Number 100

This is my 100th blog post.  To celebrate this momentous occasion I’m treating myself to a cup of coffee. Since this blog, like much of my life, is fueled by caffeine I thought it would be most appropriate.

I started “Clergy Family Confidential” in late November of 2007 with the caveat that if it became either a burden or no longer fun, I’d stop. So far so good. I’m having fun with it and my readership has reached five million hits per day. Okay that’s a slight exaggeration. It’s closer to ten million.

The best part about blogging is that if you don’t like someone’s blog you don’t have to read it. No one puts a virtual gun to anyone’s head. No one is compelled to read it and perhaps there are days when no one does. Fine. I’ll keep blogging and you can keep reading and commenting. Or not.

But to my loyal and even occasional readers, “thank you.” I’m glad we can share the journey together, even if it’s just a few moments a couple of times a week.

Seven Whole Days

You may have noticed a new blog on my Blogroll (want duck sauce with that?). Seven Whole Days http://www.sevenwholedays.org/ is the new blog from the mind of Scott Gunn — priest of the Diocese of Rhode Island and my colleague on the Board of Governors of Episcopal Life. Scott’s a self-avowed “technophile” — how many priests do you know with their own Facebook page? — and has a great take on the goings on in the Anglican Communion.

If you’re curious about the title of Scott’s blog, it comes from a George Herbert poem (the great 17th century Anglican priest and poet). It’s familiar to Episcopalians as a line from the hymn, King of Glory, King of Peace: “Seven whole days, not one in seven, will I praise thee.” http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/k/k008.html As Scott puts it, “I think it captures our purpose as Christians — to praise God without ceasing. The Christian life is not an exercise for Sundays, it is rather something in which we seek to immerse ourselves at all times, and in all places.”

I feel a special kinship to George Herbert since my own church, All Saints’ in Briarcliff Manor, New York was built (by the renowned architecht Richard Upjohn) as a replica of Herbert’s parish church in Bemerton, England. There’s a reason it looks and feels like an English country parish. You can read the history of All Saints’ here: http://www.allsaintsbriarcliff.org/id16.html

And make sure to check out Scott’s blog!