After a bumpy ride along tornado alley from Des Moines to Sacramento via Dallas, Texas, I arrived as originally scheduled, picked up a black chevy Impala and found my way to the Holiday Inn Express. An hour or so later I was back in the car heading for a Confirmation Service at St Matthew's Episcopal Church.
The service brought together people from four churches to celebrate a baptism and about a dozen confirmations. It was a lot different from what we are used to at Hope. There were no robes, no carnations, and no procession of confirmands, and the confirmands included adults as well as a few young people.
Bishop Barry Beisner presided, as is the custom among Episcopalians. Lessons and liturgy included both English and Spanish texts, and the sermon focused on Saint Joan of Arc whose day it was who was burned at the stake (by the English, ironically) after inspiring soldiers to fight valiantly for France.
We sang several songs in English and Spanish, and there was a generally festive atmosphere in this multi-cultural, multi-church setting.
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