[Magdalen] Where are we

[Catharine Phillips]

2020
After writing poetry for many years, I began compiling manuscripts, and
submitting them for publication. One will be released by Atmosphere Press
on January 15. "Numbered Like the Psalms." Available on Amazon for
pre-order (shameless marketing)

(I do a little counseling via Zoom, preach occasionally via Zoom. Work out
twice a week with a trainer (via Zoom). See my therapist (via Zoom).
Notice a theme?
Write a poem every morning.
Retired 2017 Thankful, like Judy, for CPG
Blessings, All,
Catharine.



*Catharine Phillips, MA, MDiv, LPC*

catharinephillips.com
allwillbewellperiod.blogspot.com
630-802-9211

*What is done out of love always supersedes good and evil  -Nietzsche*

*All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be
well*




On Mon, Dec 21, 2020 at 9:08 AM Robert Counselman <bob.counselman at gmail.com>
wrote:

> What a delightful surprise!  Checked my Magdalen mail and there were all
> these messages!!  Great to hear from the group once more.  Things are quiet
> in South Texas and since the virus hit, I've been mostly at home trying NOT
> to do all the little projects that need to be done.  It's much easier to
> cry and complain about not being able to do the things I want to do and
> deal with the projects and I could be doing since I'm stuck at home!  Such
> is the nature of the human being, I guess.
>
> I had considered that the lack of postings on Magdalen had something to do
> with the political climate and perhaps that was a part of it, but these
> things do tend to run in cycles and I guess everyone just needed a bit of a
> breather.
>
> In any case, its great to hear from all of you once more.  Perhaps one of
> my New Year's resolutions for 2021 should be to post on Magdalen
> occasionally.  Not much else to do down here anyway!
>
> Hope you all have as wonderful a Christmas as is possible in this current
> situation - Safe and healthy above all!
>
> Bob
>
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 20, 2020 at 2:05 PM Suzie Buchanan <buchanan.suzie at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > I'm still here, but I rarely post as I usually read on my phone and hate
> > typing on it!  When I sit at my computer, it is almost always work time.
> > I've been rector here in Lenoir NC for three years now.  It's a great
> > parish, and I love the area.  We stopped in-person worship in mid-March,
> > did a few outdoor distanced services in person this summer, started
> > preparing for return to in-person indoor for October, but then our local
> > COVID numbers skyrocketed, so we remained online only since then.  From
> the
> > very beginning we've had weekly online worship (pre-recorded), zoom
> coffee
> > hours, zoom bible study and other meetings (book group, committees).
> > Mostly I've been recording from home, although we have also delivered
> > communion to everyone's home once a month (8 times now) and I record the
> > consecration at the church altar.  Vestry drops the little white cupcake
> > sized to-go boxes off on people's doorsteps - about 80 boxes for 145
> > people.  Longest drive is to one parishioner who lives  Our organist
> > records prelude, postlude and two hymns for me to use each week.  It's
> been
> > kinda fun to see our usual 8:00 no-music part of the congregation
> reaching
> > out for help in figuring out how to sing along with the Gloria.  That
> > prompted me to adjust how I put the words up on the video - timing the
> > phrases with the music.  (All words for the liturgy are on the screen,
> > including the readings, so nobody has to download or find an online
> > bulletin).  I'm really really tired of all the computer work I do - and
> > miss being WITH people.  Tried to visit one of our parishioners at the
> > hospital yesterday (she had a small stroke this past week), and couldn't
> > even get access for a prayer.  She moves to a rehab facility tomorrow,
> > where she will be quarantined for 14 days (but I'm told I will be able to
> > have "window visits").  But we've had good phone connections across the
> > parish (everyone gets a phone call every week from a vestry member) and
> the
> > vestry meets with me on zoom weekly.  It could be worse.  We've only had
> > one person die from COVID, but have had a number of other funerals where
> > only a few family members could be present.  That has been the hardest
> > piece - even harder than missing out on Sundays together.  We currently
> > have a handful of parishioners who have recently tested positive, but
> > everyone seems to be hanging in with fairly mild symptoms.
> >
> > My husband Rick and I are happy to no longer be in a commuter marriage.
> We
> > did that for my first two years here, but last August he moved to NC and
> we
> > bought a house.  SO glad to have had that landed before 2020 hit!   He
> was
> > able to keep his job with the IT department of Union Presbyterian
> Seminary
> > - he had been working on their main campus in Richmond, VA but now works
> > mostly remotely (moved to data management) but also once a week at their
> > Charlotte, NC campus (about an hour away from us).  Access to great
> > internet was one of the home buying requirements because of his work, and
> > it has certainly come in handy for me this year.  And our home is large
> > enough that we have been able to set up separate work-from-home spaces
> for
> > each of us.  And had room for me to isolate in house when he came down
> with
> > a mild case of COVID.  I have managed to remain healthy and he's
> completely
> > recovered.
> >
> > My beloved yellow Lab, Kodi, died on Ash Wednesday after about a half
> year
> > of serious heart issues and a number of surgeries that provided some very
> > good final months, but eventually couldn't fix his issues.  Our two year
> > old black Lab, Tuckerman, has been very "off" since then, and has been
> just
> > beside himself with happiness when we added a chocolate Lab puppy to our
> > household six weeks ago.  She is now 14 weeks old and a delight.
> "Abigail
> > Foments a Rebellion" is her official AKC name.  And she lives up to it.
> > Abby is a bright spot in our home for all of us during this hard time.
> >
> > Today is Christmas Cookie baking day - so I'd better get back to the
> > kitchen for the next batch.
> >
> > Blessings to you all
> > Suz
> >
>
>
> --
> Fr. Robert L Counselman,
> Retired
>