First Week Reflection

Dear Friends

I thought I was off to a good start. All my first impressions of St. Dunstan’s were positive. I thought the feeling was mutual. But on the third day of my job (and my first Sunday), these two articles appeared in the Sunday bulletin, one right after the other. I was welcomed, and now they are already trying to replace me!

Kidding aside, it has been a wonderful first week. Kathleen and I were warmly welcomed on All Saints’ Sunday.  We have attended El Camino Real's Diocesan Convention. I have attended three meetings (including the weekly staff meeting), been briefed by the Associate Priest on pastoral issues and met with the Stewardship Chairman. In addition to the weekly Wednesday Eucharist there is, tonight, the monthly informal service called Common Thread which can include music from Taize to the Beatles! Two members invited me to attend Rotary where I met the local Rabbi. Kathleen came in to watch the pre-school Halloween parade and attend the weekly prayer shawl knitting group.

As half time interim (by choice), my official work schedule is Sunday through Wednesday and we are looking forward to enjoying our free time. Yesterday we saw “Harriet” a powerful movie about Harriet Tubman, the “Moses of her people”. Today, we will be exploring more of this charming Carmel Valley Village where we live (just five miles from church) including a stop at the library to get our cards. I’m going to check out John Steinbeck’s “Cannery Row” in preparation for Cannery Row Day which we will be attending tomorrow in Monterey.

Already, we are aware that this seven month, give or take a few weeks experience is going to go by quickly, so we are trying to enjoy and make the most of each day.

Of course, that is good advice for wherever we are living. Daily blessings abound when we are recognizing them and trying to share them with others.

John

New Retirement Job

Dear Friends

I know it sounds like an oxymoron (“retirement job”) but I am happy and excited to share that I signed a 7 month contract this past Thursday, to be the part-time interim priest for St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, Carmel Valley (just a six hour drive north of Corona). 

The time they will need me could be a bit shorter or longer depending on when a new rector is called and can start, but at this point I will start on All Saints Day, November 1^st , and my last Sunday might be May 31^st, the Day of Pentecost. We will be back once in a while for a quick visit, including some time after Christmas and Easter. (They said I had to work those two holidays!)

As we are surrounded by vineyards, please stop by for a glass of grape juice if you are ever in the area, or, for an alcoholic alternative, a glass of wine. In either case, no stomping will be required!

We can’t believe how blessed we've been. This will be the seventh ministry opportunity since I have retired. Thank God for Kathleen who has promised to nudge me to step back when I start “losing it”, and in the meantime, for her support and gifts which have contributed so much to each of the seven wonderful experiences we have had. I wouldn't have said yes to any of these opportunities without her.

Thank you for your love and prayers as we begin this new adventure. We will stay in touch.

John

P.S. St. Dunstan’s is an inclusive parish.......they just hired a devout Dodger fan into San Francisco Giant country!

A terrible feeling

Dear Friends (and especially Dodger fans)

Even when we are speechless, it still helps to try to express our feelings in some way. I don't think that slogan from ABC's Wide World of Sports many of us grew up with  ("the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" ) is an accurate description of this picture of Clayton Kershaw. It is deeper and more personal. He described it after the game as a "terrible feeling. It really is."

It is a huge disappointment right now, but against the backdrop of eternity, of course, it is not even a blip on the screen. 

From all I've heard and read, Clayton Kershaw, more important than being a great baseball player, is a good man of faith who loves God and his family. He will get through this. I don't know what scripture has or will come to his mind, but the one that comes to my mind (taken out of its theological context) is Paul saying "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal of the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13,14)

I wonder many players have been inducted into the Hall of Fame without a World Series ring? I hope Clayton is wearing one someday, but if not, he will still get the recognition he deserves. And of course God recognizes and loves all of us, even if we tried out and didn't even make the team.

Thank you Dodgers for a great season, filled with many magical moments which provided a happy distraction and temporary escape from other current events!

One bad pitch, one bad inning, doesn't define a season. And any one of our "bad days" does not replace all the good we still do and share with others. Of course sports uses the terms "wins" and "losses", "winner" and "loser". But in God's kingdom, those terms don't exist; we are all beloved children.  

And in the end, that's all that matters.

John

Junk Mail Revisited

Dear Friends

Are you feeling neglected?  Feeling unimportant?  Feeling blue?

Then just go away for three months, come back, and open your mail. This is what I found, and boy, am I feeling good!

+Several offers to buy my house “as is” for cash! One included an actual picture of my house from “a public online website”. Thank you Cassie and Robin and ………

+An “expert” will be in my neighborhood on October 18th, and is willing to talk to me about how to get out of my timeshare contract! (I don't want to, actually).

+An appeal to renew a membership included a real nickel! Should I feel guilty about keeping it, even if I don’t renew?

+Another appeal to re-instate a lapsed membership said they would send me an insulated trunk organizer free, for just $12!!! Sounds like a priest I knew who used to give free spiritual advice for a dollar. What should I do?

+Several people invited me to a “complimentary dining event” at fancy local restaurants which included, to quote one invitation, “an educational discussion.”

