Now somewhat resigned to the fact that I will be here and not north for December decided to take advantage of some milder weather, and did a few seasonal tasks. Included was the demise of the willow chair from back which was beginning to fall apart, now becoming fodder for the firepit, and attaching Christmas lights to front deck... glad they were reasonably sorted from last year. Wiring up the lights for reindeer was tedious wrapping in and out but with a lovely result.. .Reindeer lit up and onguard

What is it about seating patterns, whether our university Psych. classes, movie theaters, family gatherings, political rallys, seminars at the business conference, restaurants, local pub and yes, church or synagogue, we all tend to be creatures of habit and choose the same spot each time! Heaven help us if we mistakenly happen to choose someone else's spot! Why....it is familiar, comforting, we can see or hear the speaker, be an observer of the action around us, actively participate in discussion or be anonymous...whatever the reason, somehow in our mind this spot becomes "ours".

When a certain spot becomes vacant, we take notice and miss the person who occupied that place.

This is the lead in to some of my blogging in the next while,  for from time to time, I share some of the emails between myself a good and recently departed friend Syd. He sat next to me in Pew 7, center and left next to the pillar. An older and quiet man, he had a hearing difficulty, and would often miss some of the conversations, announcements or full sermon but was keenly observant of activities around him.

On church and community....From me, "Hey Syd...thanks for your note and comments. The comments about church and communion are well taken. Do chat with M. if you arrive early as she does ask about you if away and I think is concerned about your health. That email anouncement ( from the wife of a  Canadian soldier  returning from Afganistan and stopover in Cyprus ) re: the church in Cyprus, a large old stone Byzantine church, the significance of readings Paul's trip to Cyprus and then he ends with it how the sanctuary was invaded by a horde of Anglican church ladies.
"
His return email "I shall take your advice and will make an extra effort to chat with M.as she is a nice lady and I appreciate her concern.

Nope, I only heard sounds but not the words when C. read the e-mail - it was nice of her to share it with the congregation.  Yet another example of community, the extended family that shows up each Sunday and comes away refreshed perhaps not always from the sermon but the communion in a real sense, communion in the sense of being part of a larger group.  Due to my bus I often arrive at church early and it is cold and empty but when the church fills up you can hear the people and you can feel their warmth, and this is comforting and what I think communion is about."

On church in the summer (when I am working in Nunavut )

July, 2006 "I enjoy the summer church services, not many people at yesterday's service as the choir is off for the summer and I guess many people on vacation.  No children yesterday so E ( our rector ) took the C's grand-daughter for a walking tour of the stained glass windows - it was actually a rather moving experience.  I'm actually surprised that E is here, normally she takes the entire month of July as vacation but perhaps she has had a conflict with S ( our associate minister ).  Hopefully, she will find some time as she does work hard all year and deserves a good long break. 

The rules have changed for after church coffee the latest bulletin reads "Moved that the regular Sunday hospitality directions be amended to specify that ONLY coffee, tea, juice, and cookies pre-purchased by the church be offered."  I guess there is a story here, especially since this notice appears the week after the coffee coordinator retired but I am not inclined to inquire as it is none of my affair."
July 4, 2006In small children one see's the miracle of life.  At church the Connell's grand daughter was just in front of me, she is just starting to walk and at that stage of exploring.  I confess that I did not follow the sermon as closely as I should because I was entranced at how this young person was being to learn and explore her world.  I guess this is similar to the 4 young kids you watched solving the problem of the puddle and the toy.  Here are these young individuals faced with a problem, they know that wet water is not good and so they devise different solutions to their problems, cooperatively and without the aide of adults.  I agree with your view that city kids often miss out on so many experiences and the opportunity to cooperate and socialize at a young age.  I guess the city kids get to socialize and learn cooperation at school but they don't have the same interaction with their peers or their environment and as their rural cousins.
On small children in church

In response to my email from Pond Inlet in which I described the cooperative efforts of four Inuit boys to fetch a wooden boat that floated to the middle of a shallow pond near their home."

July, 2006    "In small children, one see's the miracle of life.  At church the C's grand daughter was just in front of me, she is just starting to walk and at that stage of exploring.  I confess that I did not follow the sermon as closely as I should, because I was entranced at how this young person was being to learn and explore her world.  I guess this is similar to the 4 young kids you watched solving the problem of the puddle and the  wooden toy.  Here are these young individuals faced with a problem, they know that wet water is not good and so they devise different solutions to their problems, cooperatively and without the aide of adults.  I agree with your view that city kids often miss out on so many experiences and the opportunity to cooperate and socialize at a young age.  I guess the city kids get to socialize and learn cooperation at school but they don't have the same interaction with their peers or their environment and as their rural cousins."