My dad was in the Coast Guard for a while. That's about all most of us ever knew. He didn't talk about it much.
About six months ago Eli started asking questions. Had my dad not died a couple of years ago we could easily get the answers. Alas, it's now becoming detective work. My first step on Eli's behalf was to contact the National Personnel Records Center to get my dad's discharge paperwork from the USCG. We now know he served fro three years. He studied electronics at the Groton, CT training station. He was part of the Coast Guard's Fifth Office in Norfolk, VA. He had completed a half year at Guilford before enrolling (afterward he went to NCSU to finish his degree). His total stint was 3 years and three days, 1952-1955 (about 1/2 that time was in school and the other half was at sea). Following his service he was transferred to Reserve duty for 8 years.
The most tantalizing bit of information on the form is the fact that he served on the USCGC Conifer (WAGL-301). It was a 180-foot cutter. I have a feeling this may be the most interesting fact for Eli. I've had a few minutes to do a little exploring about the boat, and found some information on-line. I'll do another post after I've shared it with Eli.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
One of a kind
We took this picture of Briggs when he was just a few months old. We were at the city park near the Carillon in Richmond. Eli was roaming around exploring and we placed Briggs in this swing seat. "Kilroy was here," ran through our minds.
Then there's this version, fast-forward seven years or so. We're on a steam train at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. The image struck me as soon as I saw Briggs do it. Luckily the camera was on and I was ready. "Kilroy was here, too."
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Ordination
I just read that Scott Anderson will be re-ordained in the PC(USA):
The high court for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) early this month cleared the way for a re-ordination ceremony for Scott Anderson, who is executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches (and held a similar post in California). Anderson set aside his ordination in 1990 when a congregation revealed that he was a partnered gay man.
I'm all for the turn of events in the PC(USA) that have led to this action. But I wonder about "re-ordination."
I was ordained in 1986 a deacon in the United Methodist Church. I was also "credentialed" by my annual conference and appointed or assigned to continue divinity school. After I finished up divinity school I was appointed to serve first at Trinity, Durham and then Jefferson, Goldsboro. A year or so later it became apparent that I was not going to be a good fit for continuing as a United Methodist pastor in eastern NC. So I surrendered my credentials. But I did not end my ordination, at least to my thinking. I'm just orthodox enough or Catholic enough to think that ordination is a sacramental thing, something that one does not un-do. I doubt that's majority opinion among other Methodists, and it does not seem to be the case with Presbyterians. (And now, as I am editing myself, I recall that deacons and elders in the PC(USA) are not re-ordained if they rotate off a stint in those offices and then are selected again later in time; they are re-installed.)
I have no illusions about trying to pastor a congregation with the ordination that I hold. I fully recognize that a second component to filling the role of pastor at least in the United Methodist Church is to be credentialed.
But the whole Scott Anderson thing struck me not because a gay guy is being ordained. But rather than anyone is being "re-ordained." For me it's kind of like being re-baptised; you don't do that. Did he really get himself un-ordained a few years back; or is it really necessary that he be (or is it possible to be) re-ordained? I believe the answer is "no" to both questions.
I believe that something indelible and irrevocable and unrepeatable happened when I was ordained. As far as serving as a pastor in a UM church, there's another component required. But the fact of my ordination remains. I am living out my vocation not as a pastor but as a pastoral musician, so I feel okay about being faithful to my calling.
There's probably more to what Scott Anderson will go through in the next few weeks; for some reason the word "Byzantine" come to mind when I think of Presbyterian or Reformed polity. There are no doubt intricacies of which I am not aware. But just that language in the article struck me. And I needed to climb up on a soapbox.
I'll get down now.
The high court for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) early this month cleared the way for a re-ordination ceremony for Scott Anderson, who is executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches (and held a similar post in California). Anderson set aside his ordination in 1990 when a congregation revealed that he was a partnered gay man.
I'm all for the turn of events in the PC(USA) that have led to this action. But I wonder about "re-ordination."
I was ordained in 1986 a deacon in the United Methodist Church. I was also "credentialed" by my annual conference and appointed or assigned to continue divinity school. After I finished up divinity school I was appointed to serve first at Trinity, Durham and then Jefferson, Goldsboro. A year or so later it became apparent that I was not going to be a good fit for continuing as a United Methodist pastor in eastern NC. So I surrendered my credentials. But I did not end my ordination, at least to my thinking. I'm just orthodox enough or Catholic enough to think that ordination is a sacramental thing, something that one does not un-do. I doubt that's majority opinion among other Methodists, and it does not seem to be the case with Presbyterians. (And now, as I am editing myself, I recall that deacons and elders in the PC(USA) are not re-ordained if they rotate off a stint in those offices and then are selected again later in time; they are re-installed.)
I have no illusions about trying to pastor a congregation with the ordination that I hold. I fully recognize that a second component to filling the role of pastor at least in the United Methodist Church is to be credentialed.
But the whole Scott Anderson thing struck me not because a gay guy is being ordained. But rather than anyone is being "re-ordained." For me it's kind of like being re-baptised; you don't do that. Did he really get himself un-ordained a few years back; or is it really necessary that he be (or is it possible to be) re-ordained? I believe the answer is "no" to both questions.
I believe that something indelible and irrevocable and unrepeatable happened when I was ordained. As far as serving as a pastor in a UM church, there's another component required. But the fact of my ordination remains. I am living out my vocation not as a pastor but as a pastoral musician, so I feel okay about being faithful to my calling.
There's probably more to what Scott Anderson will go through in the next few weeks; for some reason the word "Byzantine" come to mind when I think of Presbyterian or Reformed polity. There are no doubt intricacies of which I am not aware. But just that language in the article struck me. And I needed to climb up on a soapbox.
I'll get down now.
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