American New Years Eve

It is New Year's Eve. 2012 is almost over, 2013 is almost here. Karen and Robert's Christmas present is due to arrive today, I wonder if deliveries here are as fraught with difficulty as they are at home. We have decided to visit Chewacla state park. It is only a few minutes away, and it will be the first proper walk we have had since arriving. The GPS announces "right turn", as I look left there is the park entrance -two enormous sliding black gates. We turn left and pull up by the entrance kiosk. Entrance to the park is $2 per person. The park ranger provides us with a trail map and advises us that the waterfall is where new visitors start. We drive around the park, up the hill steadily to the main parking area, a sign points into the trees 'trail to waterfall'. Really, that's a trail? There doesn't appear to have been either human or animal in that direction recently, so we make our way through the trees. The fallen leaves are covering loose rocks, about the size of a child's fist, and I now realize that my first mistake of the day is quite serious. I didn't bring my walking boots, yesterday's park has given me an entirely false expectation. This is the real outdoors - well it is if you ignore the restrooms, water taps and barbecues  Slowly and carefully we proceed down a rain gully, at least there the dry leaves have been removed and we can see the rocks.
The waterfall is really the overflow of the dam that is responsible for the lake, we follow the sound to get there. There are some very large tree trunks that have been washed over the waterfall, l'd to see it in full flow. We then walked along the edge of the lake trying to spot birds, there are a few, but only a few. The woods must provide less food than it appears capable of producing.
We walk for about thirty minutes, it is the furthest we have managed since arriving. Soon the trail is blocked by a fallen tree, this is only an obstacle because we are not properly dressed. Anyway, it is time to return, so we make our way back, and choose a different path to reach the road, it turns out to be a mush easier route.
Close to home, we pull off the road into Flint's Crossing, and eat at Panera Bread. The food is really good, the cost is rather high and the portions on the small side for America, so I wouldn't score it highly on the value for money scale.
Later one of Robert's friends arrives to take us to the Gridiron football game, the Chick fil-A bowl - LSU vs. Clemson, it is near Atlanta, so it is a long drive. On arrival, we eat at Varsity, the biggest burger bar I have ever seen, it has multiple rooms to eat in and also has a drive in, so you can eat in the car. Everyone who visits Atlanta will eat there, including presidents and the King (Elvis). They have pictures to prove it, it is an amazing place.
We then head to MARTA, the City train service, and purchase a breeze card to get us to the stadium and back. I put a $20 note in the machine for a $10 fare and get 10 x $1 coins back. I'd forgotten that Americans had a dollar coin, I assume they still hate it -I certainly do.
The stadium seats near to 80,000 and is a sell out, although only 67,000 odd are actually there. Free tickets have that effect. We are seated at the Clemson end, 7 rows from the top. The field is small, but I can see it all, which is important as I am trying to learn the game. There is a touchdown almost immediately for each side, LSU score first, then the game settles down, and I start to get the idea of 10 yard advances and 4 stops (downs), fake plays and flag on the field. LSU start to have the upper hand. It is a game of two halves, each split into halves again, but these breaks are barely noticeable in the game, which appears to be all wait and a few seconds of explosive action. The half-time show is made up of three marching bands, a stunning show, then we settle down for the second half, but almost immediately we are called down to level 1 where there are seats available 8 rows from the front. Once seated, we realize we have missed a touchdown, LSU are taking a strong lead. In the final quarter, Clemson begin a comeback. They are two points behind with two minutes to play left. The atmosphere in the stadium is electric, the announcer pleads for order at the end of the game, and reminds people not to go on the field. At the start of the final play, Clemson need a field goal to win. They are inside the final ten yards on fourth down, the clock is stopped at 2 seconds. The goal is scored, and the noise is deafening. I could not have been at a better first game. Football is a very technical sport, I hope I can keep in touch, at least now I will have some idea of what's happening when the Super Bowl is on.
We return to the packed train, the mood of the crowd is friendly, with lots of chat between strangers, yet there has been little alcohol sold.
In the car on the way back, we talk about the church plant that Robert's friend is planning. He has a brilliant vision and is planning carefully and listening to God for direction, to make a church that disciples well, but doesn't become a show, like so many of the US churches are.
The last day of 2012 and the first hour of 2013 were so exciting.

