The Hyphen House

I've been inspired by the creative projects of Shauna Maness, so I've been dabbling a bit this week. I love to do collages. It doesn't require too much artistic talent but stretches my creative juices. Normally I save the same sorts of magazines, but this time I decided to branch out.

I don't follow sports at all. Apart from attending the occasional Astros game and becoming quite the patriot during the Olympics, I'm just not into it. So I took Eric's last ESPN magazine and cut out some of the sports metaphors. (I will give the mag credit, though... in March they featured a pregnant WNBA player on the cover and dedicated the issue to Women's History Month. Three cheers!) Anyway, I don't connect with sports metaphors generally, so I thought it would be a fun experiment. I cut them apart and wove them into poetry I created as I went along. Here's the result:



Then, I took a great article cover shot with a baseball, stuck it in the center, and surrounded it with flowers from an old bridal magazine. I wanted to blend two completely different publications, marketed with such gusto to two very different crowds:



And tonight for date night, Eric and I "collagabrated" as he called it to create what I think is an awesome collage. We used mostly travel magazines, and he had the idea to write poetic lines inspired by the "Color of Love" clipping. For example, I wrote, "Shine like the deep orange color of the earth that cradles us." Together we can be quite clever:



I hope you'll do something creative today!

I own the complete sermons of Martin Luther. Not joking. All seven volumes grace the top of our bookshelf. I think Martin Luther was an incredible figure, and I have more than once imagined myself nailing a 95 Theses of my own to several church doors. I don't condone his anti-semitism or sexism, but I do respect the steps he took to spark a movement that encouraged Church with less hierarchy and more individual pursuits of Christ.

Eric spent several years as a kid/teenager in an LCMS congregation (that's Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, the more conservative branch of Lutheranism.) From that perspective, it was great for me to go and better understand his theological upbringing.

I love church bells, so being welcomed by hymns ringing through the steeple was beautiful. The service was fairly traditional, perhaps most akin to Methodist, but without the readings. The Lutheran church is often accused of being too archaic to reach out to people and be relevant, but I found this church to be particularly interested in growing and evolving. The priest used some great pictures (I looked for them online but can't find them) to illustrate God's trinitarian love for us. I found them quite helpful. Also, representatives from the Church Extension Fund presented the congregation with a check. The CEF allows individuals to invest their money and donate the dividends to churches in the synod. What a great idea!

I saw God moving here to paint a picture of grace for people who feel very unworthy. Lutherans seem to focus a great deal on our original sin nature, which can be unbalanced, but can also remind us that no one is better than the other. If, at a base level, we are equally sinful, then we can't consider ourselves above each other. And of course the miraculous part is Christ's all-consuming mercy and grace, which is really the point anyway.

I'll pick up where Eric left off... Wednesday night we were very lucky to attend the Target-sponsored free night at the Franklin Institute. Target's always saying they do things for the community, so it was nice to see that. Once a month the Franklin lets folks wander in after 5:00, which was great for us since I was working during the day. This renowned science museum features a Giant Heart, which you can walk through all the ventricles and other parts, a plane exhibit, a train exhibit, a weather room, and lots of other cool stuff. We also got to go in the Narnia exhibit, which featured props from the two movies and offered lessons on ecology. We geeked out a little b/c we actually got to walk from a living room, through a wardrobe with coats, and into the wintry wonderland (complete with falling snow). It was pretty cool.

We topped off the night with a romantic walk through Love Park and dinner at the Kite and Key pub (yep, everything is an homage to Franklin in Philly).

Thursday I finished my work early so we went shopping. OK, I went shopping and Eric walked along with me. Of course it was raining and cold, but we had great weather until then so I can't complain. We hoofed it from our B&B to the train station, about a 25 minute walk with our bags in tow, caught a train to the airport and waited for our late plane.

We tend to dream about what it would be like to live different places we visit, so we created a few scenarios to live in Philadelphia. Of course, we'd buy the house on Elfreth's Alley. I'd work at one of the many universities (hopefully the Quaker one, how cool would that be?), and Eric could work at the boarding school for at risk kids. And on the weekends we'd dress up like historical figures and conduct historical/literary tours.

