Religion the easy way

Hat tip to Ann and Fr Terry

A cold morning huddle

It is quite cold at 16 and both cats don't fit on the smaller heating pad so they improvise.

Yes, I know the kitchen window is dirty. It is impossible to reach it on the outside without dismantling the cathouse. Get used to it. It will get worse.

Tommie leaped off the roof this morning to chase Jellico. They met face to face in the middle of the driveway and yelled at each other. I actually heard a raspy sound from Jellico. Normally his voice is more of a hiss. Jellico stood up on his hind feet to make himself larger but he is all hair and Tom is one huge boy. Jellico gave up and retreated. I wish I could have retrieved the camera in time to catch the encounter.

Eventually they settled into their usual watchful positions.

Friday shuffle

1. Dizzy - Tommy Roe
2. Strauss: Des Heldens Friedenswerke - Berlin, von Karajan
3. Stoned Love - Supremes
4. Someday Soon - Judy Collins
5. A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You - The Monkees
6. Einhorn: Voices of Light, The Jailors - Anonymous Four
7. 98.6 - Keith
8. I Know How He Feels - Reba McEntire
9. Bach: B minor mass, Benedictus - Rilling
10. Chicago Land Polka

Poinsettia

If you look closely at the photo in the post below or click it to enlarge it, you will see my ancient poinsettia blocking the door. I put it on the altar at First Presbyterian in Sharon, PA in 1968, my first Christmas here, in memory of my father who had died a few months earlier. A number of other poinsettias have shared the tub but only this one has survived. I need it to cut it back again. It usually "blooms" in February.

Ladder left out

This is a common sight this time of year in our neighborhood. Tho most houses have larger ladders, this is all I need. Anyone know why it is there? I will admit my method is a little unusual hence the small ladder.

C & C confusion

The following is part of the Canons of the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania:

Canon I. Definition of terms
...
Section J) “Communicant In Good Standing” means a person whose Baptism has been recorded in this Church, who has received Holy Communion in this Church at least three times during the preceding year and who for the previous year has been faithful in corporate worship, unless for good cause prevented, and has been faithful in working, praying and giving for the spread of the Kingdom of God.

The way I read this is that only people baptised in TEC can be Communicants in Good Standing in the diocese. This means everyone else needs to be rebaptized.

How do you read this?

Monday church blogging

These are photos of Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Bishop Clumber's domain. The outside was cleaned for the city's 250th birthday celebration or so I was told.

Below is the inside front. I hesitate to call it an altar space or a chancel. It is more like a stage. The big wooden blob on the right is the organ console. In the middle are three chairs behind a table. There used to be a screen with choir pews behind. Except for the huge dangling cross which I think is over the railing in front there was no other cross on the table or elsewhere that I saw. I wondered how one honors a cross hanging from the ceiling. The thought was amusing.

There are national flags hanging from the back balcony. I learned the difference between the Australian flag and the New Zealand flag. There are also two smaller balconies in the transepts. Bach Choir sang from those in two choirs.

The pulpit is not this odd color - I need to figure out why my camera takes such odd colored photos. It is not colorful at all. It is on the right side. There is no eagle on the lectern on the left.

The baptismal font which is to the right of the pulpit definitely is colorful. At least that is what I assume it is. There is also a huge granite thing of water in the center in the back. You can see it in the photo above. The colors on the font are much more startling in person.

This is a chapel in the back.

This railed off chapel is in front to the left of the stage.

And this is what is behind the three chairs and table on the stage. I suppose other cathedrals have the bishop's chair in the middle. Ours doesn't. My first thought was - it is a throne. Move the stuff in front and the bishop can be worshiped. Clumber has a better view.

Update to the post below on my cats

When I raised the garage door last night I saw Jellico retreat from the barn's cathouse via the cat flap. Apparently he and Tommie can coexist somewhat amicably when neither food nor wimmin are nearby.

I put the heater on in the cats' portion of the barn last night. It doesn't do much but it might help a little. I usually don't do that unless the outside temperature falls below 15. Last night was 16. Warmer tonight and the next few days so I'll turn it off today.

The only way to know my cats are feral is to see them when someone else is around. Which nobody will. Even the neighbor who feeds them when I'm gone.

