Dancing Forever

Songs I sang in church - 50 years ago.

2011-10-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

My Dad was a true blue Episcopalian in the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania. He took me and my two sisters to church at St. Jude's in Whitemarsh, PA. Those were some of my earliest memories.

Those memories include Sunday School in the basement of St. Jude's. For some reason I've remembered fondly two songs that we sang a lot but that are never sung any more. They would be frightfully politically incorrect today - especially in the Episcopal Church. But I like them so much now that they go through my head a lot.

Me and my two sisters on the way to church, 1960.

Onward Christian Soldiers.

I Sing a Song of the Saints of God

My Musical Theater Class

2008-12-13T17:47:00.000-08:00

This is the final pose of Your Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile - performed by my wonderful musical theater class at Studios On Main in East Greenville.

I am so proud of these kids. Brava!! You were terrific.

Perkiomenville Stone Circle - triumph !!!!

2008-12-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

We did it. Thank you Mark.

Perkiomenville Stone Circle - success

Nutcracker - Widener Memorial School for the Handicapped

2008-12-06T13:40:00.001-08:00

My children's ballet company - Pages To Pirouettes - performed at the Widener Memorial School for the handicapped. This is starting to be a yearly gig - pure charity. We are not paid for this one. But they children and the staff love us. We get paid more in appreciation here than we ever do in money at our normal jobs.

After the show - we all did some ballet together (with the arms only). I became aware of beautiful music played in the background and looked around to see one of the students playing the piano so beautifully that it sounded like a concert hall. Please see this website for a picture of him - http://www.pages-to-pirouettes.com/Widener2008/Widener2008_1.html

I love this school, its principle, the music teacher, and all of its kids.

Nutcracker time

2008-11-21T04:18:00.000-08:00

Well it's that time of the year again - Nutcracker. Today starts my own 4-day weekend of Nutcracker. I hate putting on and taking off make-up but every other part of the weekend is great - great music, traditional story. Body has some problems - but so far I'm dealing with them. Hoping for good audiences.

We are at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center - a great venue.

First Snow 2008

2008-11-21T04:14:00.000-08:00

As is my custom - here's a pic on the first snowfall of our 2008/2009 winter. It is November 21, 7:15 AM - a grey morning. We had about 1/2 inch of snow. Here's the stone circle pic.

The great stone circle of Perkiomenville - grows

2008-11-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

The Great Stone Circle of Perkiomenville
November 4, 2008

We live in a rural area of Pennsylvania that was apparently at the leading edge of the last ice age millenia ago. There are large rocks throughout the forest behind my home.

Ten years ago in a burst of, take your pick - ancestral devotion, youthful folly, testosterone poisoning, I constructed a stone circle in my backyard. The stones were very heavy for one guy to move and erect without machines (I refused to use machines because that would be a profanation of the circle's purpose).

But there was one stone - I called it my fantasy stone - that was beautiful, but far too heavy for me to move. It was about 70 feet from my circle. I made an attempt but eventually gave up and figured it would remain always in my heart.

Well this past weekend my friend Mark Thomas came by with 4 big, strong, young guys and we tried to do it. We came close - and soon we will succeed.

Here's a couple pics:

Mark and the guys (l to r)

Mark, Nathan, Josh, Eric, Nick

Beginning the long journey

Halloween 2008

2008-11-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

Vic did a really good Samarra Morgan from The Ring. First we went to see grandmommy and scared her good. Then we went to the Crushes for a really nice Halloween party. Vic had fun wth Margaret and a friend.

Here's Vic in the stone circle.

Happy St. Crispin's Day

2008-10-25T05:20:00.000-07:00

Henry V at Agincourt

What's he that wishes so?

My cousin Westmoreland?

No, my fair cousin:

If we are mark'd to die, we are enow

To do our country loss;

and if to live,The fewer men,

the greater share of honour.

God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.

By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,

Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;

It yearns me not if men my garments wear;

Such outward things dwell not in my desires:

But if it be a sin to covet honour,

I am the most offending soul alive.

No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:

God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour

As one man more, methinks, would share from me

For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!

Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,

That he which hath no stomach to this fight,

Let him depart; his passport shall be made

And crowns for convoy put into his purse:

We would not die in that man's company

That fears his fellowship to die with us.

This day is called the feast of Crispian:

He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,

Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,

And rouse him at the name of Crispian.

He that shall live this day, and see old age,

Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,

And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:

'Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.

And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.

'Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,

But he'll remember with advantages

What feats he did that day: then shall our names.

Familiar in his mouth as household words

Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,

Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,

Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.

This story shall the good man teach his son;

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,

From this day to the ending of the world,

But we in it shall be remember'd;

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition:

And gentlemen in England now a-bed

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

My latest and best website

2008-10-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a website I did for a friend who is a counseling therapist.

Nancy Kaye Server, Counseling Therapist

I wish her the best.

A trip down Memory Lane - Harleysville, PA Oct 19, 2008

2008-10-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

I remember Mom saying, "I better put out a note for the milkman, we need an extra gallon for the weekend."

About every 2 months a local organization of antique automobile restorers has a get-together in the parking lot of the local Wal-Mart. For many years I've noticed them, but always busy going somewhere, I passed it buy. Today I stopped in with Victoria. Fortunately Vic had her camera with her.

The cars are amazing - sparkling clean throughout - including the engine compartment. The most interesting thing I saw was a perfectly preserved 1957 milk truck. It brought back memories of when I was a boy in Lafeyette Hills, Pa.

See the metal box on the right in the first picture? All the houses on our block had one of those at the front door, and every two days the milkman would come by in his milk truck at an unGodly hour (like 5 AM!) and deliver a gallon of milk.

Sadly the milkman is a dying profession today.

And we are all a little bit poorer for that loss.

To the left was a really nice collection of milk bottle caps.

To the left is a really pretty turquoise car.

Priest inhibited as a result of her conversion to Islam

2008-10-14T17:27:00.000-07:00

Interesting. Very interesting.

RHODE ISLAND: Priest inhibited as a result of her conversion to Islam
Episcopal Life online

Bishop Geralyn Wolf of the Diocese of Rhode Island has inhibited the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding for publicly professing her adherence to the Muslim faith.
The notice states that the diocesan “Standing Committee has determined that Dr. Redding abandoned the Communion of the Episcopal Church by formal admission into a religious body not in communion with the Episcopal Church. The bishop has affirmed that determination.”
The inhibition prevents Redding from “exercising the gifts and spiritual authority conferred on her by ordination and from public ministry” and is in force until March 31, 2009. In accordance with Episcopal canons, unless Redding “reclaims” her Christian faith, said Wolf in an interview, the inhibition will automatically lead to a deposition, ending Redding’s priesthood.
“In the process of deposition, we shouldn’t dismiss each other easily,” the bishop said.
According to the “notice of inhibition,” dated September 30 and signed by Wolf, “Dr. Redding has acknowledged taking her Shahadah to become a Muslim.”

Really Cool new search engine

2008-10-05T04:27:00.001-07:00

There is a "cool" new search engine. It is here: http://www.cuil.com/

It's name comes from the Celtic poet warrior Fionn McCuill. I love the beautiful black graphic design of the main search page.

