DEO+ on STX #5

DEO+ on STX #5
1 May 2009

Hooray for the First of May!
When I was a student at Arlington Elementary School, Jacksonville, Florida we danced the May pool on the first day of May; on May Day we enjoyed a school picnic and eat our lunches under the live oak trees. When I was a seminarian in New Haven, we marched in protest on May Day. On the Island of Saint Croix it’s the same ole same ole; except we need RAIN. The sun is higher and the angle of the afternoon sun has shifted toward the north. There is a beautiful slice of moon with edges pointed up; sister moon looks great and growing each day; I recall learning when the moon points up she holds water, thus no rain in sight!

What time is it down there?
St. Croix is in the Atlantic Time Zone; when Eastern Day Light Savings Time on the mainland, on St. Croix, we are the same time; in the fall when Day Light Savings drops back, we will be One Hour Ahead! Confused? Saint Croix is in sync with the Eastern Daylight Time Zone from March 8th until November 1st in 2009.

Island time is when it happens.
Commerce, repair orders, in coming mail and re-supply are slow; outgoing mail is fast! All US Mail goes through Puerto Rico, even mail to neighboring islands goes thru Puerto Rico. Go figure! UPS charges exceptionally high fees; Fed Ex is about average; and USPS is the best deal for quick and safe deliveries of small boxes. Large cargo is shipped in containers or crated for surface delivery thru Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

St. Peter’s likes to sing
We sing from all sorts of hymnals: “English Ancient and Modern,” “the old 1940 Hymnal,” the 1982 Hymnal, and from LEVAS II. We sing our best using the LEVAS hymns and tunes. Our organist works hard leading a dedicated choir of mature voices. Our best Sunday music is at the “second collection for a new organ’” when we sing “Count your Blessings!” (Johnson Oatman,Jr./Edwin O. Excell)

The Sounds of Silence
No, “Parsley, Sage and Thyme,” it’s not the folk song; but the sounds heard every day in the early dawn hours; one hears the morning doves coo, the tree frogs cry out for rain, and the palm leaves wrestle in the wind, and some coconuts drop to the dried ground from the tree tops. Dried sea grape leaves blow around the patio, sounding as if someone is walking up or down our steps! Dog will bark occasionally in the middle of the night. What about the coconuts being blown through windows in the future storms of high winds?

Cheeseburgers in Paradise
Sound like Jimmy Buffet? “Cheeseburgers” is our best out door grill with shade and breeze just three miles away in the Southgate area; open at 11am daily, “Cheese Burgers at America’s Paradise,” offers giant burgers, super fries and cold beer. Last week I blew out my flip flops! I experienced sticker shock shopping for another $3 pair of rubber flats with toe strap an easy replacement! But, $23 later I walked out of Champs shoe/sports store with “AirWalks.” These are the best flip flops ever worn! A very large sail boat (probably 50 feet long) tied up at the East End Bar & Grill, “Parotthead“ has a brightly decorated stern; other boats we have seen have names of the same theme: “Margarittaville” and “Cheese Burg in Paradise.” Jimmy Buffett is proud!

Small deer
Tiny brown deer have wandered onto the golf course fairways eating their way thru the ornamental plants and garden flowers. They usually feed after mid-night. These small framed deer are about the size of a large dog. The deer have limited foliage and scare high protein nuts to eat. Maybe the deer are genetically tiny after hundreds of years breading on the Island.

Church wall going up
The perimeter wall is slowing rising, as the weekly volunteers of men of the Church, labor each Saturday morning. Our perimeter wall is rising, defining our street border. All the concert blocks are laid, the poured cap has dried, the forms slowly being removed. Next: Steel work/fence and gates for the openings. Last Saturday, our ECW prepared a great lunch for the workers. We honored, the chief stone mason on his 67th birthday with a special cake and tasty local food. Singing “Happy Birthday” with candles burning, Benji wept as he blew out the flames; it was the first birthday party he could remember!

St. Peter’s is spotless!
We have a part-time Sexton who opens all doors and large windows before every service; she keeps the church clean as a church mouse house. Every Saturday morning volunteers from Choir, ECW, ECM, Vestry, and Church leaders rotate on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Saturdays of the month. The cleaning team sweep, dust, and mop; they straighten furniture and set up for the next day worship. At St. Peter’s we have lots of folks doing volunteer ministry. Many do stuff and are involved without anyone aware.

Mother and Father of the Year
The Vestry elects a representative female and male who are looked upon as model parents, honored on Mother’s Day (May 10th) and Father’s Day (June 21st). This designation is respected. The Vestry hold up those who demonstrate
a mature role model.

