"…AND ALL UNCHARITABLENESS"

 In the final chapter of The Iliad, Homer depicts one of the great confrontations in all of literature.  Hector the Trojan general and son of Trojan King Priam, has killed Patroclus, best friend of the Greek warrior Achilles.  To retaliate, Achilles has killed Hector and ignoring the courtesies of war, has kept Hector's body to feed to the dogs.  Priam decides to visit Achilles to beg for his son's body that he might give it a proper burial.  His hopes that Achilles might do so are virtually nil.  Surprisingly, Priam’s grief for his son prompts Achilles actually to begin to behave like a human being:  to mourn the fact that he himself is about to die, and will never again see his own father.  The miracle of the scene lies in the fact that these two bitter mortal enemies end up comforting each other, Priam telling Achilles:  "I have endured what no one on earth has ever done before / I put to my lips the hand of the man who killed my son."

 Achilles not only grants Priam's request.  He orders his servants to wash and anoint Hector's body, and then he carries Hector to Priam's hearse.  Further, he prepares a great feast for his "guest", the two enemies eating for the first time in days, after mourning their respective losses.  Achilles then asks Priam how many days he needs to bury his son.  Priam answers, "Eleven days", to which Achilles replies:  "All will be done, old Priam, as you command / I will hold our attack as long as you require" -- and then Priam at Achille’s urging retires to bed and sleeps soundly -- under his enemy's roof.

 The charity and good will exhibited by both these remarkable men can bring many to tears, and one cannot help but wonder why it is that those
on the theological extremes of the Anglican Communion cannot begin to summon up a dram of the same charity toward each other.  Yesterday (July 20), the Archbishop of Canterbury officially opened the 2008 Lambeth Conference, the once every ten year gathering of all the bishops of the Anglican Communion.   While the ABC generally hosts about 850 of his Episcopal colleagues, this year between 200-250 bishops are boycotting the conference because ABC Rowan Williams has invited the bishops from our church who voted for and helped consecrate New Hampshire bishop Gene Robinson.  He also refused to invite the several American bishops who were irregularly consecrated by African bishops.  For instance, John Guernsey of Virginia was consecrated by the Ugandan church.  While Bishop Guernsey serves Trinity Anglican here in Thomasville, as well as St. Peter’s Anglican in Tallhassee and Christ Church, Savannah, he was not invited to Lambeth.

 Nevertheless, Bishop Robinson has gone to England with his entourage to make his case, labeling just about anyone who doesn't see eye to eye with his sexuality as "idolatrous" --  and the sanitized "expletive deleteds" fly back and forth.  The conservatives accuse the liberals of being the "heathen that know not God", yet they have the spiritual pride to say that they themselves know which bishops, which churches, or which individuals are "saved".  It seems they do so basing their conclusions on the most narrow interpretation of our Lord's words, "No man cometh unto the Father but by me.

 At the same time, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Madame Katherine Schori, writes about the "latest emission" coming from the conservatives.  Washington Bishop John Chane declares: "I think it's (the hard core conservative branch) really very, very dangerous and I think it's demonic ... the Episcopal Church has been demonised. It has been a punching bag and I'm sick of being a punching bag as a Bishop and I'm sick of my church, my province being a punching bag."  The fact that he might indeed deserve to be punched hasn't crossed his mind.

 What is in fact demonic and idolatrous is the idea of both theological extremes that God is on their own side.  More than simply coincidence, the gospel for July 20 was the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, the point being that the Church will always have to deal with tares -- and that Jesus says that they should grow together until the harvest, lest in rooting up the tares, the wheat is rooted up also.  In Verdi' opera Rigoletto, the "hero" decides to take justice into his own hands and kill the man who has seduced his daughter.  What he ends up doing is killing not his enemy, but his daughter.  One wonders how much wheat our Church has lost, simply by being subsumed in the efforts by so many to root up what they believe to be tares.

 What promises to be worse is the damage individuals inflict upon their own souls.  "The wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousnes of men." (Romans 1:18)   According to Karl Barth, "The wrath of God is revealed against human ungodliness in doing evil and in doing good; it is revealed against the enemy and against me, if I purpose to be the enemy of my enemy." (italics added)  No matter how badly we think we need to root up a tare, doing so will always "kill" a segment of "wheat" within ourselves -- so the best we can do in the meantime is to attempt to summon the charity to deal with each other as best we can. 

At the end of Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men (one of the most terrifying books ever written), the sheriff is asked why crime had gotten so out of hand.  His response:  "It starts when you begin to overlook bad manners.  Any time you quit hearin Sir and Mam the end is pretty much in sight.  I told her, I said:  It reaches into ever strata.  You've heard about that aint you?  Ever strata:  You finally get into the sort of breakdown in mercantile ethics that leaves people settin around out in the desert dead in their vehicles and by then it’s just too late."
 
It’s been said numerous times that this Lambeth Conference is a waste of time, because all the bishops plan to do is to sip tea with the Queen and practice being nice to each other.  That's really not such a bad idea.  The present evapaoration and erosion of common civility in our society not to mention the Church remains scandalous.  If two mortal enemies like Achilles and Priam can set aside differences to accomplish something worthwhile, one would think that the Body of Christ could do at least half as well.  FAB

 "From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness, Good Lord, deliver us."

