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The Silver Ghosts Jazz Age Revival at The Canonbury, North Islington

The Silver Ghosts

The spirits of good time provocateurs like Louis Jordan and Fletcher Henderson are returning to cut loose in the heart of Canonbury in North Islington. At the forefront of this local renaissance are a 7 piece swing ensemble called The Silver Ghosts, whose apparitions manifest once a month at local gastro bar ‘The Canonbury’. Their material was originally written or recorded in the period from 1920 – 1949, but their distinctiveness does not end there; the performance style is very danceable, being specifically designed for period partner dances like Lindy Hop and Charleston, as well as less well known dances like Balboa that were popular in the 1920s. Consequently, they attract social dancers from miles around to enjoy the juke joint style party atmosphere, revelling in the evocation of hot, breathless and high spirited dance gigs of the era of both hedonism and heroism.
“Our influences range from Billie Holliday to Miff Mole, from Louise Armstrong to Hoagy Carmichael” explains band leader and trumpeter Mark Aguera, (‘The Colonel’ to those in the know.)
The Silver Ghosts

“We started just over two years ago when I suggested to my friend Karl (Caps) to learn the ukulele. We had been inspired by the energy and style of swing dance club nights around town like ‘Mouthful O’ Jam’ at The Salisbury in Harringey and ‘The Black Cotton Club’ in Chancery Lane. The DJs play nothing but original 78s on period equipment while patrons express their passion for swing jazz, sometimes just through their period garb but mostly on the dance floor with classically energetic partner dances.” It didn’t take long for the band to settle as their current 7 piece line up of trumpet, trombone (Tea Bone), clarinet (Lips), ukulele (Caps, Ukulelsley), double bass (Monkey, The Man, Cookie), drums (Bugsy) and with the charming Lucy Lullaby on vocals.
The Silver Ghosts

The Silver Ghosts have since performed at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, Floridita in Soho and The legendary 100 Club, but it is currently The Canonbury in N1 where The Silver Ghosts return every month on the 2nd Tuesday. It is that evening, known as ‘The Canonbury Caper’, that has led to a local revival in swing dancing to live music not seen since the days of Count Basie and Louis Jordan.

With felt fedoras and buttoned up waistcoats, their look is the bees knees, right down to the obligatory silver ties and complementary silver tie clips. And Lucy is ever the glamorous chanter.
The Silver Ghosts
“The look is considered an important part of our evocation.” The Colonel reveals. “Some of us know a few period partner dance moves as well, and sometimes we like to swing out while we’re performing.
“We are committed to performing as the extended seven piece lineup, as well. During the period that provides our inspiration, larger ensembles lead by brass and woodwind instruments that were able to play ‘unplugged’ were the way things stood.”
The Silver Ghosts

It seems that despite the changes in culture, economics and technology, The Silver Ghosts are to continue recreating the authentic ensemble swing jazz sound, which means, thankfully, the revelling ghosts of good times past are here again.

The Silver Ghosts

Further information:
Making Music review on the Silver Ghosts

For more vintage in your area see our main website: The Vintage Guide to Britain

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Vogue V1433 Tracy Reese dress pattern from 2015

Regular price $20.00 NZD

Size 6 - 8 - 10 - 12 - 14. Bust 30 1/2 - 31 1/2 - 32 1/2 - 34 - 36 inches.

Pattern and instructions to make Vogue Pattern V1433 (Out Of Print)

Lined, sleeveless dress has princess seams, close-fitting bodice, V-neckline, pleated and gathered skirt, side-front pockets, attached petticoat, self-bias binding finishing hem and ruffle heading and exposed back zipper. Purchased ribbon trim for zipper pull.

The pattern is complete, uncut and factory folded. The envelope has signs of wear. It is creased. This is a second-hand item.

Your pattern will arrive packed in an archival quality comic book bag with an archival quality backing board.

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description: Wide crawl of the web for September 2021
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format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: https://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


text:
California is a creative, kooky place.  The desert heat can warp minds and bend imagination. Twisted metal life forms of artist Ricardo Breceda (@ricardo.breceda_metal.artist).

Ricardo’s inspiration for his scrap-metal, sculpted, animal kingdom came from his six-year old daughter, Lianna.  She had just finished watching the movie, Jurassic Park III and asked her father if she could have her own dinosaur for Christmas.

Breceda’s sculptures soar.

Originally from Durango, Mexico, Ricardo came to California after a construction accident caused him to leave his job and at the time of his daughter’s request he was working as a cowboy boot salesman.  He traded a pair of boots for a welding machine and a few weeks later his first sculpture was complete: a twenty-foot tall Tyrannosaurus Rex.  His new hobby quickly became his passion.  Breceda continued to work on bringing his rusted-metal sculptures to life.  Eventually, he crossed paths with a philanthropist named, Dennis Avery who dreamed of

It’s kill or be killed in the desert.

transforming his property at Galleta Meadows Estate in Borrego Springs into a free-standing art gallery.  Avery commissioned Ricardo Breceda to sculpt all of the beasts found in a book that Avery funded which depicts now-fossilized creatures in the Anza-Borrego Desert as well as mythological ones.

These magnificent spectacles are scattered throughout the desert and can be difficult to find, but you can pick up a detailed map to the sculptures at the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association bookstore.

Is this vicious predator responsible for the near extinction of the Borrego, the Bighorn Sheep which are the park’s namesake?

The nation’s second largest state park, Anza-Borrego Desert is only a couple of hours drive from the San Diego coastline.  Its 600,000 acres include one-fifth of San Diego county and extend into Imperial and Riverside counties. Located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California, Anza-Borrego is one core area within the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve (Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park are the others).  In 1984, Anza-Borrego Desert was included into the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (@UNESCO).

The reserve encompasses designated wilderness, public and private lands, as well as urban centers; the core areas currently provide environmental interpretation and education, as well as research opportunities, and conservation activities.  To learn more visit, The Anza Borrego Foundation at

To learn more about Ricardo Breceda go to:

Or check out the book, “Ricardo Breceda: Accidental Artist” by Diana Lindsay.

To find out, where’d the Borrego go go to:

For park info go to:

If you’ve enjoyed this article please follow TheWaldenWord and let us know which stories and articles you like most.  Thanks for reading!

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The Buzz on Maggie

Watch The Buzz on Maggie full episodes online free kisscartoon.
Synopsis: Maggie Pesky is an unusual young teen fly with big dreams, and this series is from her point of view. Set in the fly metropolis of Stickyfeet, Maggie gets the community’s attention with her antics in a conventional world of upstanding flies. Maggie is always plotting to make even mundane tasks fun and exciting. Maggie’s best friend, Rayna Cartflight, thinks Maggie’s crazy schemes usually cross the line. Maggie’s parents are Chauncey and Frieda Pesky. Dawn Swatworthy is Maggie’s rival, a snobby girl.

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Westbury’s Hope In Upcoming Year

Mayor seeks return to normalcy

Westbury Mayor Peter Cavallaro listens to a presentation at the Jan. 7 meeting. (Photo by Frank Rizzo)

COVID-19 colors everything, and will determine what kind of year the Village of Westbury will experience. The Westbury Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 7 gave Mayor Peter Cavallaro an opportunity to reflect on 2021.

“Our hope is to get past the COVID to get our community as back to normal as possible and keep our business district functioning without losing any more [businesses].” Cavallaro said. “We’ve been lucky so far—we haven’t had a large attrition. There are a couple of businesses that probably won’t be reopening. But we’ve also had a couple of new businesses that have opened already.”

This year the village hopes to close the book on the seven projects generated by winning the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant from the state in 2016.

“Many of the DRI projects will be completed this year. Some of the major ones will be done,” Cavallaro noted.

Building Inspector William Mello stated, “The community center has wrapped up. We have just sent in our closeout documents to the state.”

The center consists of the Senior Center, the Recreation Center and the Sports Complex. Money from the DRI was directed at renovations and improvements at all three buildings, which in non-pandemic times get heavy use.

Mello noted that the expenses at the center came in under budget and he would ask the state for permission to transfer the funds to the Westbury Arts Building (WAB) project.

Aqua Cherry performs during one of the Westbury Arts summer concerts at the Piazza Ernesto Strada in 2019. Last summer’s slate was erased by the pandemic, but a few groups played virtually. (Photo by Frank Rizzo)

Speaking of the WAB, “Everything is still on schedule to be completed by late February. The only things still holding us up now is the first floor and the elevator,” Mello said, adding, “The streetscape at Post and Union [Avenues] is scheduled to begin Feb. 1. We’re still waiting to hear from the contractor on how they plan to do the work.”

