Eagle - November

In 1936, Charles Williams wrote a play entitled Thomas Cranmer of Canterbury. In it, he chronicled the remarkable life of this man who, as Henry VIII's Archbishop of Canterbury was, in great part, the driving force in throwing off the Papal supremacy in Great Britain and establishing the Anglican Church. As we look back over the centuries to his remarkable accomplishments, it is possible to celebrate them at a distance and to lose sight of the agonizing struggle which they required of him personally.

Thomas was an entirely human man who felt the pain of the animosity he encountered as he sought to lead the Church into new ways of thinking, who doubted with some frequency that what he was doing was right and God's will, but who finally, in humility and prayer, stood his ground. For this, he was burned at the stake in the reign of Mary Tudor as she sought to stop the establishment of the Anglican Church and return it to Rome.

Thomas' life calls each of us not just to celebrate our Anglican heritage, but to recognize that, as Christians, we are called to be willing to confront issues which face the Church, to prayerfully reflect, study and think about them and finally, to be open to seeking God's will in such matters. The risk of this kind of involvement is always uncertainty, for we are forced to hear not only our own ideas but those of others. Yet it is in such openness that a vision of God's purpose for His Church may be more fully recognized.

In Charles Williams' play, one of its characters says to Thomas as he is awaiting execution:

Thomas, all your life you have sought Christ in images, through deflections; how else can man see? Plastic, you sought integrity, and timid, courage. Most men, being dishonest, seek dishonestly; you among few, honesty, such as you knew, in corners of sin, round curves of deception; honesty, the point where only the blessed live, where only saints settle, the point of conformity.

We too live in a world no less deceptive and sinful than that of Thomas. In it, we too are called to honesty...the honesty which is Christ's will for the world and the Church. Such honesty is hard work, but it is worth it, for it is for the world and this Church that our Lord gave up his life.

On Saturday, the 29^th of October, at 3.00pm at First Congregational Church, the funeral service for Liz Miller, a beloved citizen of this town, teacher of our children, and deeply caring and concerned individual, will take place.

Liz died the week of October 17^th after a valiant battle with cancer. She will be deeply and sorely missed by our community. Please keep her family in your prayers and pray that she may rest eternally at peace.

A Very Special Sunday ~ On Sunday, November 6^th at the 10.00am service the members of the Youth Group who traveled to Appalachia this last Summer will be the focus of much that goes on in the service. They will have the opportunity to relate to you some of what they did and to draw parallels between the Scripture readings that morning and their experiences helping those in need in that most blighted part of our country. This morning is also Family Sunday, and members of the Sunday School will be helping with all sorts of aspects of the service, and Saint John’s Choristers will be singing at the service. As noted, it is a very special Sunday celebrating much that is important in the life of this Parish. We hope you will make every attempt to attend this service and to rejoice with us in the gift that these young people are to us in our church.

Hooray for the Bazaar! ~ As this edition of The Eagle is being put in the mail, we are at the eve of this year’s Saint John’s Bazaar. We have no doubt that it will be a fantastic success and extend our deep and abiding thanks to Chris Boshears and Laura Daly who agreed to serve as co-chairs of the Bazaar this year and to Ann Burton and Isabel Fowlkes who chair the Silent Auction. Thanks also goes to dozens and dozens of other individuals who will be pitching in to make the Bazaar the wonderful success it always is. Congratulations and deep gratitude to everyone who made this labor of love to benefit the work Saint John’s.

Adult Forum ~ We are fortunate that the Reverend Rowan Greer has agreed again to lead the Autumn Adult Forum at Saint John’s. The Forum begins on Sundays at 9.00 AM in the Parish House Library and allows those who have attended the 8.00 AM service to be in this gathering as well as those who will be attending the 10.00 AM service. The Forum ends about five minutes of ten and coffee is available for those attending. This year’s Forum will be offered the weeks of September 19 – November 21. Father Greer’s topic this year will be “Poetry and Religious Truth.” Father Greer notes,

A religion makes some ultimate claim on our belief. It demands a commitment. A literary experience, on the other hand, does not. ... [Despite the difference between poetry and religion] one still must concede that religion and poetry have much in common. ... the relationship between religion and poetry is a polar relationship in something of the same sense in which we speak of the poles of an electric battery ... poles that mutually attract each other and thus generate a current of energy."

