I remember as a youngster going to church early on the morning of one Ash Wednesday with my parents. Not being too sure why we were in church during the middle of the week––hadn‘t we just been to church this Sunday?––I wasn‘t much enthused as a participant in the sacred liturgy. Neither was I thrilled about having been pulled out of bed so early in the morning when clearly school wouldn‘t start for another hour and a half. Couldn‘t I just get ten more minutes of sack-time?

Journey of the Magi, T.S. Eliot ‗

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem… …For my brethren and companions’ sake, I pray for your prosperity. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek to do you good.” (Psalm 122.1-2, 8-9; BCP 779f.)

Well, I guess you’re wondering what you might get into now that the Fall season has begun. The kids are in school, vacation is over, perhaps your work load at the office is not too demanding: anyway, you’re finding yourself with a lot of time on your hands and you need something to do or you’ll go crazy with boredom. Relax, help is at hand…

Paul’s Ponderings for September, 2007

“Study is hard work. It is so much easier to find something else to do in its place than to stay at the grind of it. We have excuses aplenty for avoiding the dull, hard, daily attempt to learn. There is always something so much more important to do than reading. There is always some excuse for not stretching our souls with new ideas and insights now or yet or ever.” (Sr. Joan Chittister Quoted in Essential Monastic Wisdom, by Hugh Feiss)

Have you wondered what to do with unwanted medications when a loved one dies or you clean out your medicine chest? Traditionally, we’ve been advised to flush them down a toilet or drain.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, there’s new evidence that increased levels of antidepressants and pain relievers are polluting our wastewater causing adverse effects to fish and other aquatic wildlife. “When the water is eventually reused, it can also cause unintentional human exposure to chemicals in medication.”

Members present: Fr. Paul, Jerry Wegman, Mike Kolbinger, Mike Davis, Jerry Stump, Gerry Schneck, Ann Taylor-Sundstrom, Nickie VanStelten, Beth Davis and Bill Gray. Fr. Paul opened the meeting with the Gathering Prayer and a reading.

The minutes of the last meeting were read by Mike Davis and approved as read (VanStelten/Schneck).

Paul’s Ponderings for July, 2007

Ordinary Time

After the wonderful festival of Christmas and the celebration of “God become human,” we Christians find ourselves in our liturgical life when nothing “special” happens–that is, unless you consider every day in the Lord “special.” In the time between the Feast of Epiphany and Ash Wednesday we observe no particular season. We don’t spend time in fasting and self-reflection as we do during Lent. There is none of the unique joy which marks our celebrations of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. In fact, save for the isolated holy days of, say, Sts. Peter and Paul, this stretch of time is just plain conventional. Everyday. Commonplace. Undistinguished. Ordinary.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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This year I, __________________,
being of sound mind and body, do hereby promise to quit ______________
and _______________, and to take on the following good deeds: __________, ____________, _____________, and ____________.
(cut out and fill in the blanks)
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Have you thought what resolutions you’re going to make this year? I have provided this handy form for your personal use. Feel free to copy as many times as you need for the appropriate number of persons in your household!