The parking garage is nearing completion, according to Mello, and the MTA is looking to hand it over—probably in late February/early March.

“There is a period of time when we have to go through an approval process with the MTA to get our final stamp of approval,” Mello said.

The mayor observed, “We’re keeping a real close eye on the fiscal situation. As everyone knows, the first half of the fiscal year, which starts in June, is over. We had revenue loss because of COVID and fees and other revenues we did not realize. We had expenses from [Tropical Storm Isaias]—$200,000. That hopefully will be reimbursed 75 percent by FEMA. So we will be working on that.”

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer of Brooklyn, now the Senate majority leader, has said he will seek 100 percent reimbursement from FEMA from Isaias-related damage.

“We build up good reserves, so we were able to weather the storm,” the mayor said. “The revenue issues may be impacting our budget, which we will be adapting in March. Sometimes people say that we are too conservative with how we’re spending our money. But we do that for times like this that you can’t anticipate. I’m optimistic for the year. I think the beginning of the year is going to be difficult for people in general because the COVID is still hanging on until the vaccine is well-distributed. As we get around towards summer a lot of that will be hopefully fading and some of our summer activities, such as concerts, can hopefully resume.”

Interview With the Mayor

Late last year, Cavallaro appeared on LI Main Street News with Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island, and organization devoted to promoting a “more livable, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible growth on Long Island.” Some excerpts:

The parking garage, part of the MTA’s LIRR Expansion Project, will be transferred to the village in the near future. (Photo by Frank Rizzo)

On winning the DRI grant: “I think the work we had done in preceding years really positioned us to win that award. I think the DRI program looks for downtowns that have something going on. That have some energy, but kind of need the resources to take those efforts to the next level. And that’s what I and my board have been trying to do. One thing in local government I’ve been trying to say is, you have a lot of ideas, you have a lot of things that you’re trying to accomplish, but you never have enough resources to do all the things you wish you can do. The DRI grant enabled us to fund seven projects, all centered around our downtown area near the train station, to take various aspects we had of our downtown area to the next level.”

Partnership with the MTA: “We have a really good working relationship. The Third Track Project impacts us to a very great extent. And I think I was the first mayor along the main line come out and support the project. I thought it was time. But I also thought it was the opportunity for us to work with the MTA to get certain capital improvements that we needed, both transit—related to the train, but also to our community in general. That partnership has given us some credibility to ask them for things that we needed to have happened in connection with the project, and for them to listen with an open ear. We didn’t get everything, but we’ve gotten significant capital investment in our community because of that partnership.”

The parking garage: “It’s going to double the parking capacity of our train station. A lot of that is going to be preserved for resident-only parking because we own the land. Some of it will be open for non-residents as well. And we situated that parking garage in a lot that we own, and not adjacent to the station, but we pushed it back several hundred feet so that it’s much more proximate to our downtown. So it will provide additional parking for part of our business district.”

Going through the pandemic: “It’s been difficult, it’s been challenging. Whenever you go into a new year, you never now what’s going to confront you. Every January seems to bring a new challenge to the community. This is a different animal. It affects everybody and every family and every business and every organization that you have in your community. We’ve tried to be as active as we can with our community organizations. We’ve tried to get information and share resources when they were available.”

The corner of Post and Maple Avenues, part of a downtown that has struggled through the pandemic. (Photo by Frank Rizzo)

On downtown businesses: “We’ve fortunately seen most of our businesses struggle through and survive. When I speak to the business owners and the residents they all have a generally positive attitude about the future, even though they’re all worried about the effects of the pandemic—and some of them have been directly affected through family members and whatnot. But I think everybody has a generally positive attitude about our ability as a community to come out on the other end okay and in a place where we can build from.”

Back to normal: “I’m hoping that a lot of the normal activities that we have and which were canceled [last] year we’ll be resuming [in 2021]. We’re going to be seeing the start of the completion of our streetscape project and the opening of our [Westbury Arts Council] building and I think we’re going to have a big event, to cut the ribbon in a way that people will know what’s there. We hope to have our summer concert series resume—we had to cancel them [last] year and try to do some of them virtually. That’s a series where every Thursday night from June through the end of August we have a free concert. We hope to have a street fair—our Business Improvement District has a huge street fair, usually in the fall, but because it was canceled, we’re hoping to have it in the spring and maybe repeat it in the fall. We’re hoping to have our sports teams and leagues resume their activities.”

Being a mayor: “Village government is the level of government closest to the people. That is absolutely true, and it has a lot of advantages. And sometimes it has a lot of disadvantages because you’ll be shopping at the bakery and someone will [confront] you with a problem. That’s a minor thing. But the huge advantage of being a local mayor is, if you do it right, and you do it conscientiously, you really have the pulse of the good and bad things that are going on, or some of the things that need to be addressed. My style as mayor, and maybe to the chagrin of my staff, is that I’m very hands-on and want to touch everything that’s happening. As a mayor, you have to be involved with everything, because you wouldn’t be serving if you didn’t have a vision of where you wanted your community to go. And by electing you, your residents have stamped their imprimatur on what you’ve articulated as your vision.”

His tenure: “I want to make sure that Westbury is better off when I leave office than when I came into office. And I’m hopeful that we’re moving in that direction. We were joking earlier that being mayor is my 40-hour-a-week hobby. Most mayors on Long Island are part-time mayors, but most of us are putting in full time to make sure that we’re administering our duties to make sure our community is well-served. I grew up in Westbury. To me, being mayor is proprietary. I take it personally. I try to inject that passion for the community into the things that we do. Right out of law school I was appointed to the planning board, which was a good starting point. I served on the planning board for 12 years. And I served on the board of trustees for 10 years under Ernie Strada when he was the mayor, and Ernie was the mayor for 28 years. So I got a really good tutelage under Ernie. I’m finishing my 12th year as a mayor. So if you add it all up, that’s been 32 years in village government.”

The community: “I’m a believer in the community. What I say to people about Westbury is, ‘If you live there you get it.’ Sometimes if you’re not from Westbury you’re thinking different things about the community which aren’t true. Obviously, the community is ever changing and you have to make sure that you’re in tune with what’s going on and what people want. Because what they want today is not what they wanted 10 years ago. The key to a dynamic community is always looking to the future and augmenting as you go to make sure it’s always going to be the place where people want to be.”

Anton Media Group thanks Eric Alexander for permission to quote from the interview.

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Frank Rizzo is a journalist at Anton Media Group. With decades of experience in the industry, he is exceptionally equipped to cover local politics, business and other topics that matter to readers.

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China Says 'Agreement' Reached With India, ‘Two Sides’ Acting to ‘Ameliorate’ Situation

This was the first official statement from either country that there had been some de-escalation on the ground in eastern Ladakh following talks between the two sides, though no details have been provided.

New Delhi: After Indian defence officials said Chinese troops were observed to have “thinned” out in at least four stand-off points, China on Wednesday said that “actions” were being taken by both sides in line with an “agreement” reached with India to “ameliorate the border situation”.

This was the first official statement from either country that there had been some de-escalation on the ground in eastern Ladakh following talks between the two sides. However, the Chinese side did not provide any detail on the “actions” it said the “two sides” had taken at the border.

Military sources had earlier stated that the density of Chinese troops at Galwan and Hot Springs had come down from Monday, which was reciprocated by India but that there had been no change in status at Pangong Tso, where Chinese troops are on India’s side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). There had, however, been no official statement from India on these developments.

“Through diplomatic and military channels, China and India have recently had effective communication and reached agreement on properly handling the situation in the west section of the China-India boundary. At present, the two sides are taking actions in line with the agreement to ameliorate the border situation,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in Beijing at the regular media briefing in response to a question from AFP.

If the Chinese readout is accurate, this suggests Indian forces may also be pulling back at the disputed points, though India has always maintained that its troops have never crossed the Indian side of the LAC. Indeed, during Manmohan Singh’s tenure as prime minister, when a boundary region standoff was defused in this way, BJP leaders – including Rajnath Singh, who is now defence minister – had criticised the Congress-led government for withdrawing Indian soldiers from Indian territory.

On Wednesday, Indian and Chinese commanders held a major general-level dialogue which was a follow-up to the talks held on June 6.

“The talks were productive as both sides exchanged views in a positive atmosphere. Both the armies are committed to end the row through talks,” a senior military official was quoted by PTI as saying.