I never said we weren't cheesy.

This morning while my wife worked, I went to visit Independence National Historical Park, home of Philly's most popular tourist attractions, the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Every American should have the privilege of visiting the place where our nation was born, and I felt awed by the great weight of history, standing in the very rooms where Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, and the other founding fathers forged the documents that have guided our nation.

I went to see the Liberty Bell first. The most striking aspect is its utter imperfection. The crack is certainly its most recognizable aspect, but the reality is that the bell just was not very well forged. It is full of imperfections, flaws, and dents. That is the beauty of it. It reminds us that liberty is not perfect, that Americans have been striving for true liberty but have not yet found its perfect fulfillment. There are still millions of people enslaved worldwide (some within our borders). There are still many struggling for equality. Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of our visit here to Philadelphia is that all of the monuments to freedom here are also reminders of how far we have come as a country since the early days when only white men were free. They are also sobering reminders of how far we still have to go to establish universal freedom and equality.

After viewing the Liberty Bell, I walked across the street for my tour of Independence Hall. I was in the same group as a bunch of elementary school students, which really made the tour even more fun because they relished every opportunity to answer the guides questions, and as hard as she tried, she couldn't stump them. She explained to us the brief history of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, both of which were drafted and signed in Independence Hall (formerly the Pennsylvania State House). We toured the room where the documents were signed as well as the old Court Room, where the Declaration was first read publicly.

The tour was very inspiring. It is hard for us to imagine just how revolutionary the founding of America really was. Brilliant and extraordinary people debated ideas and initiated the principles that have now become hallmarks of democracy. Ideas like division of power and checks and balances originated here. These people founded something that had never been seen before, a nation based on the principles of freedom and equality, and though America was still in its infancy, still imperfect in the application of these principles, this event changed the history of the world. At the end of the tour, the school group recited the Preamble for us. It was a wonderful conclusion.

I also visited Washington Square, the burial ground of the unknown soldiers of the Revolution. A statue of General Washington stands guard over them, and an eternal flame burns in their honor. Now children play there, and people walk their dogs around the grounds. Perhaps one of the other most interesting things about Philly is that every block features some significant historical landmark mixed so seamlessly with modern American life. There is a dog park right next door to Christ Church, where Franklin and Washington worshiped. Businesspeople file past Independence Hall on their lunch breaks. People send mail from the post office Ben Franklin founded. The past and the present coexist effortlessly. That is probably my favorite thing about Philly.

During one of our first days in Philly, a woman taking our picture asked us to say "cheese." I barely restrained myself from saying "cheesesteak" instead. My wife was surprised that I didn't. I can't blame her. I relish every opportunity for a cheesy joke, and what can be cheesier than a cheesesteak joke in Philly?

Well, yesterday was less eventful than our weekend. We spent most of the day working. However, we did get to eat two very tasty meals. The food here has been great so far. We had already eaten in basket chairs at a swanky tapas lounge kind of place. We had already eaten Amish food at the local market, and we had already had ice cream at an old fashioned parlor. For lunch yesterday, we ate at White Dog Cafe. It strangely reminded us of Barnaby's in Houston (one of our favorite restaurants). It was a little more upscale than Barnaby's, but it too featured plenty of dog-kitsch. All of their food was locally grown and organic. My favorite part was that the bathrooms were not labeled by gender. Instead there was one for pointers, one for setters, one for Republicans, and one for Democrats. Seeing that none of these options was a great fit for me, I chose setter, even though the dog on the door had long eyelashes, which I assume means it was female.

