Sunday 10/7

Wow, we had a great worship today. Our Eucharist, Blessing of the Animals, and lunch was great. And something happened today that I haven't mentioned yet--I led singing for Chapel of St. Francis for the first time today.

I have led singing many times before for a service we have done at a nursing home, but never when playing drums. That's difficult. I am told that I did well. Hmm. It's very difficult to play drums and sing at the same time. There are drummers who do it--the two I'm thinking of off the top of my head are Phil Collins (the obvious man to come to mind) and Joe English (former Paul McCartney & Wings drummer).

Playing drums for worship, especially for what we do--a mix of traditional and contemporary music--is a different animal than just doing rock, pop, and blues. I have to "back off my attack"--and play more softly, and be creative with other percussion instruments, i.e. shakers, and triangle, soft rods, and mallets (for cymbal rises). But to SING while doing all that is a difficult task.

But I enjoyed every minute of it. All glory to God.

Our Bishop is beginning dialogue with a bishop in another jurisdiction concerning a merger or concordat of sorts. We ask you who read this to be in prayer with us on this, if you would. Although division in the Church is, unfortunately, a given, and sometimes necessary, it doesn't mean we like it. Our goal, after leaving the larger jurisdiction we were a part of a few years ago (there was no way around it), has been to affiliate again with another that is similar to us. This bishop is known to many in the Anglican/Anglo-catholic/independent catholic parts of the Church. Thank you for your prayers.

Have a good week.


br. francis