Also Read: Here’s Why All’s Not Well for India on the Ladakh Front

After Saturday’s talks, India’s readout had not given any indication of any “agreement” on gradual dis-engagement. India had reiterated that the two sides “agreed” on the need to resolve the situation peacefully in line with various bilateral agreements and the guidance of the leadership to maintain peace and tranquillity on the India-China border regions.

This was echoed by the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson at her briefing on Monday. “Both sides agree to implement the important consensus of the two leaders, avoid escalation of differences into disputes, work together to uphold peace and tranquillity in the border area, and create favourable atmosphere for the sound and stable development of bilateral relations,” said Hua.

Several other rounds of talks among the militaries are expected to take place in the coming days at the border.

However, there are no signs that China is willing to retract its troops from the area until Finger 4 in Pangong Tso, which is well within the territory claimed by India. It was at Pangong Tso that Indian and Chinese soldiers had come to blows in early May, which was one of the early markers of the start of the stand-off between the two armies.

Map of the road to Daulat Beg Oldi. Photo: Wikimedia

India has sought a restoration of the status quo ante before the first detection of Chinese troops at Galwan, with the vacation of soldiers from the finger region in Pangong Tso being a top priority.

Galwan is considered strategically significant as the valley into which Chinese soldiers have reportedly entered and erected structures flanks the road to Daulat beg Oldi, the last point on the Indian side before the Karakoram Pass, which marks the border with China.


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Organic Meat Pack H - HINDQUARTER OF BEEF $645

An Organic Hindquarter of Beef cut and packed to your requirements.

Can have included:

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Gravy Beef

Corned Silverside

Roast Beef

Round Steak

BBQ Steak

Stir fry Beef Strips

Diced Beef

Eye Fillet

Rump Steak

Sirloin Steak

Please allow at least 2 weeks for delivery on this item. We will be in contact with you regarding your options of cuts

Orders must be placed by Friday 27 November for pre Christmas delivery on this item

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A Face Oil You Oughta Know

I can’t believe there was a time when I thought face oil was — gulp — unnecessary.

For a time, I thought that using face oil would be like booking a one-way ticket to Breakout Town, USA. Today, I know I was very, very wrong. I use face oil as the very last step of my nighttime routine, after serum and moisturizer, to create a comforting cocoon for my skin that helps lock in hydration.

My go-to face oil these days, you ask? Biography‘s Long June ($85). Specially formulated to calm even the most sensitive skin, this deeply moisturizing dry oil absorbs on contact. Redness clears; serenity reigns.

Hello, well-hydrated skin.

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Real Estate Agents Fool Copper Thieves…

They’ve removed the A/C units.  Now that’s “creativity” for you.

I got this story off the web.  It’s not just a local issue as you might think.   This story came from a television station out of Georgia.

In the mean time…?

Make it a great day

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR          916-203-1260

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Looking for the Latest Duplex Sales Information – Stop Here..!

Some Interesting Statistics from my “”preferred” areas.

Although I work the entire Sacramento Region, I have compiled this information in what I think are the most popular areas only.  If you are looking for a Duplex Investment, these would probably be the areas you would look to first.

The following is the latest Sales Date from November 1, 2010 to date – February 24, 2011.

Current Available Inventory –  Active & Active Short Sales – 64

Current Pending Sales – Includes Active Short Sale Contingent – 70

Closed Sales – November 1, 2011 to date – February 24, 2011 – 100

Click here for a PDF Spreadsheet showing the addresses and other information.

In the Mean Time…?

Make it a great day…!

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR     916-203-1260

Beware of “Mortgage Rescue” Schemes…!!!

Remember… “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”

I hate it when I hear stories like this so that’s why I am posting this on my website here.

If you or someone you know is having a problem making their Mortgage Loan payments…?   What ever you do, please stay in touch with your Lender.   The banks don’t really want your house back and will work with you up to a point.

Read this story to get the gist of it and remember what I said above.   Get it here

In the mean time…?

Make it a Great Day…!!

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR       916-203-1260

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Bank Owned & Short Sales – Deals Are Here…!!!

I’m bumping into people as I tour these places now….!

I was out and about today looking at a couple of Duplexes in the area today… and when you’re job is to look at property it sure is nice to do it in some really nice weather.

When you consider it’s February 5th, you probably have cold temperatures and inclement weather in mind.   Not today…!

The properties I have profiled below are each unique in their own way.

9649 – 51 Goethe Road, Sacramento, Ca 95827 – Short Sale – Listed at $154,800

Click Here for a video of the exterior – it’s better than street view… and shows the neighborhood a bit.

6915-6917 Burnham Drive, Citrus Heights, Ca 95821 – Short Sale – Listed at $175,000 – Wow is the 1st thing that came to mind when I saw this duplex.    It’s in a great part of Citrus Heights and surrounded by other “pride of ownership” Duplexes and close to the Fountain Square Shopping area.

Click here for the Cash Flow Figures         For a Video of the interiors, click here.

4911 Indian Oaks Court, Sacramento, Ca 95841 – Bank Owned/REO – Listed at $140,000 – This one has been on and off the market for a few months now and I think it’s been passed up because of the price.   It was a “pending sale” at one time but fell out of escrow.

Click here for the Cash Flow Figures     Click here for a video of the interiors of both units

In the Mean Time…?

Make it a Great Day…!

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR     916-203-1260

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Looking For a Decent Bank Owned Investment…? You Found the Right Place…!

One of them is new to the market, the other has been there a while & ripe for an offer…!

Let’s start with the 1st one that is located at 6128-6130 Oakgreen Circle in Carmichael.   It’s been on the market for a little over a year and started out as a “short sale” but wound up as a foreclosure and now offered for sale as a “bank owned” property.

Oakgreen Circle is an interesting little street of “Pride of Ownership” type of properties that have many of these Duplexes occupied by their owners.   If you are a First Time Buyer, this would be an excellent property to make as your first home.

I have the estimated cash flow figures and a “walk through video below.   You will notice that I have an offer price lower than the list price but the cash flow based upon a higher sales price and that is because it’s going to take about $45,000 to $50,000 to really get this property right.  After that… it should be a “coupon clipper” for years to come.

Click Here for the estimated cash flow figures.

Click here for the Walk Through video and I think after you have seen it, you’ll realize it has potential.  It just needs the right kind of investor looking for a long term hold.

UPDATE AS OF 12:53pm...  When I wrote the information above early this morning,  the property was still showing “active”… well wouldn’t you know… someone thought it was a good investment and made an offer on it… I’ll keep an eye out for it and see what the ultimate outcome is and post it here…

The other property is more of what I call an “investment” and is located at 8145-47 Desesret Avenue, Fair Oaks, Ca.   I inspected this property late last week.  I know this area well, because I also just closed a deal on a duplex just a few doors away on East Knoll, a cross street.

My estimate to bring this one up to a nice condition would be approximately $15,000 which would be enough to get in the interiors fixed up and have enough to allow you to put some “curb appeal” landscape improvements in.

It’s listed at just over $194,000.   The most recent sale was just a tad over $190,000 with about $3,000 credit going back to the Buyer in the form of closing costs and was tenant occupied at $900 per month each side.     The cash flow figures I have are based upon an assumption of a sales price of about $180,000 and approcximately $15,000 in fix up costs, which brings it close to the original list price coincidently.

Click here for the estimated Cash Flow after fix up.

Click here for the “walk through” video.

Make it a great day…!!

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR      916-203-1260

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New Taxes Coming on Rental Income Described Here

The western front of the United States Capitol...

Image via Wikipedia

The New Obama Care Tax is coming – Check out the link that explains it.

Well I’m sure by now,  if you are a Real Estate Investor and have not been off the planet for the last year,  you’ve heard that the Federal Government has passed a new Health Care law.

While we can debate the issue of it’s passing, the fact of the matter is that barring a repeal by the new congress, there will be an increase in taxes to pay for this new program.

Anyway, I got this Brochure from the National Association of Realtors that explains it pretty good.

Make it a great day

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR     916-203-1260

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Two New Bank Owned Duplexes Just Hit the Market…!

One of these is the best I’ve seen in a while, the other has location but needs some work.

I woke up this morning and got the update in my email account.    I was excited to see some new Bank Owned/REO Duplexes hit the market.   So… I made an effort to get out and about this morning early to get some pictures and video completed before my next appointment at 1PM because I know neither one of these properties is going to be on the market long.

