Kate comes from a very large family. She has 10 brothers and sisters, and they all live on a farm together. Some of her brothers and sisters do work on the farm and some, like her, have jobs elsewhere. Kate's oldest sister is going to university next year, and her youngest brother just started school.
Not all of Kate's siblings agree with their parents. Sometimes they fight. Sometimes they shout. Kate doesn't say much when this happens. She just listens. Sometimes Kate agrees with the brother or sister who is fighting, and sometimes she agrees with her parents.
These fights happen in many different places and at many different times: sometimes when they are out shopping, sometimes while they are working on the farm, sometimes on the way to or from school. Sometimes they even fight at the dinner table. But they always have dinner together.
Questions for Discussion:
1. Do you sometimes disagree with your parents or teachers?
2. Can you still do things together with people you disagree with?
3. Can you still accept you parents' or teachers' words when you don't understand them or disagree with them?
Monday, May 26, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Breadventures!!! [Edit]
So last week sometime I'm in a meeting having a very long conversation about bread. More specifically, the bread used in the Eucharist and how often it is crumbly, dry, etc. A very long conversation about bread. In the interest of non-existent brevity, I didn't raise my concern about the bread: my concern being that the gluten-intolerant Rector of the parish can't eat the stuff. Ridiculous!
Not being one to complain without at least trying to provide a solution, I went out bread shopping last week. Without surprise I found no gluten-free bread in any of the bakeries nearby, although I *did* find gluten-free cookies at a bookstore/coffeeshop. Noted.
So the next phase is to find a recipe and ingredients and experiment with gluten-free baking. I need to try shopping in the Asian supermarkets as rice flour and tapioca powder seem to not be on the general food radar. I will update after I've sourced ingredients, then again as I experiment with recipes.
UPDATE: The Korean grocery in town (H-mart) carries all manner of rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and buckwheat what-nots. I grabbed the first three to make a flour mix, so that's a plus.
Using 2 parts rice flour, 2/3 part potato starch and 1/3 part tapioca starch, I tried a basic yeast, flour, water bread. It smelled like bread, and almost tasted like bread, but did not rise like I wanted it to. I expected this, but wanted a starting point.
This morning I tried a shortbread recipe using the same flour mixture. While tasty, it wasn't quite the unleavened bread I was looking for. Still experimenting.
Not being one to complain without at least trying to provide a solution, I went out bread shopping last week. Without surprise I found no gluten-free bread in any of the bakeries nearby, although I *did* find gluten-free cookies at a bookstore/coffeeshop. Noted.
So the next phase is to find a recipe and ingredients and experiment with gluten-free baking. I need to try shopping in the Asian supermarkets as rice flour and tapioca powder seem to not be on the general food radar. I will update after I've sourced ingredients, then again as I experiment with recipes.
UPDATE: The Korean grocery in town (H-mart) carries all manner of rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and buckwheat what-nots. I grabbed the first three to make a flour mix, so that's a plus.
Using 2 parts rice flour, 2/3 part potato starch and 1/3 part tapioca starch, I tried a basic yeast, flour, water bread. It smelled like bread, and almost tasted like bread, but did not rise like I wanted it to. I expected this, but wanted a starting point.
This morning I tried a shortbread recipe using the same flour mixture. While tasty, it wasn't quite the unleavened bread I was looking for. Still experimenting.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Sermon Podcast, Ugly Websites [Edit]
[It's going to be audio-only. This is a good thing, especially if we can work on his speech organisation/rhetoric. I'll update again when we get going.]
I was on the phone today with the Rector of my Parish and we got to talking about the possibility of producing a video podcast of his sermons. I, of course, love the idea and hope very strongly that we can make it happen. But there are many considerations to be made. One major piece of such an undertaking is the manner of distribution.
YouTube Terms of Service: ugh. YouTube accessibility and proliferation: yayy. I personally prefer Blip.tv. Content providers retain copyright, they have a good range of embedable player options, provide RSS service, iTunes links...generally a good hosting service. The question then becomes, where to post the videos. This is a question because people don't go to blip.tv to find videos, they go to YouTube. Aargh.
