The District

Hockey fans more courteous than church-goers?

November 14, 2009

The Elders at Immanuel have asked me to write a pamphlet on etiquette in church. I’m tempted to just post pictures of signs I’ve seen along with written and oral notices at concerts, plays, etc. about being respectful, turning off your cell phones, etc. We can add “hockey games” to the list of places where [...]

Read the full article →

Sarah is Clara

December 13, 2008

I’ve had a wretched cold that has made the last few days a foggy blur. Kassie, the angel in human shape, has been shuttling hot drinks and pills to the couch or bed since Thursday. Tonight, I somehow managed to stumble into the District to see Sarah Mackay, a member of Immanuel, dance with the [...]

Read the full article →

Grow your own guardian angel

August 25, 2008

My mom was visiting this past weekend, and we went to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. I’ve been several times, but we’ve managed to live here seven years without Kassie or my mom seeing it. The immensity of the building is striking, and I find it to be quite [...]

Read the full article →

Screwtape Letters

May 17, 2008

Last night a group of us from Immanuel went to see the theatrical production of The Screwtape Letters. That’s not an easy work to dramatize, but it was done quite effectively with just a single speaking actor (playing Screwtape) and his secretary, Toadpipe, who mimicked much of what Screwtape was saying. There was a horrid wall far [...]

Read the full article →

Operation Nice Hat

April 17, 2008

Mollie in the comments asked for a report on “Operation Nice Hat.” (I have been laughing audibly–and for awhile, uncontrollably–about Cwirla’s “Nice Hat” sign idea.) The first thing to note was that the Holy Father was wearing his customary white zuchetto, and not this, this, or this. (And it was much too hot to wear [...]

Read the full article →

What should Father Esget put on his sign?

April 14, 2008

There was a protest demonstration vigil happening today at the Synodical Office Building, and I was thinking about it as Kassie and I went to pick up our passes to the Papal arrival ceremony at the White House on Wednesday. Kassie asked me, “Why is it that a Lutheran pastor and his wife are going [...]

Read the full article →

Rite of Spring

April 4, 2008

It’s spring in the District, and that means hordes of tourists descending on the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms. My parents were in town for the weekend of Quasimodo, so we made the pilgrimage in to see them as well last Saturday. It was a warm, sunny day, and the kite festival was [...]

Read the full article →