Pledge Campaign reflection by Leslie McNiece, Oct. 22, 2023

It's the time of the year for the stewardship campaign. When I thought about what would I say to you today, I came up with the usual. Why one should contribute money to the church. Why I do. Why you should. What it means to the church. What the church means to me. But none of it sounded like anything anyone hadn't said before. So I've decided to say something else. I've decided to say thank you.

Thank you to all of you out there who have pledged whatever you could to keep St. Andrew's alive all these years. Thank you for making it possible to uphold the traditions and ceremony of the Episcopal faith. Thank you for paying for the costs of this building, whose footprint has survived through storms and changing times. Thank you for sustaining our clergy who have the heavy responsibility of holding us together. Thank you not only for the monetary contributions you've made for many years but for the hundreds of hours of your precious time you have volunteered to make sure we hold fast and see to those less fortunate, all in the name of Jesus Christ.

So yes, it's pledge time, when we the Vestry budget for the coming year. But perhaps let's do that with reflection on what we've done, as well as what there is left to do.

Leslie McNiece
Vestry member

Joy amidst insecurity

St. Francis Day was earlier this month, I know, but he is perhaps my favorite saint (St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, notwithstanding) and so I like to use the whole month of October as an excuse to linger on his teachings. An email I received from an ecumenical organization on St. Francis Day encouraged me to

• Be small, not strong.
• Value joy over pleasure.
• Enjoy rather than avoid moments of insecurity, fear, and awkwardness.

 All three of these are behaviors that are contrary to what society values. It is difficult to resist the pull to be the smartest, the wealthiest, or the most attractive. It is really difficult to sit patiently with fear, rather than run away from it.   
 
Trying to live out St. Francis’s values produces discord not just personally but professionally for me as well. I had coffee with a church musician friend recently in which we pondered the clash between our call as ministers of the church and our training as classical musicians. As ministers in the church we are called to be gentle and humble like St. Francis (and Jesus, and….), but as classical musicians we were trained under the baton of conductors who used derision and intimidation to extract perfection from us. (Imagine that iconic portrait of Beethoven: eyes of fury, lips pursed, hair untamed. His image still dominates the world of classical music.) This, juxtaposed with the typical St. Francis statue: kind eyes, gentle hands, birds alighting on his shoulders. Which one am I? Is there a way in which I’m both? Is there a way in which I am neither, with no template to comfortably imitate, having to awkwardly forge my way as merely myself?
 
Feeling awkward…maybe I’m doing something right, after all. Thankfully, as each of us lives out our callings in our own way, we are not alone. We may be sitting with awkwardness but we are also sitting with every member of our St. Andrew’s church family: saints on earth as well as St. Andrew, St. Francis, and all the saints above. For myself and all of us, may this be our joy amidst insecurity, and our peace amidst fear. Amen.
 
Ginny Chilton
Minister of Music

The Philadelphia Eleven

On July 29, 1974, at the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, 11 women deacons were ordained to the priesthood by three retired bishops. It was quickly categorized as an irregular ordination, as many across the church and indeed, society at large, strongly objected to women becoming priests, as well as bishops. It is to be noted that the crucifer at that irregular ordination was none other than Barbara Harris, who much later became the first woman bishop in the church (1989).

There was a recent screening of the documentary “The Philadelphia Eleven” (at the site of history being made), ten years in the making, looking closely at not only the event, classified at the time as an act of civil disobedience, but the subsequent firestorm that raged across the church. The eleven women were harassed and received death threats. It was over two years before the General Convention agreed that it was permissible for women to become priests and bishops, and another two years before a woman was ordained under the new canon which had been narrowly approved. It puts us far behind the Methodist Protestant Church, which began ordaining women in 1880. It was not until 1992 that the Church of England voted to ordain women but allowing parishes the right not to accept women in the next year.

