Sunday, St. Michael's was in ful sun dress mode. A seminarian gave the homily; standing fans created gentle breezes between the aisles; the Amsterdam Avenue ADA door was wide open. And, I was on Altar Guild duty ( Read more... )

Arrived at Intersection just in time to get tapped as chalice holder for Communion. One looke at the assembled gave me a clue as to what was going on. Almost all the old hands - but one - were no-shows and that person was Hairshirt Lady. HL has had her run-ins with the clergy in the past and it was clear from the look on the Assistant Rector's face ( Read more... )

This was one of the sanest Intersections I've spent worshiping in - I have to say it - years. No crazy people were there. Where they went, I have no idea; it just seemed as if they all woke up and got the same e-mail: skip St. Mike's this evening. And, you could feel the difference. There was a palpable air of relaxation throughout the service. ( Read more... )

At Table went pretty well. It was very close to what The Rector wanted, a sit down meal that was part picnic and part Sermon on the Mount. Not everyone could keep up with the e-mail traffic leading up to it, and that led to some ruffled feathers. But, what would At Table be without ruffled feathers? One good thing about mania is that it becomes ( Read more... )

This is one policy decision that caught everyone by surprise, but the fact is, our events are frequented by a handful of raging alcoholics who will drink themselves sick if a bartender is not around to cut them off and the At Table arrangement isn't suitable for having one. Last year there were people (including, Crosby and Hyacinth) who missed ( Read more... )

There's been a lot of e-mail traffic lately regarding church service and various aspects of providing food and drink before during and after it: Saturday Kitchen is once again in need of volunteers; the Rector would like an At Table service before the calendar stretches too long; and the call has gone out for someone to replace one of the regulars ( Read more... )

I cannot. Cannot. Cannot. Get out of bed in time for church anymore. Sleep is too precious and evanescent. I'm too old. This pushes me into the gathering shadows of the Intersection prelude once again.

I left the nursing home just in time to make it back to Intersection, feeling a little abashed at having had my fill of football without Jesus. I came out of the subway shed with a little bit of time on my hands and bought a cup of coffee. I brought it with me into the sanctuary as I must have done at least a dozen times over the course of the year ( Read more... )

Sumner is this really mysterious co-counselor who technically has been a part of my weekly class since last Spring, but who, in reality hasn't been attending all that often. Until now ( Read more... )

One of the first casualties of Crosby's Camino has bitten the dust - for now. On Tuesday, The Rector sent out an e-mail giving everyone notice that Intersection would have its last next At Table in two weeks. "At Table" was originally meant to be a meal that was intertwined into the Intersection Mass. Everything was said or prayed while literally ( Read more... )