My travel on Sep 29th 2010.

About five years ago I was having lunch with a young couple who were members of St. James's in Cambridge, MA,    He, Chris, and she, Trish were a joy and delight. Chris was about to qualify as a Psychologist.  

 I don't know what made me say it, but I remarked "Chris, I think that you should be a Priest  not a Psychologist".

That got both of them thinking very deeply.   In due course Chris decided to enter the "Discernment Process" for “would be Priests” in the Diocese of Massachusetts. 

Then "out of the blue” Chris was invited to work part time for the Latin American Council of Churches in Quito, Ecuador, and part time for the Episcopal Church in Ecuador.

Chris and Trish are fluent in Spanish, and had previously worked in South America, so they were delighted to make the move. 

In due course the  Diocese of Central Ecuador [part of the Episcopal Church] took on Chris’s "discernment process".

The end result is that Chris will be ordained Priest in the Diocese of Central Ecuador in Quito on Oct 2nd 2010.


Chris and Trish never forgot that I somehow helped them to get started on this path. They have asked me to be with them for the Ordination.

Even though I hate to travel I've decided to take the trip to Quito and to pray and love with Trish Chris and their daughters Clare and Isabel.

I will leave Sarasota on Sep 29th 2010, and return on Oct 6th 2010

I've visited the Continents of Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America, so now it's time for South America. (Quito is 9,200' up in the Andes, so it should be quite the trip).

I know that I will never regret this decision to travel to Ecuador for Chris's  Ordination;   and to enjoy some days with Chris and Trish, and their daughters .  (And to  do a wee bit of sight-seeing in and around Quito).


Dang, Damn, Darn!  We Priests are so fortunate!   I respond with gratitude for this fabulous opportunity to travel and to be with some excellent folks!



 

 

 

Comments

  1. Suzer27 September 2010 at 20:13

    What wonderful news! For you, and Chris and Trish as well. What an adventure! Safe travels, and we look forward to hearing all about your trip when you return.

    ReplyDelete
  2. sophia29 September 2010 at 04:33

    Greatadventure, Have a safe journey

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not remember the words “ar
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were able to get together a few
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur
Read more