Goin' to the chapel

Goodness, days behind in the blog! I am back from the most beautiful wedding in Maine, a three+ day event full of joy and prayer and food and wine and good, good company. Calvin, a very close friend from seminary -- I assisted at his baptism during our first year at EDS (a rare event, yes, the baptism of a seminarian). Anyway, Calvin celebrated his covenant with Dan, a kind and clever pediatrician whom he met in New York. At the center of the three days of feasting and dancing was a perfect evening liturgy, with prayers taken from EOW, Scottish BCP, and the New Zealand BCP, as well as liturgy that they wrote. Everything flowed together gracefully, everything made sense. There was an interesting arc to the wedding as well: It began with a mystery-laden chant from Hildegard of Bingen-- instead of starting the wedding with a triumphal march, we were invited by the music into the holiness of the event. The triumphal celebratory music built up to the end, a brave and sensible approach. Here is 'za and I with the happy couple:


It was a joy to be one of Calvin's groomsmen, and a blessing to be part of a community outpouring its love. Calvin's former parish in Maine was there, even folks who had a few years ago been deeply hesitant about welcoming an out, gay priest. For 'za and I it was a hopeful celebration for our own upcoming marriage; there were also prayers and hymns we plan on cribbing for our own wedding service out in Lopez.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch , the apartment is feeling settled and the movers have finally arrived!! Turns out the original driver quit; someone finally showed up with our stuff today. It was all carried up into Public Storage, most (but not all) of it undamaged. There's a lot to sort out, especially the cost -- the per diem we're owed for the delay, insurance claims on the damage to two peices of furniture, the cost-savings of having a one-site delivery... all good news for Messiah, which generously offered to pay for moving costs (a standard practice, to be sure, but generous nonetheless).

Today I got to meet Bic in person, the fantastically talented organist at Messiah. Bic is also organist for SSJE, and I got to hear him play during the Tuesday eucharist at the monastary. I hope I am able to attend that service regularly; it is a holy place, and a gift to participate as part of the congregation. This sunday, though, at long last the chance to worship with Messiah! I am so looking forward -- strange to have accepted this call but still not had the chance to pray in person with the whole community. It is a congregation with a strong reputation for prayer; a fantastic gift of the Spirit that will serve us all well.

It is a congregation with many gifts, in fact. Sunday's readings lend themselves well to celebrating those gifts -- guess I better get that sermon written tomorrow!