April 25, 2013

Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist

From the Rector

The Urgency of Hospitality

In 2009 I received a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. of Indianapolis (a legacy of the Episcopalian Eli Lilly pharmaceutical family fortune) to take my first-ever sabbatical leave. I had written a grant proposal based on a visit to New Orleans in the early years after Hurricane Katrina. In the days and weeks after the storm, The Times-Picayune newspaper served as a voice for the city and its urgent need for recovery. A recipe exchange was launched by the paper that invited readers to "rebuild New Orleans, Recipe by Recipe." With so many cherished recipes lost in the flood waters, the exchange served as a vehicle for sharing and healing. A local food writer wrote at the time that "in New Orleans, food is culture. Food is family. Food is comfort. Food is life." Already in my time here at Christ Church I sense that many would agree that food has a powerful way to gather and sustain us in times of celebration and loss.

During my sabbatical I traveled across the country with my family by train. What a thrill! We ran through our shared Bucket List and visited great American cities and treasured national parks. And we experienced really good food: Kansas City barbeque, high-end organic in Berkeley, California and giant steaks in the Big Sky Country of Montana. I returned to the French Quarter of New Orleans on my own for some oysters and po'boys -- and of course a side serving of jazz.

What I gathered together along with my wife Leslie are some of our favorite recipes that we (Leslie really) like to cook for family and friends. It is our hope that this little book encourages us all to think about our favorite recipes and food stories.  Write them down. Share them.  Feel free to pick up a copy of the booklet (purple cover) in the Narthex or in the Parish Hall.

Blessings,

The Rev. Mark B. Pendleton

Rector