Fr. Kenny's Musings

Hallelujah Chorus

2011-12-11T13:46:00.000-06:00

Ok, so while this may be a bit...different...I would LOVE to do this at St. Boniface!!! Watch this video of the Silent Monks singing this bit of the Hallelujah Chorus, "And he shall reign". Enjoy!!

Boy's Choir

2011-10-28T22:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been thinking of my need to write every day on this blog. Yes, I said my need. Who knows if anyone will read it, but everyone who writes, I believe, does so first to fulfill their own desires and ambitions to have their voice "out there" to be heard. Well, before I start writing some of what is important to me, and hopefully at least entertaining, if not informative, to you, I

Youth Sunday, part 2

2011-08-25T21:39:00.000-05:00

Here is the video to the Youth Service, Part 2 from St. Boniface Episcopal Church, Mequon on August 21, 2011. As you will see, the many youth did fantastic!! Many thanks to the youth (and their parents!) for their participation. The reading of the Gospel takes place at approximately 18:50. The sermon, given by Becca, a 17 year old Senior, begins at the 20:10 mark. Again,

Ascension Day and St. Boniface Day at St. Boniface

2011-06-06T10:26:00.000-05:00

Here is the 10:30 Ascension Day/St. Boniface Day service from St. Boniface Episcopal Church, Mequon. The Rev. Lauren Stanley is the guest Preacher for this service. The reading of the Gospel begins at 16:34 and the sermon begins at 19:15. The Gloria, written by Thomas Miller (a parishioner of St. Boniface, no relation to the Fr. Kenny) begins at approximately the 4:35 mark. The

Easter Sunday Service

2011-04-24T22:15:00.000-05:00

Here is the Easter Sunday Service from St. Boniface Episcopal Church. I hope you enjoy the service. Please remember that the ads are because the host site (ustream.com) is free.

Life without the internet...

2011-04-18T17:04:00.000-05:00

Fifteen days ago, on April 3, I wrote about A Life without a Bible? this very blog. On that morning, I was also finishing up my plans to go on my first vacation in over nine months. By vacation, I mean I, along with my wife and kids, was leaving the everyday stresses and pressures of daily life at work and vocation and going back to my hometown to see family and friends. We were finishing the

Palm Sunday

2011-04-17T13:34:00.001-05:00

Check out the reading of the Passion by the Youth of St. Boniface. Fast forward to about the 28 minute mark for a fantastic presentation!! Again, sorry about the ads. They are served by Ustream. I'm researching ways around this. Hopefully, I'll have something soon!

A life without the Bible?

2011-04-03T11:39:00.002-05:00

Can you imagine? I just can't do it. I admit it, I am spoiled! I can't imagine a life without the Bible. I have often said I would love to live in England in the time of Henry VIII. I love that period of history. I love the way the church changed. I love the politics behind the beginnings of the Church of England and the split away from the Roman Catholic Church. But, it wasn't until

We can't destroy by burning...

2011-04-02T08:37:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful, yet daunting thought, we can't destroy the Word of God by burning it, we can only destroy it by not using it, or worse yet, using it incorrectly. (Holy Island, p 65) This is a thought worth meditating on this Lenten season and then about once a month the rest of the year. In what ways are we in fact destroying the Word of God by not allowing the Word of God to live through and

The Inner Man (person)

2011-03-29T19:28:00.000-05:00

One of the hardest parts of Lent, or the discipline that Lent offers to us, is admitting that we aren't perfect, we are flawed, and we have "room to improve." I am, in many ways the older son...I don't want to ask God to forgive me because that means that I have to admit that I am wrong. When will we get over our selves and trust God?!?!?

"Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts..."

2011-03-28T21:18:00.000-05:00

Today's reflection reminds me of Matthew 15:16-20, "Then Jesus said to Peter, ‘Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness,

Is it possible to wake up to our blindness?

2011-03-25T13:53:00.000-05:00

I know that Jesus healed many blind people. We read these stories through out the Bible, but as we look around our churches today, as we look around our homes today, as we look at ourselves today, is it possible to wake up to our blindness? I know what I wrote yesterday. I know that I wrote that I was blind to my own true self. But now that I am beginning to see it and admit it to myself, will I

Blindness to our true selves

2011-03-24T14:08:00.001-05:00

This one is hard to write about. Not because there isn't anything in this reflection, but because of how "close to home" this reflection lives. Kennedy writes, "any self-study pursued with courage and patience, without dodging the truth, will bring some order out of this welter of confusion..." (Holy Island, p. 44) I had lunch with a colleague and they asked what it was like for me to write my

Exposing ourselves to the Word of God

2011-03-22T18:36:00.000-05:00

I know Kennedy is speaking to more in this reading that just exposing ourselves to the Word of God, but this is what struck me today. All to often we feel we have reached a pinnacle of our faith and we stop exposing ourselves to the Word of God. We no longer study, or we no longer hear what God may be saying to us in someone's sermon, or what God may be trying to teach us through someone's Sunday

"and there is no heart in the responses..."

