This is the written form of the reflection I gave at the Easter Vigil this evening
After Exodus 14:10-15:1
Upon hearing this lesson, the first thing that comes to my mind is the amazement that there are those folks who want to turn around and go back, simply because they have run into an obstacle. I’m of the mind that the Israelites should be glad that they have gotten out of slavery in Egypt and there is no reason to be whining right now. Then I started to look at their point of view, and I realize that despite the difficulties that they had faced being slaves, it was a sort of comfort zone for them, because for some, it is all they have ever known. Now Moses has come along and changed everything. Their worlds were turned upside down as they watched the plagues rain down on the Egyptians and as Moses insisted that they should be freed. To top it off, they had to leave at a moments notice, eating lamb and unleavened bread while their loins were girded. Now they have their freedom, and they’re completely out of their element. What’s probably going through their heads is “Now what?” For a few, they might be sick of what has been going on in recent memory and the cryptic instructions and they wanted to just say “Forget it! I’m done with this, I want some answers to what is going on!”
In any situation, when you leave something that has been familiar and go into unfamiliar territory, it can feel a bit scary. It could be that you’re changing jobs, moving to a new place, having a child, getting married, or even something as seemingly simple as trying a new recipe or cooking technique in the kitchen. You feel like you don’t know what you’re doing and you’re unsure this is the right way, you say to yourself “What the heck have I gotten myself into?!” So you start thinking about something familiar, the things that were comfortable for you in the past and you would love to go back to the way things were, to be safe inside that comfort zone where nothing bad can happen. Maybe you think about that beef roast recipe you’ve been making for years, or maybe your ex-boyfriend or girlfriend wasn’t that big of a jerk (you’ll remember later why they’re an ex), and you want them back, right now.
However, that’s just not how things work in any situation. Despite the fact that some of the Israelites want to go back, even if life wasn’t so great, they’re about to see that they cannot do so. God, through Moses, performs the miracle of parting the Red Sea in order to allow the Israelites to get across and out of the reach of the Egyptians. God and an angel of God put themselves between the Israelites and the Egyptians, and it’s almost like they put themselves there to give the Israelites a push forward into what would be the great unknown for them.
To further illustrate the idea of moving forward, and to prove the power of God, the Egyptians continue to chase the Israelites, never mind that they just witnessed the waters of the Red Sea get pushed back by God, and maybe that should be a hint. They don’t turn around and go back, though it eventually leads them to their doom. The Israelites witness all of this, and now they know not only that God is all-powerful, but that things will never be the same for them, and it’s time to move onward and see just what is down the road. It took a great sign and a lot of work, but it got them to finally believe, and move forward. Ultimately this leads me to think that God wants us to always move forward in our life, never backward, and in order to do that, we have to stretch our personal boundaries, step out of our comfort zone, and go into the unfamiliar. Even in that unfamiliar, God will be there to see us through and to guide and protect us.
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
April 03, 2010
December 02, 2009
Out of Left Field
I've kept rather quiet on my blog about this subject, but there has been the potential for a rather big change when it comes to St Georges. About a year ago, St. James in Old Bowie reached out to us because they were in a situation where they were facing closure by the diocese, no thanks in part to the current recession. Rather than have to be forced to close, they examined their options and decided to explore a merger with St. Georges, which we accepted the idea of exploring as well.
So for the past year we have been in talks with St. James and toying with being a merged congregation. This has included shared worship services and social events, and getting to know one another. There have also been a number of meetings, both shared and apart, with consultants about the merger and what the next steps are. It hasn't always been easy either, along the way we have discovered that there are some differences that needed to be worked on, both within ourselves and with one another. One such item was having children participate in worship. Not everyone was comfortable with the idea that the kids were helping with the elevation of the bread and wine or with reading parts of the Great Thanksgiving. Also there would be those kids who were being kids so they would get noisy or wander and such, and while it wasn't minded so much at one chapel, it was a potential problem in another (think carpet vs hardwood floor and the noise level) so there was that issue to work out.
Another issue was the perception that not all members were so accepting of the GLBT folks that attended. Now I can't say I witnessed any of that personally, but there were folks who hinted that they had issues. I don't know for sure though, I think one or two of the stories were folks who were being so hypersensitive about perceived slights that they were quick to take offense.
But anyway, so there was a lot of work being done on the part of both parishes, and especially by the Merger Exploration Team. If anything they were making sure to keep us up to date as often as possible about what was going on.
So ultimately the final decision was looming. On December 14, each Vestry was going to meet and vote to decide whether to merge, or to end the process, or even extend the process if a bit more time was needed for some reason. Imagine my surprise today when I got this letter from my priest informing us that the St. James Vestry had met to see where they were in the merger process, and decided to vote to end the process now rather than wait until December 14.
This was not what I was expecting. I had not gotten the sense that folks from St. James were done with this process a bit ahead of time, and that they would decide to just let St. James close and leave rather than merge with St. Georges and keep going as a new entity. However, I can also understand some of the reasoning behind their decision. This process has taken a lot of work this past year, and when it has been the same people who have been involved throughout the process, it can lead to burnout, and I suspect that is a bit of what happened here. Still, I don't think this was a waste of our time either because it gave both parishes a lot of insight as to what was going on and how things could be different. St. Georges was probably coming due for a bit of a shakeup anyway because we have been coasting along for a few years now, and now we have some knowledge of where we are falling flat and could stand to fix.
I certainly hope that we made folks from St. James feel welcome enough that they will decide to come over to St. Georges. They were certainly gracious to us, especially when we were doing the play last month. There was a potential conflict with some dates, and they saved us a lot of trouble by letting us use their parish hall for a weekend of performances.
So from here on out, who knows what could happen or where God is calling us, but God certainly has a reason for why things have happened the way they did, and hopefully we can figure out how to take that experience and use it in a positive way.
So for the past year we have been in talks with St. James and toying with being a merged congregation. This has included shared worship services and social events, and getting to know one another. There have also been a number of meetings, both shared and apart, with consultants about the merger and what the next steps are. It hasn't always been easy either, along the way we have discovered that there are some differences that needed to be worked on, both within ourselves and with one another. One such item was having children participate in worship. Not everyone was comfortable with the idea that the kids were helping with the elevation of the bread and wine or with reading parts of the Great Thanksgiving. Also there would be those kids who were being kids so they would get noisy or wander and such, and while it wasn't minded so much at one chapel, it was a potential problem in another (think carpet vs hardwood floor and the noise level) so there was that issue to work out.
Another issue was the perception that not all members were so accepting of the GLBT folks that attended. Now I can't say I witnessed any of that personally, but there were folks who hinted that they had issues. I don't know for sure though, I think one or two of the stories were folks who were being so hypersensitive about perceived slights that they were quick to take offense.
But anyway, so there was a lot of work being done on the part of both parishes, and especially by the Merger Exploration Team. If anything they were making sure to keep us up to date as often as possible about what was going on.
So ultimately the final decision was looming. On December 14, each Vestry was going to meet and vote to decide whether to merge, or to end the process, or even extend the process if a bit more time was needed for some reason. Imagine my surprise today when I got this letter from my priest informing us that the St. James Vestry had met to see where they were in the merger process, and decided to vote to end the process now rather than wait until December 14.
This was not what I was expecting. I had not gotten the sense that folks from St. James were done with this process a bit ahead of time, and that they would decide to just let St. James close and leave rather than merge with St. Georges and keep going as a new entity. However, I can also understand some of the reasoning behind their decision. This process has taken a lot of work this past year, and when it has been the same people who have been involved throughout the process, it can lead to burnout, and I suspect that is a bit of what happened here. Still, I don't think this was a waste of our time either because it gave both parishes a lot of insight as to what was going on and how things could be different. St. Georges was probably coming due for a bit of a shakeup anyway because we have been coasting along for a few years now, and now we have some knowledge of where we are falling flat and could stand to fix.
I certainly hope that we made folks from St. James feel welcome enough that they will decide to come over to St. Georges. They were certainly gracious to us, especially when we were doing the play last month. There was a potential conflict with some dates, and they saved us a lot of trouble by letting us use their parish hall for a weekend of performances.
So from here on out, who knows what could happen or where God is calling us, but God certainly has a reason for why things have happened the way they did, and hopefully we can figure out how to take that experience and use it in a positive way.
October 18, 2009
Oktoberfest
Tonight St. Georges had their annual Oktoberfest celebration, and while this year it was different, the differences were a lot of fun.
To start with, we had a bigger spread of food, there were potato pancakes, red cabbage, sauerkraut, bratwurst, bockwurst, pork tenderloin, German potato salad, onions and cabbage, pickles, and bread. I don't think there was anyone that was left unsatisfied this evening, and in fact most of the food was gone by the end of the event.
We hired a musician who regularly plays over at Blobs Park for entertainment. I didn't see much dancing, but we did cheer and appreciate the music as it was being played. He helped out later with our raffle that we had put on with lots of prizes.
There was also a bingo game held this evening, and it was fun, though I didn't win (dammit!). The silent auction went decent, I won some mini beer steins. However, I think the auction might be better suited for Mardi Gras.
The big thing for me though was to sit and catch up with some folks I have not seen for a while. A number of us have been busy lately with stuff going on in our own lives that we've missed seeing one another at services or other social events. So I always like it when I have the chance to sit with folks again.
Overall, a great party, I wonder what we're going to be up to next.
To start with, we had a bigger spread of food, there were potato pancakes, red cabbage, sauerkraut, bratwurst, bockwurst, pork tenderloin, German potato salad, onions and cabbage, pickles, and bread. I don't think there was anyone that was left unsatisfied this evening, and in fact most of the food was gone by the end of the event.
We hired a musician who regularly plays over at Blobs Park for entertainment. I didn't see much dancing, but we did cheer and appreciate the music as it was being played. He helped out later with our raffle that we had put on with lots of prizes.
There was also a bingo game held this evening, and it was fun, though I didn't win (dammit!). The silent auction went decent, I won some mini beer steins. However, I think the auction might be better suited for Mardi Gras.
The big thing for me though was to sit and catch up with some folks I have not seen for a while. A number of us have been busy lately with stuff going on in our own lives that we've missed seeing one another at services or other social events. So I always like it when I have the chance to sit with folks again.
Overall, a great party, I wonder what we're going to be up to next.
August 10, 2009
Sunday Spirituality, Dancing, and Dinner
For the first time in about five weeks, I went to church. No, it's not because I'm at odds with St. Georges, I just haven't been at home to attend. KS started a search of finding a church that was accepting of her, and she has found Grace Lutheran Church in Las Cruces. I was invited to go along, and since I had never been to a Lutheran service, I decided to check it out.
The nice thing about the Episcopal Church and the Lutheran church is that their services do follow a similar structure, so it is not like I was lost at where we were at during the service. I definitely noticed some subtle differences in worship style, but that could also be the way Grace Lutheran does things, and not necessarily the entire Lutheran Church. The sermon was definitely something worth listening to for a lot of people, a discussion about forgiveness. In summary, forgiving can mean trying to engage someone about the issue at hand, but forgiving does not mean forgetting. If there is someone who continually wrongs you, you can forgive them and learn not to engage with them again in a situation that will cause a wrong. It also means learning to let go of the residual anger behind the fact that you were wronged. If you can't do that, you haven't really forgiven the person.
After the service, I met with the priest and some of the other congregation members. Everyone seems very nice and made me feel welcome, sounds kind of familiar. I wonder if they're also the kind of people who will take care of one of their own when that person is down with illness or surgery ;-) Seriously, my dad reminded me earlier this week that his mother remarked that she was glad the people of St. Georges took care of me when I had my appendix out because that would not have happened at her church.
A few of us headed over to Break an Egg for Sunday brunch. The restaurant itself is different in that it is very movie themed. The inside lobby looks a bit like a theater box office area, and there are posters of various movies all over the place. There are TV screens playing a movie in the background (Thoroughly Modern Millie that morning), and some of the menu items are named after known movie jobs, such as The Director, The Producer, etc. The food itself was very good, though for some reason service was slow.
After brunch, KS and I headed over to the local mall to look at shoes to go with her dress for a wedding the following weekend. I had already seen the dress that morning, so I was serving as the "second opinion" for finding something comfortable for her to wear, and that could be used with other outfits in the future. We hit the payless and after looking at several pairs of shoes and sandals, we found some sandals that would look perfect for her dress and would totally rock with her tight jeans at the club.
We looked at a few cameras at Radio Shack and did some inquiries about finding some earrings to replace one that she had lost somewhere. I also met KS's cousin since we dropped in to chat at her workplace while it wasn't completely busy. I got to be filled in on some of the family drama that was going on, which believe me, if I didn't know any better, I could claim that KS and her family was Italian ;-)
We went home and watched a few episodes of stand up comedy while I napped for a bit. In the meantime I also got a call from my friend HT and made arrangements to do dinner at La Posta de Mesilla. Around 6 we headed over and met up at La Posta. If you're in Las Cruces, you should make a stop there. It's a famous place and you will see why once you've had the food. It was very good to see HT because I haven't seen her since I left for DC four years ago. Her family is doing well, and it was great to be able to catch up. KS enjoyed their company very much as well and they seemed to enjoy her. I would definitely like to get back over HT's way to see Silver City and how much it has changed because it is one thing to hear someone tell you what has changed, but it's another to actually see it.
After dinner KS brought me to the store and I went in and raided the green chile bin. Nine pounds of chiles later and I had restocked one of the main things I came for. Seriously, green chile is the one thing that I will not break my addiction to. Besides, how harmful can eating hot peppers be, they claim it's good for you in so many ways. We got back to the house and CO came over for a visit as well. We showed him Nurse Jackie, which KS got me hooked on over the weekend thanks to on-demand. I have so got to see if I can find the show somewhere online to watch. Besides that, Thor reminds me of someone I know, I just need to pull the clip and show it to them.
After watching some TV and getting laundry done, it was time for bed, since I had to be up early tomorrow to get myself to the airport and return home.
The nice thing about the Episcopal Church and the Lutheran church is that their services do follow a similar structure, so it is not like I was lost at where we were at during the service. I definitely noticed some subtle differences in worship style, but that could also be the way Grace Lutheran does things, and not necessarily the entire Lutheran Church. The sermon was definitely something worth listening to for a lot of people, a discussion about forgiveness. In summary, forgiving can mean trying to engage someone about the issue at hand, but forgiving does not mean forgetting. If there is someone who continually wrongs you, you can forgive them and learn not to engage with them again in a situation that will cause a wrong. It also means learning to let go of the residual anger behind the fact that you were wronged. If you can't do that, you haven't really forgiven the person.
After the service, I met with the priest and some of the other congregation members. Everyone seems very nice and made me feel welcome, sounds kind of familiar. I wonder if they're also the kind of people who will take care of one of their own when that person is down with illness or surgery ;-) Seriously, my dad reminded me earlier this week that his mother remarked that she was glad the people of St. Georges took care of me when I had my appendix out because that would not have happened at her church.
A few of us headed over to Break an Egg for Sunday brunch. The restaurant itself is different in that it is very movie themed. The inside lobby looks a bit like a theater box office area, and there are posters of various movies all over the place. There are TV screens playing a movie in the background (Thoroughly Modern Millie that morning), and some of the menu items are named after known movie jobs, such as The Director, The Producer, etc. The food itself was very good, though for some reason service was slow.