“This is only one way of describing the relationship of poetry to religion. Perhaps we shall find others. We shall spend ten weeks examining specific poems, and you will find a detailed schedule in the Adult Forum of the Christian Education portion of the website.. Nevertheless, that agenda is obviously highly selective. Consequently, people are encouraged to submit their own favorites for our consideration.”

We cordially invite you to attend these meetings. It is not essential that you attend all of them but certainly are urged to come to as many as possible. You are assured that your time will be time very well spent. We are graced to have as fine a teacher as Father Greer in our midst.

Layreaders, Chalice Bearers, Acolytes and Ushers ~ Please be aware that any member of the Parish who is interested in becoming involved in any of these ministries should feel free to contact the Rector and let him know of that interest. You would be most welcomed and your gifts received with gratitude.

We have a special need this year for new Acolytes. A number of our more senior corps members have gone off to college. Any young person in fourth grade or above would be welcomed to become involved in this ministry in the life of Saint John’s. Please contact Father Ficks (868-2527) for additional details.

Evensong ~ Evensong will be sung on Sunday, November 6^th at 5.00pm for the Commemoration of the Feast of All Saints.

Loaves and Fishes is in Need ~ For many years, Saint John’s has supplied food and food servers once a month at Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen in New Milford. Over those years, a considerable number of dedicated members of the Parish have overseen this work. Most recently, David Poole has held this post. In order for us to continue to undertake this ministry to those in need practically at our doorstep, it would be a positive thing if a few additional members of the Parish stepped forward to offer time in this ministry. The commitment seems rather manageable…one Friday afternoon a month for about two and one-half hours transporting casseroles prepared by parishioners and stored in the Parish House refrigerator to the Richmond Center on Main Street in New Milford, warming them up, and helping serve them to those who visit the Center for a daily hot meal. Obviously, if two or three volunteers step forward, this commitment becomes quite modest and might be only required of each volunteer three or four times a year. This is a worthwhile ministry of this Parish to those in need. If you are willing to explore the possibility of sharing in this effort with David, please call the Rector (868.2527).

Daylight Savings Time ~ A reminder to set your clocks back an hour before going to bed on Saturday , October 29^th.

All Saints’ Day ~ On Tuesday, November 1^st at 9:30 a.m. in the Chapel, the Feast of All Saints’ will be observed, and on Sunday, November 6^th, the Solemnity of All Saints at both morning services and Evensong. At these services, members of the Parish who have died this year will be remembered as well as those whose names are given to us by members of the Parish who wish to have various departed loved ones remembered. Please be certain to get in the names of those you wish remembered at these services no later than Monday morning, October 31.

Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service ~ This year’s Community Thanksgiving Service will take place at Warren Congregational Church at 7.00 p.m. on Sunday, November 20^th. We hope that you will join in this wonderful celebration of our shared Faith as Christians and our Community Thanksgiving for all the blessings of this life.

Thanksgiving Day Service at Saint John’s ~ At 9:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, November 24^th, the Eucharist will be celebrated in the Chapel at Saint John’s.

Vestry News ~ At its regularly scheduled meeting of Sunday, October 16, 2005 the following received attention:

· Treasurer’s Report was accepted as submitted. The operating budget for 2006 (as recommended by the Finance Committee) was presented by the Treasurer. It was accepted by the Vestry and forwarded to the Stewardship Committee for their review and planning purposes for this year’s Stewardship effort.

· The Deanery Meeting was discussed by Mr. Bent and a thorough discussion of matters to be engaged at Diocesan Convention on the 21^st and 22^nd of this month took place.

· Mr. Bent presented a review of the work of the Outreach Committee and urged, most strongly, that any members of the Vestry who might be interested in becoming involved with this aspect of the life of Saint John’s feel free and encouraged to do so.

· The Rector noted that the stone work on the church was proceeding satisfactorily.

