[Magdalen] One thing after another

[Roger Stokes]

On 29/05/2015 20:23, cady soukup wrote:
> Dear ones,
>
> It's been a busy time. Read only if you're interested in the details!
>
> Got back from the Grand Canyon "science" trip (we counted the
> population of endangered Kanab Amber Snails at Veseys Paradise, and
> removed invasive weeds from a campsite). It was wonderful, and rainy,
> and cold! Such a great place to be with good folks - this time
> daughter Samantha was along as well. It was fabulous to see her in her
> new environment. She is blooming! But not interested in college. Sigh.

Glad you had a good time and that Samantha is enjoying life.  I read a 
book (College Unbound) a few months ago which questioned the value of a 
college degree in cash terms.  We are seeing the same over here in the 
UK.  With the increase in the number of higher education establishments, 
and the consequent increase in the number of young people graduating 
from them, the cash value of a degree (in terms of higher salary and 
better prospects) diminishes as the debt incurred in getting it increases.

> The job at GDIT is winding tighter as people leave to go to the group
> that won the contract on which we work, or to other jobs altogether.
> Those of us who are left are doing more with fewer people and slimmer
> resources, meaning longer hours and weekends. It's been a challenge.
> Yes, I am looking for a job. Only a few resumes out so far - an
> interview this afternoon went well. We'll see.

Good luck with that.  You don't want to be the person turning the lights 
out and locking the door.

> Sunday is the last day our priest of 42+ years will run the service.
> Trinity Sunday at Trinity Church, Washington. It will be a bittersweet
> day for Jenks and Molly Hobson, our priest and his wife, and for all
> the rest of us. We have a good, solid church of relatively mature
> individuals. Mike Mahoney is doing a great job as our Senior Warden.
> We have a great Search Committee and a summer supply priest who's
> pretty cool - John Kilgore from the Diocese of Missouri (he and his
> partner own a retirement farm in our county); he's also a retired
> cardiologist. Lots of changes!

That is one heck of an incumbency.  Dare I say it seems far too long and 
there will be great upheaval ahead.  Prayers for Mike and all those who 
will be shouldering the burden in the coming transition - I hope he has 
a good asbestos-lined flak jacket as he will need it. As the bishops 
note in their GTS letter the Church and the world have changed in the 
past 42 years.

Roger