I ran across this over at the cafe today... just had to share it! We are in the process of building a new community that will become the Episcopal parish of the TriFaith Initiative ... (The list is of Tamie Field Harkin's creation.)

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Tips to attract "young people":

1. Be genuine. Do not under any circumstances try to be trendy or hip, if you are not already intrinsically trendy or hip. If you are a 90-year-old woman who enjoys crocheting and listens to Beethoven, by God be proud of it.

2. Stop pretending you have a rock band.

3. Stop arguing about whether gay people are okay, fully human, or whatever else. Seriously. Stop it.

4. Stop arguing about whether women are okay, fully human, or are capable of being in a position of leadership.

5. Stop looking for the "objective truth" in Scripture.

6. Start looking for the beautiful truth in Scripture.

7. Actually read the Scriptures. If you are Episcopalian, go buy a Bible and read it. Start in Genesis, it's pretty cool. You can skip some of the other boring parts in the Bible. Remember though that almost every book of the Bible has some really funky stuff in it. Remember to keep #5 and #6 in mind though. If you are evangelical, you may need to stop reading the Bible for about 10 years. Don't worry: during those 10 years you can work on putting these other steps into practice.

8. Start worrying about extreme poverty, violence against women, racism, consumerism, and the rate at which children are dying worldwide of preventable, treatable diseases. Put all the energy you formerly spent worrying about the legit-ness of gay people into figuring out ways to do some good in these areas.

9. Do not shy away from lighting candles, silence, incense, laughter, really good food, and extraordinary music. By "extraordinary music" I mean genuine music. Soulful music. Well-written, well-composed music. Original music. Four-part harmony music. Funky retro organ music. Hymns. Taize chants. Bluegrass. Steel guitar. Humming. Gospel. We are the church; we have an uber-rich history of amazing music. Remember this.

10. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

11. Learn how to sit with people who are dying.

12. Feast as much as possible. Cardboard communion wafers are a feast in symbol only. Humans can not live on symbols alone. Remember this.

13. Notice visitors, smile genuinely at them, include them in conversations, but do not overwhelm them.

14. Be vulnerable.

15. Stop worrying about getting young people into the church. Stop worrying about marketing strategies. Take a deep breath. If there is a God, that God isn't going to die even if there are no more Christians at all.

16. Figure out who is suffering in your community. Go be with them.

17. Remind yourself that you don't have to take God to anyone. God is already with everyone. So, rather than taking the approach that you need to take the truth out to people who need it, adopt the approach that you need to go find the truth that others have and you are missing. Go be evangelized.

18. Put some time and care and energy into creating a beautiful space for worship and being-together. But shy away from building campaigns, parking lot expansions, and what-have-you.

19. Make some part of the church building accessible for people to pray in 24/7. Put some blankets there too, in case someone has nowhere else to go for the night.

20. Listen to God (to Wisdom, to Love) more than you speak your opinions.

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My only question: What if I'm not 90, but still enjoy needle-work and Beethoven? May I still be proud of it?

So far...

...so good!

Other than getting a bit distracted by my four year-old in the front pew and forgetting to pour wine in the chalice (quickly caught and remedied!), I haven't fallen while holding the Gospel book or done anything overtly heretical! (But I'll keep trying!)

My new project is creating my green "Ordinary Time" stole. I am asking everyone to send me a small piece (something in the way of a "fat quarter") of green fabric. {So if you are reading this, that means you should send me some fabric... no, really. You. Yes, you! Just e-mail me - InterPlayOmaha@gmail.com - and I will send you my address! Yes, you!}

It doesn't have to look like this:

...it can be from an old shirt, tie, table napkin, curtains (I know that smacks of Scarlett O'Hara, but, there you are) or you can simply purchase something! I'll leave that bit up to you. Just please say away from shades of lime chartreuse. And thanks...

AOB:
...of your charity, please keep me in your prayers as I continue to learn what it means to be a deacon (both inside a church edifice and out). Speaking of edifices and prayers, if you would also keep the TriFaith Initiative (and InterPlay), in your prayers as well I would be exuberantly grateful as we move into land purchasing, TriFaith building and parish formation.

TriFaith.org
InterPlayOmaha.blogspot.com

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!

On the right sidebar you will find a link to
the service liturgy, the "chapel" where you can light a candle
(and leave a message!), and a little wit and wisdom from a few favorite saints!

I'm so glad you stopped by - thank you for all of your prayers and support! This road has encompassed a little more than a decade, two denominations, two dioceses, and the constant process of discernment! Through it all I have been so lucky and blessed to have all of you with me... to ask me how the process is going, with endless encouragement... you have helped me know who God created me to be.

And I know that many of you will not be able to be at the ordination service in person. However, we know that The Spirit makes things possible that we would consider impossible. So please browse the right sidebar and participate in any way you feel led! (And please feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this post!)

