"THEY SOLD THEIR SOUL FOR A POT OF MESSAGE"

The following is abbreviated from an article by Peggy Noonan which appeared in the Wall Street Journal on February 17 last month.  Her words about "sitting still to discover who one is" are more than apt as we continue our observance of Lent.  FAB

The most dismaying thing I've noticed the past 10 years on television is that ordinary people who are guests on morning news shows -- the man who witnessed the murder, the housewife who ran from the flames -- speak, now, in perfect sound bites. They also cry on cue. They used to ramble, like unsophisticated folk, and try to keep their emotions to themselves. Anchors had to take them in hand. "But what happened then?" Now the witness knows what's needed, and how to do it. "And when she didn't come home, Matt, I knew: this is not like her. And I immediately called the authorities."
Why does this dismay? Because it's another stepping away from the real. Artifice detaches us even from ourselves.

Earlier this week I heard a minister quote a spiritual genius: "All the problems in the world are caused by man's inability to sit quietly in a room by himself." We're restless and need action, which in a modern media world means information. We need the busy buzz -- the Internet, TV, instant messages, magazines and newspapers, the beeps and boops and bops. Rudy's up in Iowa. Hillary's stuck. We want to be among the first to have this information and the first to share it. And we want it not because it's crucial but because it distracts us from the crucial. It takes our minds away from what is most important. Who you are, for instance, or what we are about. It's a great relief not to think about the important. It's a relief to focus on factoids.

That's our problem, the observer's problem. What about the observed? What is the greatest problem with and for the candidates who are running [for President] so far?

There are many. Having journalists set up boot camp among your nose hairs is one. It is hard to be observed and real. But here's a bigger problem: You remember the story, from Genesis, of the famished brother who gave up his birthright for food. "He sold his soul for a mess of pottage." The problem in national politics this year is the number of candidates of whom it could plausibly said, "He sold his soul for a pot of message." He became something else, adopted new views, took stands the opposite of what he'd taken in the past, because he thought that if he didn't he could not win a base in the base. ("He" here includes "she.") Candidates take new views to create a new message. You "sell your soul" to put on the policy skin media professionals fashion for you. In this way you make yourself into someone else.

But it must be uncomfortable to walk around in a skin that isn't really your own. It must be really damaging to your soul, if you have a soul, and not just appetites, or a rugged, rocky little sense of what you deserve.

Maybe the candidates would do themselves good by leaving the trail a few days and trying to sit quietly in a room, by themselves, with no distractions, and think about big things, such as who they are.

                                          
THE PRIMATES MEETING AND THEIR COMMUNIQUE TO THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION

The very interesting communiqué issued by the Primates (a primate is the head cleric in each province of the Anglican Communion) on Ash Wednesday is too complex for me to analyze in this newsletter, nevertheless I urge the congregation to read it on our website at allsaintsthomasville.org  If you prefer a hard copy, we have them available in the office. Suffice it to state it makes for some very interesting reading, and while questions remain about how much authority the Primates have in dictating requests of a single province (as they do rather strongly albeit reasonably of the Episcopal Church), the accompanying draft covenant for the Anglican Communion (also available on our website), states that the theological and liturgical standard for the Church should be the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, certainly seeming to vindicate the decision by the founding mothers and fathers of our parish to continue the use of  the traditional liturgy.

What follows are the requests made of the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops, which will hold their semi-annual meeting this month.

In particular, the primates request, through the Presiding Bishop, that the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church

1. make an unequivocal common covenant that the bishops will not authorise any Rite of Blessing for same-sex unions in their dioceses or through General Convention (cf TWR, §143, 144); and

2. confirm that the passing of Resolution B033 of the 75th General Convention means that a candidate for Episcopal orders living in a same-sex union shall not receive the necessary consent [for consecration] (cf TWR, §134); unless some new consensus on these matters emerges across the Communion (cf TWR, §134).  Note:  "TWR" stands for 'The Windsor Report."

