Five weeks of CPE down. Five to go. Hallelujah.

Today, I led worship in the hospital chapel and did a Bible study at the mental health center just across the street. Both went very well. I was nervous that no one would show up to the service other than the pianist who graciously volunteered her time and my colleague who was on call last night.

A few ladies came, though, and they were not even put off by the fact that I chose to do a liturgical service (remember, I am deep in South Carolina, where despite a fair number of Lutherans and Episcopalians, non-liturgical evangelicals are the norm among Christians). I think that they themselves might have been of liturgical backgrounds. In any case, no glitches.

I so enjoy leading worship, and I look forward to the opportunity to lead it more frequently while on internship. I feel like I lack a little bit of the poise and certitude that will come naturally with practice. Gestures, placement of the body, movement-- all of these things are very important for liturgical worship and I am still learning how to lead it more effectively.

I should probably say a few words about my continuing frustration with the reflective component of CPE, but I just am not in the mood to go into all the details, having hashed out things many times with friends & family. Suffice to say that it continues to be non-theological and to draw more on a blandly pluralist, and adamantly secular popular psychology than on anything theological. I certainly don't want to discount the knowledge that contemporary psychology has advanced, but some of its assumptions really need to be integrated more carefully (& Christologically!) by those of us in the Church.

I must say, though, that I am thoroughly enjoying my on-call days & nights. I suppose "enjoy" is not the proper word. I mean that I feel fulfilled, challenged and educated by my experiences with comforting grieving families, praying with the sick and the dying, supporting those who are in the midst of traumatic storms. Those who know my character know that, as my pal Jared says, "whatever the opposite of tense and high-strung is, it's Nate." While this can certainly cause me problems in some areas of my life (initiative is sometimes not something that comes quickly), it is a real gift for ministering to those in severe crises.

My buddy Joe's wedding was just over two weeks ago, and was beautiful. They used the liturgy for marriage written by Thomas Cranmer, had violin music by Joe's sister, a classically trained musician (jaw-droppingly beautiful), and had a grand Southern pork barbeque smoked by the groom himself. Our mutual friend Greg presided, and it was a wonderful time to see old friends, dance, and give speeches. By the time I gave mine at the reception, it was far too late in the evening to do anything elaborate, so I kept it brief. But I would like to post a "less abriged" version of it soon. Marriage has been much on my mind as Lindsay and I go through the ups and downs of our now-second year of marriage.

I just can't stop laughing about the ironic Catholic website. The best post by far, recently, anyway, has been about Oprah questioning Augustine about the authenticity of his Confessions. I wouldn't put it beyond Ms. Winfrey...

In my first post, I quoted the poet Charles Wright's line "Sunday, it's always Sunday." I have in mind as I look over the lectionary for this year a satire of it that begins "Pentecost, it's always Pentecost." As the time dubbed "ordinary" streches out before us, may we all experience Christ's healing power in the midst of the rhythmic repetition of our days & nights. May Jesus call us out of our attempts to sneak away from boldly encountering him, as he did the bleeding woman in our gospel lesson today. May he restore us to peace & wholeness, as well, so that our days can be filled with the joy that can only come from sharing life with the Triune God.