2011-03-21T09:58:00.000-05:00

Remembering the chanting of the Great Litany on the first Sunday of Lent, Kennedy's reflection echos our need to be "involved" (Kennedy's word). As Kennedy points out, our worship comes alive when we are involved, or engaged in the worship instead of just reading the words on the page. We have to offer our own heart's desires along with our words to truly worship. It is then that we are ready to

Silent Lips?

2011-03-19T18:57:00.000-05:00

I continually remind our children to be thankful for that which they have. We live in a culture that tells us no matter what we have, we need more! Too often in our life, we don't give thanks for the material things we have or for the spiritual blessings we have or for the blessings we have. Stop, right now and give thanks! Today, about 13 months ago, I was in Ashburn, Va visiting some friends

Returning thanks...

2011-03-18T06:30:00.001-05:00

This reflection will be short. If you pay attention to any prayer that I lead in our parish, I almost always start with the words, "Almighty God we give you thanks for..." Whether it is a funeral, a meal, a meeting or before the service. All to often we engage in a prayer of begging for God to meet our needs instead of entering prayer to return thanks to God for all that we have. We, as

Keeping Christ in the Center

2011-03-17T11:32:00.000-05:00

What is the focus of our lives? This question probably has multiple answers. There is the "hoped for" answer. There is our "perceived" answer. There is what "other people would see as the answer" answer. There is the "what it should be" answer. And then, if we are brutally honest with ourselves, there is the honest answer. As Christians, we proclaim that Christ is the center of our lives. Prayer

Of the three things I pray...

2011-03-16T15:51:00.000-05:00

I must admit, I am one that is easily distracted. One moment, I can be totally focused on the most important thing on my agenda, and the next moment, I am distracted by the most minor of details. This isn't because of any type of disorder or hyperactivity; this is because I, like most of you, have 30 things running through my mind that I either should, must, could, or need to do before I get to

Silence in prayer

2011-03-15T08:00:00.008-05:00

"What we are asked to do daily in prayer is to yield ourselves to God and no longer try to manipulate life for our own ends; to abide in him that his words shall abide in us--so his will may be done." (Holy Island, page 23) Silence. When you pray, do you have silent time with God? Do you find time in your preferred prayer posture to be still in the presence of God and listen to what he might be

A prayer starter...

2011-03-14T09:38:00.002-05:00

My posting for this morning/today, is nothing more than a prayer starter to help you and me remember to take time to pray this day. If we made this our habit as much as we do checking our email, logging on to Facebook, posting on Twitter or even starting that pot of coffee, imagine how much more intimate our relationship with Christ might be. Almighty God, I give you thanks for this day. I give

Fasting to grow

2011-03-13T21:58:00.000-05:00

"Let our avowed intent this Lent be to fast from...whatever else dwarfs and hurts the soul." (Holy Island, page 19.) A long time ago, back at my home parish of St. Paul's, Kingsport, during the first year I was in EFM, wow, I don't even remember the year now, there was a lady who gave up negative thoughts for Lent. I will never forget her. She was a jewel. She was one of the most loving women

Holding 'fast' to your Faith

2011-03-12T11:13:00.002-06:00

"[B]ut bodily discipline and spiritual growth must lead to another aspect of this third point, namely, to resist successfully the temptation to grow weary of well doing and chuck the whole business." (Holy Island, pages 16-17.) There will be a time on our spiritual journey when we will think we have arrived. Don't be fooled! Nourishing our spiritual life is a continual, life long process. If

Fasting as 'Quickening'

2011-03-11T09:15:00.001-06:00

"The season of Lent provides many stimulants for speeding up spiritual growth." ( Holy Island, page 15.) Yesterday the reflection was on placing our body under our soul. The logical next step is that if we have the body out of the way, we would have more opportunities to strengthen our spiritual soul and take steps down our spiritual paths. What are ways in which we can "speed up" our spiritual

Abstemi-what?!?

2011-03-10T07:15:00.001-06:00

Today begins a four day reflection on fasting. Kennedy tells us that their fasting may be used devotionally in at least four senses and he begins with abstemiousness. Abstemiousness is a bodily discipline, or as Kennedy says, "The body must be kept under if the soul is to grow. We pamper and overindulge the body in almost every conceivable way until at last we must call a halt and seek to