The Family Letter

I write this post from the island of Maui. Specifically the Maui Prince Hotel on the south side of the island. I'm in the deluxe ocean view room that we somehow scored. Unlike some rooms where you have to lean out over the balcony to see the ocean, this one looks out over the Pacific. There's a considerable mountain in the distance that descends into the sea, and trees in the foreground. Amazing.¹

Why am I here in Maui rather than working hard on O'ahu, you ask? That's because our diocesan convention is here this year. Not bad, really, even if the rooms are a bit expensive. And the travel and all will make having it in Honolulu seem all the better next year, when I can come home and sleep in my own bed.

They certainly have planned a good weekend for us, though. We do have business scheduled, but only about 7.25 total hours of business in two days. The rest of the time is recess, meals, and the two events I'm really looking forward to later today, the convention eucharist and luau. Those take place at Trinity by the Sea Episcopal Church (see map of Maui²). It is an open air church. No walls. No ceiling. Ocean view. This should be very cool. I just hope it doesn't rain, because their normal backup plan is worshipping in the parish hall (happened last Sunday, they said), and it won't hold the 400+ people here for convention.

There will be a luau on the beach following the service. I haven't been to one yet, so this will be another first.³ If I get any photos I'll post those, along with a description.

It is now 0810 here and, as much as I'm enjoying the breeze and the view, I think I'll shave and head down to the beach for a bit before registration begins at 1000.

Aloha!

1. I would post pictures of this wondrous view, but sometime yesterday at the Honolulu airport my digital camera vanished. As best I can tell it came off the security belt and went off in someone else's possession. So if I get any photos this weekend it will be with a disposable camera, yet to be purchased. The good news is that USAA covers my property where ever it may be, so a claim is already in progress. And, who knows, it could have been an honest mistake, and maybe it will show up at the airport lost and found next week. [back]
2. "Seabury Hall," on that map, is where Moki is serving as chaplain. [back]
3. The more I think on it, the more I think I really need that disposable camera. [back]

As I promised, here are some more photos from Jane's ordination, hosted on Jane's Flickr site. Just click here and enjoy. (There are, approximately, two "pages" of ordination pictures there.)

If you are an astute reader (and don't just tune in via RSS) you will notice that the new toy, gVisit, that I put here a few weeks back is now gone. That's because those who ran gVisit had to scale it back. I didn't understand quite where that left me, other than it no longer listed recent visitors in the sidebar. Rather than try to make the new and de-evolved gVisit work for me, I just decided to dump it.

While I was doing that, however, I was looking at that photograph of the Seabury group from Jane's ordination. Somehow gVisit and the photo were juxtaposed (apologies) in my mind, and I began to wonder how many geographic locations were represented in that picture. I know for sure there were people from Hawaii and Montana. Chicago. Evanston, Illinois. Michigan. And, as the song says, "…many others." (Feel free, all, to comment on your location if you're in that photo!)

It is amazing, though, that no matter where we are presently from, we all stick together. The internet helps, as most of us share chat and e-mail as well as blogs. That aside, no matter how far away we get, when we come back together for something like this it always seems–to me, at least–like we'd never parted.

Here's to good friends and companions on the journey…

Jane is a priest! This weekend I was off the islands and back on the continent for a few days for her (second) ordination. It was good to see many friends from seminary, great to spend a couple of days with the Schmoetzers, and wonderful to be a part of Jane's day. It was a great service, too. I held dual roles of presenter and bishop's chaplain (to Bp. Ed Little, Northern Indiana, seen here at the rehearsal).

(More photos as I get them from others. Being Bp's Chaplain made it hard to snap any during the ceremoy, but Mrs. Ref was quite busy and has already had hers developed to CD. You can see some that AKMA took by clicking here.)

The ordination itself was Saturday morning (I got an early start to get to the rehearsal), followed by a reception lunch and then an extended party at the Schmoetzer residence. On Sunday I joined the Schmoetzers for the late service at St.Paul's, Munster, IN, where Jane was celebrant (presider, if you–as I do–prefer) for the second time. She did quite well. Nothing was spilled, no one caught fire, and she fit right in!

Sunday afternoon I joined Bruce and Kyle on a Cub Scout outing, including hotdogs and smores around a fire and a hayride in the woods. The trees in the area aren't at their peak of color yet, it seems, but there were some gorgeous ones out in the woods.

Today I'm blogging (duh!) and will leave in about an hour for Chicago Midway airport. I'll get in rather late tonight, but I was glad for the chance to sleep in a little this morning. I suspect I'll be a little fuzzy for the next few days… Perhaps I shall be alert just in time for Hawaii's convention.

Congratulations, Jane!