Setting the Table

So, today, Rev. K invited me to “set the table” for her before the Eucharist.  I had no idea what that meant.  It is apparently, within Catholic and Episcopal churches (possibly others), when the deacon prepares the bread and wine for blessing and presentation.  So today was the mechanics – and I realize I have a very long way to go to remember that *none* of this is about the mechanics (although the practicality of having the proper amount of bread and wine *is* important), but rather about preparing the representation of the body and blood of Christ to feed the body of the Church.

Rev. K seems to have taken me on as a “project” for when she’s here – teaching me things, discussing things with me, and has said that while she’s here, she intends to “invite” me to preach one Sunday.  This will mean actually *writing* and giving the sermon.  Apparently, a priest can invite anyone to preach, while they’re there, supervising.  I’ve likely mentioned before being slightly frustrated with the fact that during a Morning Prayer service (what we have when Rev. K is at her normal parish and not playing snowbird here), that our “reflection” is reading someone else’s sermon.  I love to write, and have fun writing the church blog periodically (or daily during Advent and Lent).  So, hopefully, I’ll find a unique way to bring the Gospel into everyday life for the congregation.  I just don’t know when I’m doing it yet. <g>

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First Discernment Meeting

Okay, so when attending a discernment, at which point, the committee has indicated the numbers of the questions they’re going to be focusing on, it’s a wise idea to ensure that you are looking at the same list they are. *grin*

I was looking at the questions from the Ministry Manual – those from which the committee will have to make their final report.  They, on the other hand, were looking at the questions contained in the book Listening Hearts, the guide for discernment.  So, I came with my answers all prepared, only to discover that this was going to be answering questions off the cuff and the top of my head. <g>

The actual goings on of the committee are bound by a confidentiality agreement, so I shan’t be including them here, but I was, surprisingly, nervous at this first meeting.  I hadn’t anticipated that.  I should have had an inkling that things were going to go awry somewhere. <g>

But I think it went well.  There was one question where my automatic assumption of the presence of God did me a disservice, since I forgot to mention it, but hopefully, it was answered clearly enough after a time. 🙂