The primates request that the answer of the House of Bishops is conveyed to the primates by the Presiding Bishop by 30th September 2007.

If the reassurances requested of the House of Bishops cannot in good conscience be given, the relationship between The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion as a whole remains damaged at best, and this has consequences for the full participation of the [Episcopal] Church in the life of the Communion.

On property disputes:  The primates urge the representatives of The Episcopal Church and of those congregations in property disputes with it to suspend all actions in law arising in this situation. We also urge both parties to give assurances that no steps will be taken to alienate property from The Episcopal Church without its consent or to deny the use of that property to those congregations.

Please do not hesitate to direct any of your questions or concerns toward me or any vestryman, and do keep Bishop Louttit in your prayers, particularly this month.  FAB

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

During the Sundays of Lent we will continue and conclude reading W. H. Auden's poem:  "For the Time Being."  The text will be available during the week in the office, and in the Parish Hall Library on Sunday.  This poem is the major testament of one of Anglicanism's greatest minds.

You do not need to have attended the initial classes in order to appreciate the content of the great work.    FAB

LENTEN SERVICES

Mondays and Wednesdays:  5:30 PM
(Evening Prayer and Holy Communion)
Tuesdays:  10:00 AM:  (Holy Communion)
Thursdays:  12:10 PM:  (Morning Prayer and Holy Communion)

As Fr. Buechner will be out of town, there will be no services March 12-15.

LENTEN SUPPERS AND PROGRAMS

We will have two Lenten Supper/Programs during the forty day season:

March 7 and March 21.  Supper at 6:00 PM and program at 6:45.  The topic will be "The Theology and Rationale of the Holy Eucharist".  During this time, we will study this principle service of our church, going through the service in the Book of Common Prayer in detail.

The nursery will be open and we will be finished by 7:30 at the latest.

 
EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN LENTEN QUIET DAY

Our ECW will host a "quiet morning" for the women of the southwest convocation on Saturday March 24 from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM.  Fr. Buechner will lead three meditations based upon the poetry of T.S. Eliot, John Donne, and George Herbert.  The morning will conclude with the Holy Eucharist and a light lunch.

The Convocation ECW asked us to host this again after last year given our central location in the convocation, as well as for the beauty and serenity of our church grounds for quiet time and prayer between the formal meditations in the church.

Jenny Ladson
Liz Parvey

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMENS NEWS

Our meeting this month will be on March 14th at 5:00 p.m. 

Thank You,
Jenny Ladson
Liz Parvey

VESTRY MEETING

The Vestry will hold it's March meeting this month on the fourth Sunday March 25 at 8:00 AM in the Parish Hall.  Please note the change from the usual third Sunday.

ON THE PARISH WEBSITE

Please visit allsaintsthomasville.org for the Primates’ Communique, the proposed Anglican Covenant draft, as well as commentary on those events, particularly a superb article titled "The Anglicans:  What happened in Tanzania" -- written for the very fine periodical "First Things."

FROM THE SENIOR WARDEN

Fr. Buechner will be taking a few days of his vacation from March 10-15.  On Sunday March 11, The Rev. Charles Bennett will be our guest  celebrant and preacher.  This will be the first time Fr. Bennett will have celebrated the Eucharist since his retirement in July, and we urge as many as possible to be present that morning to welcome Chuck and Linda back to Thomasville. This is also why we are scheduling the Holy Eucharist at 10:30 AM on the second Sunday of the month when we normally have Morning Prayer.  We trust your understanding.

While our secretary Nikki Scott will also be away during that time, the office will be open and the phones manned by various members of the congregation.  They and I will know how to contact Fr. Buechner should an emergency arrive.

David Grooms
 

ST. CECILIA AND ST. DAVID CHOIRS

Both choirs will sing on March 4. Rehearsals will continue throughout the month.  There will be no rehearsals Holy Week, Wednesday April 4.

