Actually, I could come up with these quippy little stories all day. So perhaps next year I'll do another column along a similar vein!
-t
Thursday, June 4, 2009
June Column for the Anglican
Here's my June Column for the Anglican. I went for humour, obviously. Apologies to Zen Flesh, Zen Bones and the Desert Fathers, of whom this is a parody...
Actually, I could come up with these quippy little stories all day. So perhaps next year I'll do another column along a similar vein!
-t
Actually, I could come up with these quippy little stories all day. So perhaps next year I'll do another column along a similar vein!
-t
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Power Point about Children's Ministry
Here is the power point from the Workshop that Kerrie and I did at our Synod Workshop last weekend. Perhaps I'll have a chance to add synched audio later...
You can also download the file directly from the SlideShare website.
-t
Children's and Youth Ministry Workshop: Anglican Diocese of Toronto Synod Workshop 2009
View more OpenOffice presentations from Tay Moss.
You can also download the file directly from the SlideShare website.
-t
Monastic Enterprise
Bob points me to an article in the New York Times about some monks in Wisconsin that sell printer cartridges to raise the money necessary to keep the monastery going:
I think it's brilliant that most communities have to produce something that the ordinary world finds valuable. It helps keep such communities grounded. It's even more interesting, from my perspective, at least, when that enterprise involves the hands-on work of the monks. For instance, both the book store and the guest house at Holy Cross require a LOT of attention from the monks, which mean that the people that patronize those businesses get to interact with the monks themselves.
Monks and nuns around the world do all kinds of interesting things. I've always been fascinated by the Monks at New Skete raising German Shepherds. Or how about Mother Noella Marcellino, who did her Ph.D. and a Fulbright Scholarship becoming a world-renowned expert on Cheese.
Much has been written about the spirituality of such labour. Unfortunately, our society has lost something along the way when it comes to the meaning of creative work. A recent long New York Times feature on the meaning of work noted the rise in popularity of shows like "Dirty Jobs" and "Deadliest Catch" as evidence of a kind of nostalgia for the perceived meaningfulness of blue collar work. The feature article was written by Matthew Crawfrod, who adapted the essay from his new book Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work.
This is about craft. I appreciate good craftsmanship in all it's forms because it shows a kind of a cooperation with creation. Shoddy workmanship suggests disharmony with creation. And I'm not just talking about crafts that involve physical stuff. Consider the craft of a well-delivered sermon or the craft of doing good liturgy!
Alas, the days when Shop class was a mandatory part of education are slipping. More and more kids are connecting on Facebook rather than under the hood of a car.
-t
Ever entrepreneurial, the women also sell products made by other monasteries, including chocolates, pralines and a barbeque sauce called “Burnt Sacrifice.” They sell Benevolent Biscuits, dog treats the monks here make on cookie trays in the monastery kitchen.
Their latest product is a laser printer cartridge made with soybean oil instead of petroleum. Holding up a newly printed page, Ms. Caniglia said, “It’s environmentally safe, the print is great,” and it produces more pages per cartridge than an oil-based cartridge at a lower price. “It’s a no-brainer.” (source)
I think it's brilliant that most communities have to produce something that the ordinary world finds valuable. It helps keep such communities grounded. It's even more interesting, from my perspective, at least, when that enterprise involves the hands-on work of the monks. For instance, both the book store and the guest house at Holy Cross require a LOT of attention from the monks, which mean that the people that patronize those businesses get to interact with the monks themselves.
Monks and nuns around the world do all kinds of interesting things. I've always been fascinated by the Monks at New Skete raising German Shepherds. Or how about Mother Noella Marcellino, who did her Ph.D. and a Fulbright Scholarship becoming a world-renowned expert on Cheese.
Much has been written about the spirituality of such labour. Unfortunately, our society has lost something along the way when it comes to the meaning of creative work. A recent long New York Times feature on the meaning of work noted the rise in popularity of shows like "Dirty Jobs" and "Deadliest Catch" as evidence of a kind of nostalgia for the perceived meaningfulness of blue collar work. The feature article was written by Matthew Crawfrod, who adapted the essay from his new book Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work.
This is about craft. I appreciate good craftsmanship in all it's forms because it shows a kind of a cooperation with creation. Shoddy workmanship suggests disharmony with creation. And I'm not just talking about crafts that involve physical stuff. Consider the craft of a well-delivered sermon or the craft of doing good liturgy!
