Monthly Archives: August 2011

August 28, 2011 · 3:45 am

Storm

A search for “Storm” in the song title brought the following playlist on my iPod. Clearly the timing on some of them makes a difference to a true playlist. This is simply an alphabetical list.

After the Storm – Bill Miller
The Great Storm Is Over – John McCutcheon
The Lightning Storm – Flogging Molly
Orphan of the Storm – Black 47
Riders on the Storm – The Doors
Shelter from the Storm – Bob Dylan
Singer in the Storm – Holly Near
A Storm Is Coming – The Return of the King
Storms in Africa – Enya
Weather out the Storm – Figgy Duff

See you along the Trail

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August 27, 2011 · 8:01 pm

Privileged waiting

Irene approaches.
Hurricane?
Tropical storm?
Whatever.
Irene approaches.

I prepare.
Purchase supplies
Straighten the apartment.
Move and position items.
I prepare.

I wait.
Contacting family and friends.
Tweeting, posting.
Pacing, writing.
I wait.

And the waiting reminds
of the privileges that are mine.

I could have left,
friends would host me,
I chose to stay.

Unlike some whose circumstances
limit their choices,
options were mine.

Unlike some whose choice
was taken away:
New York has not
abandoned me,
devalued me
left me behind
on a landfill-created island
because of what I have done,
what I have been accused of doing,
or where I work,
options were mine.

I chose to stay.

I have a place, a solid place,
a roof above,
walls around;
I have funds to buy supplies;
water, flashlights, candles,
food that needs no cooking.

I have so much,
and others have but little,
still others none at all.

I wait.
And the waiting reminds me
of the privileges that are mine.

I wait.
And I wonder,
after the waiting,
what I will do differently
with the privileges that are mine?

27 August 2011
Shire on the Hudson

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August 27, 2011 · 7:38 pm

I have a plan

If the power goes off, it is always good to have a plan to know that the power has been restored.

See you along the Trail.

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August 27, 2011 · 4:06 am

96th street station before Irene

Not sure when I took this one – might have been back in July on my way home from preaching at Church of the Covenant. It seems appropriate to post this one tonight. Tomorrow around noon the MTA is suspending service in anticipation of Hurricane Irene – or Tropical Storm Irene – or whatever may come our way.
See you along the Trail.

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August 27, 2011 · 3:18 am

Waiting for Irene

I wait.
I wonder.
I wonder what I should wonder.

August 26, 2011
Shire on the Hudson

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August 25, 2011 · 4:10 pm

Ribbons of Hope

I was in Louisville on September 11, 2001. I had just returned from the World Conference against Racism. A friend flew into town from the same conference – scheduled to arrive on the evening of September 10. Because of flight issues, my friend ended up taking a taxi from Cincinnati that arrived at the Louisville airport early on the morning of September 11. A phone call from another friend later that morning brought me the first word of the day’s event. It was a dazed day, even at that distance. In many ways, I continue to sort through the day and its meaning.

Now as the 10th Anniversary approaches, I find myself living in New York. The proximity fills the day with new meanings that lead me to ponder more deeply and work through in new ways.

I have not been to the World Trade Center site yet. Ever. I plan to take part in the events commemorating September 11 including the worship service of the Presbytery of New York City. I think I will go to the site before September 11.

I have helped the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) gather resources for the anniversary. I have promoted the work of Prepare New York.

Today, in a worship service at the Church Center for the United Nations led by the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, we adapted a liturgy from the National Council of Churches created by written by the Rev. Dr. Eileen Lindner and the Rev. Jon Brown. In the places where the services suggested lighting candles, we invited people to write prayers of remembrance, comfort and hope on simple red ribbons. Ryan Smith read scripture; Peng Leong led the time of prayer; Kevin O’Hara from the Lutheran Office for World Community led the benediction. Thanks to all my friends who helped me pick a song!

These ribbons will become part of the Ribbons of Hope display in Battery Park on the weekend of Septmbe 11, 2011.

To paraphrase the blessing from the liturgy:
May memory now reside in us at peace. May comfort companion us in all our days. May hope spring forth in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. May we serve God in all that you do and say, witnessing to the reign and realm of God to come. Amen.

See you along the Trail.

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August 21, 2011 · 10:44 pm

Patience

It has taken a long time
to reach this point.
It will take a long time,
it will take hard work,
it will take faith and change,
it will take patience
to reach another, better point.

22 August 2011
Shire on the Hudson 

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August 21, 2011 · 8:08 pm

Rainbow over Oahu

Unexpected vistas appear,
unforeseen opportunities arise,
surprises occur,
grace abounds.
For a number of minutes,
I chased this rainbow 
along the H1 on Oahu.
“Dad, there is a reason
the University of Hawai’i 
calls their teams 
the Rainbow Warriors,”
Eric patiently explained.
30 October 2006
Honolulu, Hawai’i  

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August 21, 2011 · 7:55 pm

Keys

On my way back from preaching at White Plains Presbyterian Church today, I met Andrew Stehlik, pastor of Rutgers Presbyterian Church on the Uptown Number 2 subway. We exchanged greetings and then began to talk shop.

As he described his sermon, Andrew reminded me that on the night of August 20-21, 1968, Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia shattering the hopes of the Prague Spring.

He also reminded me of the use of keys during the nonviolent Velvet Revolution (Gentle Revolution in Slovakia) that overthrew the communist government of Czechoslovakia. The people jingled keys – ordinary keys – as they gathered to demonstrate nonviolently for change. This simple, yet profound, public act carried two meanings. It proclaimed the unlocking of doors – opening doors long locked by totalitarianism. The act of jingling one’s keys also served to tell the communists that it was time for them to go home.

On a day when I preached about Shiphrah and Puah – the Hebrew midwives who committed civil disobedience by refusing to carry out the Pharoah’s order to kill the Hebrew children – and the need to live our faith publicly, the story of the keys spoke to me with great power. I told Andrew that I will no doubt use the story in a future sermon; I will credit him when I do.

Thanks be to God for Shiphrah, Puah, the people who jingled keys in Czechoslovakia, and all who work nonviolently for life and peace and justice.

See you along the Trail.

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August 21, 2011 · 7:15 pm

Warning

Sometimes change comes with warning;
sometimes not.
30 October 2006
Honolulu, Hawai’i

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