Faith - Hope - Love

In what is now a historic Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia, a founding father once said, “Peace, peace, but there is no peace....”  And from Patrick Henry’s impassioned speech in 1775 for liberty in this new country, there would ensue another war.  War.  Nothing new, really.  They have been going on in all parts of this planet we call earth, even before recorded time began.  When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was fighting in the area we know as Southeast Asia.

Many of us at St. Andrew’s had parents born just before, during, or after the war that was “to end all wars” – World War I.  These same parents may have fought in World War II or the Korean War.  We knew another war in Southeast Asia - Vietnam - a conflict that had been going on for years before our involvement.  And now, our children and the children of friends may have been involved in yet another continuous conflict – a conflict in Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, but also in France, Germany, and the streets of our own country and city.

Have you ever attended a meeting of the Veteran’s of Foreign War, the American Legion, the Daughters of the Revolution, or Scouts?  How do they begin?  They begin with the Pledge of Allegiance to what we hold dear – a great country that many have forgotten to have faith in, hope for, and love of. 

At St. Andrew’s, we are a family.  We gather weekly.  We need to be together.  We need to care for and enjoy each other daily.  And obviously, we like to party; we like to eat.  (That’s another benefit of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School – the students and faculty work hard, but they are also allowed to party and enjoy each other.)

When our new Rector comes, we will have a renewed opportunity to have faith in each other, to hope for better things, and extend our love to others.  The elections on November 8 may not seem like an “opportunity” to many; but somehow, we need it to be an opportunity for faith, hope, and love to surround our neighbors in Hilton Village, in Newport News, in Virginia, in the United States, and maybe even around the world.  One of the most positive comments made at Vacation Bible School was, “Think what the world or just our country would be like if it was like VBS: young and older, multiple races and faiths, all coming together to learn and have fun together.”

In writing to the Corinthians almost 2,000 years ago, Paul encouraged the Corinthians to “be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.”  We need people everywhere to read, and then reread, 1 Corinthians 13.  Maybe, just maybe, faith, hope, and love will abide, not just at St. Andrew’s, but throughout this troubled world. 

Bill Wilds
Liturgical Assistant