The Arrow's Path

Well, the Notre Dame football program is at it again. They fired the much maligned head coach Charlie Weis after 5 years. They get the dubious honor of having gone through 3 head coaching firings (4 if you count they George O'Leary resume debacle) this decade. The records of those three vastly different coaches tell the story: 1997–2001 Bob Davie 5 seasons 35–25 .583 2002–2004 T. Willingham 3 seasons 21-15 .583 2005–2009 Charlie Weis 5 seasons 35–27 .564 Weis and Willingham had identical records after 4 seasons. Willingham never really had a chance as he was not a media darling, nor made any attempt at being that, which simply doesn't fly at Notre Dame, which has had various and sundry charismatic (Rockne, et al) and colorful coaches (I'm looking at your Lou Holtz) over the years. Willingham was run out of town because they thought they could do better. Rumor had Urban Meyer, then at Utah, going to Notre Dame. Meyer went to Florida, and in came the savior, Charlie...

This is the opening illustration from my sermon yesterday. People thought it was amusing: Just a few days after Halloween, one of our neighbors here in town began stringing Christmas lights on his house. I suppose it was no real surprise, because this particular house put up Halloween decorations just shortly after Labor Day. I noticed because its one of the houses I walk past on one of the routes I take when I am out walking my dog, Max. By November 12th or so, the house and yard were illuminated every night by what seemed to be several strands of Christmas lights. The week before last, candy canes along his sidewalk had appeared. Then a three foot inflatable snowman made an appearance, but just for a few days, and then curiously disappeared. I guess Frosty sprung a leak. Then on the Monday before Thanksgiving, a manger scene had appeared. You know the version—a good 12-lb., blond hair, blue-eyed baby Jesus, beautifully dressed and glowing in the perfectly manicured hay. I thought it...

You will never guess whose childhood this article is about. Hat Tip: Andrew.

3 October 1789 By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation. Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor–and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be–That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks–for his kind care and pr...

in Augusta, GA . I had no idea.

The Thanksgiving Eve service sponsored by the Brookings ministerial association will be held at 7 PM at the 1st United Methodist Church in Brookings on Wednesday, November 25th. Pie social to follow downstairs. Churches represented will include: First United Methodist Church Ascension Lutheran Church Brookings United Church of Christ First Lutheran Church Faith Reformed Church St. Paul's Episcopal Church St. Thomas More Catholic Church Anyone interested in participating in the Ecumenical choir, please arrive at First Methodist around 6:15 PM.

"It's beginning to look a lot like...Advent." A few weeks ago I was in the drugstore and happened to be standing in a particular spot that had a rather surreal tableau. I saw a large ghoul resembling a Grim Reaper, a plastic skeleton, a turkey, and Christmas trees all in the same line of sight. The irony that really caught my attention was not the odd panorama of holiday festival decorations but the fact that on a day before Halloween the Thanksgiving turkey already had a clearance sticker attached to it. Being a seminary trained priest, my initial response to seeing this amorphous blob of merriment was to roll my eyes at the commercial consumerism of it all that has seemingly co-opted the season of Advent entirely. Often clergy feel that trying to promote the Season of Advent is a hopeless battle. The merriment of the Christmas season is over before it has even begun, as the Christmas decorations are taken down on December 26th, although the great feast of Christmas ...

There is a very interesting article from National Geographic about the famous Orthodox Monastery in Mt. Athos, Greece which can be found online here . It's worth a read. Be sure to click on the left sidebar of the article to view the stunning pictures in the photo gallery.

We had been told by friends that there was a great butcher shop/meat locker in a small town relatively close to Brookings. We had to go out there for other reasons, and decided to stop to get some of this bacon we had been told "was to die for." We pulled up into the fairly small prairie town, population 500-ish. It had a nice little downtown area. (Think Mayberry on the Plains.) The first place we came to said "Meat Locker." We assumed that there could not possibly be more than one in this little town. Upon entering, there appeared to be a rudimentary meat counter and butcher block, upon which sat a half carved carcass of some kind. There were some game meat steaks wrapped in butcher paper just sitting out on the counter. The room was a trifle warm for a meat butcher's, and there appeared to be no one working there. We called out a couple of times and no one ever showed up. We waited around for a good five or ten minutes, still no one appeared. All the while th...

