Help Fred's Friends

Fred Schwartz at Off Topic Allowed asks for a little help for his friends.

St. Mark's Chapel, Port Royal, South Carolina is in need of a letter writing campaign. This small group of Episcopalians is located in the heart of +Mark Lawrence's diocese.

My heartfelt sympathies go to the folks at St. Mark's, who have been refused mission status by Bp. Lawrence for no good reason that I can fathom, except that they may not share the bishop's views on every damned issue in the Episcopal Church. They are a dedicated and hard-working community and they deserve better from their bishop, who was, after all, elected to SERVE THEM, as well as the members of the flock in South Carolina who walk in lockstep with the bishop.

Day Of All Souls

St. John's Cemetery - Thibodaux, Louisiana

Readings:

Psalm 130 or 116:10-17
Wisdom 3:1-9 or Isaiah 25:6-9
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 or 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
John 5:24-27

Prayer:

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen

We remembered the departed at our All Saints Day service yesterday, since we did not plan a separate service for All Souls Day.

"Church History In 4 Minutes"

Nicked from MadPriest, who nicked from YouTube, courtesy of Tracie.

It's wonderful, surely a welcome timesaver in this busy world of ours to learn all you need to know about church history.

UPDATE: The creator of the video, Janet Batchler, at Quoth The Maven, posted the lyrics. It's a delightful and clever video, and I'm glad to know who made it to give her due credit.

Please Don't Misunderstand...

My post below about where the comments to my blog went was mostly tongue-in-cheek. Yesterday was a dead comment day until I posted a link over at Facebook, and then folks came over to leave a word. What I found puzzling was that I had quite a high visitor count for a Sunday, without a link from any of the major bloggers, so far as I've been able to tell, and so few comments (one!) until the link at Facebook. Maybe folks were busy meditating on the saints.

Please don't misunderstand me to imply that anyone should feel OBLIGATED to visit my blog or leave a comment. I have good friends who never read Wounded Bird, and we remain good friends. Blogging is something I do, because I enjoy it, and the same goes for visiting around other blogs, although time constraints affect both activities.

Nor do I intend to fault or mock those of you who like Facebook and Twitter. With Twitter, I was in and out in a matter of hours. I didn't know what was going on, and I saw right away that it was not where I wanted to be. I see the attraction of FB. It's an easy way to keep in touch with family and friends, it can be useful as a way to circulate worthwhile information, and it can be fun. Also, in its favor, FB is not as time-consuming as blogging and reading blogs, although some folks seem to spend a good deal of time there.

Blogging is changing, if not dying, and we'll just have to see in which direction the blogs and those who read them go. Once again, I love visits and comments, but I want no one to feel obligated to visit or comment, nor do I want anyone to feel guilty for not visiting or commenting. Capice?

Where Have All The Comments Gone?

Where have all the comments gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the comments gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the comments gone?
Gone to Facebook every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?


To the tune of "You Know What".

Church Of Our Saviour Blog

From Paul, the Byzigenous Buddhapalian:

You may now find Our Saviour at a new location

I have just launched a separate blog for the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour.

You will find updates, events, and musings there.

Just as I keep my very strong political views out of the pulpit, even if I preach on moral issues, it seems right to discuss a new church plant without me going off on Darth Cheney in the same space.

--the BB

And a good thing it is for Paul to do this, because when he rants about Darth Cheney, he gets quite naughty.

The Feast Of All Saints

Wassily Kandinsky - "All Saints l" - 1911.
Glass painting, 34.5x40.5 cm.
Munich, Städtische Galerie in Lenbach, Germany.


There are some of them who have left a name,
so that men declare their praise.
And there are some who have no memorial,
who have perished as though they had not lived;
they have become as though they had not been born,
and so have their children after them.

But these were men of mercy,
whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten.
Their posterity will continue for ever,
and their glory will not be blotted out.
Their bodies were buried in peace,
and their name lives to all generations.

Ecclesiasticus 44:8-10,13-14


Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

‘Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

‘But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
‘Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:20-31

PRAYER

Almighty God, who by your Holy Spirit have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen


The "cloud of witnesses" and the "fellowship of love and prayer" comfort me greatly. I think especially of those who lived holy lives quietly, giving without ceasing of themselves and what they had, and who will be known to me only in the perfect Kingdom.

Story Of The Day - Middle Ground

I try & walk a line between terror &
ecstasy, she said & then she shook her
head. You'd be amazed at the people
who avoid me for no good reason, other
than that.


From StoryPeople.

From Roseann - "Hello friends"

Sorry I've been lax in posting but I haven't felt good lately. Gary has to have surgery again on Monday and fortunately we have family here to help us. Our church family has been great too. We got a huge basket of food all homemade to get us through this latest crisis. I'll be starting physical therapy soon so hopefully I'll be gaining muscle strength.

Thanks for all the prayers and kind words. You're all in my prayers. Love, Roseann

Please pray, and if you'd like to comment, leave word at Roseann's blog, Give Peace A Chance.

They're Baaaack!

Red Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito and the gang are back at Padre Mickey's Dance Party.

It was a dark and stormy night....

Read the rest over there.