What Kind Of Wine Are You?

You Are Chardonnay

Fresh, spirited, and classic - you have many facets to your personality. You can be sweet and light. Or deep and complex. You have a little bit of something to offer everyone... no wonder you're so popular. Approachable and never smug, you are easy to get to know (and love!). Deep down you are: Dependable and modest Your partying style: Understated and polite Your company is enjoyed best with: Cold or wild meat

What Kind of Wine Are You?

How much do I love this? Let me count the ways.

I'm not much of a chardonnay drinker, but I'll take the results of the survey in a heartbeat. Only four questions? They can tell this much about me with four questions? What's with the "Cold or wild meat" business?

Thanks to Padre Mickey for the link.

The Presence Of The Lord

Image from Episcopal Life

Bright and early yesterday morning, I was up and out, headed for New Orleans to attend the Sunday service at Christ Church Cathedral, at which Bishop Katharine presided and preached. That was a sacrificial act on my part, because I am no longer an up-and-out person early in the morning.

On the way, I prayed for a safe trip, that I would find a place to park, not too far away from the cathedral - which has no parking facilities - and that I would get a seat in the cathedral. Does anyone else pray about these sorts of things? Anyway, all my prayers were answered - or not. Maybe all that would have happened anyway.

Christ Church Cathedral is a Gothic-style structure with beautiful stained glass, built in the 1880s. You can view the building and the glass in this photo gallery.

Bishop Jenkins, Dean DuPlantier, the choir, the musicians, and everyone who planned and worked with the arrangements for the service did a terrific job. The cathedral looked beautiful. We had a sung Eucharist and smells and bells. For those among you who are uninitiated into the mysteries of Episcopal Church liturgy, the smells are incense, and the hand bells ring to highlight important parts of the liturgy.

Bishop Katharine wore the vestments that were designed for her installation ceremony as presiding bishop. They are lovely, and I was pleased to see them up close. Her sermon is here.

She spoke of Philander Chase, whose feast we celebrated yesterday. He was the founder of Christ Church Parish in New Orleans, and he went on, after many travels, to become presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. She spoke of trumpets, trumpeting the Gospel, traveling light, for folks in Louisiana, traveling lighter than they believed possible, and getting in the line.

When the saints go marching in, it's going to be with every last one of us. This procession is going down to the grave, and it's going to dance away on the other side, but only when we join the traveling throng. None of us is going home until all of us have a place to lay our heads, and music for our grieving hearts, and a feast for the belly and for the soul. When the saints go marching in, it's going to be with every last one of us."

Can you imagine how much I liked these words?

During the Offertory, Irvin Mayfield, Jr. played "Amazing Grace" on the Elysian Trumpet.

The Elysian Trumpet, hand-built by David Monette, the modern master of trumpet design, is dedicated to the memory of Irvin Mayfield, Sr. and all of the victims of Hurricane Katrina.


The image of the trumpet and information on the instrument is from Elysian Trumpet. There's much more on the story of the trumpet at the website.

The trumpet produced the sweetest sound I have heard come out of a horn - ever. And I have heard many trumpets. Mayfield played the most magnificent "Amazing Grace" that I have been priveliged to hear. Two such superlatives, one after the other, may be hard to believe, but they are true. I was crying during his performance. What heart! What an instrument!

But it wasn't all about pretty vestments, good music, and heavenly trumpet sounds. The words of this hymn came to mind during a quiet period after communion:

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place
I can feel His mighty power and His grace
I can hear the brush of angels wings
I see glory on each face
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place

The Lord was powerfully present, and for that I give thanks.

After the service, we were invited to a reception in the parish hall with very tasty refreshments. Many of the bishops were not at the service Sunday, because they were visiting around at churches in the area. Someone pointed out Bonnie Anderson (president of the House of Deputies) to me, and we talked for a few minutes. She said she had been well received by the groups she met with in Dallas and Fort Worth, except, of course, for Bishop Iker, who was rudely on her case for crossing the Texas state line. She's a lay person. Why does she need his permission to visit Texas? She told me that one parish from either Dallas or Fort Worth had moved from the Network back to the Episcopal Church.

Then I spotted Bishop Katharine. I made my way over to her and spoke with her only briefly, because others were waiting to talk to her. She is warm and easy to talk to. I have not agreed with everything our PB has said and done, and I will likely not in the future, but I do believe that GC03 made the proper choice when she was elected. She is a woman for this season in the Episcopal Church.

Upon reflection, I'm glad that I attended the two religious services rather than the bishops' meetings - not that I could have. Both the services were uplifting. I doubt that the meetings were, but perhaps - and that is my hope - God will turn them to good.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Remaking Myself

How often does a person get to remake oneself in old age? Not very often, right? Well, I'm going to do it.