The obvious option is to post on the Church's website. Let me show you the problem with that:
Here we have a perfectly functional noticeboard. One of those ones put outside a church with the plexiglass over it and the little lock on the bottom. There is no interactivity here. Now, I'm not saying that a church website should be a social networking site. But I should have a reason to check back in on a website before I forget the url. I should want to have it as a bookmark, not have to Google it to find it.
I should point out that I don't mean at all to pick on church webmasters and mistresses. Building and maintaining a website is a lot of work, and work that I certainly couldn't do. And it's not just the small churches that seem to have problematic websites. Let's take a look at the Anglican Church of Canada's website:
It's like an overloaded iGoogle homepage. Little boxes, little text, too many categories, poorly formatted and highly frustrating. I don't want to spend time on a website finding information, I want to spend time on a website taking information in. For a step up, I can go to my diocese's website:
Snippets of articles with easy-to-find links if I want to read more. Broad sections with easy and consistent navigation across the top. It's solid, readable, boring and just a little bit slow. For an example of something more direct and quite a bit faster (as far as navigation goes) here is a shot from the Anglican Church of Canada's environmental initiative website:
Although the fonts, colours and graphics are clearly aimed at a "younger" audience, this is an excellent website. Simple categories with large clickable areas that lead to similiar sites further specifying information before giving you a large piece of information to read. While it may seem like more steps, this actually leads to faster navigation: the reader makes more choices to get to the information, but each choice is infinitely faster because each choice is infinitely simpler.
I could go on, but I won't. The point is that church websites are ugly, boring, slow and difficult to use for the most part, but that sometimes, when the work is paid for and contracted out, we can get very usuable sites. This said, I'd love to see some advocacy (I guess I'm volunteering myself for this, aren't I?) around a Diocese-level service provision to make templates and training available for churches to use to arrange useful websites. An RFP should be developed including the building of templates and infrastructure for such a project. Now, not every individual parish will want to express themselves the same way online, which is great, so the templates need to be flexible, and there will need to be an easy way for people at the parish level to maintain these websites. This needs to be built into the RFP. Another key aspect of the RFP would be a defined, short-term training period for interested parish members. Finally, server space, bandwidth and other infrastructure considerations need to be made by the proponents responding to the RFP.
The website issue addressed, I now return to the original topic of video podcasting. Once we have a useable, enticing webspace on which to post such content, it will be a welcome addition to it. Until such a time, however, it probably makes more sense to post and host off-site with a service such as blip.tv and blogger.com or another blog website. These services focus on ease-of-use and updatability as well as a strong syndication system. My immediate recommendation would be to build a presence on one of these sevices and provide a simple-to-find link on the church's main website.
I was on the phone today with the Rector of my Parish and we got to talking about the possibility of producing a video podcast of his sermons. I, of course, love the idea and hope very strongly that we can make it happen. But there are many considerations to be made. One major piece of such an undertaking is the manner of distribution.
YouTube Terms of Service: ugh. YouTube accessibility and proliferation: yayy. I personally prefer Blip.tv. Content providers retain copyright, they have a good range of embedable player options, provide RSS service, iTunes links...generally a good hosting service. The question then becomes, where to post the videos. This is a question because people don't go to blip.tv to find videos, they go to YouTube. Aargh.
