Lay Reader’s Guide to Evening Prayer

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Andy

An outline to assist lay readers leading a congregation in the order of Evening Prayer, following the Book of Common Prayer (2008) of the Reformed Episcopal Church.

Note that except for page numbering, this guide is perfectly adaptable to the order of Morning Prayer.

Preparation is the key to leading worship well:

a. Arrive early to make your preparations in an unhurried, calm, prayerful manner.

b. Check the calendar for the proper liturgical week and day, possibly noting any special observances:

This calendar link is recommended: http://www.commonprayer.org/calend/calend.cfm

Select the Monthly Calendar for the current year.

c. Select the readings, and using Sunday, 9/18/2011 as an example, you will have found that this is the 13th Sunday after Trinity Sunday. On Sundays when the prayers are the principle observance, it is appropriate to use the lessons appointed for Holy Communion that begin on page 119. The lessons for the 13th Sunday after Trinity start 1/2 way down the page on page 227. You will find the complete rubric (instructions) for selecting the lessons on page xiii.

For special occasions and holy days, you will find collects and lessons for Holy Eucharist in the section that beings on page 245 (Hoy Days) and 279 (special occasions) and for Morning and Evening Prayer on page l (small roman numeral “L”) and lii.

The Collect of the Day (and week when collects are not appointed for weekdays) is also on that page, so mark that page. You will use the Collect of the Day during the order of Evening Prayer when you get to page 32.

You will find the regular lessons appointed for Morning and Evening Prayer in the section that begins on page xvi. In the case of the lessons appointed for Evening Prayer on Trinity 13, you will be on page xli, and usually, if you use these, you would select the lessons on the first group of lines marked “Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.”

To add an Old Testament lesson to the ones appointed for Holy Eucharist, use one of them (usually the first one) appointed for Evening Prayer (or Morning Prayer where you will find the “appointed” old testament lesson marked with an *).

d. Assign readers if desired. Readers may be assigned to read the various lessons. This may include leading the recitation of the Psalm.

e. Make a note of any special intentions, such as personal prayer requests.

Evening Prayer Starts Here

0. Give such instructions as may be appropriate. Example: “The order of Evening Prayer begins in the Book of Common Prayer on page 22. Please stand.” The officiant (leader) should give such instructions throughout as may be necessary for the participation of all the people. Be attentive to the needs of those who are new, visitors, and persons with special needs.

1. All standing. The officiant reads one or more (one is sufficient – generally not more than three) of the opening sentences that begin on page 22.

2. Sing opening song. (If there is no bulletin or hymn board, or if otherwise appropriate, announce the opening song. Example: “Our opening song/hymn is found in the handout.” If the officiant is processing, process during the opening hymn.)

3. (When appropriate, the officiant may say: “Our service continues with the confession at the top of page 25.) The officiant, facing the congregation, says, “Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.” (bottom of page 24)

4. All kneeling, pray the confession.

5. The officiant remains kneeling and prays the collect for Trinity 21 on page 238 (a prayer of forgiveness).

GRANT, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

6. (When appropriate, the officiant may say: “We continue with the Lord’s Prayer on page 26.”) All say the Lord’s prayer together.

7. The officiant continues with “O Lord, open though our lips,” etc.

8 The Psalm appointed may be led by the officiant or by a reader. Psalms may be read responsively by 1/2 verse (at the *) or whole verse, or in unison, ending with the Gloria Patri, sung or said, at the bottom of page 26.

9. The lessons (2 or 3) are read (appointed readers very desirable), each followed by a canticle that is sung or said in unison. If three lessons are used (i.e. OT, Epistle, Gospel), you may use two canticles from the first section on pages 27-28, and then the Gospel lesson followed by one of the canticles from the section that begins on page 29.

10. The Apostles Creed, page 30, (normally) or the Nicene Creed page 31, is said in unison.

11. If there is a sermon, this is the best place to do it.

12. After the sermon, all rise, and introduce the prayers with the versicle and response at the bottom of page 31. At “Let us pray.” it is traditional for all who are able to kneel. Continue onto page 32.

13. The officiant reads the Collect of the Day (from page 227 for Trinity 13) followed by the Collect for Peace and Collect for Aid Against Perils, page 32

14. Sing 2nd song

15. Pray remaining prayers beginning on page 32 – 34 (skipping the three Canadian prayers if not in Canada). The officiant may have these prayers be said by the other participants.

16. After the Prayer for All Conditions of Men, the people may be invited to offer their prayers. The people may say their own prayers or offer prayers from other sections of the Book of Common Prayer. The sections that begin on page 54 and page 598 are especially appropriate.

17. End prayers with the prayer of Thanksgiving on page 35, which all may say together, and the officiant praying A Prayer of St. Chrysostom.

18. Sing closing song.

19. Close with the benediction at the bottom of page 35.

Other notes:

1. If desired, more songs may be sung.

2. Occasionally, the family prayers may be used in lieu of Evening Prayer.

3. The Litany (page 39) or the Lesser Litany (page 43) may be used in lieu of the prayers that begin on page 32.

4. I based this guide on my 31 years of experience as a licensed lay reader.

5. Nothing in this guide should be taken to replace or subvert the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer, proper ecclesiastical authority, or the canons of the church or diocese. I invite your attention the the following excerpt from Title I, Canon 24 of the Reformed Episcopal Church and the excerpt from Canon XIV of the Missionary Diocese of the Central States that follows below it:

Reformed Episcopal Church, Canon 24, Of Lay Ministry

Section 1 (a) Lay Readers. A competent person ready and desirous to serve the church in the public services statedly as a Lay Reader must procure from the Bishop or Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese or Missionary Diocese a written license. Such license shall not be granted to any but a male communicant of this Church who has attained the age of eighteen years, and must be given for a definite period, not longer than three years, and may be renewed from time to time, or revoked at any time. Such license may be given for any vacant Parish or Mission, or for a Congregation without a Minister, but where a Presbyter is in charge, his request and recommendation must have been previously signified to the Ecclesiastical Authority. A license shall not be granted for conducting the service in a congregation without a Minister, which is able and has had reasonable opportunity to secure the services of an ordained Minister. If the Lay Reader be a student in any Theological Seminary, he shall also, before acting as such, obtain the permission of the presiding officer of such institution and of his own Bishop.

(b) A Lay Reader shall be subject to the regulations prescribed by the Ecclesiastical Authority, and shall not serve in any Diocese other than that in which he is licensed, unless he shall have received a license from the Bishop of the Diocese in which he desires to serve.

(c) In all matters relating to the conduct of the service, and the Sermons or Homilies to be read, he shall conform to the directions of the Minister in charge of the Parish, Congregation, or Mission in which he is serving, and, in all cases, to the directions of the Bishop. He shall read only the Morning and Evening Prayer (omitting the Absolution and substituting the Collect for the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity for the same), the Litany, and the Office for the Burial of the Dead. He shall not deliver sermons or addresses of his own composition, unless, after instruction and examination, he be specially licensed thereto for urgent needs by the Bishop. He shall not wear the dress appropriate to Clergymen Ministering in the Congregation.

Missionary Diocese of the Central States, Canon XIX —Of Lay Readers

Section 1. No one shall officiate as Lay Reader in this Diocese without a license from the Bishop. A licensed lay reader serves under the direction of the Presbyter or Minister-in-Charge of the local work where the lay reader is on the roll of the Parish Register.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Lay Reader to assist the Minister in the church services and prayer meetings as the Minister desires and directs or as the Bishop so directs when a Church has no minister.

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Running a Spiritual Sweatshop

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Andy

This is an article about the obligation to tithe, a stern subject. There is another side to giving; the joy of giving to do God’s work. I might write an article about that someday. For now, I give you Paul’s words, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Most of us grew up knowing that there are three things nice people don’t discuss: politics, religion, and money. The good news is, I’m not going to discuss politics. Some people just get plain irritable when the subject of church giving comes up. I’ve had that feeling myself, thinking “Who are you to tell me what to do with my money?” I should know better.  After all, who’s money is it anyway?

Here is a brief description, one perspective, of how Christ the King stacks up in the giving department. By my count, we have 29 more or less active households, either families or single persons. Based on last year’s giving for those households, we can project tithes and offerings of about $110,000 (less than we need, but that’s another article). That comes to a projected average of $3,790 per household in annual giving, a number far high than could be computed for my former congregation. Carrying this numbers game a little further, if we assume that the 29 households’ giving equals their tithe, our average household income is about $37,900, well below the national average. (Note: In addition to the 29 households used in these computations, there are 8-10 households for whom we do not have giving records, though some may give in cash only without envelopes, noting that such offering is not a lot of money.)