Property #1 – Let’s start with 5516-A&B Marconi, Carmichael, Ca – This is a 3 bedroom 3.5 bath, 2 car garages each side and is listed at $295,000.   I will let the videos do the talking about them.    Rents are projected at $1,575 per side.

Click here for a video of the Left Side – – – – –  Click here for a video of the Right Side

Click Here For a Pro-Forma Cash Flow Analysis

Property #2 – The other one is located at 9650-9652 Lake Natoma, Orangevale, Ca 95662 and is a 3 bedroom 2 bath & 2 bedroom 2 bath.   It’s in a great neighborhood in area that has a school down the street, shopping less than a half mile away and within walking distance to the American River Parkway trails.

I was not able to get inside this unit because the listing agent hadn’t installed a lock box to allow me access but I did get a video of the exterior front and back.   Click here for that video –   Click Here for the Pro-Forma Cash Flow Analysis

And… If you want to see how neat this property is because it is so close to Lake Natoma and the American River Parkway click on this link from Frank Bobbio’s website and his aerial photos.      As a side note…?   If you would like to see some interesting photography of the Sacramento Region take a look at Frank’s website here.

So tell me…. What do you think about these two…?

Make it a great day…!!!

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR                        916-203-1260

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Cash is Still King for Sacramento’s Bank Owned/REO Duplexes

This map shows the incorporated and unincorpor...

Image via Wikipedia

Two new listings I profiled here recently closed – All Cash – No Financing

When I profiled these Bank Owned Duplexes just about a month ago it didn’t really surprise me that both of them went to a Pending Sale status shortly after I posted the article.

One of them, 7444 Robmar Court, Citrus Heights, sold for the list price and the other one, 7720-7722 Sunset Avenue, Fair Oaks, closed escrow with a sales price of $285,000 which was four thousand dollars over list price.

7444 Robmar closed escrow on September 3rd and Sunset closed escrow just a few days ago on September 16th.

Bottom line is that if you like one of these properties and they have just come on the market, chances are you will be up against “all cash” investors.

If you are thinking of getting into this market, be prepared to do battle with other investors looking for these great deals.

Make it a great day…!!!

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR      916-203-1260

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Is a Home Protection Plan Worth The Money…?

Ask the New Owners of a Duplex Purchased Through a Short Sale.

We closed escrow on a Duplex located at 5945 Moss Creek Circle in Fair Oaks about two months ago.   The Buyer did employ North American Home Services to inspect the property for defects and completed a structural pest inspection.

While this Duplex was in surprisingly good condition given that it was a short sale, there were a few items of concern.  While most of them were minor there was a potential issue that could lead to a problem in the not too distant future according to the inspection team.

What I urged the Buyer to do to mitigate some potential large expenses was to purchase a one year Home Protection Plan from Old Republic Home Protection Company which cost,  I believe,  just a bit under $500.00.

If you didn’t know about this service, it’s not just for Single Family Homes.   You can purchase this service for a Duplex, Tri-plexes and Four-plexes and if you are an investor, I suggest you make this part of your initial costs going in and I strongly urge you to renew the plan at the end of the first year.

In the case of this new investor, the Central Air conditioning unit’s compressor in one of the units required a major fix.  In fact the compressor, a major component of the system had to be replaced at a cost of $1,700…!

Because the Investor had this coverage, his only out of pocket costs are the deductible for a trade call of $50.00 and the cost of removal and disposal of the old equipment, which was $100.00.

So… Do you think the Investors got their money’s worth purchasing this plan…?

I hope you found this useful and informative…

Make it a great day…!!!

Ed Favinger, Broker CRS, GRI, SFR,          916-203-1260

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Does “Home Staging” make a difference…?

Along with Pricing it sure does – Check out these Before and After Pictures

Let’s Talk abouit Price first.

We listed a home in San Jose at 5893 Moraga Avenue originally at $525,000 and after a couple of weeks of no action and just a few showings we did an updated market analysis and decided to lower the price to $464,950.  We had an accepted offer within about a week or so after bringing the price down.

How Does Staging Help You Sell a Home..?

In addition to “pricing” your home for today’s market,  Staging your home will mak a big difference in marketing your home like it did for this owner.

Here’s some “Before” Pictures.   Click on the pictures and you will get the “After” shot

Here’s the Before look of the Living Room.   Click on the Picture to see how it looks After…

Before Pictures of the Breakfast Nook/Dining Bar.   Click on this Before Picture and to  get the “after” shot.

Here’s the Before Picture of the Hall Bath… Click on this picture and see what Staging does for it.

What if you don’t have the time or the skills to do Home Staging…?

If you don’t have the skills, patience or the time to stage your home for sale, you can always hire a professional.   Most of these staging companies have various pricing options and many of them will even put together a slide show of their finished project for you.   Click here for the link to the staging company that the work on this home.

Ed Favinger, Broker, CRS, GRI, SFR       916-203-1260

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Friday, May 20, 2005

The week started the same as the last one with the Senate fighting over the judge issue. Then Newsweak stepped up and ran a Dan Rather hit piece that blew up in their face. Sweet justice.

Then Pepsi's CFO graduation speech starts showing up all over the internet. Lots of people upset over that one, but as of Friday, Pepsi doesn't seem think you're "really" that mad. We'll see.

Then the New York times runs a hit piece on our military from 3 years ago. Some say the NYT was just trying to circle the wagons with Newsweak. I think the NYT simply hates our military and would've ran something negative anyway.

Then I get up this morning (pre-coffee stages) and have to look at Saddam in his Jockey shorts. From a jail cell, he's still torturing people.

And, finally, MSNBC reports this evening that The Insider and Entertainment Tonight both paid for the rights to Mary Kay Latorneau's wedding, which is being held tonight in Washington State. There's your media for ya. Teacher rapes her 6th grade student, goes to prison, later to marry him, and the media thinks this is a good thing to put on TV.

Speaking of teacher/rapists: I find it curious that many of these teachers are strikingly good looking, and the media seem to follow them around like they've accomplished something worthy of their coverage. I found this teacher/rapist, she committed the same crime, but nary a camera is rolling, except for the mugshot. I wonder....

Have a great weekend everyone.

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Keeping the faith

It has been a rather extraodinary week here at St Mary’s.

Last Friday evening we had our Epiphany Eucharist, which was very much what we do – a full on Choral Mass:  Haydn’s little organ mass, a sermon on theophany from my colleague the Vice Provost and all the usual works. The thurible was flying, the Nicene Creed was recited and the hymns were belted out. So far so normal. If there was any controversy on the evening it was over the tune that I’d picked for Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning, which may have taken some people by surprise.

One of the features of local life in Glasgow in recent years is growing friendship amongst people of different faiths. The Vice Provost and I have been invited to a number of religious celebrations of other faith communities. We’ve been getting to know different Muslim groups locally and learning about their differences and been invited to splendid Eid banquets. We’ve eaten fabulously at the new Sikh gurwara along with Nicola Sturgeon the First Minister and enjoyed visiting the local Hindu temple. One of the increasing things in the interfaith arena is that festivals give great opportunities for people to learn new things about those who differ from them. They are usually fun and often have food and people are genuinely interested in sharing their faith at such events.

So it was that a number of years ago we invited one of our Muslim friends to read from the Qur’an at our Nine Lessons and Carols service at Christmas – it was a passage about the Virgin birth and people were fascinated at a time when we celebrate the coming of Christ to hear from the tradition of our neighours who also honour Christ but who do not accept the Christian doctrines and who follow the Muslim faith.

So succesful was this was it was done again a couple of years ago – in a packed church at a service with the bishop – this time the passage being chanted by a Shia leader. The consequences were the same – dialogue and great interest and an enormous amount of good will.

And so last week as we were reflecting on the arrival of the mysterious Magi at Bethlehem we again asked local Muslim friends if they would like to be present. Again there was a recitation and again there was a huge amount of interest amongst those present. The gospel was proclaimed, the preacher preached and the Eucharist was celebrated. Our Muslim friends were interested in what we do and had a number of questions afterwards. There was particular interest amongst the musicians as to the way arabic recitation works and one or two technical conversations about similarities between psalm pointing and Qur’anic recitation.

It was regarded locally as a good event – the kind of thing that St Mary’s does well. We’re pretty strong on midweek festivals and I always feel a joy at being able to get over a hundred people out for a midweek choral mass.