Anyway Google is getting very big, very powerful, very Left-wing totalitarian and snoopy - it's time for a change. ..tom

Congresswoman Allison Schwartz (D-PA) - betrays her constituents - votes to give 700B$ to rich WallStreet Democrats

2008-09-30T13:43:00.001-07:00

Democratic congresswoman Allison Schwartz of Pennsylvania supported the Lehman Brothers, Goldman-Sachs, Merrill-Lynch 700$ Billion dollar bailout.

The Democratic party, having allowed Fannie Mae to spend 1 trillion dollars on bad loans in exchange for support from the black caucus - now wants us to pay for it.

Allison Schwatz says - pay up or lose your pensions. She'a a big supporter of Democratic congresswoman Nancy Pelosi who called the Republicans who heroically opposed this bailout "traitors."

Allison Schwartz is the traitor.

My latest website

2008-09-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

I like to build websites in my spare time. I'm mostly an amateur but I'm starting to make money.

Here's my latest effort

Studio 73 Salon

Best wishes to John and Studio 73 in Skippack, Pennsylvania from Robin Goodfellow Web Designs.

Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia - All Beethoven Concert

2008-09-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

We went to see this - http://www.chamberorchestra.org/concerts/concert1.php Sunday afternoon at the Kimmel Center.

It was wonderful. Conductor Ignat Solzhenitsyn directed both Beethoven symphonies (#2 and #7) without a score!

Beautifully played, beautifully directed. Bravo - we will be coming again.

The Chili Pepper Festival - Sept, 2008 Bowers, PA

2008-09-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

Went to the Chili Pepper Festival on Friday night. Glad I did cause I'm sure it was rained out today.

I bought some hot sauce from these people and it is very very good.

It was a fun night.

Here is a little website I made with more pictures. Chili Pepper Festival, 2008

..tom

Vic Pix - extreme closeup of ladybug

2008-08-23T03:57:00.001-07:00

So Vic had a ladybug in her room this week and she went to work with her camera. Here's some nice closeups.

Teutonberg Wald

2008-08-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

Walpurgis halle Thale
Wotan in Thale

A friend of mine went to Teutonberg Wald recently (battlefield of Hermann's glory). She sent me these pics:

RIP Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008)

2008-08-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

Alexander Solzhenitsyn was a man out of time. A man whose values and outlook would have fit better into the middle ages than it does today.

Having spent years in a Bolshevick communist gulag in Siberia - he knew the longing for home that the homeless feel. He understood that Russia had been stolen from the Russian people - with promises of secular salvation. Most importantly - he understood with the wordless knowing of the aged - that family, folk, and homeland are part of the soul of mankind; an evolved adaptation to a hostile world - a God-given love of the particular and fear of the global that makes man always apart from God - and always in need of Him.

Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulates Solzhenitsyn.

Of course the Left and the neo-cons never understood him - to be more precise, they hated him. It would be too shallow to say they hated him for his last work: Alexander Solschenitsyn, "200 Jahre zusammen." Die russisch-jüdische Geschichte 1795-1916 (200 Years Together. The Russian-Jewish History 1795-1916).

The Left (self-proclaimed progressives) hated him for his grounding nature - the soil of Russia, the Russian Orthodox church, and his abnegation of the Leftist belief man is master of this world. A better understanding of Solzhenitsyn can be had by reading Ronald Berman's book, Solzhenitsyn at Harvard. This book is occasionally a grudging acknowledgement that Solzhenitsyn is right about much of what he says - but always a disappointment that he said it.

At its worst Solzhenitsyn at Harvard is essentially a bunch of neocons talking with each other about why they hate him. It is enjoyable to read Michael Novak, Richard Pipes, and Sidney Hook (all of whom would later lead us into the devastating fiasco of the Iraq war) deride him.

Take for example this from Richard Pipe's essay, "In the Russian Intellectual Tradition." in which he manages to slander not only Solzhenitsyn, but also the Russian people, and the Russian Orthodox church.

"In places, Solzhenitsyn uses virtually the same language as his nineteenth-century forerunners. This fact emphasizes the remarkable continuity of Russian intellectual history, especially its conservative strain, to which Solzhenitsyn indubitably belongs. Each generation of Russians seems to discover afresh the same answers, partly because of the hold on their imagination of Orthodox Christianity.."

If Solzhenitsyn had a modern incarnation it would be as one of the paleo-cons; deeply sceptical of the belief in progress that undergirds the institutions of modern America, and enslaves the American people to the worst angels of their nature - the belief that they know what is wrong with the world and can fix it.

RIP Alexander Solzhenitsyn

It's Showtime Folks!!!

2008-07-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

Finally! I am exhausted - but pleased. We have a terrific show in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Shannondell with King of Prussia Players.

It was truely a collaborative effort among a large number of very creative, energetic people.

I hope now that we are well-attended. It should be. Shannondell is a perfect place for this.

Atlantic White Flash Service Station

2008-06-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone near where I live has noticed what appears to be a perfectly preserved service station from about 70 years ago. In fact with a sign that says "Reg 13cents" the running joke is "hey why don't we stop here for gas."

I stopped today to take some pictures and was shocked when I looked through the window to see a perfectly preserved old notion store. The gentleman who lives there did not want publicity so I won't mention the location - but it seems he loves antiques and this is his house.

Had I known this was someone's home I would never have been so brazen as to peek through thte window. Nevertheless he was kind enough to let me in so I could take some pictures.

What a great way to live and great hobby.

A Tree Falls in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania

2008-05-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

As I blogged last October ( Dead Tree In My Back Yard ) there was a huge dead tree in my back yard leaning towards the house. I intended to cut it down piecemeal from the top; a little bit at a time. After last October I realized that would be too time consuming and frankly a bit dangerous.

Well Memorial Day, with help of a friend I finally brought it down.

Me & Mark

There's the tree.

Vic the videographer.

Jenny standing triumphantly over the downed tree.

After The Crash: An Essay-Novel of the Post-Hydrocarbon Age

2008-04-29T18:09:00.001-07:00

Review of

After The Crash

by Tom Blair.

The subtitle, “An Essay-Novel of the Post-Hydrocarbon Age” tells it all. After The Crash by Caryl Johnston is a well-written, breezy book. It is also prescient; obviously so, frighteningly so.

One day soon people will look at this time in American history and wonder why society was so unprepared - the way we look at the Great Depression today. Nature has periods of cataclysm - geological, physical, economic, and social. After The Crash covers them all. And covers them from an epistemological point of view the resonates deeply with mine.

What happens when fossil fuel becomes precious? We are currently at peak production - but demand from China, India and other developing nations is booming. Furthermore for the first time in history, China and India can outbid us for oil. The days of the oxcart are coming back - for us. We are tomorrow’s third-world nation. Full disclosure here - the authoress, Caryl Johnston is a friend of mine. Nevertheless this review is easy - because After The Crash is a very good book.

Look at this historical timeline graphic from the preface. Then look at the headlines today. We are running out of fossil fuel.

Although environmentalists and nature-worshippers imagine this time will be a paradise, the end of fossil fuels will be hard times; causing major social re-alignment unpleasant to everyone. I very much enjoyed Caryl Johnston’s description of our “neo-feudal” future. So also the images of a future without global communication, also the rise of human-generated energy as a currency; the return of localism for lack of energy to transport people.

Having read After The Crash I feel like sticking close to home; saving my money, and contributing to the culture in the town where my daughter is growing up.