What is clear, is that the people of Christ the King, Dayton, are, overall, serious tithers and generous givers. According to the Christianity Today article Scrooge Lives (12/05/2008), only 27 percent of evangelical Christians tithe. The article further reports, “The average, regularly attending churchgoer gives 6 percent of after-tax income, but that’s a mean skewed by a handful of very generous givers. The median annual giving for an American Christian is actually $200, just over half a percent of after-tax income. About 5 percent of American Christians provide 60 percent of the money churches and religious groups use to operate.” (I do strongly commend this article to you.) As tithers some of us may have room to grow, but it is clear that many deserve to hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

For parishioners of higher than average means, tithing may sometimes be hard because giving a tithe looks like so much money. Truly, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24)  For those facing challenging financial circumstances, the ability to give is often compromised by the need to eat, other real necessities, and to meet other obligations.

Since tithing is proportional giving, all parishioners have an equal shot. “What if everyone tithed? What would we do with all that money, anyway?”

It’s a fair question, but it’s not the right question for the faithful Christian contemplating their stewardship. No matter how big or rich we ever become, we will never run short of ministry, mission, and outreach needs to be met.

“Why tithe?” Throughout the entire revelation that we have in scripture and nearly 2000 years of Christian tradition, the tithe is the standard. To be a faithful to God, one must tithe. In the book of the prophet Malachi, God speaks very clearly saying, “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.” (Malachi 3:7b-9, emphasis added) “You are robbing me.” Those are pretty strong words. It’s as if God were a disgruntled employee complaining about working in a spiritual sweatshop.

It seems remarkable that so many people accept the tax burden with casual resignation; 15% Federal and 3.5% state at a taxable income of $35,000 (married filing jointly), plus 7.65% FICA and Medicare, 6.5% sales tax, plus property tax, and so on? Yet some feel a heavy burden when it comes to paying for the work of our Father in heaven.

The generally accepted evangelical definition of faithful giving is a tithe to support the work of one’s local congregation.  How this applies in your life is up to you, between the give and God.  We have no “tithe police.”  In fact, we only keep records to help us and you meet the requirements of federal regulations, and keeping good records helps us be responsible stewards of the trust that God and you have placed on parish leadership.

Parishioner giving can be a serious matter of pastoral concern. It has been said that, “for the lack of clergy attention, some parishioners have forfeited their souls for the sake of their pocketbooks.” That’s an old saying though in conflict with the idea of salvation by God’s grace through faith.  We who must count dollars and keep records, don’t actually share those with our pastor, and that is also true of most churches.

Not everyone convicted with a resolve to tithe can do so at the drop of a hat. Most people become committed (trapped?) by needs and financial obligations made over many years that cannot be ignored. For those of faithful intent but modest present means, the journey towards tithing begins with the decision. Every journey begins with its first step. I once took the first step on that journey with what seemed, then, to be impossible odds against ever succeeding. I thank God for those faithful stewards who guided me along that path.

Reference: Originally inspired by an article by Ralph F. Wilson, Does Your Church Run a Spiritual Sweatshop?

Bible quotes from the English Standard Version.

Other scripture references: Exodus 27; Leviticus 1-7, 10, 16, 27; Numbers 18; Deuteronomy 24, 26, 27, 31, 33 ; 2 Chronicles 31; Nehemiah 10, 12, 13; Malachi 2, 3; Matthew 23; Luke 10, 11; 1 Corinthians 9, 16; Colossians 4; 1 Tim 5; James 5

Based on my article originally published in October 1998, The Lantern.

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If you need more money, GIVE more!

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Andy

For: Christ the King Anglican Church, a Reformed Episcopal Parish.  Based on an article originally written in July 2000 — some relatively random thoughts about our stewardship of money.

On May 14, 2000, I was at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Circleville, for the institution of the Rev. J. Domenic Ciannella. This is about money.

At the Rev. J. Domenic Ciannella’s institution, his father, the Rev. Canon Domenic Ciannella, who, though retired, had been serving as Interim Rector at Calvary Episcopal Church, Cincinnati, preached the sermon. The elder Domenic, already near the end of his life, is a great preacher and has a lifetime of wisdom to share with the congregation. I think when he said, “If you need more money, GIVE more,” everyone was surprised at the clarity of his message. He’s talking about money to a poor the church. “If your church needs more money, give more” would be another way of putting it. After all, personal giving is where money for church comes from. No, it doesn’t come from the diocese. The money the diocese has to spend, comes from the churches in the diocese.

Shortly after that event, as I’m listening on the radio to the preacher from Dallas who yells a lot (Tony Evans), I hear him saying “God already has all the money He needs! Some of that money is still in your pockets.”

Earlier in the week, the Canon Missioner brings me a little booklet titled, Forms of address for clergy. The diocesan financial officer gave it to him saying, “Here, Andy needs this!” She had overheard him discussing my thoughts about when and when not to capitalize “the” in the title “The Reverend” with another Canon. I told the Canon Missioner that we could avoid a lot of confusion by using generic forms of address such as “Pastor.” He replied that, of all the forms of address used for clergy, he liked the term “Pastor” the least, because it implied the head of a small pastoral congregation, and that we needed our congregations to be bigger in order to have enough money for the work of the church and mission.

I thought about that for a moment and told him that the problem wasn’t the small size of some congregations, but the failure of the people in those congregations to tithe. A lot of our brothers and sisters attend churches with 50-100 or so families, and many of those congregations take in so much money in tithes that their biggest problem is deciding what missions to support, not where the money is going to come from. The members of those congregations take stewardship seriously and personally.

In Jeff Brown’s June Lantern article, (The Lantern was the name of the monthly newsletter of our former congregation) he told us about how some Gauls during their early conversion to Christianity would hold their sword hand up out of the water when being baptized, and how the image in today’s church might not be all that different, except that instead of their sword, many hold apart their wallets and purses. There is a willingness to turn some things over to God, but not control over our money. Even calling it “our money” flies in the face of the offertory acclamation, “All things come from thee, O Lord; and of thine own have we given thee.”

Your fellow servant in Christ

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On the road again …

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Andy

While were away, the best way to get in touch is through my cell phone, 937-409-8674.

Here is our itinerary – list of places to RON – with phone numbers:

Dec 28, Sunday: Hampton Inn, Kingsport TN 423-247-3888
Dec 29, Monday: Holiday Inn Express, Vidalia GA 912-537-9000
Dec 30-Dec 31, Tuesday-Wednesday: Dad’s, Clearwater FL 727-796-0284
Jan 1, Thursday: Country Inn & Suites, Orlando FL 407-313-4200
Jan 2, Friday: Moody Inn, Moody AFB GA 229-257-3893
Jan 3, Saturday: Quality Inn, Marietta GA 678-564-0082
Jan 4, Sunday: home

Of course, Kamos gets to stay home to house sit. :-)

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Christmas letter 2008

Posted on December 8, 2008 by Andy

See our 2008 Christmas letter at: http://2chronicles36.org/Christmas08/

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Interstates or back roads

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Andy

I’m done with traveling on Interstate highways. The speed limit is generally too high for the amount of traffic and conditions; besides, Interstate highways are traffic magnets. If you want to have the road to yourself (most of the time), get off the Interstate!

For the last ten years, whenever possible, Jan and I have tended to avoid travel on Interstate highways. The more deliberately we do this, the more we enjoy travel by car.

To do this well, you need to plan ahead and have good maps, available to AAA members for free. A good navigator (Jan) is helpful. A GPS is a plus.

So, go see the USA and enjoy your travel by car. Follow me!

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Gasoline and ethanol

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Andy

Since buying the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe, I decided I’d use only Top Tier Gasoline. Does it make a difference? Based on reports, I think it does. Also, I’ve kept gasoline mileage records on every refueling and I’m seeing about 10% lower average fuel economy with 10% ethanol gasoline versus straight gasoline. (See link for additional information.)

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Reunion Itinerary

Posted on July 17, 2008 by Andy

It’s not just an ordinary trip. It’s an adventure! Here is a list of where we will RON (Remain OverNight) as we wind our way west:

July 18, Friday: Hannibal, MO – Quality Inn & Suites, 120 Lindsay Dr/Hwy 36 (573)221-4001

We really did just RON here. We had a nice drive today, mostly on US and state highways that we had to ourselves. Our 20-year-old 12 volt cooler isn’t working too well anymore. Rats! Now we need to buy a regular ice chest. We split an appetizer-size quesadilla and half-size dinner salad in the VERY NICE room. Half of the quesadilla is in the fridge (lunch tomorrow if we don’t forget it). Tomorrow we spend all day on US 36 (yawn – to the tune of “Happy trails …”). :-)

July 19, Saturday: Oberlin, KS – Landmark Inn (formerly Bank of Oberlin), 189 S Penn (785)475-2340

