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ANNUAL LOW COUNTRY BOIL

Wednesday, May 2
6:00 p.m.

$10.00 per person eating shrimp

R.S.V.P
228-9242 or
allsaints@rose.net

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ANNUAL PARISH PICNIC
ASCENSION SUNDAY

Sunday, May 20
10:30 a.m.

HOLY EUCHARIST, Awards Sunday and Recognition of Seniors

THE PARISH PICNIC FOLLOWS
(Please bring a salad, casserole, etc.  --   Church will provide the rest.)

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THE NINTH COMMANDMENT

Et tu, Brute?

Had Don Imus been fired years ago, I would have managed at least an extra hour's sleep each morning.  Kathy rises an hour before me and has listened to his show religiously, while I've buried my face in the mattress with the pillows over my ears.  What bothers most about his stupid remark and rather abrupt termination from the airwaves last month was not the remark or termination  themselves. He should have been fired years ago.  Far more disconcerting was the general reaction to his words and subsequent pillorying especially by his "friends" in the political and news -- casting arenas.

At the bottom of his Inferno, Dante and Virgil encounter the likes of Brutus,  Judas, and Cassius being munched on by a three headed Satan -- a parody of the Holy Trinity.  It's fascinating and extremely telling, that those at the bottom of hell are not necessarily murderers and adulterers, but those who have broken the ninth commandment, having committed treachery to a friend.

Many of us learned as children the line:  "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me."  In one sense that's absolutely true -- or should be -- as evidenced below, but in another sense, an ill-placed word uttered against or about one's supposed friend can cause the spiritual if not physical murder of that friend.

Not to equate him with Julius Caesar, but one wonders how Imus feels about his friends who voluntarily phoned or physically appeared regularly on his show; who "read, marked, learned, and inwardly digested" all of his digusting remarks over the years, and yet continued to throw themselves obsequiously before him in order to get a little more airtime -- who now have distanced themselves from him as if he were a leper.  How many times did we hear that week:  "I just never realized how much his words offended so many," or something to that effect.  One might easily be relieved that as far as their souls are concerned, they don't live in the fourteenth century when they might have genuinely feared the curse of a Dante for treachery to a friend.

I'm not sure how seriously in our day we digest God's words about not bearing false witness against one's neighbor.  In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus defined "neighbor" not simply as anyone we come into contact with, but that neighborliness (charity and love) is the only way for anyone who calls himself a Christian to act.  Just how embarrassed or scandalized are we, when we hear others, not to mention ourselves say some of the things we do about our neighbors?   Most of the time we act as if it were no big deal, and yet our loose words are every bit as damning in quality, if not effect as those uttered by Imus' "friends" not to mention Judas and Brutus.

To shift gears momentarily:  Speaking of how "words will never hurt me," one wonders how a group of men or women who manage to reach the heights of an NCAA championship game would be "irreparably damaged" by the thoughtless and reckless comment of an over-pandered to shock-jock.  As Mark Steyn wrote, "Why didn't these ladies say something like, "Who the heck is this fool Imus?  We are queens of national basketball and there is no stopping us now.  We can do anything we choose to be or do...We don’t need Al Sharpton to protect us.'...Only in America:  a team of champions who think they're victims."

And speaking of Al Sharpton, the idea of the Network executives of NBC and CBS bowing to the Rev. Messrs. Sharpton and Jackson as moral arbiters is almost too ridiculous for words -- and would be humorous if it were not so hypocritical as to make one wretch.

The horrible tragedy in Blacksburg quickly and appropriately threw buckets of water on the Imus conflag.  Nevertheless the cowardice and hypocrisy of Imus' friends is a serious reminder about a very serious commandment which far too many of us ignore -- to our own peril.  FAB

"WILL FAMILY NUMBER THREE PLEASE COME TO THE INFORMATION BOOTH?"

I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard that announcement in the lobby of Archbold Hospital.  As one who has had to sit and listen for it personally, I'd rather my name be broadcast into the room, than hearing my family referred to as "Family Number Three."  One understands that the hospital is attempting to do me a favor (protect my privacy) as well as itself a favor (avoid a lawsuit), nevertheless it seems that society has attempted to deal with the privacy matter by, in the words of one our physicians, using an elephant gun to kill a flea.

