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AUTUMN A.D.

2015

VOL. 57 NO. 3
Published quarterly by the Society for Promoting and Encouraging
Arts and Knowledge of the Church (SPEAK, Inc.).

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CHAIRMAN
THE RT. REV. EDWARD L. SALMON, JR.
VICE-CHAIRMAN
THE REV. CHRISTOPHER COLBY
SECRETARY/TREASURER
DR. E. MITCHELL SINGLETON
THE RT. REV. JOHN C. BAUERSCHMIDT, THE REV. JONATHAN A. MITCHICAN
THE REV. DR. C. BRYAN OWEN, ANN CADY SCOTT
THE REV. KATIE SILCOX, THE REV. CHARLESTON D. WILSON

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
THE VERY REV. ANTHONY F. M. CLAVIER, CATHERINE S. SALMON

COPY EDITOR
THE REV. JOHN D. BURTON

INQUIRIES AND CORRESPONDENCE


TOM WALKER, GENERAL MANAGER
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Reflecting the words and work of the
faithful throughout the Anglican
Communion for more than fifty years.

connecting gathering telling

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From the Editors

We seem to have two ma- ble. We can become irritating


jor impulses, at least when it busybodies, out to use and
comes to our interactions with abuse others, constantly de-
other people. Part of us wants manding change, never sat-
to share, to enjoy family and isfied with things as they are.
friends, to greet acquaintanc- On the other hand we can be-
es and sales staff at the super- come so totally self-centered,
market, and to take a lively in- that we cut off even those
terest in community, at home who love us and live in misan-
and further afield. thropic isolation.

The other influence is to draw Of course, both perversions


into ourselves, to take time of natural impulses boil down
out, even to shun the compa- to pride, an obsession with
ny and demands of living in self. Yet, as Christians, the
community. Churchs doctrine of the Com-
munion of Saints is a realized
Of course, neither impulse in reminder that we are never
itself is either bad or good. alone. The Church is much
We need others. We need safe more than our parish, diocese,
space to be alone. The Chris- the Episcopal Church, the An-
tian Faith acknowledges both glican Communion, or the
impulses. While we are con- sum total of Christians who
stantly surrounded by a great are alive at this moment. We
crowd of witnesses, we also live in company with those we
need to go apart and pray. Its see no more, and particularly
the perversion of these im- those who have been lights
pulses that gets us into trou- to their several generations,

4 anglicandigest.org
whose hope was in Jesus, and
who faithfully followed in the
A TEACHING
beliefs and practices of the MANUAL
Apostles. FOR THE
We hope the articles that fol- CHURCH
low will encourage you as you
run the race that is set before
you, looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of your
Whole
faith. If this proves to be the Christianity:
case, do share The Anglican A Teaching Manual
Digest with your friends and for the Church
neighbors, order subscrip- by The Rev. Hugh C. Edsall
tions for them, or get your
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worship of the Anglican
list so that we can send a free Communion as directed by the
years subscription to each pa- 1979 BCP, Whole Christianity
rishioner. gives good reason to be excited
about our Christian faith. Rather
than simply affirm the Anglican
Church as a pleasant place to
attend when you feel like it, Whole
Christianity challenges each of us
to live our faith.

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autumn 2015 5
Dig es
7 All Ye Spirits and Souls of the Righteous

n
10 Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones
13 A Mystical Communion
17 Our Cloud of Witnesses

t
a
20 The Euchcarist and the Communion of
c

the Saints

sin c e 1
i

26 In Communion
l

29 An Extended Family Reunion


g

39 The Communion of Saints


45 Our Common Life
n

48 Holy Adventure
A

54
95
The Unity of the Saints
57
8 Th e
Joined in Communion
61 The Great Thanksgiving
65 Deaths
gathering telling

ALL YE SPIRITS overtake the day; the vibrant


AND SOULS OF stars light dims to watery
THE RIGHTEOUS wintry shadow and, harvest
passing, the fields fall fallow
Dr. Derek Olsen corn stubble awaiting a blan-
Baltimore, MD
ket of snow. The signs of the

