You may now find Our Saviour at a new location

I have just launched a separate blog for the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour.

You will find updates, events, and musings there.

Just as I keep my very strong political views out of the pulpit, even if I preach on moral issues, it seems right to discuss a new church plant without me going off on Darth Cheney in the same space.

--the BB

909

10/30/09 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified
Spc. Robert K. Charlton, 22, of Malden, Mo., died Oct. 27 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident Oct. 23 in Wardak, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (7 of 7)
Staff Sgt. Keith R. Bishop, 28, of Medford, N.Y...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C... died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (6 of 7)
Sgt. 1st Class David E. Metzger, 32, of San Diego...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C... died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (5 of 7)
Sgt. Nikolas A. Mueller, 26, of Little Chute, Wisc...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, Ga... died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (4 of 7)
Sgt. Josue E. Hernandez Chavez, 23, of Reno, Nev...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, Ga... died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (3 of 7)
Staff Sgt. Shawn H. McNabb, 24, of Terrell, Texas...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, Ga... died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (2 of 7)
Chief Warrant Officer Niall Lyons, 40, of Spokane, Wash...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, Ga... died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (1 of 7)
Chief Warrant Officer Michael P. Montgomery, 36, of Savannah, Ga...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, Ga... died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (7 of 7)
Pfc. Christopher I. Walz, 25, of Vancouver, Wash... assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash...died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (6 of 7)
Spc. Jared D. Stanker, 22, of Evergreen Park, Ill... assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash...died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (5 of 7)
Sgt. Patrick O. Williamson, 24, of Broussard, La... assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash...died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (4 of 7)
Sgt. Issac B. Jackson, 27, of Plattsburg, Mo... assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash...died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (3 of 7)
Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29, of Terre Haute, Ind... assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash...died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (2 of 7)
Sgt. Fernando Delarosa, 24, of Alamo, Texas... assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash...died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (1 of 7)
Staff Sgt. Luis M. Gonzalez, 27, of South Ozone Park, N.Y... assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash...died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

10/29/09 DoD:
Marine Casualty Identified
Lance Cpl. Cody R. Stanley, 21, of Rosanky, Texas, died Oct. 28 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif

10/29/09 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified
Spc. Brandon K. Steffey, 23, of Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., died Oct. 25 in Laghman province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 178th Military Police Detachment, 89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

We do not forget their sacrifice.

4355

10/30/09 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified
Spc. Joseph L. Gallegos, 39, of Questa, N.M., died Oct. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 720th Transportation Company, New Mexico Army National Guard, in Las Vegas, N.M.

10/28/09 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified
Maj. David L. Audo, 35, of Saint Joseph, Ill., died Oct. 27 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 22nd Military Police Battalion, 6th Military Police Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Community Remembrance

This is our first press release:

Community Remembrance

The Episcopal Church of Our Saviour will draw on traditions of los Días de los Muertos as it
celebrates the Feast of All Saints on Sunday, November 1. An ofrenda for the community will be in the church so that people may bring photos, names, and other remembrances of their loved ones who have gone before. Flowers, candles, and santos will join tokens of the departed as expressions of love that transcends death.

"In a society that wastes so much energy denying death we hope to acknowledge it and allow ourselves to revisit memories, feel our grief, and share our love," said the Rev. Paul E. Strid. "There is much more to celebrate this weekend than candy," he added. "We celebrate the communion of saints: past, present, and future."

Holy Eucharist will be offered at 11:00 a.m. and all are invited. Our Saviour is located at 2805 Don Felipe Road SW, just off Coors south of Gun Club.

I have just printed off photos family members and others that I wish to remember this weekend. I have also gathered a number of icons of the saints so we may have a sense of being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses as we worship.

Tomorrow I try to locate marigolds and pan de muerto (I didn't order ahead so not sure if I will succeed or not) and other items for the ofrenda and the celebration in general. Lunch with a friend then off to build the ofrenda and decorate the church. A busy day. If I locate where I last left my thurible we shall have smells and bells for this high feast. I will not make but might buy tamales. I cannot say they were a favorite food of my departed relatives but I do think they would enjoy them and we will at coffee hour.

