I will assist at 10:30 at Redeemer, Woodfin, spend some time with my daughter and son-in-law and grandaughter in North Asheville, make it back to Deerfield in time to pick up lunch, and then take a nap, resting in the love of our Risen Lord. Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
For Good Friday I went with my girlfriend to St. Mark’s Anglican in Portland, Ore for their Mass of the Presanctified. This morning we celebrated Easter with my parents at the sunrise service in Battle Ground, Wash which is put on by a group of local churches including Baptists, Charismatics, Quakers, Methodists, Episcopalians and the Roman Catholic church in town. Later this morning I’m going to my girlfriend’s somewhat less ecumenically-minded conservative Lutheran church. So lot’s of different Easter celebrations among different groups of Christians but we’re being blessed by all of them. He is risen!
We were at Christ Saint Paul’s Yonges island S.C. this morning; our youngest daugter Selimah is home for the weekend on a holiday from her freshman year at Furman.
Greetings from London. Even after 20 years of ordained ministry I still slightly dread the complex RC Easter Vigil. It went well enough last night – some embarrassing mistakes but overall a sense of peace and of blessing, and a strong sense of community. At the Vigil instead of my own thoughts I read the famous Easter homily of St John Chrysostom and it really resonated with the people. This morning three Masses one after the other, 8.30, 10 (Family) and 12 (Latin). I felt the Lord give me a word. Big congregation at the 10, satisfactory at the others. The strangers were visitors, I hope, rather than twice-a-yearers. A baptism at the 12. By 1 pm I was so worn out that I declined a kind invitation to lunch and went to bed for five hours! Woke up at 7 pm and went for a walk around the quiet streets, enjoying the peace within and without.
ΧÏιστός ανÎστη Christ is risen καλό Πάσχα Happy Easter
We have just returned from a fanatstic Katoomba Easter Convention in the lovely Blue Mountains of NSW. Challenging talks from Bryan Chapell and Jonny Gibson, wonderful music and great to catch up with friends and family (along with 3000 other people!). So moving to sing “The Power of the Cross” together.
What a blessd Easter we had. I heard the first real Easter sermon I have heard in years, about the CERTAINTY of the resurrection both theologically and historically. We had a crowd of small children “flower” the cross. We thought we were short on flowers, but they materialized like loaves and fishes! And I served as LEM in full regalia. Kendall–if you are ever in Greenville visiting your daughter on a Sunday, please sneak in the back door. We meet at 2d Baptist Church at 9 am. We will not tell KJS you were there!
My wife and I were in England to visit my son who is serving in the US Air Force, and to meet his fiance. We began Easter with an early service (BCP) at St. Dubricious, the parish church in Porlock, Somerset. Only ten of us there, including the priest. Our tiny congregation sat in the choir, but the rather frail priest was still virtually unintelligible. At the later main service (CW) there were nearly 100. We were then joined by Alex and Anamaria and drove up over Exmoor to Exford for lunch at the White Horse Hotel. That afternoon, we four walked the two miles through the woods from Porlock Weir to Culbone Church, the smallest parish church in England, for a 3:10 Eucharist (BCP). The delightful little candle-lit church (there’s no electricity) was full to overflowing, the ranks swelled by many loudly chattering toddlers. The unflappable avuncular priest pitched his homily at the children, with dubious success, but the congregation’s singing was full- throated and tuneful, the readings clear and dignified (KJV), and celebration of the Sacrament deeply moving as always. We then walked back through the woods above the sea to an early supper at the Ship in Porlock followed by an early night with an early departure for Heathrow Monday morning.
I will assist at 10:30 at Redeemer, Woodfin, spend some time with my daughter and son-in-law and grandaughter in North Asheville, make it back to Deerfield in time to pick up lunch, and then take a nap, resting in the love of our Risen Lord. Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
Tom Rightmyer in Asheville, NC
For Good Friday I went with my girlfriend to St. Mark’s Anglican in Portland, Ore for their Mass of the Presanctified. This morning we celebrated Easter with my parents at the sunrise service in Battle Ground, Wash which is put on by a group of local churches including Baptists, Charismatics, Quakers, Methodists, Episcopalians and the Roman Catholic church in town. Later this morning I’m going to my girlfriend’s somewhat less ecumenically-minded conservative Lutheran church. So lot’s of different Easter celebrations among different groups of Christians but we’re being blessed by all of them. He is risen!
We were at Christ Saint Paul’s Yonges island S.C. this morning; our youngest daugter Selimah is home for the weekend on a holiday from her freshman year at Furman.
Greetings from London. Even after 20 years of ordained ministry I still slightly dread the complex RC Easter Vigil. It went well enough last night – some embarrassing mistakes but overall a sense of peace and of blessing, and a strong sense of community. At the Vigil instead of my own thoughts I read the famous Easter homily of St John Chrysostom and it really resonated with the people. This morning three Masses one after the other, 8.30, 10 (Family) and 12 (Latin). I felt the Lord give me a word. Big congregation at the 10, satisfactory at the others. The strangers were visitors, I hope, rather than twice-a-yearers. A baptism at the 12. By 1 pm I was so worn out that I declined a kind invitation to lunch and went to bed for five hours! Woke up at 7 pm and went for a walk around the quiet streets, enjoying the peace within and without.
ΧÏιστός ανÎστη Christ is risen καλό Πάσχα Happy Easter
We have just returned from a fanatstic Katoomba Easter Convention in the lovely Blue Mountains of NSW. Challenging talks from Bryan Chapell and Jonny Gibson, wonderful music and great to catch up with friends and family (along with 3000 other people!). So moving to sing “The Power of the Cross” together.
What a blessd Easter we had. I heard the first real Easter sermon I have heard in years, about the CERTAINTY of the resurrection both theologically and historically. We had a crowd of small children “flower” the cross. We thought we were short on flowers, but they materialized like loaves and fishes! And I served as LEM in full regalia. Kendall–if you are ever in Greenville visiting your daughter on a Sunday, please sneak in the back door. We meet at 2d Baptist Church at 9 am. We will not tell KJS you were there!
My wife and I were in England to visit my son who is serving in the US Air Force, and to meet his fiance. We began Easter with an early service (BCP) at St. Dubricious, the parish church in Porlock, Somerset. Only ten of us there, including the priest. Our tiny congregation sat in the choir, but the rather frail priest was still virtually unintelligible. At the later main service (CW) there were nearly 100. We were then joined by Alex and Anamaria and drove up over Exmoor to Exford for lunch at the White Horse Hotel. That afternoon, we four walked the two miles through the woods from Porlock Weir to Culbone Church, the smallest parish church in England, for a 3:10 Eucharist (BCP). The delightful little candle-lit church (there’s no electricity) was full to overflowing, the ranks swelled by many loudly chattering toddlers. The unflappable avuncular priest pitched his homily at the children, with dubious success, but the congregation’s singing was full- throated and tuneful, the readings clear and dignified (KJV), and celebration of the Sacrament deeply moving as always. We then walked back through the woods above the sea to an early supper at the Ship in Porlock followed by an early night with an early departure for Heathrow Monday morning.