The Fabulous Beekman Boys

Have you ever heard of the Fabulous Beekman Boys? Here is a short intro from their website on PlanetGreen.com: "Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge are not your average couple. They have transplanted themselves from New York City to Beekman Farm in upstate New York, where they are raising 80 goats, two pigs, a dozen chickens and a narcissistic llama -- and learning that the "simple life" isn't so simple."

Well, tonight, at Josh's brother's wedding, at which I had the pleasure of presiding, I also had the pleasure of dining with Josh and Brent. It was a terrific experience. While they have great senses of humor and are both very easy to talk to, they both have great business minds and obviously love what they do.

Now, here is the website that I really think you should visit: http://beekman1802.com/ Again, from their website: "We're committed to sharing only handmade, artisanal products straight from the Beekman Farm and Sharon Springs. Thank you for supporting small farms and local (in New York) businesses." I hope that you might consider an online purchase to support them as well!

Now, the picture above is the proof that I was with them! And the picture below is Josh's book about life on the farm! Use the Amazon.com link on the right to buy the book! It is next on my list of books to buy!

Thanks Josh and Brent for being wonderful dinner companions. I look forward to the next occasion we get to share time together.

Advent Greetings!

Here are the links to Sunday's 8:30 a.m. recorded service:

The video is in the "raw" form as it was streamed today.

There is no recording of the 10:30 service today due to technical difficulties.

What Child Is This?

Greetings Everyone!

Below is the recording of the What Child Is This? service from Sunday, December 12 at St. Boniface. What Child Is This? is a contemporary version of Lessons and Carols. Originally compiled by The Rev. John Hickey, this year it was edited and adapted in part by me, The Rev. Kenny Miller (with great debt still owed to Fr. John!) The Celebration Choir, which is a combined choir of St. Boniface, Mequon, Christ Church, Whitefish Bay, St. Christopher's, River Hills and a few other great folks, accompanied by the Rays of Light band, provided the music for this service. Many thanks to all who participated in and attended, both in person and virtually, this great service.

One final note, the Rays of Light band is the "home band" of the 8:30 contemporary mass at St. Boniface every Sunday morning. Like the sound? Come on out and visit!

Fr. Kenny

3rd Sunday of Advent Services

Advent Greetings!

Here is what you have all been waiting for...the links to Sunday's recorded services:

The videos are in the "raw" form as they were streamed. The first video is the 8:30 service. The second video is the 10:30 service. Remember, the ads on the videos are part of ustream.tv and it is what makes the site free. I can't remove them. If you see inappropriate ads, please let me know.

Handel's Messiah, Session 2

Here is the video of Session 2 of the Advent Study series of Handel's Messiah based on the Kerygma series "Hallelujah" from St. Boniface, Mequon, Dec 8, 2010. It picks up on about 3 minutes into the presentation. When the presentation begins, I am in the process of stating the goals for the evening.

2nd Sunday of Advent services

Advent Greetings!

Here is what you have all been waiting for...the links to today's recorded services:

The videos are in the "raw" form as they were streamed. The first video is the 8:30 service. The second video is the 10:30 service. Remember, the ads on the videos are part of ustream.tv and it is what makes the site free. I can't remove them. If you see inappropriate ads, please let me know.


Click here if the above video does not work! St. Boniface, Mequon 2 Advent 8:30 a.m. Service


Click here if the above video does not work! St. Boniface, Mequon 2 Advent 10:30 a.m. Service

Advent 1 services at St. Boniface

Folks have been asking for the links to today's services. Here they are in the "raw" form as they were streamed. The first video is the 8:30 service. The second video is the 10:30 service. Remember, the ads on the videos are part of ustream.tv and it is what makes the site free. I can't remove them. If you see inappropriate ads, please let me know.

Also, we are still learning. We have some sound issues that we will be working on between now and next week. Thanks to Doug and Andy for all of their help in getting us ready for today.

Kenny+

Time to brag...

In honor of Veteran's Day, here is a video of our son who is in third grade. This is his class's Veteran's Day presentation. Full Disclosure! While in honor of Veteran's Day, this video is totally centered around our son...we are parents bragging this time! We didn't attempt very hard to include the whole class. This is snippet of the full video.

First 19 minutes

Well, here is the first 19 minutes of the Installation service. The trasmission begins to get jumpy and then eventually cuts out during the Psalm. If nothing else, you can see the inside of St. Boniface, Bishop Miller, hear the opening couple of hymns, including "All are welcome" and see me in my cope!

Again, sorry for not having more, but as hard as we try, we still do not control technology.

Faithfully,

Kenny+

III Rector of St. Boniface Episcopal Church

Prayer, Patience, and Perseverance

Over the past 17 days, I have spent eight days at home in Bristol, Virginia and Kingsport, Tennessee, four days at my second home (figurative, not literal) in Alexandria/Ashburn, Virginia and only five days in Smithfield. As I’ve already noted, I’m in transition from serving as Rector of St. Paul’s, Smithfield to serving as Rector of St. Boniface, Mequon. One would think that I would have spent just a bit more time at “home” in Smithfield preparing for the move...

The fact is, I have spent a lot of time just being with family. I have spent time with my biological family who have reminded from where I have came. My parents have shown me the never-changing, unfailing love that parents can show for their children. My parents are the ones responsible for giving me that firm foundation in how to be strong, independent and faithful person that is not afraid to question the status quo.