I will leave you with one of my favorite thoughts from one of my favorite deacons: The Franciscan Four-fold Blessing...

Below is an excerpt from an article written by the author of the icon of the Blessed Silence found in the upper right side-bar:

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The high priests brought many charges against him.
Pilatus again questioned him, saying,
"Have you no answers? Look how much you are accused of."
But Yeshua still said nothing.
Pilatus was amazed.
~ Mark 15:3-5 -- Trans: Willis Barnstone
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth ;
like a lamb
that is led to slaughter,
and like a sheep
that before his shearers
is silent. ~Isaiah 53

I don't think anyone today needs to be convinced of the lack of quiet or silence. But what about the power of quiet or silence? What about the inner strength of the silent suffering servant in Isaiah? Icons not only represent the contemplative artistic genius of the Eastern churches, they also convey a theology which is depthless, ageless and inexhaustible.

At first, icons may seem distant, awkward, stylized, even primitive. In truth, they are another language, the voice of a silent world. If you give them some time, I can promise you their graces will invade you, and you will love them.

Unlike so many images today which are violent beyond belief, or which attempt to seduce, control, or hypnotize you to consume something -- anything -- the icon appears as a rather shy, respectful friend who takes a long time to get to know, and who once known, will be with you forever.

This relationship with an icon is often described as that of a window or door to Heaven. Because of the extremely stylized form, you are allowed to imagine, to speak, to listen -- indeed a dialogue, even if it is only looking at one another, is the goal. Here one might ask is there anything more healing than the look of love or return of tenderness? Then what of the reception of the unconditional love of Heaven? The gaze of the Lord, the Mother of God, or one of our brothers and sisters, the saints?

The title of this icon is "Jesus Christ Redeemer Holy Silence." Icons of Holy Silence are found in Greece dating back to the 14th century, but interestingly, they seemed to begin appearing with more urgency in 19th century Russia- this itself is a clue to the importance of this icon, as a prayer for then and now.

Holy Silence ("Hagia Hesychia" in Greek) was commissioned by a friend of mine who found it to be a "picture of unconditional love." This was one of my earliest works, in fact, my sixth. Originally, I did not share my friend's enthusiasm for the image, however, I was drawn to the strangeness of the angelic figure. Gradually, over the month it took to "write" it (the tradition of` iconography insists you "write" an icon as it is sacred theology in visual form), I became aglow with the experience of spending time with Holy Silence.

The first thing to notice about Holy Silence, with a pleasant sense of shock and surprise, is that it pictures a female angel with the letters "IC XC" on either side of the top of the image announcing this is Jesus Christ. Although some icons of Holy Silence are more obviously male, this one appears to me clearly female. This is not unusual, since icons portraying angelic wisdom or "Hagia Sophia" are found dating back also to the 14th century. In the Hebrew Scriptures wisdom is more often female. And in the New Testament, "The Divine Wisdom" (I Cor. 1: 30), became an appellation given to the Son of God by Byzantine theologians.

Behind her lovely flowing hair, in the aureole or halo is an eight pointed star: six, points for the days of Creation, one for the day God rested, and the final point for the "Day of Eternity" to come.

The colors of red and blue signify the divine and human nature of Christ. The eighth point of the star is hidden, but artistically echoed in the 'V" shape of the thin deacon's stole which wraps round the shoulders and the chest. Perhaps the inclusion of the stole is signaling the deacon's vocation to preach the Gospel, but sometimes in silence too. This opens up for medititation another Scripture passage directly linked with this icon:

I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or shout or make his voice heard in the street. Isaiah 42

Christ's hands are folded just below the stole in a "winged" position of graceful repose in prayer. They also invite calm or silence which at first, may feel quite empty. This is why the icon becomes a companion, sitting with you in the waiting. Even the background, I noticed while I was painting, is a subtle falling from dark to light green. Then the wings repeat the same color going from light to dark. All this quiet harmony is very touching the more you gaze.

The Greek letters in the lower border say "Hagia Hesychia" (Holy Silence). One could go forever into the notion of Hesychastic prayer in the East, but I think this is enough for now to open the door to Holy Silence for you.

~Father William Hart McNichols

What the children of InterPlay will be doing...

I put together a nice, thick packet of ordination themed (quiet!) activities to help the under-five-feet-tall crowd make it through the service. (For more information about InterPlay, please see the bottom of the right side bar.) My hope is that children will pay attention to what is going on in the service, but there is some wonderful (if I do say so myself!) things to be learned in the packet as well... one of which is a section on Christian vestments. I have included an ordinand avatar and a liturgical vestment kit to go along with it!

This is the bishop:



This is the priest:


This is the deacon:



And here is the entire kit:



The packet also has a handy-dandy sheet that explains all of the above bits. {Can I just say how much fun it is to cut out albs from card stock at midnight?} But, seriously...

How fun is that?

...and quiet.