Chip Off the Old Block
Chip Off the Old Block
Many of you know I grew up in Southern California. My father died in March, 1993, but I still get out to CA for two or three days several times a year to visit my dear elderly mother. And I can almost guarantee two things will happen within the first hour or so of my arrival in San Diego: 1) I will eat an In-N-Out Burger Double Double, and; 2) she will hold my face in her hands and through tears tell me, “You’re so much like dad.”
And she’s right. Physical size notwithstanding (my father was 5’7” and before I started shrinking, I was 6’3”), I’m an awful lot like him. Same givenness to crying, same dry cough, same eye-roll-inducing sense of humor, same pathological tendency to peacemaking, same fungussy toenails (I know, gross)… I could go on because the list is long (and actually includes one or two admirable things, too).
The thing is, none of those characteristics remotely make me Bill Wishart’s son, but they do show to the world that I’m a chip off the old block.
Humor aside, that’s a bit of the backdrop for this week’s Gospel reading from Jesus’s “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke 6. Characteristics of living that don’t make us God’s daughters and sons, but do show to the world that we’re chips off the old block.
See you Sunday.
Steve+
Masks?
From the pandemic’s early days it’s been the policy of Redeemer’s Vestry to take seriously both local indoor masking regulations and CDC guidelines in our public worship. Growing disparity between these has lately caused some degree of confusion. Given the range of views and differing levels of comfort among the members of our community regarding masking—and because we want to encourage heartfelt singing in our worship services (a particularly potent means of virus transmission)—the Vestry decided at our February meeting to continue requiring masks during our Sunday morning morning worship for the next month, with the intention of revisiting the issue at our March meeting. To inform the Vestry’s consideration of this issue, we would greatly appreciate your input. Please click here to complete a very brief survey. Thank you!
Shrove Tuesday Dinner—Tuesday, March 1, 6:00 PM
The word shrove is a form of the archaic English word shrive, which means to obtain absolution for sin by way of confession, particularly before entering the penitential season of Lent. So, Shrove Tuesday (also called Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday) was named after the custom of English Christians emptying their larders of sweet and fatty foods and gathering to be “shriven” before the start of Lent. Anglicans observe it today by participating in confession and absolution, the ritual burning of last year’s Palm Sunday palms, AND eating pancakes and other sweet and fatty foods the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.
We’re going to join that long tradition Tuesday, March 1, 6:00 PM at Annapolis SDA. We’ll provide the pancakes, toppings, tableware, and drinks, but w'ell need some fruit, egg casseroles, and whatever other delights you’d like to share. Please sign up for what you’ll bring at this link.
Because of the nature of this gathering, masks will not be required.*
Ash Wednesday Service—Wednesday, March 2, 7:00 PM
*We want to both acknowledge the tension of gathering for a meal unmasked and celebrate the opportunity to enjoy fellowship together again after such a long season of disruption and separation. Some of us may not feel ready for gathering in person and the Shrove Tuesday supper isn't meant to create or exacerbate feelings of separation. We respect everyone’s decisions. We’ll do everything possible to continue offering opportunities for gathering in person and online to sustain the growth of our relationships as our Vestry continues to monitor our Covid response.
Picture credit: Mael Balland on Unsplash