Five hundred miles of open road, no traffic, not much to stop for. We’re looking forward to a short drive tomorrow to Colorado Springs.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

July 20, Sunday: Colorado Springs, CO – US Air Force Academy TLF, (719)333-4910

Against conventional wisdom, we continued on US 36 into Colorado, finally turning south on CO 59 at Cope. Suffered 42 miles of I-70 from Seibert to Limon where we paid $4.15 for gas (too much, as it was $4.07 at the next exit, and $3.95 all along US 24 to Colorado Springs). We spent much of the afternoon playing tourist at the Academy (see pictures by clicking on the one below). Long day, tomorrow, taking US 24/CO 82 through the Rockies via Aspen, then a bunch of I-70 to Richfield, UT, setting up the drive across Nevada on US 50. The old Igloo 12v cooler has been cooling better the longer it runs, so it looks like we won’t dump it after all.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

July 21, Monday: Richfield, UT – Hampton Inn, 1100 West 1350 South, (435)896-0373

We got an early start this day, stopped near the North gate to the Academy, then drove south on the Interstate to head up into the mountains on US 24 past Pike’s Peak and most of the other scenic attractions. After a lengthy climb to altitude, we crossed several wide plateaus where the road was straight and level, alternating with more mountain ranges. After a quick lunch we turned west off of US 24 onto CO 82 that crosses the Great Divide at Independence Pass, closed in the winter and a difficult drive of many steep grades, hairpin curves and sections of one lane road, with no guard rails east of the pass. We (mostly Jan) took a lot of pictures, often through the windshield, as the view was absolutely gorgeous all of the time. At the bottom of the mountains we passed through Aspen, which was a let down as it was crowded, touristy, with heavy traffic. From Aspen, we headed north to connect with I-70, the only practical route from there into Utah. (Nine years ago we crossed into Colorado from NW New Mexico on US 160 into CO 10 then US 50 – an easier drive past Mesa Verde and Durango, Lamar and points east en route to Dodge City.)

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

US 50 – Nevada, the Loneliest Road in America

July 22, Tuesday: Fallon, NV – Naval Air Station Navy Lodge, (775)426-2818

This was a great drive full of very long stretches of expansive landscapes and long distances between islands of civilization on US 50. Next time, we’ll take the last two days and plan them as three, and spend the night at one or more of those islands. The road is very good, but the sections going over the various mountains have enough curves to throw your equilibrium off for a while. I strongly recommend this route.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

July 23, Wednesday: Sacramento, CA, Radisson Hotel, 500 Leisure Lane, (916)922-2020

Driving out of Fallon, we stopped for Starbucks, and again, avoiding conventional wisdom, decided to stick with US 50 through Carson City and around Lake Tahoe rather than jumping up to catch the short route to Sacramento on the Interstate. The latter half of this beautiful drive was a hard drive in the mountains, leaving our brains feeling battered a bit by all the curves. Slow going through the resort areas along Lake Tahoe. I recommend this route if you are not in a hurry.

At the agriculture inspection, the officer relieved us of our fresh blueberries. He asked where the blueberries were from and I said, “I think California.” He thought I was being a smart mouth, but the truth is, I bought them at Sam’s Club in Beavercreek, and I think they were from California. I hope he enjoyed them on is cereal as much as I would have.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

Madrid/Torrejón high school reunion

The reunion was great. Some photos below. More at the class reunion blog once classmates get home and start to post their thoughts.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

July 27, Sunday: near Sonora Pass, CA

As we were driving through Nevada last week, my aunt and uncle finally got in touch with us, so we were able to visit with them on this first stop on the way home. You see, they spend most of their time in their cabin off of California 108 about 7 miles west of Kennedy Meadow, where they have no phone service, no cell phone service, or Internet. My uncle Harold is my mother’s younger brother. The Danicourts are lumberjacks stock and have been hauling lumber and cattle/horse in the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California for four generations. My uncle, though 80 and retired, still hauls horses and cattle in season from range to range many days of the week, where my cousin Chris (my age) hauls it all about six days/week.

Friday during the reunion Chris, my cousin, calls and offers to lead us from Jamestown up into the mountains so we don’t miss the turn off. That was a really thoughtful offer. We also got to very briefly got to see Cathy and her husband who were packing up to leave just as we drove up. After visiting for a while, Chris and Kathie had to go home, and Uncle Harold and Aunt Jo took us up to Kennedy Meadows for a real dinner. Harold proved that he knows all the cowboy bosses by name and they all know him. I got to round things out a little bit by speaking Spanish to the Mexican cowboys and other help.

