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Neil Alan Willard

@neilwillard

Presbyter, Episcopal Diocese of Texas, Rector, Palmer Memorial Church, Houston, Grandson of Old North State Tobacco Farmers, Lover of Rescue Dogs, and Wearer of Seersucker.

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Latest posts by Neil Alan Willard @neilwillard

I'm over here imagining the proclamation of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan-Houstonian Creed at the First Council of Houston instead of a concert at NRG Stadium during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. βš“

10.03.2026 14:47 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The steady march of the armadillo continues, unbothered by human trivialities like the North Carolina border.

10.03.2026 17:05 πŸ‘ 19 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 0

I'm over here imagining the proclamation of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan-Houstonian Creed at the First Council of Houston instead of a concert at NRG Stadium during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. βš“

10.03.2026 14:47 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

A student just came into my office and said he was confused by the assignment because he didn't know what an obituary was. The decline of local newspapers has left many gaps, but this is one I hadn't expected.

09.03.2026 22:39 πŸ‘ 181 πŸ” 25 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 2

In his "autobiography" (more a loosely edited diary), John Adams on Sep 9, 1776 noted without commentβ€”in one sentenceβ€”that Congress had officially adopted the name "United States."

He then spent over 500 words recounting an argument w/ Ben Franklin about whether to close bedroom windows at night.

10.03.2026 05:51 πŸ‘ 483 πŸ” 68 πŸ’¬ 11 πŸ“Œ 7
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Man hospitalized after being hit by Hermann Park train, Houston Fire Department says According to the Houston Fire Department, a man was hit by the train in Hermann Park before being rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital.

When I briefly stopped by Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church this afternoon, the security guard mentioned something about an incident with a train. I thought he was referring to the light rail, not the little train across the street that goes no faster than 7 miles per hour and isn’t driven that fast.

10.03.2026 02:11 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0
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Man hospitalized after being hit by Hermann Park train, Houston Fire Department says According to the Houston Fire Department, a man was hit by the train in Hermann Park before being rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital.

When I briefly stopped by Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church this afternoon, the security guard mentioned something about an incident with a train. I thought he was referring to the light rail, not the little train across the street that goes no faster than 7 miles per hour and isn’t driven that fast.

10.03.2026 02:11 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

You know @dieworkwear.bsky.social is about to drop some serious beats about Florsheim and mens footwear.

09.03.2026 21:06 πŸ‘ 23 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Let me tell you something. Y’all are asking too many damn questions at every point of sale. I have to leave a comment, make a suggestion, donate to a charity, choose a method of payment three times and then multiple choice of ways to get a receipt.

Take the damn money and leave me alone.

09.03.2026 16:38 πŸ‘ 3899 πŸ” 459 πŸ’¬ 65 πŸ“Œ 132

And true beyond the US! The anomaly of the mid 20th c being mistaken for the norm has so many implications β€”

As does History popular and academic often ignoring rather than centering history of family.

09.03.2026 17:34 πŸ‘ 35 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 0

Greetings from the Lone Star State.

09.03.2026 02:17 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

So many mid-term election ads are just writing themselves these days.

08.03.2026 22:53 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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They Came to Spy on America. They Stayed to Coach Little League. In the wake of the Cold War, some Soviet bloc spies decided their fake American lives weren’t so bad.

During his discussions with U.S. intelligence officials, β€œProchΓ‘zka came back [and] said, β€˜What’s Little League?’” recalled Bearden, the former top CIA operations official. β€œAnd I said, β€˜What?’ And he said, β€˜One of our people won’t come back because he’s coaching Little League.’”

08.03.2026 04:12 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

The storm clouds in my part of Houston are extra ominous-looking at the moment. 😳

08.03.2026 00:29 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Family donates eye-popping trove of historical records - Charleston City Paper The Horlbeck family of Charleston, where a downtown alley bears their name, is sharing a family legacy that dates back to 1764 and the city’s early expansion within a robust British empire.

"So many of the stories of Black Charlestonians, [Damon] Fordham said, are lost to the graveyard. This collection, he said, 'is of major importance (to) piece together what we can find from the generations that are no longer with us.'"

07.03.2026 14:49 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Family donates eye-popping trove of historical records - Charleston City Paper The Horlbeck family of Charleston, where a downtown alley bears their name, is sharing a family legacy that dates back to 1764 and the city’s early expansion within a robust British empire.

"So many of the stories of Black Charlestonians, [Damon] Fordham said, are lost to the graveyard. This collection, he said, 'is of major importance (to) piece together what we can find from the generations that are no longer with us.'"

07.03.2026 14:49 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Long-delayed Jan. 6 plaque honoring police quietly erected overnight at Capitol The memorial honoring officers who defended the Capitol was required by law to be installed by March 2023.

"The memorial was required by law to be installed by March 2023. This morning, while most of Washington slept, it appeared."

07.03.2026 14:21 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Long-delayed Jan. 6 plaque honoring police quietly erected overnight at Capitol The memorial honoring officers who defended the Capitol was required by law to be installed by March 2023.

"The memorial was required by law to be installed by March 2023. This morning, while most of Washington slept, it appeared."

07.03.2026 14:21 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

i don't think anyone at the time expected reagan tearing solar panels off the white house to spite jimmy carter would be such a significant metaphor for the 21st century

07.03.2026 04:11 πŸ‘ 898 πŸ” 74 πŸ’¬ 6 πŸ“Œ 1

Consistently, respondents to the ISM surveys in both manufacturing and services have identified tariffs as a major headwind to an otherwise positive business outlook. This is not new, it's been a constant theme for the past year.

07.03.2026 03:58 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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U.S. was only country in a worldwide survey to say most fellow citizens are bad people A new Pew survey shows that other countries’ citizens tend to look more favorably on their neighbors.

"At the opposite end of the spectrum is Canada, where Pew found that 92 percent of people say their fellow Canadians are good, while just 7 percent say they’re bad."

06.03.2026 21:09 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
U.S. was only country in a worldwide survey to say most fellow citizens are bad people A new Pew survey shows that other countries’ citizens tend to look more favorably on their neighbors.

"At the opposite end of the spectrum is Canada, where Pew found that 92 percent of people say their fellow Canadians are good, while just 7 percent say they’re bad."

06.03.2026 21:09 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Well, gas is expensive, and food is expensive, and we’re doing a war nobody wants, but at least there are no jobs

06.03.2026 19:47 πŸ‘ 30303 πŸ” 7518 πŸ’¬ 224 πŸ“Œ 238

Old North State tobacco farmers

05.03.2026 04:32 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I was once asked to officiate at a funeral in a funeral home chapel in Virginia. Every seat was taken, and every guest looked like they’d stepped off the set of the Sopranos, which seemed out of place. There was a harpist who played β€œAs Time Goes By” in the middle of the service. Scared? A little! βš“οΈ

05.03.2026 04:29 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Old North State tobacco farmers

05.03.2026 04:32 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I was once asked to officiate at a funeral in a funeral home chapel in Virginia. Every seat was taken, and every guest looked like they’d stepped off the set of the Sopranos, which seemed out of place. There was a harpist who played β€œAs Time Goes By” in the middle of the service. Scared? A little! βš“οΈ

05.03.2026 04:29 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

RIP Martin Luther, you would have loved posting a thread 🧡🧡🧡 (1/95)

04.03.2026 21:37 πŸ‘ 168 πŸ” 29 πŸ’¬ 8 πŸ“Œ 2

❀️ North Carolina? I was baptized and raised in a Moravian church near Winston-Salem.

04.03.2026 20:23 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Kernersville is my hometown! ❀️

04.03.2026 20:18 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0