News

Jims of Wyzdom for June 28, 2019

Postcards from Chautauqua:

  • Absolutely, positively perfect weather up here with 70-79 degrees and cool evenings. It’s why we love Week One. Every day is full of something. The morning lectures are for the theme of “Moments that Changed the World.” So far, we have heard a famous National Geographic (female) photographer with a to-die-for slide show; a writer for the NYT Magazine about the legacy of slavery starting in 1619 when the first people were stolen from Africa and brought to these shores; and Dan Egan, a journalist who wrote The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.
  • A first here, they invited a rabbi from Los Angeles to be the main chaplain of the week, giving the sermons on Sunday and every day at 9:15. She has been wonderful to listen to.
  • The afternoon, interfaith lecture theme is “Religious Moments that Changed the World.” We have been unable to attend, though all of the lectures are filmed and will be on YouTube soon. I chose this theme to explore in creating my Lesson-Sermon for Wednesday evening. Whatever you may think of Christian Science, [like it’s sister American-created faith of Mormonism], it certainly did have a part in changing the discussion about the meaning and practice of healing by spiritual means. Oh, I just realized that I had not revealed that Bonnie and I are here as the chaplains of the week for the Christian Science House & Chapel.
  • We saw a terrific film on Monday night: “On the Basis of Sex,” the story of Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s early career fighting for the equality of women, and really, all people. Beautifully cast and produced…will it come to Morgantown? Your guess is as good as mine.
  • One thing we really love about CHQ is that once you have parked the car, you don’t really need to use it again until you pack up and go home! There are a couple of good restaurants near-by, but fine eating has never been an attraction for Bonnie and me.
  • After the Wed. morning lecture (on the Great Lakes), there was the weekly mini-organ recital on the 94 rank Massey Organ in the Amp. Jared Jacobsen, the organist since 1996, gave us bits of history about the organ and shared some scary stories. Three years ago, when they tore down the old Amp, only the 4-story organ building was left standing, and then they built the new Amp around and over it. The new Amp, according to Jared, has even better acoustics for the organ than the old one. The scary story involved 1) a leak right over the console in January, and then, two days before end of last season, an electrical fire started in the console, frightening the many Sunday worshippers! And…it was all repaired in time for the opening last Sunday!
  • Wed. evening in the Amp: “Stars of American Ballet.” Very nice program of ballet to modern, Balanchine, Robbins to young choreographers.
  • Our big deal will be Friday evening when we see “The Christians” by Lucas Hnath at Bratton Theater. He is the author of “A Doll’s House, Part Two.” A young force to be reckoned with in ye olde theatre.
  • The Thursday morning lecture was given by Hugh Hewitt, a conservative commentator, host of a daily radio show and…the kind of conservative I can have high respect for. His talk was extremely fair and very interesting about how running for office may have been permanently changed in 2015 in the republican debates. In the evening, we had the first symphony concert with a favorite pianist + Shostakovich’s 6th symphony.
  • So, what the heck is all this bloviating about Chautauqua? Why should you give a rat’s a--…you know? It’s the ideal community in microcosm. We should all be so lucky to live in places like this. Sadly, it is out of sight for many. Years ago,…many years ago…it was a Methodist Sunday School camp that cost next to nothing, but growth over 145 years has brought it to what we see today. For culture vultures like me, I can’t think of a place I would rather spend as much time as I can. The only way we afford it is by serving as chaplains for church, getting an apartment, parking tag, and gate-pass for $0. I hope we’ll keep being invited as long as we are physically able.

We’ll return home on Sunday evening. Since this is being written between Wednesday and Thursday, I can’t share any more “postcards” for now. Meanwhile, Bonnie and I hope your summer is going well. Summer term is right around the corner, so I hope you have registered for all those classes you can’t miss! Keep in mind, we have more classes that end up with wait lists, so register NOW if you haven’t done it already.

All the best,

Jim & Bonnie