Devshirme

I just went down to the cellar to retrieve a book.  As soon as I hit the stairs I could smell a skunk.  Was there a skunk in the basement?  All was quiet.  I descended the stairs with hysterical thoughts of reaching for the book and having a skunk jump on my head.  Years ago at the law firm our supply closet was ravaged and there was a hole in the ceiling.  We patched the hole and the next day found the closet a mess again.  It turned out there was a possum to blame.  So when we were patching the hole the possum was probably hiding in the closet very close to us.   This too was running through my mind.  So…I grabbed the book and came upstairs without incident.  I opened the front door, smelled the strong scent of skunk and realized that the critter had probably made his statement outside.  It just goes to show how powerful the scent of a skunk is, since it seeped into the basement, and how powerful suggestion can be.

The latest press release from His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios is here.  I have blogged on the issue of H1N1 and communion before, and the original press release from the Metropolitan came out in October.    The Metropolitan addresses the issue of an Orthodox priest using plastic spoons for communion in an addition to the original statement:

Regrettably, a priest serving in New England — surely pressured by well meaning parishioners concerned with the outbreak of the H1N1 flu pandemic — utilized plastic spoons to distribute Holy Communion.  This unacceptable violation of Church order was addressed in accordance with Ecclesiastical procedure. 

            The Metropolis expresses its regret that this lapse of judgment resulted in widespread controversy, and is appalled that some individuals questioned whether this practice was authorized.  It expresses its fervent prayer that those who arrive at rash judgments — hurling paranoid condemnations in the press and on the internet — will rather invest their time in prayer and self examination during the Great Lent.  They should reflect on the countless passages in the New Testament which urge the followers of the the Crucified Lord to avoid gossip and the sin of judging others.  Let us all etch in our hearts and souls the prayer of St. Ephraim,

O Lord and Master of my life,

Give me not the spirit of laziness,

curiosity, lust for power, and idle talk.

But give to me your servant a

spirit of prudence, humility,

patience, and love.

Yes, Lord and King grant me to see

my own faults and not to

judge my brother.

For You are blessed unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

The boiler in the church building finally gave and we were able to get a good deal on a new one.  The house committee worked diligently on this and made some improvements to the rarely-seen sub-basement of the Cathedral, which is where the boiler is, including putting in a bunch of lights so it is less dungeon-like down there.  We also had a chimney sweep come in to clear out the chimney.  Apparently this had never been done in 60-odd years because he removed 55 gallons – 55 gallons! – of soot.  The sweep, a fellow Orthodox Christian, did the work gratis, for which we are extremely grateful.  Here are some pictures of the new-look boiler room: