A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven
Hello, friends! Lara here.
Apologies for the radio silence; there have been a lot of things going on recently (I know you were all waiting with baited breath). Here is an update:
On Monday, June 19th, I was licensed in the Church of Wales as a pioneer priest (more details on what that title means--or at least what I think it means--in a later post). This took place at the Church of St. Mary and St. Peter in Bagillt, of which I'll have primary pastoral responsibility (so, I'll essentially function as priest-in-charge or vicar). My parents surprised me and flew over to come to the service (they and my siblings were in Germany so they thought why not?). It was a beautiful service, with lovely organ and choir music, and full congregational participation. It really makes a difference when the whole congregation sings the hymns! The organist, Vivian, surprised me in the prelude by playing "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago (everyone my parents' generation and older will know this movie; trust me. Here's a performance led by André Rieu that I highly recommend, if for no other reason than for its prime entertainment value). This was bookended by a medley of American songs as the postlude. This thoughtfulness was continued by the youth group, who introduced themselves and then did a dance (I'm really gonna like these kids!). They also presented me with a candle (the light of Christ), knitted squares (leftovers from the blankets they made for refugees), and cake (symbol of hospitality). The reception afterward was a smorgasbord of delicious foods brought by people of the community. My heart was brimming with all the love and kindness shown to me and my family; we have settled in a land of kind and generous people and outstanding beauty, for which we are very grateful.
One of the most meaningful things to me in moving here has been all the support we've received with regard to my grandfather. For those of you who don't know, my Opa (my mom's dad) has pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed over a year ago now, and has been steadily declining ever since. My mom and Charley and I went last September to introduce Opa to his great grandson, which was a special time. I honestly didn't think I'd have the chance to see him again. When they found out, the Diocese of St. Asaph put him on their prayer list, and Bishop Gregory even said a special prayer for him during my licensing. People all over here have been asking me how he's doing, and I'm truly touched by their concern.
After hearing from relatives a few weeks ago that Opa's death was imminent, my parents and siblings and I planned to meet up in Germany to say goodbye to him. The bishop kindly allowed me to go with them, which meant that I was out of the country for my first week of work, leaving the day after my licensing and returning on the Sunday that should have been my first Sunday (and missing diocesan ordinations, which happen only once a year). My parents left on Tuesday and Charley and I joined them and my siblings on Wednesday [side note: Charley and I were supposed to be on the same flight as my parents, but my luck being what it is, we ended up having to come back home and try again the next day because there was a mix up and they never sent me Charley's boarding pass, so we missed the flight--I told you I had bad luck with flights!]. I am so grateful that we got to be there to say goodbye to Opa. He sleeps most of the time now, but blessedly he is not in any pain. He was still able to recognize us, even Charley! The final time we went to visit him, we sang him some hymns, and he sang along a few phrases of the final hymn. Charley had been shy the first time we went to visit him (a perfectly normal response for a toddler!). But as we were leaving for the last time, Opa held his hand out and Charley took it, then said "Tschüß" (German slang for "Bye") and blew his Uropa (great grandfather) a kiss. I don't think there could have been a better ending to our visit.
Last week was my actual first full week of work and Charley's first week of nursery school. Both of us worked and played hard, and were properly exhausted by the end of the week. Saturday we went to our friend Gijs' wife's ordination in Leicester--congratulations, Angela! And yesterday was my first Sunday, which included 9:30am Eucharist at Christ Church, Mostyn (don't bother trying to find it on google maps; it's not listed--there's no address!--but the warden is working on that), followed by 11am Eucharist at the Church of St. Mary and St. Peter, Bagillt, followed by a baptism at 12:30. In case you're wondering what we did with Charley, my colleague Lorraine's kids took turns watching him until I came to pick him up. It really does take a village here!
This brings me to today. The past few weeks have been a beautiful mess of some of the best and some of the most challenging times I've experienced. Everything has its season, but sometimes the lines between seasons are blurred; I'm grateful to be surrounded by my family, extended family, and the community of faith.