After brunch, KS and I headed over to the local mall to look at shoes to go with her dress for a wedding the following weekend. I had already seen the dress that morning, so I was serving as the "second opinion" for finding something comfortable for her to wear, and that could be used with other outfits in the future. We hit the payless and after looking at several pairs of shoes and sandals, we found some sandals that would look perfect for her dress and would totally rock with her tight jeans at the club.
We looked at a few cameras at Radio Shack and did some inquiries about finding some earrings to replace one that she had lost somewhere. I also met KS's cousin since we dropped in to chat at her workplace while it wasn't completely busy. I got to be filled in on some of the family drama that was going on, which believe me, if I didn't know any better, I could claim that KS and her family was Italian ;-)
We went home and watched a few episodes of stand up comedy while I napped for a bit. In the meantime I also got a call from my friend HT and made arrangements to do dinner at La Posta de Mesilla. Around 6 we headed over and met up at La Posta. If you're in Las Cruces, you should make a stop there. It's a famous place and you will see why once you've had the food. It was very good to see HT because I haven't seen her since I left for DC four years ago. Her family is doing well, and it was great to be able to catch up. KS enjoyed their company very much as well and they seemed to enjoy her. I would definitely like to get back over HT's way to see Silver City and how much it has changed because it is one thing to hear someone tell you what has changed, but it's another to actually see it.
After dinner KS brought me to the store and I went in and raided the green chile bin. Nine pounds of chiles later and I had restocked one of the main things I came for. Seriously, green chile is the one thing that I will not break my addiction to. Besides, how harmful can eating hot peppers be, they claim it's good for you in so many ways. We got back to the house and CO came over for a visit as well. We showed him Nurse Jackie, which KS got me hooked on over the weekend thanks to on-demand. I have so got to see if I can find the show somewhere online to watch. Besides that, Thor reminds me of someone I know, I just need to pull the clip and show it to them.
After watching some TV and getting laundry done, it was time for bed, since I had to be up early tomorrow to get myself to the airport and return home.
June 11, 2009
Bishop Chane's Statement on the Holocaust Museum Shooting
Bishop John Bryson Chane of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington released the following statement on the fatal shooting yesterday at the U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum:
The Christian Church bears a special responsibility for the scourge of anti-Semitism. And while it is true that James von Brunn, the alleged murderer who opened fire in the museum is not sympathetic to our faith, Christians must nonetheless acknowledge the shameful role our Church has played in developing this hateful ideology down through the centuries, and work always for mutual understanding, for reconciliation and for peace.
Stephen Tyrone Johns, the steadfast security guard who died at the museum, laid down his life to protect visitors to that sacred space. I ask that all of our churches commemorate his heroic self-sacrifice by including a special prayer for Mr. Johns, his family and friends in their Eucharistic celebrations this Sunday.
I extend my deepest sympathies to the Jewish community here in the nation’s capitol and beyond. They have witnessed an act of murderous anti-Semitic violence in a place dedicated to ending such violence and honoring its millions of victims. I can only imagine the pain this incident will cause Holocaust survivors, their descendants and their friends, and the fear, anxiety and profound frustration it must provoke in members of the Jewish faith who must live with the knowledge that ancient hatreds survive in our modern world.
Let each of us through prayer, acts of kindness and demonstrations of solidarity do what is in our power to help heal the wounds opened by this murderous act.
May 12, 2009
Weekend Update
After spending Friday night tagging items for my churchs yard sale, I was back Saturday morning to lend a hand. It went very well for us, I ended up being surprised at how much stuff had already been sold in the first half hour of the sale before I got there. The only snag we ran into was that we didn't have our supplies to sell hotdogs, oh well, next yard sale.
I drove up to Baltimore to meet up with DB and RB to watch the final rugby game of the season with Chesapeake. The team did well enough to win both games against the NYC club they were facing. DB and I got to do some catching up while RB took pictures of the game. Unfortunately thanks to all the rain and the port a potties that had not been cleaned out the week before, the field had some funk going on. I hope by now that Don's Johns have shown up and taken care of them, blech.
After the games we went over to Mums and had some Boh with the teams before heading back to DB and RB's place. They had plans that evening to meet up with a friend so I headed off for home, and that is where things went to hell. I was getting onto MLK Jr. Blvd when traffic basically came to a dead stop. There was a wreck at the intersection with Baltimore St. Fine, okay, yeah, it happens, but oh no, we weren't done yet. Two intersections down at Lombard St. was another wreck, and that one was bad enough to close two of the three lanes. It took me half an hour to get through it because there was no place to detour. By the time I got through there and out of Baltimore, I was good and pissed off, vowing that if I was going anywhere that evening, it would be either by someone picking me up, or by Metro. I ended up chilling out at home that evening since some potential plans fell through.
Sunday I got up and went for an early morning run. I need to start doing more cardio exercise because I can tell I am starting to get out of shape otherwise. I went to church and had one of the shared worship services with St James. One of these days I need to explain this whole deal with St James right now. After church I used my time to tackle some housework that had been neglected, including vacuuming, dusting, and mopping. I picked up a steam mop recently to help with keeping the floor clean, it is easier than dealing with a mop at times.
Hung out with some buds in the evening and ended up watching Any Dream Will Do on BBC America. I hate to admit it but I actually liked the show. What was really attractive about it was that the judges who give their critiques actually have been working with the contestants during the week, so you will often hear them talk about how this person did one thing during practice when working with them, but then they didn't hear it during the performance. We'll see what happens with this show, but it's not like I'll know because I am still giving Comcast the middle finger.
February 23, 2009
Mardi Gras
Saturday night was my church's Mardi Gras party. It's one of our big fundraising events and it is a lot of fun since there's dinner, drinks, music, and a silent auction as well. People donate items or services to the auction and you never know just what you may find from year to year. Two years ago I took home a basket of kitchen type items, including candles placemats, which I still use today. Last year it was a fondue set, which I have been bad about using, but that may change shortly in the future.
This year, especially after getting TB excited about going to Mardi Gras with me, we both worked on building baskets of items for the silent auction. We decided to create baskets of items where people could give themselves an at-home spa day, the thought being that since the economy is down and folks don't want to spend the dough on going to the spa, they still want to be able to pamper themselves. So running with that idea, we started looking at items and throwing ideas back and forth, and ultimately we came up with two baskets, one for a couple, and the other for a "single" person. I put single in quotes because it was designed for one person, not for someone who is single.
Ultimately the baskets we came up with turned out very nicely. For the couple, there were two towels, a manicure kit, a facial mask, cucumber mint candles in holders, port wine, two wine glasses, Godiva chocolates, and massage oil. The single basket got one towel, one wine glass, the manicure kit, a sea salt and eucalyptus body scrub, a sugar cookie candle with a marble holder, a slightly smaller box of Godiva chocolates, body lotion, and a bottle of port wine as well. One could definitely spoil themselves for the day with this stuff.
In the afternoon, TB and I went down to the church to help decorate and set up for the party, and we brought along a friend of his, BB to help as well since he had the weekend off. Setup was fairly easy since there were other folks there as well, plus a few of them had wanted to meet TB anyway. I helped get some decorations up, got the stereo hooked up for music, and then helped finish blowing up balloons for the tables before all was said and done. TB and I then headed home to change into our costumes for the festivities in the evenings.
In true Mardi Gras fashion, we both had masks for the event. TB had a green man mask that he wore along with a shirt that matched in a similar pattern. I wore the dragon shirt my parents gave me along with a tiger mask. They definitely were noticed at the party :-) We all mingled for a while before having dinner. Dinner consisted of a buffet of bruschetta, jambalaya, fried fish, stuffed mushrooms, and salad, along with soda and wine for drinks. For dessert there was bread pudding with rum sauce.
