Allhallowtide 2021 | The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh

Blogging during October (whether on Blogger or Facebook) has become a tradition for me.  I began one year by posting 13 Halloween related posts. In 2018, I posted 26, one for each letter of the alphabet. In 2019, I presented "31 Nights of Halloween." In 2020, the topic was comic book horror hosts.  And in 2021... 

I wrote nothing... 

The plan in September was to introduce 13 original villains that will face off against the "Justice Allies" (see the TP Comics blog), but that did not happen.  

I can't however, let Allhallowtide end without at least one post in the spirit of the season.  So I would like to introduce you today to the "Scarecrow of Romney Marsh," also known as the Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn.  Created by author Russell Thorndike, Syn was the protagonist in seven novels, published from 1915 to 1944.  Like a number of other series, the chronology of the storyline does not match with the order of publication.  The first book published is the last book chronologically.  

• Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh (1915)
• Doctor Syn on the High Seas (1935)
• Doctor Syn Returns (1935)
• Further Adventures of Doctor Syn (1936)
• Courageous Exploits of Doctor Syn (1938)
• Amazing Quest of Doctor Syn (1939)
• Shadow of Doctor Syn (1944)

The story of the Scarecrow and his "altar ego" Dr. Syn has been adapted for stage and screen.  An episodic adaptation was presented by Walt Disney on television in the 1960s.  

“Books of adventure, suspense, and mystery always have a special appeal for me when they’re about real people or based on the life of a real person," Walt Disney said as he introduced the series.  “The hero of all the Thorndike stories is one of the strangest characters who ever lived, a real-life Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He lived in England nearly 200 years ago. By day he was a respected member of his community, and by night he was the greatest smuggler in the whole country. But, like Robin Hood, although he was a thorn in the side of law and order, he was a hero to the ordinary folk of his time. Because whatever he made as a smuggler, he gave away to the poor and the needy.”

Disney overstates the "real life" aspect of Dr. Syn's story.  He is a creation of Thorndike's.  However, Jim Fanning of D23 notes the novels were "loosely based on the exploits of actual 18th century smugglers known as the Hawkhurst Gang."

I've been reading the series for awhile now and I am currently in the middle of number 4.  The books have been difficult to track down at the local library and regional library system, however, paperback editions are available on Amazon for about $8 each.  As a clergyman by profession, I find the good Reverend Doctor a fascinating character, as he not only has the dual identity of the Scarecrow, but another as well.  (I won't spoil the series for you).  I also appreciate that the chapters in the book are fairly short.  One can easily be read before bedtime each night, safely snuggled under the covers while Dr. Syn and his companions brave the cold, rainy nights.

Strangely, the Disney adaptation is not currently available on the Disney+ streaming service.  However, "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh" is available on Blu-Ray through the Disney Movie Club.  You can join today by following my referral link at

http://fbuy.me/sWJxe

  

  

Who Knew? | A New Way to See Constellations

Whether you know it or not, Hans Augusto Rey changed the way we look at stars. 

If you were to look in the night sky, you might see these stars in a section of the sky.  These are the stars that form the constellation Gemini.  The largest stars at the top represent Castor and Pollox. 

In A Celestial Atlas by Alexander Jamieson (1822), the constellation Gemini is illustrated in a way that's similar to the picture below.  Urania's Mirror was a set of cards punched with holes to represent the stars.  The cards also used this style of illustration.

   

On the other end of the spectrum, you may sometimes see Gemini in a U-shaped "connect-the-dots" style or depicted in a simple geometric shape like this:

In his book The Stars: A New Way to See Them (1952), Hans Rey proposed alternative representations of many of the constellations by connecting the stars in a different way.  His depiction of Gemini looks like stick figures of twins, with Castor and Pollox serving as the "heads."  

Rey's "graphic approach" has become widely known in the years since it was published.  However, this is not Hans Rey's claim to fame.  He is likely best known for creating (with his wife Margret) this little guy:

Yes, Hans Rey was H.A. Rey, co-creator of the world-famous monkey/ape Curious George. 

Who knew?  

31 Nights of Halloween (1 of 31)

A number of years ago, I posted 13 Halloween related posts. Last year, I posted 26. This year, my goal is 31. So here's the first of "31 Nights of Halloween."

Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of Hallows' Even or Hallows' Evening), is also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve (wikipedia).

