Yesterday I showed up at a store at 3:30 responding to a request for help. In short:
Woman was stranded, running from abusive spouse;
Wouldn’t go to PD due to warrants for her arrest;
Went to PD;
No warrants;
Bought bus ticket to big city with more resources;
Decided not to go;
Drove 76 miles to get car that ran out of gas (with gas can);
Car not there;
76 mikes back to bus stop;
Home at 8:30
Hoping she gets help
#PriestLife #BestEffort #NotHelpful

We had a good #Pentecost service with the Renewal of Baptismal Vows and I blessed a bunch of #PrayerShawls.
And now the crew is working on a variety of clean-up tasks around the church, and I’m getting ready to grill burgers.
#Episcopal #GoodDay #SLECBuffalo #PriestLife #PentecostBBQ

It’s #BarWeek. First stop was at the smoky bar. Got there just after 6 and didn’t leave until almost 9. Had a really good conversation with a couple of patrons covering everything from hockey and the #StanleyCup to the afterlife.
We’ll see if they come visit church this Sunday, but that would be icing on the cake as I never visit bars to recruit but to simply be visible.

I also may have found a landscaper, as the wife runs a landscaping business.

#Episcopal #SLECBuffalo #PriestLife #PleasantSurprises

Just paid a hospital visit to a parishioner who …. is …. complicated. He’s an older guy who knows about everything and has been everywhere. While I was there he told me about the sublimated atlas vertebrae that controls everything and a local chiropractor messed his up so now he can’t read and that he sends letters and books to the governor and senator and representative about communism and how seedless fruits are a communist plot for something.
I offered a healing prayer and headed out because he wasn’t going to stop.
#Episcopal #HospitalVisits #PriestLife #Wow

So the two funerals on Friday/Saturday went well enough. I didn’t feel great about the Friday service, but a few people told me it went well. And the reception committee did a bang up job.
The graveside on Saturday started fine (military honors), but then took a turn when I noticed the bulletin had been printed with the wrong name. Had a sit-down with the parish admin about that this morning. Pretty sure THAT mistake won’t be made again.
#Episcopal #Funerals #SLECBuffalo #PriestLife

Had a parishioner text me last night saying he was upset with the #EpiscopalChurch for refusing to resettle those S. African “refugees.”
I’m working on an email response to him today because a text response is too damn long.
#Sigh #Racism #Blinders #Hypocrisy #PriestLife

Monday: parishioner died.
Tuesday: parishioner died.
Today was spent figuring out service logistics (still not done) for services next Friday & Saturday, as well as a zoom meeting and sermon writing.
I’ll be in tomorrow on my day off finishing up everything.
#SomeWeeks #Episcopal #SLECBufalo #PriestLife

#EasterVigil service is in the books. A breather between services and some time to review that sermon.
#Episcopal #Easter #SLECBuffalo #PriestLife

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb ….
It’ll be a little light because we’re starting at 6:00 am (I couldn’t convince people to be at church at 5:30 am). But morning is still the best time for the #EasterVigil
#Episcopal #Easter #Liturgy #SLECBuffalo #PriestLife

#HolySaturday service went well, and then we prepped for #Easter. Invariably, in prepping for the #EasterVigil we forget things: is the font ready, change the hymn board, put candles in the pews, take down the Stations of the Cross, put up the wall cross ….. And that’s why it takes so long, because there’s always one more thing to do.
#Episcopal #SLECBuffalo #PriestLife

It’s #WednesdayInHolyWeek and I’ve got sermons for #MaundyThursday #GoodFriday and #HolySaturday finished. #EasterDay is next.
All in all, I’m in good shape for #HolyWeek.
#Episcopal #Sermons #PriestLife #SLECBuffalo

Today the altar guild met at 3:00 to zoom with my daughter who gave instructions on folding #PalmCrosses. Then we moved into the church and rehearsed for the #MaundyThursday stripping of the altar and changed all the hangings to red and cross coverings to black.

I got home at 6:00.

#HolyWeek is almost here.

#Episcopal #Liturgy #PriestLife

Not preaching on #PalmSunday, so I’m taking this week to get a jump on my #HolyWeek #Sermons — #MaundyThursday, #GoodFriday, and #HolySaturday.
For #EasterVigil I read the Easter sermon of #JohnChrysostom. I’ll work on my #EasterDay sermon next week.
#Episcopal #SLECBuffalo #Worship #PriestLife

It’s Monday before #HolyWeek and I just proofed the #PalmSunday bulletin. That only leaves #HolySaturday, #EasterVigil, and #EasterDay to go. At least that part of my life is going well.
#Episcopal #SLECBuffalo #PriestLife

This morning my parish admin came to me with a question about the #GoodFriday bulletin. This is good news, as GF is two weeks out and she’s that far ahead of the game. If she keeps this up, my plan to have a stress-free #HolyWeek will actually happen.
#Episcopal #Worship #PriestLife

Don’t tell anyone, but I’m stealing my #Lent5 sermon from three years ago to use again this year. It’ll need some tweaks, but I like it, and nobody here has heard it.
#Episcopal #SLECBuffalo #Recycling #NotStealing #PriestLife

At #SLECBuffalo :
the #Lent5 bulletin is finished and the #GreatLitany procession has been mapped out;
the #PalmSunday bulletin has been completed;
the #MaundyThursday bulletin is close to being finished.
We’re getting close to having a relaxing #HolyWeek
#Liturgy #Episcopal #PriestLife

I am not the world’s most spatially adept guy. Because of that, I just spent a much longer time than necessary mapping out the procession for the #GreatLitany this coming Sunday.
#Liturgy #SLECBuffalo #Worship #PriestLife

We don’t have a max capacity sign in our parish hall, and we’re thinking about having an event. We called the fire marshal to come and let us know what our maxcap is. He came yesterday. Today my junior warden presented me with a report detailing 7 violations, a failed inspection, and a requirement to get up to code.
#Dammit #Needed #Oops #PriestLife

Yesterday I had a sound guy come buy and look at our system. The short story is we have to live with what we’ve got. It’s not bad, just not ideal. A longer story involves moving our single speaker further away from the congregation. And a longer, more expensive story involves doing more work to an already ok system.
The good news is that our online services are decent (although there is an interesting pixelation going on).
#Episcopal #NeverPerfect #SLECBufallo #PriestLife