Credits

from the previous post: I have to say that I know a few colleagues who pack themselves, who have very few people to help them in saying goodbye and hello. I may have just transferred the world’s smallest balance from one bank to another, but I tell you, I think I am the richest woman…

Home Sweet Home

Sorry for the delay-- had a little trouble finding the keyboard in the move, and I wasn't about to blog using the clicky-on-screen thing. ick. First of all, Sunday's farewell service was wonderful. The liturgy I found online (thank you, Mennonites!) was much better than that thing in the UM book of Worship, and then…

The joy of the Methodist Itineracy

Friends, as my box count feature suggests, I'm about to preach my last sermon, attend my last church luncheon, and pack my last few boxes while saying fond goodbyes to loved ones in the NY capital region. I'll catch up with you in a few days from my new place, and then hopefully be back…

Airplane over the eastern United States (8/11, 8:07 p.m.)

( transcribed journal entry from 8/11, 8:07 p.m. ) Our flight out of Miami was delayed an hour and a half, so my hopes of driving home tonight and surprising Benji are pretty much dashed. I do want to say that this trip has been helpful in terms of perspective. First of all, I haven't…

Plane on route, Guayaquil to Miami (8/11, 10:53 a.m.)

( transcribed journal entry from 8/11/08, 10:53 a.m. ) I'm doing okay on the plane-- a few tears at take off, and I blew some kisses toward Guasmo Sur behind us. I'm even okay with the idea of not coming back for a couple of years. I think communication will be much improved between my…

Plane on tarmac, Guayaquil International Airport, Ecuador (8/11, 9:15 a.m.)

[the housing crisis nearing resolution, we return to the Ecuador journal posts] ( transcribed journal entry from 8/11/08, 9:15 a.m. ) Last night's program was pretty good. The drama the kids put on was much improved over last year (we could even hear them most of the time!)-- a cute story similar to Solomon's, where…

Best friends, part II

I'm a pacifist, people! I resist violence, seek a third way, turn the other cheek. I think 'just war' is an oxymoron (as war is neither filled with justice nor limited to 'just' war), and that even violence done in self defense or in defense of the powerless does harm to God's body (which may…

I have the best friends in the world.

In a training program for new pastors (and anyone else who's interested) that my Conference offers called "Tending the Fire," we do this exercise where we examine our support network. How many people do we have in our network? How many are *not* church members or colleagues, so we can vent about work? How many…

Sermon (transcript): Perchance to Dream

Yet again bummed that my sermon today wasn't recorded. This time I just flat-out forgot to put in a CD and so did my sound guy. For the record I also flat-out forgot to put on makeup (and, in case you were wondering, so did my sound guy). So I'll do my best from-memory reconstruction.…

Outside the Casa de Mera, Guayaquil, Ecuador (8/10, 6:25 p.m.)

( transcribed entry from 8/10/08, 6:25 p.m. ) After a pancake breakfast (which I cooked!) this morning, we had church service on the soccer field, the highlight of which was a beautiful solo of Amazing Grace, sung by North American teen K. I was also honored to be able to serve communion to about half…