Before we get serious again....'tis the season. (No, no, I don't need anything this year.)

The Anglican Communion is in a frightful mess. I continue to be concerned because there are wonderful people doing wonderful work in the Lord by way of this odd fellowship. To mention two: Rex Reyes, of the Episcopal Church of the Philippines, now General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines and Dr. Christopher McConnachie, Episcopal Missionary in South Africa who at 70 just died. When people ask why bother about this Anglican Communion thing I keep thinking that disheveled as it is it is still an instrument of justice and health and peace for many.

However, in Advent while we are thinking on more important things, say for instance, the Incarnation known not in the little bambini but in the Son of Man, our thoughts still turn to the perfect gift for our many friends that deserve something really special. Here are some fine opportunities to kill people with kindness.

Over at Archie McPhee's there are wonderful things for wonderful people. (The Mad Priest reminded me...). For instance there is the Pope Innocent III action figure. Meditation on this rather overripe Pope offers the opportunity to delight in the papal privileges Innocent III hoped to exercise. For example he thought the Magna Carta a rather untoward and attempted to nullify it. Lovers of democracy will see in the Pope a real charmer. England never forgot.

Then there is the charming and oh so Advent oriented Lord's Prayer Singing Alarm Clock. Who can resist an Alarm being raised accompanied by the Lord's Prayer, what with its call that God's reign come. Even John the Baptist would love this.

Then there are the charming items at Kitschmas the emporium over at Ship of Fools. What could be finer than Christ on a Bike? Thanks to Episcopal Cafe for the heads up on this one. The biker in all of us can relate. Think of the sermons that could grow from meditation on this fine example of idolatry gone mad.



Not to be outdone, among the otherwise uncool nick knacks over at Stand Firm we find this wonderful item: a mug that says it all, and is biblical to boot - right out of the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Luke should turn over in his grave. Rise, Kill, Eat...wow, wouldn't that be just too good. Of course the vision was not remembered in its fullness. The true but unrecorded command was "rise, give thanks, kill and eat" thereby conforming to Dom Gregory Dix' four part formulation of the Eucharistic feast. But maybe it stuck in the craw that not only can the law be stretched to include eating the unclean, but that one has to give thanks as well. No matter, SF are the people with the mug, and I am sure they give thanks as do we all for all the fullness of God dwelling among us.



Well, being full of Grace and Truth is the Lord's reality and our hope. Perhaps laughter is a sign of both. In which case the Mad Priest, Episcopal Cafe, Archie McPhee, the Ship of Fools and Stand Firm and all of us have a chance to get in before they close the gates.