My nom de blog is Grandmère Mimi. My real name is June Butler, as most of you know by now, since I had to out myself at the Episcopal Café in order to write there. My blog name will continue to be Grandmère Mimi; I'm not switching to my real name for the blog.

I have never liked my given name. It was not cool ever, not even when I was young. Sorry, Mother dear, forgive me. I know you will, because you are in that better place where forgiveness flows freely.

For you, my new virtual friends, so there won't be confusion, I have a request: please call me Mimi. I like that better than June - much better. My grandchildren and my daughter-in-law call me Mimi, so I do answer to the name. When we meet in person, if you call out Mimi, I won't look around to see who you're calling for. I will answer. Thank you.

The service this morning, at which Bishop Katharine presided and preached, was wonderful, and I am going to write about it - just not tonight. I'm tired. Tomorrow.

REMEMBER: MI CHIAMANO MIMI!

Judge Refuses Mychal Bell's Release

From the Baton Rouge Advocate:

JENA — A judge refused Friday to release Mychal Bell from jail the day after as many as 20,000 people poured into this small central Louisiana town to support Bell and five other black Jena High School students accused of the December beating of a white classmate.

Bell’s father, Marcus Jones, refused to speak to reporters after he walked out of LaSalle Parish Courthouse following the bond hearing that lasted more than two hours. But John Jenkins, the father of another one of the teens charged in the case, said Jones told him bond had been denied.

“His face was very tight. He was very upset,” Jenkins said of Jones’ demeanor when he left court.

Melissa Bell, Mychal Bell’s mother, walked out of the courthouse in tears and refused to comment on the hearing.

Attorneys representing Bell also refused to comment, saying the matter was in juvenile court, where proceedings are secret.

What next, I wonder. We don't know why bond was denied. No one can speak of what took place in the court room, because now Mychal Bell's case is in juvenile court.

I pray that mercy and justice prevail.

A "Reporter" In New Orleans

From Matt Kennedy, September 19, 2007:

It's 9:00pm in New Orleans. I'm sitting in the Intercontinental Hotel bar not drinking. I was hoping by chance to see some fellow "reporters" here, possibly some bishops. No one. Nice atmosphere though...a sort of modish imperial India theme---dark, lots of candles, heavy velvet burgandy (sic) and white fabric. If nothing else 815 has exquisite taste.

I'm thankful that at least one "reporter" covering the House of Bishops meeting in New Orleans does not write stories while "in his cups".

Apparently, the bishops and "invited guests" enjoyed a dinner together this evening at 6:30pm. Stand Firm was not invited. We do, however, hope to have some solid news soon.

We can only hope, for Matt's sake, that the bishops have another look at their list of "invited guests" and find a place for Stand Firm at the next dinner. Matt sounds a little forlorn.

We hope to fill in various details tomorrow and the next day. Until then remember that, to a greater or lesser degree, these reports are somewhat speculative.

I dare say.

Feast Day of St. Matthew

El Padre at Padre Mickey's Dance Party has the story, along with beautiful pictures.

Not only that, but El Padre tells the story of Matthew's martyrdom. Poor Padre is exhausted after all that work. But it was well worth the effort - at least for me. Thanks, El Padre. He does do a little work, from time to time, in between parties.

Rally For the Jena Six

From the Advocate in Baton Rouge, La.:

JENA, La. (AP)...Tens of thousands of protesters stormed this tiny Louisiana town on Thursday, rallying against what they see as a double standard of justice for blacks and whites.
....

The plight of the so-called Jena Six, a group of black teens initially charged with attempted murder in the beating of a white classmate, became a flashpoint for one of the biggest civil rights demonstrations in years.
....

"It's been a very peaceful and happy crowd," said Sgt. Julie Lewis of the Louisiana State Police. "Really these are very, very nice people. They are welcome in Louisiana any time."

Demonstrators even bagged trash throughout the day, leaving little for officials to clean up after the demonstration.

Jena residents, resentful of the massive protest in their little town and the racist label it had stamped them with, were scarce during the day's demonstrations. Businesses closed, so did the library, schools, city offices and the courthouse.

"I don't mind them demonstrating," said Ricky Coleman, 46, a native. "I believe in people standing up for what they think is right. But this isn't a racist town. It's a small place and we all get along."
....

Mychal Bell, now 17, is the only one of the defendants to be tried. He was convicted of aggravated second-degree battery, but his conviction was tossed last week by a state appeals court that said Bell, who was 16 at the time of the beating, could not be tried as an adult on that charge.
....

During the protest in Jena, the Louisiana 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal in Lake Charles ordered a bond hearing for Bell within 72 hours, defense attorney Bob Noel of Monroe said.

