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How Time Flies...!January 31, 2001 My last posting here came in the context of our wonderful trip to Vienna and to England. Then - if you are a faithful follower of this page - apparent silence. Where did all the time go??? Immediately upon returning to Canada I became immersed in the preparation of a semi-learned paper on Richard Hooker. Some of the time in England had been spent in preparation of this: I had attended part of a symposium in Canterbury on the 400th anniversary of Richard Hooker’s death; and I had spent a day in the Lambeth palace’s archives researching my topic: “Liturgy in the time of Richard Hooker.” Who the heck was Richard Hooker, you ask? A humble but brilliant theologian who lived in the time of Elizabeth I of England, and who in many ways is the foundational theologian of Anglicanism. Eventually the paper was written, and presented. Although very nervous about it (I’m primarily a pastor, not an academic), I really enjoyed the process and I think those who attended the symposium where I presented the paper did too. My paper is now online, if you would like to take a look. Then Christmas came, and went. Christmas is a very intense time at St.George’s. Our superb choir mounts a full-scale service of Nine Lessons and Carols, usually the Sunday before Christmas. Then, there is the full complement of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services - this year more intense than usual as Christmas Eve was a Sunday, and we had full morning services for Sunday, followed by a 5:00 p.m Christmas pageant and a 10:30 p.m. Choral Eucharist. As well, we were all back in church on Christmas morning. Following Christmas each year, I enter a period of sick and shut-in visitation, trying to visit the homes and bedsides of twenty or more house-bound members of St.George’s, with Christmas Communion. Once that is done, the parish office begins to prepare for the Annual General Meeting of the Congregation. I review my work of the previous year, and write what, in our parish life, amounts to a “speech from the throne,” or “state of the union” address. It is probably no surprise that now, with all that done, I should succumb to the winter ‘flu. Home in bed I have time to reflect, and read, and catch you up with this episode of my Chronicles. Heather, and RachaelLots of excitement for Heather. On January 1st she opened Dixon Law Offices. Her colleague with whom she worked these last two years has formed a new Immigration Law partnership, and Heather retained and renamed the offices they once shared. There has been remodeling, purchasing of equipment, and the development of new computer and filing systems. Everything looks spiffy and wonderful there, and Heather is really enjoying this new business adventure. Rachael has continued her singing, and has performed both with choirs and in opera excerpts. As well as studying at the university she teaches private pupils during the week. At the moment she is preparing to participate in a master class, to perform in the Winnipeg Music Competition Festival, and then in April she will present a complete recital as part of her course work. So... that’s about where we are for now. |
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