A
cold wind flaps my earth turn to sleep or death.
coat-tails and whirls With signals like these its only
a cloud of dead leaves natural my pagan precursors
about my feet as I walk my identified the passage from
daughter to the bus stop. They days supremacy to nights to
rasp voicelessly on the con- be a passage between worlds,
crete and my thoughts finds a time when the dead souls
them a flock with words, return to be blown about our
warnings, pleas, spokenbut lands toothlessly muttering
not understood. A passage of words, warnings, pleas to
Homer flickers to mind: Od- the living. With the coming
ysseus, sword drawn, keeping of Christ to the British Isles,
the rustling flock of shades the soul cakes were offered to
at bay from the invigorating wandering strangers rather
blood of the black sheep that than the family dead; flick-
gives voice to a fallen com- ering faces lit visitors rather
rade, to an ancient prophet, to than turning away spiteful
the heros motherstrangers spirits. All Hallows Eve, All
joined in death. For the dead Hallows, and All Souls re-
have been on my mind. placed and displaced the for-
mer pagan feast.
Its only natural, I suppose
in the most literal kind of way. All Hallowsor All Saints
As the sun rounds anoth- as we know it now (the Lat-
er corner, the hours of night in saints replacing the Sax-
autumn 2015 7
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on with the same sense)is their labors, who sleep in the


something of a confusion in earth awaiting the last trum-
these latter days. Who we re- pet when the earth shall flee
member, what we remember, away, the sky roll like a scroll,
and why has been blurred and our great company shall
sometimes by accident, some- throng to the judgment seat.
times on purpose. All Saints,
All Souls, and the difference Images fill my mind, of the
between them lie at the in- Great Judgment, the Last Day,
tersection of the Churchs snatches of songs, paintings
musings on Scripture, on half-remembered from medi-
the Church Expectant, the eval books on penitence and
Church Triumphant, and the prayer. Pre-modern in aspect,
overarching principle of the pre-modern in assumptions,
baptized dead knit into the a pervading truth permeates
living Christ. the scenes. It shall not be as
they envisioned, it shall not be
All Hallows is for the Church as I envision and yet
Triumphant, those spirits and
souls of the righteous who al- And yet
ready rejoice in the ineffable My mind turns to the font and
splendor of the appearance of the flood for this is the center
the glory of God. For these are of this belief that yea, though
those who already harmonize they die, yet shall they live,
in the great chorus and who knit to the marrow, the sinew,
unceasingly lay down their the bone, knit in the body of
petitions before the Throne, the Living Christ. Held in the
praying for us who yet linger mind of God, held in the heart
here. of God, whatever our state of
All Souls is for the Church wake or rest we are hid with
Expectant who rest from Christ in God.
8 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

W W W over the waiting stones, but it


came from the organ inside of
Today we walked amongst the church that lay at the cen-
the dead. As sunlight filtered ter of the stonestuning for
through fallen lives, my girls the days second service. St.
and I sat with gravestones. Pauls words then came to my
Walnuts lay thick, their husks mind: Sleeper awake! Rise
and shells, and we sat and from the dead, and Christ
filled bagsmuch to the shall give you light.
squirrels chagrin. Down on
my knees, I dug the nuts from No Homeric scene this with
the tall grasses, cleared them the blood of goats and shades
away with the rest of the par- that mutter and warn. There
ish volunteers. My flirtatious is blood, it gives lifebut not
five-year old, finding a friend, as the old poet sang. For the
laughed and skipped as she cup that we share and the loaf
gathered the shells, laughter that we break is a sharing in
pealing like little bells over the life of our God. And here
mossy stones and markers. in the churchyard we gather
The other, tired, threw herself as onethose on high, those
upon a marble slab and stared in sleep, those awakeand we
at the sunlit sky. At first I tried gather at the table that is an al-
to hush and shush them, to tar and a tomb and we share in
remind them of the rever- the mysteries of God. For the
ence due this place, and then I communion we share links
thought of the music of voices the living and dead, finds all
and of how they rang in this those knit together in Christ,
silent space and remembered and invites us to share in the
that we walked among friends. promise of that place, a life hid
And a trumpet sounded its together in God.
clarion call, the sound drifting
autumn 2015 9
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DEM BONES, cans stripped the calendar to a


DEM DRY BONES bare minimum. Gradually we
have swung back to an appre-
The Very Rev. Anthony F.M. ciation of saints and martyrs
Clavier and their place in our corpo-
Glen Carbon, IL
rate and individual lives.