The obvious option is to post on the Church's website. Let me show you the problem with that:
Here we have a perfectly functional noticeboard. One of those ones put outside a church with the plexiglass over it and the little lock on the bottom. There is no interactivity here. Now, I'm not saying that a church website should be a social networking site. But I should have a reason to check back in on a website before I forget the url. I should want to have it as a bookmark, not have to Google it to find it.I should point out that I don't mean at all to pick on church webmasters and mistresses. Building and maintaining a website is a lot of work, and work that I certainly couldn't do. And it's not just the small churches that seem to have problematic websites. Let's take a look at the Anglican Church of Canada's website:
It's like an overloaded iGoogle homepage. Little boxes, little text, too many categories, poorly formatted and highly frustrating. I don't want to spend time on a website finding information, I want to spend time on a website taking information in. For a step up, I can go to my diocese's website:Snippets of articles with easy-to-find links if I want to read more. Broad sections with easy and consistent navigation across the top. It's solid, readable, boring and just a little bit slow. For an example of something more direct and quite a bit faster (as far as navigation goes) here is a shot from the Anglican Church of Canada's environmental initiative website:
Although the fonts, colours and graphics are clearly aimed at a "younger" audience, this is an excellent website. Simple categories with large clickable areas that lead to similiar sites further specifying information before giving you a large piece of information to read. While it may seem like more steps, this actually leads to faster navigation: the reader makes more choices to get to the information, but each choice is infinitely faster because each choice is infinitely simpler.I could go on, but I won't. The point is that church websites are ugly, boring, slow and difficult to use for the most part, but that sometimes, when the work is paid for and contracted out, we can get very usuable sites. This said, I'd love to see some advocacy (I guess I'm volunteering myself for this, aren't I?) around a Diocese-level service provision to make templates and training available for churches to use to arrange useful websites. An RFP should be developed including the building of templates and infrastructure for such a project. Now, not every individual parish will want to express themselves the same way online, which is great, so the templates need to be flexible, and there will need to be an easy way for people at the parish level to maintain these websites. This needs to be built into the RFP. Another key aspect of the RFP would be a defined, short-term training period for interested parish members. Finally, server space, bandwidth and other infrastructure considerations need to be made by the proponents responding to the RFP.
The website issue addressed, I now return to the original topic of video podcasting. Once we have a useable, enticing webspace on which to post such content, it will be a welcome addition to it. Until such a time, however, it probably makes more sense to post and host off-site with a service such as blip.tv and blogger.com or another blog website. These services focus on ease-of-use and updatability as well as a strong syndication system. My immediate recommendation would be to build a presence on one of these sevices and provide a simple-to-find link on the church's main website.
An Introduction and Some Notes
After an absence of a few months, I'm going to try to reset this blog. From my previous time of writing it includes some "At the Chancel Step" writing (i.e. children's stories as commentary on the Revised Common Lectionary gospel readings), and some other church commentary. I may do more, I may do less.
I started this project after being asked if I would juggle during Children's Time at church. I of course accepted, but the caveat was that I had to somehow relate it to the reading of the week, preferably the gospel reading. So I went away and came up with a story about learning to juggle. Now, as it turns out, Children's Time is not Sunday School as I had thought it would be. Children's Time referred to the part of the service when the kids gather at the chancel step BEFORE going off to Sunday School. Which is to say, it occurs with the entire congregation present. I was caught completely off-guard, but I don't like passing up opportunities to fail, so I went for it.
Now let me lay out this situation: all the kids gather at the front of the church and are being addressed directly, normally by the person presiding at the service. All of the older generations are present and listening as well. A message is delivered, directed at the children, then engaged in by all parties in various manners. But the discussion of the message begins with the children, at the chancel step.
I started this project after being asked if I would juggle during Children's Time at church. I of course accepted, but the caveat was that I had to somehow relate it to the reading of the week, preferably the gospel reading. So I went away and came up with a story about learning to juggle. Now, as it turns out, Children's Time is not Sunday School as I had thought it would be. Children's Time referred to the part of the service when the kids gather at the chancel step BEFORE going off to Sunday School. Which is to say, it occurs with the entire congregation present. I was caught completely off-guard, but I don't like passing up opportunities to fail, so I went for it.
Now let me lay out this situation: all the kids gather at the front of the church and are being addressed directly, normally by the person presiding at the service. All of the older generations are present and listening as well. A message is delivered, directed at the children, then engaged in by all parties in various manners. But the discussion of the message begins with the children, at the chancel step.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Ryan Tries Anders' Stinky Soup
Ryan has a lot of friends at school. At lunch time everyone wants to play with Ryan. He's the fastest runner, the best pitcher in baseball, and at his birthday parties, his parents let him watch really scary movies. Everyone thinks Ryan is cool.
Anders is a new student at school. He's from Norway and doesn't speak a lot of English. He doesn't know how to play the games that all the other kids play at school. He's not very good at sports, and because he can't really talk to anyone, he doesn't invite anyone over to his house to play, and no-one invites him to play.
