long time no blog

I notice I haven't written here for over a week....well, it was holy week, after all, and Easter and all that....

So, I'll catch up....

MY ALMOST NEW JOB

Nothing is signed yet, but I am scheduled to begin a call as the Interim Missioner in Charge for the Middlesex Cluster (4 churches in Higganum, Killingworth, Northford and Westbrook) on May 1. It's really part time--12-13 hours a week--and the Missioner who retired at 72 was full-time, so I insisted it be called 'interim' because if, over time, we discover the Cluster needs more than the 12-13 hours I'm willing to give, that I would fold my tent and move on with no problems. It's a fascinating ministry--four churches that have very different cultures and ethos'--who have been bound together to seek to perfect 'total common ministry' for now 30 years. There was a fifth church in Durham, but a few years ago they opted to hire a part time priest to serve only them and leave the Cluster. Too bad. I really buy the concept because it empowers lay folk to 'be the People of God' and consigns the ordained to liturgical, functionary and supportive role.

I spent Lent and Easter at St. James in Higganum. It is a remarkable community that really buys into Total Common Ministry. They need a priest like a fish needs a bicycle. But they tolerate us (there are 3 other presbyters who rotate, along with me, among the churches).

I even did my first ever 'Sunrise service' at 6:30 a.m. in the labyrinth the community built in memory of Jean Minkler, the mother of my dear friend Steve. There were 25 people there and we left the better part of a loaf of bread for the birds. Then we ate pancakes.

There were some gnats in the woods in the early morning. One of the guys who stayed back to cook the breakfast asked me, "Jim, what was all that arm movement all about?" He'd looked out to see if we were almost through and saw folks shooing gnats.

"We were in the spirit, Wayne," I told him.

(more tomorrow....)