If you are in Albuquerque or nearby it would be lovely if you joined us.

Blessed God, you make all things new: Guide us as we seek your will for a new community of Word and Sacrament, that it may be leaven for the world's bread, and wine of delight for hearts in need; a gathering strong for service and glad in praise; and a people listening and responding to your presence in their midst; through Jesus our Redeemer and steadfast companion. Amen.

--the BB

This is not over

Emptywheel, whom I revere, keeps digging:

So Cheney and Libby asked Schmall (for at least the third time) about Wilson’s trip. Then Cheney went into a briefing, then meeting, with Bush, Condi, Card, and Rove. And then Rove went into the senior staff meeting talking about how they had to push back against Wilson. Cathie Martin wrote up some talking points reflecting Rove’s comments. And then Libby told Ari Fleischer about Plame’s identity.

It’s just a mere five hours from Cheney and Rove’s conversation with Bush to Libby telling the White House Press Secretary that Plame was a CIA officer.

I remain of the opinion that even when the war is illegal, immoral, and counterproductive, the outing of a covert CIA operative in a time of war constitutes treason. It is all the more heinous when that operative was engaged in tracking nuclear capabilities in a region where governments are questionable and terrorists lurk on the fringes - in other words, risking her ass to save ours.

It's a pity the Obama administration does not believe in holding criminals accountable.

--the BB

Service without expectation

[W]e Orthodox Christians are called to offer service to humanity without expectation of anything in return, and also, to be examples for others to do the same. Christ tells us to do good, to practice virtue, to practice virtuous works, to love our enemies—not just to love our friends. Christ also calls us to be teachers and guides through example, to serve God’s created order—whether we serve as priest or lay person or diplomat.
--His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Ninth Annual Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community

Other comments by His All Holiness:

— "Learning to be silent is far more difficult and far more important than learning to recite prayers."

— The Orthodox Church "respects the liberty and freedom of all human persons and all Christian couples. We are not allowed to enter the bedrooms of the Christian couples. We cannot generalize."

— "War in the name of religion is war against religion."

+ Constantinople Bartholomew

Heart thread - 10/29/2009

For my brother-in-law Jack and my sister Shirley. My niece writes that Jack is "sucking down" water all day long, which he needs for his bad kidneys. The stress test showed no heart issues but he is seeing a doctor for that anyway. Shirley is mostly housebound.

For Toujoursdan who is " healing nicely. I still have a hole in my back but the doctors see lots of improvement. The changing and repacking today was much less painful than the past few days."

For Mother Sandra:

Dear Friends,
Your prayers are so powerful! Thank you for taking the time to offer them to God.
...
As to my condition, my wound nurse feels I am healing at a good rate. I am convinced it is due to all of the prayers. So I will continue my healing process at Kindred for now.
Blessings and love to all of you.
Vaya con Dios,
Mother Sandra

PJ "has just had a short story accepted by The Adirondack Review!!! Join me in a virtual champagne toast, please!" Thanksgiving on this front.

For Roseann: "Still in a lot of pain. My priest just came by with a ton of food for us. Gary will have surgery again on Monday. Raining and pouring, literally and figuratively."

For my former classmate Raven who celebrated his natal festivity today.

Thanksgiving on behalf of Dear Friend who got good news this evening.

For Frank and Carol, for Joel, for Myron.

For warriors of righteousness (go, Doxy!).

For all afflicted with colds or flu (of any kind) or unspecified crud that they may soon be restored to health.

Thanksgiving for all who continue to offer wish list items or assistance or contributions or prayers for Our Saviour.

I offer thanks for the beauty of a brief bit of snow today that made the world lovely and then graciously melted before we wound up driving on ice.

For peace throughout the Middle East and Central Asia.

For upcoming elections in Afghanistan - may they be free and fair.

For victims of violence of every kind - physical, sexual, emotional, spiritual.

