Following an exciting Celebrity Blogger Week (okay, we use the word "week" loosely -- it was 10 days), today is SEC Day. Think Presidents Day but without the car sales. As everyone knows the self-appointed (anointed?) Supreme Executive Committee of Lent Madness comprises Scott Gunn and Tim Schenck.
What exactly are the SEC's responsibilities? In addition to drinking herculean amounts of coffee throughout Lent (oh, who are we kidding? -- we do that all year), we oversee every detail to insure Lent Madness doesn't go off the rails and plunge into the Lenten wilderness. In addition to our Emmy Award-worthy-if-not-winning Monday Madness videos this includes the recruitment and cajoling of Celebrity Bloggers (the backbone of the whole operation); using a ouija board to determine which saints will be included in the bracket; moderating lots of comments; zapping any evidence of voter fraud; autographing copies of the Saintly Scorecard; managing the social media presence; hawking mugs and brackets; and generally living a Supreme lifestyle.
It's a lot of work but it's all for the love of God and the Lent Madness faithful. For two priests who both consider the other one his archnemesis (think Spy vs. Spy), it only works because they give up their rivalry for forty days and forty nights. Easter season is another matter entirely.
So who exactly are Tim and Scott? Thanks for asking and enjoy their bios.
The Rev. Tim Schenck
The Rev. Tim Schenck is rector of the Episcopal Parish of St. John the Evangelist in Hingham, Massachusetts, on the South Shore of Boston. He is the author of What Size Are God’s Shoes: Kids, Chaos, and the Spiritual Life (Morehouse 2008) and Dog in the Manger: Finding God in Christmas Chaos (Forward Movement 2013). Tim writes a monthly syndicated column for Gatehouse Media titled “In Good Faith.” When he’s not tending to his parish, drinking coffee, or blogging at Clergy Family Confidential, he’s likely hanging out with his family that includes his wife Bryna, two sons Benedict (14) and Zachary (13), his dog Delilah, and a ferret named Mimi. Friend him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @FatherTim.
The Rev. Scott Gunn
The Rev. Scott Gunn is an Episcopal priest and self-confessed technophile. He serves as the Executive Director of Forward Movement in Cincinnati, OH, whose historic mission is “to reinvigorate the life of the church.” Scott also serves in the inner sanctum of churchgeekery as a Deputy to General Convention, which will raise or lower his “street cred” depending on your perspective. Though Scott is happily married and the proud owner a dog named George (named after the first winner of the Golden Halo), he will never, ever have ferrets at home. His blog is Seven whole days, where you’ll read church rants and raves, thoughts about technology, and random musings. You can find him on Facebook,Twitter, flickr, or LinkedIn. His dog George is on Twitter at @GeorgeTDog.
We hope you enjoy Lent Madness 2014, learn a lot about some amazing people, and grow closer to Jesus. And if you don't? Scott and Tim each blame the other one.
Unrelated, but important note: make sure you watch the Quinquagesima video update from Archbishops Thomas Cranmer and John Chrysostom. With lens flare!
56 comments on “SEC Day”
Great stuff!!!! You both help keep Lent Madness interesting as well as serious. Let the Madness go on!!
God bless you guys!
What's not to love about these two up-and-comers? Mark my words, one of these days these guys will do something great!
Can't wait for the start of the saintament (a play on the word tournament).
Time for Lent Madness! Yea!
Diane, love the "saintament", neat conjugation!
Bless both of you, you've put the fun back in Lent! Tim.....my goodness gracious....why the baleful expression? Did you run out of coffee?
thanks but TMI! (too much information)
Alleluia (I can still say that, right?) for Lent Madness and the SEC!
Lent Madness is NOT optional. It is manna from somewhere near Heaven. It is the cream in my coffee (though I don't take cream) and it is most certainly, the Most from Coast to Coast. But it is NOT optional. It is sanity and humor in the midst of serious stuff. And finally, how can a team who have Diana Ross on speed-dial be considered optional? Diana Ross is like manna...somewhere near heaven.
Yes! Totally agree!
Arch-nemeses? I'd call this one of the great bromances of our times!
