Friday in the Third Week of Lent
I am presently in Fernandina Beach, Florida sitting in a wonderful, locally-owned coffee shop. The sun is spectacular and the sky is a brilliant, cloudless blue. The temperature today is expected to climb into the mid-60's and feels nearly summer-like for me. I'm hopeful that I'll manage to take a few pictures to post later this weekend.
My reason for this late winter visit is not merely to thaw out from the Wisconsin winter that shows no signs of abating before June. I'm here to be a part of the sesquicentennial celebration of St. Peter's Episcopal Church. (I wrote about this parish in my Wednesday post). On Sunday, I will have the opportunity to be the preacher at all three liturgies and to lead the adult forum. The rector, George D. Young, III, has also invited me to be the celebrant at the Eucharist at the early service.
I learned how to be an Episcopalian at St. Peter's. This parish was the community that formed me in the Anglican ethos. This is the parish that supported my call to the priesthood, affirmed that call and supported me through my time in seminary. And while there is a "homecoming" aspect to this visit, there's also the realization that things have changed over the past eight and a half years. Nearly 40% of the present parish membership has arrived since 1999, and so I will meet many people for the first time on Sunday. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones.
But there's another reason for posting today...and this may not seem very "lenten" in nature. I wanted to share with those of you (the faithful few!) who've been checking this blog from time to time something very exciting that happened yesterday.
Some of you may know that I began golfing shortly after my arrival in Wauwatosa. When I started playing, my hope was that the game would provide an opportunity for me to get outside, get some exercise and maybe make some friends. Little did I know that I would be fascinated by some of the more technical aspects of the game...or that it would provide such a consistent opportunity to gain experience in the spiritual disciplines of "patience and longsuffering".
At any rate, I was invited to join the rector of St. Peter's and two of his friends for a round of golf yesterday. The fact that my lower back was a mess as a result of a couple of recent ice-related falls...or that I had not swung a club since back in November did not deter me from accepting that invitation. As my regular golfing buddy joked, "At least you have a couple of good excuses for your game!" And, to be truthful, I played a usual round -- inconsistent drives, the usual ill-timed approach shots, a couple of unpleasant sandtrap experiences, balls lost in water hazards and in the rough.
But, friends and neighbors...there is plenteous redemption and on hole #9 at The North Hampton Golf Club ( http://www.hamptongolfclubs.com/NHampton.html#l ), I entered (if only briefly) golfing nirvana...and scored my first ever BIRDIE!!!
A clean drive off the "white tee" safely avoided water hazards and left me just inside the 150 yard marker. I used an 8-iron for the approach shot (not because I thought I could get to the green, but because I can usually control an 8-iron). Proper aim, a smooth swing, favorable wind conditions and a good roll contributed to the ball winding up less 15 feet from the hole. I managed to contain my excitement long enough (and keep my mouth shut on the way to the green) to read the putt correctly and sink the ball into the cup. No mulligans, no provisionals, no adjustments...a birdie in regulation. SWEET!!!
And if I wasn't hooked on this game before...well, I am now. And for all of you who are wondering, no, I didn't slip up and say the "A-word"...it is still Lent after all!
I am presently in Fernandina Beach, Florida sitting in a wonderful, locally-owned coffee shop. The sun is spectacular and the sky is a brilliant, cloudless blue. The temperature today is expected to climb into the mid-60's and feels nearly summer-like for me. I'm hopeful that I'll manage to take a few pictures to post later this weekend.
My reason for this late winter visit is not merely to thaw out from the Wisconsin winter that shows no signs of abating before June. I'm here to be a part of the sesquicentennial celebration of St. Peter's Episcopal Church. (I wrote about this parish in my Wednesday post). On Sunday, I will have the opportunity to be the preacher at all three liturgies and to lead the adult forum. The rector, George D. Young, III, has also invited me to be the celebrant at the Eucharist at the early service.
I learned how to be an Episcopalian at St. Peter's. This parish was the community that formed me in the Anglican ethos. This is the parish that supported my call to the priesthood, affirmed that call and supported me through my time in seminary. And while there is a "homecoming" aspect to this visit, there's also the realization that things have changed over the past eight and a half years. Nearly 40% of the present parish membership has arrived since 1999, and so I will meet many people for the first time on Sunday. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones.
But there's another reason for posting today...and this may not seem very "lenten" in nature. I wanted to share with those of you (the faithful few!) who've been checking this blog from time to time something very exciting that happened yesterday.
Some of you may know that I began golfing shortly after my arrival in Wauwatosa. When I started playing, my hope was that the game would provide an opportunity for me to get outside, get some exercise and maybe make some friends. Little did I know that I would be fascinated by some of the more technical aspects of the game...or that it would provide such a consistent opportunity to gain experience in the spiritual disciplines of "patience and longsuffering".
At any rate, I was invited to join the rector of St. Peter's and two of his friends for a round of golf yesterday. The fact that my lower back was a mess as a result of a couple of recent ice-related falls...or that I had not swung a club since back in November did not deter me from accepting that invitation. As my regular golfing buddy joked, "At least you have a couple of good excuses for your game!" And, to be truthful, I played a usual round -- inconsistent drives, the usual ill-timed approach shots, a couple of unpleasant sandtrap experiences, balls lost in water hazards and in the rough.
But, friends and neighbors...there is plenteous redemption and on hole #9 at The North Hampton Golf Club ( http://www.hamptongolfclubs.com/NHampton.html#l ), I entered (if only briefly) golfing nirvana...and scored my first ever BIRDIE!!!
A clean drive off the "white tee" safely avoided water hazards and left me just inside the 150 yard marker. I used an 8-iron for the approach shot (not because I thought I could get to the green, but because I can usually control an 8-iron). Proper aim, a smooth swing, favorable wind conditions and a good roll contributed to the ball winding up less 15 feet from the hole. I managed to contain my excitement long enough (and keep my mouth shut on the way to the green) to read the putt correctly and sink the ball into the cup. No mulligans, no provisionals, no adjustments...a birdie in regulation. SWEET!!!
And if I wasn't hooked on this game before...well, I am now. And for all of you who are wondering, no, I didn't slip up and say the "A-word"...it is still Lent after all!
posted by FrGaryB | 12:00 PM
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