For an increase in small daily graces that we may all act more compassionately toward one another.

--the BB

The nature of feelings

Oedipus and the Sphinx by Ingres
Image via Wikipedia

You call me unfeeling. If you could only see
the nature of your own feelings...
--Teiresias in Oedipus Rex (Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald trans.)

One should encourage the production of Greek tragedies in our day.

I write this as a great lover of the classic Greek tragedies. If one is being performed locally, you are guaranteed my attention and interest. I have witnessed astoundingly moving productions, some elaborate and some done on a shoestring, and astonishingly bad productions. But I am always glad they are being done. There are reasons the classics are classics. They touch primal themes and timeless truths and are never out of date.

At the performances of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Vortex Theatre I spotted a notice that Oedipus was going to be performed at the Auxiliary Dog Theatre. I immediately planned to attend and got my reservations in early.

The tale of Oedipus is a fascinating one - and I speak in pre-Freudian terms here. Oedipus is a man who tries to run from his fate and ends up running headlong toward it. There are constant juxtapositions of opposites, most notably themes of truth, lies, and ambiguity; light and darkness; sight and blindness; order and chaos; salvation and destruction.

The play turns my thoughts to Ατη (Atē), "the spirit (daimona) of delusion, infatuation, blind folly, rash action and reckless impulse who led men down the path to ruin" and to Apollo, the god of truth, knowledge, and light - a ruthless deity, to be sure, as the myths demonstrate.

Oedipus is a great hero to the people of Thebes for he delivered them from the ravages of the Sphinx who prevented travelers from access to the city, devouring them if they could not solve her riddle. Oedipus solved the riddle and the dreaded creature offed herself. This feat wins him the throne of Thebes and its widowed queen. No one is aware at the time that this queen is his mother and she is a widow because he has slain his own father. All this was foretold in prophecies that he and his parents both sought to preclude in vain.

At the beginning of the play, Thebes is suffering once more. Apollo has sent a plague upon the city-state.

A rust consumes the buds and fruits of the earth;
The herds are sick; children die unborn,
And labor is vain. The god of plague and pyre
Raids like detestable lightning through the city,
And all the house of Kadmos is laid waste,
All emptied, and all darkened Death alone
Battens upon the misery of Thebes.

This is divine judgment for harboring the murderer of the former ruler. Oedipus swears to find who it is and render judgment, unaware that he is the parricide, the incestuous one, the polluter of the land.

The starting point is one of misery and desperation from which the viewer hopes to find some relief, though the salvation of Thebes will come at a high price.

One great challenge in watching a play or any artistic performance is measuring it against a truly good past experience. I saw a performance of Oedipus back in 2003 by Shotgun Players in Berkeley. We sat on bleachers and the production was done with a very minimal budget. The lead (Clive Worsley) had injured his ankle the day before and had to play with a swollen foot, necessitating last minute changes in blocking, which the director explained before the play began. I was the one person who laughed, not at the injury but at the pointed mention of "swollen foot" since that is what the name Oedipus means. It was a riveting performance nonetheless and the opening scene of the suppliants was the finest liturgical act I have ever experienced in my life. The seriousness, the desperation, the sacredness of very sound and motion were palpable. My stomach was in knots within the first five minutes. The staging was simply phenomenal.

Let us then take pity on AuxDog when I bring memories like that with me to the performance.

It was good to see the story enacted once more. Sophocles is powerful.

One must single out two of the actors, both playing the roles of older men who do not want to share what they know. Alan Hudson played Tiresias, the blind seer, who could see more than those around him with sight. Hudson captured a sense of a prophet who knows his own power, dignity, and worth and also wants to avoid being dragged into what he knows must unfold. Ominous utterances combine with wordplay as he spars with the king, hoping to say as little as necessary while being bound to the truth that Apollo gives him. The old Theban shepherd is played by Arthur Alpert who seemed truly to inhabit his part, not reciting lines but being the shepherd who had long since fled the terrible secrets and dark fate of the court to live away from the palace in peace. I sank into his skilled performance as one might collapse into a beanbag chair, grateful and luxuriating in comfort. Wynn Rowell's Creon carried dignity and seriousness that fitted the tale as well.

