SAVING US FROM OURSELVES

W. H. Auden wrote that "Nature by nature in unnature ends," meaning  that  the human creature, whose nature tends to sin, is meant by God to rise above nature.  Should he be led by nothing but instinct or appetite, he will in time end up as something other than what God intended.  One thinks of Iago telling Rodrigo, "I am not what I am".  As God told Moses, "I am what I am", we can consider Iago to be, quite justly, as far from God as one might imagine.  Should one’s nature harbor a short temper, then for that person to allow nature to run its course would be a recipe for destructive as well as self-destructive chaos.  Nature by nature in unnature ends.  When the Church baptizes someone, she gives to that person "that which by nature he / she cannot have," the grace to rise above our natural instincts.  Ergo God's creatures must attempt lives which go against our nature, and not seek happiness in terms of self-fulfillment.

Over the last few years, Arthur C. Brooks has written a number of articles for the Wall Street Journal paying particular attention to that within our society which tends to make people happy.  His conclusions have just been published in a book titled Gross National Happiness.  Not surprisingly, those people who tend to be less happy are they who follow their nature:  "Nature by nature in unnature ends."  To follow one's "id" is to follow a road to despair, if not disaster.

Happiness according to Mr. Brooks seems to come to most people who, rather than have what they want, want what they have.  How does one come to want what he has?  In the words of one critic, the short answer for Mr. Brooks models simplicity itself:  "Get a job, get married, go to church, and don’t listen to wide-eyed utopians."

How easy it is for one to think happiness would come from self-fulfillment.  "If only I could sit around the house all day and listen to music, or read, or play golf at the drop of a hat."  Would that this writer had a dollar for everytime he thought that.  We forget or too often ignore the real joy which comes from putting in a hard days work.  Do we allow our work to help us "re-create" ourselves, much less take notice when that happens? 

When marital or familial commitments save us from doing something perhaps superficially fun but utterly meaningless or worse destructive, do we remember consciously to give thanks for the structure, order, and discipline which marriage, job, and church provide?  A retired Brigadier General, whenever asked by his church or his wife for a favor would reply, "My duty, my pleasure", not unlike Piccarda's word to Dante in the Paradiso, 'In His (God's) will, is our peace" which the Book of Common Prayer has rendered, "whose service is perfect freedom."

Mr. Auden's quote above comes from a poem titled, In Sickness and in Health wherein he also writes:  "Without conscious artifice we die."  That is, unless we constantly attempt to go against our nature and do something for someone else at the expense of ourselves, we will never know the true joy and peace God intends for us - in Marriage, or job, or church, or just about anything.  For instance, not for nothing does the Church call Holy Matrimony a supernatural state, meaning that it calls us to act above the natural order of life - and to become something we would not naturally become.  In Holy Matrimony we find our happiness not in following our nature, but in forcing ourselves to go against it, or to rise above it:  making love, and willing the good of the other - even and especially when we don’t feel like it.

The central passage of that wonderful poem speaks to just about any situation we might encounter in life: 

"O lest we manufacture in our flesh
The lie of our divinity afresh,
Describe round our chaotic malice now,
The arbitrary circle of a vow."

When we act according to our own desires, we usually think we are as free and independent as God Himself.  In fact we are imprisoned by our own "howling appetites".  Thus the way we avoid freshly manufacturing the lie of our divinity - which can in time only lead to our unhappiness - is to impose upon ourselves a saving order, or form or structure.  In other words, routine is not only good, but can be and often is the shortest road to happiness:  "Describe round our chaotic malice now, / The arbitrary circle of a vow."

The structure, form, order, and discipline of our vocations, our marriages, and our church save us from the chaos and "inarticulate wastes", not to mention sorrow we unleash upon ourselves, whenever nature attempts to follow nature.  "Nature by nature in unnature ends."   FAB

THE REV. JAMES W. LAW

With sadness and sorrow we announce the death of All Saints' first vicar and rector, the Rev. James W. Law.  Fr. Law died Thursday morning May 15 at the age of 75 at his home in Beaufort, South Carolina after a nine month battle with a malignant brain tumor.  He was buried on Monday May 19 at St. Helena's Church, Beaufort following a beautiful Requiem Mass which thanks to Philip Watt, several of us were able to attend.

Fr. Law served All Saints faithfully from 1981 to 1988, helping to oversee the restoration of our church building, and making sure that the changes / additions would be liturgically proper and edifying.  Interestingly, he had been known to several in the congregation for some time, having been interviewed to be the rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church a few years before his arrival at All Saints in 1981.

Jim was an ardent lover of music.  He also liked the game of golf, as well as good whiskey.  Thus I trust it was Providence that brought us together.  He and I met in all places, at the opera.  I was working at the C & S Bank in Savannah at the time, when Fr. William Ralston (rector of St. John’s Savannah), invited me to join him in Atlanta for a performance of Verdi’s Falstaff by the MET.  I mention Providence, because it was in the course of our journey to Atlanta that Fr. Ralston first put into my mind the idea of going to seminary.  On the way, he had said that his good friend Jim Law would be at the opera as well, and how much he thought we might enjoy each other. That we did would be to put it mildly, and I was elated when I heard he would be moving from Kentucky to Thomasville.  In a fairly short time, he not only became my good friend, but my spiritual advisor as well.

It was hard not to like him.  Many would immediately recall his sense of humor, which at times could be about as subtle as a Mack truck.  During a presentation about the diocesan health plan at a clergy conference, one of the brethren asked how the plan "would interface" with social security.  It was a time when the word "interface" was becoming somewhat vogue.  After a long convoluted answer to the priest’s question there was a brief silence until Jim came from out of nowhere:  "Define 'interface.'"  The room dissolved in laughter.