THE RELIGIOUS POETRY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

Fr. Buechner's Adult Sunday School Class will examine some of the religious poetry of the Old Testament.  As a great deal of the OT's prose is poetry, i.e., Genesis 1-3, we will examine selected portions of prose as well as writings considered to be specifically "poetry". Thus we will study portions of Genesis and Exodus, Joshua and Judges, Samuel and Kings, as well as the poetry from the Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekial, as well as some of the Minor Prophets. Classes begin September 7 in the Parish Hall Library.

THE DIVINE COMEDY

On Monday evenings from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM., Fr. Buechner will lead a study of selected chapters (cantos) from the Inferno, the Purgatorio, and the Paradiso.  Apart from being one of the great epic poems, the Divine Comedy comprises perhaps the greatest source of Christian Moral Theology apart from the Bible itself.  The classes begin in September.

The class will be repeated on Wednesdays at 4:00 PM.

Pariticpants are asked to procure either the Sayers or Esolen translations. Both can be ordered through Amazon.

Please RSVP to the church office:  228 9242

CONVOCATIONAL FOCUS GROUP

The Nominating / Search Committee for the Diocese of Georgia has asked that All Saints host the Focus Group for the Southwest Convocation.

The purpose of this very important meeting is to give as many people as possible the opportunity to give their input as to the type of person we want as a successor to Bishop Louttit. Participants will be urged to voice their concern for what our diocese’s priorities ought to be as well.

The Committee wants this entire process to be as "transparent" as possible.  We don't want to be seen as driving our own "agenda" thus the meeting will be run by an independent firm yet to be announced.

The meeting -- which is open to anyone and everyone -- will be in our Parish Hall on Sunday August 24 at 4:00 PM.          FAB

FROM THE SENIOR WARDEN

Fr. Buechner will be away from the church on August 17, August 24, and August 31 taking some vacation time and presiding at a wedding and Baptism in Germany.  We wish him a safe journey.           

Clay Sewell


ST. CECILIA AND ST. DAVID CHOIRS

Wednesday, September 3 will be the first rehearsal day for both choirs.   Members of the St. Cecilia choir are kindergarten (or 5 in the Fall/Winter)  through 2nd Grade.  They rehearse each Wednesday from 4:00 -- 4:45 p.m.  St. David Choir, 3rd through 8th Grades, rehearses 5:00 -- 6:00 p.m.

Both choirs will sing Sunday, September 28.  There will be more choir news and information in the September newsletter.  Let's fill the choir loft!

Kathy Buechner

ECW BOOK CLUB

The ECW Book Club will resume in September.   The book is The Unexpected George Washington by H.G. Unger.  The meeting will be led by Nancy McCollum.  If you prefer another biography of George Washington that would be fine.  Nancy feels that would enhance the discussion. More details in the September bulletin. Remember, all are welcome, men and women as well as guests.  See you in September.

Lee Mitchell and Lee Chubb

ACOLYTE APPEAL

The Acolyte program is a very important ministry in our church.  The program is open to any one 9½ years or older.  If you are interested in becoming an acolyte please call Father Buechner, Father McQueen, or myself. 

We will schedule a training session very soon to organize and measure for robes for the Fall. 

Ramsey Singletary
Acolyte Master

EYC ADVISOR MEETING

An EYC Advisor meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 20, at 4:00 p.m.  in the Parish Hall.  Please bring calendars with you, and this is an open invitation for anyone who would like to get involved with EYC.

WNM

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER MEETING

A Sunday School Teacher meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 27, at 4:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall.  Anyone involved with Christian Education/Formation for youth, please be sure and plan on attending this pre-planning meeting prior to beginning Sunday classes on September 7.

WNM

SIMPLY CHRISTIAN

Beginning Sunday, September 7, Fr. McQueen will teach a course titled Simply Christian.  This course features 10 video segments by The Rt. Rev. N. T. Wright, author of the book, Simply Christian, and we will meet in the movie room on Sunday mornings at 9:30.  The course does have some materials which need to be pre-purchased, so please see the notice on the bulletin board to sign-up, or please e-mail me to express your interest. 

WNM

Save the date
Convocation Picnic at All Saints’
Saturday, October 25, 2008

USHERS FOR AUGUST

August 3     
Robert Lynde     
Paul McCollum     

August 10
Buck Mitchell
Rick Nudd

August 17     
Charles Olson 
Richard Parvey     

August 24
Clayton Penhallegon
Raleigh Rollins

August 31
Charles Sanders
Mike Shea

TRANSITIONS:

Happy Birthday in the month of August to:

Chadwick Kelly   8-1-93
Parker Hayden McCollum  8-7-04
Jacob A. Bruhn    8-21-96
Haven Shea    8-26-88
Lily Bradford Jackson   8-30-02

Happy Birthday in the month of September to:

Jack Saussy    9-3-03
Richard Lyons    9-4-88
Mary Eleanor Hand   9-5-95
Melissa Funk    9-6-90
Preston Young    9-11-99
Parker Watt    9-13-00
Riley Harper    9-16-05
William McQueen IV   9-16-03
Sara Jo Grooms    9-17-88

DATES TO REMEMBER:

EYC ADVISOR MEETING

ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20

AT 4:00 P.M. IN THE PARISH HALL

CONVOCATIONAL FOCUS GROUP

ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 24

AT 4:00 P.M. IN THE PARISH HALL

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER MEETING

ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27

4:00 P.M. IN THE PARISH HALL

ST. CECILIA AND ST. DAVID

CHOIR REHEARSALS BEGIN

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR

ALL AGES BEGINS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7