Alleluia! Lord love a duck....a ferret? Have to think hard about that! The little critter is sure living a long time. Anyhoo...I am so thankful for LENTMADNESS as it keeps me sane. After retiring after 25 years as a Vocational Deacon and then quadruple heart surgery and then banishment to assisted living and NO MORE DRIVING...I need all the help I can get. Black coffee at every meal and LENT MADNESS + the SEC + fabulous Bloggers all due to the love and mercy of Jesus will make it all hunky dory...about Ms. Ross...the Supreme One is a toss-up between Aretha and Tina to break a tie. LENT MADNESS forever!
Thank Heaven for Lent Madness! I've learned about some really obscure saints and had a great time along the way. Looking forward to learning about some new ones--especially Elmo and Drogo; I'm presuming we're not talking about the Sesame Street character and the father of Frodo Baggins.
By what process does the SEC assign the bloggers to the saints?
Good question, Bob. After the bracket is formulated, we ask them for their top 10 list. Then we give them whoever we want. Actually they usually end up with at least a couple of their top choices.
Here we go again...thank goodness! LM lends just the right amount of levity to our otherwise serious Lenten season. And Scott and Tim are our Saintly Duo!
We're still missing one answer from you two: Who is going to win "The Big Game" (since the official name is copyrighted and I wouldn't want to get sued by the NFL)
Ok, but what would the entry be if one of the SEC ended up in the round of Saintly Kitsch.
It seems as though we should all Google Fr. James Martin, S.J. He, for the uninformed, is one of the better writers in the R.C. He functions at the Editor at Large for America Magazine. He is well worth reading. His latest book on the Seven last words is a splendid example of what Episcopalians need to read. Afterall, the 40 day Lenten period did not go un-noticed by St. Ignatius. His 30-40 day retreats are wonderful and they are fun. Fr. Jim has some of his talks online and he is really funny.
Hmmmm. Isn't a "group" of two already a pretty small "group?" (SEC Fun Fact #4?) Or put another way, the SEC has small "group" breakouts of "one?" Interesting! Just one more example of the intrigue and mystery surrounding our beloved SEC! They can participate in a "group" of one! Does that bear any relation to the sound of one hand clapping?
Can't get this video to play. Drats!
Just currious why there are no West Coast Celebrity Bloggers? No one qualified? No one interested? No one asked?
First time for Lent Madness, Life long Episcopalian, love this format for fun and learning.
Help me please. Since this mailing, I have not receivrd Lenten madness. I have not been able to read your wonderful blogs about the nominees. I don't know why it seems you suddenly lost my email address. Please put me back on. I love Lenten madness
The email process is managed by WordPress, and we have no control over it. Usually when email isn't getting through it's because the person has unsubscribed or because messages are getting blocked as spam. You can go to WordPress.com and log in with your email address to make sure the subscription isn't canceled. Or check your spam folder. Good luck!
Lent is in the offing!
If Supreme ones arise and see their halos, it means forty days of Lent to follow.
If they don't see their halos, it's forty days of Lent Madness.
Where is the .pdf for the booklet of saints so that I can print it in preparation for the contest to begin?
I AM SO EXCITED!
Handing out the rest of the books at Pancake supper tonight!
EEEEEEEE!!!!!
Need biographies of Saints and how to participate...Peace...
Simply log onto this website each day during Lent, read two saintly bios and click to cast your vote. If you would like the bios in advance, you can order a Saintly Scorecard from the Lentorium section of the site -- available for e-readers if you want it immediately. Welcome!
I'm trying to find the nook "2017 Saintly Scorecard" but am failing badly. The ebook on the forwardmovement site is still pre-order as well. Am I missing something?
I'm also wanting to find the PDF if the booklet. Countdown!!
I’m glad that you have the email subscription as I give up Facebook for Lent. Let the voting begin!(tomorrow)
Thanks for setting up an epic battle. I'm giving my bracket a final once over before delivering it to my church office today. It's funny that Lent Madness coincides with the Olympics this year. I have images in my head of St. Paul on the luge and Katarina von Bora attempting a triple axel. May the best saint win!
🙂
I have encouraged our choir to join in the voting and hope they enjoy this Lenten discipline as much as I have over the years.