We slept (nominally) in a loft over their kitchen. We were comfortable.

The food was good at Kennedy Meadow and we even went back for breakfast before taking our chances at the Sonora Pass route (closed in the winter). It was a hard mountain drive on roads somewhat better than we found in Colorado.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

July 28, Monday: Winnemucca, NV, Town House Motel, 375 Monroe St, (775)623-3620 (Great little motel!)

Uneventful but beautiful drive on CA 108 over Sonora Pass to US 395 to Carson City, then US 50 to Alt 95 where we picked up I 80 to Winnemucca.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

July 29, Tuesday: Ogden, UT, Hill AFB TLF, (801)777-1844

Because we were able to get space-available quarters at Hill AFB’s transient lodging facility, we continued on I-80 East via the Great Salt Lake Desert (Bonneville Salt Flats) to Salt Lake City where we ran into the perfect (storm) highway backup – where two 18-wheelers carrying an ultra large (empty) tank lost their load and totally blocked I-15 North near Bountiful. Hearing about the impossible situation on the radio, we crawled to an exit where we slowly picked our way back south through Salt Lake City to try our luck on the back road mountain passes east of the city on Utah 66 to Utah 65, a beautiful but torturous drive in the twilight, arriving at Hill AFB just past dark. Local news later reported that I-15 was cleared about 10 p.m. (Lesson: Map reading 101 and learn how to use your GPS, and don’t leave home without it!)

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

July 30, Wednesday: West Yellowstone, MT, Comfort Inn, 638 Madisson Ave, (406)646-4412

Great road – easy drive – scenic beauty going north out of the Salt Lake City area through southeast Idaho into Montanta. In touristy West Yellowstone we actually had a great dinner at surprisingly not touristy but eclectic and high class Sydney’s Mountain Bistro.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

July 31, Thursday: Buffalo, WY, Comfort Inn, 65 US 16 E, (307)684-9564

YELLOWSTONE today! This turned out to be a very good but extra long day, what with going to Yellowstone Canyon Falls in the morning and seeing Old Faithful in the afternoon, and just too many mountains to cross before laying our heads down again. If we had decided to stop for the night in Cody, Wyoming, it would have been just about right. A large fire burning in Yellowstone was getting worse. We had to drive around the fire and in doing so, got some pictures of the same. Story told in pictures.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

August 1, Friday: Keystone, SD, K_BAR_S Lodge, 434 Old Hill City Road, (605)666-4545

Because we drove so far yesterday, today was a very easy drive, first on the relatively uncrowded I-90 to US 14 past Gillette to Devils Tower, WY. We had a nice lunch at the KOA just outside the state park. We then went on various WY roads and US 16 to Mt. Rushmore, SD, still arriving early at the K bar S Lodge. We had a relaxing evening and watched the sun go down and the lighting of Mr Rushmore from our room’s balcony.

Click picture for photos

Click picture for photos

Itinerary changes: We got a call Thursday, July 31, from The Abbey Hotel (formerly Regina Coeli Monastery) that we were to be their only guest Sunday evening, so we agreed to cancel. We have rerouted the rest of our trip accordingly.

August 2, Saturday: Sioux Falls, SD

Today was a tiring and competitive drive on I-90 from Rapid City to Sioux City, South Dakota. The route, though conventional wisdom, was a bad decision. If we come through here again, we’ll take the back roads, no matter how indirect. No notable photos.

August 3, Sunday: Coralville, IA

A bit road weary, we didn’t take any pictures today as we drove out of South Dakota and through most of Iowa. We bailed off I-29 south quickly onto SD 48 which ran into IA 3 and stayed on state, county and US roads till four miles outside of Coralville where we are spending the night. Although some of the roads were rough surfaced, the drive was nice, leisurely and non-competitive though we made great time. Jan found us an excellent route, using the map and GPS on the fly. We saw many fields of modern electricity generating windmills. Way to go Iowa! No notable photos.

August 4, Monday: Urbana, IL

Nice drive that was a lot like yesterday. We started out going south to Keokuk, IA, on US 218, then west on US 136 through Illinois. We bailed out to state route 21 and various county roads at Havana, and then followed US 150 into Urbana. An easy drive in the country, making great time. No notable photos.

August 5, Tuesday afternoon (home)

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