MONTAINI SEMPER LIBERI

I was looking through the desk drawer I hardly even use--except for a nail cutter--and found two things I had forgotten about.

An unopened iron-on patch of the state seal of West Virginia which depicts a coal miner on one side and a Davy Crockett looking fellow on the other of a rock with the date July 20, 1863 on it. That was the date that West Virginia was created out of a weirdly strange area of Virginia with two panhandles, for the Civil War. It also had the Latin phrase above, which means, "Mountaineers are always free".

The other was a half-dollar sized nickle from McDowell County National Bank dated July 20, 1963--for the 100th anniversary of the state.

I've had these things a long time--long enough to forget them.

But it was a joy to find them.

I was 16 when the Centennial happened.

I hadn't yet met Bern.

Memories are good.

I my even iron the patch on a jacket....

 

Autumn

It's Autumn in Connecticut and the sound of leaf blowers is in the air.

I hate them because they are so loud and annoying.

Bern hates them for a better reason--leaving leaves on the ground to replenish the soil is good for the environment.

Two of our neighbors were blowing leaves the other day and I couldn't stay on the deck and read because it was so annoying.

Couldn't they make a leaf blower that doesn't sound like a bazooka being fired?

Or couldn't people respect the environment more than a leafless lawn and just leave them to decompose over the winter?

Questions like those leave me exhausted.

 

This week's sermon

 

RENDER UNTO CAESAR….

        In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees (as always) “went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said.”

        So, the followers of the Pharisees said to Jesus: “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth….” (Boy, that is buttering him up with faint praise!)

        “Tell us, then, what you think,” they say getting ready to drop the bomb!

        “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”

        If Jesus says ‘no’—they’ve got him from treason against the Roman Empire.

        If Jesus says ‘yes’—they can tell the people he sides with the Romans against the Jews.

        They’ve got him either way…at least they think so.

        But Jesus knows what they’re up to and tells them: “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?”

        Jesus can be depended upon to be a step ahead of his critics. I admire that about him.

        So, he asks to be shown what is given to the tax.

        They show him a coin and he asks who’s likeness is on the coin.

        They answer, ‘the emperor’s.”

        So, he tells them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

        Point, game, set, match to Jesus!

        Don’t try to play tennis with this guy….a

        In another translation, Jesus says, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God, the things that are God’s.”

        It’s my contention that over 2000 years ago, Jesus set the stage for our country’s ‘separation of church and state’ which is a part of our constitutional legacy.

        And now, it is my belief that our constitutional legacy of ‘separation of church and state’ is in danger of being uprooted.

        Let me be clear—it is not the state that is trying to uproot that legacy—it is the ‘church’.

        Evangelicals and Roman Catholics are asking the state to infringe on the church and on individual freedom.

        I could give you several examples, but let me cite one—abortion rights.

        I’ll be clear, I abhor abortion, detest it—but it is the right of the woman to choose, not my ‘right’ to tell her she can’t.

        The Evangelicals and Roman Catholics are urging state governments and the United States’ government to take away rights that should be protected and upheld.

        I’ll talk to you more, if you wish, about this—but let me be clear: the church—at least parts of it—are trying to blur the separation of church and state.

        Render unto Caesar and render unto God may soon be tarnished. I pray it won’t be, but fear it will be. What can we do to prevent that? I’m not sure. I wish I did.

Amen.

 

 

Sunday sleep-in

 I slept until 9:30 this morning.

Luckily, I didn't have church today since the service in Milton started just as I woke up.

To wash, dress, eat a little something, drive to Milton and get vested would take about an hour.

But this was  "Sleep-In Sunday".

I feel really rested....

Confirmation Sunday

 Trinity, Milton--which is actually in the town limits of Litchfield--which I serve very part time, joined St. Michael's, Litchfield on Sunday for Confirmation.

I presented 3 for confirmation, 2 to be received and 1 to reaffirm her vows.

Both buildings of Trinity would fit inside St. Michael's sanctuary--leaving room for the altar!

Bishop Laura told me before the service that I was in her sermon.

I was nervous since most of my career I have annoyed Bishops.

But it was about serving the outsiders and she told about my work at St. John's in Waterbury with a Soup Kitchen that served 100 or so a day and a food pantry and restrooms open to the homeless.

All in all a good day.

But Trinity's coffee hours are better.

I really hate Halloween!

 I hate everything about it.

A block and a half from our house is a house that has 14 huge, scary displays in it's yard.

I wouldn't let my kid Trick or Treat there. If they're that into terror, what might they give children who come to their house==bed bugs, maybe.

My hatred of that night goes back to my early childhood.

My parents would dress me up in a costume and mask.

I was 7 before we knew how near-sighted I was.

Seeing people dressed in scary costumes through the eye holes in my mask freaked me out.

And some people in my day (and probably still) would do bad things to private property if they didn't get enough candy.

Fear and destruction aren't for me.

So, I hate Halloween.

Brigit found her voice

Our dog, Brigit, was a silent creature the first few years after we rescued her.

But she has found her voice and now barks--at the mailman, anyone on our front porch, even at me if I come in unexpectedly!

It annoys me but I guess it means she feels it's okay to bark--she won't be punished.

But she can really bark!

She'd let us know now if someone was breaking into our house--that's good.

But it still annoys me.

I'll get over it because I love her so.