Hood Canal
I spent the last three days at Alderbrook Resort on Hood Canal, where the annual clergy conference for the Diocese of Olympia was held. I really enjoy getting together with my fellow clergy at these conferences. I meet old friends and catch up on things, and I make new clergy friends. I'm always impressed by the quality of people at these gatherings.
We gathered a couple of times a day for worship, which I found quite inspiring. The liturgies were created by Kevin Pearson, Rector of St. Luke's, Renton. He used fresh, innovative language for the prayers and mixed in poetry and visual images on the video screens. The pattern of the worship is definitely out of the Prayer Book, but with a fresh and vivid expression.
The music was led by Charles Rus, who is nothing short of a musical genius. I volunteered to sing in the choir and had the great good fortune of learning from Charles as he taught us the music for the liturgies. The music like the rest of the worship was new and fresh for me. There were chants and new harmonies and rhythms that brought the music alive. As Charles led us, his devotion and sincerity infected us all with a sense of joy and holiness. What a gift.
More on the conference later.
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