You should read After The Crash - it is like lookng at the headlines we will be seeing next year.

Midsummer Night's Dream - week 2 approacheth

2008-04-29T14:07:00.001-07:00

This is my computer screen at work. I'm sliding back into a Midsummer Night's Dream mode - Puck needs a forest bower where he can dance.

I had nothing to lose because they think I'm eccentric anyway.

"We fairies that do run by the triple Hecate's team, now are frolic"

Midsummer Night's Dream

2008-04-27T04:46:00.000-07:00

Well the first week of Midsummer Night's Dream is over. It has been great. Small audiences but very well done performances and lots of genuine enthusiasm and compliments.

Here's a pic of me, Phyllis & Victoria from Thursday night ( April 24, 2008).

A Midsummer Night's Dream

2008-04-20T17:03:00.001-07:00

Well my fantasy role happens to me this Wednesday. We open Midsummer Night's Dream with King of Prussia Players, April 23, 24, 25, 26, May 1, 2. Really an awesome cast - with dancing, and song.

What kind of bug is this?

2008-04-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

What kind of bug is this? And more importantly - what can I do about it?

Over the past several months we've had a problem with bugs like this getting inside our house. Help! Where do they come from? Could they be breeding somewhere inside, or nesting outside?

Herstein's Mennonite Church, 1803 - a Good Friday meditation

2008-03-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

When I drive from my home in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania south to Rt. 422 I will take the charming, woodsey backway known as Neiffer Rd. About midway in my journey I pass an old church that would appear abandoned and is clearly unused except that it shows signs of being kept as a museum or antique by someone or some group that loves it very much. So as my peculiar form of meditation and reverence on this Good Friday I stopped at the church, took these pictures, and began this pictorial.

I have asked a German friend of mine to help me read the stone on the left (above). Here is what we think it says -

"Hier

rusten die ge-

beine der verliorbenen

MARIA SCHUMACHER

Sie war gebohrenden im

April 1762 und starb den

12 von July 1803. ihre

alter ??? 3 month

???? Tage"

My German is a bit rusty but I think this would be translated -

"Here rests the bones of the beloved Maria Schumacher. She was born in April 1762 and died on the 12th of July 1803. (41 years, 3 months and ??? days.)"

The church (called a chapel) is smallish but looks like it could easily seat 100 congregants. It sits on an unpaved lot rather close to Neiffer Road. Note that until just the last few years Neiffer would have been a quiet country road. Behind the church - from where I took the photo above is an old church graveyard.

I have done a full webpage of this old church with more pictures and background information here:

Herstein's Mennonite Church

The Dream Garden

2008-03-26T19:05:00.001-07:00

This place is like a dream.

The Dream Garden

Philadelphia

RIP - Arthur C. Clarke

2008-03-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

Dec. 16, 1917 - March 19, 2008

I was always a fan of Arthur Clarke - long before 2001, A Space Odyssey. But my God what a movie!

After that - everyone loved this great, great man. But we who love science fiction knew him long before. We knew him from The Star , Childhood's End , and his wonderful TV show Mysterious World.

Born in Sommerset, England - Arthur Clarke was a child of the stars. A man out of time - for all time.

May we who reach for the stars - love this man who managed to grasp them.

The tango and young musicians

2008-03-05T15:56:00.000-08:00

Some great writing here - yes I'm prejudiced. I dance Argentine Tango. It is a turn-on. It is as close as a married man is going to get to a woman not his wife.

The tango and young musicians
by Tom Purdom
from The Broad Street Review

"When I spoke to Krantz at the reception after the concert, he said that his partner had really gotten into the tango. Stillman herself said that she moved around and danced to the music when she rehearsed. She had kept that impulse under control on stage and transmitted just enough body language to add a visual element to the performance. Believe me, you don’t need Rudolf Valentino or Fred Astaire when somebody plays the way she was playing."

All the classic dances are stylized courting rituals. As any biologist will tell you, many animals and birds woo their mates by dancing. It’s one of the techniques males use to demonstrate their genetic fitness. It’s more fun than fighting and healthier, too.

When serial adultery was a major pastime -

The minuet combines sexual display with a communal setting and a ceremonial swapping of partners. It reflects the mating customs of a highly structured society in which serial adultery was a major pastime of the aristocracy. Its successor, the waltz, added the trappings of romance and the titillation of public embraces.

The tango combines sex with grace, like the waltz, but it’s more overtly erotic and embraces a wider emotional range.

Someone once said that the waltz expresses the idea that life is, with reservations, worth celebrating. The tango springs from the feeling that the sexual attraction of two conscious, intelligent creatures is a complex, endlessly fascinating marvel."

Interesting review of Merce Cunningham in Broad Street Review

2008-03-05T14:22:00.000-08:00

I have for the past several months enjoyed reading the Philadelphia journal of local culture Broad Street Review .

The latest issue has a review of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company at Annenberg by Jim Rutter that is very perceptive.

"In an economy where many Americans sit at desks for 40 years of their lives, only those who engage in some type of athletic or physical pursuit retain the knowledge that they live in bodies—their primary experience of the world filtered through the lens of conscious thought. Strangely enough, I could say something similar about Merce Cunningham’s choreography, at least as represented by the two pieces performed by his company at the Annenberg.

Unlike his polar opposite in George Balanchine—who once described the goal of his choreography as “trying to make the music visible"— Cunningham works independently of a composer. Seated alone in a room— at a computer, no less (using a program called DanceForms)— he composes works that convey no sense of scenes or theme, no story, just a calculated sense of logic designed to produce pure movement."

The Screwtape Letters - the Lantern Theater

2008-01-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

The Lantern Theater is my favorite Philadelphia "little theater." It's intimate. It's professional. You are very close to the actors - and the shows are different. Sometimes I don't care for their selections - but often I do. I've seen a marvelous King Lear there and a wonderful The Bacchae. In this case I enjoyed the show very much. Anthony Lawton and Guenevive Perrier are wonderful. Their physical/dance skits are terrific.

Mostly this is Anthony Lawton's show - in fact he wrote it - rather adapted it from CS Lewis' The Screwtape Letters - a tremendously perceptive book that I read at least 15 years ago.

The show is over now - and I'd only recommend you see it with a terrific star like Anthony Lawton because it is a one-man show - and if he's not good the show won't be either.

It was a mostly sold-out run. Nice to know that shows like this are popular draw and make money for the production houses.

RIP - Bobby Fisher

2008-01-19T04:13:00.000-08:00

Bobby Fisher was a boyhood hero of mine. As much for his anti-establishment attitude as for his genius over the chessboard. After college I became a tournament chess player (reaching a USCF ranking of A-player with a rating of 1865). I later moved from chess into Go - but always the first cause in my love of games and human challenge is the inspiration I Got from Bobby Fisher and his match agasint Boris Spassky in 1970.

RIP - Bobby Fisher.

Snowfall in Perkiomenville, January 17, 2008

2008-01-17T18:05:00.001-08:00

Snowfall in Perkiomenville, January 17, 2008. It was a pretty snowfall - wet and heavy. This picture has the holly tree in the foreground and the stone circle in the background.

RIP Sir Edmund Hillary

2008-01-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

We who climb things hope that somewhere you are climbing still. You were a shining example of courage, humility, charity, refinement, and grace.