PS Thanks to MP for featuring my lovely Christmas tree on OCICBW! It is actually a very precious item to me as it was given to me by a friend I love who was very concerned because I never decorate for Christmas. Why should I? Nobody sees the inside or the outside of my house with the exception of a couple of close friends and the neighbors who walk by in the summer.

Friday cat blogging a day later

Where the cats are when it is cold during the daytime.

Tom in his blanket in the barn.

I put a new pillowy thing in Dude's leanto but he would have nothing to do with it so I removed it eventually

PuddyTat spends most of her time on the heating pad now sheltered minimally by cardboard but

last night Tim abandoned her foam home and occupied the heating pad all night.

PuddyTat spent the night in the barn, probably huddled with Tommie on his blanket. Tim's little shelter must have collapsed. I'll fix it later so she can go back to her own lair in the canoe.

I have no idea where Jellico goes.

Handel: Israel in Egypt

Bach Choir of Pittsburgh will present Handel's oratorio Israel in Egypt at Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh at 8 pm on Saturday, 6 December, and at 4 pm on Sunday, 7 December 2008. Tickets available at the door and from ProArtsTickets.org.

As has become customary with Thomas Douglas's programming, there will be a few nontraditional elements in this performance including a parting of the Red Sea. Come!

"They are no longer Episcopalians"

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts-Schori has commented on the formation of a new denomination by anti-TEC, anti-homosexual, anti-female-clergy men who each have exclusive access to God and the correct opinions of what the Bible actually says.

"They are no longer Episcopalians," Jefferts Schori said of those who left. "They have made that very clear in their departures.

"Those who were formally bishops in the Episcopal Church are no longer understood to be bishops in the Episcopal Church," she added in a meeting with Times reporters. "They are free to associate with whom they wish."

Leaders of the new Anglican Church in North America have taken issue with what they view as the Episcopal Church's liberal policies on the role of gays in the church. They agreed, however, with Jefferts Schori on at least one point.

"We are not Episcopalians; we are Anglicans," said Bishop Martyn Minns, whose group, the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, helped create the new Anglican church.

The Episcopal Church is the American arm of the 77-million-member Anglican Communion. The global body has 38 self-governing provinces and is led by the archbishop of Canterbury.

Read it all at the LA Times.

Meanwhile, Lambeth Palace (seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the titular head of the Anglican Communion) released the following:

"There are clear guidelines set out in the Anglican Consultative Council Reports, notably ACC 10 in 1996 (resolution 12), detailing the steps necessary for the amendments of existing provincial constitutions and the creation of new provinces," the spokesperson said. "Once begun, any of these processes will take years to complete. In relation to the recent announcement from the meeting of the Common Cause Partnership in Chicago, the process has not yet begun."

Read it all at ENS.

There are a variety of comments available on blogs. Katie Sherrod at Desert's Child has a Reality Check. Other articles are available at almost all of the links in the right column on this blog.

Friday shuffle

1. Satie: Prélude #3, Prélude Du Nazaréen #1 - Rimi Shimada
2. That's All - Ray Brown Trio
3. Brahms: Symphony #3, III Poco allegro - Berlin, Von Karajan
4. Lonesome Ruben - Randy Scruggs
5. I Fall to Pieces - Patsy Cline
6. Wishin' And Hopin' - Dusty Springfield
7. When I Fall in Love - The Lettermen
8. Utterback: Spirit of God - Roger Nyquist
9. Bach: B minor mass, Et in unum Deum - Rilling
10. Handel: Israel in Egypt, Who is like unto thee - Taverner, Parrott

Bach Choir of Pittsburgh has dress rehearsal for Israel in Egypt tonight at Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh. Nice to see it show up in the shuffle. Yes, that is Duncan's ex-cathedral tho he isn't aware of that yet.

Use the correct language

I have CNBC on during the daytime. Today I listened to plans the Big 3 US auto manufacturers have to try to survive in the collapsing economy. I want to change the language used to describe a certain aspect of corporate belt-tightening.