Unfortunately, what I experienced from the beginning and through much of the performance was a sense that the desperate, tragic reality of the story was undercut, which is why I chose the citation at the beginning: "If you could only see the nature of your own feelings."

The performance seemed to lack gravitas, to use an old Latin term for a sober weight and dignity. I heard the lines but I did not feel the emotion that matched the reality of the dramatic situation. The direction and adaptation portrayed Oedipus at the beginning as a sleazy, self-satisfied politician - and there is an element of that in Sophocles' text - but to my mind this seemed to trivialize the whole tale. This shifted from tragedy to a possibly weightier version of tabloid tale and made me uneasy.

"If you could only see the nature of your own feelings."

Many lines that evening felt read, recited, not internalized and embodied. The players knew their lines and did not miss cues, but I sometimes felt as though the horrors of the story were narrated by people who had themselves never suffered or witnessed the truly unspeakable and tragic in their lives. What I am describing is not about the anguished narration overheatedly delivered by the Second Messenger who describes the death of Jocasta and the self-blinding of Oedipus but the whole texture of the piece. I cannot help wondering what might have emerged if cast and director had spend more time pausing to consider WTF is happening here? What is being said?

I suppose that what I yearned for was to truly hear, in the actors' recitation, the emotions that matched the words, and it did not happen with sufficient frequency and consistency.

That, I hope, is a constructive criticism as my desire is for more ventures into the Greek classics, to the enrichment of actors, audiences, and the community as we ponder timeless dilemmas and our human responses to them. I could watch this part of the story knowing that Oedipus finally finds redemption and peace, though n0t in this play.

Thank you, AuxDog, for giving it a go.

--the BB

Daily Inspiration

Just head on over and read Doxy's letter to her insurance company.

--the BB

906

In addition to the Department of Defense, today we note deaths for the DEA.
10/27/09 AP:
DEA identifies 3 agents killed in Afghanistan
The Drug Enforcement Administration has identified the three agents killed Monday in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan, the agency's first fatalities in its counter-narcotics operations in that country. They were
Special Agent Forrest Leamon,
Special Agent Chad Michael and
Special Agent Michael Weston.
The men were assigned to the agency's fight against the opium trade in Afghanistan, which often funds insurgent activity.

10/27/09 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified
Pfc. Devin J. Michel, 19, of Stockton, Ill., died Oct. 24 in Zhari province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

10/27/09 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified
Sgt. Eduviges G. Wolf, 24, of Hawthorne, Calif., died Oct. 25 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked her vehicle with a rocket propelled grenade. She was assigned to the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

10/27/09 DoD:
Marine Casualties Identified (4 of 4)
Capt. David S. Mitchell, 30, of Loveland, Ohio....assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton...died Oct. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

10/27/09 DoD:
Marine Casualties Identified (3 of 4)
Cpl. Gregory M.W. Fleury, 23, of Anchorage, Alaska...assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton..died Oct. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

10/27/09 DoD:
Marine Casualties Identified (2 of 4)
Capt. Eric A. Jones, 29, of Westchester, N.Y...assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton..died Oct. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

10/27/09 DoD:
Marine Casualties Identified (1 of 4)
Capt. Kyle R. Van De Giesen, 29, of North Attleboro, Mass...assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Pendleton..died Oct. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

10/26/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (2 of 2)
Pfc. Kimble A. Han, 30, of Lehi, Utah....assigned to the 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo...died Oct. 23 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

10/26/09 DoD:
Army Casualties Identified (1 of 2)
Spc. Eric N. Lembke, 25, of Tampa, Fla...assigned to the 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo...died Oct. 23 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.



I put this, the first of my trackings of military fatalities in Afghanistan, on 28 June 2008.