O
nce the Church emer-
ged from centuries of The blood of the martyrs is
persecution, it was nat- the seed of the Church. So
ural that they built churches wrote Tertullian, a third cen-
over the tombs of their mar- tury Christian writer who
tyrs. Our practice of dedicat- lived in North Africa. He knew
ing churches to a specific saint whereof he spoke. Before
or saints began in that manner. Constantine brought peace to
In the Middle Ages, the prac- the Church, Christians went
tice emerged of placing a rel- through periods of violent
ic of a saint in a stone on the persecution. They found so-
altar. Granted, this occasioned lace and encouragement in the
an industry selling bones of heroism of men and women,
dubious authenticity; no prac- clergy and laity, of every class
tice known to man is immune and race, who suffered and
to abuse. The tradition was died during the persecutions.
virtuous and inspired devo-
tion; corruption calls for ref- As we remember these peo-
ormation, not for destruction. ple in our daily worship, it
is good to acknowledge that
In reaction against this they are not dead exemplars,
abuse, many post-Reforma- like George Washington or
tion churches were dedicated Florence Nightingale. Its odd
to the Trinity, or Christ, or that many of us shudder when
Emmanuel, or Grace. Angli- we see a statue or icon in our

10 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

churches, yet think nothing dead. We have fellowship with


of the statues erected of pub- them, pray with them, are
lic people of note in our parks loved by them, and worship
and city squares. Just as the God with them.
photographs of our dead rel-
Perhaps not so much now, but
atives remind us of them and
earlier in the twentieth cen-
bring back floods of memo-
tury a movement arose called
ries, that grandfather or sister
Spiritualism. Some rather
come to life, so the collects
distinguished people, such as
and lessons we read on the
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the
feasts of the saints and martyrs
author of the Sherlock Holmes
not only present to us facts
stories, were drawn to it.
about heroic Christians, they
Amidst the carnage of the First
bring them to life.
World War, many bereaved
desperately sought to be in
This bringing to life isnt an
touch with their departed rela-
illusion. Jesus said that if we
believe in him we shall nev- tives. People styled mediums
conducted sances. Most were
er die. Its easy to take this as
charlatans, ready to profit from
hyperbole or merely a lovely
peoples grief. Had the church
poetic thought. Yet every time
not spiritualized the Commu-
we recite the Creed, we state
that we believe in the Commu- nion of Saints, Spiritualism
may not have occurred. Such
nion of Saints. Communion
a stress was placed on com-
in Greek means fellowship,
a coming together, an enjoy- munion with the great saints,
that an awareness of our com-
ing of being in the crowd.
In the Creed, we say that we munion with ordinary saints
believe that we are actually in evaporated.
the crowd, the crowd of the The New Testament calls all
departed or, if you must, the baptized people saints. As
autumn 2015 11
connecting