Welcome to St. David Choir new chorister, Ford Faulk.

Kathy Buechner

EASTER LILIES

Those of you who would like to give memorial and thanksgiving lilies for Easter, please call the church office no later than Friday, March 30.

 
EYC NEWS

The EYC had an outstanding trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and now we are making plans for the spring.

Look for a special raffle we are planning--an unusual Easter basket.  EYC members will be selling raffle tickets at a cost of $2 per ticket or 3 tickets for $5.  The basket will be on display at the first Lenten dinner on March 7.  Also we are planning a car wash; we will alert the congregation of the date when the weather allows.

Andrea and Chip Hancock

CHURCH WINDOW MEMORIALS

A number of the church windows, particularly on the south side are rotting and in desperate need of being repaired/rebuilt.  After much discussion and negotiation, the Vestry has authorized this work.  Each window will cost about $6,000.00 to build.  If interested, members of the congregation may designate/purchase a window in memory or thanksgiving of a loved one/s.  Appropriate plaques will be ordered.

USHERS FOR MARCH:

March 4   
Bernie Lanigan
Denny Lewin

March 11
Robert Lynde
Paul McCollum

March 18   
Buck Mitchell
Richard Nudd

March 25
Charles Olson
Richard Parvey

TRANSITIONS:

Happy Birthday in March to:

Raleigh Rollins    3-2-01
Stephen Shea    3-12-86
Stephen Stubley   3-16-92
Lauren Hancock   3-23-89

Happy Birthday in April to:

William Thomas Bragg   4-1-98
Michael Houston   4-1-93
Caroline Sewell    4-2-96
Elizabeth Anne Rollins   4-14-03
Annalee K. Jackson   4-28-96

Requiescat in Pace:

William Lawrence Hand departed this life February 10, 2007
Gerald Bruce Muller, M.D. departed this life February 22, 2007

May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.  Amen.
 

TO KEEP A TRUE LENT - on Isaiah 58

Is this a Fast, to keep
The larder lean?
And clean
From fat of veals and sheep?
Is it to quit the dish
Of flesh, yet still
To fill
The platter high with fish?
Is it to fast an hour,
Or ragg'd to go,
Or show
A down-cast look and sour?
No: 'tis a Fast to dole
Thy sheaf of wheat
And meat
Unto the hungry soul,
It is to fast from strife
And old debate,
And hate;
To circumcise thy life.
To show a heart grief-rent;
To starve thy sin,
Not bin;
And that's to keep thy Lent.

      Robert Herrick
      (1591-1674)
 
THE AGONY

 Philosophers have measur'd mountains,
Fathom'd the depths of seas, of states, and kings,
Walk’d with a staff to heav'n, and traced fountains:
 But there are two vast, spacious things,
The which to measure it doth more behove:
Yet few there are that sound them; Sin and Love.

 Who would know Sin, let him repair
Unto Mount Olivet; there shall he see
A man so wrung with pains, that all his hair,
 His skin, his garments bloody be.
Sin is that press and vice, which forceth pain
To hunt his cruel food through ev'ry vien.

 Who knows not Love, let him assay
And taste that juice, which on the cross a pike
Did set again abroach; then let him say
 If ever he did taste the like.
Love is that liquor sweet and most divine,
Which my God feels as blood; but I, as wine.
     --George Herbert

THE SINNER

Lord, how I am all ague, when I seek
  What I have treasur'd in my memory!
  Since, if my soul make even with the week,
Each seventh note by right is due to thee
I find there quarries of pil'd vanities,
  But shreds of holiness, that dare not venture
  To show their face, since cross to thy decrees:
There the circumference earth is, heav'n the center.
In so much dregs the quintessence is small:
  The spirit and good extract of my heart
  Comes to about the many hundredth part.
Yet Lord restore thine image, hear my call:
  And through my hard heart scarce to thee can groan,
  Remember that thou once didst write in stone.
     --George Herbert