If 9th Judicial District Judge Tom Yeager decides 28th District Judge J.P. Mauffray should not preside over Bell's bond hearing, Yeager would hear it.

My husband and I were wondering why Mychal was still in jail with such a high bond - $90,000, I believe - when his conviction has been overthrown. Justice has not been served in this case.

Thank God that the demonstration went off peacefully, but there's this ugly after story from the Advocate:

ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) -- Police in this central Louisiana city said a man was arrested late Thursday night when officers found two hangman's nooses dangling from the rear of his pickup truck.

The driver was identified as Jeremiah Munsen of Colfax, La. Police said Munsen, who is white, was charged with inciting a riot.

Good. I'm glad he was arrested. Some folks just can't let it go.

Ecumenical Prayer Service In New Orleans

First, I commend the bishops' choice of New Orleans for the House of Bishops meeting. The theme for the ecumenical prayer service was "Humainity Renewed, Restored, Re-centered in God". The use of the Morial Convention Center as the site of the ecumenical service was symbolic of the partial recovery of the city, because the Center, along with the Superdome were the two largest shelters of misery for those seeking to escape the flood waters. No help came for 4 days. I'm sure you remember the scenes from TV. I have never yet figured out how the press could be there filming the misery, but help was so long in coming.

To make certain that we were there on time, we arrived early at the Convention Center. While we waited for the service to start, we were entertained by a choir singing Gospel music. The white folks in the choir were grooving right along with the black folks. I give them points for keeping up.

As the bishops processed into the auditorium, I had to suppress a desire to stand up and cheer when Bishop Katharine passed. She has presence - a quiet dignity and grace about her - that comes through, literally, in passing.

Bishop Duncan Gray of Mississippi read the first lesson, Zechariah (8:3-13), and Bishop Katharine read the Gospel reading, Matthew (25:34-40).

The invocation and the pastoral prayer were given by Bishop Douglas Wiley and Elder John Pierce, neither of whom were Episcopalians. Black preachers often have a way of praying that draws God and his people into an intimate circle. Bishop Wiley's invocation of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and Elder Pierce's prayer did just that. Both were beautiful, and I experienced the powerful presence of God.

When Bishop Charles Jenkins introduced Archbishop Rowan Williams, he reminded us that Archbishop Williams was the 104th archbishop of Canterbury, whereas Bishop Jenkins was the 10th bishop of Louisiana. A tad more history on the side of the archbishop, no?

Archbishop Williams had toured the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and thus was aware of the desolation which still remains, for only a very few brave souls have had the courage to rebuild in that area. The archbishop spoke of what we owe to one another. "The bottom line is that what we owe to one another most deeply of all is gratitude - not even respect, not even the recognition of dignity so much as gratitude," he said. "We are indebted to one another. I am indebted to your existence because I would not be myself without you. A community, a society, that can get to that level of recognition is one that lives from a deeper place." He went on, "If the church does not live by thanksgiving, I don't what it lives by." We owe each other, but most of all we owe Jesus Christ - for life, hope, strength, and joy. As Williams said, "We owe Christ big time, as they say."

He said the help to the city was to buy time for renewal, reconstruction, and restoration of the city of New Orleans, to help it once again to become "a place for the people". He quoted from the passage from Zechariah:

"Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets."

He said, "What makes a great, godly city is that it is a safe place for older people to sit and children to play in the streets."

After his speech, the bishops went forward with their donations to Dioceses of Louisiana and Mississippi.

The finale was a musical presentation by the Irvin Mayfield Quartet of a slow "Just a Closer Walk", "I'll Fly Away", and a rousing "When The Saints Go Marching In", which brought out the white handkerchiefs waving in the air and drew folks into the aisles in a second line, marching and waving their white handkerchiefs. I caught a glimpse of a couple of purple shirts in the marching group. I'll wager that this conclusion was unique for a House of Bishops prayer service.

I have tried my best with the quotes that I included, but I do not have a transcript of Archbishop Williams' speech, therefore the quotes may not be exact.

An account of the service and of the news bishop's meeting thus far is in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Jim Naughton at the Episcopal Café was kind enough to post this on their website.

A Bit Of Poetry

Off to see
The ABC.

Genius, or what?

To TheMeThatIsMe And His Beloved

Happy Anniversary to TheMeThatIsMe and his better half. They've been together for 21 years. Like Grandpère and me, TheMe and his wife are two very different types. As I told him at his site, Conscientisation, the differences can serve to add spice to a relationship. (Some folks love to make it difficult for the rest of us with their handles and blog names that are so difficult to spell - especially with those weird English spellings.)

If you'd like, you can go wish them a Happy Anniversary. I pray for God's blessings upon them and wish them many more years of wedded bliss.