[Magdalen] Feast.

[Ginga Wilder]

Last night we had bacon and eggs after our 7 PM worship.  Robert, Christina
and Rory will arrive mid-afternoon; Ginny and Barbie are on the road from
Wilmington, DE.  They crossed into VA about an hour ago.  They should
arrive late afternoon.  (We drove to Charlotte on 23rd to have Christmas
with our son Jay and his family.  They leave for a cruise tomorrow.)  Pop's
hamburgers for supper.  Roast beef tomorrow with a variety of veggies...two
different brands of eaters will be around our table.

We think we are getting a surprise announcement for our Robert and
Christina...but I've probably jinxed that now.

Our Festival Eucharist last night was awe inspiring.  For a small church,
we have an 18-member choir with exceptional talent.  Eighty-two people
worshipped with us.  Our priest preached a fine sermon, even though he left
page 3 at home.  (I told him that was the best part of the sermon!)  Joy
abounded.

Ginny will serve Good Shepherd as priest on Sunday.  Barbie, who has a
masters degree in voice performance and has an amazing voice, will sing two
solos at the service.  Ginny will also renew the wedding vows of long time
friends upon their 50th anniversary.  They are integral members of Good
Shepherd - John's mom introduced them to each other.  Our children were
good friends with their children in their growing up years.  So, much more
to look forward to.  I love having lived in a small close knit communtiy
all of my life, being an Episcopalian, especially in SC, and I love
worshipping as an Episcopalian.  Joy abounds.

Alleluia!
Ginga

On Fri, Dec 25, 2015 at 10:36 AM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com>
wrote:

> We're to go to my dear partner's sister's in-laws' home in Elgin,
> Illinois. They generously host a big spread every Christmas, Easter,
> and Thanksgiving. We decided one year as we sat on the Kennedy
> Expressway for hours on Easter Day that we'd attend the Christmas one
> exclusively from then on. No guarantee of good traffic for that,
> either, but it's usually not too bad...worst is going home into the
> city, for some reason.
>
> Midnight Mass was glorious; our temporary priest-in-charge (a retired
> longtime rector in the diocese) obtained the services of a guest
> celebrant, a young priest who was at St Clement's, Philadelphia, for
> some time. He did wonderfully and I was glad to serve as subdeacon
> with him. We're winging it a bit with our longtime head MC having left
> the parish (Dear Lord, please soften his heart and bring him
> back...and tell him he needn't serve on the Vestry any longer!). The
> whole atmosphere was one of joy, flexibility, and good humor. The MC
> of the Mass was particularly wonderful, and she's been doing this for
> decades. Firm, clear instructions but never tyrannical.
>
> I'm sleep-deprived and craving solitude, but I'll do my best today.
>
>
> On Fri, Dec 25, 2015 at 9:09 AM, Susan Hagen <susanvhagen at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > This afternoon I will go to my friends' house for Christmas lunch.
> > They have cooked a Virginia country ham, the salty aged kind.  If it
> > is their usual spread it will be salads and other treats.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Scott R. Knitter
> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>