Having a recitation from the Qur’an in a Christian cathedral in worship is not a new thing. I’m aware of a time in the early 1990s when St Giles’s Cathedral in Edinburgh (ie Church of Scotland) hosted an event at which there was Islamic prayer within the cathedral. In 1991 at St Mungo’s Cathedral there was a service at which there was a recitation from the Qur’an which involved local church leaders including Archbishop Tom Winning and the then Moderator of the Church of Scotland.

Recitations from the Qur’an in Christians worship are unusual but not unknown. I’m aware of one in Liverpool Cathedral and at other events within the Church of England at civic services and within the context of number of university chaplaincies. No-one pretends that Muslims and Christians believe the same things. We know that Muslims don’t believe in the divinity of Christ – that’s a known and accepted fact. It isn’t surprising.

But how many Christians know that Muslims believe in the Virgin birth and how many have heard that from the Qur’anic tradition?

And that kind of thing is worth knowing.

So it has indeed come as something of a surprise to find accounts of last week’s service appearing online and stirring up the most most incredible pot of hatred I’ve ever encountered. (And I’m a veteran of the sex wars amongst Anglicans).

We’ve received Islamophobic and other hate filled messages so graphic and some of them so obscene that we eventually called the police, whom I have to say have been excellent at supporting us.

There are theological puzzles to wrestle with of course.

This same Qur’anic reading has been given before in services and no outcry has happened. Is it because this is in a cathedral run by a gay man? Is it because the recitation was given by a young woman?

Clearly those things are factors as they feature in some of the abuse.

There have been humorous moments amidst this storm too.

One of the complaints was “It is all very well them allowing Muslims into church but why won’t they marry gay couples?” which clearly came from someone who doesn’t know much about us. Another complained about the event at which Muslims were in church by saying, “It is all very well doing this but Muslims would never come to church you know” rather ignoring that the whole point was that a handful of Muslims had done so.

Those who came heard a confident Christian community proclaim their faith in Christ in no uncertain terms. We say the Nicene Creed at St Mary’s and we believe it. Indeed, I sometimes have to tell people that I say it without my fingers crossed. Our proclamation of the divinity of Christ is at the centre of every Eucharist that takes place every Sunday. And so is the greeting of peace which we offer to one another. Peace be with you. Shalom. Salaam.

One of our Muslim friends who was present last week wrote online:

It was an educational experience to have been present at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow, in a service for the Epiphany… The service expounded on Christian tenets and the story of the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem; proving to be a rewarding and insightful exploration of Christian belief.

Elsewhere the same Muslim friends said recently:

Our warm wishes extend to all who are celebrating Christmas. At this time where the birth of Jesus the Son of Mary is remembered, revered and loved by both Christians and Muslims, [we] came together with Christian congregations in Edinburgh and Glasgow in respect and to strengthen relations and understanding between our faiths. We pray to Allah the Almighty for peace across the world, the lights of wisdom and guidance, global compassion, and hope for those bereft of hope. Our thanks extend to the Most Reverend Leo Cushley, Archbishop and Metropolitan of St Andrews & Edinburgh, the Rt Rev. Dr John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh, (St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh) the Rev. Calum MacLeod, Minster of St Giles’ Cathedral, the Rev. Neil Galbraith, Minister of Cathcart Old Parish Church, and the Rev. Tembu Rongong, Rector of St James’ and St Philip’s Churches.

And there are happy pics of Muslim folk in church at Christmas alongside their Christian neighbours.

This is becoming normal for us and it matters.

Frankly, we think it is a good thing that Muslims are coming to church and hearing us proclaim the Gospel of Christ.

Here in Glasgow we have our history of religious conflict. When Muslims new to the city are asked, “Aye, but are you a protestant Muslim or a catholic Muslim?” it is both funny and not so funny.

But I rejoice in the fact that at least sometimes our interfaith encounters are real and life changing.

The truth is, people confident in their faith can often learn most from one another. We are confident in our Christian faith and enjoy sharing it.

The most perceptive comment this week came from someone who knows me well. “This is just absurd – St Mary’s doesn’t do syncretism it does hospitality”.

That’s it in a nutshell. We don’t do syncretism, we do hospitality.

Syncretism means the amalgamation of different religions or cultures. We simply are not in that business when we do our interfaith work. We hold fast to Christian orthodoxy and we welcome those who come in peace.

For the record, no-one amongst the several Church of England folk and the single Scottish Episopal priest who originally wrote about this online and triggered the deluge of abuse that we have received bothered to contact us to check the context of what happened.

Also, for the record, a significant amount that you can read about this issue online is inaccurate or simply untrue.

And finally also for the record, Police Scotland have responded to this in a way that I can only describe as superb. They assure me that intolerance and prejudice will not be tolerated in Scotland. To put it simply, I thank God for them and their work.

And to have the last word about the service itself, the tune we used for Brightest and Best was the correct one. No arguments.

[Comments on this post are currently closed].

  1. Rosemary Hannah says

    Oh dear, still not convinced by the Brightest and Best tune.

    The rest of the sorry storm in a teacup- decidedly not the brightest and best we humans can manage.

  2. FrPip says

    I’m very surprised at the outrage. Surely people with a Christian faith aren’t intimidated by somoene not agreeing with them? If that is what the church is – a place where people have to agree with each other – then it is not the church of the Apostles.
    But, the BIG question – which tune did you use?

    • I used the correct tune.

      • FrPip says

        You see, there may indeed be issues where somethign I don’t agree with should not be chanted in church…

        I’m hoping your correct interpretation of the use of tunes does not pertend to the inappropriate use of Bach.

        More importantly, anyone putting down “From the Eastern Mountains” to any tune other than King’s Western should not be in charge of a hymn book.

        • King’s Western is indeed the correct tune for From the Eastern Mountains.

          • Calum W says

            We sang it to Cuddesdon here which was unusual but nice.

            From a distance, I’m slightly bewildered by the response to this particular moment, when it seems likes it’s publicly part of your very being at St M’s. I can’t imagine how much more painful it is in person, but I take heart in all this that we can still agree and disagree on the best hymn tunes.

          • Iain Templeton says

            King’s Weston, not Western!

      • I am delighted that you used Willan’s matchless Stella Orientis! My current parish is the only one I have ever been to that does not.

  3. Sarah Lawton says

    Which tune did you use for Brightest and Best to provoke such controversy? In any case, thank you for your inclination to hospitality and for your clarity now.

    • Thanks for your comments Sarah. I used a tune simply called Brightest and Best which comes from the Salvation Army which is the organisation I grew up in.

      We won’t always use that tune but it did give me a little joy to hear it used again.

      (Not this one, as it happens though this is also a great tune for the same words that is used by the Salvation Army –

      – I can hum along the baritone part)

  4. Lesley says

    I rarely comment but often read your blog. What a week! People never fail to surprise/disappoint me, those who have responded with hate. I have no words for those except a very slow saddened shake of the head. However you yourself, you have my admiration.

    • Thanks Lesley. One of the nice things about this week has been receiving comments from people that I rarely hear from and in some cases knew better a long time ago offering support.

      Great to hear from you and thanks for making the exception and posting this time.

      • Helen Dean says

        I am another who follows but rarely/never (?) comments. I am particularly heartened by the words of hospitality, holding fast to what we believe and welcoming those who come in peace. Open hearts and spiritual integrity are not incompatible but essential companions.

  5. Kelvin, thanks for taking the time to offer your perspective on this. But I hope you will extend your hospitality to someone who wants to ask some reasonable questions about this.

    First, it is good that you have made the time here—but odd that you said to me that you did not have time to actually address the substantive issues, and that neither has anyone in the diocese had time to do so. This seems odd when there are some important issues at stake.

    Second, you refer to ‘several Church of England folk and the single Scottish Episopal priest’ and I presume you include me in this. It is not true that we failed to check the facts; Peter Ould who wrote the guest piece was very careful to do the homework. And in correspondence I invited you to inform me of any factual errors, which I would immediately correct. You offered none.

    Thirdly, I think it is appalling that anyone should respond with abuse; I don’t condone that in any way, and the post I hosted was factual and respectful. You now appear to be apportioning blame for abuse to those of us who reported and asked questions, which seems to me to be disingenuous. You appear to have removed the YouTube video of the recording, so others cannot themselves check the facts, and you refused to answer when you were asked about the misleading translation which did not match the recitation, and in doing so hid the key verses which were problematic. You refused to comment when asked about precisely this by the BBC.