After dinner we mingled out in the hall and bid on items for the silent auction. I shamelessly promoted our baskets in between looking over and making a few bids on some things I wanted. As tables started closing out, that's when things got exciting for a few items that people were hovering over. A bidding war started for the cider, a week vacation at a house in Maine, some jewelry, and the couples spa basket. It was fun to watch and see just what people went crazy over. When the night was over, I walked away with a beaded nametag necklace, a bin of Super Nintendo games, and a basket which had the theme of the stained glass at the National Cathedral. TB walked away with a homemade prayer shawl for his aunt.
Besides the auction, there was the mingling as well, especially to see some of the folks I had not seen in a while. Everyone seemed to like TB, which was a plus as well considering that some he had met before from attending service, but others were meeting him for the first time. He and BB hit if off well with one of our members to where there's talk of getting together for a wine party or even a game night with a few of the other church folk as well. I'd say they like him ;-)
Finally the festivities were done, we all stayed to help clean up before going home. Now to just plot for next year's silent auction, we have ideas already *evil laughter*
February 03, 2009
Lobby Day
Yesterday I traveled to Annapolis to participate in Equality Maryland's lobby day. This is my fourth year of talking to my state reps about why all same-sex couples should have the same rights and privileges that heterosexual couples have. I'll be frank, I was resistant to the idea of going again because it felt like it was going to be the same old song and dance that I have been hearing at both the rally and from my elected reps. However, my attitude would change as the night went on.
The one thing that did get me to go this year was the fact that the speaker at the rally was going to be openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson. I had always wanted the chance to meet him. Also since my church was organizing to attend lobby day, I felt I should go. Thing is, I am glad to see when my church does go because members from all walks of life go; all of them being supportive of the idea of equal rights for all. I am always impressed to see the folks who do go. As a bonus, my priest also came along and it turns out that she now lives in my legislative district.
We met at church and carpooled down to Annapolis. I was one of the drivers as well. We took the shuttle down to the State House and met at the Lawyers Mall where the rally was to begin. Bishop Robinson eventually arrived and he actually came over to us because he knows Connie! We got to meet him, shake his hand, and a few pictures of us with the Bishop were taken as well. I'll post them when I get a copy.
The rally started and we heard from the various speakers, including the Bishop. He had an excellent speech about how far we have come, but there is still work to be done. Along with that he says that we should take the Bible back because our stories are in there. We have had similar experiences that the people have faced in the old and new testament, and for far too long, there have been people who have used it to spread a narrow minded view of how people should be. It was a most excellent speech.
After the rally we went and met with our state reps, and it was a very good meeting. My reps, instead of being more non-committal about the bills to provide equal rights and protections for same-sex couples, transgendered people, and same-sex parents, they actually said that if the bills make it out of committee and to the floor, they will get behind them. Thank god, we finally have more of an answer out of them! Now to start working on the committee members so they will consider the bill and bring them to the floor.
After the meeting we went to dinner. My $10 a month that I spend for Verizon Navigator came in handy because I was able to search for the restaurant we wanted and get walking directions right over there. My group definitely loved me for that. We went to the Rams Head Tavern and enjoyed a nice warm dinner by the fire, which was needed after our bit of time standing out in the cold.
So overall, it actually ended up being a good lobby day. This time around though I am going to work to continue the dialogue that has been started with my reps and try to start dialogue with other state reps now. It can't hurt to try.
November 07, 2008
Italian Dinner - Sunday November 9
Want an easy Sunday dinner with the chance to meet folks from in and around the area?
St Georges Episcopal Church is holding an Italian Dinner on Sunday, November 9, from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Come, enjoy some food, meet fun people, listen to music, and have a good time before the work-week grind starts up again. If you aren't able to stop by for long, take-out orders are accepted :-)
Menu:
Spaghetti (with or without marinara sauce)
Meatballs
Lasagna
Vegetarian Lasagna
Salad
Bread
Italian Desserts
Water, Coffee, Soft Drinks, Wine
Price:
$10 for adults between 12 and 62, $5 for children under 12 and adults over 62.
So if you're interested, give St Georges a call at 301-262-3285 so that they have an idea how many people are coming, or if you decide later on, stop by, they are located at 7010 Glenn Dale Road, Glenn Dale, MD 20769, which is at the corner of 193 and 564.
Hope to see you there!
St Georges Episcopal Church is holding an Italian Dinner on Sunday, November 9, from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Come, enjoy some food, meet fun people, listen to music, and have a good time before the work-week grind starts up again. If you aren't able to stop by for long, take-out orders are accepted :-)
Menu:
Spaghetti (with or without marinara sauce)
Meatballs
Lasagna
Vegetarian Lasagna
Salad
Bread
Italian Desserts
Water, Coffee, Soft Drinks, Wine
Price:
$10 for adults between 12 and 62, $5 for children under 12 and adults over 62.
So if you're interested, give St Georges a call at 301-262-3285 so that they have an idea how many people are coming, or if you decide later on, stop by, they are located at 7010 Glenn Dale Road, Glenn Dale, MD 20769, which is at the corner of 193 and 564.
Hope to see you there!
July 16, 2008
Chicken BBQ - Sunday July 20
Want something quick and easy for lunch this Sunday that will be beneficial to the local arts community?
St Georges Episcopal Church (7010 Glenn Dale Road, Glenn Dale, MD 20769) is holding a Chicken BBQ lunch from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Sunday July 20. The menu is a 1/4 chicken in special New York State Fair marinade, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, corn bread; dessert; iced tea, lemonade, or bottled water. A vegetarian menu includes vegan sausage, instead of chicken (I believe this is all served buffet style).
Prices are $15.00 for adults, $7.50 for kids and seniors. All proceeds go to the St Georges players to pay for the production of Children of Eden, which will be performed on August 22, 23, and 24, so mark your calendars for that as well.
If you're interested, call the church office at 301-262-3285 for more information and to let them know if you're coming. This is to make sure we have enough for everyone :-) I will be there this weekend to help out with the lunch, so I hope to see you there.
St Georges Episcopal Church (7010 Glenn Dale Road, Glenn Dale, MD 20769) is holding a Chicken BBQ lunch from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Sunday July 20. The menu is a 1/4 chicken in special New York State Fair marinade, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, corn bread; dessert; iced tea, lemonade, or bottled water. A vegetarian menu includes vegan sausage, instead of chicken (I believe this is all served buffet style).
Prices are $15.00 for adults, $7.50 for kids and seniors. All proceeds go to the St Georges players to pay for the production of Children of Eden, which will be performed on August 22, 23, and 24, so mark your calendars for that as well.
If you're interested, call the church office at 301-262-3285 for more information and to let them know if you're coming. This is to make sure we have enough for everyone :-) I will be there this weekend to help out with the lunch, so I hope to see you there.
June 16, 2008
Pride Parade 2008
For the second year my church participated in the Capital Pride parade, and this year ended up being a parade to remember.
I have been the one to help coordinate our involvement with the parade, so I went to some of the parade meetings, and I was the one who got information to our members. We had about 20 folks show up from St. Georges to participate in the parade, so it was a good turn-out on our end. Along with that, we had three other Episcopal churches participate with us, and the Bishop of Washington DC as well. It's nice when your church leadership has an open mind :-)
So I went to Dupont Circle to wait for some of the members to arrive via Metro, which as I would learn was a total clusterfuck on Saturday due to track problems (again!). One person did call and cancel because of how bad it was.