I was 29 years old when the Philadelphia Eleven marched into the Church of the Advocate that hot summer day to not just be ordained, but to transform the church, joined by the brave bishops who ordained them but to be participants in changing the world for the better. They accepted the challenge to say yes when called to overcome the obstacles holding them back from standing up and saying, “Here I am, send me.” I remember vividly seeing this on the news and sitting on a stool in front of our small black and white television pondering, in a slight state of shock, what this might mean for the church I loved. “60 Minutes” soon had a segment based on an interview with Carter Heyward, which hooked me completely, and I was able to see the pain and faithfulness as well as the courage in following God’s call despite the barriers. After that there was a meeting with Mr. Burke to schedule our son Joe’s baptism where I raised the topic. I offered that I fully believed a woman could be a faithful and prophetic priest, so where was my discomfort coming from?  He remarked that it was probably because I wanted my children to grow up in a world I could understand.

Later, after Mr. Burke died, Joe Buchanan who was the associate rector and a former priest in Charlotte, NC in the parish Carter Heyward had attended, thought it would be a good thing to invite her to preach at St. Andrew’s. This was before the regularization of the ordination, and she accepted. A week later she called and asked if she was to celebrate the Eucharist as well and Joe told her no. She cancelled and I remember chastising Joe for not having the courage of his convictions, being oblivious to the fact that he would very well have been deposed for allowing her to officiate at the altar.

All of this happened in concert with disputes about the revision of the prayer book, as the 1928 was still being used. Despite what I then was able to see as my resistance to change, I fell in love with the theology of the new version, primarily due to the baptismal covenant, and I was able to lessen my grip on those comfortable words I had grown up with.

St Andrew’s lost some parishioners along the way and St. Matthew’s Anglican Church became a comfortable place for people who held tight to the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. We were not on the forefront of women in the priesthood in the early years.

Last Sunday’s service with our brothers and sisters from St. George’s and St Augustine’s was a glorious experience for me, as I looked around at the joy and love that surrounds us in our shared love of Jesus Christ and his church, vibrant with change, but rooted in tradition. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Kathy Gray

Pledge campaign reflection by John Garrett, Oct. 15, 2023

This year's Pledge theme is Reflection and Renewal.

These words are frequently used when defining why we regularly attend church.  To some extent, we each have our own definition of them. However, since they are the topic, having a common definition seems appropriate. 

 "Self-reflection is a deliberate time set aside to slow down the busyness of your life and evaluate your actions with the intent of learning from your experiences, desires and feelings."

"Renewal can be defined as changing into something new and different. Renewal in Christ means that we are made into something better."

The services in our prayer book ask us to reflect on who we are, decisions we have made, actions we have taken and the ramifications of all. Is the person that we are and have been, the person that we want to perpetuate? Or, are changes and modifications needed to help us become who we strive to be, hence our need to also focus on Renewal. 

Reflection is relatively easy when we devote the time and energy to focus to it. It's like mental gymnastics. No action is needed, just define changes desired in who we are. Stated another way, it's a plan. 

On the other hand, renewal requires action to implement the changing of our thoughts, actions and behaviors. The execution of our improvement plan following reflection is challenging, we must overcome the inertia of our old ways. We come to church for help and support, to inspire, and to support change. This is provided by our liturgy, the Biblical lessons, sermons and the participation of collective worship service.  If tenacious enough, it can occur in isolation, but worshiping together facilitates and enhances achieving Renewal. 

As each of us reflect on our individual and collective being, might our renewal process lead to us to do our part to provide St. Andrew's the financial resources to perpetuate our mission. And in doing so, please remember that inflation is up 17% since 2020. Might our offerings reflect this. 

Thank you.

John Garrett

What's in your cup?

The late and renowned Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, asks: “You’re holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps you, making you spill your coffee everywhere.  Why did you spill the coffee?  You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup.  Had there been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea.  The point is whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.  Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you (which will happen), whatever is inside you will come out.  [ref. also Mt 15:11]  It's easy to fake it until you get rattled.  So we have to ask ourselves, “What’s in my cup?  When life gets tough, what spills out?”  Joy, gratefulness, peace, humility?  Or does anger, bitterness, harsh words and reactions come out?   You choose!  Today, work toward filling your cup with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation, kindness, gentleness, and love for others.”  [ref. also Gal 5:22-23]

I’m not always at my best when life rattles me, but the way I at least try to think about this and practice it is this: I will respond to…

• bitterness with kindness
• spite with compassion
• fury with peace
• disingenuousness with graciousness
• deceit with honesty
• betrayal with forgiveness
• maliciousness with joy
• woundedness with healing
• darkness with light

Marc Vance
Associate Rector

Pledge Campaign Reflections by Lindsey Nicolai on October 8, 2023

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."  (Psalm 46:1)

Christian stewardship is about our identity in Jesus Christ. It’s about our trust in God’s promises. It’s about our gratitude for all God has given us. It’s about responding to God in love.

My identity in the church has been shaped over the years by experiences, by events, but most importantly by the people – the communities of faith I’ve called home – most recently – the last 13 years – here at 45 Main Street.  At St. Andrew’s there are many ongoing activities that offer opportunities for reflection and renewal – bible study, centering prayer, Easter Sunrise services – just to name a few.  But for me some of the most powerful moments have happened spontaneously, unexpectedly – waiting quietly before a choir rehearsal begins (and hearing Ginny practicing with no competing sounds or distractions) or leaving in the dark after a parish event (filled with hope and inspiration to share God’s love with the world).  What strikes me the most about those moments as I speak about them now is how easy it is to take them for granted. 

Going through the motions is simple and thoughtless, and I’m always appreciative of an opportunity to pause, step back, and appreciate those too-easily taken-for-granted experiences.  St. Andrew’s offers them, I participate in them (whether I’m aware of it in the moment or not), and this stewardship season is a chance to honor the privilege it is to be part of God’s Kingdom.  As our Mission statement reminds us, we are here, “Building God's Kingdom through Worship, Outreach, and Fellowship.”  And in further support of what we are all about in this faith community, nothing summarizes those concepts better than our vision – “Devoted to sharing the transforming power of God’s love in our lives, our communities, and our world.” 

Like me, maybe you too easily “go through the motions” in the busy-ness of everyday life.  Perhaps – and how fortuitous it is that we are experiencing this sabbatical time at this very moment – we can all pause, reflect, and renew our commitment to both our personal spiritual lives and to this place through our gifts of our talents, time, and treasure.

--- Lindsey Nicolai

God of the sparrow, God of the whale

One of my favorite hymns, though it isn’t in our hymnal, is God of the Sparrow, God of the Whale, written in 1983 by Varoslav J. Vajda.  Varoslav’s father was a Lutheran pastor, having once served in Emporia, Virginia.  He received musical training at an early age and began translating Slovak poetry at the age of 15.  Ordained a Lutheran pastor in 1944, Varoslav left the ministry in 1963 to become an editor at Concordia Publishing.  He wrote his first hymn at the age of 49, which was followed by over 200 more before his death at the age of 89. 

 
God of the Sparrow, God of the Whale is basically a Sunday School lesson, teaching children and adults that God is the center of everything.  Each verse follows this theme: 1-creation (awe and wonder); 2-nature (woe); 3-divine initiative (grace); 4-humanity (care), 5-community (love), 6-God is ever near (joy).  This hymn, one of the six most favorite hymns written in the late 1980’s, is often sung at funerals, the Eucharist, and confirmation.
 
[If you would like to hear a very meaningful rendition, go to the You Tube recording by the First Plymouth Church of Lincoln, Nebraska.]
 
God of the sparrow God of the whale God of the swirling stars
How does the creature say Awe  How does the creature say Praise
 
God of the earthquake God of the storm God of the trumpet blast
How does the creature say Woe  How does the creature cry Save
 
God of the rainbow God of the cross God of the empty grave
How does the creature say Grace  How does the creature say Thanks
 
God of the hungry God of the sick God of the prodigal
How does the creature say Care  How does the creature say Life
 
God of the neighbor God of the foe God of the pruning hook
How does the creature say Love  How does the creature say Peace
 
God of the ages God of near at hand God of the loving heart
How do your children say Joy  How do your children say Home
 
May we be in awe of the grace, care, love, and joy we receive being at home with God.
 
Bill Wilds

Pledge Campaign reflections by the Rev. Canon Bernard Young on Sunday, Oct. 1

 I am a Gladys Knight fan.  One of my favorite songs begins, “I’ve had my share of life’s ups and down.”  Truth be told, my downs have been many, not few.  Yet, today, as I reflect on those ups and downs, I say, “To God be the Glory!”

I was six years and two months old when I went home from Mass and told my mother that I was going to be a priest.  I was channeled from that day towards priesthood.  I entered seminary as a teenager.  I was ordained a deacon at age twenty-three; the date of my priesthood was set when it was discovered that I was not old enough to be priested.  So I waited six months, and was ordained a priest twelve days after my twenty-fourth birthday.

At age twenty-three, I began ordained ministry, in my native Guyana, assisting an older priest with five churches and two grammar schools.  We then started to build another building to house a school and a church.  From end to end, the parish was about thirty miles.  At age twenty-six, I was on my own and in charge of two yoked parishes of five churches, two grammar schools, a hospital and a boys’ reform school.  From end to end about thirty-five miles.  My trusty motorcycle got me along those desolate dirt roads, in all kinds of weather, and at all hours.  God kept me safe as I road those roads, many with rice fields and sugar cane fields, on either side.

Two things should be said at this point.  Firstly, I give thanks to my father for teaching me my faith, what it means to be a Christian and how one develops a relationship with God.  The other thing is that when I first thought of ordained ministry, I thought of a monastery and being a missionary.  The reason that I mention this second is that in my youthful days in seminary, I realized that I needed to have a companion for life.  In God’s time and in His way, I did become a missionary as I preached and taught in many parts of Asia, while still running my own Parish and administering thirty-two others as an Archdeacon.  He also eventually gave me a good and wise companion in Debbie, who has journeyed with me so far for forty-two of these fifty-three years.

In the course of my life and ministry, I have learnt that the words of St. John are absolutely true; “In the dark night of the soul, bright flows the river of God.”  Ever since my father taught me to pray, I have been aware of the Presence of God in my life.  But, when you have had Gethsemane experiences in your life, you are even more deeply aware of the Power of God and of your dependence on God.  The Mystics are correct when they tell us that there is no crown without a cross.

The mistake that we sometimes make is that we forget that Jesus never promised us that if we believe in Him He will keep the storms of life away; His promise is to be present with us in the storms.  Debbie and I have often spoken about an experience we had.  Beginning Saturday, August 23, 2008, through the end of December 2010, we had 29 deaths of family members, or persons who were considered family members.  Actually the first was the father of our ‘sister’ who was with us in Aruba with her husband and children when she received the phone call.  A few hours later we received a call that Debbie’s aunt had died.  We all flew back to the US that day, after only 30 hours of vacation.  Those 29 deaths included Debbie’s mom, my older brother, and our 27-year-old who was shot and killed by a police officer.  I mention this because, if we did know God to be our Father, our Abba, and if we did not have a relationship with Him, we would never have survived.  But God is good.  We felt His Presence.  Faith and Love gave us strength and hope to survive, and to look beyond the moment and the experience. I know that God does not abandon us.  God will never abandon us.  He is my God and my Abba.  He loves me as much as He loves His Divine Son who is my Brother.  He does not love Jesus more than He loves anyone of us.  This is my faith.

I show my love for Him, and my gratitude, by my positive act of pledging to the support of His work in whatever Parish I find myself.  Debbie and I actually pledge to three parishes.  Ministry must continue, the Gospel must be proclaimed so that the love and mercy of God could be made known to those who still have not heard it, as well as to those who always need to be reminded of it.

The Rev. Canon Bernard Young