Alas, the days when Shop class was a mandatory part of education are slipping. More and more kids are connecting on Facebook rather than under the hood of a car.
-t
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Air France 447
I've been tracking the tragic loss of Air France flight 447 in the news. As usual, the major news outlets are only reporting a fairly broad overview, while more details are available for those who look. For instance, what about these automated message coming from the airplane before contact was lost. One aviation blog seems to have an inside source about these:
ACARS is the data-link that also carries all kinds of useful information between the airplane and the ground. Many news reports seem to be surprised to discover that this exists, though actually it has been around for a long time and is now being phased out in favor of even more advanced communications systems.
Anyway, this series of messages has caused a lot of speculation in online forums devoted to airplane stuff. Many people are pointing to some previous problems with the ADIRU (Air Data Inertial Reference Unit) on the airbus A330 (same type aircraft as this recent crash). In the previous incident, the failure of one of three ADIRU caused the flight computer on Quantas Flight 72 to pitch down violently. 72 passengers were injured, some badly, but the airplane was able to make an emergency landing. There are are three such units onboard so that flight can proceed normally even if two of the three are rendered inoperable. Part of the mystery of flight 72 was why the flight computer didn't recognize and ignore the faulty data.
There other incidents involving "uncommanded" maneuvers as flight computers reacted to faulty data from ADIRU units, so this is naturally the first place people are looking. Yet many other things could have caused this sequence of system failures and messages--a fire being an obvious example (Cf. Swissair 111). We probably won't know the real cause for many months.
Reflecting on this today I thought about how much attention air safety gets compared to, say, car safety. So much more could be done to lessen traffic fatalities. Yet something about the horror of airplane accidents make them much more provocative. I just pray for the families and all who work and travel in the skies....
-t
Sources within Air France reported, that the automatic message did not only report an electrical short circuit, but also the loss of cabin pressure. This information has been confirmed by FAB, who also stated, that the position of the airplane was given as N3.5777 W30.3744 in that message.
New information provided by sources within Air France suggests, that the ACARS messages of system failures started to arrive at 02:10Z indicating, that the autopilot had disengaged and the fly by wire system had changed to alternate law. Between 02:11Z and 02:13Z a flurry of messages regarding ADIRU and ISIS faults arrived, at 02:13Z PRIM 1 and SEC 1 faults were indicated, at 02:14Z the last message received was an advisory regarding cabin vertical speed. That sequence of messages could not be independently verified. (source)
ACARS is the data-link that also carries all kinds of useful information between the airplane and the ground. Many news reports seem to be surprised to discover that this exists, though actually it has been around for a long time and is now being phased out in favor of even more advanced communications systems.
Anyway, this series of messages has caused a lot of speculation in online forums devoted to airplane stuff. Many people are pointing to some previous problems with the ADIRU (Air Data Inertial Reference Unit) on the airbus A330 (same type aircraft as this recent crash). In the previous incident, the failure of one of three ADIRU caused the flight computer on Quantas Flight 72 to pitch down violently. 72 passengers were injured, some badly, but the airplane was able to make an emergency landing. There are are three such units onboard so that flight can proceed normally even if two of the three are rendered inoperable. Part of the mystery of flight 72 was why the flight computer didn't recognize and ignore the faulty data.
There other incidents involving "uncommanded" maneuvers as flight computers reacted to faulty data from ADIRU units, so this is naturally the first place people are looking. Yet many other things could have caused this sequence of system failures and messages--a fire being an obvious example (Cf. Swissair 111). We probably won't know the real cause for many months.
Reflecting on this today I thought about how much attention air safety gets compared to, say, car safety. So much more could be done to lessen traffic fatalities. Yet something about the horror of airplane accidents make them much more provocative. I just pray for the families and all who work and travel in the skies....
-t
Monday, June 1, 2009
My Day Off
Last night I picked up Betsy at the Buffalo Airport. Traffic on the QEW going back to the GTA was terrible thanks to the night construction. So we got back around midnight and went straight to bed. I slept in 'tlll noon. Felt great. Made lunch for the two of us and then watched a little TV. Made supper (Green Thai Curry with shrimp). Then Betsy and I went to a softball game. A friend of mine plays in a regular pick-up game and invited me to join him. I haven't played softball in a long time, but I sure did enjoy it tonight. I managed to get several base hits, and even got in for a run myself! Great. Next time I'll remember to bring beer--this is the sort of group that like to drink beer while they play ball. All good. Nice group of guys. Betsy watched from the sidelines.