I'm sitting there and I eventually get a phone call, it turns out our group managed to all meet on the same train, but they went up the wrong end of the Dupont Circle station, so they found their way to St. Thomas already. I went over and met them and grabbed some food while talking with other folks from around DC. Eventually we went inside due to impending rain, and to also help make a banner for St. Georges, since our usual one had been destroyed during a thunderstorm the week before. We got the banner made, and I had my sign made as well. At the 2005 Capital Pride Parade I saw a UCC minister who carried a sign that said "Don't believe the lie, God does love you." That is something that has always stuck with me, so I have carried a sign saying that for the last two years, and it is one that is always a hit with the audience. There were a number of folks who took pictures with their cameras of it, including media folks, so perhaps it will hit the Blade or the Metro Weekly next week.
Anyway, so I headed over to the parade site with our vehicle drivers so that we could get lined up. As we got there, it turned out that one of the larger floats screwed up and went up the wrong street, so they were now blocking the entire street and no one could get through. So I stepped out to go check us in, and then get people to move out of the way (thank you Capital Pride credentials) so that the truck could pass through and then everyone else could line up. We got lined up, decorated the truck, and then waited for the parade to start. While we were waiting, the clouds started to build up again.
Right as our group was beginning to walk, they opened up. For the first time in about 10 years or so, the Capital Pride Parade was getting rained on.
We didn't care, we kept walking anyway, either with raincoats on, or under umbrellas. I walked along carrying the sign, taking some pictures, throwing a goodie or two, and spraying silly string. I saw JH briefly as he was patrolling the parade as well, and he came up and said hi to us, he seems to have freaked out Connie a bit, I don't think she had recognized him at first.
I did almost get run over at one point, a media person stopped and was recording our banner and my sign when the truck behind me bumped into me. It wasn't hard enough to make me fall, but I did bend backwards a bit, luckily there was no damage.
Despite the rain, it was still a fun experience. JH tells me about how much he enjoys going up onto the stage at the end of the festival to be thanked by all of the audience, and it's worth it to see the number of people out there. Well I love to be in the parade because I get to see all of these supportive folks out there watching and cheering us on. It's totally worth seeing.
I definitely want to be in the parade again next year, and I know St. Georges is planning on it.
I have been the one to help coordinate our involvement with the parade, so I went to some of the parade meetings, and I was the one who got information to our members. We had about 20 folks show up from St. Georges to participate in the parade, so it was a good turn-out on our end. Along with that, we had three other Episcopal churches participate with us, and the Bishop of Washington DC as well. It's nice when your church leadership has an open mind :-)
So I went to Dupont Circle to wait for some of the members to arrive via Metro, which as I would learn was a total clusterfuck on Saturday due to track problems (again!). One person did call and cancel because of how bad it was.
I'm sitting there and I eventually get a phone call, it turns out our group managed to all meet on the same train, but they went up the wrong end of the Dupont Circle station, so they found their way to St. Thomas already. I went over and met them and grabbed some food while talking with other folks from around DC. Eventually we went inside due to impending rain, and to also help make a banner for St. Georges, since our usual one had been destroyed during a thunderstorm the week before. We got the banner made, and I had my sign made as well. At the 2005 Capital Pride Parade I saw a UCC minister who carried a sign that said "Don't believe the lie, God does love you." That is something that has always stuck with me, so I have carried a sign saying that for the last two years, and it is one that is always a hit with the audience. There were a number of folks who took pictures with their cameras of it, including media folks, so perhaps it will hit the Blade or the Metro Weekly next week.
Anyway, so I headed over to the parade site with our vehicle drivers so that we could get lined up. As we got there, it turned out that one of the larger floats screwed up and went up the wrong street, so they were now blocking the entire street and no one could get through. So I stepped out to go check us in, and then get people to move out of the way (thank you Capital Pride credentials) so that the truck could pass through and then everyone else could line up. We got lined up, decorated the truck, and then waited for the parade to start. While we were waiting, the clouds started to build up again.
Right as our group was beginning to walk, they opened up. For the first time in about 10 years or so, the Capital Pride Parade was getting rained on.
We didn't care, we kept walking anyway, either with raincoats on, or under umbrellas. I walked along carrying the sign, taking some pictures, throwing a goodie or two, and spraying silly string. I saw JH briefly as he was patrolling the parade as well, and he came up and said hi to us, he seems to have freaked out Connie a bit, I don't think she had recognized him at first.
I did almost get run over at one point, a media person stopped and was recording our banner and my sign when the truck behind me bumped into me. It wasn't hard enough to make me fall, but I did bend backwards a bit, luckily there was no damage.
Despite the rain, it was still a fun experience. JH tells me about how much he enjoys going up onto the stage at the end of the festival to be thanked by all of the audience, and it's worth it to see the number of people out there. Well I love to be in the parade because I get to see all of these supportive folks out there watching and cheering us on. It's totally worth seeing.
I definitely want to be in the parade again next year, and I know St. Georges is planning on it.
May 18, 2008
A Great Saturday
Yesterday had to be one of the best Saturdays I ever had.
My day started off with heading down to the National Cathedral to watch a few friends of mine get confirmed or received as Episcopalians. Earlier in the week Connie had called me because the diocese was looking for someone from St. Georges to read one of the lessons. I jumped at the chance because I considered it an honor.
So I got there and went through the procession, when it came to my turn to read I got up there and did the reading with no sweat. As one of my friends would later remark, I made it look like I was unfazed by the fact that I was reading in front of well over a thousand people. To tell you the truth, I didn't really think about that, I have no problem with getting up in front of folks to do any sort of presentation or speech.
So my friends were confirmed, and like last year, it reminds me of why I like going to St. Georges, we are a very supportive bunch. When I was confirmed last year, I pretty much thought I was going to be alone except for the other confirmands when receiving the blessing because I didn't have family with me (I made a royal screwup and forgot to tell a nearby relative I was going *head down in shame*) and yet some of the other members came up there and were with me as I received the blessing. That's why I like being around them, they're true friends.
After the service, I went out with a few folks to the Buca di Beppo in Dupont Circle and we enjoyed some great Italian food. One of the funniest moments of the day came when we were telling some people about where it was located so that we could find our way down and this woman says "Oh isn't that by the Royal Palace strip club?" I died laughing because she was the last person I ever expected to say something like that; her husband got a kick out of it as well.
Anyway, so after all that, I raced home, grabbed some clothes, and then headed up to Pasadena to meet JH so we could go watch the Orioles take on the Nats. The seats were pretty good, we had outfield bleacher seats that night so we were in prime home run ball territory. Unfortunately no home runs came our way.
The Orioles won 6-5, but we almost thought there was going to be a loss after the events of the 8th inning. We were leading 6-2 and then the pitching just fell apart for a while there so it ended up being bases loaded and stuck at 2 outs so suddenly it was 6-5. Thankfully they brought our Sherill, and he struck out the next batter to end the inning and eventually end the game in the 9th.
After that, JH and I went and had a drink at the Hippo, which enabled me to continue a discussion I had been having with my friend Dan about why the Baltimore gay scene is better than DC's. In this case, it would have to do with beer. WTF is this world coming to when you can't find Guinness or even Yuengling in many of the gay bars in DC? Not only did the Hippo have Guinness, they had it on draft, bitches.
Anyway, so after that it was time to head home, except that a run to the Rite Aid had to be made because the potential sinus infection that I was fighting decided to rear it's ugly head and basically put me in pain from my forehead down to the top of my jaw. Poor JH, he had to put up with me being a bit bitchy for a while there. At least after I got my hands on the sinus headache medicine, I slept pretty well that night.
So it was a very good day yesterday and I hope to have many more like it, minus the sinus crap ;-)
My day started off with heading down to the National Cathedral to watch a few friends of mine get confirmed or received as Episcopalians. Earlier in the week Connie had called me because the diocese was looking for someone from St. Georges to read one of the lessons. I jumped at the chance because I considered it an honor.
