I don’t know about you but on Monday morning I hit the ground running, demands come from many directions, and it is sometimes difficult to carve out time to do the things that are really important. I am committed to attending the 7:30am Wednesday morning service. If my memory is correct, Epiphany had a 7:00am Wednesday morning service during Lent and Advent, which I started attending once my children were old enough to get out the door in the morning on their own. At some point and after some discussion, the time got changed to 7:30 am which was a bonus for me, that extra 30 minutes in the morning is a blessing. Currently, we have a Wednesday morning service at 7:30am every Wednesday during our program year. We are a small but faithful group, the service is in the beautifully refreshed chapel, and the service lasts only 30 to 35 minutes, if the 8:00am tower bells ring prior to the closing prayer, the preacher has exceeded the allotted time. After the service, we gather in Hadley Hall for fellowship, coffee, and a hot breakfast; it is a wonderful way to start the day. Having a mid-week service is something I really value, it is like pushing the pause button in the middle of the week and gives me a chance to reflect on the past two days of the week and the remaining days coming up. Have my interactions with others been as positive as possible, are there people in my life who need special attention, are there things that I have left undone that can be done in the next couple of days? All things to reflect upon even before we get to the homily! Often the preachers at the 7:30 am service are parishioners, the rota includes Mary Street, Jason Kinchen, Gayle Pershouse, Fred Rowland, Scott Street, as well as Miriam; soon Sarah our Interim Rector will be added to the rota. All are fine preachers each with their own style, I am particularly interested when the preacher weaves the scriptures into the life of the saint (or lesser saint) who is celebrated on that particular Wednesday.
As you know, depending upon our Lectionary, the life of a saint or a lesser known saint is celebrated each day. Our own General Convention determines what women and men are commended in two books, Lesser Feasts and Fasts and the newer, A Great Cloud of Witnesses. I am inspired to learn about the ancient saints such as St Brigid of Kildare or a more modern person such as Dag Hammarskjold, Deitrich Bonhoeffer, or Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Their lives and good works help me to see how an everyday person can make a difference in the lives of many.
Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 7:30 am for new friends, a hot breakfast, as well as inspirational preaching, and tomorrow maybe we will learn about locally educated social activist Vida Dutton Scudder.
Faithfully,
Faithfully,