Came home and enjoyed a very nice BLT. I've been feeling the BLT-love lately. What a great late night snack! Now I'm just watching the "Daily Show" and enjoying the end of my day off...
-t
Came home and enjoyed a very nice BLT. I've been feeling the BLT-love lately. What a great late night snack! Now I'm just watching the "Daily Show" and enjoying the end of my day off...
-t
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Baptism Teaser
We had three video cameras rolling, plus an audio recorder, to capture this baptism. I don't have all the footage in hand, yet, so it's going to take me a few days to get around to editing it together. I'm certainly glad that she was keen to have the moment recorded. I'm getting better at aspect of COTM's operation. Anyway, here is a short (15 second) teaser of her getting into the water....
It was a remarkably moving and joyful Pentecost!
-t
It was a remarkably moving and joyful Pentecost!
-t
Synod 2009
Synod was nuts. Fun, but nuts! Got up at 4:30 A.M. on Friday to give me time to pack and to finish the stuff for our workshop. We were a little later leaving from the church than planned, but we still made it to the Synod location (Durham College in Oshawa) before registration closed. As a result, however, I always felt like I was barely keeping with the day's events. Along the way I put down my seersucker jacket on the back of a chair and went back for it there was no sign. Lost and found hadn't received it. Hopefully someone will turn it into the campus security soon. Otherwise, it's a causality of war. Bummer, I love my seersucker suit!
Anyway, I set up a display for the ARC. People seemed to like what they saw and heard about. No word on a grant, yet. Cross your fingers!
Phil Potter came from the U.K. to talk about Fresh Expressions and Missional Church. I was struck that a lot of people in our Diocese hadn't heard of these concepts before. Hopefully this Synod took care of that. We probably spent two-thirds of our time talking about Missional Church and the other third talking about the same-sex blessing issue. We did that (in both cases) using the Indaba process that the Archbishop of Canterbury used at the last Lambeth Conference. So the pattern was gathering as a whole synod (some 600 people?) for worship and singing, bible study, and listening to a talk by the Bishop or Phil Potter. Then we'd go off into smaller Indaba groups of about 40 people to share. Our group was fine, though I did hear that some of the Indaba groups got little uncomfortable when the same sex issue was discussed.
You see, the Bishops are proposing a policy that would create a structure to last in this interim time of uncertainty in the church. They believe the question of whether the church will recognize "gay marriage" is really up to the national church. Yet, in the mean time, there is a need to establish a "generous pastoral response" to gay and lesbian Christians who come to us seeking the blessing of the church. The proposed policy would allow a small number of parishes chosen by the bishop to offer blessings to long-term, committed relationships. No parish and no priest will be required to participate. The bishop will have to give permission for the blessings on a one-by-one basis. The policy would also involve the drafting of guidelines for how that blessing would look, liturgically, but it clearly fill fall short of a "marriage." In addition, a group will be formed to evaluate and oversee the implementation of this policy.
In our Indaba group of about 40 there were only four people that didn't like the direction the Diocese was heading, but almost of them said that they "could live with" with the policy. I heard that some other groups were more contentious. For the time being, however, nothing changes. This is only a proposal. The vote will come later, probably at the next Synod that gathers at St. Paul's Bloor Street in November.On Friday afternoon Kerrie and gave our workshop. We had about 30 people in the room. I had a Powerpoint presentation and handouts and posters on the walls and books for people to look at. The hour went quickly, but people seemed to get something out of it. One person told that they found it very "permission giving."
Friday sessions weren't over until 9 p.m. After that many of headed to the campus pub. I brought my bottle of Woodford Reserve Bourbon. The bar didn't seem to mind for the first couple of hours. Eventually the manager did come over and take my booze! She kept it behind the bar until I left. At the pub I had many fine conversations with friends and colleagues. Eventually they closed the bar around 2 A.M. A couple of us went back to a room to keep the party going. I finally went to bed at 4:30 A.M.
