a good day

 

I am beginning to ease into a summer rhythm. Yesterday, Eileen and I had breakfast in the backyard. That was very relaxing. I also realized that Wednesday is basically my work week now. The rest of the week is pretty free with the exception of Sunday of course.

 

So yesterday I had a staff luncheon followed by a meeting with my boss. As I have mentioned here before meeting with Rev Jen is a very positive experience for me. She reported to me on what people were saying about worship at the after church meeting we call Strategic Doing meetings. They were asking about creating a slightly different atmosphere before worship than we currently have. Jen said it was a healthy conversation and actually it parallels some of her own ideas about the way the pendulum is swinging at Grace. In some ways, Jen thinks we have moved too far away from a bit more formal or at least calm style of worship.

I suggested a couple of ideas to her. One was to encourage leaders in the assembly to pray. I know this seems self evident (and maybe even a tad hypocritical for me a weak believer), but people are constantly moving around during worship. I noticed this Sunday that the acolytes were not following the service in a bulletin and were not making responses. I often notice adult servers and acolytes not singing the hymns. I suggested to Jen that people think about praying with their bodies during our time together.

Secondly, I said some education might be in order. We might want to address the time just before worship. We could encourage people to greet each other and then settle down and think a bit about the upcoming communal prayer. We’re not looking to put back the “me and jesus” buy diazepam online from pakistan moment that sometimes is encouraged. I suggested that we encourage people to think about the gospel, look at the picture on the bulletin. Remind them that leaflets are provided with the readings for the day in case they wanted to refresh their memories about the stories and readings we are about to hear in our prayer.

As is her wont Jen was madly writing down some of my brainstorm ideas to think about later.  You can see why I like meeting with her. She lets me talk.

shrink

Later I  practiced organ and piano. It was a good day.

Today I meet with my friend Rhonda to play piano duets together. That should be fun. In the afternoon, I am meeting with Amy the violinist. Dawn the cellist loaned her car to her sister so she doesn’t have a ride to our weekly piano trio rehearsal so it will just be Amy and me today. She and I are doing a wedding a week from Saturday. I’m hoping to get all the music together for our meeting today.

I am beginning to feel the pinch of not having a working printer. I keep thinking I will drive up to Best Buy and buy one. That will be the easiest thing to do. Our present printer has stopped working. I have figured out that it needs to be disassembled and certain parts need to be cleaned. I thought maybe that would be a task Eileen might want to do, but I’m starting to miss having it.

A week from Sunday I want to play a couple of cool pieces.

azmon

Marilyn Biery has written a Carillon type piece on the tune Azmon which I want to learn.

And I’m going to revive a very cool piece by Walcha based on Lobe den Herren.

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