While a seminarian at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Stamford, Connecticut, I knew neither that I was a direct descendant of at least four dozen slaveholders nor that the vicar was a descendant of, and bore the same name as, the patriarch of the largest slave-trading family in American history. ⚓
4/ fortune. Everytime I use them I remember where they came from, and pledge to remember my responsibility as a Christian and as a member of that family to stand againt racism and to respect the dignity of all people.
3/ was a very wealthy dry-goods merchant in Baltimore both before and after the Civil War - an active and devout member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Much of his wealth came from the cotton trade, even though he was not an enslaver. I still have some of the items that were purchased with that +
2/ very powerful.
When Traces of the Trade first came out I began research into my own family, and discovered that the Maryland branch (the family name was zloney) were colonial and early federal Vestrymen of St George's, Spesutia, Hartford Co. and that some were enslavers. My g-g-grandfather +
⚓️ 1/ Traces of the Trade is a very powerful film. The DeWolf family (starting with Katrina Brown) has made a good an concerned effort to bring awareness and try to redress some of the wrong and harms of the slave trade. Katrina is one of the designers of the Sacred Ground curriculum, which is also +
Chocolate cake with Peaceful Sabbatical written on it.
⚓️ My sabbatical starts May 13. Yesterday was the last Twelve Baskets Food Pantry board meeting before sabbatical. Look at what they surprised me with! Thank you!
A baptismal font in church withnevening light coming in.
⚓️We have baptisms at All Saints', Millington this coming Sunday (Easter II) - three children, one family. The Altar Guild has already moved the font in front of the altar in readiness. This was the view at Bell Choir rehearsal, about 6:15pm. Lovely (and Bell Choir is playing at that service).
Congratulations! Many blessings. I hope you are taking some time off before you start. It will be quite a change from Stonington.
Oh boy! Where are you headed?
2/ "Is he good now, or bad?" That was very insightful because it was in that transitional point in the film. I wasn't sure what it said that I had an 11 year old who could comprehend that level of violence. BTW, he became a landscape architect/map maker.
1/Yes! And when this same boy was 11 he begged me to take him to see Schindler's List in the movie theater. We went, but I told him that if he wanted to leave at any point we could. The only thing he said during the film was at one point Schindler was having dinner with SS officers and Jack asked +
Earth and Moon from DSCOVR NASA's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite captured this unique view of the Moon as it moved in front of the sunlit side of Earth last month. This view shows the fully illuminated “dark side” of the moon that is never visible from Earth. Ian Regan processed this version of the image to account for the Moon's motion. NASA / NOAA / Ian Regan
I hadn't seen this before. This is pretty remarkable.
Earth and Moon in one NASA photo.
ht @astrokatie.com
When my son was 10 and singing in the choir he said in a stage whisper, in the silence following the Fraction, "Aahh! They killed him!" 😳 Well, he wasn't wrong. ⚓️
A church choir standing in front of the organ.
Happy Easter from the good folk at All Saints', Millington, NJ raising their flowers high on the Alleluias of "Jesus Christ is risen today", as tradition from my childhood at St Stephen's, Armonk, NY. ⚓️
Thank you.
4/ only a death notice. Anyway it's all been wierdly intense... and againt the backdrop of the world news... and it's Holy Week. Lord, have mercy. ⚓️
⚓️3/ her husband's niece had been found dead on the street in San Francisco; she had been having mental health problems for some time. Finally, I discovered today that a high school/Girl Scout camp friend died a year ago, and none of our mutual friends seem to know how or why. There was no obituary+
⚓️2/ were with my "difficult" people, including one who doesn't like the "political direction of the parish", as well as the fact that we have "ruined Palm Sunday" by making it be like Good Friday but after our talk came to church for the first time in months. Yesterday, my sister called to tell me +
⚓️1/ It's been an oddly intense Holy Week pastorally. Two hospital visits, a home visit for last rights, and then notice of that person's death today. Also, conversations with a woman about her adult son in ICU, and another family whose mother-in-law had just died. A couple of these conversations +
2/ ministry of these ancestors (who from all accounts did not suffer fools gladly, but were sternly generous). I got quite teary thinking about them and how they might have experienced Good Friday. Thr Communion of Saints is with us - even at the foot of the Cross. ⚓️
⚓️1/ A thought on Good Friday after preaching: three generations in a row of my father's family were Episcopal priests, born in 1788, 1821, and 1848 respectively. As I sat in the short silence after preaching I found myself thinking/praying/ hoping that I had done justice to the faithfulness and +
Baptismal font with unlit candles and greenery from the previous night's Altar of Repose.
Bare wooden Cross flanked by candles, in front of the strpped-down Altar.
Good Friday at All Saints', Millington, NJ. One of the real highlights for me was watching a woman with her 2 young children (ages 3 and 7) come forward to light candles of veneration. She guided them so carefully and lovingly. She is being confirmed in May and she is teaching her children well. ⚓️
A baptismal font with candles and the Reserved Sacrament.
An altar window at night.
The Altar of Repose and the stripped main altar at All Saints', Millington, NJ on Maundy Thursday night.
The clergy of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark.
The Diocese of Newark clergy (most of us) after Renewal of Vows/ Chrism mass. ⚓️
Another attempt at distracting from Epstein.
Jesus, in the Passion Gospel.
Passion Gospel readers.
Palm Sunday altar arrangements.
Station at the Church door before the procession moves into the Church.
A Blessed Palm Sunday to you all from All Saints' Episcopal Church, Millington, NJ! ⚓️
Oh, Tim... how much longer can you hold out with this charade?
Thsnk you. 😌
Good liturgy can be exhausting, as well as renewing. And spending time with a dying friend...priceless, but so hard. ❤️🩹
⚓️After 8am service a parishioner told me she wanted my sermon preached at her funeral. Then a woman who has been dealing with serious grief came to church and stayed for coffee hour sitting with a whole circle of other women - a first for her! And I did a pre-marital session with a lovely couple.