This weekend, we represented our church at the 42nd Annual Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee. It was our third time attending as a delegate. This is a gathering to discuss and conduct the business of our larger community of churches. It was a great time to learn more about how to be better Episcopalians and to connect with others who are doing the same. I was blessed to be there and to reunite with friends and to meet new people. One of the group meetings I was encouraged to be more weird in church, This is easy for a church nerd like me. It was a lot of fun and I hope I can go back next year. Thanks to the Episcopal School of Knoxville for hosting again.
Tag Archives: Blogging
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Day
Today is Shrove Tuesday, many know it as pancake day. In some Christian traditions, this holiday revolves around feasts, parties and parades before the observance of Lent begins. In the early ages of the Church, people took pancakes to the Church and ate them while they were waiting to be shrived. At my church we gathered to eat pancakes, enjoy company and have some fun. Our youth sponsored our event as a fundraiser for a summer trip where they will go to help the Appalachian Service Project.
Daily Prompt – Word Of The Day – Phone Number
When I was growing up the 886 prefix to my phone number was in my mind at the time a status symbol. It represented the community I grew up in, and we were a little “snobby” about it.
Fast-forward to today, it is a memory and those prefixes are going away due to people giving up their landlines. My youthful snobbery has gone, given over to growing up.
Your phone number is important because It’s how people can call and text you. It’s how we connect to the greater world. In my professional experience I can say there is more texting and less talking on the phone happens these days. Some folks are giving up smartphones in order to go back to voice conversation.
I remember the most famous phone number growing up was 867-5309 which was a song by Tommy Tutone. My favorite song about the telephone was “Hanging on the Telephone” by the group Blondie.
Yep, to make all that happen you need some digits that can connect you near and far. Reach out and touch someone as the old AT&T Bell System commercial once said. If someone calls you for help, be willing to say yes.
Status Update
Thank you for following this blog and my socials. Connecting is fun. Blogging is fun.
Wow, It’s February!
It’s hard to believe it’s February now. January seemed to go on forever. Let’s hope the “month of love” will be kind to us. But this is 2026, and it’s a continuation of 2025. Man, I am sure the moody pessimist these days. Maybe good things will happen, maybe. Peace and hope to us all.
Cold
America is a cold place where ICE does things that freeze the soul. Nostalgia can be a dual-edged sword, but I long for days when there was warmth and sanity. There is so much going on that leaves a tear to the eye and a clenching of the heart. Life is hard, and the struggle is indeed real. It seems like Winter is everywhere and people are stuck out in the cold. Too many lives have perished in it. I wonder if the future is going to be frigid like the present. Friends safety comes from being out in from the cold. May no one else lose their lives and may they be safe. It’s cold, and I wonder when it will be warm again.
The Tony Burgess Blog 