So I got there and went through the procession, when it came to my turn to read I got up there and did the reading with no sweat. As one of my friends would later remark, I made it look like I was unfazed by the fact that I was reading in front of well over a thousand people. To tell you the truth, I didn't really think about that, I have no problem with getting up in front of folks to do any sort of presentation or speech.
So my friends were confirmed, and like last year, it reminds me of why I like going to St. Georges, we are a very supportive bunch. When I was confirmed last year, I pretty much thought I was going to be alone except for the other confirmands when receiving the blessing because I didn't have family with me (I made a royal screwup and forgot to tell a nearby relative I was going *head down in shame*) and yet some of the other members came up there and were with me as I received the blessing. That's why I like being around them, they're true friends.
After the service, I went out with a few folks to the Buca di Beppo in Dupont Circle and we enjoyed some great Italian food. One of the funniest moments of the day came when we were telling some people about where it was located so that we could find our way down and this woman says "Oh isn't that by the Royal Palace strip club?" I died laughing because she was the last person I ever expected to say something like that; her husband got a kick out of it as well.
Anyway, so after all that, I raced home, grabbed some clothes, and then headed up to Pasadena to meet JH so we could go watch the Orioles take on the Nats. The seats were pretty good, we had outfield bleacher seats that night so we were in prime home run ball territory. Unfortunately no home runs came our way.
The Orioles won 6-5, but we almost thought there was going to be a loss after the events of the 8th inning. We were leading 6-2 and then the pitching just fell apart for a while there so it ended up being bases loaded and stuck at 2 outs so suddenly it was 6-5. Thankfully they brought our Sherill, and he struck out the next batter to end the inning and eventually end the game in the 9th.
After that, JH and I went and had a drink at the Hippo, which enabled me to continue a discussion I had been having with my friend Dan about why the Baltimore gay scene is better than DC's. In this case, it would have to do with beer. WTF is this world coming to when you can't find Guinness or even Yuengling in many of the gay bars in DC? Not only did the Hippo have Guinness, they had it on draft, bitches.
Anyway, so after that it was time to head home, except that a run to the Rite Aid had to be made because the potential sinus infection that I was fighting decided to rear it's ugly head and basically put me in pain from my forehead down to the top of my jaw. Poor JH, he had to put up with me being a bit bitchy for a while there. At least after I got my hands on the sinus headache medicine, I slept pretty well that night.
So it was a very good day yesterday and I hope to have many more like it, minus the sinus crap ;-)
February 06, 2008
Lenten Stuff
So in case you didn't notice, it was Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday, which means Ash Wednesday is right around the corner. Now it's time for Lent to start once again.
JH surprised me the other night by asking about going to the Ash Wednesday service. This was after a conversation over the weekend about how much does he have to participate in church in order for me to be happy. The answer? He does not have to go to any services or events if he does not want to, but I do expect that I will be supported in my choice to go to church and church-related activities. That means no grief given to me about the time I take to go (unless it becomes obsessive) and no bitching to others about the fact that I am going. For my part, I don't apply any pressure to JH to go with me, I will invite him to major social events held at church, and I will not take it personally if he declines. If he's an E&C (Easter and Christmas) Episcopalian, that's okay by me. So it's still a little shocking at times when he actually asks to go with me to the Ash Wednesday service when I haven't even asked if he was interested.
As for Lent, of course what everyone hears about is what is being given up for Lent, but there's more to it. I used the time last year to do a lot of reflection on the gospels and where things were going with me, especially since I was in confirmation class at the time. I bitched yesterday about falling off the path in my journey to being healthier physically, so I am going to use the time to develop some healthier habits. I will be avoiding any sort of fried foods, which includes nearly all fast foods (not that I should be eating that anyway) and I won't drink any soda either. This won't bother me so much, I'm moving towards baking and grilling things more anyway, the only thing I'll miss is making grilled cheese, but I'll live ;-)
JH plans on laying off any fast food as well, but to keep from screwing himself out of something that's decently healthy such as Chipotle, he won't go to any place that has a drive-thru. Good for him for deciding to do this.
JH surprised me the other night by asking about going to the Ash Wednesday service. This was after a conversation over the weekend about how much does he have to participate in church in order for me to be happy. The answer? He does not have to go to any services or events if he does not want to, but I do expect that I will be supported in my choice to go to church and church-related activities. That means no grief given to me about the time I take to go (unless it becomes obsessive) and no bitching to others about the fact that I am going. For my part, I don't apply any pressure to JH to go with me, I will invite him to major social events held at church, and I will not take it personally if he declines. If he's an E&C (Easter and Christmas) Episcopalian, that's okay by me. So it's still a little shocking at times when he actually asks to go with me to the Ash Wednesday service when I haven't even asked if he was interested.
As for Lent, of course what everyone hears about is what is being given up for Lent, but there's more to it. I used the time last year to do a lot of reflection on the gospels and where things were going with me, especially since I was in confirmation class at the time. I bitched yesterday about falling off the path in my journey to being healthier physically, so I am going to use the time to develop some healthier habits. I will be avoiding any sort of fried foods, which includes nearly all fast foods (not that I should be eating that anyway) and I won't drink any soda either. This won't bother me so much, I'm moving towards baking and grilling things more anyway, the only thing I'll miss is making grilled cheese, but I'll live ;-)
JH plans on laying off any fast food as well, but to keep from screwing himself out of something that's decently healthy such as Chipotle, he won't go to any place that has a drive-thru. Good for him for deciding to do this.
February 03, 2008
What A Weekend
It has been a rather busy weekend, but as usual it was fun.
Friday night JH picked me up from work to head up to Harrisburg, PA to visit his friend Doug and meet his new boy. Since it was late enough in the day, we stopped off at Anns Dari-Creme for dinner, home of the infamous double dog. The food there is so bad for you, but it's oh so good. The last time I was there, I had their cheeseburger sub, this time it was the double-dog for me. If you ask for everything on it like I do, it comes with chili, relish, onions, and mustard. Yum! Of course I had to have a shake as well, this time it was an orange shake, which tasted like a creamsicle. Oh so good.
We got up to Harrisburg and met with everyone and hit a few bars for some drinks and conversation. Eventually we crashed on the sofabed at Doug's house. Apparently I steal blankets during the night. Of course, being asleep, I never notice I'm doing that. But I digress. We got up in the morning and after breakfast headed out towards Baltimore. We made a side trip to Hershey Park to see some of the coasters in the daylight since the last time I was there, it was dark. We made record time back to Greenbelt and headed to a late brunch thrown by some folks I knew in the community. A friend of mine who had moved to Vermont was back for the weekend, hence why there was the late brunch. We were around for a bit talking and catching up before heading back.
JH and I had a power nap before getting up and going to my church's Mardi Gras celebration. It was awesome in that there were lots of people there to chat with, and the food was great. It was your usual southern fare, hush puppies, succotash, tilapia, and of course, jambalaya. Along with the dinner and other fun, there is also a silent auction of various items such as baskets of goodies, bottles of wine, and even trips out of town. I ended up winning a fondue set basket. It came with an electric fondue pot, marshmallows, bread, chocolate chips, and a big fondue recipe book. JH and I are going to have a lot of fun with this, and it gives me an excuse to throw another party. As if I needed one of those anyway.
After the party we went out to PW's Place and had some drinks. I ran into another couple I knew, Tim and Chris, so they got to meet JH as well. Eventually we headed back home since I had to be up the next morning for church. The service was good and it was our annual meeting afterwards, so we elected a new Vestry and heard some reports.