For anyone doing a Saint Nicholas Day celebration (December 6th) with younger children or a Sunday School lesson, as the day technically falls on the 2nd Sunday of Advent this year, there are some fabulous resources (most of them free) available from the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem . They have a flier in .pdf format here that has links to various St. Nicholas resources, lesson plans, craft ideas, etc. There is also a bulletin insert that can be found here .

College Football season is hitting the stretch run, and I must admit I am most interested in the fact that there are 6 undefeated teams, and there might very well be at least 4, if not 5, of those still undefeated going into the Bowl Season. Boise State and Cincinnati are big question marks. Cincinnati whooped up on a mediocre West Virginia team and still has to play @Pitt. I have trouble believing they will go to Pitt and win. Pitt wants a BCS bowl so bad they can taste it, and if they beat Cincinnati, they will basically be assured of it. If Cincinnati can pull that off, I think they may have a gripe with the National Championship committee, seeing as how Pitt has been one of the overrated golden children the media has inexplicably loved this season. How big a gripe Cincinnati would have is anyone's guess. Boise State hasn't really played anybody other than Oregon, whom they beat in the first game of the season. Oregon looks primed to go to a major BCS bowl as the Pac-10 cham...

We've been waiting in earnest for the tooth fairy to arrive for our little one. She has been teething in earnest, and frankly, it is about to drive us batty. I think she's really, really close as the teeth have not yet popped through yet, but you can feel them just under the gums. I do hope this is not just wishful thinking on my part.

Despite the fact that the Thanksgiving supplies and decorations are already on clearance that the store (it's November 16th as I write this), don't forget about Thanksgiving. It's much more important to be thankful that to start indulging in Yuletide gluttony. -This Public Service announcement brought to you by the Association of Cranky Priests actually wanting an Advent Season.

That just does not seem possible.

Thinking of what you want to major in college? Forget teaching or mathematics. How about a Bachelor of Science in Fat Studies? I kid you not. Read about it here . Hat Tip: Andrew. Ironically, I read a facebook update earlier in the day from someone (not Andrew) that read "Academics don't have hobbies, they have fetishes." I guess truth is stranger than fiction. If this article had not been in the Chronicle, I would have assumed it was a parody.

O Judge of the nations, we remember before you with grateful hearts the men and women of our country who in the day of decision ventured much for the liberties we now enjoy. Grant that we may not rest until all the people of this land share the benefits of true freedom and gladly accept its disciplines. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Prayer for Heroic Service, pg. 839 of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.

Here is an article from today's Omaha World Herald (reprinting an article from the LA Times)worth reading: --------------------------------------------------------- Juice gets the squeeze THE LOS ANGELES TIMES Some people consider it a health food, but others think of it as simply pop in disguise. That virtuous glass of juice is coming under fire as doctors, scientists and public health au­thorities step up their efforts to reduce the nation’s girth. It’s an awkward problem for the schools that peddle juice in their cafeterias and vending machines. It’s uncomfortable for advocates of a junk food tax who say they can’t afford to tar­get juice and alienate its legions of fans. It’s confusing for con­sumers who think they’re doing something good when they chug their morning OJ, sip a smoothie or pack a carton of apple juice in their child’s lunchbox. The inconvenient truth is that 100 percent fruit juice poses the same obesity-related health risks as Coke, Pepsi and other bevera...

Evensong with Holy Communion Saturday, November 7th at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Brookings, SD 5:30 PM

I am actually somewhat surprised the Yankees had as little problem winning the World Series as they did. I assumed their high priced egos would once again cancel each other out. I guess they have to win sometime, given they are perpetually the best team money can buy. Congrats anyway. It's been a while.

Grandma made the dress, a parishioner made the blanket, my great aunt made the handkercheif/bonnet, and Daddy preached the sermon. Happy All Saints' Day!

This weekend has been a long one. We consecrated our new bishop, John Tarrant, in Sioux Falls on Saturday morning, and I baptized our daughter on All Saints Sunday. We have grandparents and god parents visiting galore. There should be pictures to follow, when I recoup.