For dinner, we trekked to South Philly to eat at Pat's, King of Steaks, the original home of the Philly Cheesesteak. We got to take the cool underground trolley part of the way. The part of South Philly where Pat's is located is exactly what you would expect it to be if you have some Rocky based stereotype. It is a tough, but not too rough, neighborhood. As we turned toward our destination, we even got to hear a young woman with a thick Italian accent cussing someone out. Pat's had tourists galore, and I can safely say that although we too were obviously tourists, we were a little more savvy than the rest. We ordered without a hitch. There is an artform, but for newbies, the instructions are pretty easy to follow. The lady behind us messed up by asking for Swiss (a major no-no) and instead received Whiz.

Let me just say that our cheesesteaks were delicious. We have had knockoffs before, but they don't quite compare to the original. Across the street from Pat's is Geno's, the place that claims to have perfected the cheesesteak. It is covered in neon lights, much flashier than Pat's. One of our hosts told us that Pat's was better. Just judging from the outside, I think we made the right choice. Also, Bill Clinton was one of the celebrities featured on Pat's wall of fame. If anyone knows his junkfood, I imagine Bill Clinton does. (For proof check out the old Phil Hartman SNL skits featuring Clinton campaigning at McDonald's.) That pretty much sums up our most stereotypical Philly experience. It was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip although I can never eat a knockoff cheesesteak again.

I get to fill you all in on all things Franklin from our trip.

As most Americans know, Ben Franklin is Philly's most famous citizen, known for his inventions, public service, and witticisms. I must confess that I am a huge fan, and the first thing I said when we started planning our trip was that I wanted to visit his house. Well, his house is no longer standing, but in its place stands Franklin Court, a replica of his original block complete with a sample printer's shop and a museum.

The frame replicas of Franklin's homes are the most unique feature of the court. A museum was built underneath to prevent the place from being bought and developed. The museum features some of Franklin's most famous inventions and maxims, along with information about his life and work. My favorite Franklin invention is definitely the library chair, a chair that doubles as a stepstool when the seat is turned over.

We also visited the mock printer's shop with its Franklin impersonator. He was showing some children how an old printing press works. As a bibliophile, even the most mundane aspects of books, like how they are printed, fascinate me. We also visited the post office next door, which still serves as an official U.S. Post Office. Later this week, I plan to visit the Free Library, another gift from Franklin to America.

For me, Ben Franklin is THE forefather of America. His pragmatism and economy epitomize what is best and worst about our country. As Americans, we can't help but have a little bit of Franklin in all of us. Many of us view our world through an economic lens (time is money). Others live their lives guided by simple maxims. Still others seek innovative ways to make life easier for ourself and others. In all these things, we live in the great shadow of Franklin, and he and Philadelphia will never let us forget that.

Let's be honest, we walked down the famous steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art today. There was no running up them or walking or even pretending to think about it. Tip-there's a back entrance with only a slight incline to get you to the front doors.

We dropped our bags off at the bed and breakfast this morning, a restored 1865 Victorian that's amazing. We planned to walk to the Philadelphia Zoo from there, but the innkeeper told us it would be a 40 minute trek, so he actually drove us himself. Our membership to the Houston Zoo has reciprocity with lots of other zoos, including "America's First Zoo" (just days away from celebrating it's 150th anniversary) here in Philly. So that would have saved us a bundle if either of us had remembered our membership cards. Arggghh! We're considering our entrance fee a charitable contribution to animal preservation...

Since we've been together, we've been to the zoo in Houston, Memphis, San Antonio, and now Philly. It's fun to see how they are laid out and what each zoo prioritizes. Here, there's an award-winning "Big Cat Falls" exhibit with pumas, African lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars. The primate exhibit is also impressive, with some very friendly gorillas and orangutans. A rare animal house is home to species I haven't heard of, and naked mole rats, which are not cute. We got to see the Giant River Otters eat their fish and several of the cats came right up to the glass. Pretty good day for a winter visit to the zoo.

