Newsletter Excerpts
Discussion Board
What is it like for your children?
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It's a Bird,
It's a Plane,
It's Super-PK!:
When we were kids, my dad was Rector at a small church in a very small town. We lived right next door to the church and on the other side of the Rectory was a much larger house that accommodated the church offices, Sunday school rooms and the "New Life Shop" - a resale shop run by the church. It was very convenient because we got to see my dad a lot. It was also a fun place to play while my dad was working. My sister and I and all our friends used to go over to the resale shop after school and play dress-up when the shop wasn't open.
One day, we were dressing up as superheroes and my sister found a long black negligee to use as a cape. We played for a while and when we went home, my sister told my mom about our escapades and asked if she could buy the "superhero" outfit. Now, the New Life Shop was not very expensive - I remember most things cost about 25 cents. I am sure my sister's outfit cost no more than a dollar or two. Since my mom liked that we used our imagination when we played over there, she told my sister that she could use her allowance to buy her superhero outfit. So, on Friday, when the shop was open, my sister took her allowance and headed over to buy her "cape", hat, sunglasses and whatever else she needed.  Unfortunately for her, Mrs. Jerrie Proper Church-Lady was working that day. Mrs. Proper Church-Lady was one of those church ladies who meddle in everything...She had always been suspicious of my mother; sure she was corrupting my dad. So, when my sister tried to buy her "cape" (the black lacy negligee), Mrs. Proper Church-Lady told her she couldn't have it. She said, "I know you're just buying this for your mother. I won't let you do it." My sister came home crying and told my mom. I think my mom went over there and "bought" it after hours because we have pictures of my sister in her superhero costume (see above), complete with long black (silky) cape. I don't remember what her superhero name was, but Mrs. Jerrie Proper Church-Lady might have recommended "The Negligee Nightmare". - 37 yr old PK of Episcopal Priest |
Newsletter Excerpts Community of Spice is a newsletter that is published in support of clergy spouses and partners. We are concerned with all aspects of life in that role. What is it like for your children?
We asked you to tell us about the experiences of your children, growing up in the church. How were expectations different than for other children? How do you feel about their treatment? Below are some of the responses:
Clergy Wife: Married 40 years; spouse ordained 38 years "As our children became adults and started their own lives, we found that at least one set of in-laws who were not church people were pretty overawed at the idea that their daughter was going to marry the son of a priest. It's taken us most of the 15 or so years they've been married to convince them that we are real people. Our son, however, has had a really good relationship with his parents-in-law. We have often credited that to the fact that our children were exposed to a lot of different types of people in parishes where we were."
Clergy Wife: Married 40-49 years; spouse ordained 40-49 years "[One] Friday night, ...we had a buffet supper for the wardens and staff...One of the wardens cornered the kids...and asked them how it felt to be 'an automatic spiritual leader' of their new parish! The kids - seldom at a loss for words - were completely taken aback...The incident became a family joke; to this day, she and her sister refer to each other in the third person as Automatic Spiritual Leader Rosie and Automatic Spiritual Leader Clare - 'Is Automatic Spiritual Leader Rosie planning to be at home for dinner tonight?' - followed by gales of laughter." -- Anglican Church of Canada Clergy Wife: Married 26 yrs; spouse ordained 7 yrs
"High school classmates started cleaning up their jokes when in their presence! To their annoyance!!" Clergy Wife: Married 63 years; spouse ordained 40 years "Our boys are very sociable and make friends easily. Parishioners have enjoyed watching them grow and are awed by how they relate to all ages. They are not treated any differently than their peers and enjoy sharing their faith with others when the time is right." Clergy Wife: Married 25 years; spouse ordained 20 years All sensitive correspondence received
by Community of Spice is held in the strictest confidence. |  On the Lighter Side: Look at page 370 of The Book of Common Prayer: From the primal elements you brought forth the human race and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill.
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Karen D. Powers
Publisher and Senior Editor 