"I'm what the world considers to be a phenomenally successful man. And I've failed much more than I've succeeded. And each time I fail, I get my people together, and I say, "Where are we going?" And it starts to get better." - Calvin Trager
Saturday, May 15, 2004 Two big events in our larger family today. At the Cathedral, Kirsten Hanson will be received into the Episcopal Church. Reception or confirmation is a big thing ... because even though Kirsten has been such a big part of our community these past four years and her committment to us has been evident, taking vows (as Robin would say "in front of God and everybody") is much more than the wonderful commitment to this group of people in St. Louis ... it's a commitment to a way of life and to the Body of Christ. And it is something to be celebrated. We have always been sister and brother by virtue of her creation as a child of God and by virtue of her baptism into the wider body of Christ ... it's not as if that's new. But what is new is that because of common commitment, we are all walking down a similarly defined road together.
Congratulations, Kirsten! And thank you to Emily, Kristian, Cecily and Beth (hope I didn't miss anyone) who helped prepare her for this day. Congratulate her yourself by emailing her at peacheskmh@hotmail.com (I was going to have you leave a comment on her blog, but she is on livejournal with comments from non-users disabled ... do something about that, Kirsten!)
The other big event is Nicole Walter's great grandmother's funeral. This was a big person in Nicole's life, and her death, while not unexpected, leaves a hole. Now, as Christians, we know that we are bound by bonds of love that cannot be broken, even by death. But that doesn't mean that the separation of death doesn't hurt. Part of being in the family of Christ that we are in together with Kirsten and Nicole and everyone is that we carry each other through these times.
Pray for Nicole and her family today ... and send her words of love on her blog.
Every day has some good, some sad, and a lot that's just a big mix. But two things never change. God is always God.
EGR resources and connects the church to embrace what one person, one congregation, one diocese and one church can do to make this mission of global reconciliation happen.
Want to find out more ... check our our website at www.e4gr.org.
"Christ's example is being
demeaned by the church if they ignore the new leprosy,
which is AIDS. The church is the sleeping giant here.
If it wakes up to what's really going on in the rest
of the world, it has a real role to play. If it doesn't,
it will be irrelevant."
- Bono
Episcopalians for 