Christians moralized sancti- doesnt just work once and


ty, confusing being good with then run out like a dead bat-
being saved, a certain doubt tery. It works throughout our
arose as to whether our bad lives and beyond. As we re-
tempered Aunt Edith was in member Jesus in the Eucha-
heaven or hell, was in the rist, he remembers us at the
crowd that surrounds us or Eucharist because the visible
being regularly toasted by the sign of our baptism on our
bad-tempered devil. forehead is working, however
great our failings.
Heroic virtue doesnt imply
character perfection. Think of
It is so important that we re-
St. Wilfred or St. Jerome. Both
alize that the Eucharist is not
were renowned for their tem-
a place we meet to get a fix,
pers, yet they inspired such de- to be healed and fed, just to
votion that they were singled make life easier. True we are
out as special saints among healed and fed, but life may
ordinary saints. Despite their not get easier; indeed it may
fallenness, their lives exhibit- well get more difficult. The
ed an extraordinary devotion martyrs whose blood became
to our Lord and to his church. the seed of the Church knew
Most of us, and most of our that. The Eucharist is the place
ancestors, were much more where we step out of time into
ordinary. We share, however, that place that, in time, will be
in one baptism for the remis- when Christ comes again in
sion of sins. his glorious majesty to judge
True, many of us, when we both the quick and the dead.
die, will land up in the school There, at the heavenly ban-
for backward believers, as we quet, we mingle in the crowd,
come to be that which we are the crowd of particular saints
through baptism. Baptism and ordinary saints, with bad

12 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

tempered Aunt Edith and the a mystical


tipsy Uncle Bert, whose bap- COMMUNION
tism has finally worked mira-
cles. The Rev. Trey Garland
Georgetown, TX
Returning home after worship,
we remain among that cloud I believe in the communion
of witnesses as we run, walk, of saints
stagger, or crawl in the race

W
that is set before us, looking hen I was at Se-
unto Jesus, the author and wanee as a semi-
finisher of our faith. We are narian, I was fortu-
never alone, never deprived nate enough to be able to
of caring companions. Even do my field education at All
when we feel most isolated, Saints Chapel. It was the
our prayer can be, May bless- practice to record 1 + all the
ed Mary and all the saints pray saints in the service register
with me and for me. Amen. when only the officiant was
QQQ present at one of the daily of-
fices. At the time, I thought
THE ORDER OF ST. ANDREW it was just a peculiar thing
that was a part of Sewanee
A Religious Order of men and lifebut I didnt really get
women, both married and single,
not living in community. it. Twelve years after being
For information contact: ordained to the priesthood,
The Father or Mother General
The Order of Saint Andrew I have a firmer understand-
2 Creighton Lane ingbut like most things
Scarborough, NY 10510
(914) 941-1265; 762-0398 in dealing with God and his
http://www.osa-anglican.org most gracious will, parts of it
remain a mystery.
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autumn 2015 13
connecting

As I have grown and learned, God spoke to him, saying, I


I have come to appreciate, and am the God of Abraham, and
rely on, this mysterious com- the God of Isaac, and the God
munion of saints. A pure of Jacob? He is not God of the
creedal understanding is that dead, but of the living. They
we are bound with our broth- are alive to God. This com-
ers and sisters who have gone munion is very present and
before us in the same Body of we know that in the presence
which Jesus Christ is the head. of the Holy and Triune God
As an unashamed and incor- that they are alive. As the
rigible Anglo-Catholic, I have prayer from the burial office
brought both the interces- says: Grant that, increas-
sions of the saints and prayers ing in knowledge and love of
for the dead to the parishes thee, he may go from strength
I have served (where such to strength in the life of per-
things did not already exist). fect service in thy heavenly
It provides an excellent jump- kingdom. We acknowledge
ing-off point for talking about within our liturgy that those
the communion of saints. who are dead to us are alive
and in action before Christ.
The first hurdle is: Why are
we praying for the dead? Je- The second hurdle is: Why
sus answers this question for do we want this communion
us in the twelfth chapter of of saints to pray for us? Let
Mark where he responds to me be clear from the begin-
the Sadducees question about ning that none of us require a
the resurrection. Jesus an- mediator to pray to God. But
swers, And as for the dead be- I suspect all of us at one point
ing raised, have you not read or another may have asked
in the book of Moses, in the someone to pray for us or
passage about the bush, how found ourselves on a prayer