+Several notices were “time sensitive”. One said “please open immediately”.  Another said “Limited Time Offer. Act Now”. The problem is that these arrived several weeks ago. At least I was warned.

+One piece of mail did not make me feel good. It made me feel guilty. It was about a contest I hadn’t even entered, but I might be receiving the “winning number” in two days! Indeed, another large brown envelope from the same address said “WARNING, claim your number or it will be forfeited.” But that’s not all. The scolding continued “John, our records show that you have IGNORED PRIOR NOTICES and are at risk of not responding. Please understand that you cannot win unless you act immediately.”

I’m sorry. I was out of town. I understand.

Except for this last example, I must question the term “junk mail”?  How about “feel good mail”. I never knew so many people liked me! I mean, a perfect stranger sent me a nickel! Others wanted to buy my house, as is, for cash!

What’s that? Oh, the mail truck just pulled up. Time to end this blog and go get the mail. I hope I’m not too late.

John

P.S One last example for those who want extra credit for reading this blog to the end. I received a nice card which said “Thinking of You”. I opened it up and two VIP tickets fell out ($149 value each) for an “Exclusive Live Free Dinner Event”. The message was “Do you suffer from the 7 most common nephropathy symptoms?”  This free gourmet dinner is exclusively for me if I have numbness, sharp electric pain, cramping, burning pain, aching, prickling/tingling feeling, difficulty sleeping. And here is the clincher: “Seating is limited”. If I am experiencing these symptoms, do I want to attend anything where seating is limited?

Love, Sweat and Tears

Dear Friends

Sometimes God surprises us! One of the big surprises of this past summer at All Saints’ was how involved Kathleen became with the church Pre-school. She went from occasional part time volunteer helper, to an integral part of the staff. They’re fine with my going home to California this coming Monday. They want Kathleen to stay!

I call this blog “Love Sweat and Tears”. Kathleen was quickly loved, and she loved being with the children and dedicated teachers. Everyone sweats in this climate, and while I sweated most on Sunday mornings in my vestments (with water always close by to drink), Kathleen sweated every day for a few hours. And then there were the tears. Until today it was the tears of little children and their separation anxieties at the beginning of the school year. Today, it was tears that come with saying goodbye.

Sometimes God surprises us. Not all surprises are good, but for Kathleen, the surprise of being needed and appreciated so much, and for the chance to do what she is so good at, was a wonderful one.

John

What's my part?

Dear Friends

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or your head is in the sand, you are likely aware that the climate and “this fragile earth, our island home” is front page, above the fold news right now. Without getting into the healthy debates about what can/needs to be done, I would just note that the picture above (I took it right outside our dining room window on this last Saturday of summer) sends us a message if we look closely and think.

This is the message I got this morning: The unopened buds tell me that there is still more beauty to come! As the great hymn attributed to St. Francis says, “Dear mother earth you day by day, unfold your blessings on our way…”

Nature is doing its part. What am I doing for my part?

A few million young people around the globe took to the streets yesterday to get our attention---they have most of their lives left to enjoy and care for God’s glorious creation. And so I have to ask myself, “What is my part?” and “What will I do?” with the time I have left.  At the least, beyond personal habits and choices, I would think it would be helpful to choose to support one of the many groups already working full time to address the challenges, and to elect leaders who are not cynical but take this issue seriously.

At the same time, all the time, may we thank God, enjoy and rejoice that Mother Nature is still doing her part…there are more buds and flowers to come! As the great poet/hymn writer Isaac Watts prays

Lord how thy wonders are displayed, wherever I turn my eye,

If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky!

John

P.S. The phrase "this fragile earth, our island home", as most of you know, comes from Eucharistic Prayer C in the Book of Common Prayer. Needless to say, it has taken on a deeper meaning since we've been living on this beautiful island!

  

Keep on strummin' Sept. 7, 2019

Dear Friends

I don’t usually talk to “strangers” and certainly not to children/youth I don’t know. But when their parents or teachers are close by, when it seems appropriate, I do find myself saying something like (teasing and serious at the same time) “for job security, go into anything in the medical/senior health or home care fields, and if you have money left over, invest it now in things like walkers and hearing aids”. This reflects, of course, the changing demographics which all point to, as they call it here in Hawaii, the “silver tsunami”. Ten thousand (10,000) Americans are turning 65 every single day, I read a few months ago.

The other thing I find myself saying to young musicians (see photo) is that while we usually think of those in the healing professions as doctors, nurses, counselors, clergy etc., anyone who makes music (or is involved in any of the “arts”) is part of the healing profession too! Music brings healing and hope and joy to people in so many ways. Keep practicing, keep sharing your gift. Someday, when I am using the walker and hearing aids you invested in, I want to, while I still can, come hear you play and sing, watch you dance and act, see your paintings and photographs, smell and taste your kitchen creations, enjoy your poems and short stories.............

Whether it is the middle school ukulele choir we heard at the Kauai Relay for Life a few weeks ago, the background sounds of Hawaiian music at the grocery story, or the music of our Sunday liturgy (guess who gradually worked his way into picking the hymns for September) music (along with all the arts) is the great unify-er and healer and peacemaker.

Keep the music going. Keep on strummin'.

John