tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post7801746367680626800..comments2024-03-18T15:28:13.866-04:00Comments on A Concord Pastor Comments: The doors are open!Concord Pastorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18322127779647130869noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-73696644498808813102008-12-15T22:14:00.000-05:002008-12-15T22:14:00.000-05:00Anonymous (2:42pm)will be in touch about possible ...Anonymous (2:42pm)will be in touch about possible faith community projects. Thanks for the encouragement.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-45671978702743768352008-12-15T17:07:00.000-05:002008-12-15T17:07:00.000-05:00Our attendance was up a bit this past Sunday at St...Our attendance was up a bit this past Sunday at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral across from Park Street station, but I think that's because it was the Sunday of the do-it-yourself Christmas pageant. <BR/><BR/>Last year there was a blizzard, and the children's pageant had to be cancelled, but those who had fought their way through the snow were not to be denied their pageant, so they did it themselves. That was so much fun that we decided to plan on doing it again this year. <BR/><BR/>I was worried that our planned spontaneity might fizzle, but no! Everyone got to play whatever role they wanted, so we had two Marys, three or four Gabriels, and so on, and everyone had a blast! We had several generations represented within many roles. Our magi ranged from six to sixty! We took over almost the entire Liturgy of the Word and had a break for photos before resuming the service. <BR/><BR/>Some people had brought partial costumes (bathrobes for shepherds, and in one case a sheepskin lined coat turned inside out for a sheep). Butterfly wings and bits of fairy costume completed the angels, and the more garish vestments were raided for the magi. I have a Thai dragon kite that I've mounted on a stand, and I carried that with the magi. Our dragon from the East swooped its way up the center aisle and then bowed before the Christ Child. A six year old assistant Magi carried a cardboard box of genuine frankincense, and it was fine that when time came for him to speak he read the stage directions instead of his line.<BR/><BR/>It was a LOT of fun, and I can pretty much guarantee we'll do it again next year. I commend the idea to anyone who has a relatively small congregation of moderately fun-loving people.just another piskiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11114240498737481553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-38371107128635243192008-12-15T16:57:00.000-05:002008-12-15T16:57:00.000-05:00"Is the local faith community doing anything speci..."Is the local faith community doing anything specific to work with those burdened by unemployment? Have any "work projects" sprung up that we unemployed might participate in as a means of staying productive in lieu of wages?"<BR/><BR/>Not at this point. However, if Anonymous would like to take some leadership in this regard, please be in touch with me.Concord Pastorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18322127779647130869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-19774713983739839092008-12-15T16:55:00.000-05:002008-12-15T16:55:00.000-05:00It's just human nature - and I don't think adding ...It's just human nature - and I don't think adding other steps in the process will help! :-)<BR/><BR/>Some years the response is nearly 100% return, some years less... Fortunately, our tireless outreach ministers fill in the gaps when gifts aren't returned.Concord Pastorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18322127779647130869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-45380623383269058882008-12-15T15:08:00.000-05:002008-12-15T15:08:00.000-05:00That's pretty sad. I've been trying to think of a ...That's pretty sad. I've been trying to think of a better system for accountability, but it really seems that people should be able to be a little more responsible -- very disappointing......how about if people had to pay $1 or bring in a can for the food drive to be able to take a tag down off the tree -- people could also be given the chance to write down their tag/promise on a clipboard kept by the tree in case they think they will need a reminder? Ugh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-55406084175794328022008-12-15T14:42:00.000-05:002008-12-15T14:42:00.000-05:00Is the local faith community doing anything specif...Is the local faith community doing anything specific to work with those burdened by unemployment? Have any "work projects" sprung up that we unemployed might participate in as a means of staying productive in lieu of wages?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-81640355387286292192008-12-14T23:09:00.000-05:002008-12-14T23:09:00.000-05:00I'm not sure about the total amount of gifts but m...I'm not sure about the total amount of gifts but my "admonitions" didn't take as well as you might think. Folks were calling this week to say they'd lost their tags or had let their kids take tags from the trees and didn't know what the kids had done with them. Just the things I tried to give a heads-up on... Still, a HUGE amount of gifts came in and I'm grateful for every one of them!Concord Pastorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18322127779647130869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-86402268582148351512008-12-14T22:12:00.000-05:002008-12-14T22:12:00.000-05:00I thought maybe the crowds had to do with all thos...I thought maybe the crowds had to do with all those parishoners set on fulfilling their giving tree obligations on time...maybe we should have those deadlines more often! How amazing to see the church overflowing with gifts for others! I noticed all all but one of the "ornaments"/wishes had been taken from the tree -- it looks like your admonition to take the responsibility seriously was heard! Is the yield usually so high?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808375493800890797.post-11774119028232592132008-12-14T20:29:00.000-05:002008-12-14T20:29:00.000-05:00AustinI hope that many find this a time to redisco...Austin<BR/><BR/>I hope that many find this a time to rediscover the role their faith can play in their lives. Everyone is speaking of 'getting back to basics'--what is more basic than our faith?<BR/>PeaceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com