Communications

Rector’s Note: David and Mary Alex Dill, and, their daughter, Ella, are members of St. Mark’s. David, seeking ordination to the priesthood, is a postulant of the Diocese of Washington and a first-year seminary student. I have asked the Dills to update us periodically on their life and progress.

News from New Haven

September 28, 2007

Once again, the Dills are off and running into the fall of another year of school. Year three, our final year at Yale Divinity School, has officially begun.

We hope that, by now, all of you have already heard the biggest Dill news of the last year, which is, of course, the birth of our second child! Lena Alexandra Dill was born in May – precisely one hour after the official end of YDS’ spring semester. The girl has definitely got timing! Lena is growing fast and furious and keeping us all very busy. She smiles and giggles and has just discovered her toes. Little Lena looks a whole lot like her older sister, though she lacks the mop of hair that Ella had at this age, for those of you who remember. We hope that you will all keep Lena in your prayers, in particular, on Wednesday, October 24th. That is the night that Paul and Pontheolla will be up here in New Haven, so that Paul can preside and preach at Lena’s baptism. We will also be joined by Alison Feighan, who will be Lena’s godmother.

Speaking of Ella and growing fast…she is now almost four and seems to be really enjoying the new gig as big sister. She is continuing at the same preschool where she started last year, so now she is one of “the big kids.” She still LOVES going to school, and is having fun making some new friends after some of her closest playmates from last year have either moved away or gone on to kindergarten. She loves to read, and is ever the girlie-girl. She seems to want to wear only dresses and can often be found pretending to be a mommy (a post-Lena development, of course).

Between two kids and David’s schedule at school, I am busier than ever at home, but loving it all the same. I have had to cut down on some of my singing commitments, but I still remain very involved in the YDS community. Believe it or not, I am also beginning to look ahead to new school and/or career opportunities once we finish here at Yale. Stay tuned…I’ll keep you posted.

David is doing his normal full load of classes. He is excited this year to have a few more options since most of his required courses are out of the way. That said, I believe he is most excited about his role as a Marquand Chapel Minister. Marquand is YDS’ community chapel. Each year, four chapel ministers are chosen to work with Marquand’s Dean and Music Director to plan the daily ecumenical worship service for the entire YDS community. Because all of the services are ecumenical, they have great freedom to be innovative and creative in planning these services. They often make for incredibly moving spiritual experiences.

Yesterday morning, Lena and I attended the first service at Marquand that was fully planned by the chapel ministers. A Service of Family Connection, it offered everyone in the congregation the opportunity to give thanks for the people who have “begat” them. The chapel ministers asked us all to contemplate our own families of support, of people in our lives who have believed in us, supported us, shaped us and helped us to become the people we are today. I couldn’t help but think of the people of St. Mark’s. St. Mark’s as a whole, and many of its members individually, have certainly contributed to the begetting of this family. You don’t know how thankful we are for you!

Love from all 5 of us (I can’t leave out Eli the dog),

Mary Alex

September 23, 2006

News from New Haven –

The fall of the Dills’ second year in New Haven is off and running.

Ella is almost three and has started pre-school. We were sure that the first day would be hard for us all. It was only hard for Mary Alex and me. Ella barely said goodbye before she ran in and started playing like she had been going to school always!

Mary Alex is taking another graduate literature class at Southern Connecticut State University and is singing with an a capella women’s group at the Divinity School called “The Sacramental Winers” as well as the YDS Gospel Choir. And of course, we are all (Eli the dog included) running around after Ella.

I have started an internship year at Christ Church in New Haven. It is a great place to be to learn the ins and outs of the high church liturgical tradition. It is a wonderful mix of traditional Anglican liturgical practice and inclusive, progressive Christianity. We feel very lucky to be there for the year.

I am also taking a preaching class this semester. One of our first assignments was to write a short “homiletical exercise” about our, “understanding of preaching as the week-long work of the congregation.” That sounded like familiar territory. I wrote about my home church of course, St. Mark’s. I thought I would share my assignment with you here:

I will tell you what I have learned myself. For me, a long five or six mile walk helps. And one must go alone and every day. -- Brenda Ueland

Creating means working with bits and pieces
until there is something new.
The work of the people is a journey.
Lots of five or six mile walks.
And one must go every day.
Flashes happen only when they do; no one knows.
But the walking has to happen every day.
The church is a people - walking and learning.
It channels ancestors – Sarah, Rachel, Moses.
Exiles that walked with each other –
And one must go every day.
I have no right to speak - unless I have been walking too.
I was lucky enough to preach a “first sermon” in a church with an open mike.
The preacher preaches, and God’s people preach right back.
It’s a real-time feedback session with a straight-shooting band of skeptics.
I got a quick physics lesson.
Things got stirred that had nothing to do with me.
God’s electric currents run through the wires of God’s electric people
without permission from any pulpit.
Preaching: The life-time work of the whole church.
And one must go every day.

All the best as you continue to preach, puzzle and walk with our electric God.

David

November 26, 2005

We suppose you could say that the Dills are officially settled in cold, cold Connecticut. We cannot believe we've been here for over 4 months and David is about to finish his first semester at Yale Divinity School and Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal seminary within YDS. Time flies when you're having fun...and being completely overwhelmed, even if it is in a good way.

Ella Lauren just turned two in November. (We know she's the one you're most interested in, so we'll start with her.) She is growing like a weed and talking a mile a minute, though we don't always know what she's saying. She takes a dance class and is making some friends in a new playgroup. To quote Julie Murphy, we can't believe "her-self."

Mary Alex is still staying at home with Ella, but has added some new activities to her schedule, aside from attending the community activities at YDS. She has just joined a new "moms group" and is meeting some new ladies outside of YDS, which is fun for her. She'll be starting a graduate level English course at Southern Connecticut State University in the spring and is in the process of negotiating a job to write some grant proposals for a local Episcopal church and its arts program.

David is busier than we would have thought possible with classes, chapel services, paper writing and studying. His first semester has focused on the foundations of the church with classes in early church history and theology, liturgics and Old Testament interpretation. Despite the workload, he loves his studies and looks forward to a new round of classes in the spring.

We sing in the Gospel Choir at YDS' Marquand Chapel. David and Mary Alex go to rehearsals and Ella shows up for the bi-weekly performances, where she dances in front of the singers. But she seems to be a hit, so the choir considers her a member.

On Thanksgiving Day, we hosted a potluck dinner for eight guests that we've known for only a couple of months at most. We're truly enjoying getting to know people from all over the country - and the world - and people from other Christian traditions. YDS is a great melting pot of Christian thought, and we hope that exposure will benefit David's ministry.

Mostly, we want you all to know how much your support - financial, psychological, and spiritual - has meant, and continues to mean. We miss our St. Mark's community enormously. But still, we feel your presence constantly through emails, gifts, phone calls, visits, and prayers. These things are appreciated by all of us more than you will ever know.

Oh, and by the way, our Labrador retriever Eli and his very fluffy coat love this New England weather!