A place where Puck might dance

2007-12-26T19:15:00.000-08:00

This is the Greenstead Church (The church of St. Andrew at Greensted-juxta-Ongar about 10 miles from Epping).

The author of the unofficial guide to Great Britain describes the churchyard thus "The atmosphere in this little churchyard on a sunny day is absolutely magical! Should you go anywhere near Chipping Ongar this church is an absolute must."

All Saints, Brixworth, Northhamptonshire

2007-12-26T18:43:00.000-08:00

"Brixworth is one of the foremost Anglo-Saxon buildings surviving in the United Kingdom.

All Saints, Brixworth is essentially an Anglo-Saxon church, described by Clapham as 'perhaps the most imposing architectural memorial of the seventh century surviving north of the Alps'."

from All Saints, Brixworth, Northhamptonshire , March 23, 2007

by Idle Speculations

Giant birds in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania

2007-12-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple years I have noticed an influx of gigantic, almost pre-historic birds into our neighborhood in Perkiomenville. There's a pigfarm about 200 yeards away on the other side of the forest. It has always attracted a large number of scavengers. But these birds seem to be almost of a different species - of a different time. They are large, black, have an enormous wingspan, and menacing nature. They are like Pteradactyls. I fear they could swoop down and snatch away one of our kitties (Harry or Butterscotch). Liberals will of course accuse me of being prejudiced against them. But trust me - these creatures are animals - and they are frightful.

One of these birds is injured and for the past several days has walked through our yard. Today I was fortunate and managed to get this video of him.

If anyone has any idea of what this creature is - please let me know.

Perkiomenville Ice storm, December 15, 2007

2007-12-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania ice storm, December 15, 2007 - 7:45 AM.

St. Asaph's - from the inside

2007-12-17T16:09:00.000-08:00

As you can see from my post of May 27 below - I enjoy church architecture. I was in St. Asaph's again - this time it was Friday, December 14. Here are some pictures of the inside of the worship chamber.

St. Lucia's Festival at Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia

2007-12-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

St. Lucia's Festival at Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia, December 9, 2007. Addition clips & Pics.

Pretty song.

St. Lucia 2007 herself.

St. Lucia Festrival, Gloria Dei Episcopal Church, Philadelphia

2007-12-09T16:46:00.000-08:00

St. Lucia Festrival, Gloria Dei Episcopal Church, Philadelphia

December 9, 2007

I'm so glad I went to this. It brought tears to my eyes several times in a short (1 hour) performance.

Connie, Philip, Lydia, Margaret, Barry.

Gloria Dei is the oldest church in Philadelphia. It is the second oldest church in Pennsylvania.

Margaret posing at the graveside of the first St. Lucia.

Nan

Buy Nothing (for) Christmas

2007-12-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

I couldn't actually do this - but I sure admire and agree with those of us who can.

Buy Nothing Christmas

Audition/Birthday/BonFire

2007-12-02T04:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a good day. We had Midsummer Night's Dream auditions. They went well - a lot of talent showed up. Should be a good show. Hope I get cast.

Then the Crushes came over. We celebrated Barry's birthday and made a bonfire in the back. But it never got very big so we came in. Then the kids went out and after a while I looked out and it was huge. They built it up really big.

Then this morning, December 2 was our first snowfall of the winter. Here's our Christmas Holly tree this morning.

Awesome dance blog

2007-11-11T18:18:00.000-08:00

Just discovered this really nice dancer blog - The Winger

Winger refers to one who views dance from the wings - e.g. other dancers. There's lots of great dance chat and pics from the wings taken by the contributors.

Here's some pics from a recent performance at Annenberg Auditorium on the Univ of Pennsylvania campus by the Martha Graham Dance Company.

Here's an evocation of the famous modern dancer Ruth St. Denis by Katherine Crockett.

Here's a wings pic of the dance company :

dancing forever..tom

Dead Tree in my Back Yard

2007-10-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

I finally reached the terrifying summit of the dead tree in my back yard. I estimate it to be about 70 feet - maybe 80.

Here's what it looks like from up there.

In case anyone is worried for my safety - I am using a harness and rope lanyard - so I cannot fall. Thanks for your concern however.

There's Vic way down there

Success. Unfortunately there's a lot of tree left to get. This took 30 minutes to climb and 30 minutes to cut (I only brought a pruning saw because hey - the limbs look small from down there). It's going to be a huge job - probably knock off till next spring.

Dracula - the ballet

2007-10-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

Just have to brag here. My daughter Victoria (A student at Boyertown Middle School) is becoming quite a nice ballet student. She just had a starring role (Sophie) in Dracula at New Horizons Dance Alliance .

Victoria

A Mother's Day flower blooms

2007-06-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Several days ago my lovely wife brought home a Mother's Day flower from church (this was on May 13). Today I notice it had bloomed beautifully. Here it is.

Mothers are magic - in them is our future.

Trip to St. Asaph's in Bala Cynwyd, PA

2007-05-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

I visited St. Asaph's Episcopal church in Bala Cynwyd, Pannsylvania near Philadelphia over the weekend. I always enjoy it there. They have a lovely labyrinth which I walked, slowly and contemplatively - trying unsuccessfully, to get temporal concerns out of my head.

It is a majestic, old stone church that now shows signs of wear and tear. This usually means that it is in a hands now of people who cannot match the passion, and spirit of the founders. Certainly the neighborhood is less affluent than it was 100 years ago. But somehow I think is has become a church dedicated to a belief in man rather than God. It calls itself a "Church of radical welcome" - this usually translates into Traditionalists are not welcome here.

Here are some photos I took of this lovely church.

Gargoyle

A perfect image for Pentecost - looks as if the Holy SPirit is coming down from above.

This was really cool. An outside set of stone stairs built into the wall to climb into the bell tower.

Abortion is Back - in 2008

2007-04-24T02:59:00.000-07:00

PJB: Abortion is Back – In 2008

by Patrick J. Buchanan

"The partial-birth abortion ban is a little like the state outlawing the beheading of innocent people, while approving of their execution by more humane means. While the ban is most welcome, it remains but a limited victory for those who believe in the sanctity of all human life."

"Look for Right to Life groups to run ads linking the Democratic nominee to this barbaric and now criminal procedure, which even the high court agrees can be treated as a felony, justifying two years in the penitentiary for any abortionist who performs it.

If the Democratic presidential nominee can be credibly portrayed – in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio or Pennsylvania – as seeking the return of this pagan practice, it could be decisive."

2007-04-09T06:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you Bishop Bennison for the most secular Easter I can remember

2007-04-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

The Right Reverend Charles Bennison of the Pennsylvania Episcopal Diocese paid an Easter visitation to St. Dunstan's church - and in the space of an hour and a half managed to bring up - the Holocaust, our gay and lesbian brothers (now 15% of the population), feminist liberation theology, racism, and several other things that felt more like a New York Times editorial than an Episcopal Easter homily.

I'm sure that he must have casually mentioned the resurrection of Jesus Christ - but somehow I missed it.

Church today was filled with people who come once a year but are perfect candidates for commitment. I cannot imagine how they felt. They could have gotten the same message in a Hillary Clinton stump speech but in half the time.

The Episcopal church deserves its fate. And Bishop Bennison is a perfect escort for its descent.