Johnny One Note

I realize I have not been posting about other things, like health care, war and war crimes, torture, FISA, the arts, and the other usual topics lately. You could say I have been a bit preoccupied.

Here are some updates on what preoccupies me.

This evening I attended a lovely house blessing. One of the co-presiding priests was a chum from my days at CDSP (the Episcopal seminary in Berkeley). Nice to see her again. She is retired and I am trying to keep the green-eyed monster at bay.

As I was getting ready to leave the event and begin my long drive home the sweet lady who is making our fair linen and burses told me she will also have a white frontal ready for us for this Sunday as we celebrate the feast of All Saints. I had pulled out fabric last night, thinking to make one. Now I don't have to.

Another friend from San Gabriel has pledged six wastebaskets (dustbins for English-speakers).

In my mailbox was a gracious and generous check.

In my e-mailbox was a note from the rector of my home parish saying he was looking for more prayer books and seeing if parishioners could help with other items on the wish list.

Today the diocesan treasurer's office is looking into things like "does the heating work?" so we don't freeze in the sudden change of temperatures here. (I had not even checked it yet and we anticipate scattered snow showers today.)

Every day there are new blessings, new acts of love and support, for mission and ministry. It is only as we participate in mission and ministry (and it does not have to be our brand or flavor, I speak broadly here) in our specific corners of the world that become part of tikkun, the restoration and healing of the world.

We must act, speak, bear witness, and struggle on larger stages also but it is the close, concrete, particular acts that embody what we yearn to become.

I hope, this evening, that y'all yearn to be what we are made to be: channels of compassion, healing, justice, peace, truth, light, and love.

In the current tight economy I don't want to confront anyone with a begging bowl for this ministry. My own income is from a secular job and this is about a movement of the Spirit and the People of the South Valley and up toward the West Mesa in Albuquerque, NOT about any one priest. (I wince when loving people call this "my" church; you know what I mean, I trust.) If this is about me, I should stop right now.

We are venturing where the diocese, struggling with many larger challenges at the moment, cannot afford to make any substantial investment.

So, because some have asked, if anyone wishes to contribute, they may make checks payable to the following:

Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande

4304 Carlisle Blvd NE

Albuquerque, NM 87107

And earmark them for "Our Saviour, ABQ."

Only if you want to and can afford it, OK?

If what you can afford right now is "only" prayer, that is more precious than gold and makes a difference. Without the prayers of many this simply will not happen and I and others involved are immeasurably grateful for every prayer offered. Thank you.

--the BB

Keepin y'all posted - wish list updated

Gracious offers of assistance continue to come in and we are blessed by the opening of so many hearts. We are currently pursuing the sign out front and hope to have that in place very soon. I am working on the gathering of resources for both worship and community ministry. Among my sundry belongings, once I dig them out, are a lectern-sized lectionary (RCL) and a Spanish altar book.

Here are some wish list items (if you don't ask, you don't receive):

• A lectern
• A pillar or small-surface side table on which can be placed...
• A nice bowl for a font
• A vacuum cleaner
• Waste baskets (we have only one and many rooms that need them) we now have 8
  
• Folding or stackable chairs for the church hall
• The Book of Common Prayer 1979 (we now have seven)
• Bibles for Bible study down the road
• Spanish Bibles (ditto)
• Musicians and instruments
• Effective means of communication with the community
• NEW: an iron and ironing board
  

And always, always prayer that we may listen for and follow the Spirit and open our hearts to the people of the community.

I also ask your prayers for those who have felt they needed to leave the Episcopal Church, the community that once worshiped in this space. May everything they do for the reign of God be blessed, may they be channels of grace to others, may God heal anger and bitterness in all our hearts, and may we all move forward that Good News may be proclaimed by many voices and in many manners.

There is more than enough room in this part of town for every ministry God can raise up. Approximately 52,000 people with no church affiliation live in two adjoining zip codes.

Blessed God, you make all things new: Guide us as we seek your will for a new community of Word and Sacrament, that it may be leaven for the world's bread, and wine of delight for hearts in need; a gathering strong for service and glad in praise; and a people listening and responding to your presence in their midst; through Jesus our Redeemer and steadfast companion. Amen.

