The Arrow's Path

(Hey, it's midnight somewhere!)

In preparation for a sermon for the Feast of the Holy Name (this Sunday), turn on some good Bluegrass music. The Holy Name of Jesus is a major motif in traditional Gospel/Bluegrass music, believe it or not.

I always feel sorry for Titus. Of the entire 3-year/Major Feast Day lectionary, this letter only gets read on Christmas Eve and is always over shadowed by the Christmas story. Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

In Congo or in Croydon, God is there for us A thirteen year old boy is abducted from his home and for ten years forced to live and work with a gang of violent terrorists. To save his own life, he has to go along with atrocities. He will be brutalised and he will brutalise others. He will have to get used to killing – sometimes killing people he knows. He will be aware that return home is practically unthinkable, because he will be regarded as beyond redemption by most of his neighbours, even his family. He knows that there is nothing in front of him except the likelihood of an early death – a knowledge that he tries to blot out with the drugs that keep him more or less anaesthetised for a lot of the time from the reality of what he has to do. In June of this year, I had the privilege of spending an evening with about thirty young men and women who had been through this nightmare experience. I met them in Bunia, in Eastern Congo; thirty or so youngsters, none more than the middle twen...

Christmas Eve: 5:15 PM- Family Eucharist with Children’s Sermon 10PM- Carol Sing 10:30PM- High Mass  Christmas Day: 10:30 AM- Low Mass PLEASE COME JOIN US! ALL ARE WELCOME! (I'm a good Anglo-catholic. I don't know what other appropriate terminology to use.)

Luke 1:67-80 (NRSV) Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those...

I just received a phone call from a telemarketer. I can usually tell it's a telemarketer when some weird area code comes up on the caller ID. I probably should not do this, but I like to play with telemarketers' minds. Nothing bizarre or grotesque, I just like to have a little fun. I am on the national Do Not Call list, so when I get a telemarketer call, I really have little sympathy for them, particularly if they are politicians. For some reason, I just got the following call and hilarity ensues: Me: Hello? [The Awkward Pause while the Computer dialer transfers me to an actual telemarketer.] Telemarketer: Hello...uh...Mr...uh... [another awkward pause] Telemarketer: I'm sorry, what's your name? Me: Mr. Hippo...Mr. Augustine O. Hippo Telemarketer (without missing a beat): Well, Mr. Hippo...I'm calling on behalf of...uh... [3rd Awkward Pause] Telemarketer: The Society for...uh... Me: The Society of Uh? I've never heard of it. Telemarketer: No...uh. ...

This is from last year, but it is still a goodie...

(Video courtesy of Conception Abbey)

I recently got a new scroll saw (well, it's new to me, as its an older model), and have been trying to learn how to use it. I set out today to make a star for my Christmas tree, courtesy of a pattern I found in the latest Scroll Saw magazine . I think it turned out pretty well for a second attempt, if I do say so myself. (The first attempt was a disaster learning experience.) At some point, I will put some polyurethane on it, but for Advent, it will be plain.

Al Jazeera did another excellent piece on what's going on in Northern Sudan that is worth pondering.

I just received the following cryptic message from the Anglican Vicar of Baghdad. Please pray for the Iraqis. -------------------------------------------- US may be leaving us but our war is not over it is getting worse every day but we are now forgotten! We have just spent 2 hours trying to get into the Green Zone. Our badges may be the highest level but they are not working as of today, because they are American. This evening I was to take the British Embassy Carol Service. I arrive an hour and a half late we still did a shortened version. How we do our work now I just do not know, I cannot get to the US Embassy to even do our Chapel Services. We are now in a big crisis please pray for us.

Care to guess who came up with the Big Bang Theory ?

Here is my latest Video Podcast on the meaning of Liturgical Colors. (Clip is a little over 10 minutes in length.) -The Archer

NBA owner enters Russian Presidential election .

If I have learned one immutable fact in my life, then that one fact is this, "There is nothing more contentious in the world than a bunch of white people arguing about money."

Sadly, I've long since given up on getting any news on Sudan from any American news source. I caught this news clip on the AM broadcast of Al Jazeera English. Please pray for Sudan.

"Sarah...Sarah what are you doing?" [awkward silence] 2-year-old from down the hall: "I...don't know."

Another Oldie, but still a Goodie...

The Following is an Emergency Appeal from the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem -The Archer ------------------------------------------------------- We've never made an emergency request for one Diocesan institution before.  But the need is urgent.  Please, please do what you can to help Princess Basma Centre maintain its programs.  We're asking you to consider a special gift to make up for the funds which have been withheld or defunded by USAID, the Israeli government and other sources as a result of the Palestinian bid for UN membership.  As the only regional referral center for physically and mentally disabled children, Princess Basma is a critical resource for families of all faith and ethnic traditions   Please click  here  to make an easy and secure gift, or send a check designated for Princess Basma.  We're very grateful and so are the families they serve.  Betty Majaj, Directo...

Tomorrow for the 2nd Sunday of Advent, Bishop John Tarrant will be visiting St. Paul's.  He will be the celebrant and preacher, and there will be two confirmations.  There will be a breakfast social afterwards. Everyone is invited!

From the St. Paul's Newsletter; Photo Courtesy C. Berry

Try to guess what it is before you look .