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( May 17Collapse )Here's the little thing I wrote for the first of my two presentations at my church's annual meeting last Sunday. This isn't exactly what I said, mind you; I varied from the text a bit when speaking, as one will -- I think I said "a lot" instead of "dozens," for example -- and I've removed the last names from this text. But close enough.
Deacons are called to a ministry of service to the members of the church, and in 2012 we carried out that ministry in many ways.
We prepared dozens of meals, some served here at the church, at the Go Moms and Dads! Brunch; the Long-term Members Brunch; and the all-church picnic, and many others taken to the homes of members dealing with serious medical issues.
We dropped in on people when they were in the hospital, and visited and celebrated Communion with several of our homebound members.
We provided transportation to members who needed help getting to and from church or medical appointments.
We took down and put up, in that order, the greenery that festooned the church building during Advent.
We also found a little time to help ourselves, by including a time for spiritual formation in our monthly meetings; in 2012, we read and discussed two books: From Nomads to Pilgrims, about congregations that transformed themselves by intentionally reclaiming traditional Christian practices; and Final Gifts, about how to better understand the special needs of the dying.
In 2012, we said said goodbye to the Deacons elected in 2009: Nathan; Stephen; Jay; Michelle; Mary; and Carolyn. We also bade farewell to Bethany, who relocated to Virginia. But we were very excited to welcome the class of 2015: Melissa; Sue F.; Sue K.; Matt; and Kathy.
In 2013, we expect to do more of the same. As I said in my recent Tidings article, Deacons are called to serve, and we serve when we’re called. So call us. If it’s in our power to help, we will. Thanks.
As for the other presentation, the "prepared text" was just a list of names, which I suppose I could post here but won't. Who wants to read a list of names?
htbthomas! Community fans are the best.In the visual arts, I watched five DVDs this week:
( The Big C, season 1 disc 3Collapse )
( Parks and Recreation, season 2 disc 2Collapse )
( Grimm, season 1 disc 5Collapse )
( Cougar Town, season 1 disc 2Collapse )
( Happy Endings, season 1 disc 1Collapse )
In the musical arts, I attended three concerts this week, all of which involved my friend Rachel in some way.
( Madison Choral ProjectCollapse )
In the literary arts, I finished one book and started another.
( For 91 Days in IdahoCollapse )
Item the first: Community has been renewed for a fifth season! I am of course very pleased by this. I still love the show and value being part of the online fandom, so having both around for at least another year is something to be excited about. (Of course, I have quite a few friendships that have long outlasted the show we were fans of, and I have no reason to believe that won't be true of my friends from Community fandom as well.)
It's not clear yet whether David Guarascio and Moses Port, the fourth-season showrunners, will be back for the fifth season, but personally I wouldn't mind seeing them back at the helm. I won't deny that the fourth season was a step down in quality from the first three, but I think G & P did as good a job as anyone could have done. They didn't really have the freedom to run the show exactly the way they might have wanted; they had to finish the story of disgraced lawyer Jeff Winger earning a college degree and becoming a better person in the process, and I don't think it's easy to put your own stamp on something when you're working from someone else's outline. I'm interested in seeing what they'll do with a mostly clean slate.
Item the second: I'm still thinking about the flashbacks in the season's penultimate episode, "Heroic Origins," ( but it hasn't helped.Collapse )
Item the third: I've also been thinking a bit ( about the season finale.Collapse )
In the visual arts, I watched three DVDs and one movie in a theater this week:
( Silver Linings PlaybookCollapse )
( Parks and Recreation season 2 disc 1Collapse )
( Grimm, season 1 disc 4Collapse )
In the literary arts, I continued reading one book and started another.
( The President and the Assassin: McKinley, Terror, and Empire at the Dawn of the American CenturyCollapse )