Then, there are my aunt and uncle & aunt. My aunt has always cared for and loved me as much as her own children. She, too, has shown me how to draw strength from her faith and her self as she has grown and traveled her journey of life. My uncle & aunt have always been close, although not always vocal, in their assistance in rearing me. It was only on these two trips home that I realized how much their love and support has helped to shape and form me over the past 36 years.

Then, there are my in-laws. There are hundreds of jokes about in-laws, and only three-quarters of them are true... I have learned a lot from my own father and my two grandfathers in my life, but I must admit, my father-in-law is one of a kind. He has been so gracious and full of faith while I have taken his daughter from Bristol to Alexandria to Wichita to Smithfield and now to Mequon. My prayer is that I will have enough faith in God and in the man with whom my own daughter falls in love that I am able to so graciously watch as they live their lives’ journey. What my father-in-law and step-mother-in-law have shown me is that not everyone has lost their ability to accept someone from outside their own “clan.” While they have their opinions, there is always room for the opinion of others. While they do care for themselves and for their family, they do care for the stranger. And, sometimes, that stranger becomes family as well.

Finally, there is my family in Ashburn. We met them while we were in Alexandria because our daughters were in school together. Then, the wives became friends, close friends. And finally, we husbands became friends as well. Now, we are like family, brothers Nitin and I are. Sisters, Tania and Archana are. Inseparable, Mallika and Michaela are. Two families living out such a similar life with similar interests and similar, yet different, struggles. Two families from different faiths yet the same values and same understanding of the meaning of life.

There is one thing that is so blatantly obviously missing when I visit the home of my Hindu family and it is the one thing I pray we followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ could learn to let go of...judgement. There is no judging when I enter their home. There is discussion yes, but no gossipy judgement. Do you have an opinion? Then share it; all will share their opinion and discuss it...but no one judges. For we are all on our journey. We all follow the call of a higher power. We all are called to have faith in our fellow man. We all are called to have faith in the decisions we make, with God’s help.

Prayer, Patience and Perseverance. My prayer now, since I have re-traced some of my steps of my journey by revisiting the family that has been so instrumental in forming and shaping me, and by all means, this is not an exhaustive list, is that I will be more patient as I travel my life’s journey. More patient with myself, with my family, with my colleagues and with my God, as I serve God and God’s children. May God give the grace and patience to never stop loving, to never stop welcoming, to never stop serving and to never stop learning.

To all of you that have been such a part of my life to help form and shape me, thank you.

And one other thing, may God give me the strength to persevere to the end of this packing and to the end of this move. My spiritual and emotional preparation is not yet complete, it never will be, but I am now ready to move forward, thanks to the prayers, patience and perseverance of my family. And now, the the more immediate prize is just 10 to 12 short days away...Mequon!

New Beginnings

Penetcost Sunday is a "New Beginning". It is the time when the Spirit is sent to the children of God to give them the courage and strength to share, spread and live into the love, forgiveness and Grace that God has offered to us through the selfless giving of his Son Jesus.

This weekend, Memorial Day weekend 2010, also known in the "church world" as "Trinity Sunday", we have a conglomeration of newness going on. We remember those who have served this wonderful land we call the United States of America. We have many "new" names in which we add to the list of those who have died in service to our country. No matter your political stance on the wars in Iraq, Afganistan, and Pakistan, we must stop, give thanks and remember those who have served the USA to the point of death. We must remember the burden on the families that those deaths have left behind: the spouses now widowed, the children now orphaned, the parents who have now outlived their children, all so that we might still have a "free" life.

Yet, there is more going on this weekend in our "world"...at least the world of the Kenny and Tania Miller world and the world of St. Paul's Church, Smithfield. We have a new beginning. This past week I announced that I had accepted a call to serve as the Rector of St. Boniface, Mequon, Wisconsin. This sparks the "memories" of the past three years of my ministry in Smithfield. There have been many successes and, yes, my share of failures. But the ministry that has occurred has been in concert with the fine and wonderful people of St. Paul's.

This announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter in my ministry, the life of my family, and the life of the parish of St. Paul's. It brings with it a lot of uncertainty. IF we are not careful, the uncertainty can bring fear. However, we must stand firm in our faith and trust that we are surrounded by God's love and grace, and more importantly, we are surrounded with the Holy Spirit of God who will give us the strength to take the necessary steps forward on our Spiritual Journey.

One thing we must be aware of in this is that not only does this announcement mark the new beginning for the Miller family and for the parish of St. Paul's, but it marks the beginning of a new chapter in the life of St. Boniface. They, too, have been faithful, yes, maybe blindly, in calling a new Rector. Like me and St. Paul's, they have their successful moments as well as their failures, yet in their call, they trust that they and their new Rector is surrounded by the Holy Spirit.

My prayer for all of us, St. Paul's, St. Boniface, and my family is that we not dwell on the shortcomings of the past, but learn from them. My prayer is that we focus on the positives and build on them. My prayer is that we all find our passions and serve God faithfully, building the church, seeking Christ in everyone, and respecting the dignity of every human being.

Remember, when parishioners have had their disagreements or even some may have left, the church is a place of reconciliation. When one is truly, humbly and openly repentent and forgiving, it is our duty as followers of Christ forgive. When one seeks to find God and they look, act, smell, or have a different outlook on life than we do, it is our duty to respect their dignity and welcome them into the household of God. As the hymn says, "Let us build a house where all can dwell...all are named...and from floor to rafter we proclaim, all are welcome in this place." That is my prayer.

My family, St. Paul's in Smithfield and St. Boniface in Mequon will forever be connected, if not by interstate or balance sheet, then by spirit and in my heart.

God's peace be with you all,

Kenny+