We called a cab to pick us up, but due to the St. Patrick's Day parade nobody came for us. Some nice guys from Finland asked us to call a taxi for them b/c they were afraid the dispatcher wouldn't understand their name. Eric joked that they could make up a name. "Yes, I will tell them I am Mr. Smith," one replied, "John Smith." The other wanted to be called Rocky Balboa, and decided he would say he was a wrestler traveling with his wrestling coach. That made us all laugh. We only had 45 minutes total to walk back to the B&B, check-in, and walk to the art museum. So we practically ran and made it in 15 minutes or so, then ran across the river to the museum.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is stunning. We went specifically to see the "Cezanne and Beyond" exhibit, and it was worth the timed ticketing and 30 minute wait in line. Many of Cezanne's paintings were featured, alongside pieces by artists who drew inspiration from him including Ellsworth Kelley, Pabo Picasso, and Braque. The audio tour explained each artist's relationship with Cezanne or his work, and how each interpreted a certain piece. For example, Cezanne's card players were displayed beside Canadian photographer's light box photo or three older women playing cards in a modern dining room. I found it all very inspiring, as it connected art and artist's throughout time.
Since it's the last day of Philly Beer Week and also St. Patrick's Day weekend, we ended the day with some good pub food and dark beer. This little Belgian tavern was tucked in the Fairmount area and clearly a neighborhood favorite. We've loved walking through so many different areas and seeing the architecture and feeling the different aspects of each.

So we just heard that Betsy Ross and Benjamin Franklin impersonators in Philly got married... how cute is that?

Today was a historic whirlwind of Revolutionary America, and I'd loved it. I'm so glad my husband loves historical stuff as much as I do. I'd much rather go to a museum than a bar, so we're perfect travel buddies. We saw most of what the historic district had to offer (except the Liberty Bell b/c I've already been there... Eric will go back later this week) and walked a LOT.

The Reading Terminal Market is a huge indoor food market with lots of fresh goods and fish heads and produce and baked items. We ate at a Rib stand run by an Amish woman (Amish from nearby Lancaster county sell a lot of goods in the market). It was so fun to walk around and see all the tasty, colorful items.

Betsy Ross' house was high on my list, as last time I visited Philly I only saw the outside. The twice-widowed upholstery craftswoman famous for designing the American flag (a historical story with some poetic license) rented this home with another family in her time. She was quite the rebel, making musket balls in her basement, and being read out of the Free Quaker meeting for marrying an Anglican. A Ross impersonator told us she talked George Washington out of six-pointed stars because she could cut five pointed stars with one snip of her scissors (she demonstrated on paper).

Onto Elfreth's Alley, the oldest continually residential street in the country. This was so cool! Row houses line the narrow, cobblestone alley and keep with historical guidelines. For the low, low price of $410,000 (actually way cheaper than I expected), you too could own the only house currently for sale on Elfreth's.

We gave up sugar for Lent, but saved up our Sabbath's to use here. I'm still learning the orthodoxy of the Lenten period, so I'm pretty sure we're not doing it right, but we'll still fast for a total of 40 days so it counts in my book. Anyway, we had to try a sundae at the Franklin Fountain, an old-timey soda shop/ice cream parlor that also sells clear toy candy popular in the Revolutionary period. We had a major sugar crash after that!

Christ Church Cathedral, a still-functioning Anglican church where George Washington, Ben Franklin, William Penn, and others worshiped, offers talks so we got to hear all about it. The curator was excited to tell us all kinds of trivia, which made Eric happy. The clear glass (instead of stained glass) represented Enlightenment-era ideals of being able to clearly see the world and be connected to nature. Also, the church has only had 9 priests, though it hasn't missed services in over 314 years. The curator pointed out that we are only the 11th generation of Americans. Pretty crazy, relatively speaking.

Next, we visited the Constitution Center, which has an amazing presentation called "Freedom Rising" that's part dramatic monologue, part interactive film. The "America I Am: The African American Imprint" exhibition was great, looking at the impact of blacks on American history from slavery to the present. The exhibit began with a quote from W.E.B. Dubois explaining that we can't forget our history's darker parts (like slavery and discrimination). It was quite a moving experience.

