How to get some quiet time when there is so much to do? My seminary studies are going for three more weeks this term. That plus the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas as an urgency to stay organized so everything gets done on time. For me the response is artmaking and silence.
A wonderful church service will happen this Saturday. I will be ordained as a Transitional Deacon in the Episcopal Church. Ordination as clergy I expect to happen in the summer. This is a rich and formal service marking, visibly, my commitment to the importance of my faith and how I want to live it out. Here are the links if you want to watch bits or the whole service on Saturday – the ordination, and Sunday, my first celebration of deacon duties during worship. All the times are central.
There has been a change in that I will not be preaching on Sunday. I will be celebrating all the Deacon duties but not delivering a homily.
The services are live streamed but can be watched later when it is convenient for you too.
Cathedral of St. Paul 1PM, Saturday, December 4
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoF2tfZQCrUtErRhiE0jREw/featured
St. Timothy’s, 10:15 AM, Sunday, December 5
If you are local you are invited to an open house after Ordination service on Saturday, 3-5 PM, 13171 Forest Circle, Clive, 50325.
If you come to worship at St. Tim’s on Sunday, there will also be a reception after the service in the parish hall.
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church
1020 24th ST, West Des Moines, 50266
Artmaking – that is the quiet in the storm. I have been working on an Alb to wear (my long white robe) for my ordination and I have been collaborating with an artist friend, Becky Kemble, on the altar frontal and paraments for the Consecration of the 10th Bishop of Iowa to happen December 18. Both are pools of working calm. When I cut and sew and assemble time shifts and is very liquid and stretchy. It unties the knots word counts and clock-ticking makes on my brain doing all the other scheduled things.
I am so thankful the artmaking has and will continue as part of who I am and whatever my ministry looks like in the future.
Here is a picture of Annie Waskom who made my red stole for ordination. It is her design and she was able to incorporate fabrics from my stash.
Here is a picture of the Altar Frontal in progress that will be used in the consecration of our next bishop. It measures close to 14 feet wide. Thank you Becky Kemble for being such a great collaborator on this project! I think we’ll call it “Living Waters”.
Altar Frontal in progress