PeaceBang

Food and Liturgy

Someone just made a $100 contribution to St. Gregory’s food pantry, which is fantastic! Every little bit helps! All your gifts are wonderful and SO much appreciated. Sara tells me that $400 will buy two thousand pounds of food.

I’ll take contributions through the end of this week and then we’ll cut a check for St. Greg’s, which is celebrating the 7th anniversary of the food pantry in early November. Wish I could be there!

On another subject entirely, have any of you ever offered a special evening healing service for your congregations? I am feeling that I would like to plan one this winter and would like to see people’s liturgies — especially Unitarian Universalists’.

Another liturgical inquiry: I would like to do a Tenebrae or Good Friday service this year for the first time. I attended one at All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, DC about ten years ago that was very powerful, as it interwove stories of martyrdoms from around the world with the story of Christ’s passion. I am under the impression that other congregations have offered this sort of service, and was again wondering if you’d like to share either liturgies or stories of similar services.

Thanks for your help. Time for bed.

PeaceBang on “Weekend America”

I know that some of you read my other blog, Beauty Tips For Ministers” (where PeaceBang becomes a far more irreverent and “cheeky” persona than she is here), but many of you probably don’t.

It (and I) was featured on NPR’s “Weekend America” this past Saturday.
The link is here if you’d care to listen. You need a Real player if you want to hear the long interview. The outtakes work with Windows Media Player.

Supreme Court Limits Church’s Political Clout and Supports Separation of Church and State

Having just attended an event where there was a lot of hand-wringing about the creeping theocracy in the U.S., this was a happy little link provided by my cousin Matt.

I know these don’t feel like the biggest battles, but they do matter. We celebrate where we can.

Anointing Ritual

A dearly beloved congregant died this morning, and I am so grateful that I was able to see him and give him this anointing, which I composed on the way to the nursing home. I told a friend about it and she said I should write it down and share it. So here it is, with my blessings on you and your mortal beloveds:

Anointing Ritual
Rev. Victoria Weinstein

N.., I bring you water from the North River, the place of your earthly home, to bless and anoint you as you make the transition from the earthly life to life in the spirit.

(after filling hand with some water, touch the brow)

I anoint you in the spirit of gratitude.
We thank God for all the goodness of your life,
(here you may name some blessings and happy memories)
and your many gifts (you may name some of them).

(with more water, touch brow again)

I anoint you in the spirit of forgiveness.
Whatever burdens of anger or regret you bear,
let them go.
Now is the time to release those cares,
and to receive God’s grace.
Whatever you have left undone,
do not be troubled by it.
Trust that we will attend to those things that concern you,
and be at peace.
Be at peace.

(with the final handful of water, touch the brow a third time)

N., we anoint you in the spirit of blessing.
We pray for your comfort.
You are not alone. God is with you, and we are holding you.
We witness to the beauty of your life,
and we are honored to be with you at its end.

Be at rest. God grant you peace. Amen.

(Here you may take your wet hands and touch the beloved’s hands, then move in a circle around the bed, taking the hands of the witnesses in yours by way of sharing the blessing.)

note: I felt it was important to perform this anointing at the setting of the sun.
____________________________________________________________________

going to cry now.

St. Gregory’s Food Pantry, Still Accepting Contributions!

Gang, we’ve raised almost $400 for the food pantry!

I won’t double any more contributions but wouldn’t it be kewl to get it up to $500!?

Many thanks to those of you who already make generous donations. If you feel so moved, please use our handy-dandy PayPal link at the “Support PeaceBang” button at the top of the blog.

Go to www.saramiles.net to read more about this ministry in San Francisco, and to order a copy of Sara’s wonderful book, Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion.