Easter Joy

It has been a really great day. Church was a really good place to be this morning - lots of Easter joy and visiting friends. My new altar server did a really good job and we belted out the hymns. Most folks stayed afterwards for lunch which was delicious. We've been on a health kick and the after church lunch has been really good. Actually it always was really good - it is just now there is a bigger range of non-sweets.

After church I dropped by to see Paul happily settled in his own home. It has been three short weeks and already he's managing crutches like a pro. A slow pro but a pro nonetheless. He and his son and I had a fascinating conversation. His son has been doing a lot of traveling and has encountered many people who are tired of shallow religion and who are entering deeply into traditional religions. We had a long talk about something one of my friends and I are planning.

We expect in the fall to start a weekly worship service that is kind of non-church. We've got a bunch of people ready to join us and the owner of our favourite coffeehouse is letting us use it for our gatherings. We both have been encountering folks who struggle with church for a variety of reasons. Some ask big questions that rock the boat. Some are gay and don't feel welcome. Some don't have any experience in the church and feel out of place there. So we're starting a gathering where everyone is welcome, questions and struggles are welcome, and where the only requirement is a willingness to take seriously scripture and the Christian tradition and to be willing to wrestle angels.

But more on that later. The rest of my day was delightful. I had a nap and talked to some friends on the phone and my best friend came over for dinner and we took two walks to my dog's delight. I read some and listened to music. It was a very nice day.

Tomorrow it is back to grading. Groan.