14 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

list. There is no difference, at answers, and become disen-


least in my opinion, between chanted with our spiritual life
asking the living to pray for when we cannot find answers.
me and asking the saints The communion of saints is
above to pray for me. For one of those things that we
those who are strict readers of can only understand in part.
the Thirty Nine Articles, ar- By no means can we have
ticle XXII only prohibits the a full understanding of this
Romish doctrine of asking great blessing. Some things
the saints intercession; it does will simply have to wait until
not speak to the Patristic or our own earthly pilgrimage
Eastern views of the interces- has ended.
sion of saints. (See John Hen-
ry Newmans Tract 90, part The next time you attend the
six.) Eucharist, pay attention. You,
I, and those present are not
The biggest hurdle, though, at the only ones who join our
least in my own experience, worship of Father, Son, and
has been the fact that we get Holy Ghost; rather it is An-
nervous about supernatural gels and Archangels, and with
mystery. As I look at my desk, all the company of heaven,
I have a smart phone, a tablet, who join in the wonder, love,
and a computerall with the and praise.
ability to search any topic and
provide me with answers, and You and I are a part of this
all waiting to do my will. I mystical communion that
have become conditioned not comes to praise and render
to accept unknown. Some thanks to God who loved us
of us, I think, cease to dwell enough to allow his Son to die
in the mysteriousness of God on the cross, that you and I
and his love, and strive to find might have eternal life.
autumn 2015 15
gathering
connecting
connecting

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16 anglicandigest.org spring 2014


gathering telling

OUR CLOUD fathers and sons dosimple


OF WITNESSES things, which, on reflection,
take on huge significance and
The Rev. Dr. Walter V. Windsor mean the world as they be-
Pine Bluff, AR
come memories.
Hebrews 12:1
As the weekend grew to a close

M
y parents divorced and it was time for my father to
when I was in high drive home, he said he wanted
school, but were al- to talk to me about something
ways careful not to involve very important. I knew this
me in any tensions that were was going to be one of those
straining their relationship, emotional expressions of love,
determined that the relation- eliciting a response that was
ship we shared would remain so easy to embrace as a small
positive, without placing me child curled up on Daddys
in the middle of their situa- lap, yet somehow awkward
tion. As it turned out, I lived and embarrassing as a teen
with my mother and my fa- growing into adulthood.
ther moved to another town.
In my minds eye, I can still
Even though we lived apart,
see him sitting on the couch,
I loved my father very much.
patting the cushion next to
Fortunately I got to spend
him, Son, come here a mo-
some time with him in spite of
ment please I went over
the distance between us and
to where he was, it being all I
I cherished those times we
could do to keep from rolling
shared together.
my eyes with vexation, lacking
A few years after the divorce, the depth and understand-
my father came for one of his ing to respond with the same
visits and we spent the whole grace that was being offered to
weekend doing those things me. Being callow, I might have
autumn 2015 17
connecting

even been irritated by the un- had been there, or been avail-
folding situation. Anger and able, maybe think of things
irritation, I am told, are often you wished you had told me,
caused by fear. If so, my fear or things you wish you had
was caused by not wanting not said to me, when you re-
to be exposed, even in a little flect on bad or sad memories,
way, to the truth that I was not know that I do not want you
really being attentive enough troubled.
to my father, showing and
expressing my love more, or He went on to say, What
doing those things I ought to matters is the love, and that is
have done. I was feeling the eternal. God gave you to me
need to justify myself, before as a gift of love, and in God,
my father had even begun that love is forever. I forgive
what he had to say. you now for all things in the
past, the present, and the fu-
I sat down beside my father. ture, and want you to know I
He placed his arm around love you more than life itself.
my neck and drew me close, Do you hear me?
touching his forehead next to
mine, looking straight into my He had tears in his eyes, and
eyes, as he had when I was a I wanted to get away from the
little boy. He said, Van, when situation, so I said something
you look back on life, I want like, Yeah, Dad, of course I
you to know how much I love understand He smiled at
you I couldnt bear it, Oh me a knowing smile. My fa-
dad, please Unwilling to be ther knew what I was feeling
deterred he continued, Lis- and thinking, as he always
ten to me son, when you think seemed to, but I also believe
of the things you wish we had that in his heart he believed
done, or times you wish you that one day I would value the