One of the bonuses of family get-togethers is pictures. Feast your heart out:
Apologies for the radio silence; there have been a lot of things going on recently (I know you were all waiting with baited breath). Here is an update:
On Monday, June 19th, I was licensed in the Church of Wales as a pioneer priest (more details on what that title means--or at least what I think it means--in a later post). This took place at the Church of St. Mary and St. Peter in Bagillt, of which I'll have primary pastoral responsibility (so, I'll essentially function as priest-in-charge or vicar). My parents surprised me and flew over to come to the service (they and my siblings were in Germany so they thought why not?). It was a beautiful service, with lovely organ and choir music, and full congregational participation. It really makes a difference when the whole congregation sings the hymns! The organist, Vivian, surprised me in the prelude by playing "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago (everyone my parents' generation and older will know this movie; trust me. Here's a performance led by André Rieu that I highly recommend, if for no other reason than for its prime entertainment value). This was bookended by a medley of American songs as the postlude. This thoughtfulness was continued by the youth group, who introduced themselves and then did a dance (I'm really gonna like these kids!). They also presented me with a candle (the light of Christ), knitted squares (leftovers from the blankets they made for refugees), and cake (symbol of hospitality). The reception afterward was a smorgasbord of delicious foods brought by people of the community. My heart was brimming with all the love and kindness shown to me and my family; we have settled in a land of kind and generous people and outstanding beauty, for which we are very grateful.
One of the most meaningful things to me in moving here has been all the support we've received with regard to my grandfather. For those of you who don't know, my Opa (my mom's dad) has pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed over a year ago now, and has been steadily declining ever since. My mom and Charley and I went last September to introduce Opa to his great grandson, which was a special time. I honestly didn't think I'd have the chance to see him again. When they found out, the Diocese of St. Asaph put him on their prayer list, and Bishop Gregory even said a special prayer for him during my licensing. People all over here have been asking me how he's doing, and I'm truly touched by their concern.
After hearing from relatives a few weeks ago that Opa's death was imminent, my parents and siblings and I planned to meet up in Germany to say goodbye to him. The bishop kindly allowed me to go with them, which meant that I was out of the country for my first week of work, leaving the day after my licensing and returning on the Sunday that should have been my first Sunday (and missing diocesan ordinations, which happen only once a year). My parents left on Tuesday and Charley and I joined them and my siblings on Wednesday [side note: Charley and I were supposed to be on the same flight as my parents, but my luck being what it is, we ended up having to come back home and try again the next day because there was a mix up and they never sent me Charley's boarding pass, so we missed the flight--I told you I had bad luck with flights!]. I am so grateful that we got to be there to say goodbye to Opa. He sleeps most of the time now, but blessedly he is not in any pain. He was still able to recognize us, even Charley! The final time we went to visit him, we sang him some hymns, and he sang along a few phrases of the final hymn. Charley had been shy the first time we went to visit him (a perfectly normal response for a toddler!). But as we were leaving for the last time, Opa held his hand out and Charley took it, then said "Tschüß" (German slang for "Bye") and blew his Uropa (great grandfather) a kiss. I don't think there could have been a better ending to our visit.
Last week was my actual first full week of work and Charley's first week of nursery school. Both of us worked and played hard, and were properly exhausted by the end of the week. Saturday we went to our friend Gijs' wife's ordination in Leicester--congratulations, Angela! And yesterday was my first Sunday, which included 9:30am Eucharist at Christ Church, Mostyn (don't bother trying to find it on google maps; it's not listed--there's no address!--but the warden is working on that), followed by 11am Eucharist at the Church of St. Mary and St. Peter, Bagillt, followed by a baptism at 12:30. In case you're wondering what we did with Charley, my colleague Lorraine's kids took turns watching him until I came to pick him up. It really does take a village here!
This brings me to today. The past few weeks have been a beautiful mess of some of the best and some of the most challenging times I've experienced. Everything has its season, but sometimes the lines between seasons are blurred; I'm grateful to be surrounded by my family, extended family, and the community of faith.
~~~
Opa in his late 50s
Family in the Alps in northern Italy
Opa and his second wife, Oma Elisabeth
Dolomites in northern Italy
Someone fell out of the style tree
Courthouse in Tübingen where my parents had their first wedding in 1981
(2nd one was in a church)
Visiting my Oma Inge's grave (Opa's first wife and my mom's mom)
A nurse made this out of a glove for Charley when we were visiting my Opa.
First time all of us Shines were together in Germany since 2006!
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