Thursday, May 31, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's May 30, 2012
What a great Pentecost Sunday we had last week! Join us this week . . . and click here for more information about events here at St. Pat's.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
"Fire" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, May 27, 2012 (Pentecost)
It
happened on a Christmas Eve many years ago. I was a shepherd in the annual
Christmas pageant. Bear with me, I will get around to Pentecost, soon. I was
eight years old. Back then; I was a well-behaved, quiet and shy child. I was
known for being the “good” kid, the one with a smile and willingness to follow
directions. So, not much has changed. As a shepherd, I had a very easy role. I was
to walk up to the front of the church carrying a taper candle, wearing a
turban, carrying a shepherd’s crook, to kneel on the step next to the altar.
The other characters in the Christmas tableau would continue to join the scene
until the entire Christmas story was told. As I look back, I have no idea why
the shepherds arrived so early in the story, but we did. The older kids and
some adults retold the story as each character made their way to their spot. Songs
were sung, people were happy, life was good: it was the quintessential
Christian scene of Americana.
Now,
as I said, I was a good kid and I knew how important it was to stay focused on
playing the role assigned to me. The last thing I wanted was to be pointed out
as the troublemaker. But my friend, Brendan Clark, was not as concerned as I
was with being in character. Brendan lived on the margin of trouble, it was
what made him endearing. He was funny and enjoyed having a good time (even at
the age of 8). You have met this person. You may even be this person. We were
the two shepherds. We walked up the aisle of the church, got to our spots, and
knelt down on the step.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's May 24, 2012
This Sunday is Pentecost, so wear red to church! Click here for our weekly email.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's May 17, 2012
Welcome to mid-May here at St. Patrick's! Here is our weekly email of events that may be of interest to you. Join us!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
"The Empress' New Clothes" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, May 13, 2012
On Thursday and Friday
night, the grade five and six students at our Day School performed a musical
rendition of the Emperor’s New Clothes. It was actually called the Empress’
New Clothes, but it had the same theme as the Hans Christian Anderson folk
tale. For those who don’t remember it, it is about a vain monarch who is so
selfish that the needs of the realm (and its people) are forgotten in lieu of
extravagant clothing and other fineries. Some traveling salesmen, who put
Harold Hill to shame, realize an opportunity to profit from the empress’
excessive self-absorption. They promise to make an outfit out of the finest
fabric in the world, a fabric, they explain, that can be seen only by those who
are worthy.
It is a swindle, of
course, but one that the self-centered monarch doesn’t realize. Even though
there is not an outfit, she parades around thinking there is, because to admit
that she can’t see it would be admitting that she is not worthy of her position
(which she considers impossible). Only when a young child points it out does she
finally realize the hoax.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's May 2, 2012
Click here to read about upcoming events at St. Pat's and to see a great photo of the dedication of the new Day School field on Foxhall Road.
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