I admit I was a little tired when I showed up to morning prayer at 8:30... but at least I was there. Coffee... Coffee... More coffee... More sessions and Indaba groups. The whole thing wrapped up around 3 and we got on the road not long after that. During the conference they had separated the members of the parishes from each other, so it was only in the car ride home that the three of us from Church of The Messiah could talk and share. It seems that people enjoyed themselves and learned some new things.
Back at home I was toast. I had Chinese delivery and watched the recording of the Blue Jays FINALLY winning a game. Went to bed at 6 p.m.--slept until 6 a.m. this morning! Got up, felt great. More in my next post!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Final Preparations for Synod '09
Got up early to drive Betsy to the airport... the Buffalo airport! Left around 8:30. Got there around 11:00. This saves money, but takes time. Got back to the GTA around 1:30. Traffic was slow, but steady through the rain. Betsy will be visiting her sister for a few days.
On the way back I decided to stop by the duty free and pick up a bottle of Bourbon (Woodford Reserve) to consume with my fellow clergy at the Synod (there are usually some good late-night discussion groups). Duty free is a good deal, but unlike crossing from Canada to to the U.S., you have to be out of Canada for at least 48 hours to qualify. But they won't necessarily make you pay the duty, it depends on which customs inspectors you get. So I rolled the dice. As I drove through the checkpoint I got the usual questions. When he asked me what I was bringing back I was honest. He shrugged and handed back my passport saying, "Have a nice day." Sweet. It's great to feel lucky...
Back in my office I finished the exhibit display for the ARC. I also made progress on the workshop presentation that Kerrie and I are giving. I didn't manage to finish the powerpoint, but I can get up super early tomorrow and do that part. It means a long day tomorrow, but that was inevitable. The Candidate for Sunday's full adult immersion baptism came by for a walk-through. She's excited. I'm excited. The congregation is excited. It's not that often that you get to bring someone into the faith like this! She even asked me if she could get a DVD--so naturally I'm going to do my best to record it. it's going to be awesome!
Also had to pick up the LCD projector and drop off the keys with the cat-sitter. Synod is an overnight thing, so I had to arrange for someone to stop in to feed the cats and check the litter. I also started assembling a sort of go-bag for tomorrow. It includes things like a stapler, tape, and other stuff that we might need for the presentation. I'm also taking along my camera bag (to videotape the presentation).
Now I'm just relaxing. The next two days are going to be intense!
-t
On the way back I decided to stop by the duty free and pick up a bottle of Bourbon (Woodford Reserve) to consume with my fellow clergy at the Synod (there are usually some good late-night discussion groups). Duty free is a good deal, but unlike crossing from Canada to to the U.S., you have to be out of Canada for at least 48 hours to qualify. But they won't necessarily make you pay the duty, it depends on which customs inspectors you get. So I rolled the dice. As I drove through the checkpoint I got the usual questions. When he asked me what I was bringing back I was honest. He shrugged and handed back my passport saying, "Have a nice day." Sweet. It's great to feel lucky...
Back in my office I finished the exhibit display for the ARC. I also made progress on the workshop presentation that Kerrie and I are giving. I didn't manage to finish the powerpoint, but I can get up super early tomorrow and do that part. It means a long day tomorrow, but that was inevitable. The Candidate for Sunday's full adult immersion baptism came by for a walk-through. She's excited. I'm excited. The congregation is excited. It's not that often that you get to bring someone into the faith like this! She even asked me if she could get a DVD--so naturally I'm going to do my best to record it. it's going to be awesome!
Also had to pick up the LCD projector and drop off the keys with the cat-sitter. Synod is an overnight thing, so I had to arrange for someone to stop in to feed the cats and check the litter. I also started assembling a sort of go-bag for tomorrow. It includes things like a stapler, tape, and other stuff that we might need for the presentation. I'm also taking along my camera bag (to videotape the presentation).
Now I'm just relaxing. The next two days are going to be intense!
-t
For Teenagers--Hugging is the New Hello
The New York Times notes that hugging has become very popular among teenagers in the last couple of years. Whether its girls hugging girls, boys hugging girls, or even boys hugging boys, it has become so popular that many schools have banned it! No one is quite sure why this has become popular, one theory is that children are raised to be more cooperative and social now--less given to cynicism and detachment. Another theory is that counterbalances the facelessness of facebook, twittering, and texting.