Old City nearby seemed to be the best place to eat dinner... it's kind of the Montrose of Philly, only surrounded by historical markers. But it's still the northeast, and therefore out of our budget (valet parking is $18! i complain about free valet b/c it will cost me to tip). We ended up in Chinatown at a Vietnamese Pho restaurant, where we ate some delicious (and cheap) vermicelli.

Two thumbs up for Philly so far. The first couple of days we're staying with a friend's relatives outside the city. We started the day with a train ride from Chestnut Hill, a cute little town that's not quite a suburb. We actually couldn't find the train station at first b/c it looks like a ride at Disneyland. Nonetheless, we joined morning commuters on the trek to 30th and found our way to Hagerty Library.

Eric spent the day close by in coffee shops or exploring, and I spent the day in a room like a closet poring through documents. This is a very welcoming archive, they had actually pulled 10 boxes for me and had a table ready. In my experience, I usually have to wait a while and have people run around trying to find me anything relative to my topic. So far, good finds.

We continually comment on how old everything is. Drexel University adjoins U Penn, and is close to two other universities. The area is aptly referred to as University City. Every building seems to have been something else in the last century, which makes me happy. We walked to Rittenhouse Square for dinner, and had a hard time finding a restaurant we could afford. It's near the Midtown of Philadelphia, and overly trendy. My favorite was an Anthropologie store in a three story corner stone building that had to be 100 years old. Hard to wrap your brain around it. We landed on global tapas at The Continental, where we sat in swing chairs and ate tofu tempura and shrimp fried in chick peas. I'll be turning in early because I haven't slept a full night since daylight savings time.

Tomorrow, we play! Hooray for the archives having short, weekday-only hours. :)

The pic: Puff the Magic Dragon, err, the Drexel mascot.

For a while now, we have been wanting to visit the nearby Greek Orthodox church. We had previously been in the sanctuary during Greek Festival, but we had not yet attended a service there until a few weeks ago. I remember learning about Orthodoxy in my church history class in college, and I was expecting the service to resemble a Catholic mass. In some ways it did. The service was very liturgical. It was half in Greek and half in English. The priest chanted with a small choir chanting in response. There were many surprises.

I was first surprised at how late people show up. Some people did not even arrive until right before communion at the end. Even more surprising to me was how nonchalant they were about their tardiness. Some even struck up conversations with their neighbors as they entered. Given the formality of the service, I expected that the people would be quiet and reverent. I like that I found reverence and community at the same time.

The service was very long, as we expected it to be, but I think I expected more participation from the congregation. I certainly felt like more of an observer than a participant. I did like reciting the Nicene Creed together (in Greek then in English). One unique aspect of the service was the end. We were ushered out toward the front where we greeted the priest by kissing his hand. He then gave us each a piece of leftover communion bread. I am not sure if I was merely supposed to feign kissing his hand, but I actually kissed it. I must confess that most of the service was Greek to me (sorry I couldn't resist), so I was pretty lost about what I was supposed to be doing.

The church itself is beautiful. The altar up front is ornate and reminded me of a temple of some kind. The chapel displayed several ikons that were very beautiful. I know that many Christians find this sort of imagery to be sacrilegious, but I actually find it to be very inspiring. Ikons are meant to point foremost to Christ through the saints they depict. I like the more ancient Christian traditions because they make me feel connected to the body of Christ through all of history. The ikons remind me that I am part of the communion of saints. It is so easy for me to disconnect from others, so I appreciate these reminders. I don't think they take the focus off of Jesus. For me they remind me of the amazing power of God to bind together people of different times, traditions, nations, races, and genders.

We leave tomorrow for Philadelphia. I got a travel grant for my dissertation research, so I'll be spending time at the Women in Medicine archive at Drexel University. It's Eric's spring break so he's coming too! We'll have two days to sightsee (the archive is closed on the weekend) and I'll have evenings free. I love to blog on my research trips so I'll try to keep you updated about our adventures.

Also, we're hoping to visit a Quaker meeting (after all, Pennsylvania was a Quaker colony). We'll add that to our Church Tour.

I just remembered I have a minor in economics, so that makes me expert enough to solve the recession. OK, I also have a minor in geography, which did not aid my directional abilities at all. But I do have some ideas...

1) Consumerism = Bad
I find it disturbing that the health of our economy is based on rampant consumerism. Unless everyone is buying a ton of stuff all the time, we can't function. Eric and I made the choice a few years ago, in part inspired by the Advent Conspiracy, to be conscious consumers. Of course we still buy things that are unnecessary, and we have superfluous things lying about our house, but we try to think about every purchase. We budget, we think about the labor practices of the companies from which we buy, etc. It's made a big difference. Now, however, even though I tried to live this lifestyle before the market tanked, I harbor an odd sort of guilt for not buying things. I have the problem of feeling like I alone can fix all the world's problems, so in my head if I'm not spending obscene amounts on retail, I'm the reason for job losses. But, as Eric says, we're trying to participate in the creation of a new system that's not so inherently flawed. I try to remember that.

2) Innovation = Good
Capitalism is not the perfect system, but it does encourage invention, which is good. There are so many random things for sale that it makes me laugh. I think we should channel this innovative energy into creative use of our time and resources. For example, I'm not working right now so I can write my dissertation (thanks in part to scholarships and grants and a very, very supportive husband), but I've picked up some things here and there to both earn some extra money and feed my soul. I teach fitness, I substituted for a home school family, and I plan to pick up more writing gigs. The more open we are to diverse possibilities in employment, the easier we'll all get through this rocky time. (BTW, my parents went through the recession under Pres. Carter right after they got married, so they assure us newlyweds we'll get through it.)

3) Mercy
I'm a little uncomfortable putting God in economic terms, but Switchfoot has a great song called "Economy of Mercy," and here is part of the chorus:
"In the economy of mercy
I am a poor and begging [wo]man
In the currency of Grace
Is where my song begins"
If Grace were a currency, we'd all extend more than enough to take care of each other. Most disheartening is the drop in charity donations due to the recession. I have always found it rewarding to give a portion of my income away, even when times are difficult. I find that if I hold on tightly to money because of fear, it simply controls me. But, with the right boundaries, extending mercy and grace, in both monetary and spiritual terms, is always better.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
March 3, 2009
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, 2009
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

With passion and courage, women have taught us that when we band together to advocate for our highest ideals, we can advance our common well-being and strengthen the fabric of our Nation. Each year during Women's History Month, we remember and celebrate women from all walks of life who have shaped this great Nation. This year, in accordance with the theme, "Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet," we pay particular tribute to the efforts of women in preserving and protecting the environment for present and future generations.

Ellen Swallow Richards is known to have been the first woman in the United States to be accepted at a scientific school. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1873 and went on to become a prominent chemist. In 1887, she conducted a survey of water quality in Massachusetts. This study, the first of its kind in America, led to the Nation's first state water-quality standards.

Women have also taken the lead throughout our history in preserving our natural environment. In 1900, Maria Sanford led the Minnesota Federation of Women's Groups in their efforts to protect forestland near the Mississippi River, which eventually became the Chippewa National Forest, the first Congressionally mandated national forest. Marjory Stoneman Douglas dedicated her life to protecting and restoring the Florida Everglades. Her book, The Everglades: Rivers of Grass, published in 1947, led to the preservation of the Everglades as a National Park. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993.

Rachel Carson brought even greater attention to the environment by exposing the dangers of certain pesticides to the environment and to human health. Her landmark 1962 book, Silent Spring, was fiercely criticized for its unconventional perspective. As early as 1963, however, President Kennedy acknowledged its importance and appointed a panel to investigate the book's findings. Silent Spring has emerged as a seminal work in environmental studies. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 1980.

