Gung-Hay-Fat-Choy

Gung-Hay-Fat-Choy. That means "happy new year" in Chinese. The Chinese New Year started last night, and continues for a week.

This is also Ash Wednesday, a much more familiar holiday, at least for all my Catholic and Episcopalian friends and family.

Since we had dinner plans, I went to church at noon for the 12:10 service. The closest church to the office is St. John's Episcopal in Lafayette Square, right across the street to the north from the White House. It's a quaint old church in the crackerbox style and with very uncomfortable pews that are high, close together, and have a partition down the center. The church was packed, and apparently the balconies were too, as long as it took for the ashing and communion. Usually noon services are quick, but this one was in full form with choir and sermon, and we weren't out until 1:30. Fr. Luis Leon, the rector, preached, and was pretty good.

Those who watched all the Inauguration Day ceremonies may recall that this is the church where President Bush had his inauguration morning church service, and since he was baptized Episcopalian and has been receiving communion at this parish more than three times a year, the parish considers him to be canonically resident, and, hence, a "member."