22 May 2007
Tonight...
...the parishes of St. Paul's and Trinity joined to sing and pray Vespers with the celebration of the graduation of the kindergarteners and 8th graders from Trinity St. Paul. A beautiful service in so many ways. But there I was listening to the valedictorian, Taryn, speak and she proceeded to thank the pastors, and began naming names: "Pastor Weedon, who's been here forever..." Everyone laughed. You know, it does not feel like forever. It seems like yesterday we arrived to this wonderful parish. The people here have simply become our own family. But one of the kindergarten children was the son of Josh who graduated at my first TSP graduation. I baptized one of the children who graduated this year: Trevor. I guess that means I HAVE been here a while. Oh, well, I can't imagine serving anywhere else.
There was great wisdom in canon 15 of Nicea that prevented the translation of bishops, presbyters, and deacons from city to city. Having been in the same place for close to 15 years, I'm beginning to understand what "forever" feels like.
ReplyDeleteWaiting one day in the treatment room for the doctor to come in, I heard him on the other side of the door discussing my case with the nurse.
ReplyDelete"Oh, yes," said the doctor, "she's been my patient forever."
I called out, "I'm not that old!"
I'd been his patient 15 years.
Anastasia
We seem to have a Lutheran-Orthodox consensus that forever is 15 years. That must mean that forever and ever is 30!
ReplyDeleteYeah Weedon, you bring a whole new, er..old, meaning to presbyter.
ReplyDelete+HRC