18 anglicandigest.org
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gift of a precious memory. We We are all called to be saints


hugged, he gave me a goodbye of God, perhaps not with the
kiss, and waving to each oth- capital S, but saints none the
er as he drove off, he was on less. As saints we are called to
his way home. I didnt know offer a witness to the love to
at the time, and he didnt, but which God has called us, not
he would soon be home just with our mouths, but also
with God. Those were the last through the example of our
words my Daddy would speak lives. My father offered me a
to me; he died of a massive great witness of love, a love
heart attack that night. flowing from God, and one
that has been witnessed to,
I am sure any of us, if giv- and lived out, in the lives of
en the knowledge that our generations and generations
last conversation with some- of both big and little s saints.
one we love is about to take
place, would offer these same God transcends time and
kinds of thoughts as my fa- space, and thereby, as part of
ther. What a gift of grace that the Body of Christ and mem-
conversation has been for me bers of Gods Kingdom, so
over the decades. I am sure does that Cloud of Witness-
too, that it reflects Gods love es, which surrounds us, em-
for us. The sin, the separation, bracing us with love, from this
the justification, anxiety, and world into the next.
fearnone of it matters, only
the love, and that is eternal. It I am sure that when my father
is in love we are created, it is closed his eyes after seeing
in love we are redeemed, and this world for the last time,
it is in love that God calls us he opened them to look into
to live into relationship with the face of Jesus. Nothing else
him. mattered, only the love. I also
autumn 2015 19
connecting

have no doubt that one day I 1979 Book of Common


shall open my eyes and see my Prayer, Eucharistic Prayer B,
father again in the presence of Rite II

T
Christ, one of those witness-
es, where he will embrace me, he celebration of the
and hold me fast, and I can Eucharist is the sacra-
tell him face to face, Daddy, ment par excellence of
I love you. the church and the primary
locus of her communion with
QQQ the triune God. Any theolog-
ical conversation about the
THE EUCHARIST often-ambiguous commu-
AND THE nion of the saints must begin
COMMUNION OF and end with a robust under-
standing of koinonia in, with,
THE SAINTS and through the Trinity. The
powerful imagery of heavenly
The Rev. Porter C. Taylor worship portrayed in Revela-
( 2015)
Overland Park, KS tion 4-5 comes to earthly fru-
ition in our own sacrifice of
In the fullness of time, put all praise and thanksgiving. It is
things in subjection under your my contention that the church
Christ, and bring us to that militant is most connect-
heavenly country where, with ed to the church triumphant
all your saints, we may enter through her doxological and
the everlasting heritage of your eucharistic worship.
sons and daughters; through
Koinonia and the Godhead
Jesus Christ our Lord, the first-
born of all creation, the head of In line with the writings of
the Church, and the author of John Zizioulas, our first step
our salvation. toward true communion (koi-

20 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

nonia) must begin with the been adopted into the cove-
self-contained, mutual, and nant family of God and made
self-giving fellowship of the co-heirs of his kingdom.
Trinity. Our koinonia with the
Father, the Son, and the Holy The sacramental life of the
Spirit is based on the invita- church draws us into deeper
tion to participate in the love relationship with the Trinity.
that overflows from, and has In the waters of baptism we
eternally existed within, the are initiated as covenant fam-
Three-in-One. To be truly hu- ily members and united with
man is to be in communion Christs death and resurrec-
with God for there is no ex- tion in the name of the Father,
istence outside of and apart the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
from him. Through the ministry of the
Holy Spirit, we have commu-
Throughout Scripture, God nion with God when we cele-
made it possible for his peo- brate the Eucharist as both the
ple to commune with him: he reaffirmation of our baptismal
tabernacled with Israel as vows and the realization of
she wandered through the des- our priestly (of all believers)
ert; God took up residence calling to be the church.
in the Temple in Jerusalem; he
Communion of the Saints
spoke through prophets, judg-
es and kings and delivered his The hymn The Churchs One
people time and time again. Foundation states profound-
He was most fully revealed ly, Yet she on earth hath
through the incarnation, life, union with God the Three in
teachings, ministry, healings, One; And mystic sweet com-
crucifixion, resurrection, and munion with those whose rest
exaltation of Jesus of Naza- is won. Communion with
reth. Through Christ we have the saints only comes in and