WANTED: A "SAFE PLACE" FOR ORTHODOX EPISCOPALIANS

2007-04-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

Wanted: A safe place for Orthodox Episcopalians

by David Virtue

April 2, 2007

The churches of the Anglican Communion must be a safe place for gay and lesbian people, says the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams. One wishes the Anglican leader had the same concern for besieged orthodox Episcopalians.

Perhaps the ABC should spend some time in the U.S. (he has been invited often enough), and chat with orthodox parishes and their priests caught in revisionist dioceses. If he did, perhaps he might issue another edict. It could read: The Anglican Communion must be a safe place for Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical Parishes and their priests who are being enslaved and persecuted by revisionist bishops who hate them and want them to change their beliefs for The Episcopal Church's new religion.

Now that would be a word that would ricochet around the communion. There would be rejoicing in Africa, Asia and Latin America not to mention in dioceses like Florida, Pennsylvania and California. The raw naked truth is: it is not gays and lesbians who cannot find a "safe place" in The Episcopal Church, they have thousands of "safe" parishes; it is orthodox Episcopalians who are being hounded and harassed by bishops who want to broker a new pansexual religion that the orthodox want no part of.

The Joffrey Ballet's - The Green Table

2007-03-16T03:20:00.000-07:00

Nice to see a dance review ( Dancing With Death ) that goes way beyond the generally shallow political understanding of the elite media. I've never seen the Joffrey Ballet's The Green Table - though it was quite a hit decades ago when I went to dance concerts often. I figured that an anti-war polemic in those days must be as shallow as the morons marching in the streets were when I went to Penn on 1969.

Guess I've changed - but then so has the spirit of the times.

Thank you Henry Johnson for a perceptive read.

Snow falls in Audubon Park, March 7, 2007

2007-03-09T17:54:00.001-08:00

The virtue(?!) of tolerance

2007-03-08T03:24:00.001-08:00

“In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair, the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”

[Dorothy L. Sayers, qu in Charles Colson, Against the Night: Living in the New Dark Ages, Hodder, 1990, p 93.]

Anglican Agonies

2007-02-28T04:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you William Murchison for a wonderful column in Human Events.
Anglican Agonies.
2/27/2007

"The media, which had covered civil rights and feminism with sympathy, found gay rights at least as engaging a matter, and as central to modern notions of liberation. If you opposed gay rights -- so the manufactured mythology went -- you probably hated gays...

Who's in charge here, God or us, is roughly the question. That the Bible, God's word, takes a high view of obedience to divine authority and a low view of what might be called I'll Do It My Way, is the real question, not whether to bless same-sex unions in Episcopal churches.

The media, with ample help from gay-rights exponents, helped perpetuate the notion that God was more bystander than participant in a controversy that was about rights and choices, not duties, not obligations, not responsibilities, not behaviors that advanced divine ideals as to the leading of life."

Snow falling in Perkiomenville, PA Feb 25, 2007

2007-02-25T18:53:00.000-08:00

Snow falls on my stone circle. Perkiomenville, PA. Feb 25, 2007

The First Sunday in Lent at St. Clements

2007-02-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

I went to St. Clements in downtown Philadelphia this morning for Low Mass (Rite 1). I felt like I was home. 1928 Book Of Common Prayer all the way.

What a lovely place for those of us who miss the Episcopal church the way it was for 400 years - until just a few decades ago - when the barbarians took over.

Blessed are the peacemakers

2007-02-19T19:10:00.000-08:00

This letter was published Feb 5, 2007 in the Tuscaloosa News:

Dear Editor:

Christ said, “Blessed are the peacemakers." So, how did Christians turn into Christian-Zionists (evangelicals), elect Bush, and fund the bombing of Iraqi and Palestinian children? And how can they claim to be “pro-life?"

Jean Allen Feb 17, 2007

Anglicans coming back to "The Holy Catholic Church" ?

2007-02-19T14:12:00.000-08:00

This is very interesting. Surely no Anglican can feel good about the separation of the Anglican (Church of England) from Catholicism during the reign of Hery VIII. Maybe a reconciliation is in the offing.

Churches back plan to unite under Pope
from the London Times
February 19, 2007

Radical proposals to reunite Anglicans with the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope are to be published this year, The Times has learnt.

The proposals have been agreed by senior bishops of both churches.

In a 42-page statement prepared by an international commission of both churches, Anglicans and Roman Catholics are urged to explore how they might reunite under the Pope.

The statement, leaked to The Times, is being considered by the Vatican, where Catholic bishops are preparing a formal response....

Celebrate Jesus' Entrance into Jersusalem - and be ecofriendly too!!

2007-02-15T15:24:00.000-08:00

Thank you Episcopal Church USA - for a good laugh. No other comment is needed.

Episcopal Church and partners offer way to make social and environmental justice part of Palm Sunday celebrations[ENS] Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, accented by the jubilant waving of palm fronds, is re-enacted each Palm Sunday in Christian congregations worldwide as the observance of Holy Week begins. More than 300 million palm fronds are harvested each year for U.S.consumption alone, most of them for Palm Sunday. Unfortunately, for the communities where these palms are harvested, palm fronds do not always represent the same jubilation. The Episcopal Church is joining Lutheran World Relief, Catholic ReliefServices' (CRS) Fair Trade Program and the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Enough for Everyone Program to promote the use of sustainably harvestedeco-palms for Palm Sunday 2007. By purchasing eco-palms for Palm Sunday celebrations, Episcopal congregations can play an important role inprotecting forests, local jobs, and sustainable livelihoods in the harvesting communities.

Happy St. Valentine's Day

2007-02-15T03:05:00.000-08:00

Happy St. Valentine's Day.

My daughter Victoria and her friend Sarah took this picture out of our kitchen window into a holly tree in our back yard. There's a Robin in the tree. What would a Robin be doing here in the dead of February?

Nice picture girls.

An excellent reply to homosexual evangelism

2007-02-13T14:32:00.000-08:00

Recently the Evesham School Board has come under fire from some parents for showing a film in school to their students that normalizes homosexual behaviour. Here is an excellent editorial from a parent who objected to the showing of such a film to her child in that public school.

"That's a Family! was produced not to encourage tolerance, but to aggressively advocate the normalization of homosexual behavior. The San Francisco-based organization that made the video, Women's Educational Media, says in its mission statement: "We ensure that our films are used to inspire meaningful social change." Other films produced by the group include One Wedding and a Revolution, a "behind-the-scenes look at the days leading up to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's decision to allow lesbian and gay couples to marry," and Choosing Children, a "groundbreaking documentary about lesbians becoming parents."

" film on family life and sexual mores produced by the Catholic Church would never be shown in the public school system. Nor should it be. Family values and sexual mores are areas of great controversy in our society. The taxpayer-funded public school system has no right to step into this debate, redefine the family unit, and establish new sexual norms, just as it has no right to promote a particular religion to the exclusion of others."

Rebecca Nugent
Philadelphia Inquirer
Feb 13, 2007

Bishop Katherine Schori and her army of lawyers

2007-02-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

Episcopal Church goes to court in Virginia to retain parishes' property

Complaint asks for compliance with canons, accounting of property

Lawyers from the Episcopal Church USA, filed a 20-page complaint in the County of Fairfax, Virginia, courts on February 9. The complaint lists the Episcopal Church as the plaintiff and names as defendants the former clergy and vestry members of the 11 parishes and missions in Virginia that have chosen to leave the ECUSA for the Anglican communion.

In addition the Virginia Diocese is suing those churches. Also Virginia Bishop Peter Lee inhibited 21 diocese and clergy in mid-January and rescinded the licenses of six others, saying that he was acting on a determination by the diocesan Standing Committee that the clergy "have openly renounced the doctrine, discipline or worship of the Episcopal Church and, therefore, have abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church" because of the votes.

The parishes and missions (of the 195 in the diocese) are: Church of the Apostles, Fairfax; Church of the Epiphany, Herndon; Church of Our Saviour, Oatlands; Church of the Redeemer, Chantilly; Church of the Word, Gainesville; Potomac Falls Church, Sterling; St. Margaret's, Woodbridge; St. Paul's, Haymarket; St. Stephen's, Heathsville; The Falls Church, Falls Church; and Truro Church, Fairfax. Church of the Word and Potomac Falls Church are missions of the diocese; the other nine are parishes.

Although the Bible says that you should not sue fellow Christians in courts - the actions of Bishop Lee and Bishop Katherine Schori make it clear that they will be playing hardball with any church members who disagree with their edicts.

Episcopal Church bars 21 clergy from duties

2007-01-26T11:14:00.000-08:00

Acting like Democratic politicans, Islamic Holy Warriors, or mafiosi the leadership of the Episcopal church continues to play hardball with anyone it doesn't like.

Katherine Schori, and the Bishop of Virginia, the Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, have inhibited 21 priests in the Diocese of Virginia who have publically disagreed with the liberal direction the church is going.

"Jim Pierobon, a spokesman for some of the departed Northern Virginia churches, said, "We at The Falls Church were preparing to offer a service, presided over by an Episcopal priest who remains on our staff, for the handful of folks who disagreed with our decision in mid-December to separate from the denomination.

"But Peter Lee has now cut off our ability to accommodate those whom he says need pastoral care. Once again, Peter Lee appears to be working at cross-purposes," Pierobon added.

The diocese's standing committee met last week to consider the status of the clergy and determined that the clerics had abandoned the Episcopal Church."

The Richmond Times Dispatch

Dex And Julie - at the Arden - mostly cheers

2007-01-22T05:21:00.000-08:00

Took my wife to the Arden Theater Saturday for their latest world premier - Dex and Julie Sittin' In A Tree by Bruce Graham.

Briefly, the acting was professional and competent, set design wonderful, a professional and tight script, direction was fine. Length was perfect at 1 hour and 45 minutes. It's a good show although for most of the first act it didn't appeal to me.

Dex and Julie is a show written for the Arden and its clientele - sophisticated, urban and urbane, clever (there is a lot of clever writing in the script). It attempted to appeal to the downtown Philly crowd - and that's where it almost lost me. I don't relate in any way to the famous economist (Dex) - and the very successful professor (Julie) - both late-middle-aged, childless, living well, and successful in everything - well not quite.

I don't like Dex. I don't like men who don't eventually want to settle down and have a family. I'm not saying every man should (probably better that this guy didn't) but I don't relate to a man who can grow into his late 40s, have lots of sex (much of it with young women), and never feel an overwhelming desire for children and family. Also a heterosexual woman who never feels this way is so far from nature that I find her un-realistic. Maybe Bruce Graham intended to set me up like this.

This show takes the first of 2 radical turns that make it suddenly interesting at its mid-point. It humanizes Julie, and sets the stage for an interesting act 2. What was a light, fluffy sit-com is suddenly not light at all. This is noted in the Philadelphia Inquirer review as well.

Then there is a second radical turn in act 2. The Inquirer did not note this. And I'm not sure the target audience will like it. I loved it. I cannot say what happens because it's a spoiler - but I can say it's not politically correct - and it's not normal for the sterotypical urban and urbane, well-educated, successful downtown woman. This turns Julie into a real woman (although dangerously calculating - and very much too cold for my wife).

I never liked Dex. But his character is reflective of a great many successful men today - it's all about him. I came to feel for Julie and see her humanity and true femininity (not the ideological and un-natural femininity we've been exposed to by the media and academia for the past 3 decades).

Bruce Graham is a real pro. The Arden is a very good theater. This will leave you with a lot to think about. And so I'd recommend this show.

Episcopal Revisionism comes to The Lord's Prayer.

2007-01-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

In church this morning we were given a new version of The Lord's Prayer. My church, St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Pennsylvania has (like much of the rest of The Episcopal Church) been running away from its traditions at full speed - especially the 1928 Book of Common Prayer (which is now forbidden to be used in the Diocese of Pennsylvania).

*************
Aside
- here is The Lord's Prayer in Old English as it would have been recited prior to the Norman invasion of 1066, before the influx of French words into our language -

Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofonum urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice

Hear this recited in Olde Englisc below

- here is the Lord's prayer in Middle English - as it would have been spoken in England before the Church of England, but after the Norman invasion:

Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name;
þi reume or kyngdom come to be.
Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in heuene.
yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred.
And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us.
And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl.

*************

The traditional 1928 BCP version of the Lord's Prayer is this:
OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it
is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive
us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against
us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from
evil. Amen.

Today our rector, Fr. Paul Harris, gave us this which he called The Lord's Prayer, and asked us to recite this during the season of Epiphany. I have not heard this before.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
an earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Although the modern language is vulgar - and I dislike addressing the Father as though He were a good buddy ("your" instead of "Thy") all of these updates could be explained by a desire to modernize the text. The real problem however is with "Save us from the time of trial."

What does "Save us from the time of trial" mean? And why have they removed "lead us not into temptation?"

Are they so totally against the doctrine of original sin now that even the notion of temptation must be removed from worship?

If any of my millions :-) of faithful readers can help me with this one I'd really appreciate hearing from you.

thanks,

..tom

The need for clarity

2007-01-03T05:22:00.000-08:00

Magnificent article from an Episcopal priest who now regrets his vote to confirm Katherine Schori as Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church.

So Much in a Few Words
By James B. Simons
rector of St. Michael’s of The Valley Church, Ligonier, Pa.
Jan 2, 2007
The Living Church Foundation

" "Q. How many members of The Episcopal Church are there in this country?

A. About 2.2 million. It used to be larger percentagewise (sic), but Episcopalians tend to be better educated and tend to reproduce at lower rates than other denominations."

New York Times Magazine. Sunday Nov. 19, 2006 The New York Times was lobbing soft balls to the new Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, when this exchange took place. The more I have thought about her answer to this simple question, the more I am convinced that in a single sentence the Presiding Bishop illustrates rather dramatically the crisis that faces The Episcopal Church. She does so in three ways.

First, she confirms our sense of cultural elitism. In an essay reflecting on his short sojourn into The Episcopal Church, Garrison Keillor described us as the “church in wing-tips, the church of the scotch and soda, worshipping God in extremely good taste.”

Apparently in this case, caricature is reality. We see ourselves as better than other Christians, more privileged, more enlightened. What’s even more amazing is that we are apparently willing to announce this publicly. “We’re better educated than other denominations” would seem to me to be in the class of statements such as “You look pregnant.” Even if it were true, why would you say it out loud, let alone to The New York Times?

I think the answer has to do with mistaking hubris for honesty.This statement is also a slap at our brothers and sisters in the Anglican Communion where the church is growing rapidly. The clear inference is that those in the global south are less educated and so they have more children, hence the enormous growth of those provinces. This understanding is of a whole cloth with The Episcopal Church’s continued insistence that we know better than the rest of the Communion about issues of sexuality and doctrine. We can dismiss the primitive musings of an uninformed, if growing, Communion. We are, after all, better educated.

Second, the statement illustrates the enormous denial of our church leadership regarding the denomination. People are leaving congregations, congregations are leaving dioceses, and dioceses are seeking a way to be Anglican without being Episcopalian. Even a cursory reading of the pages of this publication will reveal that controversies over issues of sexuality, biblical interpretation, and doctrine are among the primary issues causing this flight. ..."

Hope for the Church of England!

2007-01-02T05:09:00.000-08:00

The magnificent Church of England may be on the verge of a revival. I wonder if the Muslim-worship preached by Tony Blair has anything to do with it? In any case it is welcome. Perhaps the Episcopal church here in America is on the verge of the same kind of revival.

Question: How will those who (like me) who were raised in the Episcopal church react when they come home to discover it has been taken over by the Left with it's political and sexual agendas?

"I hope that this Christmas may see the beginning of a modest but definite return to Christianity in this country, where many people have for so long either despised it or been indifferent to it. I think there are, at last, signs that this may be happening. The news that the Church of England's Cathedrals have, in recent years, had to turn away Christmas worshippers because they are full up is quietly encouraging - especially given how enormous many of these buildings are. "

"A religious revival for people who are not really religious"
Peter Hitchens
The Daily Mail
Jan 2, 2007

New recommendation - Alliance for the Separation of School & State

2006-12-29T10:27:00.000-08:00

I have been a member of this organization for years and I believe them to be very important. Public schools are a place where the state teaches our children to worship the state. Those of us who hold to traditional values (particularly Christians) are frustrated to have much of what we teach our children undermined and sometimes contradicted by leftist public school teachers.

Alliance for the Separation of School & State

Those of us who can should make an effort to educate our children our own way. Those of us cannot - should support the Alliance for The Separation of School and State.

The Real Schismatics and Bigots - Patrick Buchanan

2006-12-25T07:41:00.000-08:00

"Meyerson’s [ref. Washington Post columnist Howard Meyerson] is the authentic voice of an anti-Catholicism that is out of the closet and on the op-ed pages of the national press."

from "The Real Schismatics and Bigots"
by Patrick Buchanan
from Chronicles

Real Americans - Chesterton

2006-12-24T04:52:00.000-08:00

There is nothing the matter with Americans except their ideals. The real American is all right; it is the ideal American who is all wrong -- G.K. Chesterton

Driving to work - head in the clouds

2006-12-21T03:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture I took through my front windshield last week of a pretty cloud formation. I was driving to work on the 422 - about 7:00 AM.

The Greatest Gift For All - Paul Craig Roberts

2006-12-20T03:00:00.000-08:00

Quotes by Paul Craig Roberts

VDare

Christmas is a time of traditions. If you have found time in the rush before Christmas to decorate a tree, you are sharing in a relatively new tradition. Although the Christmas tree has ancient roots, at the beginning of the 20th century only one in five American families put up a tree. It was 1920 before the Christmas tree became the hallmark of the season. Calvin Coolidge was the first president to light a national Christmas tree on the White House lawn.

Gifts are another shared custom. This tradition comes from the wise men, or three kings, who brought gifts to baby Jesus. When I was a kid, gifts were more modest than they are now, but even then people were complaining about the commercialization of Christmas. We have grown accustomed to the commercialization. Christmas sales are the backbone of many businesses. Gift-giving causes us to remember others and to take time from our harried lives to give them thought.

The decorations and gifts of Christmas are one of our connections to a Christian culture that has held Western civilization together for 2,000 years.

...

All Americans have a huge stake in Christianity. Whether or not we are individually believers in Christ, we are beneficiaries of the moral doctrine that has curbed power and protected the weak. Power is the horse ridden by evil.

...

Christianity's emphasis on the worth of the individual makes such power as Lenin claimed unthinkable. Be we religious or be we not, our celebration of Christ's birthday honors a religion that made us masters of our souls and of our political life on Earth. Such a religion as this is worth holding on to even by atheists.

The Gospel According to Incorruptible

2006-12-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

I’ve had a wonderful time playing Jack the one-eyed minstrel in King Of Prussia Players production of Michael Hollinger’s Incorruptible. As the show progressed all of us found new and wonderful elements in it.

I love the conflict between the sacred and the profane in Father Charles’ tormented soul symbolized by Brother Martin (Profane) and Brother Felix (sacred). Each tugging at him from different sides. He - wanted to be a baker once.

I love the way Brother Olf, always seeing through the eyes of a child, whose only wish was to see a miracle - was the first to see the miracle at the end of the play. Michael Hollinger himself pointed this out at a talkback session.

I love the way God used the pagan-with-an-attitude, Jack as His vehicle to change the monastery. Jack, when he came brought sin, materialism, lust, and godlessness. But God used him as His vehicle to overcome these things.

I love the imagery at the end when Felix runs off with Marie - she is pregant and riding on a donkey. The father of the child - unknown but probably Jack.

This dark comedy - presented itself first to me as a slapsticky, Monte Pythonesque farce. But there’s a lot more to it. Thank you Michael Hollinger for a terrific theatrical and intellectual experience.

Episcopal Bishop Marc Handley Andrus arrested at peace demonstration

2006-12-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

Bishop Marc Handley Andrus of the Episcopal Diocese of California was arrested December 7 for blocking the front door of the San Francisco federal building to protest the deaths caused by the Iraq war.

Andrus, carrying his crozier and singing "Down by the Riverside,'' was among 250 protesters, including members of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship and people of other faiths, who had marched from Grace Cathedral, on Nob Hill, to join the weekly "die-in" at on Golden Gate Avenue near City Hall.

Mary Francis Schjonberg

Episcopal News Service

I share the anti-war position. It is nice to see prominent Episcopalians will to stand against the war as well.

I don't care for the church involving itself in political and social causes. The church ought not speak on issues of the day as though it speaks for all Episcopalians. Episcopalians are intelligent and open-minded. We can think for ourselves.

Best wishes to Bishop Andrus. I wish we had heard more from him when we were bombing Serbia under Bill Clinton. But that would have been hard. This was easy - all too easy.

The Feast Of St. Nicolas

2006-12-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

The Feast Of St. Nicolas by Jan Steen. c. 1660-65. Oil on canvas, 82 x 70.5 cm. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Incorruptible by Michael Hollinger

2006-11-28T05:45:00.000-08:00

Friday night I'm opening in Michael Hollinger's Incorruptible. I'm playing Jack The One-Eyed Minstrel.

This is a funny, dark comedy. Think Monte Python in 13th century France. It's a lot of fun to play.

Performances are :

December 1st & 2nd at 8pm
December 8th & 9th at 8pm
December 10th at 2pm
December 15th at 8pm
December 16th at 2pm

More info is here:

http://www.kofpplayers.org/KingOfPrussiaPlayers/Shows/Incorruptable_2006/IncorruptiblePage_2006.shtml

Not Much Thanksgiving for Episcopalians

2006-11-22T15:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a brilliant article that summarizes my thinking recently about the Episcopal church. We are committing suicide. We have adopted an anti-life agenda pushed by "progressives". This agenda includes all the usual positions for abortion, homosexual normalization, childlessness.