Our right to privacy has prevented family members from taking care of their own, and to a great extent hindered physicians from treating their own patients.  I've already witnessed this any number of times with respect to members of our own parish, on both patient and physician side.  The law has hindered me from taking care of my own family the way I'd like.  Further, those same laws have prevented all kinds of professional care givers from doing what their vocations have trained as well as called then to do, yet the medical scene is not alone in being hampered by the privacy issue, as attested most brutally in Blacksburg last month at VPI.

Many of us have been privy to  an incident not unlike this tragedy, in quality if not in effect.  I would hazard that any of our college age children have experienced something like the following:   Let's say a group of students are living together in a fraternity house or dormitory.  One of them begins to show symptoms not unlike those of the monster at VPI.  The housemates realize that something is terribly wrong.  Their roommate doesn't bother to go to class; he doesn't change his clothes; he doesn’t bathe; he doesn't bother to leave his room to perform the most basic bodily ablutions; he plays video games all day long.  He loses his scholarship which the parents are happy to replace.

Realizing something is terribly amiss, the dorm mates decide to speak to their friend about his behavior on several occasions to no avail.  Failing that, they approach his faculty advisor, who due to privacy laws is hampered from referring the student to the college counselor, not to mention speaking to the boy's parents or even to the student himself.  Next, the dorm mates go themselves to the college counselor who finds himself in the same position as the professor.  And finally the dorm mates manage the nerve to speak to the boy's mother who has had no clue about her son's behavior because he has not bothered to make the short journey home, even for vacations.  Thankfully she takes matters into her hands; removes him from school for a semester; gets him to a therapy with a reputable doctor and behold, in a few months he's just about back to his normal (what he was meant to be) self.

One wonders what might have happened had this boy's housemates not cared enough about him to do something, even if his abherent behavior had brought them to the state where  they wanted to wring his neck, much less boot him from their living quarters.  This is not to say that had the same process unfolded at VPI that the tragedy would  not have occurred, but only to observe how difficult it is these days to have someone involuntarily committed for anything longer than a day. 

One can appreciate the benefits of some of the privacy laws.  Certainly there have been terrible instances of husbands having their wives committed for no reason other than the fact that the wives might have been too loud in the house, not to mention the involuntary sterilization of those being deemed "defective" in one way or another.  On the other hand, it's just about impossible now for "Family #3" to take care of their sick father or mother; just about impossible for the patient's doctor to say anything to Family #3 which might help both him and them care for the patient; and it's essentially equally impossible for college students to do anything to protect themselves from a potential socio / psychopath.  We don't need to become a fascist society.  On the other hand as Jonathan Kellerman observed the week of the Blacksburg Horror:  "Unless we confront the unpleasant fact that the brains of a small percentage of our citizens incubate dark, disturbed thoughts that can blossom into vicious behavior, we can look forward to repeats of last week's outrage."   FAB

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

Throughout the Sundays of May, Fr. Buechner’s class will study a selected portion of the Psalms.  We meet in the Parish Hall Library at 9:30 AM.

WHY GOD BECAME MAN

The above is the English translation of  "Cur Deus Homo", the title of one of the most significant books in Church History.  It’s author was Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury ( 1033-1109).  The following is a synopsis of that great work by Jaroslav Pelikan, in his book "Jesus through the Centuries".  Pelikan is perhaps the greatest theologian of the last thirty years.  He is now Professor Emeritus at Yale.  As we continue the observance of the Easter season, his words are more than appropriate.  FAB

The underlying presupposition of Anselm's thought was the consistency of God and the universe, which God did not violate by arbitrary acts, for such acts would undermine the moral order of the universe itself.  Anselm's term for that moral order was "rightness" [rectitudo].  Rightness consisted in rendering to each a due measure of honor.  Although created for participation in such rightness, the human race had refused to give God due honor and had fallen into sin.  This God could not simply overlook or forgive by fiat without thereby violating "rightness" and moral order; such was the demand of divine justice, which Anselm could have defined as "God taking Himself seriously."  Yet both human wisdom and divine revelation made it clear that God was a God not only of justice, but of mercy, who declared:  "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live." (Ezekial 33:11)

Such was the divine dilemma to which the wisdom of the Cross provided a resolution, according to Anselm's reasoning.  For the justice of God, having pronounced that violation of the moral will was worthy of death, clashed with the mercy of God, which desired life rather than death.  The one who was guilty of the sin, man, could not pay the penalty except by being lost forever; the one who wanted to forgive, God, could not do so except by undercutting the moral order of the universe.  Only a being able to pay the penalty (by being human) but capable of making a payment that was of infinite worth (by being divine) could simultaneously carry out the imperatives of divine mercy and satisfy the demands of divine justice.  The payment, moreover, had to be voluntary, and could not be made by someone who owed it on his own behalf, for that would not avail for others.  Therefore God had to become a man, and moreover had to die on the Cross, so as to achieve the ends of divine mercy and yet to render satisfaction to divine justice and thus uphold"  rightness".  His death on the cross made it, one may say, morally possible for God to forgive.

ATTENTION VESTRYMEN

The Vestry will have its regular monthly meeting in the Parish Hall Library at 8:00 A.M. on May 20. 

THE FEAST OF THE ASCENSION

We will observe this day with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the church at 12:10 PM on Thursday May 17.  Please note that this is a major holy day and all who find it possible are urged to attend.

OFFICE CLOSING

The parish office will be closed May 17 in observance of the Feast of the Ascension.

PARISH PICNIC, AWARDS SUNDAY AND RECOGNITION OF GRADUATING SENIORS

Our annual picnic will be held on Sunday, May 20.  The church will supply chicken, bread and dessert!  Please join us and bring a salad or vegetable that will feed 15.

ST. CECILIA AND ST. DAVID CHOIRS

Both choirs will have their final rehearsal on Wednesday, May 9. They will sing Sunday, May 13, which is also Choir Award Sunday.  The choristers will be recognized for their dedication and achievement for the past year.

Kathy Buechner

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN NEWS

A big thank you to all who attended the April meeting and for everyone,s support for the past three years.    We are so excited about the Dynamic Lee Duo. 

Mark your calendar for these dates to remember:

Wednesday, May 9 

Organizational Book Club Meeting at Noon in the Parish Hall (lunch provided.)  If you have a particular book in mind for the group to read, please bring it to the meeting.

Wednesday, Sept. 12 

First Fall ECW Meeting

Wednesday, Oct. 17 

ECW Community Outreach Bazaar

Wednesday, Nov. 7 

ECW Community Outreach Auction

Faithfully,
Jenny Ladson
Liz Parvey
 

HAIL AND FAREWELL

Congratulations to our graduating seniors: 

From Brookwood:

Sara Jo Grooms
Lauren Hancock
Lolo Mason
Haven Shea

From Thomasville High

Richard Lyons

USHERS FOR MAY

May 6      
Ben Grace 
C.B. Grubbs     

May 13
Chip Hancock
John Hand

May 20    
Doug Harper     
Courtney Houston    

May 27
Bob Jackson
John Kavouklis
 

TRANSITIONS:

Happy Birthday in May to:

Ella Simmons    5-18-01
Samuel Sewell    5-18-94
Audrey Simmons   5-22-95
Christopher C. Watt   5-27-99
Samuel Bruhn    5-28-01
Savannah Singletary   5-29-96

Happy Birthday in June to:

Russell Therrien    6-1-88
Branden Therrien   6-5-92
Carmen Ellis    6-9-87
Christopher Sanford   6-12-88
Anna Kelly    6-18-97
DJ Grooms    6-27-90
Olivia Kavouklis   6-27-92
Eliza Parvey    6-30-00

Requiescat in Pace:

 Roy Allen Truitt, III departed this life March 29, 2007.

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

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FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASCENSION:

At a Solemn Music (1)

Blest pair of Sirens, pledges of heaven's joy,
Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice and Verse,
Wed your divine sounds, and mixed power employ
Dead things with inbreathed sense able to pierce,
And to our high-raised phantasy (2) present
That undisturbed song of pure concent, (3) 
Aye sung before the sapphire-coloured throne
To him that sits thereon,
With saintly shout and solemn jubilee,
Where the bright Seraphim in burning row
Their loud uplifted angel-trumpets blow,
And the Cherubic host in thousand quires
Touch their immortal harps of golden wires,
With those just spirits that wear victorious palms,
Hymns devout and holy psalms
Singing everlastingly;
That we on earth with undiscording voice
May rightly answer that melodious noise;
As once we did, till disproportioned sin
Jarred against Nature's chime, and with harsh din
Broke the fair music that all creatures made
To their great Lord, whose love their motion swayed
In perfect diapason, whilst they stood
In first obedience and their state of good.
O may we soon again renew that song,
And keep in tune with heaven, till God ere long
To his celestial consort us unite,
To live with him, and sing in endless morn of light.

                                                               John Milton

1-At a Concert of Sacred Music
2-phantasy: imaginations
3-concent: harmony