autumn 2015 21
connecting

through the union the church forever sing... Our oblation is


experiences with the Trinity. local to our historical context
As both the sacrament of the but it is most importantly part
kingdom and the Sacrament of a universal, ongoing offer-
of sacraments,1 the Church ing of praise and thanksgiv-
most fully experiences this ing.
union in her regular celebra-
tion of the Eucharist. Scripture offers a few glimps-
es at the communion of the
Whether you believe in life af- saints. Both the letter to the
ter death or the preferred life Hebrews and Johns vision
after life after death2 there is in Revelation provide the
the hope and promise of union biblical framework for our
with those saints who have participation in a covenant
gone before and those who family much larger than the
will come after. The Eucha- visible church. Additional-
rist is not a form of religious ly, Hebrews and Revelation
magic but is rather the mys- should be seen as liturgical
tical, sweet union of God and booksor at the very least
Church transcending time letters containing liturgical
and space through the power visions and imagery. The ref-
of the Holy Spirit. As we lift erence to the great cloud
up our hearts in the Sursum of witnesses in Hebrews 12
Corda and sing the Sanctus we and Johns vision in Revela-
are, Joining our voices with tion 5:13, Then I heard ev-
angels and archangels and all ery creature in heaven and
the company of heaven who on earth and under the earth
_____________________________
and in the sea, and all that is
1
Both quotations are references from
The Eucharist by Protopresbyter Alexan-
in them, singing, are liturgi-
der Schmemann. cal in nature. It is not that the
2
N. T. Wright, Surprised By Hope communion of saints is im-

22 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

possible apart from liturgical ber (anamnesis) and whose


worship, but rather that our flesh and blood we do eat and
worship of the Godhead is drink.
what makes any understand-
ing of communion both pos- It is through the words and
sible and tangible. actions of our heartfelt praise
and gratitude that we are con-
Christ the Qualifier nected to believers across all
generations in a real and tan-
Eucharistic worship is to the gible sense. We have the hope
Father, through the Son, and that when the kingdom is ful-
by the Holy Spirit. In order to filled we will sit around the
avoid talking about a vague re- table in that heavenly coun-
ligious order we must first add try with brothers and sisters
a qualifier to the phrase the whom we have never met.
communion of the saints. Until that day, we are called
Who or what is the qualifier? to bring our oblation before
Jesus the Christ. We conclude the Lord with the confidence
our Eucharistic Prayer with that we are surrounded by a
the words, By him, and with great cloud of witnesses who
him, and in him, in the uni- are proclaiming, To the one
ty of the Holy Spirit all honor seated on the throne and to
and glory is yours, Almighty the Lamb be blessing and
Father, now and for ever. honor and glory and might
AMEN. The foundation of forever and ever! Commu-
the churchs communion nion begins and ends with
the very underpinnings of the the throne of Godmay we
combination of church mili- find our fellows saints as we
tant and triumphantis the approach with humble confi-
second person of the Trinity dence.
whose sacrifice we remem-

autumn 2015 23
gathering telling

OPERATION

PASS
ALONG
S ince 1972, Operation Pass Along has shared more than 245,000 books,
tapes, vestments, and other items.

Pioneered by the late Wynne Swinson Hensel, Operation Pass Along is


a tangible extension of our mission of sharing the words and work of the
faithful throughout the Anglican Communion; it allows us to collect books
about the Church and usable vestments from those who no longer want or
need them and pass them along to those who do.

