I sure hope the doctor has some idea of what is going on with DB. Just when we think the lactose-free diet is working, he has another bout. I'm going along this time to hear what the doctor says, and to make sure DB tells the whole story!
We had snow on the ground when I got up this a.m., after several milder days. Boo hiss! I know that March and April are apt to have snow here in WNY, but I still am disappointed when it happens. We've had snow in May, before and even, be still my heart, in July! Of course the latter lasted only a couple hours, but still, enough is enough!
Those readers who read this journal several years ago know that I retired at 66, in 2001, and went to seminary. I had had the "call" much earlier, but due to circumstances, I wasn't given the OK to pursue the priesthood until then.
I was finally ordained priest on November 13, 2004, 3 months before my 70th birthday. So here I am, the newest priest in our church, but the oldest. Mr. and Mrs. Priest, our Rector and Associate Rector, are younger than my youngest child, and both have nearly 20 years experience in the priesthood.
I am an "associate-non-stipendiary" in our church. This means I pretty much can decide how much I want to do, but I don't get paid for any of it. This is fine with me; I didn't go into the priesthood as a career; I went into it to give back to God in a small way the blessings I have been given.
Now this doesn't mean I'm not happy to receive compensation when it is appropriate! Last year I had the great fortune to fill in as a sort of interim priest in a small church in a tiny town east of here. It was a great experience to have my own church, and it was very nice to see my small savings account grow during that year.
This is by way of introduction to something that happened yesterday. First of all, it was my turn to preach, which means I preach and celebrate at the 5 p.m. on Saturday, the 8 a.m. on Sunday, and just preach at the 10 a.m. on Sunday. The latter service is the major one of the weekend, having chanting and music, et al.
We were hosting all the WNY Rotary Exchange Students, both those who were at the end of their year, and those who are about to embark to foreign lands for next year, about 50 teens. So many of the students were not "churched", and some not even Christians, but other religions.
This made writing a sermon for this group very challenging, and it probably should have been left to the "senior" pastors, and not to this neophyte. However, I soldiered through and my sermon seemed to be well-received.
However, I was a bit (bit? try enormously)nervous about the whole thing. Which may or may not explain what happened later. One of my duties as priest is to lead the healing prayers. It seems to be one of my gifts, and I most often do this at the Thursday service. We have healing during Holy Communion on the last Sunday of the month at the 10 o'clock service, and I get that duty often, too.
This is the routine: parishioners, after they have received Communion, come to the prayer desk to kneel, and they tell me what they need prayers for. I anoint them with the healing oil, lay my hands on their heads, and pray for them, aloud (but softly, so others in line don't listen in). One of our healing team, a lay person, also lays hands on their shoulders while I pray. Pretty straight forward.
The first person at the desk yesterday was an old friend of mine who has had cancer this past year and is still healing, and whose husband of 60+ years is now in an Alsheimer's Unit in a local nursing home. Today is the 24th anniversary of the death of one of her daughters, killed by a drunk driver. She asked for prayers for her husband, herself, and for her daughter.
She wept, and I wept, also. So when the next person came to the desk, I was trying to put myself together. This young woman is having some personal difficulties, and asked me to pray for "faith". I did, with great heart. When I was done, she looked up at me and smiled, and said, "THAT WAS VERY NICE AND I NEEDED IT, BUT I WAS ASKING PRAYERS FOR MY MOTHER WHOSE NAME IS FAITH."
I was stunned, and then she giggled. That's all I needed; too much emotion, too much nervousness over the sermon, and not enough priestly experience. So I started to giggle, also. Well you know what happened: both she and I were helpless (and hopeless) with giggles. The layperson with us had no idea what was going on. I hid my head as best I could from the others in line, and tried to pull myself together. Finally I prayed for "Faith", the young woman's mother.
I got through the rest of the people without bursting into more giggles, but when the young woman shook my hand after the service, we both broke out in laughter again.
Now one of the features of my priesthood is, because of my age, I will never have a church of my own. My home parish, where I serve, is big enough that there is work for three priests, but not the money to pay for three. Mrs. Priest is only 3/4 time. It is very unusal for a new priest to be assigned to her home parish, but then, my whole vocation has been unusual.
Generally, my being assigned to my home parish is not a problem. However, I have gone to this church for 35 years, and everyone knows me, most too well. It is sometimes hard for them to remember that I am now a priest. Many times, when I am in the room and some stranger comes in looking for a priest, the other people forget that I am one and send the stranger off to Mr. or Mrs. Priest.
It has its advantages, also. I hear things that the others don't hear BECAUSE people forget that I am clergy. Sometimes, though, I feel like I am on a tightrope. And sometimes I feel invisible.
All in all, though, it is a perfect set-up for the oldest-but-newest clergy. And sometimes I get the chance to fill in somewhere else (and get paid). I like doing that also.
Life is good, so good, even with the giggles. Thanks be to God.
It's chilly here in the computer room. Maybe if I got dressed it wouldn't be so bad! I'm putting off my shower til later, when I have to go to Curves and then meet DB at the doctor's.
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