    Lastly, you claim that your approach is not ‘syncretistic’, but SEC’s own statement argues that: ‘Increasingly, some see religious identity not just in terms of belonging to one denomination or faith tradition: rather, it is discovered through the process of engagement with different faiths, ‘picking and mixing’ in ways that have not previously been seen.’ Including this problematic reading from the Qur’an appears to many to be just such a ‘pick and mix’ approach—whose Greek term is ‘syncretism’.

    Many feel that this incident raises questions that need answering, not just within SEC but within the Anglican Communion. Simply avoiding them, as you do here, will not make them go away. I look forward to a follow-up post which engages as respectfully and clearly as my original post has done. You comment below: ‘I change my mind sometimes – especially when persuaded of something by someone in debate. Try me and see.’ I am taking you at your word.

    • Briefly
      I can only repeat that no-one contacted me before publishing what they did to establish what actually happened during the whole of the service, neither you nor Peter Ould nor Bishop Nazir Ali.

      As is the way with blogging, I address the things I’m interested in as and when I want to respond to them.

      I have not removed any video from youtube. Neither I nor St Mary’s has posted any youtube videos in over a year and nor have I removed any youtube videos nor asked for them to be removed. I am puzzled as to why you should make such a claim.

      I can confirm that I am not someone who sees my own religious identity in any pick and mix way. Indeed those involved with me in ecumenical encounters often know that to their frustration.

      • Simon Butler says

        Kelvin, a very sensitive piece. Only this morning I chanced upon an article by Peter Ould about an incident at my former church. His “fact-checking” then was as partial and ill-informed then as now. At our Advent carol service we had a recitation of a piece by that well-known Ancient Greek “syncretist” Horace. I really cannot see the difference between that unremarkable choice of non-canonical literature and yours. Except, of course, that no-one today is an Ancient Greek-ophobe.

  6. Paul Strudwick says

    One year at an Anglican Church in British Columbia, for Lent we invited each week representatives from different faiths to talk about their beliefs and practices, and to answer questions. The Sikhs came and wrapped my head in a turban, the Moslems came and prayed, and so on. It was informative and enlightening. It helped to dispel a little of the shadow of fear that attaches to those different from us that lurks instinctively deep within human nature. It is, in my believe, one of the shadows that Christ came to lighten. The internet has made possible many good things, but its dark side is that it has enabled spite, hatred and bigotry to be expressed without the consequences of face-to-face communication. I know that you’re not easily intimidated, so it is a bit of a shock to realise just how nasty the trolls must have been. Sending prayers for your ministry and your resolute, persistent faith.

  7. We too – like many other ordinary Anglican parish churches, I imagine – have invited our Muslim neighbours to attend church, and been invited by them to attend the Mosque. We have read the scriptures of both faiths together and had many discussions about our respective doctrines. Thankfully without attracting anything like the negative attention which I have been sorry to see coming your way online over the last few days. I have always found sharing worship with friends of another faith to be a very enriching experience which has, if anything, helped me to become more clear and confident in my own Christian faith.

    I find it astonishing that there are those who feel “threatened” merely by the idea of hearing someone else’s sacred texts read out loud. To be honest, such fear does not seem to me to be the hallmark of a confident and mature faith, but rather to reveal something of the insecurity of the complainant.

    I long for the day when everyone of every faith will be sufficiently confident in their own beliefs to be interested in, rather than fearful of, the beliefs of others (and the lion shall lie down with the lamb!).

    Your experience this week reminds me of the joyful moment when a Palm Sunday procession was interrupted by a few Muslim teenagers shouting “Salaam alaikum” to which all responded – much to their surprise – “and also with you”!

  8. Liebster Immanuel: what else?

  9. John-Julian. OJN says

    Those who first tread the rocky path over the mountains will have a difficult time, for the path is rough and irregular. The next ones who walk that way will find it a little easier—and the next still smoother—until eventually the path over the mountain will be no more than an easy and restful stroll—thanks entirely to that first courageous and daring band!

  10. Happy Jack says

    Hi Kelvin,

    Can you please explain why the printed order of service stops at verse 33, and yet the actual recital included verses 34-6 of Sura 19 which include denial that the Creator God has a son? How did this discrepancy arise between the printed order of service and what actually happened?

    Many thanks.

    • Thanks for your question. I can’t explain that as I don’t know the answer and it might not be possible for me to get an answer to that question. However, I don’t think anyone was being malicious or trying to get one over the Christians.

      Indeed, I have found all involved in this service to have been gracious and kind to one another throughout all this.

      The text that was printed in the service sheet is what we expected to be read- Sura Maryam 19 verses 16-33. I don’t have Arabic and given how difficult it was for me to acquire appalling Hebrew, I am unlikely ever to attempt to learn.

      I won’t be publishing any further questions or responses in connection with this as I’ve said above all that I know and am likely to know.

      • If I may Father K, I also covered this section of the Quran in an Episcopal Cafe story. I also chose to stop the reading at verse 33. However, it is my understanding that for Muslims, the full reading is usually verses 16 – 36, which is the complete version of the Quranic Nativity. Your guest, in all likelyhood, read what she is accustomed to reading as the full story, innocently not realizing that whomever chose the portion to be printed had cut it off early. I can’t see any ill intent there, but then again, I don’t go looking for the worst about an event or a person as a matter of course.

  11. Stewart says

    It was an inspiring recitation. Following the English translation in the service sheet provided added insight to the life of Mary. All the more so as the cathedral is dedicated to St Mary. You are reminded of Mary every time you walk into the building with the Gwyneth Leech mural over the High Altar.

  12. Kelvin is quite right. The very self-righteous defenders of the Bible (including the ones who trolled a brave young Muslim woman, for days, with the most vile language, and those who did not reprimand them) totally ignored the Biblical instructions for raising concerns with a brother in faith (Matthew 18:15; 2 Tim 23). Very practical instruction too! As anyone who has ever lived in community can verify. Could all these obsessive men *please* stop trying to divide our communities in Glasgow. We will not be divided. At the first sign of trouble we rush out to embrace one another. These abusers have much to repent of, even if *just* standing by while others throw stones.

  13. I HATE it when the wrong tune is picked for a hymn … it is simply an abomination before God.
    However, helping people to think about how we share hospitality, welcome and learn from each other is the WAY of God! Blessings on you Kelvin.

  14. Whit J. says

    Some reasons why this time was different:
    1. The other quaran recitations you mentioned happened at Nine Lessons and Carols, or special ecuminical and interfaith events. While 9L&C was originally a modified Evensong, nowadays it’s usually considered a seasonal community musical recitial with a religious tinge, so having a Muslim from the community recite something from their faith would seem natural enough. Civic and interfaith services will likewise naturally include representatives of every faith in the community. By contrast the Eucharist is the central act of Christian worship and people expect to hear ONLY Christian doctrine proclaimed in the Holy Eucharist. In other words, this was the wrong venue for showing hospitality to Muslim neighbors. You did not intend to practice syncretism, but I think the outcome was syncretic despite your good intentions.
    2. Post Brexit (and post Trump) British Muslims are now seen as alien invaders rather than fellow members of the community.
    3. Because hostility to Muslims is now fashionable, the Express and rest of the gutter press decided that this was a story worth reporting. Since conservative Americans often read the online editions of the British gutter press, the story then went global.
    4. Because you are gay and out, your every action is scrutinized for any possible hint of heresy by GAFCON and Co.

    Of all these reasons, only reason #1 is a legitimate criticism, but I hope you do think about criticism #1 as well as defending yourself from other, illegitimate criticisms.

    • Thank you for your comment Whit J – all the more because it is a thoughtful criticism.

      I’ve plenty to reflect on about the how and the when we do things like that and I do hear loudly and clearly that many people think this was an inappropriate context. Though of course, I’d be bound to say that some are saying that the Eucharist is precisely the place indeed there are some saying that is what it is for.

      I’m not going to get into a back and forth with all the comments on this post and I’m deliberately not letting through things that have already been said but be assured that I’ve heard the criticism and will reflect on it not simply now but over coming months. (I’ve learned a lot about where God is this week that will take a long time to process). I’m grateful for the way you’ve made your point.

