June
11, 2008
Dear
Friends,
Last
month I traveled to the Lake Logan Conference Center located in the mountains
of Western North Carolina to attend CREDO II.
CREDO is a weeklong retreat for active Episcopal clergy and is sponsored
by the Church Pension Fund in New York City.
The purpose of CREDO is to permit clergy to reflect about their vocation
in a safe environment with other clergy.
The week began with plenary sessions that covered a wide range of topics
which included vocation, spiritual, financial and health issues. There was also time to meet individually
with staff and in small groups. I
attended my first CREDO conference in the fall of 2002 in Menlo Park,
California. At each conference
participants develop a plan to follow back at home. I found it easier this time to develop a realistic plan, which
will enable me to live fully into my priesthood and in my relationships. A major focus last month was to look at how
I over function as a clergy person.
That is I work 24/7. I have a
hard time leaving work at the office.
To work so hard emotionally leaves me drained with little energy to do
much else, like rest and find time for fun.
As a result I have begun to take Monday and Tuesday off and this summer
I hope to learn how to sail. I will be
living into this new schedule as I have not taken two days off in years and it
will require me to let go and relax and simply not be busy. By not trying to work all the time and
taking time for myself I will be able to be more relaxed and focused when I am
in the office or out and about in the Castine community.
Rest
is important. If we are always busy and
moving from one activity to the next without time to rest and pray we give God
little time. If we are exhausted we
will have little time to celebrate what is right with the world and
particularly with Trinity Episcopal Church, Castine. This past Sunday Trinity was filled with joy and love as we
celebrated our kids and what they mean to us.
Our weekly celebration of the Eucharist allows us to come and hear the
story of God’s love and forgiveness and to unburden ourselves of all that
worries us and makes us anxious. To be
renewed by God’s word and Sacraments frees us to live into our Baptismal
promises to love and serve the Lord.
Peace,
Fr.
David
Easter
What do New Orleans,
Saving Jesus, Easter and Moving Have in Common?
I begin this latest musing with a question and an
apology. I wish to begin with an
apology. It has been two months since I
last had Susan post a musings piece.
For those who know me I am usually right on top of these things and
don’t like to go to long without writing something. Lent and Easter seemed to fly by and now I am preparing for my
dad’s memorial service in New York next week.
On top of everything else Emily and I moved last week to our new home on
Dyer Lane. To say the least the stress
meter has been on overdrive for the last couple of months. I will soon be back to writing more
frequently so I beg your forgiveness.
Now to the question I pose at the beginning of my Easter
Musings. These four things may not seem
to have anything in common but one had to dig deeper to see the interconnection
between them. Let me begin with New
Orleans. This was my second visit to
New Orleans to assist with the relief effort that has been ongoing since the
summer and fall of 2005. Last year of
course my volunteer effort was cut short do to my untimely head injury. This year I made it through the week
unscathed and had a wonderful time with our group. I can’t thank enough Dianne and Tom Allen, Bill Zildjian, Jim
Goodson and the good folks from St. Bartholomew’s in Yarmouth. A great group from two parishes from Chicago
joined us. Over the course of a week we
formed community as we took turns preparing dinner, working on homes and
cleaning the streets of neighborhoods and shared the Sacrament of our Lord’s
body and blood. We laughed and we
prayed. In the end this group of strangers
became friends and in the process glimpsed the Kingdom of God in our midst.
This Lent a group of us gathered for a soup supper and began
to view the DVD series, Saving Jesus. As a priest I am always looking for new ways
to engage folks in their personal faith journeys and encourage them to find
language to share their stories of faith and their encounter with God. This program has gone a long way to help
with this goal. Personally speaking I
have found this program thought provoking and has challenged me to grow deeper
in my relationship with Jesus. The
ideas presented have allowed Jesus to come alive in a new way that no longer
depends only on the creeds of the Church.
What has been important for me is to see this group from various
theological backgrounds come together to learn. We don’t all agree with the material being presented but that is
not the point. We are learning together
how to be the Body of Christ for this new era.
This group has glimpsed the Kingdom of God in our midst.
Holy Week and Easter at Trinity were wonderful this
year. Holy week was especially moving
as each day there was a service and time to reflect upon the last week of
Jesus’ life. This year the Feast of the
Resurrection was especially poignant as a result of my dad’s death in January. I found myself identifying with the
characters in the story from John. On
the one hand I relate to Peter and the other disciple who run to the tomb and
after seeing it is empty return home.
They believed in what happened but that is all that is said for the
moment. How often have I proclaimed in
the power of the Risen Christ and then returned home as though nothing
happened. I can relate to Mary whose
grief is intense as she goes to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body for a proper
burial. She believes that her Lord’s
body has been taken away and does not recognize the risen Jesus when he
approaches her. I imagine the care she
wished to give his body for its final resting place. The Resurrection defeats death’s hold on us and calls us to lead
lives of Resurrection. The time has
come for us as Christ’s followers to practice peace and reconciliation to all
God’s people and God’s creation. As we
practice this new way we will embody the Kingdom of God in our midst.
This past week we moved to Dyer Lane. I would not recommend ever moving to a new
home during Holy week and the week after Easter. It was to say the least stressful. It is never easy packing and planning to be in a new place. We are grateful and feel blessed to remain
in Castine and what a location. Thanks
to all who leant us their hands, their trucks, their patience and their good
humor. The move went smother then
expected and we are settling in. I
realized how tired I was and how short I could become as my patience was razor
thin last week. As I reflect about the
move and the stress I am aware that even in times of upheaval God’s Kingdom is
still in our midst.
So my friends let us this season of Easter continue to walk
together as we seek to know the Risen Christ in our midst and live into what it
means for us today to be the Body of Christ.
David+
Into your hands, O merciful
Savior, we commend your servant David. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a
sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own
redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of
everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.
May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy
of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Remember that you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.
On
Sunday morning, January 20th my sister Alice, my brother Mel, and I
visited our father for the next to last time at the Worthington Village
Christian Nursing Home in Worthington, Ohio.
At that time I had the opportunity to say the wonderful prayers that are
found in the Book of Common Prayer said at the time of death. When he died the following evening the three
of us gathered in a circle and wept and hugged. Though dad’s death was expected it was not easy to hear the news
that he had died. Since he died I have
wept a great deal. The weeping is very
spontaneous and not planned. I will be
reading an email from a cousin who recalls a memory of dad and the tears come. I receive a card in the mail and feel the
tears stream down my cheeks. Though all
this is hard there is richness to the experience that is healing and full of
grace.
Alice,
Mel and I are half siblings. We spent a
great deal of our lives not really knowing one another. This all changed fourteen years ago when
Mel, our dad and I went to a weekend retreat for men and their fathers. It was a wonderful time to get to know Mel
and I still remember that by the end of the weekend we were no longer using the
descriptor half to explain that we
had different mothers. As far as we
were concerned we were brothers. It has
been wonderful in the last eight years for me to get to know Alice. I mention all of this as a way to reflect
upon how all of us are connected on some level. We may not always be aware of it or it is hard to explain but each
one of us has a connection with one another.
On one level we know this to be true because we are part of this
particular faith community known as Trinity Episcopal Church. Each of us though has a larger connection
with the world around us. These connections
stretch us to grow, challenge our ways of doing things, and invite us to grow
deeper in knowing the other. These
connections are about relationships with one another and with God.
Lent
and the time of death draw us to see the fragile nature of this earthly
existence and calls us to a place that allows us to touch that reality and to
have the faith that God is with us and forgives us and calls us to love and
serve in God’s name. I will find this
Ash Wednesday to be a moving expression of our lived faith in the world. We live in a personality conscious society
today. Lent reminds us that we are but dust and to dust we shall return. I pray that you will find the richness that
this season provides so that we might empty ourselves of all that image stuff
and fill ourselves with the living water and food that God invites us to
partake in each and every day.
Peace
and Blessings this Holy Lent,
Fr.
David+
The
Season of Epiphany
January
1, 2008
The light
shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (The Gospel of
John)
Happy
New Year! I am writing these Epiphany
musings three days after Christmas.
What a glorious celebration we had at Trinity Monday evening, the
decorations, the poinsettias, the music (organ and flute), the candlelight and
most important the gathered community who came to celebrate the
incarnation. Today however the glow of
Monday evening is tinged a bit with sadness in our home. On Thursday Emily and I had to put our
sixteen and half year old cat, Horse to sleep.
Horse has been with us for nine and half years. We adopted him from a parishioner of Emily’s
in Syracuse and he has been a part of the family. Since we do not have children our animals have been our
family. When they get old and die it is
difficult for us to say goodbye, we are losing a member of the household. We will bear the grief and miss the all to
familiar sounds of a cat roaming the house, begging for food, spurts of energy
and unconditional love.
The
death of an animal does not compare with the grief one feels when a parent,
spouse or sibling die but there is a time of darkness that creeps in. Darkness is associated with death. The dark times are not easy as we try to
make sense of what has occurred in our lives.
God at times seems far away and silent.
We often do not know where to turn.
We lose our bearings or our direction and we might feel hopeless that
anything can change. And then light
begins to break through and our mood lightens.
The grief is still present but we find a way to make sense of it and to
live in the midst of it. Light is an
important theme during the season of Epiphany.
The three visitors from the East who came to see the infant Jesus were
philosophers and non-Jews. They
followed a star, a dream and a promise to Bethlehem.
The
season of Epiphany which begins this coming Sunday (January 6th)
celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the world. Throughout this season of light Jesus invites us to come and see
His way of life as the way for us so we might be visible reminders that light
overcomes the darkness that occurs in the lives of many and in our own. The First Sunday after the Epiphany we will
hear the story of Jesus’ baptism in the river Jordan. The remaining Sundays of the season will focus on call and
discipleship.
As
Jesus was immersed in the river at his baptism let us this season immerse ourselves
in prayer, study and worship so we might follow him who gives each of us new
life and calls us to extend that gift to others. May we be beacons of support, nourishment, hope and light to the
people in our area who struggle to hope that the light shines on them. May the light warm our hearts so we might
hold others who are cold and distrustful.
May we see in all we do the connections we make with strangers and
friends in the name of the Christ who calls us each by name to come and see.
Peace,
Fr.
David+
Advent
2007
“Therefore you
also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour” Matthew
24:44
“Let us then
lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” Romans 13:12
The
signs are all around us that we have begun the season of Advent. Castine is quiet and many of us have begun
to settle into our winter routine. The
sun disappears before four o’clock and night sets in. It is cold and the forecast is for snow. What better way then to prepare for the
birth of Jesus? The scripture verses
above are from the Lectionary for Year A and were read the First Sunday of
Advent. They prepare us for what is to
come as we move through these four weeks.
Imagine
for a moment that we live during the time when the people of Israel lived in
exile in Babylon. They had been away
from their homeland for close to fifty years.
Many who remember that day in 587 do so with horror. Their once invincible city is invaded and
torn apart, their temple is destroyed and their God seems to have abandoned
them. All is quiet. God is silent. The remnant that are still alive are forced to travel a great distance
to a foreign land where they are aliens.
How will they survive in a foreign land? Will God one day return? The
despair and hopelessness are palpable.
The exilic community learns how to adapt and they find a way to pray and
believe that one day God will restore them to their promised land. The paradox is that though they believe they
have nothing they find a way to renew their relationship with God.
Turn
your attention to the present time. We
live in a wonderful and beautiful place and are far removed from the feelings
of those who were forced to leave their homes.
But might we hold some of the feelings that the exilic community
held? We live in a consumerist culture
that has kicked into high gear for the holidays. Every night we are bombarded with messages to spend more money
and sadly overextend ourselves that may turn into stress and fear and
anger. By the time Christmas arrives we
might be too tired to be held by the mystery and the meaning for us.
Matthew
and Paul encourage us to be alert for Christ’s coming now in the midst of our
busyness. Keep alert and put on the
armor of light. What I take all this to
mean is that we are to be alert for the coming of Christ but to do so in our
daily routine. It may be as simple as
making a phone call to a long time friend to just say hello, it might be
finding a way to discern where God is in my daily life through prayer and
study. What Jesus and Paul are talking
about is not some abstract suggestion but may occur in the ordinary and often
hum drum existence that often marks our lives.
Yes
it is cold and dark but I see this reality as an invitation to pray and give
thanks for all that God has given us.
Allow the quiet to hold you and use it as a prayer to ask God for
guidance and forgiveness so you might move out of the darkness into the light
and warmth of God’s love. Isn’t that
what it is all about? Love?
May
the season of Advent and the celebration of Christmas draw each of us closer to
love of God and of each other.
Fr.
David+
November
5th
Dear
friends I am writing these musings from the kitchen table at my sister Alice’s
home in Delaware, Ohio. I arrived
safely after an hour and a half flight from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I will spend time with my father the next
two days before I return to Castine sometime Thursday afternoon. We are entering the season of giving thanks
and I wish to do some of that in this musings.
First of all I wish to give thanks for the Diocese of Maine. In the midst of conflict in certain parts of
the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion the diocese under the faithful
leadership of Bishop Chilton invites all of us to listen to and pray for one
another. Not everyone in the diocese is
of one mind with what is happening around the Episcopal Church or the Anglican
Communion but the Diocese of Maine can be a place of hope where all opinions
will be heard and respected and each one of us is encouraged to pray for one
another. I would be happy to talk to
anyone from the parish about what is happening but I do not promise that any
consensus will emerge. It is important
to listen and hear others who do not agree with our view of what is happening
at the moment. I give thanks for the
election of Steve lane as our next Bishop.
Steve will continue I believe what Bishop Chilton has begun and move us
forward in mission.
I
wish to give thanks to all of you who make my job easy! It is hard to believe we are about to begin
our second winter together and I continue to be impressed by your generosity
and good will towards the work God has given each one of us. To that end I thank the vestry for their
hard work and in challenging me to get outside my comfort zone in order that I
might be a pastor, colleague and friend.
It is a rare thing these days for the vestry of any parish to encourage
their priest to think outside the box.
This gives me a great deal of hope and energy to work with this
dedicated group. I give thanks for all
members of Trinity both year round and summer who sacrificially give of their
time, talent and treasure so that ministry and mission may continue to thrive
at Trinity and beyond the confines of Castine to other parts of Maine and the
world. I especially give thanks for
what Brian MacFarland has brought to our Sunday Liturgy. Please join me and thank Brian when you see
him for the gift of music.
I
encourage you to reflect upon what you are thankful for this season of
Thanksgiving. In a world that often
takes thanks for granted let us be a place, which appreciates all that we have
been given, and not be afraid to share it with one another and the world.
Peace,
Fr.
David+
Mid
Autumn
It
is a beautiful autumn morning in Castine.
The sun is bright and warm and the ocean is calm. What a change from what occurred here on
Wednesday night the 26th of September. The brief but violent storm that swept through Castine that night
will not soon be forgotten. As I
attempted to walk to church Thursday morning I was made painfully aware that
Castine had changed. I am referring to
the change in landscape along many of the streets of town. The wonderful old and majestic elm trees
along Main and Perkins Street no longer stood but were now blocking roads and
homes as they had been uprooted by the 100 mile an hour winds that came through
town on Wednesday night. Our hearts
went out to so many in this community who lost so many trees. I am thinking of the Day’s on Main Street
and in our own parish the many parishioners who lost so many trees. I am thankful that no one was seriously hurt. There is still a great deal of sadness at
the loss of so much beauty. It was
poignant this past Sunday as Peg and I blessed animals you could hear chain
saws outside continuing the clean up.
It was another reminder to me at how vulnerable we are and how life
changes so quickly beyond our control and our questions. It was also a time to be grateful to live in
a place that cares so deeply for its history and its people. We will move forward and time and hard work
will help us heal and grow even though we have lost so much that makes Castine
one of the unique destination places for visitors to Maine.
As
the storm hit on Wednesday another storm was brewing having to do with the
report from the just ended House of Bishop’s meeting in New Orleans. Their response entitled, “House of Bishops
Response to Questions and Concerns Raised by Our Anglican Communion Partners”
has received a great deal of press in print and on the internet. It has been received with gratitude by some,
distrust by others and skepticism by many in and outside the Episcopal
Church. The House of Bishop’s attempted
to reach a middle of the road consensus, which has upset many folks both
conservative and liberal. What is my
response? I am torn right in the
middle. Over the last sixteen years of
ministry I have had the privilege to know and minister with gay and lesbian
clergy who perform their ministry with grace and humility and a sense of
humor. I know from reading the on-line
blogs that many are upset by what the House of Bishops wrote. On the one hand the House affirmed its
support for the witness of gay and lesbian clergy and at the same time asked
for restraint in future Episcopal elections which might include men and women
who are gay as candidates.
Conservatives feel that the Bishops did not go far enough and will
likely leave the Church that they have been planning to do for some time. My hope is that the conversation will
continue in a way that does not divide us but somehow allows for listening and
respect to occur on both sides. The
question for me remains how can we disagree but not leave the Church?
My
brief answer surrounds me with grace on a daily basis. We live in a place of such grace and beauty
and is a gift for all of us who call this town home. We are surrounded by wonderful vistas of the bay, we see birds of
all kinds feeding on our feeders, and we have wonderful moonlit evenings. We ought not take any of this for granted
but simply enjoy where we are. We are
going to disagree on many matters that concern us as citizens of this village
and as members of the Episcopal Church.
What would it be like though if instead of focusing on what divides us
we come to agreement about our future ministry together in Castine and beyond
in Maine and the world. I invite each
of us to enter into a time of prayer to discern God’s guidance and love for us
and those we do not yet know who will come to us looking for a place to call
home.
Trinity
is a place where love abounds. We also
share in a small way the messiness that the larger Church is experiencing at
the moment. We are after all Episcopalians
and we proclaim that in the messiness and conflict that life presents we are
transformed into new life through Jesus Christ. May we hold firm to this truth as we move forward to love and
serve the Lord in this special place.
Peace,
Fr.
David+
