A Religious Survival Kit.... What Would You Take?

Yesterday, the John 13:34 Blog reached a small milestone - the 25,000th pageview! This is really terrific since I began this project less than a year ago on Advent I and the surprises and joys that have occurred along the way will be treasured in my heart for a lifetime. My thanks to each and every one of my readers who inspire, challenge and encourage me. You all are the very best. In honor of the momenteous threshold, I thought today we would simply have some fun!

Recently on Facebook, my good friend, the Reverend Bill Doubleday, posted a delightful game that stimulated my imagination and thought process. Inspired by a public radio program entitled "Celebrity Survival Kit" where a famous person was asked: If sent away to a deserted island for a year, what would you take along in the one trunk that you were allowed. For example: If you could have one newly released novel, whose would it be? If you could bring one inspirational book, what would it be? If you could take one recording of classical music and one of popular, what would they be?  

Bill wished that he could do a religious version of the program, called “Episcopalian Survival Kit” or “Christian Survival Kit”. So if you were going to be by yourself on a deserted island for a year what would you take in your large single trunk? My answers follow Bill's list. Have some fun and share your answers with others. Here we go....

"RELIGIOUS SURVIVAL KIT"

One worship aid:

One Whole Testament of the Bible:

or

One Book of the Old Testament and One Book of the New Testament:

The Recording of One Hymn:

The Recording of One Longer Piece of Sacred Music:

The Collected Works of One Theologian:

Or

One Theology Book:

One Vestment:

One Liturgical Aid:

One Fiction Book:

One Mystery Book:

One Non-Fiction Book:

One Poetry Book:

One Cookbook:

One CD of Classical Music:

One CD of Popular Music:

One CD of an Opera:

One DVD or Set of DVDs:

One Cable Channel for Ongoing Information:

One Electronic Device:

Suppose You are also allowed to add three guests:

One Bishop Living or Dead:

One Clergyperson Living or Dead:

One Lay Person Living or Dead:

Less One Member of Your Current Parish Who Would Be Definitively Banned from Your Island No Matter What Shipwrecks Washed Up:

For an Extra Fee You May Take One Spouse, Parent, or Child:


"RELIGIOUS SURVIVAL KIT" (Brian's Answers)

One worship aid: Prayer Book from the Iona Community

One Book of the Old Testament and One Book of the New Testament: Genesis and the Gospel of John (Is anybody surprised by that answer!)

The Recording of One Hymn: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

The Recording of One Longer Piece of Sacred Music: Franz Joseph Haydn's "The Creation"

One Theology Book: Community and Growth by Jean Vanier

One Vestment: My favorite Red Stole

One Liturgical Aid: Collected Sermons by John Andrews

One Fiction Book: The latest John Grisham novel

One Mystery Book: The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

One Non-Fiction Book: Men at Work by George Will (Baseball)

One Poetry Book: The Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot

One Cookbook: Anything by Giada!

One CD of Classical Music: Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1

One CD of Popular Music: The Beatles Anthology

One CD of an Opera: Gaetano Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore (The Elixir of Love)

One DVD or Set of DVDs: AMC’s Mad Men Seasons 1, 2, and 3

One Cable Channel for Ongoing Information: PBS – News, Music and Big Bird! (OK, couldn't resist....)

One Electronic Device: Something to play the CD’s and DVD’s (plenty of batteries)

Suppose You are also allowed to add three guests:

One Bishop Living or Dead: The Rt. Rev. Robert B. Appleyard

One Clergyperson Living or Dead: Bill Weinhauer

One Lay Person Living or Dead: Faison Kuester

Less One Member of Your Current Parish Who Would Be Definitively Banned from Your Island No Matter What Shipwrecks Washed Up: I have a list(!) but I am not going to share it here…..

For an Extra Fee You May Take One Spouse, Parent, or Child: You gotta be kidding!!!

Love One Another - Brian