    • Rosemary Hannah says

      I think there is a good deal in what Whit J says, although I am not sure the effect actually was syncretic. I think one does perhaps have to be a regular worshipper at St Mary’s to understand how totally orthodox the worship there is, and how much Jesus is the focus of worship – how utterly unlikely it is that anyone there would make the mistake of thinking he was not revered by the congregation as a whole as very God from very God. It would be impossible for them not to realise that all the clergy there rejoice in this belief. The congregation saw the words of the Qu’ran in an English translation which portrayed that book’s far-from-easy-to-follow account of Islam’s view of the conception of Jesus, in which there was nothing offensive, and heard a very beautiful voice singing in a strange and glorious language. These were clearly indicated to be the beliefs of another faith. We certainly neither saw or heard or understood any insult to the person of Christ. I am sure none was intended, either. Whereas, and this bears repeating, I am totally sure that many of those commenting (not of course by any means all of them, and nobody whose comments are published here) simply wish harm to relationships between the great faiths in Glasgow.

  15. Fr Richard Peers says

    I have spent my whole adult life in dialogue with people of other religious traditions, it has been deeply rewarding. However I feel that what happened at this service was profoundly wrong. When we are truly ourselves we allow other people to be profoundly themselves. The truth of Christianity is not compatible with any other religion. To avoid that incompatibility is to avoid reality. Worship of Jesus is the fountain of our faith the Qu’ran is opposed to that. I love Jesus and therefore cannot conceive of reading the Qu’ran in an act of worship – no problem doing so in other contexts but not in worship. I am profoundly disturbed that you cannot see this Kelvin.

    • There are so many things aren’t there, not just around this issue which we hold dear in faith and which we can’t see from another perspective?

      I can hear and see that people are upset by this and clearly there are many people not upset by it too. And obviously, at least I hope obviously, I love Jesus too.

      The trouble with religious questions and the questions that religious people have I think is that so often that our love for our faith can make it impossible to comprehend others who also claim to love the same faith but who take different views about things. We can hear them claim that love but be intellectually unable to process it because it leads them to different conclusions.

      I’ve found the same thing to be true in the sexuality debates very frequently though I perceive that to be changing sometimes now. Similarly with other identity issues and some political issues. Israel/Palestine conversations for example often seem to be conducted (when they are conducted at all) by people who seem to behave like ships passing in the night.

      I happen to have views about Church Schools which are pretty intransigent and negative. You are one of the few people, no the only person, who ever made me really think there might be a point of view about them other than mine which might have an integrity I could respect. And I’m very grateful for that.

      • Fr Richard Peers says

        Kelvin, thank you for your reply. I have enormous respect for you. I have no doubt that church schools can be argued against from perfectly respectable positions. Worship of Jesus is simply a different order, it cannot include a reading from the Qu’ran. Worship is one thing, study, dialogue, relationship something else.

      • I am really grateful to Richard for the phrase “When we are truly ourselves we allow other people to be profoundly themselves” which reflects my experience of interfacing with sincere people of other faiths. Is a Christian Eucharist a place this should happen? I can understand some Christians feeling it is not, but as long as everything was clearly labelled as what it was and the integrity of the liturgy was intact, I can also understand some feeling it is.

  16. Monty K. says

    Brother Kelvin,

    Although I do not agree with allowing the Koran to be read in our Christian churches, I truly appreciated your firm and resolute stand for the deity of Jesus. He is our great God and Savior and I love Him very much. Blessings from Tennessee.

  17. Meg Rosenfeld says

    Just as a perhaps amusing point of reference, the 1982 hymnal of the Episcopal church in the USA has “Brightest and best of the STARS” (caps mine) “of the morning,” apparently so as to avoid offending any daughters who might be present, and the two tunes included are “Morning Star” by James Proctor Harding (1850-1911) and “Star in the East” from The Southern Harmony (1835). The Harding tune was also in the 1940 Hymnal, wherein the word “sons” was still used.

  18. Jane Smith says

    I am not clear as to whether the hospitality at St Mary’s anticipates infinite extension of parallel lines between Islam and the Church in Glasgow. Are you planning some opportunities for Glasgow Muslims to understand the Christian faith and prepare for Baptism and the glorious liberty of regeneration by the Holy Spirit? (In whichever order; no axe about that!) As you move around the Glasgow community and meet more Christians of Islamic background, why not invite such to participate in groups for new Muslim enquirers? The testimony of an ex-Muslim can express vibrantly “How I know He lives” (as your SA brethren would sing). You might find not only new hearts from a divine work of grace among your Muslim neighbours but in other neighbours too. Amen. Inshallah!

    • There are a small number of people in St Mary’s who are converts from Islam to Christianity just as there are a small number of people in local mosques who are converts from Christianity to Islam.

      St Mary’s regularly puts on events and courses for people discovering and exploring Christianity. Most living religions do the same thing.


text:
Let God do a Beautiful Work in You!

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

One day I ran into Dave, a friend I hadn’t seen for a couple of months. When I saw him my jaw dropped. He has lost about 18 lbs. and looked the best I had ever seen him. I told him how good he looked and asked what led up to this transformation. He said, My wife said I was getting chubby and lost my good looks at a time I had been thinking that very thing. I knew that wasn’t right because you’ve taught me through the word that I’m not a slave to sin. So, I went on a fast to get myself under control and it didn’t end until I lost the weight. The Lord strengthened me through every step! I was truly inspired by his story and transformation, and immediately set out to drop some weight myself.

I kept thinking how his attitude and actions must have pleased the Lord. He knew his flesh was out of control. He wanted to do right by God, his wife, and himself. He took hold of the word of God and prayed and fasted, and stuck to his course. That kind of faith and action honors God and brings His power.  Romans 8:2 (NLT) says, “And because you belong to him (Jesus), the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Dave, saw through God’s Word, that the Holy Spirit freed him from the power of sin. He wasn’t going to let it control him. That is a revelation God wants every believer to take hold of. Do you know that truth? Do you know that you aren’t a slave to sin?

God wants transformation to happen within us. He asks it of us all. He does because it will bless our lives and ultimately bless those in our lives. Through these transformations, we become more like Him and less like who we were without Christ.

Colossians 3:7-10 NIV says, “You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV says, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

James 1:21-25 NIV says, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.”

God wants us to remove certain things from our life, but in order to do so, we have to remember that God’s Holy Spirit—the power of God to help us, lives within us! The Holy Spirit helps us by showing us what’s best for us and what’s harmful to our lives according to the Word of God. We may at times feel condemned but I assure you God is not condemning you. God wants you to run to Him; not from Him. Jesus already died for your sins. There may be a feeling of conviction. That’s the feeling we get when we recognize God wants to help us make changes. That’s a good thing. It means we are spiritually alive. The Holy Spirit lives within us to help bring His grace and strength in those times of overcoming and transformation. As we pray and ask God, He helps our inward desires change—even to the point of feeling disgust for things contrary to His ways. As desires change, change comes!

God’s Word will always lead us to His best. God wants us to purify our minds and thoughts and cast off things that defile our mind and body. Only faith in the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, and prayer to help us change will strengthen us to make those godly changes we so desire. Our relationship with God and His uninterrupted blessing are too precious to trade for vile and short-term fleshly pleasures.

As Colossians 3:10 says,”… put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” God helps us become transformed into the best of ourselves—after His image. So let Him do it in you. You are not a slave to anything. You are filled with the overcoming power of the Holy Spirit.  Put on that new self and experience the amazing transformation God does in your spirit, mind and emotions, and in your body! He is the makeover King!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (TLB) “When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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Copyright© 2021 All rights reserved


text:
Matej Krajcovic—Getty Images
March 17, 2016 12:00 PM EDT
Katrina Diaz is a freelance writer and editor.

There were a few things I expected when I fell in love with an Irishman. The questions, for one: “Can you understand him with that accent?” from my friends; “You’re not moving to Europe, are you?” from my parents; and later, after Jack proposed, “Is he going to wear a kilt to the wedding?” from my grandmother. Yet I never predicted that dating an Irishman would change the way I thought about St. Patrick’s Day.

Raised in Florida and descended from a Cuban-American family, I was aware of the Irish holiday, if only for it’s association with minor pain. God forbid I forget to wear green and randomly get pinched all day long. But once I went to college in Chicago, a city that dyes its river green for the holiday, it became an event. Everything had to be green—the decorations, the food, the beer, and, of course, me. Like children playing dress up, my friends and I would throw every piece of green clothing we owned into a St. Paddy’s Day ensemble. (A quick and worthy note: it’s Paddy’s not Patty’s. If I’ve learned anything at all, it’s that there is no quicker way to infuriate the Irish than to incorrectly spell their favorite holiday.)