Nominations for the Vestry ~ Please be aware that, during November, the Vestry Nominating Committee (made up of those members leaving the Vestry in any given year) will be meeting to make nominations for new members of the Vestry and Officers for the coming year. This year, Winston Fowlkes, Peg Addicks, Jeanne Reid, Mary Schinke and Christopher Boshears will comprise the Committee. If you have a person you would like considered as a nominee for the Vestry, would you take time to speak with one of the above-mentioned members of the Vestry and let them know of your interest. It would be most helpful if you let them know why you felt the person you are suggesting is particularly qualified for this post. The slate of nominees for the Vestry will be presented at the Annual Meeting in January 2006.

Stewardship Chair ~ During late September, the Vestry took action to elect Mary Schinke chair of the Stewardship Committee. We are most grateful for Mary’s willingness to serve in this manner and express our gratitude publicly here. You will, needless to say, be hearing from Mary and her committee in the weeks ahead. We hope you will respond enthusiastically.

Advent Lessons & Carols ~ On December the 4^th at 5.00 p.m., Saint John’s will host the Deanery Service of Advent Lessons & Carols. This marvelous service, crafted decades ago at Cambridge University by Eric Milner-White, is one of the gems of the Anglican Church and offers a beautiful opportunity to hear the word of God in readings related to the Advent of our Lord and to rejoice in the music so many talented individuals have composed to celebrate this event. The Clergy from the Parishes of the Deanery will read at this service, and The Right Reverend James Curry, Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese will be the Officiant. The Altar Guilds of the Deanery will receive special recognition at this service and a lovely reception will follow. Please mark your calendars to be here for this evening.

The Sunday School ~ has been meeting this Fall under the guidance of Jeanne Reid, Dixie Deluca and Susan Markert. Wonderful things have been happening with the marvelous bunch of kids and their teachers. The first term in Sunday School ends with the last Sunday of Pentecost which is on the 20^th of November.

The 6^th–9^th grade group ~ began meeting with Bett Alter in October. It was a wonderful beginning and we are hopeful that this group will grow and flourish in the months ahead. Please, if you have young people in this group, this is a marvelous way to allow them to stay engaged with the life of the church in a manner that speaks directly to the cares and concerns that they experience at this particularly demanding time in their growing up. The next two meetings of this group will be on November 13^th and 20^th at 10.00 am in the Parish House Library.

Youth Group ~ The Youth Group is off to a fine start under the guidance of Caroline Sorell, Camille and David Gillespie, Julia Brennan and Steve McCollian. The next event of this year will be a trip to the Haunted Hayride in Bethlehem followed by a pizza dinner. All those going should be at the Parish House at 5.00pm on Saturday, October 29th. The next event will be leaf raking for those members of the Parish who might benefit from some help in this area. The date will be announced soon.

Music Notes ~ Oh dear! October has been one of those months that leaves me somewhat in the lurch as far as coming up zippy news copy is concerned. Merely stating that the choir and I have provided music for the services celebrating the 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th Sundays after Pentecost is a little like saying that the sun rose and set thirty-one times during the month. Gratifying, of course, but scarcely newsworthy.

That said, I must mention two events of note that took place early in the month.

Evensong, which was sung on the 2nd of October in commemoration of the feast of St. Michael and All Angels, was a particularly beautiful service. Several guest singers joined our regular forces to help make it a superb opening for our 2005/2006 Evensong season. We see a growing number of worshippers in attendance at each successive Evensong, and all of us who devote our efforts to offering these services sincerely hope that the trend will continue, for there is really nothing quite like the prayerful, meditative, and spiritually fulfilling atmosphere they produce. The next Evensong is scheduled for Sunday, the 6th of November, to mark the celebration of All Saints.

On the 9th of October, the first concert in St. John's '05/'06 Concert Series was presented by English tenor, SImon Wall. And what a concert it was! From the moody complexities of Poulenc's Tel Jour, Telle Nuit, to Britten's magical Canticle I, to Roger Quilter's lushly beautiful arrangements of English folk songs, Mr. Wall demonstrated his versatility, sensitivity, and warm musicality. A sheer delight from note one. The next concert in the series will be on the 29th of January, and will feature the chamber group Elements in works of Mozart and Brahms.

Gosh. January the 29th seems a long way off at the moment. But then I reflect that between now and then the following musical events are scheduled: All Saints' Evensong, Advent Lessons and Carols, The Saint John's Chorale Christmas Concerts, and Christmas itself; and suddenly it seems that January (and a whole new year!) will be here before we know it.