Povey Prattle

My sister in Jesus, and good friend Elizabeth Kaeton this morning posted the following on her blog http://telling-secrets.blogspot.com/ She has put in to words that of which I have been hinting regarding the reactions to the Presidency of Barack H. Obama. I commend her article, and I believe that her analysis is entirely accurate. Should you decide to make comments here, please do not comment on Elizabeth's exact words. They are hers, not mine, and you should comment directly to her at her blog. But you may comment to me about Elizabeth's thesis: one which I fully share and entirely endorse. J. Michael Povey ================================= HERE IS WHAT ELIZABETH KAETON WROTE: Civility and Racism: A White Suburban Christian Girl Plays The Race Card Civility.We seem to have lost it.Or is it that we've lost our minds? Even as the President was calling for civility during an historic Joint Session of Congress, it became obvious that it had already left the building. In case...

Putting "Senator", "Representative", "Bishop", "The Revd", "The Honourable", "Judge" , "Lord", or "Sir/Dame" before a person's name Or "M.P.", "D.D.", "O.B.E" (etc) after a person's name Ought not, in and of itself, lead us to believe that that person is wise, intelligent, honourable, or trustworthy.

ALL OVER THE MAP Ben and I did a wee shopping trip today. I needed to donate some items to the St. Boniface Thrift Shop, and he needed to buy some items at “Bed, Bath and Beyond”. It was good for Ben to be out of his house as the Plumbers were there in full force. He’s had a major underground water pipe leak, so his nice home is in a state of chaos. ( The “State of Chaos” is of course in Republican hands). After our shopping we went to Sarasota’s “Island Park” and ate a simple picnic lunch with I had prepared - including the so-called “New-Englander” sandwich of which I wrote yesterday. There are some pictures of the park below. I am lucky to be living in a City which has such a place. [“The Kiss” statue, based on a 1945 “Time” photograph is not entirely popular in SRQ ( but I like it, so there!)] Ben and I love to chat about old fashioned words. (What else is there to do after you’ve finished “curmudgeoning” about the pathetic Republican Party?) Today we were on “pantechnicons” see ht...

I first encountered this sandwich at Samel’s Deli on Elm Street in Pittsfield MA. There it was called “The New Englander”. You’ll need good bread . Whole wheat is fine, multi-grain is better. ( Target “Super Stores” sell a terrific multi-grain bread). As a spread I use good Dijon mustard, but other prefer mayonnaise. If you live in the American south, do be sure to use “Duke’s” mayo - it is simply the best. The fillers are: 1. Turkey Breast. (Winn-Dixie stores in the south have excellent rotisserie turkey breast – it actually tastes like turkey!) 2. Sliced cheese. I recommend good sharp Cheddar, but sliced Swiss is also good – just so long as the cheese you choose is real cheese (not a “cheese-product”), and has a “tangy” flavor. “Publix stores” have a good range of sliced and real cheeses. 3. Thin slices of peeled “Granny Smith” apple. 4. Maybe a leaf or two of Romaine lettuce. If you are not in Target/Duke’s Mayo/ Winn-Dixie/Publix territory then :- ...

Do my cats glare at me? Or is it that I think that they are glaring at me? I need to know.

The photo’s of Penne and me which I posted yesterday were taken my Mary Caulfield. Mary is a good friend from St. James’s, Cambridge who visits her parents in North Redington Beach, FL about twice a year. Mary and I try to get together when she makes those visits.Yesterday’s photo’s were taken at a very pleasant picnic area at the north end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge where Mary and I met for a sandwich lunch.-------------------------------------------------------------------- Homeless people endure many indignities . One such is for women who are menstruating and have no money for sanitary products. We keep a supply of such items at Resurrection House. For some reason we hide them away in a drawer. Some women are very reluctant to ask a male volunteer to access them. As Chaplain I am a “safe person” to be asked if no female volunteers are nearby. Strangely enough, we keep a basket laden with condoms in full view. I think that we are giving a very mixed message - i.e. that men are ex...

Right wing, Republican and Evangelical nutcases have opposed the following speech by President Obama, to be delivered on 8th Sep 2009. I suppose that means that they are opposed to education. It's an unexceptional speech, filled with platitudes, and guaranteed to bore just about every student . But it contains no brain-washing; nothing socialist or seditious; nothing which will undermine our Republic. So why have the Republican/Right wing/ Fundamentalist/ Evangelical fear mongers gotten all riled up about the speech? You tell me. _------------------------------------------------------------ Psst. Is it because our President is African American? jmp ------------------------------------------ The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today. I know that for many of you, t...

My sermon at All Angels on Longboat Key, Sarasota, FL is below. Here are a few photo's from today. Two are of the glorious sunrise I enjoyed from my Lanai this morning. Two are of my dog Penne and me. We drove over to Pinellas County, FL to have lunch with my Cambridge, MA friend, Mary Caulfield.

Sermon for 6th September 2009. The Revd. J. Michael Povey at All Angels by the Sea, Longboat Key, FL James 2:1-17; Mark 7:24-37 Here is a story about a healing service in a “holy roller” Church. "Anyone with needs to be prayed over, come forward, to the front at the altar," the Preacher says. Bubba gets in line, and when it's his turn, the preacher asks: "Bubba, what do you want me to pray about for you." Bubba replies: "Preacher, I need you to pray for my hearing." The preacher puts one finger in Bubba's ear, and he places the other hand on top of Bubba's head and prays and prays and prays. After a few minutes, the Preacher removes his hands, stands back and asks,"Bubba, how is your hearing now?" Bubba says, "I don't know, Reverend, it ain't 'til next Wednesday!" It is the call of a Rector to be both a coach and a cheerleader . If he or she only coaches, the congregation will grow weary an...