I guess one might describe him as "disarmingly blunt."  Fr. Ralston used to love to tell of a conversation that he and Jim once had in the office of the Presiding Bishop John Allen.  They were there on behalf of the Prayerbook Society, attempting to garner the PB’s support for the continued use of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, the primary issue at the 1979 General Convention.  Also present in the PB's office were members of the Standing Liturgical Commission, the group responsible for the 1979 BCP.  The conversation was evidently somewhat difficult, the various participants stating their views in no uncertain terms and tensions were high.  But when the PB attempted to express his empathy with the Prayerbook Society that the '79 book could not properly be used to resemble the '28 BCP in a certain section, there was a pause and then Jim remarked, “Well bishop, I guess what you’re trying to tell us, is that 'You can't make chicken salad out of chicken ____!"  Once again, the entire room broke up with laughter, and the meeting went on to be very productive.

Apart however from his love of music, golf, and good whiskey, Jim really did love our Lord.  A witty and erudite preacher, teacher, and pastor, he helped draw so many of us closer to God.  He went out of his way to forge ties with the clergy at St. Thomas, making my entrance into the Episcopal scene in Thomasville that much easier.  Most important, and as all Christians ought in time to be able to do, Jim could look at his own impending death not as a curse, but as a gift.  He was indeed "ready for his departure" because he had "fought the good fight and had kept the faith."

Well done, good and faithful servant.  FAB

HELP FOR THE NURSERY

As we enter the summer months, we really could use at least one other adult or husband and wife who would be willing to be available to staff the nursery when our regular attendants need to be away, or take a vacation.  If interested, please speak to any vestrymen or the clergy.  FAB

 
SUMMER OFFICE HOURS

Please note that the office will close at noon on Friday during the summer months.                    

Clay Sewell, Senior Warden

CHILDREN'S CHURCH

At the Sunday School Meeting last month, we decided to run Children's Church throughout the summer for the convenience of everyone.  Children’s Church will be available all summer long (except the Sunday after the 4th of July).  Members of the EYC will be covering Children's Church so parents can enjoy the service without their little ones.

Alston Watt

HANDS ON THOMAS COUNTY

Hands on Thomas County (HOTC) will be distributing supplies to students in the county and city school systems whose families cannot afford to buy them. 

Should you desire to contribute, the items needed include the following:

 
Crayons
Glue Sticks
No. 2 Pencils
Large Eraser
Pencil Top Erasers
Pencil Bags
Black & White Composition Journals
Scissors
Pocket Folders
Packs of Lined Paper
Hand Sanitizer
 

For your convenience, there will be a box in the office for the articles you wish to donate.

Many thanks,
Alston Watt

 
ECW BOOK CLUB

The Book Club will meet on Wednesday,  June 11 at 11:50.  We will start our summer format by bringing our own sandwich, drinks provided. Please bring your nomination of books for next year with a brief description of the subject. We will decide what we want to read and when. Everyone is welcome. A nursery will be available If we have reservations for it by Noon, Tuesday, June 10.  Hope to see you all there.

Halcyon Home has requested personal items for their clients.  There will be a basket in the library to collect toothbrushes, paste, mouth wash, soap, lotion etc.  Please pick up an extra and drop it off. Thanks.

EYC NEWS

The EYC has two events planned in June:

On Thursday, June 19, Vashti will be hosting a summer social at the clubhouse at A Place in the Woods.  Bring your tennis racket, bathing suit, and appetite.  We will join them from 6:00 - 8:00.  Be on the lookout for more details.

Hands on Thomas County is having a summer service event called Project IMPACT.  This will be a week long series of events, June 23 - 27, throughout the community including Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club, and others.  If you have any questions, please call or e-mail me for additional information.

WNM

USHERS FOR JUNE

June 1      
Geoffrey Young    
Robert Balfour     

June 8
Don Bruhn
Charles Deal

June 15     
Jim Funk    
John Glenn 

June 22
Ben Grace
C.B. Grubbs

June 29
Paul Gurley
Chip Hancock


TRANSITIONS:

Happy Birthday in June to:

Russell Therrien    6-1-88
John Brigham Daniel   6-1-07
Branden Therrien   6-5-92
Carmen Ellis    6-9-87
Christopher Sanford   6-12-88
Henry Leverett    6-13-01
Anna Kelly    6-18-97
Nichola Hagan Womble  6-21-07
DJ Grooms    6-27-90
Olivia Kavouklis   6-27-92
Eliza Parvey    6-30-00

Happy Birthday in July to:

Lois E. Mason    7-1-88
Mary Catherine Lanigan  7-7-85
Emma Hutton Daniel   7-7-05
Walter Williams   7-8-86
Michael Mirocha   7-21-91
Madeline Claire Bruhn   7-22-98
Andrew Raney McMullian  7-26-07
Brice Smith    7-28-88
Henry Simmons Ladson   7-30-02

From the Parish Register
Requiescat in Pace:

The Rev. James W. Law departed this life May 15, 2008
May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through
the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

Deo Gratias

Mr. and Mrs. Claud Davis announce the safe delivery of a granddaughter,
Brooklyn Milana Waldrep on April 10, 2008.

Mr. and Mrs. Pete Thomas announce the safe delivery of a daughter,
Ella Thomas on May 19, 2008.

Marriages

Roswell Fort Mason and Jennifer Alyce Myers
were united in Holy Matrimony on May 3, 2008.

Daniel Conner Augustyniak and Shelby Kennerly Hanna
were united in Holy Matrimony on May 10, 2008.

Transfer

Please welcome Ashley and Campbell Smith
from St. Stephen’s , Coconut Grove, Florida.