--the BB

Heart thread - 10/26/2009

My friend Steve writes:

I feel bad that I haven't kept you in the loop, but I've had so much on my mind, that I haven't been online much. Kellee had her hip replacement surgery on Oct 13th. This was her 15th surgery on the hip and we finally had got a new one! When she was 9, she broke the hips in a gymnastics class and had 14 surgeries on the hip between the age of 9 and 11. For 30 years she has been in pain. Now we're already seeing signs of less pain and better movement. She is recovering well as each day passes. She can now get in and out of bed by herself and even though she is still using the walker, she continues to get stronger each passing hour. We have been blessed to have friends, sister's and anyone available to come help when I'm not home to assist in any way possible. She should be using the walker for another week or so and then we hope to move to a cane. Total recovery is 6 weeks. I can't believe how after 30 years of wear and tear on these hips, the surgeon was able to do this in under 2 hours and tell me that she was fine and will recover nicely.I thought that Master Sommelier's are special and neat to look up to and admire, but surgeons change people's life and make things better for years to come. Keep her in your prayers and I'll keep you updated as her healing progresses.

Steve has been training as a Master Sommelier. He has a great love of wine and sharing that knowledge. May Kellee's new hip give her freedom and ease from pain.

For the Diocese of San Joaquin that just held its convention and moves forward with challenges.

For Mark (Марко Фризия), who is recuperating and grieving at the same time. He has finally been able to put up a couple of new posts.

For the repose of Fr. Ed Hinds of Chatham, NJ. (Elizabeth writes of him here and Mimi has an update here.)

For Roseann, for Myron, for Mother Sandra, for Frank.

And for all the others we have been remembering (the list goes one and on).

--the BB

Sunday morning church

Our prelude, via The Lead:
Bruce Springsteen with the Seeger Session Singers at LSO St. Luke's, London offer "O Mary, don't you weep."

Gospel
Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you." So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Remembering what we're here for:

Q. What is the mission of the Church?
A. The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.

Q. How does the Church pursue its mission?
A. The Church pursues its mission as it prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love.

Q. Through whom does the Church carry out its mission?
A. The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members.

Let us pray:

Blessed God, you make all things new: Guide us as we seek your will for a new community of Word and Sacrament, that it may be leaven for the world's bread, and wine of delight for hearts in need; a gathering strong for service and glad in praise; and a people listening and responding to your presence in their midst; through Jesus our Redeemer and steadfast companion. Amen.

--the BB

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10/22/09 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified
Spc. Kyle A. Coumas, 22, of Lockeford, Calif., died Oct. 21 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

10/17/2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Sgt. Christopher M. Rudzinski, 28, of Rantoul, Ill., died Oct. 16 near Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 293rd Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), Fort Stewart, Ga.

10/17/2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Staff Sgt. Chris N. Staats, 32, of Fredericksburg, Texas, died Oct. 16 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 143rd Infantry Detachment, Austin, Texas.

10/17/2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Anthony G. Green, 28, of Matthews, N.C., died Oct. 16 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 143rd Infantry Detachment, Austin, Texas.

10/19/2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Oct. 15 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Glen H. Stivison, Jr., 34, of Blairsville, Pa.;

Spc. Jesus O. Flores, Jr., 28, of La Mirada, Calif.;

Spc. Daniel C. Lawson, 33, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; and

Pfc. Brandon M. Styer, 19, of Lancaster, Pa.

10/20/2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Michael A. Dahl Jr., 23, of Moreno Valley, Calif., died Oct. 17 in Argahndab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

10/21/2009
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Lance Cpl. David R. Baker, 22, of Painesville, Ohio, died Oct. 20 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

4351

10/19/2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Pfc. Daniel J. Rivera, 22, of Rochester, N.Y., died Oct. 18 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

10/21/2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Staff Sgt. Bradley Espinoza, 26, of Mission, Texas, died Oct. 19 in Qwest, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.