Report

Yesterday's meeting was somewhat subdued. There was no immediate crisis to discuss. All members drove their Rangers and it was a beautiful sight to see them lined up, front and center of the parking lot.

We did discuss the possibility of beginning an auxiliary to our club; the FRA ~ Future Rangers of America. There are a number of teenage young men in our parish who are approaching driving age and we would like to get them thinking our way before its too late and they are driving some rice burning Japanese truck. We have one prospect we began talking to yesterday about the advantages and privileges of Ranger ownership. We are actively trying to influence his Mom in this direction as he will need his own vehicle before too much longer.

Michael proposed that the Rangers line up together for Communion. This was approved. We will do this whenever we do not have other responsibilities at Communion time.

We also discussed some of the blow back from certain individuals in the parish who seem to have some resentment toward our mission within the parish. Those individuals will remain unnamed. We are Orthodox so we know how to stand against persecution.

We discussed how to use Father's absence for the next two weeks and how we might bring pressure to bear on the supply priest to advance our agenda. We are still contemplating our strategy and have not settled on a plan of action as yet.

Meeting adjourned.

A Cautionary Tale

Orthodox Ranger ~ don't let this happen to you.

Report

There was no official meeting today.

Michael did come to church with a one week old goatee. We were relieved as we did not want to discipline him.

There was unofficial discussion of the perceived threat from another group beginning within the parish. There is now an Orthodox Accords group that has quietly begun. Father assures us they are not out to challenge the Ranger's dominance of the parish. We analyzed the areas of our dominance ~ (a) Roy is head of security so we have that covered, (b) Roy is in complete control of the self-appointed commitee, so we have that, (c) we have two members on the greeters board and while we don't have control ,we are able to exert a strong influence on the greeters board, (d) Roy is a tonsured Reader, so we have an ordained minister in the Rangers, (e) Gary is on the parish council and Roy is married to another council member and may or may not have the ability to influence her support of the Ranger's agenda for the parish.

For now it appears we will be able to continue to push our agenda within the parish while keeping a wary eye upon these upstart Accords.

Report

Today was an almost perfect Sunday. The day began with the baptism of the newly illumined infant Michelle. The Divine Liturgy was beautiful as usual and the choir was on top of their form. Following the liturgy, the coffee hour was abundant in food, the fellowship warm and nurturing.

The day was marred only by the appearance of Michael with his face as smooth as a newborn baby's behind. In a direct and blatant violation of the bylaw we voted in just last Sunday, that at minimum a Ranger must have a goatee, Michael shows up with a fresh shave.

After the baptism and before the liturgy we met with Michael outside the building, not wanting to shame him publicly. We sternly confronted him concerning his blatant disregard of our bylaws, our traditions and our sacred observances. He claimed to have made a substantial beginning of a goatee but shaved it off for a job interview last Thursday. He was asked why he didn't just begin again after the job interview and his response was that he didn't think he would have enough growth for Sunday anyway so he shaved before church. He assures us that he will have a goatee for next Sunday.

Personally, I blame the folly of youth. Youth is wasted on the young. Once Michael was regarded as a rising star within the organisation but now there are some doubts as to his future leadership potential. Hopefully, he will recover from this set back and fulfill his potential within the organisation.