The divine within me recognizes the divine within you …
Category Archives: Religion
Reverend E Lee Chattin has died, at age 87
I’ve just gotten back from my father- in-law’s funeral outside Richmond, VA. He was a warm and generous man, a retired Methodist minister of 60 years in the pulpit, and the blessing of his passing was that it was brief, he was not in pain very long, and he died peacefully at home with his daughters beside him. His family has a Scottish heritage, (Clan Chattin) so it was only fitting that he be piped out in style.
HerstoryVA website is now online!
Earlier this year we went to the Herstory Conference near Harrisonburg, VA. This is a women’s conference connected to the Shenandoah Presbytery and has been held annually since 1994.
Emma had been asked to do a workshop and speak on diversity, but we took the weekend as a mini-vacation and really had a great time there. Its held at Massanetta Springs Conference Center an absolutely gorgeous retreat center
Unfortunately, my annual winter cold hit on Saturday (which turned into bronchitis as soon as I got home) so I missed what was one of the more interesting worship services and discussion sessions, but I plan to attend again next year!
Interestingly enough, I got an email 2 weeks ago asking if I’d help them move and update their website, in preparation for next year. Because I enjoyed it so, I really wanted to give something back, so … http://www.herstoryva.org/
What is there now is just their previous site updated to CSS standard (for accessibility) and copied to a new domain. But I do plan to do more in the way of upgrades when I have some time.
Children of Abraham unite?
Last night we had an interesting evening. Emma heard that the Washington Hebrew Congregation was having a special presentation of the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi – a special Sufi sect from Turkey. Ticket sales were open to the entire community – what a diverse crowd – and what a presentation!
As usual, click the image to see a larger size version.
MCCBR – ShenVal Extension!
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Sunday October 1 … that was the first service for the group meeting to consider the possibility of one day having an MCC in the Harrisonburg area of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
Roanoke Pride 2006
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Sept 17 we drove down to Roanoke, VA to become members of MCC of the Blue Ridge (MCCBR).
This was an important part of the process of Emma starting a new church in Harrisonburg, VA – MCCBR would be the “host church”, overseeing the financial side (tracking tithes and contributions, writing checks from that fund for rental space, etc) … and we were looking forward to this also because it was Pride Sunday in Elmwood Park in Roanoke and the Sunday service was to be held outdoors in the park.
Rev Janet Avery
As usual, click the image to see a doublesize version.
I always loved the style of MCC DC – such a wonderfully open space, full of light, and with that huge tree behind the altar and cross …
We had been invited to the ordination service for our friend Janet Avery, what a great day it was.!
MCC of the Blue Ridge, Roanoke
One of the results of Emma’s ordination last year is that she is asked to come preach at various MCC churches around the area. She had been invited to preach at the MCC in Roanoke, so we drove out Route 66, got on I-81 and headed south. Its 240m miles one-way, but our 2000 Civic Si does great on the highway, so a bit over 3 hours later, we pulled into town.
MCC of the Blue Ridge (MCCBR) was holding church in a store front facility until a local Methodist church went on the market and though a bold plan and a lot of “god’s blessings”, they found themselves the owner of this glorious old church building.
More pictures follow …
MCC at the National Cathedral
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October 29th was a pretty amazing day – MCC founder and 1st moderator Rev Troy Perry was retiring and the new moderator, Rev Nancy Wilson, was installed into office. Amazingly, the service was to be held at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC – just a 40 minute drive from our home.
MCC Ordination Service
I just got back from a weekend in Richmond, Virginia. After 5 years of work, study and practice, my partner Emma was ordained as a Reverend in the Metropolitan Community Church.
It was a very significant weekend for me, my dad expressed an interest in seeing her service, and by going to Richmond, he’d get a chance to meet Emma’s parents as well, who he’s never met, due to their poor health and inabilty to travel.
One of the neat things is that Emma’s dad had been a Methodist Minister most of his life – he retired a few years ago after preaching for 50 years. Her uncle is also a retired Methodist Minister, so Emma going into the ministry was following in a family tradition. (Yeah – she’s a PK – Preacher’s Kid)…
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Considering that Emma’s family is of Scottish descent,
what kind of a service would it be without a piper?
Continue on for picture highlights …