I got home and did some laundry, and since it was such a gorgeous day, I hauled out the bike and went on a 4 mile run around the neighborhood. I can't wait for the warmer weather to come just so I can ride more often.
JH came over and we headed over to Dan and Rob's house for their Superbowl party. Can you believe what happened in the 4th quarter?! WTF?! Otherwise it was a good time of watching the game and enjoying Swedish Meatballs. I should also thank Dan and Rob for having Cheeto's there because I had been craving those lately, so I was able to indulge that craving as well :-)
Now I'm just chilling here at home, after blogging this it's definitely time for a shower and bed.
Friday night JH picked me up from work to head up to Harrisburg, PA to visit his friend Doug and meet his new boy. Since it was late enough in the day, we stopped off at Anns Dari-Creme for dinner, home of the infamous double dog. The food there is so bad for you, but it's oh so good. The last time I was there, I had their cheeseburger sub, this time it was the double-dog for me. If you ask for everything on it like I do, it comes with chili, relish, onions, and mustard. Yum! Of course I had to have a shake as well, this time it was an orange shake, which tasted like a creamsicle. Oh so good.
We got up to Harrisburg and met with everyone and hit a few bars for some drinks and conversation. Eventually we crashed on the sofabed at Doug's house. Apparently I steal blankets during the night. Of course, being asleep, I never notice I'm doing that. But I digress. We got up in the morning and after breakfast headed out towards Baltimore. We made a side trip to Hershey Park to see some of the coasters in the daylight since the last time I was there, it was dark. We made record time back to Greenbelt and headed to a late brunch thrown by some folks I knew in the community. A friend of mine who had moved to Vermont was back for the weekend, hence why there was the late brunch. We were around for a bit talking and catching up before heading back.
JH and I had a power nap before getting up and going to my church's Mardi Gras celebration. It was awesome in that there were lots of people there to chat with, and the food was great. It was your usual southern fare, hush puppies, succotash, tilapia, and of course, jambalaya. Along with the dinner and other fun, there is also a silent auction of various items such as baskets of goodies, bottles of wine, and even trips out of town. I ended up winning a fondue set basket. It came with an electric fondue pot, marshmallows, bread, chocolate chips, and a big fondue recipe book. JH and I are going to have a lot of fun with this, and it gives me an excuse to throw another party. As if I needed one of those anyway.
After the party we went out to PW's Place and had some drinks. I ran into another couple I knew, Tim and Chris, so they got to meet JH as well. Eventually we headed back home since I had to be up the next morning for church. The service was good and it was our annual meeting afterwards, so we elected a new Vestry and heard some reports.
I got home and did some laundry, and since it was such a gorgeous day, I hauled out the bike and went on a 4 mile run around the neighborhood. I can't wait for the warmer weather to come just so I can ride more often.
JH came over and we headed over to Dan and Rob's house for their Superbowl party. Can you believe what happened in the 4th quarter?! WTF?! Otherwise it was a good time of watching the game and enjoying Swedish Meatballs. I should also thank Dan and Rob for having Cheeto's there because I had been craving those lately, so I was able to indulge that craving as well :-)
Now I'm just chilling here at home, after blogging this it's definitely time for a shower and bed.
December 29, 2007
Can I Go With You?
Now that was a question that caught me off-guard Sunday night. JH describes in his own blog that my jaw hit the floor and I had trouble picking it back up, and he's not far off in that description.
The reason for this question was because JH asked if he could go with me to the Christmas service at St. Georges. I was expecting to go by myself, namely because I have been going by myself to church for the last year and a half. I also knew that JH describes himself as an atheist, he was raised Catholic, but he is not into going to church. I should know that quite well as I didn't go to church much for about 12 years, part of that being that there are no Unitarian Universalist churches in Hellhole, AZ, and when I could start going again, I just didn't get back into being a UU, but now I'm an Episcopalian. It's something I find I enjoy for a number of reasons. I'm also not one to force my views on others, in fact, I like discussing other people's religions just so I can get a different perspective and see what's similar and what's different. So I had just figured I was going on my own and that JH was going to be with his family anyway.
The other reason for the jaw-drop? JH is the first boyfriend who has actually expressed an interest in the fact that I go to church. I had thought the only way I was going to find a man that would care about me going to church would be if I started dating a fellow churchgoer. Mike did everything he could to avoid going anywhere near the place, and Joshua is Jewish so that would be really offensive for me to ask him to go. JH considers it a non-negotiable with me, it's important enough that I'm going to go, with or without him. Even if he did not ask to go, or decided he doesn't want to go again, I wouldn't hold it against him. I believe everyone has their own path when it comes to spirituality. What I will not put up with again from anyone is if I ask them to go and they say "Yeah, sure, I'll go" and then the day of service, or of a social event at St. Georges arrives and suddenly it's "Oh I don't feel like going" or "I'm too tired." It's a cop-out, and it's bullshit.
Anyway, so I'm glad JH came with me because I think it gave him a good idea on why I like going, because it's not like anyone is waking me up and making me go on Sunday mornings. Hell, I still like to sleep in once in a while :-)
The reason for this question was because JH asked if he could go with me to the Christmas service at St. Georges. I was expecting to go by myself, namely because I have been going by myself to church for the last year and a half. I also knew that JH describes himself as an atheist, he was raised Catholic, but he is not into going to church. I should know that quite well as I didn't go to church much for about 12 years, part of that being that there are no Unitarian Universalist churches in Hellhole, AZ, and when I could start going again, I just didn't get back into being a UU, but now I'm an Episcopalian. It's something I find I enjoy for a number of reasons. I'm also not one to force my views on others, in fact, I like discussing other people's religions just so I can get a different perspective and see what's similar and what's different. So I had just figured I was going on my own and that JH was going to be with his family anyway.
The other reason for the jaw-drop? JH is the first boyfriend who has actually expressed an interest in the fact that I go to church. I had thought the only way I was going to find a man that would care about me going to church would be if I started dating a fellow churchgoer. Mike did everything he could to avoid going anywhere near the place, and Joshua is Jewish so that would be really offensive for me to ask him to go. JH considers it a non-negotiable with me, it's important enough that I'm going to go, with or without him. Even if he did not ask to go, or decided he doesn't want to go again, I wouldn't hold it against him. I believe everyone has their own path when it comes to spirituality. What I will not put up with again from anyone is if I ask them to go and they say "Yeah, sure, I'll go" and then the day of service, or of a social event at St. Georges arrives and suddenly it's "Oh I don't feel like going" or "I'm too tired." It's a cop-out, and it's bullshit.
Anyway, so I'm glad JH came with me because I think it gave him a good idea on why I like going, because it's not like anyone is waking me up and making me go on Sunday mornings. Hell, I still like to sleep in once in a while :-)
December 28, 2007
Where Have the Days Gone?
I think this blog is an inverse reflection of how things go in my life. If things are going well, I tend to be busier and I have longer time gaps between postings, if things are not going so well, I have more posts.
Then again, you look at the content and know that this rule falls apart based on what I talk about.
Anyway, this past Christmas was the first Christmas that I did not spend with my immediate family, nor with the family of a boyfriend, so things were different, but they were also the same in a lot of ways.
It all starts on the 23rd, my cousin Josie has her son and his family over for Christmas dinner, and as I experienced later, her daughters and their families showed up as well. So there's about four generations of folks there, fourteen people in all at this one-bedroom condo in Hyattsville. It was chaotic, but it was an organized chaos, especially since the little ones do know how to behave. Dinner was good, the usual kind of "Christmas" dinner (we were holding this early since her son and his wife had to work on Christmas day and they live up in Hagerstown) with ham, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and such. Most of the afternoon would be spent watching the Redskins and Vikings play.
