Reverend Ref +

AWARDS NIGHT

Well, this was it. The Final Hoo Ha at SWTS. There is still Commencement, to be sure, but this was something else. Last night really closed the door for me on my Seabury experience.

The service was good, as it usually is. Many deserving people were given awards recognizing their achievements, for either this academic year or for their overall time at SWTS, and sometimes both. The seniors were given Seabury Crosses, a symbol of surviving this journey; and, in my case, smaller versions of these crosses were also given to Mrs. Ref and The Kid.

In a special moment, the Class of 2004, represented by Charlie, Andrea and myself, awarded a Seabury Cross to Ben and Meg, husband and daughter of our classmate Mary G. who died last summer from ovarian cancer. The presenter was originally to be Mary T., who had formed a close bond with Mary G. But in a weird plot twist, Mary T. was in the hospital with problems of her own. So it fell to the class representatives. I delivered the presentation, pulling a little from my imagination, a little from the wedding service, and a little from the burial service. Charlie and Andrea presented the crosses. Five lines was all, and I couldn't hold it together for five lines. Damn damn damn. So much for decorum; but at least I managed not to blubber uncontrollably.

The rest of the service carried on. During the prayers, we gave thanks for "A job for Todd." Yes, buried in this marathon post is the fact that I have been offered a position and have accepted. So, for all of you who have been wondering about the alphabet soup in previous posts (BSC, A-DL-P, VC-S) here are your definitions: BSC diocese, Big Sky Country (Montana); A-DL-P, Anaconda-Deer Lodge-Philipsburg (called someone else); VC-S, Virginia City-Sheridan (called me). So yes, I'm working on becoming the Vicar of Sheridan (or some other catchy title I haven't yet invented).

After service was the "Other Awards Ceremony." A night of food and revelry and general good times. The seniors, thanks mainly to Micah, put on the show wrapped around the theme of Saturday Morning Cartoons. The show: Episcopal Heroes (or something). The heroes, Captain Pacifist, Calvinist Lad (played by yours truly), Multi-Cultural Girl, Thurible, and their young sidekick Postulant, did battle with the evil villains Inclusive Lass, Anabaptist, Mr. Mega-Church and Splinter. The general plot: Keep the villains from using their "Ordinator" to ordain everyone. Interspersed throughout were the various "awards." I'd say more, but it's one of those, "You had to be there" things.

Then it was off to a variety of parties, where, I'm sure, a little too much "revelry" was taking place. And to my fellow preacher for our 12-to-1 grace-filled conversation: Thanks for everything.

It was a good night and a good end to my trip. Hard to believe that, for me, this thing started back in 1996. Now, with the call to Sheridan and Virginia City, I'm about to embark on this thing for real. God help us all.