I'm a big fan of hugs, but I have a hard time initiating them. Fear of rejection, I guess. I always appreciated that hugs, not handshakes, are the customary greeting at the exchange of the peace at the Masses at Holy Cross. It's sometimes a bit awkward, but I think that's part of the usefulness of the practice: it's training for heavenly places.
Speaking of Holy Cross--I'm redoing their website this summer. That will mean reorganizing the current content as well as adding a bunch of new stuff. I'm particularly looking forward to producing a few short videos. I've been boning up on things like video lighting, editing techniques, sound, and optimizing video encoding. Jack of all trades, me. Funny how I'm happiest when I'm learning new skills.
-t
I'm a big fan of hugs, but I have a hard time initiating them. Fear of rejection, I guess. I always appreciated that hugs, not handshakes, are the customary greeting at the exchange of the peace at the Masses at Holy Cross. It's sometimes a bit awkward, but I think that's part of the usefulness of the practice: it's training for heavenly places.
Speaking of Holy Cross--I'm redoing their website this summer. That will mean reorganizing the current content as well as adding a bunch of new stuff. I'm particularly looking forward to producing a few short videos. I've been boning up on things like video lighting, editing techniques, sound, and optimizing video encoding. Jack of all trades, me. Funny how I'm happiest when I'm learning new skills.
-t
New Ways to Give Yourself Cancer
Check this out, R.J. Reynolds is test marketing new tobacco products that dissolve in your mouth. No smoke. No spitting. Camel "Orbs" are bead-like droplets of flavored nicotine. "Strips" are like those breath-freshening strips and give a heavy dose of nicotine (much higher than a cigarette) very quickly. "Sticks" are shaped like toothpicks and stretch the high out.
Critics say these candy-like delivery methods are an attempt to appeal to kids, but really it's just a creative solution to the problems of "smoking." Time will tell whether it works, but given the success of tea-bag like "Snus." Will this stuff kill you? Of course it will! Will it make it "easier" for people to get a nicotine high without the problems of secondhand smoking? Of course it will! Who dreams these things up?
-t
Critics say these candy-like delivery methods are an attempt to appeal to kids, but really it's just a creative solution to the problems of "smoking." Time will tell whether it works, but given the success of tea-bag like "Snus." Will this stuff kill you? Of course it will! Will it make it "easier" for people to get a nicotine high without the problems of secondhand smoking? Of course it will! Who dreams these things up?
-t
Count Down to Synod
Sorry I haven't been posting so much--it's been a crazy busy week getting ready for Synod and dealing with various issues that have come up in the life of COTM. But things seem to be coming together fine. Thursday (err.... today... after I get some sleep) Kerrie and I will finish putting our workshop presentation together for Synod. I'm also meeting with the baptismal candidate I'm baptizing on Sunday for a run-through.
The ARC going to have a display table. Wednesday I finished making the pieces of that--Kerrie and I will put them together today. I will be curious to see what kind of reception to the ARC gets. I haven't heard back about the grant, yet, which honestly makes me nervous. I seriously have a hard time understanding why "they" wouldn't want to give us a grant. This project has enormous potential and is aligned with current Diocesan thinking about the future of children's and youth ministry (see the recent report on youth ministry by Erin Martin, for example). But we'll see.
So Thursday morning I'll drive down to Buffalo to drop off Betsy at the airport (she is flying to North Carolina to see her sister and co. for a few days). Then I'll finish this presentation preparation. The baptismal prep. Then a few errands I need to get done before going to Synod on Friday morning. Crazy, crazy busy!
-t
The ARC going to have a display table. Wednesday I finished making the pieces of that--Kerrie and I will put them together today. I will be curious to see what kind of reception to the ARC gets. I haven't heard back about the grant, yet, which honestly makes me nervous. I seriously have a hard time understanding why "they" wouldn't want to give us a grant. This project has enormous potential and is aligned with current Diocesan thinking about the future of children's and youth ministry (see the recent report on youth ministry by Erin Martin, for example). But we'll see.
So Thursday morning I'll drive down to Buffalo to drop off Betsy at the airport (she is flying to North Carolina to see her sister and co. for a few days). Then I'll finish this presentation preparation. The baptismal prep. Then a few errands I need to get done before going to Synod on Friday morning. Crazy, crazy busy!
-t
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