lots of us. Here's their feedback form.

A Rock by Any Other Name

2005-08-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

After much discussion, it was determined that I could not name this sermon "Got Rocks?" but it did receive a number of votes. It's all about the building material for the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Read it here and don't forget to leave a comment!

To read today's lessons, visit The Lectionary Page.

Happy Birthday, Max!

2005-08-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

I'm three years old today. Hope there's a really obnoxious sounding squeaky toy coming my way. A gift everyone can enjoy!

Rest in peace, Frere Roger

2005-08-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

In 1940, Brother Roger founded the community of Taize, in the beautiful countryside of Burgundy in eastern France. Since then, he preached peace and reconciliation and built a movement that engaged the faith of young people from all over the world. Every summer, over 50,000 visit this picture perfect village. They come to pray and sing a better world into being.

Brother Roger was stabbed to death last night while at prayer. He was 90 years old and did only good in the world. Thank you, mon frere, for the gifts you gave us. May you join with the saints in light and rest in perfect peace.

The Canaanite Woman and Sojourner Truth

2005-08-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

The story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman always bothered me - The woman from Canaan asked Jesus to heal her daughter and Jesus, at first, refused and compared the woman to a dog! In the spirit of strong women everywhere, the Canaanite woman refused to let him get away with it. Jesus relented and she got what she wanted, her daughter restored and her humanity acknowledged. Read about here.

To read today's lessons, visit The Lectionary Page.

Don't make God send the big fish!

2005-08-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

We did church in our temporary home, The Covington, a lovely Episcopal retirement community nearby. Everybody pitched in to get things in the right place, the flowers were beautiful, the choir tuneful, and the sermon...well what can I say? It was all about Jonah - that grumpy prophet who learned that you can run from God but you can't hide. Read it here.

To read today's lessons, go to The Lectionary Page.

Faith in storage

2005-08-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

Goodbye comfortable chairs, for a while.

2005-08-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

Retired priests don't get to slow down, they move furniture.

2005-08-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

They banned me from the kitchen. All I did was ask "Are you throwing that away?"

2005-08-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Deb and the Vicar all tuckered out.

The Miracle of Abundance

2005-07-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Gospel reading was the loaves and fishes story Matthew - with a little stone soup on the side. Read the whole sermon here.

To read today's lessons, visit the Lectionary Page.