Povey Prattle

Bill and Patrick moved to SRQ about a year ago. They each retired from Minnesota. Soon after their retirement they acquired “Maggie” a lovely young “Schnauzer”. I got to know Maggie very soon as I would meet her early each morning when Bill took her out for her first “pee” walk of the day. Patrick and Bill are on vacation in Alaska. My good pal Ben is “dog-sitting” Maggie. Maggie loves her early morning walk. With Ben’s approval I have been slinking into his home at about 6:10 a.m. to take Maggie for this walk, (whilst Ben sleeps). It’s cool to be an honorary dog owner. This is what I have learned. The human says “walkies”: with the sincere belief that the canine needs a good walk. The canine responds with enormous enthusiasm. But soon the cooperation ends. The human wants to take a brisk walk from point A to points B and C, and then back to point A. The walk is all important. The canine wants to follow his/her nose; to pee at will; and never to walk in a straight line. The nose is...

Long distance pastoral care, ( with an 18 year old former Pittsfield parishioner – in London UK for a semester – and now feeling very lonely). Lunch here with my pals Ben, Michael and Charles. Bowling with the Friday group. (I bowled miserably!) Working on my sermon for Sunday 31st August. Paying some bills. Such has been a Friday in retirement. But there was also joy. The Mexican workers - and do they indeed work hard, have almost finished their work in replacing our mansards. They are great guys. It’s been a pleasure to have them in our community. Each Friday since April I have given them a 12 pack of Mexican brewed beer. This has been an “end of week” thank you to these hard and gracious workers. They will be leaving early next week, so today I gave them the 12 pack, plus a bottle of good Tequila. I handed the Tequila to Jorge, the very bright foreman. I said “this is for you, or you can share it”. He replied “we always share”. In the midst of writing this, my good f...

I had a long and important ‘phone chat with a good friend this evening. He is a sharp-minded, politically astute, and compassionate Episcopal Priest. Within his own field - stewardship of the environment – he is very well known. He is one of the Associate Priests at St. James’s in Cambridge. He is now semi-retired because of poor health. I trust this man. I respect and admire him, together with his wife, his three children, and his former wife. I was lamenting the state of affairs in which many are saying that Barack Obama cannot be elected as President because he is a Black American. My friend suggested that Senator Obama’s skin colour is not the chief issue. Rather it is his name viz: Barack Hussein Obama. That good name raises a question in the minds of Americans. It is “is he one of us?” “John Smith” is clearly one of us. So is “Margaret Thomas” or “Tony Brown”. But - “Barack Hussein Obama”. Is this an “all-American name?” “Of course so” I respond. We recently elected...

Life in fasci-t America. Please read the article below. It is horrible. Nearly 600 immigrants in Mississippi detained without warning. Most of them carted off to another State, there to be held incommunicado. Some mothers released with ankle bracelets. (Oh so wonderful, until we recall that our Republican administration is also the “so-called” upholder of “Family Values”. Are not fathers also important to each family?) The workers were apprehended as a result of an anonymous tip. That reminds me of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. In those fascist/communist States “snoops” were on every street. American born workers in Mississippi applauded as the immigrants were carted off. Sounds like a scene from 1933 – 1945 Germany, when Jews were carted off to death camps, to the applause of their Gentile friends. Jews then. Hispanics now. Hispanics now, unless they are Cubans! Such is life in corporate/Republican party/ semi-fascistic America. And my Democratic Party friends a...

I am owned by two cats. Like many other folks who are owned by pets, I am likely to say “I love my cats”. That’s not the whole truth. The fact is that most of us want our pets to love us. Who knows if canines and felines can feel “love” towards the humans they own. Isn’t it more likely that these animals “ bond” with us? They do this because we are their primary sources of food, safety, play, and grooming. That’s fine. For house pets serve the deep human desire to be needed. The cats which own me are called Ada and Adelaide. Ada sleeps for most of the day. She is a loiterer . Adelaide is constantly exploring. She is a prowler . It’s just as well that they live in my home, rather than on the streets. For in Sarasota “loitering and prowling” is a crime. One of my Resurrection House pals has recently been arrested for just that: for “loitering and prowling”. It seems to me that the decision by a law enforcement Officer that someone is loitering and prowling is a very subjective o...

In 19989 I spent two weeks on the Holy Island of Iona off the west coast of Scotland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iona It was not the greatest time. I found Island life to be claustrophobic. Each night when the Ferry to the Island of Mull took its final evening journey to a safe natural harbour on Mull called the “Bull Pen” I felt lonely and isolated. The fact is that I stayed too long. I should have planned for three or four days, not for fourteen! I got off to a bad start. On my second day a couple who were staying in the Guest House which I also used, made some snarky comments about the “pro-gay” books in the Abbey bookstore. I immediately felt unsafe. Later that morning I took a walk. On my way back I encountered a massive free-roaming bull. I was terrified. I made sure that the bull was far out of sight before I scooted back to the Guest House. I related my fear, and the hostess immediately began to tease and berate me because I was afraid of the bull. She related that eve...

Sermon for August 24th 2008 The Revd. J. Michael Povey, at St. Margaret of Scotland, Sarasota. Isaiah 51:1-6 Thus says the Lord: "Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the LORD. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many. For the LORD will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song. Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples. I will bring near my deliverance swiftly, my salvation has gone out and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope. Lift up your eyes to the heavens...