The custom of commemorating on a single day all the saints of the church, especially the many unknown martyrs, originated in the fourth century. By the eighth century, the festival commemorating all saints had been moved in England and Ireland to November. In current Christian use, the day is dedicated to thanksgiving for all the unnamed who died in the Lord. In many assemblies, the names of those who have died over the previous twelve months are read aloud, a practice originally associated with All Souls Day on November 2. The conflation of the two emphases fits with the Protestant beliefs that all the Christian dead are saints, none needs release from purgatory, and it is only to God whom we pray (sundaysandseasons.com)

31 Nights of Halloween (31 of 31). Here we are Grandmama, Pugsley, Wednesday, Morticia, and Pubert Addams with their faithful butler Lurch. Pugsley says Gomez, Fester and Thing are at home playing Autopsy. Happy Halloween!

2010 Rememberies

January
Preached Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24 at Lord of Life
John Lear Memorial Service
West Chester Community Martin Luther King Jr.

February
Valentine Dinner at Lord of Life
Anne and Jon to Minnesota
Bible Institute at Trinity Lutheran Seminary
Preached Feb. 14 at Lord of Life
Prepare/Enrich Training

March
Chrism Mass at St. Luke & Meeting with Bishop Stuck
Preached March 7 at Lord of Life
Preached Palm Sunday March 28

April
Seder Meal, Tenebrae Service and Easter Vigil at Lord of Life
Preached April 11 & 18
Trip to Minneapolis with Anne and Jon
Internship Cluster Retreat with Pastor Deb

May
Preached May 9 & 16
Southern Ohio Synod Assembly at Wittenberg
Confirmation Banquet and Rite
Benson Family Reunion

June
Indiana-Kentucky Synod Assembly in Covington, Ky.
Summer Lunch Program in Butler Co.
Preached June 13
Rained Out at Dave Matthews Band Concert
Baobab Blast VBA at Lord of Life
Anne and Jon to MSP
Hero HQ VBS at St. Luke

July
Approval Essays due
Preached Jully 4 & 18 (Big Butter Jesus) & 25
Forms A, B, R due
Vacation in Wilmington & Holden Beach, N.C.

August
Approval Panel & Candidacy Retreat
Ye Olde Tymey Photoes in Nashville, Ind.
Bless the Beasts at Lord of Life
Last Sunday at Lord of Life
Mom and Dad's 40th Anniversary
Back to School

September
Sweet Corn Festival
Trip to Cleveland to visit Bethany Lutheran Church
Debriefed Internship Once, Twice, Thrice
"The Draft"
Trinity Days

October
Augsburg Fortress Warehouse Sale
Third Anniversary
Fairfield County Fair
Millersport Class of 1992 Reunion
Fall Break at 'Our Old Kentucky Home'
JPB Get Together
Trick or Treat in Crestview with Jon & Company

November
Jon's First Birthday Party in Columbus
Phone Interview with Congregation in MN
I Group Worship Week
Thanksgiving Break in Minnesota
Thanksgiving Dinner with Jason's Family
Scenic Tour of Minnesota
Interviews at Congregations in MN

December
Official Last Day of Class--"Senior Skip Day"
Moving back to Kentucky
Snow Days!
Christmas
     PreChristmas with 'Grandma' Peggy and 'Grandpa' Roy
     Christmas Eve morning at home with the kitties
     Christmas Eve evening with Grandpa Fred, Grandma Lyda, Uncle Mike and Uncle Rick
     Christmas Dinner Chinese Buffet with the Pairans, Knauffs, Manesses, and Jon's girlfriend

2009 Rememberies

January
Holiday Open House
Mom & Dad in Hawaii
J-term Class: Independent Study
LOST Season 5 Premiere
Snow Days 2009

February
Spring Semester Classes: New Testament 2, Biblical Poetry, Theology of Mission, Building Parish Music Programs
We're Pregnant!

March
Spring Break Trip to Minneapolis
Spring Semester Class: Christian Ethics

April

May
Benson Family Reunion

June
Summer Online Class: Acts of the Apostles
Summer Work Study: Transcribing Joseph Sittler lectures
ROME Vacation Bible School at St. Luke
Visit with the Hartmanns
It's a boy!
St. Luke Mission Trip

July
Shopping at Yard Sales

August
Knauffy Holden Beach
Began Internship at Lord of Life

September

October

November
Birth of Jonathan Thomas
Thanksgiving with the Lexington Grandparents


December
Visit from Aunt Karen
Jon's Baptism & First Communion
Christmas Around the World at LOL
Helping Grandma Sue move to Minnesota
Christmas Eve Services at Lord of Life and St. Luke
Christmas Day with the Templemans, Grandpa Fred & Grandma Lyda
Tom & Jon preaching at LOL
Christmas visit with Grandma & Grandpa Pairan & Uncle Scott
Boar's Head & Yule Log Festival & Reunion with Louisville Friends