Our new Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori makes clear that she advocates demographic suicide through barrenness.

"The Presiding Bishop was asked how many Episcopalians there are in the U.S. "About 2.2 million," Schiori responded. "It used to be larger percentagewise, but Episcopalians tend to be better-educated and tend to reproduce at lower rates than some other denominations. Roman Catholics and Mormons both have theological reasons for producing lots of children."

"Aren't Episcopalians interested in replenishing their ranks by having children," the New York Times asked.

"No," Schori replied. "It's probably the opposite. We encourage people to pay attention to the stewardship of the earth and not use more than their portion."

True to Schori's boast, the Episcopalians have done magnificently in reducing their numbers and, purportedly, sparing the earth the ravages of an enlarged Episcopalian presence. Forty years ago, the Episcopal Church was over 50 percent larger than today, even while the U.S. population was 40 percent smaller. "

Mark Tooley, The American Spectator, 11/22/2006

We no longer worship a God who said, "Go forth and multiply." Instead we worship barrenness - as if it were a new virtue.

Bennison - cut down to size

2006-11-20T04:55:00.000-08:00

Bishop Charles Bennison of the Pennsylvania Diocese is now in a compromised position. Any parish or council intent on doing anything that might heretofore have been opposed by the imperial Bishop is now in a good position.

Our minister on Sunday criticised Bennison for the right reason (not the media-driven sex scandal that the Inquirer would love to see) - his financial mismanagement of the diocese and his coldhearted re-direction of millions of dollars towards the Wapiti Center, destined to be an Episcopalian retreat for the rich and famous.

In addition Bennison paid a visitation to Church of the Good Samaritan in Paoli - an active, dynamic Orthodox parish which he has mistreated over the years. It is painful to read the description of what took place there Sunday. Only 120 of the usual 750 people attended. Also, "At communion only 25 parishioners came forward to take communion from Bennison, 75 moved across in front of the altar and took it from Brewer. Brewer did not receive communion from the bishop. None of the other three parish priests or two deacons were present at the altar."

You can read the full description at Virtue On-Line: PENNSYLVANIA: Bennison Fails at Orthodox Parish, November 19, 2006.

To me the solidarity of the parishoners at Church of the Good Samaritan is exciting. To be sure the minister of our church is hostile to the orthodox position of Good Samaritan as well - and it is likely that any Bishop Katherine Schori appoints to head the Diocese of Pennsylvania will also be hostile to tradition, orthodoxy, and Episcopal Church history. The church is the people - not the principalities of power in the Episcopate. The people are speaking.

Picture I took Saturday in Upper Merion on Montgomery Dr.

2006-11-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

Silver linings for conservatives.

2006-11-13T19:02:00.000-08:00

I voted Tuesday with the same absence of enthusiasm I have for the past 20 years. Although most of my choices lost there are some really nice silver linings. Here they are:

This new Congress will be be mired in gridlock and as a conservative who believes government should not do much to interfere (particularly when it's agenda is to remake man in the image of social planners) with nature, I'm happy.

AIPAC's war in Iraq will have to end. Democrats are as wrong on this war as Republicans. They support it - and never should have. Both parties are beholden to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. It is a very wealthy political/religious organization and dangerous to oppose. But neither side can deny that unhappiness with the war - not the "way it is being fought" but the war itself - is behind much of the outcome from Nov 7.

This will be the most conservative set of Democrats in my lifetime. I like the thought of conservative Democrats. The radicals in that party - racists, ideologues, homosexual crusaders, anti-Christian censors, war-mongers will be checked - not only by a Republican president but by conservatives within their own party.

Prop 103 won in Arizona - making English the official language - by 74% to 26% - yeahhh!

Critics Say Bishop Hid Brother's Sexual Abuse

2006-11-13T18:58:00.000-08:00

"Critics Say Bishop Hid Brother's Sexual Abuse," The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 29, 2006.

This was a very prominent article about Philadelphia Episcopal bishop Charles Bennison. Most articles about Christians involved in any form of sexual abuse are given more prominence than they deserve; still you cannot get much more prominant than front page of the Sunday edition.

Sadly, the Philadelphia Inquirer allowed itself to be used in a cynical political struggle among competing groups of liberals within the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.

The purpose of this article was political. Even the Inquirer acknowledges this with this sentence "Saying they are frustrated with his financial practices and imperious management style, some clergy and lay leaders are seeking to oust the 62-year-old bishop with evidence that he concealed his brother's sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl more than 30 years ago." Translation - Bishop Bennison is accused of not reporting a sexual relationship with a minor that happened 30 years ago in which he was not involved. His accusers are people who have known this - but didn't report it for 30 years - until now - because now it is politically expedient to do so.

Someone explain to me why I should take sides in this.

Those who supported Bennison when he was defrocking traditionalist priests (Fr. David Moyer of Church of The Good Shepard in Rosemont for example) and closing traditionalist parishes are seeking traditionalist allies to save the large financial endowments an Episcopate without a flock needs to continue its liberal social agenda.

Bishop Bennison has been in power for over ten years. The abuse occurred over 30 years ago. To those who now who now accuse him; where have you been? Is this really about children - or your own political desires?

There are still a few of us traditionalists left. We don't have a dog in this show, and I see no reason to be bamboozled into picking up a torch and pitchfork in a battle between parties who have nothing but contempt for us.

Maybe it's time liberals did show some concern for children and families like they once did. Maybe then we'll grow. But this isn't the time - and these aren't the people. Inquirer - please let us know when you find someone in this argument who really cares for the children.

Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori Interviewed on NBC's Today Show

2006-11-13T18:53:00.000-08:00

Jefferts Schori Interviewed on NBC's Today Showhttp://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=41AE4F85-49B9-49E3-8ADE-373899D9CCF9&f=00&fg=copy

Does anyone really believe that if the new Episcopal Bishop were a heterosexual man intent on preserving the traditions of our faith that MSNBC would have the least interest in interviewing him?

This MCNBC interview was a love fest between host Meredith Vieira and Katherine Jefferts Schori. Schori was also named Glamour Magazine's "Woman of the Year." It's easy to see why the bright lights of media stardom are seductive. But when has the gospel of Christ ever been popular among the powerful?

So a dying church busy kicking out traditionalists in the name of tolerance seeks salvation in the love of the media - hasn't it always been thus?

Why is a woman as smart as she not able to see that when a media that is racist, profane, pornographic, pro-war, and militantly secular loves her - something is wrong ?

I'm reminded of the last line of the wonderful movie "Devil's Advocate" in which Al Pacino plays the Devil.

"Vanity. Definitely my favorite sin."

Victoria Blair stars in Our Miss Brooks

2006-11-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

Victoria Blair in Our Miss Brooks
Congratulations Victoria for a successful opening with the Spring-Ford Community Theater in their production of Our Miss Brooks.

Victoria plays a leading role as Sylvia. The show runs 3 performances November 2, 3, and 4.

Performances are at 7:30 PM at the 8th Grade Center, 700 Washington St., Royersford, PA.
Break a leg Vic!

October is my favorite month

2006-11-13T03:19:00.000-08:00

Except for leaf raking :-)

Here, Jenny & Victoria help me out.

Thanks kids.