Reflections on the 104th annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, 7-8 November 2014

Good convention. Having sessions in the sanctuary of the UMC church next door to the smaller facilities at St John's Episcopal in Sharon, PA was a little odd and awkward but more than adequate. It was a bit difficult to take notes and those of us with laptops had to balance them on our knees. Not to mention the lack of wifi - which we will have next year. I missed the sociability of having another parish at the table and getting to know people we might otherwise never encounter. Of course it prevented someone I won't identify from once again being somewhat disrespectful during speakers. All in all everyone could see and hear and that was good.

Dear convention planners: PLEASE make readable nametags next year!!! We don't need to know where it is, just who we are in large print.

I LOVE Facebook!!! A person I've known online for several years visited and we got to meet in person for the first time. He's a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, PA with whom we share a bishop. I think I was one of the few outside the Standing Committee who knew him. He's a great guy with lots of good ideas and a wonderful sense of humor. 8-)

I also know the emissary from the Episcopal Diocese of Western NY. She is one of my favorite preachers. Even after I choose a parish home, I will take time to visit St Peters in Westfield, NY occasionally. Our guys got married there before their marriage was legal in PA.

As my friends know, I've been away from Christ Church Meadville for a year this weekend. As a very burned out bishop's warden, I needed to escape. I was goaded into doing that by people in a parish at which I'm no longer welcome. That situation will never be remedied, reconciled or whatever unfortunately. I feel terrible as I had no intention of ever doing anything hurtful. I care very deeply and always will as the other is not healthy. Our energies/life forces are permanently entangled meaning that the other is rarely out of my thoughts and prayers. I still light a votive whenever the opportunity present itself. A brief greeting this morning with another person who had until today turned her back to me felt good. Hopefully part of that situation is relaxed a bit if not healed.

The separation has been good for me however as I could have been tied there. I've enjoyed being a vagabond. Visiting churches is enlightening. Seeing how others do the service and the eucharist is always fascinating. Experiencing the friendliness of or lack thereof by people is a lesson to be learned and someday applied elsewhere. At convention I was able to see many of those people again. Perhaps renewal and establishment of new relationships among the laity are one of the best parts of the annual gathering and should be encouraged?

Congratulations, planners, on a well run event. All went smoothly - at least from my point of view. The speakers were good and had valuable messages. Our time was wisely used. One newbie was shocked that we could get the eucharist done in such short order. The dinner was good tho kinda 'spensive. Letting everyone eat immediately rather than sit around waiting was wonderful. Congratulations, "old" friend Loi on receiving the Bishop's Cross for long faithful service to the church and the diocese.

Now on to the 100th anniversary of the cathedral in 2015.

Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church, Warren, PA - 2 November 2014

The morning was cold. Brrr. I succumbed and wore a winter coat for the first time. The cat water wasn't frozen and we had no snow that I know of. Just north of Meadville I began to see traces of the white stuff mostly on unheated roofs. The sun was in and out. The drive to Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church in Warren, PA included some very narrow roads which required getting onto the berm slightly to pass. I only saw one Amish buggy tho there are many families along that back country route. It's a beautiful drive whichever roads you take.

I seem to have saved the best congregation for last in my year long wandering among mostly Diocese of NW PA Episcopal churches. Yes, you will remember that I was greeted by name at St Mark's in Erie but that was prepared, not spontaneous. Today nobody knew me, not even the priest, but everyone acknowledged my presence with smiles, greetings or long distance nods. They knew I was a visitor and they did their best to be welcoming. After the eucharist many people said they were happy to see me and started short conversations. At coffee hour I had an extended one with a gentleman with whom I have mutual friends. I left with warm feelings about that congregation. Of course it is 2 hours from home so I probably won't be back, especially since I plan to settle somewhere in January.

I regret not taking more photos so people who may never get there can see more of the beautiful building. I was preoccupied by people.

The front of the chancel is really light and didn't photograph well. Had thought about it I would have tried to take a photo with flash to see if it was more visible. I was surprised to see green on All Saints but it is an option. The boxes under the altar are "shoeboxes" for children for Christmas.

The organ was not used today and was dark. This photo of it was from 2010, I believe at the priest's installation. I took a photo of the pianist and the opposite alcove but it is one of those mistakes that aren't worth publishing. Speaking of the pianist, he is pretty good. He played and sang during the offering. He seemed to be too close to the mic so I couldn't understand the words. His voice was ok otherwise. There was no choir. The congregation sang pretty well.

No, the priest is not holding up that blue ball. Ha.

I took the long way home, choosing to follow the Allegheny River to Tidioute before wandering thru more back county to Titusville then on to Meadville. It was a beautiful afternoon.

This is probably the last visitation I will make to a "new" parish. There are others I would like to see and meet but most are farther than I care to travel in winter. There are several I would love to join but they are too far to really get involved. I plan to revisit the churches I have learned to care about before January. I hope to settle somewhere after the first of the year but I'm not making promises.

Thank you to all those who have greeted me, embraced me, ignored me, endured me, advised me these last dozen months. I'll see many of you next week at convention.

The list of churches I've visited with links to my photos and thoughts follows this post.

 

Sunday, 12 October 2014, photos of our world

Today was a gorgeous sparkling colorful October day in northwestern Pennsylvania. Frost made the grass look like it was covered with snow until the sun hit it. Fog obscured everything where warmish water existed. In New York large strange metal creatures inched along the vineyards. Unfortunately none were close enough to the road to be visible in a photo. Traffic on 20 was slowed by trucks of all sorts hauling the ripened fruit. 

This was my windshield this morning - from the inside.

The grass across the road was white and looked like snow had fallen.

This leaf is suspended in spider silk.

The moon was bright.

Pymatuning was missing.

The golf course was also white. There is a flock of geese to be seen if you embiggen the photo.

The Hartstown swamp was also missing.

Into the abyss on 79.

Then lovely clouds on the way home.

Looking toward the dam on a walk after church.

And here it is again. This time there are purplish wispy plumes on top of the stalks. Those do not look like sorghum seedpods. It looks more like the plants that proliferate along the interstates and other roads.

ECW at The Episcopal House at Chautauqua Institution and clouds

Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of NW PA met at Chautauqua Institution today. Mary Norton+ led us in three exercises. The first included pages from a book with short poems about life. We each chose one then explained why. Mine was about Finding Peace in our turbulent lives. Then using materials she provided or finding our own, we made crosses and explained our thought processes afterward. Finally with markers and paper we prayed with color, creating a wide variety of artwork according to what we each felt guided to do. All were very rewarding. I walked around the very familiar grounds to find what I needed for the cross. Our family had a tiny "cabin cruiser" on Chautauqua Lake in the late 40s and early 50s. We often visited the grounds so I feel like I grew up there to some extent. It is a spiritual place if you allow it to be. I wish it weren't so expensive. 

The gulls lined up on one of the docks. Embiggen the photo to see them.

A portion of Palestine. The white things are cities.

These are in front of the Baptist house.

I apologize for not taking more photos. I missed many people.

It misted most of the day but cleared up in the afternoon. The clouds on the way home were a mixture of angry and innocent with blue sky showing thru occasionally.

This was sunset behind my house. Actually it was opposite the sunset.

The photos are embiggenable.

On the way to church on a drizzly late August morning and other thoughts

This was one of those days when it should have been easy to sleep in and perhaps spend the morning reading in bed once the cats were fed. The weather outside was darkish, warm and muggy. The light blanket felt snuggly in the cool, air-conditioned bedroom. The temptation was great. But I simply can't not go to church unless there is a dire reason like having a front tooth break off.

Even in the rain Pennsylvania is beautifully green for at least half the year. The roads are bendy and hilly and fun to drive. There are lovely vistas but they were in the fog today. These photos were taken between wiper swipes. I don't know why the photos are all of left bends. The camera sits on the seat beside me until I grab it and try to take a picture. I miss lots of stuff.

I chose St James Memorial Church in Titusville, PA. I'd been there once awhile back. At that time several people said they were happy to see me again. Again? A goodly number said that this morning too. I wonder if an acquaintance who is my height and has similar hair color and wears glasses has been there recently. I am grateful for the welcome even if they are confused. St Augustine in Edinboro is finally used to me being me but it took awhile because of said person. She and I should show up at the same place on the same Sunday once.

I was happy to not feel like I was singing solos this morning. The choir was in the pews because they don't reassemble until next week. Sometimes I think the choir should always be in the pews and move together when necessary just to encourage the others to sing. But maybe the choir are the only ones who sing. Sad if that's true. It wouldn't be the only congregation like that.

Choosing where to go to church is a p.i.t.a. frankly. I enjoy visiting other parishes. I just dislike the decision. In my wanderings I've found several I'd love to be a part of if they weren't so far away. I'm not ready to be tied down yet. I'm not willing to abandon the parish to which I still contribute and am a member. Yet. At the same time I don't feel I can return until some issues are settled. Like their survival. Come December I may change my mind.

I've rarely had the freedom I have now as I take membership seriously and go every week I can. This PresbyLutherPalian has been in church since a very early age nearly always. Even during my athiest years I sang in the choir and crossed my fingers when I had to say the creed. Now there is a certain feeling of glee knowing I don't have to be a certain place at a certain time. Yes, I miss the choir. I really miss being a eucharistic minister/chalice bearer/reader etc. Not enough to recommit yet.

Before I was received in the Episcopal church I just sang and eventually became a eucharistic minister even before Concordat thanks to the bishop. For more than ten years. I intentionally didn't get very involved partly because the church is half an hour away. That status is appealing to me now. There are two churches with decent choirs which are slightly tempting because I miss singing. One is half an hour away, the other about 50 minutes. Do I really want to get tied down again? As involved as I have been, can I just be in the choir and leave it at that? Do I really want to keep having to decide where to go every Sunday? Can I choose one parish to attend regularly without making any long term commitment? Is that fair to the parish? I've been raked over the coals about that before.

Oh well. Tomorrow is Monday so I can forget about it until next weekend. Yea.

Out and about in late August

Surely it was going to rain.

Then it cleared up.

 Meanwhile near Linesville, PA, our great and unique attraction.

The gulls caught in midair what this man would throw.

They allow people to get quite close, watching for signs of a handout.

 Walk along the fence and look down. There will be nothing until you stop then the hungry carp appear as if by magic.

Keep walking and the ducks will follow even if you have nothing to offer.

Throw a little bread on the water and the shrieking gulls and terns fight for it.

As do the carp.

Young and old alike love to do this.

Sunset and Moonrise 10 August 2014, Pymatuning Reservoir, Dam End

There were several cars stopped on the dam taking photos of the sunset tonight.

Looking up our bay.

There were people with chairs and cameras scattered all over the picnic area by the dam tonight, all awaiting the moonrise. 

The moon was hazy as it appeared over the trees. I'm pleased these two photos turned out well as I tend to shake a bit and using the zoom is usually not worth the effort.

This is what it looked like without magnification.

It was redder than it looks in this photo which looks down the river on the other side of the dam.

I took this with the iPhone and it looked redder than the camera caught it. This is from our bay in front of my house.