We Hardly Knew Ye: 2009 Deaths
Patrick Swayze
Ted Kennedy
Walter Kronkite
Gidget the Chihuahua
Billy Mays
Farrah Fawcett
Michael Jackson
Ed McMahon
Dom DeLuise
Bea Arthur
Paul Harvey
Ricardo Montablan

Christmas Letter 2008

The Twelfth Day of Christmas
Monday, January 5, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
My grandfather has a file folder full of every Christmas letter he’s written since 1961. It is fun to read them and remember the years gone by. 2008 has brought “blizzards” and blackouts, blunders and blessings. Following in the footsteps of Grandpa, this is my recap of the year…

As of this writing, I have finished three semesters at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. I am working toward becoming ordained as a Lutheran pastor, like my grandfather, and my wife, Anne. During the middle part of the week, I stay with my brother Scott near campus. On the weekends I am at home in Crestview, (Northern) Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati.

Anne and I have settled into our house. When we are both home, we enjoy the simple pleasures of cooking for each other, watching movies, and playing on our computers. This summer we attempted to plant a garden—I was quite proud of our harvest of 34 green beans. Anne had more success with her flowers, which beautified our landscape during the spring and summer.

Our house got a little more crowded in May, when we adopted a new cat from Anne’s Mom (who in turn had adopted Tacko from Anne’s brother). Tacko is the most affectionate cat in the world. (Any typos found in this letter can be blamed on Tacko, who is sitting on my laptop keyboard as I type.) Tacko enjoys eating my homework and other important papers, going outside to eat grass, and helping make the bed in the morning. Our other cat Josie, who has a more subdued personality, takes naps on the guest bed and talks to the birds outside.

During the first eight months of the year, I worked part-time at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Crestview Hills, Ky. In addition I spent the summer months working as a student chaplain at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in nearby Fort Thomas, Kentucky. I ministered to the nursing home patients who reside there, including one World War II veteran. During the last four months of 2008, I have been supply preaching at congregations in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. When I’m not preaching, I enjoy worshipping at Anne’s congregation, St. Luke Lutheran Church.

The biggest event of 2008 for Anne’s congregation was the move to the “new church.” St. Luke’s final worship service at 3917 Alexandria Pike was in February. During the seasons of Lent and Easter, worship services were held Sunday afternoons at a Baptist church. In May, the first services were held at St. Luke’s new home at 4800 Alexandria Pike. The new building has accessible restrooms, classrooms, a nursery, and an office for the pastor. Anne has ably and gently led the congregation the past four years, during times of anxiety and trust, times of tradition and change.

Anne and I are blessed to have our parents living within a two hour drive north (Tom) or south (Anne) of Cincinnati, but we wish our other family members were closer. We have been able to travel beyond the Commonwealth this year: to Minnesota for Spring Break (complete with snow) to visit Anne’s sister Karen and her family; to Ohio’s Amish Country for a week-long retreat for pastors; an overnight in Hocking Hills in celebration of our first anniversary; a trip to New England with Scott during Fall Break; and a short trip to North Carolina to visit Grandma and Grandpa after Christmas.

We wish you blessings as this Christmas season comes to an end, and as 2009 begins.

Tom and Anne Pairan

Seminary Notes: December 2008

As I write, there is only a week and a half left in the fall semester. Much of this semester has been review, since I took Old Testament and Systematic Theology while I was in Louisville. My preaching class, however, has been a new and wonderful experience. Throughout the semester, we compose five sermons and a poem and present two Bible readings and a testimony. The class of 33 students is divided into preaching labs; there are four others in my lab. Each week we preach and listen to each other and offer feedback. Afterward we can download videos of our sermons and watch our own work. In addition to preaching in class, I have also served as a supply preacher at five congregations in Kentucky and Ohio.

When I’m not preaching, I am enjoying attending Anne’s church, St. Luke Lutheran. I am doing a little bit of youth ministry and little bit of Christian Education. Right now Anne and I are working on a St. Nicholas Day “Reindeer Games” event and the Sunday School Christmas program, “Christmas in Any Language.”

During the month of January, I’ll be working on an independent study in the area of Christian Education. I’ll be developing an outline for educational experiences for infants through adults about the Sacrament of Holy Communion. I will be drawing on many of my experiences at Christ Lutheran as I work on this project.

I am also looking forward to spring semester, which begins in February. I will be taking New Testament 2, Theology of Mission, Christian Ethics, Building Parish Music Programs, and Biblical Poetry. I am especially excited about the Biblical Poetry class—Dr. Barbara Kaiser, one of my professors from my undergrad program at Wittenberg, will be teaching the class.

Blessings to you all in the new year!
Tom & Anne Pairan