Book: Rediscover Jesus

Front cover.

This is the book Father Hattie sent to me. I promised to read it during Lent. It is conveniently divided into 40 "chapters" so a chapter can be read each day during Lent. Most "chapters" are short: 2-4 pages or so. The entire book is 187 pages plus a few end pages at the back.

The back cover says:

"Rediscover Jesus is a profound invitation to seek deeply personal answers to our deeply personal questions. Each page seems to effortlessly reach deep into our lives, providing spiritual wisdom and practical insights that help us get to know both Jesus and ourselves in a new way."

I am not going to link to the author's website because I despise hucksters who sell Jesus.

Anyway, I'm trying to keep an open mind. You see (you know), I don't believe in an historical Jesus. However, I would like a savior. I also believe in God. I just don't comprehend Jesus as an historical incarnation of God. Doesn't make sense to me, doesn't add up.

So at the end of Lent, we will see how well this books does at getting me to "rediscover Jesus."

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Links:

http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-gift-book.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent

http://www.alternet.org/belief/5-reasons-suspect-jesus-never-existed

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Written Saturday 20 February 2016.

Winter Social

Invitation postcard.

On Fat Tuesday (February 9, 2016) I attended the Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation Winter Social at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church. The connection between Cedar Hill Cemetery and AHCC is the late Rev. Joseph Twichell, the first pastor of AHCC and friend of writer Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain).

Pew marker for Mark Twain.

The social began (appropriately) in the Twichell Room with wine and cheese and various finger foods. As soon as I walked in, I recognized a couple that I (thought) knew. They recognized me too but for a while we could not place the connection. After running through a variety of activities and groups, we discovered it was through the roller hockey that our sons played. I don't think they ever played on the same team but I often saw the same parents each week in the stands sitting along side us or coming and going. I miss those days. Anyway, it's a small world.

Twichell Room at AHCC

After some short speeches (really), we took a "tour" of the church. Actually, this was just an excuse to go into the church and up into the choir loft to see and hear a demonstration of their fabulous pipe organ by organist, Susan Carroll. I wish I would've wrote down what she played for us (rather obscure stuff). The link above include a video clip of the previous organist playing Bach. Pretty impressive.

Sitting in the choir loft for the organ demonstration.
Note the pipes behind us (the top of my head is at the extreme top left).

View of the choir loft and organ (at right, behind organist).

During the tour, I learned that until 1818 the Congregationalist Church was the official state church of the state of Connecticut. All Connecticut residents were required to attend church and/or pay taxes to support the Congregational faith. Anyone belonging to another Christian sect had to provide documentation signed by their church officer indicating attendance and financial support of their separate church in order to avoid paying taxes to the Congregationalists. This resulted in Thomas Jefferson's famous letter regarding the separation between church and state.

I also learned that the architect of the AHCC was Patrick Keely. He designed many of the Catholic Churches in New England during the 1800s.

I am looking forward to the upcoming season of tours and walks through Cedar Hill Cemetery.
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Links:
https://www.ahcc.org
http://historicbuildingsct.com/?p=20
http://cedarhillfoundation.org/notable-residents/joseph-hopkins-twichell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2013/06/finally.html
https://www.ahcc.org/music-arts/sanctuary-organ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6fgRfrTb78
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptists_in_the_history_of_separation_of_church_and_state#cite_note-Jeff_Reply-6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Keely
http://www.cedarhillcemetery.org
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Written Saturday 20 February 2016.

42nd Street

Poster for the 1933 movie, "42nd Street"

They don't make 'em like this anymore.

The other evening I decided I wanted to watch something different. So in looking over my DVD collection, I picked this one out from my Busby Berkeley box set.

Cover of the DVD Box Set
"The Busby Berkeley Collection"

I started with the first disc, 42nd Street, featuring Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, and others.

Cover of DVD (2006) for
"42nd Street."

I'm not going to summarize the story of the movie's plot because you can follow the link to Wikipedia or look elsewhere online.

The movie really pepped me up and got me hummin'. Oh, how I love this. I was not bored watching this movie. The energy is fantastic and the songs are great (if you like songs). This movie is essentially a series of clips of fabulous Busby Berkeley dance routines to the songs:

• You're Getting to be a Habit with Me.
• It Must Be June.
• Shuffle Off to Buffalo.
• Young and Healthy.
• and the grand finale, Forty-Second Street.

The movie is full of sex but nothing explicit. Dick Powell practically jumps off the screen with energy as he sings (most especially in "Young and Healthy"). Ruby Keeler is wide-eyed and beautifully innocent.

There is also an urgency portrayed in this film. Life is now, quick, grab it before it passes you by. Life is do or die. One of my favorite scenes is when the show's director played by Warner Baxter asks Ruby Keeler if she has ever been kissed. When she replies in the negative, he hesitates only for a brief fraction of second before urgently kissing her intensely. This results in a startled and pleased Ruby Keeler able to say her lines with the right amount of feeling.

The plot is not entirely decadent. There is a side story about a couple who are on the verge of splitting up due to the woman's success. But after an accident, she realizes that her love for her male partner is more important than her career. Everyone ends up with the right partner.

Of course, due to its age, 42nd Street is in Black & White. A colorized version was once available on VHS (video tape) but has never been officially released on DVD or Blu-Ray.

The movie "42nd Street" is a blessing for anyone who appreciates classic musicals and fantastic dance routines.

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busby_Berkeley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42nd_Street_(film)
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Written Saturday 13 February 2016