American Sunday

We slept well in the enormous bed, but still woke before the alarm. Breakfast was to be at Robert's friends, so we picked it up on the way in from Hardees.  Then drove to the first place the 'Never Lost' GPS didn't know - Robert's friend's house, they have been there for five years.
We ate breakfast then drove to their church, quite a distance away.  The North Glencoe Baptist Church was on Christmas break.  The third choice preacher was on duty, he is normally the High School Pastor, and responsible for media, the band was even more up to date thsn usual. The sermon was well constructed, but was really three sermons in one. He was preaching on Habakka - Habakkuk to the rest of us. His constant mispronounciation began to grate a little, so much so that Karen looked up how to say the word - have-a-KOOK.

Back at the house our host had prepared Hawain Stack, a base of rice topped with chichen in a sauce and various salad itens (including pineaple) placed on top. It is a family recipe, and very good.

Having eaten we decided to go for a walk, so we drove to the local park. The park has a tarmac trail (path) to follow around the trees. It is used by all sorts of people, mostly though it is set out for a game. There are things that look a little like rubbish bins, but their sides are made of chains, a little way away, through the trees is a concrete platform, you stand on the platform and throw a frisby into the 'bin'. You are prevented from doing this by the trees in the way, so will need another try from within one pace of where your frisby lands. That, of course is too simple, so there are different types of frisby, to produce distance, curves, and accuracy. We watched someone practicing. We walked around the trail twice, once in each direction, then said good bye to our hosts and headed back to Auburn. The first stop was foe fuel. Normally I have to pre-pay for my fuel because I don't have a ZIP code but here the man in charge unlocked the pump and Iwas able to pay in the usual way. He was from Bahrain and was studying in the USA. He said he was not expecting the situation in his country to improve, so would not be able to go home. The drive home was the hardest I have done. American drivers drive on main beam too much and drive too close to the car in front. For miles I could feel my face lit up from the reflection of headlights in the wing mirrors. Its a problem I have to deal with at home too, but very rarely for so long. I arrived home exhausted.

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Busyness, pre-occupation, and ...

mainly my own lack of adequate planning.  In a short, necessary break from preparing a sermon on Mark 10v35:45 I find I need a distraction - something else to concentrate on while the thoughts in my head settle down.  I need about one more page or it will be way too long.  Trouble is I'm really only on the introduction.  Due entirely to my poor planning I'm speaking three Sunday's in a row.  There has not been time for me to absorb this passage, and the same will be true next week.  So, I've been very focussed on it every evening - to the exclusion of the other things I'm supposed to be doing - like meeting with the vicar and the wardens.  That meeting was missed altogether, on Friday I had to be reminded and was late! 

Now, I'm remembering a session we had on transformational preaching, and wondering how to fit some of that in. 

So, time to make the regular Saturday call, and see how Karen is.

Right Dominance returning

At last a Saturday morning where the things I HAVE to do are not so immediate as they have been for the last few weeks. A time to sort out the paperwork, much of it long overdue. 01 Jun 2008 was the earliest date I've found so far. So I have been filing and moving old hardware into the loft until it can be recycled. That's when I find my Shoulder is the most limiting - when I have to lift things above head height. Now I'm planning to watch qualifying (F1 European GP) from start to finish.

I've also had a look at the Diocesan news paper and submitted my blog to the list. Liz had told me about the bloglist a while ago. I would hardly call this a 'Parish Blog', but it does cover quite a lot about Christ Church.

While I was searching for the list above I mistyped 'list' as 'lost' and found this on 'UglyVicar', which lead to Anger at [Chelmsford] vicar's anti-gay preaching I had seen this headline on the placards outside the newsagent in Galleywood, and had wondered what it was about. Seems Chelmsford is in the thick of the CofE's 'Homosexual Clergy' debate.

On to more edifying things.

It is looking to be an exciting autumn at Christ Church, not only is there an Everybody Welcome course, but there is also the Bill Legend Band (26 September) and Riding lights with Origins and Lemons in November. See the Christ Church Website Events page for more information.