Every day we hear about more "jobs" being eliminated, new unemployment claims filed, plants closed, etc. Somebody needs to put it bluntly. Such and such company just eliminated the incomes of 20,000 people. So and so corporation will send 10,000 men and women to the unemployment offices which will be unable to find work for them. Enterprise X is closing businesses which will result in an estimated 100,000 people being without money for their families thanks to the ripple effect.

The recession/depression is personal. We need to encourage or try to force the media to make the economy personal. It affects persons, real people. Lost work often means lost insurance, lost pensions, lost savings, lately lost homes, all too frequently lost families. Perhaps by bringing reality into the picture, our government and employers will realize that those figures aren't just numbers. They are people. Real humans who can no longer support the economy and will require support from the people who are lucky enough to still have an income.

I'm not holding my breath. For a nation that many claim is "Christian" I don' t see much evidence of Jesus. Wonder what they mean by "Christian".

Dude's digs

Dude has been hanging out under the old lexan cathouse cover which leans against the shed. When I threw out the old recliner, I put the seat cushion under the plastic in case one of the cats wanted to use it. During the last storm, the snow blew in under the cover and covered the cushion so Dude couldn't stay there. I assumed it was wet and moldy now but I couldn't feel dampness when Dude came out to be petted. Lo and behold it is dry. Taking advantage of a warmish day yesterday, I braced some leftover drywall against both ends and taped some plastic over the end where the cushion is. I need to do the other end but it will have to wait till the next warmish day when I have more plastic. I like to use transparent shower curtains but I can't always find them. The cats like to be able to see out as they feel less threatened that way. Remember that they are feral, more or less.

If you look carefully, you can see Dudie on his cushion as seen from the "far" end of his little shelter. The "weeds" are mostly wild rose bushes.

I'm glad I don't have fussy neighbors as much around my house is similarly peculiar and makeshift.

In response to Joan's comment on bnet

Hat tip to T19 via Preludium.

Prayers requested

Please include in your prayers Michael who will have serious surgery tomorrow. He has survived a series of major health problems yet his family is very concerned. My friend Eak is both worried and distracted by her brother's possible outcomes. Please add a special petition for her as she is very special to me.

World AIDS Day 2008

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has released a message about World AIDS Day urging Episcopalians to get involved in the effort to reduce the tragedy that AIDS brings daily everywhere in the world.

World AIDS Day 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

The first day of December is marked as World AIDS Day, and has been observed since 1988. Episcopalians join billions of people around the world to remember the devastation caused by the AIDS pandemic over the past generation, and to recommit to ensuring a future without AIDS for generations still to come. As our church year begins, it is especially appropriate to remember, pray, and work together to alleviate the suffering inflicted by this disease and its consequences.

As Episcopalians, we understand that we are part of a body that has AIDS – both the Body of Christ and the larger body of the family of God. More than half of our worldwide Anglican Communion lives in countries destabilized by epidemic rates of HIV infection, including several dioceses of The Episcopal Church. Parish communities in the United States have been responding to HIV and AIDS for more than 25 years.

Read the rest of her message and see Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams' video message at Episcopal Cafe.

BCF bear

If you don't know Duruflé's Ubi caritas listen to a performance by the Kings College Choir. It is one of my all-time favorites. (This is a little faster than I prefer.) It was one of the pieces we sang in the Berkshire Choral Festival concerts in Mondsee and Vienna, Austria in September.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Where there is charity and love, God is there.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Love brings us together in one Christ.
Exsultemus et in ipso jucundemur.
We therefore rejoice in it.
Timeamus et ameamus Deum vivum.
Let us fear and love the living God.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
And from the heart let us devote ourselves with sincerity.
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Amen.
Where there is charity and love, God is there. Amen.

tr. Reader's Den

What I've done - some of it at least

I took this from Caminante.

What I've done... (in bold)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea - Lake Erie counts?
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (thank God not yet)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - only when the personal day was taken but my boss knew what I was doing and approved. Only one teacher personal day per day was allowed.
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - didn't last long
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris - closed when we were there
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp - I didn't get off the bus so it doesn't count. Made me sick to be on the property
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person - saw it from the air once
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Ridden an elephant

Friday cat blogging on Saturday

Here are Tipper and Tzaki by themselves. They are very large cats. Tipper enjoyed my sleeping bag.