Recently “off Island”
Babs and I recently were sent by the Church Pension Fund for an annual Conference of Province IV (South-east US Dioceses). It was our first trip “off Island,” and a welcome exit. Long term residents tell us we need leave the Island periodically. This was our first time “off Island” in eight weeks. We flew to Raleigh-Durham through Miami; visited Duke Divinity School for some lectures and enjoyed an Organ Concert at Duke Chapel. It was a super time of reunion with many Chaplains and spouses we have gotten to know over the last six years. In addition to my appointment as the Bishop’s Chaplain for the Diocese of Atlanta, I represent The Diocese of the Virgin Islands as the first appointed Chaplain to the retirees.

Conference with Bishop Gumbs
Next week I will be taking the Sea Ferry over to St. Thomas for a conference with Bishop Ambrose Gumbs. He has invited me to serve as Vestry Consultant with Holy Cross parish church (102 year old church) on St Croix and All Saints Cathedral on St. Thomas. Both congregations are in transition between clergy. As the first Interim Specialist in the Diocese, I teach about this important ministry for parish in transitional. Holy Cross parish is on the Western side of St. Coix; All Saint’s Cathedral is above Charlotte-Amalie Harbor on St. Thomas.

First visitors from “home”
The weekend after Mother’s Day we receive our first visitors from home. We look forward to having some Lutheran friends from Babs’ church: Christ the King, Cumming. We will cram in lots of tourist sight-seeing and hit the pool/ocean; go to St. Peter’s early Mass and introduce our new friends to our old friends!

It’s getting hot!
The sun is moving north-west; cloud cover is thin; days are longer; it’s getting HOT! Without a steady sea breeze we would be sweltering; thanks to God for
Ceiling fans especially at night. When the winds shift direction from East to South, there is a difference in perceived temperature. It is hotter!

Triathalon and Island shut-down
On Sunday, May 3rd, a world-class Triathalon will “shut down” the traffic flow all over the Island. Most Churches cancel services or shift to Saturday night. At St. Peter’s we have a 7:30am Mass (one hour earlier!); but I am told the attendance will be very low. I have been recruited by the local Ham Radio club to serve as Net-Control at the Island central radio control. Ham radio operators will monitor the race, concerned for safety with the swimmer, cyclist, runers. The local police department mobile radios are not as efficient as our 2 meter repeater handheld radios. This is great community service and volunteerism/ministry for safety and security. The Island of St. Croix will be tied up for most of the morning and local traffic on some roads moving on the right side of the road while cyclists and runners move on the left.

Easter Monday food sales
The day after Easter St. Peter’s women sold local food dishes as a major fund raiser for their scholarship funding of deserving college students. We served extremely large portions; the serving lines were long; the mood high; the neighborhood and local business community turned out in droves. Food was super!

Summer camp planning
The Diocesan Youth director is assisting the St. Croix Deanery plan a youth summer day camp. We will use the campus of the former St. Dunstan Diocesan Day School, now leased to an independent contractor/manager/private school.
This is my invitation to any Episcopal Youth group or young adult mission group:
Come help us on St. Croix: July 20 thru August 7th. Contact me directly.

Baptism on Easter eve and a new home blessed
Six infants (twin girls), one toddler, and one adult, were baptized on Easter-eve.
The Church was half full of friends and relatives. One family had a reception on the beach! Saturday after Easter I visited a newly constructed home of a single Mom with teenage daughter for a house blessing and open-house. A long awaited dream come, true for this woman who does shift work in the oil refinery.
A happy event; her parents live on the street; everyone was proud. Lots of JOY!

Ministry to/with Retired Clergy and surviving spouses
Bishop Gumbs has appointed me the first Chaplain to the Retired Clergy and surviving spouses for the diocese of the Virgin Islands; the Church Pension Funds has provided a list, some whose addresses and presence nor aware by the Diocesan office; A few are in unknown locations on the mainland.

Our Condo complex has shrunk!
Most of the serious “snowbirds” have returned to their “other homes.”
A tiny few full time residents remain, but some will return for short visits before and after “hurricane season.” We are the young set, most of our neighbors and new friends are 15+ years our senior. Our next door neighbor has been coming to St. Croix for Fifty years! He is 92 years old.


Thirty-seven years Ordained as Priest
Wednesday, on the Feast Day of St. Catherine of Sienna, April 29th, I celebrated my 37th year as a Priest. Blessed Catherine of 1380 is smiling! “For in you, O Lord, have I fixed my hope; you will answer me, O Lord my God.” (Psalm 38:15)

Come see us!
We have a pull out couch and an out-door shower; accommodations are tight in our tiny 900 square foot condo or we can find you a rental unit available in our residence (The Reef); so come on down and enjoy the sun and fun in the American Caribbean; stay long or short, we will keep you busy and your time will not be boring! Come help us at St. Peter’s Church; come work with the Youth Summer Day Camp; bring some friends; do a mission trip! Help us set up a web-site. Bring your fins and mask, snorkel or scuba dive. Sail or walk on the beach. See you Mon!

With this comes my warm regards in the Faith of the Risen Lord.
La Paz y Buen Camino!
DEO+