So on to the topic of the Title. When I finish work I am often the last out of the building and have to lock up. During the week I left just before six and was the last one out. Walking down the stairs I put the building keys in my right hand, opened our door, went and set the alarms, walked through the door, shut it behind me and locked it. All with the keys still in my right hand. Then wondered why it had felt so awkward. The entrance is narrow and the lock is on the left, so locking with the left hand is easier. The dominance of my right-handedness is returning

Strangest bridge in Britain?

Sunday saw us at Leek Wootton Church. It looks quite old, but inside there are signs that it is keeping up with the times. Much work has been done to improve the interior for the millennium. There is a platform in front of the rood screen. This is quite common in churches of a certain age (old!), I do wonder though whether it puts a further symbolic barrier between people (including the clergy) and God. It was a traditional (Common Worship) Holy Communion. The sermon was on the good Samaritan, and the OT reading showed us where the Samaritans came from.

Lunch was a barbecue at Ashow, in the village club. Croquette was available on the lawn, and the food was excellent. We had to leave before the raffle was drawn, so don't know if we won.

The church still has its box pews and an uneven floor.
It is one of only 4(?) Anglican churches dedicated to the Assumption of our Lady (Virgin Mary). The village is at the end of a no through road, on the banks of the river Avon. The church is reached by a footpath, and following on from the footpath there is a bridge across the river.

When the footpath meets the river there is the most odd bridge.
It is not an optical illusion, the sides really do curve outwards. It acts like an optical illusion. As I walked across the bridge I was instantly convinced that I would fall over the side, first one side then then other, and extremely weird feeling.

We left about 2:30pm to travel back to Lincoln and then home, arriving about 8:30pm, after catching the traffic from the Duxford Airshow.

An excellent few days.

Easter Sunday

There is always so much planned, and so little achieved. "I was going to ..." seems to be the story of my life. Sometimes its a result of poor calculation - I really can't write a sermon in eight hours, especially one that must be assessed. Shopping always takes longer that I expect. We have had another attempt at looking at Kitchens. We went to Wicks and MFI, we already have three of four quotes. None of it is very inspiring. Everything we look at is insubstantial, and easily broken. Most of the things in the show rooms have damage. I'd just like this one to last as long as the current one - about 15 years. Not much chance of that if its broken in a few weeks of display in the store. We had Mike and Liz with us, they had things to do at various shops. So we went to Pizza Hut for lunch, and then home. Mike went to work and Liz, Jo and I to my sisters for her youngests family Birthday. There I succumbed to the sinus infection that kept me out of action most of yesterday. So all the great Easter Sunday services were missed. God does work in mysterious ways.

Why men hate going to Church

On Wesley Owen.

"It's Sunday morning. Where are all the men? Golfing? Playing softball? Watching the tube? Mowing the lawn? Sleeping? One place you won't find them is in church."

To read my review of this book follow the link on the title of this blog entry.

Sunday 5 Nov. 6pm at St. Peters.

All churched out now. This is really a step too far, but it has to be done. Again, this service provides an opportunity for people to remember their loved ones and close friends who have passed away. It started with the dedication of the candle stands. In previous years the sand tray had proved a disaster waiting to happen. This was much better. Once again there were a good number of people in church, and here a better mix of ages, with a number of younger children, and a more 'family' feel.

The very poor picture below gives some idea of the candle stands.
These will be kept, one in each church, and allow people to light candles whenever there is access to the church.

Sunday Nov, 5th 4pm @ Christchurch, Billericay.

Church all day today. After Mike's driving practice, Jo and I went off to Christ Church for the memorial service. 4pm is a good time, it avoids the fire works, and incorporates dusk. Annabel lead the service, and Warner preached. There were a good number of people in the church. Many were in tears, I noticed, as I returned to my seat after placing a lighted candle on the silver cross. There was an interview with a congregation member who appreciated the support the church had provided after the loss of her husband and talked a lot about the bereavement experience. It was a very moving service. People had been asked to bring a flower, and these were made into an arrangement during the service. The pictures shows the result.I found myself thinking of my own parents, rather than my father-in-law, who I'd come to remember. The people you lose are always with you, even when they're not.