One day, while all the kids were eating lunch, some of the guys started making fun of Anders' lunch. His parents had packed him some cabbage stew.
"Your lunch stinks!" one of the boys yelled after the teacher left the room.
All of the others joined in shouting at Anders. Except for Ryan.
Ryan picked up his lunch, stood up and walked over to Anders, who was sitting by himself. Ryan pointed to the empty chair beside Anders. Anders didn't respond. Ryan pulled the chair out and sat beside Anders.
"Throw his stink soup at him!" another of the boys yelled.
Ryan offered Anders half of his sandwich. Anders shook his head "No." Ryan pointed to the soup and asked, "Can I try that?" Anders didn't know how to respond. Ryan held his hand out for the spoon and Anders, slowly, gave it to him. Ryan took a spoonful of the soup and smiled. He once again offered Anders the half a sandwich. Anders took it, took a bite, smiled, looked at Ryan and said "This sandwich is gross!"
Everyone in the room stopped. Ryan saw Anders' smile and started laughing at his joke.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What happens next?
2. What did the other children expect Ryan to do after Anders said his sandwich was gross?
3. Did Ryan tell the other kids to settle down?
Anders is a new student at school. He's from Norway and doesn't speak a lot of English. He doesn't know how to play the games that all the other kids play at school. He's not very good at sports, and because he can't really talk to anyone, he doesn't invite anyone over to his house to play, and no-one invites him to play.
One day, while all the kids were eating lunch, some of the guys started making fun of Anders' lunch. His parents had packed him some cabbage stew.
"Your lunch stinks!" one of the boys yelled after the teacher left the room.
All of the others joined in shouting at Anders. Except for Ryan.
Ryan picked up his lunch, stood up and walked over to Anders, who was sitting by himself. Ryan pointed to the empty chair beside Anders. Anders didn't respond. Ryan pulled the chair out and sat beside Anders.
"Throw his stink soup at him!" another of the boys yelled.
Ryan offered Anders half of his sandwich. Anders shook his head "No." Ryan pointed to the soup and asked, "Can I try that?" Anders didn't know how to respond. Ryan held his hand out for the spoon and Anders, slowly, gave it to him. Ryan took a spoonful of the soup and smiled. He once again offered Anders the half a sandwich. Anders took it, took a bite, smiled, looked at Ryan and said "This sandwich is gross!"
Everyone in the room stopped. Ryan saw Anders' smile and started laughing at his joke.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What happens next?
2. What did the other children expect Ryan to do after Anders said his sandwich was gross?
3. Did Ryan tell the other kids to settle down?
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Kerri Gets Worried
Kerri works really hard at everything she does. She does all of her work at school, she practices the flute every day for an hour and she plays as hard as she can at every soccer game. Lots of people tell her she is a really good kid and her parents are really proud of her.
But sometimes she still gets worried.
She always gets A's on her report cards. She has won awards at her flute recitals. She usually scores a goal or two every game and always gets trophies at the end of the season. People tell her "Good Job!" almost every day.
But sometimes she still gets worried.
Once at school, she got an answer wrong on a test. During a recital once, she missed a note in a song. One time, during a soccer game, another player checked her and then scored a goal. After each of these things, she cried after she got home. Her parents told her not to worry about it, but sometimes she still gets worried.
Questions for Discussion:
1. Why does Kerri get worried?
2. Is it Kerri's job to be the best at everything?
3. What is your job?
But sometimes she still gets worried.
She always gets A's on her report cards. She has won awards at her flute recitals. She usually scores a goal or two every game and always gets trophies at the end of the season. People tell her "Good Job!" almost every day.
But sometimes she still gets worried.
Once at school, she got an answer wrong on a test. During a recital once, she missed a note in a song. One time, during a soccer game, another player checked her and then scored a goal. After each of these things, she cried after she got home. Her parents told her not to worry about it, but sometimes she still gets worried.
Questions for Discussion:
1. Why does Kerri get worried?
2. Is it Kerri's job to be the best at everything?
3. What is your job?
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