ALL SAINTS’ BULLETIN
The Monthly Newsletter of All Saints’
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November, 2009
228-9242
www.allsaintsthomasville.org
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ALL SAINTS DAY
THIS SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1
DRESS CASUALLY FOR CHURCH (10:30)
BARBECUE LUNCH TO FOLLOW
AT OSCEOLA PLANTATION
BRING YOUR FAVORITE CHAIR OR BLANKET

EVENING PRAYER AT CHURCH (5:00 P.M.)

WE WANT AS MUCH OF THE PARISH FAMILY TOGETHER TO
CELEBRATE OUR PARISH BIRTHDAY, AND TO REMEMBER THOSE OF OUR CONGREGATION WHO NOW REJOICE UPON ANOTHER SHORE AND
IN A GREATER LIGHT

WHEN HERE AND NOW CEASE TO MATTER

This phrase appears near the end of T. S. Eliot’s poem East Coker, the second of his collection known as the Four Quartets.  It’s truth really began to make sense to me during the time of the final meetings of the Search / Nominating Committee for Bishop Louttit’s successor.  By then our group had fulfilled a dream by placing in nomination only those candidates whom everyone on the committee could live comfortably with, even though our individual “issues” had anything but vanished.
Husbands and wives married for a minimal amount of time could hardly fail to appreciate this, as any marriage faces more than its share of strife arising from the “here and now”.  While those “problems” really never cease to appear from time to time, the love itself is strong enough to force the couple to cope.  In Auden’s words, “Describe round our chaotic malice now / The arbitrary circle of a vow.”  In a very real way, the “vow” makes the problems of the here and now “cease to matter”.
Earlier in East Coker, we find these words:  “There is, it seems to us, / At best, only a limited value In the knowledge derived from experience” because our knowledge “imposes a pattern, and falsifies, / For the pattern is new in every moment.”  Our committee found this to be true again and again, assumptions we had brought to the table about the diocese and each other invariably having to be discarded, rethought, and relearned:  a process which was extremely intimidating at first, then exciting – and eventually, even fun.

Commenting on the above line from the poem, Anglican scholar and former dean of the seminary at Sewanee John Booty writes that Eliot wants us to appreciate how “Reality is to be received and not imposed; it is to be received from another and not from ourselves.  Yet in the process of receiving it we are inclined to impose our own meaning on reality” – without necessarily the best of results.  Further, when we attempt to impose “my truth”, the frustration of the resulting “disconnect” can be painful.  In Eliot’s words, “What was to be the value of the long looked forward to, / Long hoped for calm, the autumnal serenity / And the wisdom of age?”

For instance, how does one couple’s experience of raising children from birth to the point that they marry and leave the home prepare them for having to raise their childrens’ children, a phenomenon happening more and more.  What might have worked with their own offspring will not necessarily work with their grandchildren, not to mention that same couple’s simultaneous attempts to deal with elderly parents.  So often, all of their collective experience fails to deliver “that long looked forward to, long hoped for calm.”

To return the argument to the Church:  how could one’s decades of experience as clergy or lay in the Episcopal Church possibly prepare him or her for the “chaotic malice” of the last few years, not to mention the somewhat oxymoronic if not confusing decision last week by the Vatican to make it “easy” for Anglican congregations to become Roman Catholic, while adhering to the Book of Common Prayer.  Again, our knowledge imposes a pattern and falsifies” and to state that the pattern is “new every moment” especially in our Church’s recent years becomes one of the great understatements of our time.

The opposite approach, as our committee discovered, is one’s humble reception of that which is offered, however discomforting it may be – denouncing our selfish inclinations, denying us our cherished pleasures, and shocking us out of complacency into reality.  In Booty’s words, “To be thus shocked is to live.”   Eliot therefore concludes:  “Do not let me hear of the wisdom of old men, but rather of their folly” and that “The only wisdom we can hope to acquire / Is the wisdom of humility:  humility is endless.”  Obviously, humility is the only virtue which can help us experience how love truly is “most nearly itself – when here and now cease to matter.”

Such thoughts arise as we approach not only our parish patronal festival this weekend (All Saints Day) remembering our place within the Communion of Saints, but also the end of the Christian Year on the last Saturday of this month, as well as the Advent of the New Church Year the following day, not to mention a fresh but admittedly untried and unknown Episcopate in the Diocese of Georgia come January. 

Perhaps we can most faithfully anticipate the Advent of each of these by thinking more of our individual and collective folly rather than our perceived wisdom – that what we do not know is the only thing we do know – and that “Love is most nearly itself, when here and now cease to matter.”  After all, is not such genuine freedom what our life in the Church ultimately about. “Here is no home; here is but Wilderness,” but the man or woman in whom love has been perfected really is at home in any place – here and now in our present wilderness or there in Heaven:  now, then or whenever. 

The last line of East Coker reads:  “In my end is my beginning.”  One would hope and pray that this truth -- alongside the commonality of God’s love for us and ours for Him -- would draw us all:  sister and brother, parent and child, mother and father, priest and congregation, bishop and diocese as well as everything beyond into that “deeper communion” for which our Lord so earnestly prayed as here and now, in the best possible sense, cease to matter.                            FAB

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

Beginning November 8, Fr. Buechner will teach a class on Basic Ascetical Theology.  Ascetical Theology is that branch of theology which examines the Christian’s spiritual life.  Topics will include Nature and Grace; the Capital Sins; the Cardinal Virtues; the Theological Virtues; the Enemies of the Soul; Temptation; the Sacraments; and Prayer and its divisions.  9:30 AM in the Parish Hall Library

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING:  NOVEMBER 15

Please submit your nominations for the Vestry in writing to Brad Jackson, Chip Bragg, Ram Singletary, Lee Chubb and Lee Mitchell, to Nikki or Fr. Buechner in the office.  Our meeting will follow the morning Holy Eucharist that day at which time we will elect three members to the Vestry, a Clerk, and Treasurer.  Rotating off this year are Beverly Jackson, Roy Lily, Dale Gurley. 

ST. CECILIA AND ST. DAVID CHOIRS

The choirs sang a wonderful service at Bishop Louttit’s final visitation with us and received many compliments on their beautiful, enthusiastic singing. Thanks go to Audrey Simmons, former chorister now singing in the Adult Choir for singing with us that day. Welcome Back Ali Hall! Ali sang many years in the choirs beginning with St. Cecilia Choir when she was 5.  Ali returns to sing in the St. David Choir her final 8th Grade year.

Both Choirs will sing again November 15; there will be no rehearsals on Wednesday, November 25.          

Kathy Buechner

RAYMOND HUGHES TO PLAY BENEFIT ORGAN CONCERT

For some months now, people from All Saints, St. Thomas, First Presbyterian, and several other churches have been preparing hot meals for the needy, serving them at St. Thomas.  The number of people fed has grown from about 55 to over 300.  Obviously this is an expense – and an important one because Saturday is the one day of the week that people who need a free meal cannot get one.

To offset the cost of this, Raymond Hughes has graciously consented to play a benefit organ recital for this very worthwhile program.  It will be held at First Methodist (because of the size of their sanctuary) on Saturday evening
November 7.

Tickets are $20.00 and available in the office or from Debbie Beeson.
Please help us continue this extremely worthwhile cause.

VESTRY

The Vestry will hold its regular monthly meeting November 15 at 8:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall Library.

VESTRY NOMINATIONS

Please make your nominations in writing to any member of the Nominating Committee:  Lee Chubb, Chip Bragg, Brad Jackson, Lee Mitchell, Ram Singletary or Fr. Buechner.  We will elect three at the Annual Meeting on November 15

EYC FOR NOVEMBER

Due to clergy conference and the activities of the day on All Saints’ Day, there will be no EYC on 11/1/09.  We will resume on 11/8 with EYC following the evening service.

We will also be helping serve at the auction on Thursday, November 12.  The attire for the evening will be dark slacks/skirts and white shirts.  I will find out what time we need to be there to help with setup, instructions, etc.

Many thanks,
WMN

USHERS FOR NOVEMBER

November 1             November 8             November 15
Paul McCollum            Charles Olson              Raleigh Rollins
Rick Nudd            Clayton Penhallegon             Charles Sanders

November 22                November 29
Mike Shea                 Charlie Whitney
Philip Watt                  Geoffrey Young

LOST
Lost in the parish hall or kitchen:  Big black round ladies Ray-Ban sunglasses.  Please call Nikki.   Thanks so much in advance.
 
ECW NEWS

The ECW Book Club met on Wed Oct 14. We had a great discussion about our "Pet" experiences.  It appeared that everyone enjoyed "The Art of Racing in the Rain". Thank you, Gini and Peggy.  Our next meeting is Wednesday, November  11 at 11:50. The book is "South of Broad" by Pat Conroy. Please come join us for this informal discussion and lunch. Reservations appreciated, but not necessary.

The October ECW meeting was very interesting. John Workman spoke on Iraq and surrounding countries.  I think we all learned a little something about this complicated part of the world.  Our next meeting is Wednesday, November 11 at 5 pm.  Debbie Beeson will speak on our Christmas out reach (a little different this year) and the Lunch Ministry.  Thanks to everyone who has helped to make these projects so successful.  If you've never attended an ECW meeting, please come and join this informal, hour long gathering. If you've been, please come back.  See you there.

Lee Chubb
Lee Mitchell

ECW AUCTION NEWS
Break out your bidding paddles
 The Auction is on Thursday, November 12!

Please remember to:

 Make your reservations (bring a date!) and give Nikki any names of  invitees we may not have on our list.

 Donate auction items (PLEASE deliver any and all items to Nikki  ASAP!) or join our band of Angel Underwriters and help insure the  success of the evening.    An Angel is an Angel –ALL donations are  gratefully accepted!  These dollars defray the cost of our bar, dinner  and purchased auction items. 

 Call Margret at 224-1262 if you would like to volunteer.     
 
The auction and bazaar enable the ECW to support over 20 worthy charities within our community.  Your support is VITAL and greatly appreciated!    -- Margret Brinson and Carey Sewell

TRANSITIONS:

Happy birthday in November to:
Chip Sanders    11-2-89
David C. Chubb   11-5-93
Tyler Chubb    11-5-97
Harrison Jackson   11-7-04
Preston Chubb    11-8-92
Reid Myers    11-9-00
Christopher Bragg   11-11-91
Wilson Young    11-14-05
Ethan Myers    11-20-02
Robert Taylor Bragg   11-20-93
Alex Carico    11-22-95
Hardy Davis    11-26-02
Lolo Mason    11-26-88
Addison Faith Kelley   11-29-02
Kinsey Grace Kelley   11-29-02
Carsyn Trace Kelley   11-29-02

Happy birthday in December to:
Marley Davis     12-8-99
Abbie Leverett    12-12-02
Jonathan Wood   12-15-89
Anna Price Olson   12-28-91
Elizabeth Olson    12-28-91
Maria Olson    12-28-91
Cynthia Funk    12-29-93

From the Parish Register:

Requiescat in Pace:

Elizabeth Rives Pollard Houser departed this life October 18, 2009.
May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God rest in peace.  Amen.