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In The Shadow Of War: A Pastoral Letter
What’s Going on with the Choir?
New Phone and Internet Service
Consider the Following Etymologies
In
The Shadow Of War: A Pastoral Letter
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We, your bishops, write to you in
perilous times. We do not know what
the next days will bring. War and
the threat of war make many afraid
for the welfare of all that they love,
and all those whom they hold dear.
Such fear gnaws at the edges of consciousness
and can shake the foundations upon
which we have built our lives and
our communities.
We do know that the certainty of God’s
goodness and faithfulness can never
be shaken. In a time of great violence
and anxiety we, as Christians, are
not to acquiesce to fear; we are to
witness to the reconciling love of
God. We are aware that within the
community of faith there are a variety
of opinions about the course our nation
is pursuing. Nevertheless, Christians
are called by Jesus to regard all
persons as neighbors, to reach out
in mercy, and to pray for one another
and for our enemies.
We remind ourselves now of those who
need our prayers and concerns: all
who will be caught up in this conflict,
our military personnel including our
chaplains, their families, people
who suffer for conscience sake, Arab
Americans of all faiths, followers
of Islam around the world - the great
majority of whom share a longing for
peace, and the people of Iraq, among
whom are more than one million Christians.
Our prayers must continue for George,
our President, and for the leaders
of the nations, that they will make
wise and measured decisions that will
protect the innocent and will result
in a swift and just peace, and the
full restoration of the land and people
of Iraq.
In this season of conflict and danger,
our Church is called to be a community
where all people can join in prayer
for peace and healing in God’s
beloved world, for loved ones and
those in harm’s way, and for
the assurance of our Lord’s
merciful presence and providence in
the midst of crisis. As your bishops,
we commit ourselves to adopt a discipline
of fasting and prayer for the return
of peace. We commend such a discipline
to each of you. We urge our congregations
to open their doors for prayer and
to be places where all can find the
hospitality and hope of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Prince of Peace.
In all times and circumstances, our
faith is set upon the firm foundation
of the love of Christ. We reaffirm
our confidence that “neither
death nor life...nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38,39)
In these difficult times, may God
give us the strength to witness to
the Divine Compassion.
A Prayer for the Whole Human Family:
O God, you made us in your own image
and redeemed us through Jesus your
Son. Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance
and hatred which infect our hearts;
break down the walls that separate
us; unite us in bonds of love; and
work through our struggle and confusion
to accomplish your purpose on earth;
that, in your good time, all nations
and races may serve you in harmony
around your heavenly throne; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer, page 815
(top of page)
What
Cancer Cannot Do
Cancer is so limited . . .
It cannot cripple Love
It cannot shatter Hope
It cannot corrode Faith
It cannot destroy Peace
It cannot kill Friendship
It cannot suppress Memories
It cannot silence Courage
It cannot invade the Soul
It cannot steal eternal Life
It cannot conquer the Spirit
—Author Unknown
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of page)
What’s going on with the choir?
Considering the recent experimentation
with the seating location of our choir,
the displacement of several pews,
and rumored and first-person reactions
to the changes, it seems time to communicate
with you about why this experimentation
is thought to be necessary.
There are actually two primary issues
here, the functionality of the choir,
and the functionality of the space
in the immediate vicinity of the organ.
The goal of the first is to improve
worship experience for all through
improving the musical performance
and worship presence of the choir.
The goal of the second is to provide
a flexible multi-use space in the
vicinity of the organ, again to improve
the worship experience of all.
At full strength the choir has grown
to twenty-six parishioners. This fact,
and the acoustical technical difficulties
associated with being placed back
in the corner of the sanctuary, have
led to a need to experiment with other
seating arrangements. Several configurations
have been tried. At the time of the
writing of this letter, no optimum
or final configuration has been found.
Please consider giving Brian Webb
or me your constructive feedback,
so that we can be well informed and
sensitive to your worship needs as
we all go through this process.
Although the creation of a flexible
multi-use area in front of the organ
was initially associated with choir
needs, this is just part of the reasoning
behind the experimental change. The
other part has more to do with transforming
the sanctuary (in this case a small
part of it) into the more flexible
multi-use model of a cathedral, by
using chairs for seating. Within the
last year there have been several
inquiries made to chair manufacturers
in a effort to locate architecturally
and functionally appropriate chairs
to replace the seating lost by the
several displaced pews and provide
more functional seating for the choir.
Please direct any constructive feedback
to me, so that acting in my role as
chairperson of the Worship and Music
Committee of the Vestry, I can keep
your parish leaders well informed
of your opinions and needs.
—Ron
Thompson
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of page)
Adopt a Stained Glass Window
Do you have a favorite window in the
Church? Would you like to be up close
and personal with your window? The
Properties Committee is looking for
volunteers to wash the interior side
of our Windows in the Church. They
are washed with a simple solution
of water and Ivory Snow, then rinsed.
You have to be able to climb a stepladder
and are required to wear a protective
mask because of the lead holding the
windows together. Please contact Dick
Bushey for more information or to “claim” a
window.
(top
of page)
We
Have New Phone and
Internet Service
The vestry approved a recommended
change in telephone and Internet service
to SoverNet. This change will save
the church over $5,000 the next five
years. We now have high-speed internet
service and three telephone
lines, which is more convenient and
efficient for all in the office.
A way to save the Church Money
If you are considering changing your
telephone and Internet service, you
might want to consider SoverNet.
This Vermont company will give
Christ Church a credit on our bill
for members of the parish who change
to their service. For more information
about this program, please call Claude
Stone.
(top
of page)
Consider the following etymologies:
Obedient—from the Greek
Ob meaning toward, and audire meaning
to listen,
hence it is to listen toward.
Enthusiasm—from the Greek en
meaning within and theos meaning God
, hence it is God within.
Miracle—from the Latin mirare,
to admire or wonder, but its deepest
word root is the Sanskrit verb smein.
In its third person singular, smytate,
miracle takes root. It means, He smiled.
—(copied
from Forward Day by Day on All Saints
Day, November 2002)
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