Recent content by Deegie

Well that's so simple that I feel dumb now. Thanks!! Exactly. It was a fundraising event that was fun for them. It would have been work for me. Trying to explain that was futile. I need to be particularly strict about my boundaries because my predecessor was not and felt the need to say yes to...

I need to learn how to break up the post I'm replying to into multiple quotes like you did. Your second-to-last sentence really resonated. I faced something just the other day where people were slightly miffed that I wasn't attending a Friday night event at the church. I was already giving up my...

Two things are big parts of my week that I didn't see on your list. The first is supervising my staff. As the rector, I'm the boss for the other five staff members. Answering their questions, giving them permission to do things (whether it's purchases or days off), resolving personality...

Hiya. I'm still here! I read everything, even if I only post occasionally. It's a busy time in parish ministry here. January is the month of making budgets, preparing reports and such for the annual meeting, and completing a particular type of evil inflicted upon us by the national church called...

Seriously! I'm still mediating fights between my music director and secretary over what we call certain pieces in the bulletin. At some point, the sermon writing shall begin. At least I only have to write two this Christmas. *sigh*

You're very welcome. And while I agree with you, I feel like every year I can remember less. I literally had my Powerpoint slides in front of me writing that post out. LOL.

The only thing the BCP 1979 requires is one or more people to present the candidates. In many places (including where I am) this has grown into the custom of each confirmand having a sponsor. This person is supposed to develop a relationship with the candidate, participate in the presentation...

I'd echo that suggestion. He also includes the martyrdom of Alban (which was at the beginning of the 4th century). Funny enough, I just finished a presentation on this for my adult Confirmation class which is about to start. Here are my highlights of pre-597 British Christianity: When Rome...

So for TEC there are a few official tiers of membership in a local church, according to the national canons. 1. Anyone who has been baptized and whose baptism is recorded in the church is a member. (This could come either from being baptized in that church or having it transferred from...

That is almost identical to what I say but usually only at services at which there are a lot of visitors (weddings, funerals, Christmas and Easter, etc). I've never had the situation where someone I knew was unbaptized came up for Communion. I suppose that would only happen if we had been...

How interesting. Around me, places with two services find the later service to be far better attended. Mine was about six times as many people yesterday at the 10am compared to the 8am. And I used the time in between to tweak a little too!

I'm sorry. That's rough. I've become convinced that I'm a terrible judge of my own sermons' quality. The ones I think are pretty good seem to have no one paying attention. And the ones I'm nervous about usually get lots of comments. It's weird.

I agree. Especially if most people don't even know why it stopped or why it's brought back. Perhaps in clergy gatherings or something, in which you might reasonably expect people to understand the reason, it would be impactful. Otherwise, it doesn't really do much unless there is also some...

Oh, my. It seems there is a lot more implicated here than sacramental theology. In your case, it might make a lot of sense to bring it back.

It's a great question. Our 1979 BCP here in the USA has an instruction which reads: "It is appropriate that the other priests present stand with the celebrant at the Altar, and join in the consecration of the gifts, in breaking the Bread, and in distributing Communion." This shows that some type...