Late Sunday afternoon I headed back home to Greenbelt and was picked up by JH to head up to Hershey, PA to visit one of his friends. We got to Hershey and talked for a bit before hitting Red Robin for dinner. Since the park was right there, we headed over to see the Christmas lights on display at Hershey park. First we started out with a ride inside their "Chocolate World" building that detailed how Hershey makes their chocolate, complete with singing animatronic (sp?) cows! It was so freaking cheesey, but cute.
We walked through the park and looked at Christmas lights, along with taking in a few rides and seeing reindeer. I'm still trying to figure out how donner became donder according to their signs, maybe it's an old-fashioned spelling that I am not aware of. It was fun, and now I have a preview of what the park will be like when I go there next summer to actually ride their rollercoasters.
Shockingly enough President Bush did something right for once and gave Federal workers the day off on Christmas Eve, so I spent part of the day hanging out with Joshua. He invited JH to dinner so he came by and we enjoyed a meal of chicken, stuffing, green bean casserole, biscuits, and pie before JH and I headed over to the Christmas Eve service at my church. This is significant in its own right, but that's a whole separate topic.
The service was very nice, it ran like a Sunday service except with a lot more hymns. JH kind of stood back and watched the proceedings, but eventually got into it. There was a reception afterwards and he really seemed to enjoy meeting some of the other members. When we talked on the way home he said he could see himself going with me about once a month, which was jaw-dropping for me. We got to my place and exchanged our gifts. I got him a Baltimore Ravens winter pack, which was a knit hat, gloves, and a scarf with the Ravens logo on it. He got me a Ravens throw, some candy, and Ravens beer bottle cozies. I am so set for the game on Sunday. Eventually he had to head home as he had to work the next morning.
Christmas day was one place where I did not have to break with traditions in a sense, they just changed context a bit. I went up to Columbia, MD to spend the day with Josie and her daughters and their families for dinner and such. I get there and learn that Santa somehow had a direct line to Nintendo and brought both families Wii's this year, and when I mentioned I owned one, guess who got to go downstairs and be the P2/3/4 while they were learning the games? Besides that, I did also help get the remote control helicopters together, so they were enjoying that. All the girls got webkins this year and immediately ran off to register them, but of course, every other kid and their mother across the US was trying to do the same thing, so there was some frustration since that website was slow.
Dinner was excellent, there was ham, a turkey casserole, a veggie dish that I need to get the recipe for, and a choice of peanut butter, chocolate, or pumpkin pie. Believe me when I say that I didn't starve this whole weekend. Of course the afternoon was spent with the kids all over the place playing with toys, and getting pictures taken. The cutest story was related to me by Josie, she had gone upstairs and my leather jacket was hanging up nearby one of the girl's rooms, and Josie asked who it belonged to, Michelle responded "That's Uncle Mike's, but he's really my cousin" So apparently I've been nicknamed Uncle-Cousin Mike. What can I say, they're family, and I give points for creativity in how I'm related.
I got home and fired up the webcam to open up presents with my own folks. This year I received some fiestaware dishes, a keychain that counts down when Bush is out of office, good sandals, a very nice shirt, a Nintendo DS stylus pen pack, and some home DVD's. From me my mom got Hairspray on DVD, my dad got a Costco membership, one bro got Contra 4 for DS, and the other bro got some Hot Wheels so he has something to do when he needs a study break. We all will enjoy the gifts we got. I spent the rest of the evening watching some episodes of Ghost in the Shell before heading to bed, because unlike many folks in the office, I did not take the whole week off :-P
Then again, you look at the content and know that this rule falls apart based on what I talk about.
Anyway, this past Christmas was the first Christmas that I did not spend with my immediate family, nor with the family of a boyfriend, so things were different, but they were also the same in a lot of ways.
It all starts on the 23rd, my cousin Josie has her son and his family over for Christmas dinner, and as I experienced later, her daughters and their families showed up as well. So there's about four generations of folks there, fourteen people in all at this one-bedroom condo in Hyattsville. It was chaotic, but it was an organized chaos, especially since the little ones do know how to behave. Dinner was good, the usual kind of "Christmas" dinner (we were holding this early since her son and his wife had to work on Christmas day and they live up in Hagerstown) with ham, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and such. Most of the afternoon would be spent watching the Redskins and Vikings play.
Late Sunday afternoon I headed back home to Greenbelt and was picked up by JH to head up to Hershey, PA to visit one of his friends. We got to Hershey and talked for a bit before hitting Red Robin for dinner. Since the park was right there, we headed over to see the Christmas lights on display at Hershey park. First we started out with a ride inside their "Chocolate World" building that detailed how Hershey makes their chocolate, complete with singing animatronic (sp?) cows! It was so freaking cheesey, but cute.
We walked through the park and looked at Christmas lights, along with taking in a few rides and seeing reindeer. I'm still trying to figure out how donner became donder according to their signs, maybe it's an old-fashioned spelling that I am not aware of. It was fun, and now I have a preview of what the park will be like when I go there next summer to actually ride their rollercoasters.
Shockingly enough President Bush did something right for once and gave Federal workers the day off on Christmas Eve, so I spent part of the day hanging out with Joshua. He invited JH to dinner so he came by and we enjoyed a meal of chicken, stuffing, green bean casserole, biscuits, and pie before JH and I headed over to the Christmas Eve service at my church. This is significant in its own right, but that's a whole separate topic.
The service was very nice, it ran like a Sunday service except with a lot more hymns. JH kind of stood back and watched the proceedings, but eventually got into it. There was a reception afterwards and he really seemed to enjoy meeting some of the other members. When we talked on the way home he said he could see himself going with me about once a month, which was jaw-dropping for me. We got to my place and exchanged our gifts. I got him a Baltimore Ravens winter pack, which was a knit hat, gloves, and a scarf with the Ravens logo on it. He got me a Ravens throw, some candy, and Ravens beer bottle cozies. I am so set for the game on Sunday. Eventually he had to head home as he had to work the next morning.
Christmas day was one place where I did not have to break with traditions in a sense, they just changed context a bit. I went up to Columbia, MD to spend the day with Josie and her daughters and their families for dinner and such. I get there and learn that Santa somehow had a direct line to Nintendo and brought both families Wii's this year, and when I mentioned I owned one, guess who got to go downstairs and be the P2/3/4 while they were learning the games? Besides that, I did also help get the remote control helicopters together, so they were enjoying that. All the girls got webkins this year and immediately ran off to register them, but of course, every other kid and their mother across the US was trying to do the same thing, so there was some frustration since that website was slow.
Dinner was excellent, there was ham, a turkey casserole, a veggie dish that I need to get the recipe for, and a choice of peanut butter, chocolate, or pumpkin pie. Believe me when I say that I didn't starve this whole weekend. Of course the afternoon was spent with the kids all over the place playing with toys, and getting pictures taken. The cutest story was related to me by Josie, she had gone upstairs and my leather jacket was hanging up nearby one of the girl's rooms, and Josie asked who it belonged to, Michelle responded "That's Uncle Mike's, but he's really my cousin" So apparently I've been nicknamed Uncle-Cousin Mike. What can I say, they're family, and I give points for creativity in how I'm related.
I got home and fired up the webcam to open up presents with my own folks. This year I received some fiestaware dishes, a keychain that counts down when Bush is out of office, good sandals, a very nice shirt, a Nintendo DS stylus pen pack, and some home DVD's. From me my mom got Hairspray on DVD, my dad got a Costco membership, one bro got Contra 4 for DS, and the other bro got some Hot Wheels so he has something to do when he needs a study break. We all will enjoy the gifts we got. I spent the rest of the evening watching some episodes of Ghost in the Shell before heading to bed, because unlike many folks in the office, I did not take the whole week off :-P
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