St. James' Church Dedication

I’ve said that several of the clergy here in Baguio have taken to just deciding that I need to come along with them and visit various different churches and congregations when they are going to visit.  This past week was a perfect example of that, as Padie Alyse heard that St. James church in Balakbak was being consecrated and dedicated, and she took me out to participate in the dedication.

Balakbak is only about 40 km from Baguio, but it’s a pretty rough road through the mountains, so we’re talking a close to two hour trip on winding mountain roads.  When I wasn’t feeling somewhat carsick on the drive out, I was gleeing over the views, because the mountain road is just so pretty, and I really can’t believe I get to live here for this year.  

These photos were technically taken on the way back, but you can see what I mean about the views being spectacular.

We arrived in Balakbak early enough to catch a bite to eat with some of the congregation and a few visitors before the service started.  I’m starting to become a bit more known throughout the EDNCP, several of the clergy and a few visiting laity knew who I was before I was introduced.  Among the visitors to Balakbak were some visiting members of Ma’am Bridget’s family, so even though I didn’t get to meet them at her pre-New Years party, I hand a chance to say hello to them.  Ma’am Bridget had pointed me out to them yesterday, though we hadn’t been introduced at that time.  I’m given to understand, though, that it’s hard to miss seeing the one red-head on Easter College’s campus, even if you don’t see me up close at any point.  Seriously, the hair is a beacon.  

The Consecration and dedication service went off very well, and it was wonderful to sit there in a new church building and watch everything possible get blessed and dedicated.  It was mentioned to me that before this building was built, the congregation had been sharing building space and worship services with the local Lutheran congregation, another one of those synchronies of ecumenism that happen far more often than we ever really acknowledge.  

Everything got blessed, from the doors, the walls, to the alter linens.  Sitting here are most of the linens and the initial offerings for the church service, waiting their turn in the proceedings.

And of course, after the service, there was more food!  I ended up sitting with several of the clergy members eating our lunches together and drinking some rather nice rice wine, and then some fruit wine.  After the meal was over, some of the little kids from the congregation kept coming over to stare at me, then dodging away.  This meant, of course, that I had to pull out the bubble solution.  I can’t emphasize this enough, blowing bubbles with young children seems to cross all boundaries and create friendships like magic.  I think Padie Alyse was amused watching as more and more children wandered over, played and tried to catch the bubbles, then relaxed enough to do things like grabbing and stroking my hair to see if it was real or if the color would rub off.  By the time we left to go back to Baguio, I had seven little kids willing to hug me goodbye, when a half hour before they’d been too shy to come near me.  

We had a bit more time on the way back, so there was time to stop beside the road and let me climb up on a pile of rock-fall and look at pretty boulders taller than I am.  You can take the daughter away from the geologist, but some things have been bred and trained into me, and rocks are to be stared at and climbed over.  Even in somewhat inappropriate shoes.