9:14 p.m. - 2008-03-02
Inside the brains at the Casa Della Bon Bon
Today's list : Things that I love about church. Caveat, remember that I am a pole-up-the-ass Anglican, no crayzee fundie.

1. Our goofy wee kirky.

2. I absolutely love and adore singing the Kyrie.

3. Sung liturgy.

4. The psalms sung to the tunes/tones of Wesley, Crotch (I know...) the Parisian tone...

5. The 23 Psalm. I know first hand what it means "Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine enemies."

6. The Trisagion ("By some Russian guy", says Ned.)

7. When people who really sing well sit behind us. I know, quite superficial of me...

8. The fellowship.

9. Duh, the presence of God. That should have been first, am I right?

10. When we were somewhere in Europe and we ducked into a Catholic cathedral and the votive candles lit were like liquid trays of fire.

11. Ringing the bells at St. Ann Shandon.

12. Architecture, architecture, architecture!

13. How that many churches in Europe have such gorgeous art that it is like a museum!

14. The holiness in the air at the old abbeys, those that have fallen in with decay.

15. Retreats at monasteries.

16. That how Sunday is always the Day of the Resurrection.

17. "How about," says Ned, "that God is more imaginative than many people give Him credit for. Which is to say, that how many unimaginative people project their lack of imagination onto God. AND, some folks, sophisticated folks, suspect that God is as unimaginative as some of His followers. This is unneccesarily limiting. I could probably fuss with the words some more but that's the best I can do right now. God is bigger, smarter, more loving, more imaginative than a lot of people give Him credit for. I respect churches that try to honor and live into that imaginativeness. I honor and respect that some folk just do religion differently and that some don't do religion at all. I would only just say, that God doesn't have to be limited by someone else's ideas of God. And religion in general. That the human striving for transcendenence , I believe is still worthwhile. I could say more, but I am going to leave it at that for now...( Fifi: I am waiting here for the next idea!) Except for one thing--- "Love one another" is important, and "love one another" is sometimes harder than we expect. ( Fifi: See, I told you that there would be more!)

Aw, Ned, I love you!

Cavalry - Apache