Grace Thorpe, another leading environmental advocate, also connected environmental protection with human well-being by emphasizing the vulnerability of certain populations to environmental hazards. In 1992, she launched a successful campaign to organize Native Americans t o oppose the storage of nuclear waste on their reservations, which she said contradicted Native American principles of stewardship of the earth. She also proposed that America invest in alternative energy sources such as hydroelectricity, solar power, and wind power.
These women helped protect our environment and our people while challenging the status quo and breaking social barriers. Their achievements inspired generations of American women and men not only to save our planet, but also to overcome obstacles and pursue their interests and talents. They join a long and proud history of American women leaders, and this month we honor the contributions of all women to our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2009 as Women's History Month. I call upon all our citizens to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the history, accomplishments, and contributions of American women.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

BARACK OBAMA

One of the most anticipated stops on our church tour was a local Mennonite congregation. I must admit that before visiting my only knowledge about Mennonites was that they were Anabaptists, pacifists, and somehow connected to the Amish. Being a pacifist myself, I was especially excited to see how that looked in a Christian context.

The day we attended, the sermon was about what it means to be Mennonite, so we got a crash course in all things Mennonite. I learned how important the Anabaptist heritage is to Mennonites. They revere the many martyrs who have gone before them, and they place great importance on believer's baptism. However, they also believe that church membership should be voluntary. I also learned that for them peace extends into every aspect of the Christian life. We should not only refrain from physical violence, but we should extend peace through all our words and actions. I strongly believe that violence begins with language (after all I do teach language), so I found it refreshing to find Christians trying to raise awareness about the violence we do when we label and judge others. I also learned that Mennonites and Amish are really not much alike at all.

The church was very small since Mennonites never really spread through the South. The service was traditional but very low key and simple. I also liked how everyone participated. There was a time of prayer during the service when several people offered up prayer requests and then others volunteered to pray aloud for them. There was a strong sense of community, and the people were very welcoming. In some unexpected ways it reminded me of the Lutheran church I grew up in, particularly because of the small size, simple worship, and German influence.

I am thankful for Mennonites. Their strong sense of peace and justice has had a great influence on many other Christians. Their simple style of worship enhances the message of peace that they convey. The participation of all the members, from every walk of life, helps convey the message that all of us our part of the body of Christ. Overall, it was a very refreshing experience. I only wish there were more Mennonites out there.

One thing we’ve learned is how extremely different local bodies of the same denomination can be. So far, we’ve been to three different Episcopal churches that display this point.



One
During Advent we visited One for a special service entitled “A Festival of Carols and Bells.” Growing up non-denominational, the only exposure I had to liturgical celebrations were the occasional Christmas Eve service with my grandparents at their Methodist church. It was a beautiful service, with a full choir, hand bells, and lots of carols. A child barely taller than the pulpit read an Old Testament passage, as part of the procession through the prophecies about Christ’s birth. This Sunday celebrated Mary, and the priest gave an intelligent yet accessible homily (short sermon) about her special purpose. She did give birth to the Messiah, after all.

Two
We happened to attend mass at Two during their annual Jazz Festival, so the songs for the invocation, offertory, etc. were Dizzy Gillespie selections played by members of the church and some guests. All the responsive verses following readings held a jazzy beat. The pastor preached on how Gillespie’s life showed the inclusive power of God’s love. The service definitely had all the Episcopal trimmings, but it was fairly far removed.

Three
For Ash Wednesday we visited Three, on the recommendation of a friend who described it as a “smells and bells” service. This was the most “high” or extremely traditional of the three. I admit I was a little lost on when to say what, but it was very beautiful, and I was glad for the Book of Common Prayer. Leaders (priests and lay) presented the Bible in a solemn ceremony, rang bells to signify the transubstantiation of the Bread and Wine, and chanted in melodic tones. I was surprised when the rector came into the audience to preach and connect with people. I assumed in such a formal setting the rector would be more uptight, but it was quite the opposite.

With all the turmoil in the Episcopal Church at large, I see God moving in local bodies in meaningful ways. Each of these congregations adhered to the liturgical readings that I find so wonderful, and invited all to partake in Christ. I also found the mysterious elements of Jesus to be appropriately accessible, which is hard to do.