Until I met Jack, my experience with St. Patrick’s Day was that it was one big, fun, clover-colored party. This year Americans will spend an estimated $4.4 billion celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, an average of $35.40 per person, according to WalletHub. A whopping 13 million pints of Guinness, the Irish stout, will be consumed—most of which will occur before, during, or after the parades that take over city streets. So when I went to Dublin for the holiday in 2012, I thought I was prepared for what I was certain would be utter mayhem.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

That morning I was in a panic. It was still too cold for t-shirts, and I hadn’t brought a green sweater. “Relax,” Jack told me. “You don’t need all that here.” Of course, I didn’t believe him. Paddy’s was their holiday after all. When 11 a.m. rolled around, I threw an emerald headband on my head, and we headed to the pub. And he was right: almost no one was dressed in green. Well, sure, some of them wore a spot of it, here or there. One girl had a little four-leaf clover drawn on her cheek. But to my shock, it wasn’t the overkill I’d loved and expected.

My Irish experience of Paddy’s Day was also not centered on a parade at all, which I suppose is not that surprising. Technically, it was Boston who founded the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1737, followed by New York in 1766. Dublin didn’t join the club until 1931 and didn’t open up its bars on the holiday, originally a religious day to honor the Patron Saint of Ireland, until 1970.

Throughout the day and into the night of what turned out to be a very, very long bar crawl, I noticed more and more that it was the visitors who were decked out in colors, wearing painted faces, crazy wigs or tutus (“Tourists!” my new Irish friends would laugh). If I did happen to spot an Irishman in “leprechaun” gear, it wasn’t “patriotic” like wearing red, white, and blue is for Americans on the Fourth of July, but a simple joke.

The Irish excel at laughing at how badly the world tends to stereotype them. I found that they could care less about the superficial aspects of celebrating their holiday; for the Irish, St. Paddy’s isn’t about green clothing, or orange glitter, or Heaven help them, wearing the flag (“How American,” they would tease). The tradition isn’t about dressing up or drinking green beer at all. Instead, it’s about “the craic”—coming together to celebrate their families, their friendships and their cultural heritage.

After that realization, I admit I was a little worried about the first time Jack celebrated a Paddy’s Day stateside. I was concerned things might get a little dicey if an American of Irish descent four or five generations back started shouting drunkenly “Hey man, I’m Irish, too! This is our day!” But to my delight, Jack later told me “Everyone can be Irish on Paddy’s Day,” which is an apt sentiment considering that St. Patrick wasn’t originally Irish.

Beyond Jack’s grumbles about how he has to work on the holiday and how it is practically impossible to find a bar to watch the Six Nations rugby game, he seems to enjoy our American tint on the Irish holiday. Admittedly, this is in large part because of how much he loves poking fun at how over-the-top everything is here. This year, he’s determined to “go to the most stereotypical Irish bar I can find” near Times Square, in hopes that that’s where the other Irish-born will go. Apparently, the only thing better than observing about how extreme we Americans can be about the Irish holiday, is doing so with other Irish, pint in hand.

Yet just last year, Jack dyed his beard green, and now this year there’s talk of trying green beer. As much as he claims it’s only to be ironic, I wonder if maybe, just maybe, we’re rubbing off on him.

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text:
Libraries as Community Centers

Libraries are… When you hear the word library, what images come to mind?

  • Books. Movies. Music. Magazines.
  • Computers.
  • Children storytime.
  • A Learning Center.
  • Fun family programs, like Comicopolis @ the White Oak Library.
  • A cool place to read a newspaper in the summer.
  • A warm place to attend a craft class in the winter.
  • In the beginning of each year, a place for tax forms and assistance.
  • Resources.

What would you think if you saw…

  • librarians talking to people about local resources?
  • a teenager hanging out at the library all day?
  • a family come in out of the cold to warm up at the library?
  • someone sleeping in the library?
  • children eating lunch provided by a local food pantry?
  • librarians delivering to people’s homes who can not make it in to the library?

People come to the library for many reasons. Some drop in to read or use a computer. Others are coming for a program – to learn or for some fun. Some of the people are healthy, others are seeking information about their illness. Some have Alzheimer’s and others have mental health concerns. Some of the people are literate, others are getting by with limited vocabulary. xSome of the people are poor, lonely, or homeless. What if the library was a community center for everyone? A place for knowledge and resources? A place where everyone feels welcome and safe? Librarians – as leaders, educators, mentors, and valuable resources of knowledge – are looking at how we can become something for everyone. We are striving to meet the needs of our community.

I have always thought that a library as a community center meant making the building as inviting as possible to as many different people as possible. While in school, my vision of what a library could be broadened. Reading about libraries partnering with community services and hiring social workers (instead of security companies), my image of a library has expanded.

To me, this is not a new, hot trend. Expanding outreach services and including a social worker is the answer. If the library is here for everyone to provide resources and fill the needs of our community, we need to work with knowledgeable and skilled people who can help. The first time I heard about a library embracing local resources from the community and providing them in the library was at the San Francisco Public Library. I read a few stories and thought I want to work here. Leah Esguerra, LMFT, of the San Francisco Public Library, was quoted “The library’s goal is to connect its homeless and indigent patrons to available community resources, where their basic needs for food, shelter, hygiene, and medical attention can be addressed.”

The Oak Park Library in Illinois has developed a program too. I met Robert Simmons in June 2016 during a library meeting. I was beyond excited to talk to him about how the library is developing their outreach program as a model of community engagement. He has developed a plan with Library Director David Seleb, the Outreach Services team, and the library staff. Robert talked about the benefits of a high level of engagement with staff and patrons. He’s leading with results with on-going staff training and updated resources, stronger community connections, more support from local law enforcement, expanded outreach services, and more people using the library.

Having a strong outreach services team with a social worker in the library is beneficial to everyone. Patrons – especially those who are homeless, have mental health problems, or dealing with substance abuse – will have guidance to local services. The library benefits from stronger relationships with local organizations and businesses. The community benefits from having a supportive library providing services to everyone within their community.

I know librarians who are against the concept of hiring social workers in libraries. One concern I have heard is that we do not have enough funding to do ‘what we are supposed to be doing’ already. My question to them is what do you think libraries are ‘supposed to’ be doing? Librarians attend meetings and conferences to develop a knowledge base for helping patrons with special needs, mental health problems, and coping with homelessness. But even an annual training session isn’t enough to give librarians the tools we need to serve our patrons. Librarians directly benefit from having a social worker in the library. What if you could have on-going training and support, have people and a plan in place, and be able to assist your residents? How can we not afford to hire an outreach team equipped with a social worker to network and partner with community leaders, organizations, and businesses that will benefit the patrons and librarians?

The amazing thing about providing these basic resources and filling these basic needs is that the library becomes a true community center. All people feel more comfortable, safer, and want to be there. People start using the library for what most people think it is there for – recall your original images of books, computers, programs, etc.20141025_135729.jpg

I invite you to read the articles and statistics in the links below. I’m inspired by the stories and cannot wait to hear the IFLA report at the upcoming IFLA Congress in Ohio on how libraries are helping homeless people and transforming the library world .

~I’m here to help

Further reading & resources:

ALA. 2016. Extending Our Reach: Reducing Homelessness Through Library Engagement. Retrieved from:

ALA. 2016. Serving At-Risk Patrons: Lessons from Library Social Workers. Programming Librarian. Retrieved from:

Blank, Barbara Trainin. 2016. Public Libraries Add Social Workers and Social Programs. Social Worker. Retrieved from:

Bunic, Sanja. 2016. On the front line: Libraries contribute to a sustainable future supporting people experiencing homelessness. IFLA. Retrieved from:

Goldberg, Eleanor. 2016. Library Offers Homeless People Mental Health Services, And It’s Working. Huffington Post. Retrieved from:

Irvall, Birgitta and Niesen, Gyda Skat. 20015. Access to libraries for persons with disabilities – Checklist. IFLA. Retrieved from:

Inklebarger, Timothy. 2016. Library beefs up social work approach: New model emphasizes community outreach. Oak Park. Retrieved from:

Journalist’s Resources. 2014. Homelessness in the United States: Trends and demographics. Retrieved from:

Quinton, Sophie. 2016. Enlisting Public Libraries to Help Fight Homelessness. Pew Trusts. Retrieved from:

SAMHSA. 2016. Homelessness: Programs and Resources. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from:

Schering, Steve. 2016. Library hires employee to work with homeless, at-risk people. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from:

Williams, Tina. 2016. Mental Health Library Patrons. Tina Here To Help. Retrieved from:

Zettervall, Sara. 2013. Deposit Collections in Homeless Shelters. Public Libraries Online. Retrieved from: