ALL SAINTS' BULLETIN

The Monthly Newsletter of All Saints'

__________________________________________________________

December, 2011

228 9242

www.allsaintsthomasville.org

­__________________________________________________________

THE POWER WE HOLD

The following is from Romano Guardini's classic work from 1956, The End of the Modern World.  Both Father Ralston and Bishop Reeves considered it required reading for anyone who would consider himself a serious Christian.  The implied message, especially appropriate for Advent, is that our Lord Jesus Christ is the only person who can show us, and impart to us the ability to use power as God intended.  The book is available from Amazon.  It's not an easy read, but nevertheless a more than worthwhile Advent endeavor.  FAB

                To exercise power means, to a degree at least, that one has mastered "the given."  Power over "the given" means that man has succeeded in checking those existential forces which oppose his life, that he has bent then to his will.  Today the scepter of power is wielded by the hand of man.  He has extensively mastered the immediate forces of nature, but he has not mastered the mediate forces because he has not yet brought under control his own native powers.  Man today holds power over things, but we can assert confidently that he does not yet have power over his own power.

                Man is free; he can use his power as he pleases.  Within his very freedom reside the possibilities of misuse, a "misuse" which is one with destruction and with evil.  What can guarantee man's proper use of his power in the realm of freedom?  Nothing.  There is no guarantee that man will use his freedom for the good; at best we could have the mere probability that he would use it for the good.  We have mentioned already that even a prejudiced observer must conclude that man lacks today that rectified character which would ensure his right use of power.  As yet he has not developed thoughtfully that ethic which would be effective for controlling the use of power.  Moreover, no proper training ground no exists for such an ethic, either with the elite or among the masses.

                And so it is that the dangers facing human freedom mount ominously day by day.  Science and technology have so mastered the forces of nature that destruction, either chronic or acute and incalculable in extent, is now a possibility.  Without exaggeration one can say that a new era of history has been born.  Now and forever man will live at the brink of an ever-growing danger which shall leave its mark upon his entire existence.

                One readily sees how little man today is prepared to take charge of this awful inheritance of power acquired up to the present moment, when one adds to these dangers the lulling sense of security for all with which man now accepts the current power culture.  And the situation may well overwhelm humanity, not merely its weaker members but precisely those most active, its organizers, its leaders, its conquerors.  During this century we have witnessed the first monstrous instances.  It seems that too few people really understood the events of these years.  Again and again one is haunted by the fear that in the final analysis only violence will be used in an effort to solve the flood of problems which threaten to engulf humanity.  Should this inference prove to be true, it will mean that the false use of power in the conduct of human affairs has become the rule rather than the exception.

                At the center of the endeavors of the coming culture will loom this problem of power.  The solution of it will remain crucial. Every decision face by the future age - those determining the welfare or misery of humanity and those determining the welfare or misery of humanity and those determining the life or death of mankind itself - will be decisions centered upon the problem of power.  Although it will increase automatically as time move on, the concern will not be its increase but first the restraint and then the proper use of power.

NEW VESTRYMEN

At the Annual Parish Meeting on November 20, the congregation elected to our Vestry for three year terms Thomas Simmons, Mary Lou Mirocha and Mark Cobb.  We congratulate them and offer our thanks for their willingness to serve.

ANNUAL REPORTS

For those unable to attend the Annual Parish Meeting, the various reports may be found on our website:  allsaintsthomasville.org, and hard copies are available in the office.

EYC NEWS

December is going to be a busy, awesome month for EYC!  We are planning a few events for the future as well, and we need your input! 

Please join us in the spirit of Advent for the following events:

Saturday, December 3:  FAMU Concert Choir presenting a special Christmas Concert 8 p.m. at the Monticello Opera House, contact Margret Brinson for more info.

Sunday, December 4:  Bishop Benhase will confirm Madison Cook, Preston Young and Curry Brinson at 4 p.m.  EYC will attend & help serve at the Parish Celebration following the service. EYC (Zaxby's) Dinner party at the Brinson's House at 6:30 - RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED! 

Sunday, December 11:  EYC Inward, 5:30 PM, Dinner volunteer needed. 

Saturday, December 17:  EYC rings Salvation Army bell at the Pool Hall 11 a.m.-2 p.m.  - How much money can YOU raise?  Savannah has your shift assignments.

Sunday, December 25:  Merry Christmas; no EYC :)

ECW NEWS

The ECW Book Club met on Wednesday, November 9.  Our book selection was My Own Country by Abraham Verghese.  Our discussion was led by Gini Miller.  As usual when Gini is our leader, we have a great exchange of opinion.  Our group was agreed on the fact that we have enjoyed reading Dr. Vergheses books even if the subject (Aids/HIV) was difficult.  Many thanks to Gini for another great job.

In December we decided to read a Christmas story of our choice and do mini book reports. As usual, we welcome one and all.  A light lunch will be served, reservations appreciated.  See you December 14 at 11:50 a.m.
 
The ECW met on Wednesday, November 9 at 5:00 p.m.  After a brief meeting discussing the Auction on February 14, the Bazaar on March 3, and our Christmas outreach, we enjoyed a great presentation from Sweet Grass Dairy.

We all enjoyed hearing a brief history of the cheese shop. The cheeses we tasted were paired with wines from their shop and we all enjoyed the afternoon. We will meet on December 14 at 5:00 p.m.  Our speaker will be John Workman.  John has visited us before and spoken about the middle east.  On the 14th he will tell of his recent visit to Turkey.  John is a very interesting and well informed speaker, please come join us and bring a friend. (We often have "outside" guests when John speaks, even some of our men).

Due to the reports of the urgent need in our community for food, we decided to do our Christmas outreach for the food bank.  We welcome any cash donation.  Thank you for your contribution and see you on the 14th......

Lee Chubb

Lee Mitchell

VESTRY MEETING

The vestry will meet on Sunday, December 18 at 8:30 a.m. in the Library.

SAVE THE DATE