Saturday, December 22, 2012

Merry christmas 2012 greeting...

Sent out our annual Christmas letter and update this evening... life will be full with church and family for the next few days so I may not be posting much.  But that is all good, too.  Grace and peace to you all.

Merry Christmas 2012 Greetings from James and Dianne…

What a full and rich year we have shared since last year’s letter:  it has been a time of music-making and ministry, spending time with family in celebrations and sorrows, learning to take life a little bit slower and bringing a new puppy into the mix!  Here are some of the highlights…

v  In an act of love and generosity, First Church Pittsfield celebrated the 30th anniversary of James’ ordination.  Over 100 people came to a feast and “gentle roast” including Jesse and Michal and their loved ones as well as Mark Clark from Cleveland, OH and Linda and Larry Schloss from Tucson, AZ. Our band mates created special songs in RJ’s (Reverend James) honor, don E and Stranger sent words and songs from Tucson and the congregation presented James with a scrapbook overview of his ministry and a collection of Mako Fujimura’s artwork marking the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible.  It as a sweet and sacred time.  We have also worked at strengthening our confirmation process with young people – making it more of a family commitment – and rethinking our entire approach to Christian Formation.  The work of renewal continues to be challenging but also profoundly satisfying.  (You can check out the church @ www.firstchurchpittsfield.org  or search for “Sunday Street” on  http://www.pittsfieldtv.org/ )

v  In June we spent time at the Montreal Jazz Festival – an incredible event – and Jesse had a chance to come visit, too.  Every day there were free events spanning the depth and breadth of jazz and we also took in two special concerts at Club Soda:  Bill Frissell’s presentation of the songs of John Lennon, and, Victor Wooten’s jazz/funk extravaganza.  We discovered sensational new eateries, spent lots of time at Marche Jean Talon (the local farmer’s market) and celebrated our birthdays at Rumi’s (a 50/60 birthday gifts from our children.)  We then spent a week in Ottawa – and later returned for time in the Eastern Townships (wine country) – because we are smitten with this part of Canada.  We hope to spend more time in this sweet place and James longs to move here whenever retirement might arrive (not for a few more years, for sure.)

v  We both continued to make music in an assortment of ways this year:  Sometimes it was with the Sister City Jazz Ambassadors – a local jazz ensemble with whom we toured Turkey last year – in which we shared a number of jazz workshops in schools throughout the region and continue to play a monthly gig at Patrick’s Pub and Mission Bar and Tapas. We also were able to give a new focus to our art in our own band: Between the Banks.  Every week, we find new ways to create songs of beauty and hope for Sunday worship.  What’s more, we hosted two benefit concerts raising thousands of dollars for local ministries on Fat Tuesday and Thanksgiving Eve and created another Good Friday music and arts liturgy blending prayer, lament, visual art, the cry for justice and music.  (If you’d like to check out the music making, please go to: http://www.youtube.com/my_videos .)

v  And there were family changes, too:  James’ sister, Beth, died in early August after an extended illness. Dianne had her second hand surgery in the fall.  Jesse and her husband, Michael, are well and continue to live in the highest point in Brooklyn (a real blessing after the hurricane.) Michal and her partner, Winton, are well, too living in Plainfield, MA and raising goats, vegetables and pigs on their sustainable farm.  Casey, our old dog, is tired and hurting but still mostly well – and he has a new little sister and sometimes antagonist, Lucie, a wonderful but huge shepherd-hound mutt who came into our house in October.  Life hasn’t been the same since she arrived and that is (mostly) a total blessing.

Like most of our country, we grieve the loss of life and peace after the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings.  James actually went to that school back in the day and received his first Bible at the Newtown church.  We pray that this tragedy will strengthen our resolve not only to enact stricter gun controls but also to challenge the American culture of violence.

Today we share love with you – and the fact that there is always room for you at this inn should you ever find yourselves in New England. Right now the days are short and darkness comes upon our com-munity early; but soon that will change and the light will bring renewal – and eventually warmth.  Come see us when you can.
 
Some pictures to put the year into perspective, too.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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