spring 2014
Requests for books from seminarians or other readers are filled from whatever
is on our shelves at no charge, other than for shipping and handling. When
we have funds available, books and vestments are reshipped at no charge to
churches and clergy in countries where access to those items is limited or too
costly.
Make a Donation:
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you are encouraged to send them to:
The Anglican Digest
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The most economical way to send books is via the U.S. Postal Service, marked
Media Mail. We will send you a receipt for the number of books received.
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them; if you obtain a receipt from the post office, you may also claim the cost
of sending them to us.
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Requests for books may be sent to the same mailing address or submitted
via e-mail at OPERATIONPASSALONG@ANGLICANDIGEST.ORG or
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If we do not have the book when you submit your request, we will hold your
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is received. If, at the end of a year, you have not heard from us and want us to
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connecting

IN COMMUNION Archangels and with all the


company of heaven, we are
The Rev. John Mason Lock acknowledging the presence
Red Bank, NJ of the church triumphant be-
cause of a union in prayer and

T
he Apostles Creed worship. It makes one think
states a belief in the of those saints who have pre-
Communion of Saints, ceded usrighteous servants
and this comes after the affir- of God who, as the 1979 Book
mation of belief in the Holy of Common Prayer helpfully
Ghost. In that third paragraph puts it, are both known to us
of the Creed, the church pro- and unknown.
claims her trust and belief
in the on-going work of the This union of the dead with
Spirit: forgiving sins, raising the living has both a near and
to new life, building the one far reach. On the one hand,
church of God, and establish- there are those family mem-
ing communion among its bers and loved ones, mentors
members. and friends, who have preced-
ed us in death. Their deaths
I have frequently thought of put before us the cold truth
this communion as princi- that our earthly fellowship
pally a communion between with them is at an end. There
the living and dead, what was will be no more phone calls or
classically called the Church letters, no more Christmases
Militant and Church Tri- together or family dinners. In
umphant. It is a moving and the deaths of these loved ones,
powerful thought to consid- we are especially touched by
er how in the Holy Commu- the feeling of absence, and yet
nion when the celebrant says, the Church affirms an on-go-
Therefore with Angels and ing communion, which is

26 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

rooted in the truth that char- to adopt too quickly or read-


ity never fails. The love that ily a mythological and senti-
we feel for the deceased has a mental view of the after-life
proper and right object in the that fails to appreciate how
person himself, who lives yet that greater life is a complete
in and by God. transformation. Of the joy,
love, and beauty of that life we
The far reach of this commu- receive only passing glimpses:
nion is of those saints whom the Scripture says that we see
we have not known personally through a glass darkly and eye
but who have been witnesses hath not seen nor ear heard,
to Christ in their genera- what God hath prepared for
tions. There are the saints of those who love him. What we
fameSt. Augustine and St. do not want to do, in thinking
Thomas, St. Benedict and St. of this communion between
Francisand then there are the dead and living, is to con-
the unknown saints whom we jure up images of fairy god-
know simply by the empirical mothers and friendly ghosts.
fact that the Church survived We need to speak with theo-
through their age. By their logical clarity about what this
quiet devotion and their sanc- communion is and how it is
tity, they transmitted the faith established and maintained.
to their biological and spiritu-
al children. I have already offered a hint of
where I think we need to find
In the Church, we are united the locus of this communion
to this communion of saints in referring to Holy Commu-
particularly in the sacrament nion as the highest expression
of Holy Communion. But of this communion on earth.
here some caution needs to The center of Holy Commu-
be exercised: we do not want nion is a communion and fel-
autumn 2015 27
connecting

lowship with the Lord Jesus to the Word of God. Adam


in the sacramental elements and Eves alienation from the
of his Body and Blood. It is in Lord is succeeded by a break
our union with him that we in the fellowship between
are united to one another. Our brothers when Cain merci-
union with him is established lessly slaughters his brother
by active faith, holy baptism, Abel. In the first sin, man said
and regular Communion. It is to God, I do not need you.
in these that we are united to In the second, he said to his
one another in consequence. brother, I do not need you.
Our peace with one another is Adams is a heritage of alien-
built on the foundation of the ation, sin, and death.
truth that we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus The new Adam comes to
Christ. teach us how to live in the
light of God and in fellowship
Another rich source for reflec- with one another. He tells his
tion on how the communion Father, even in the midst of
of saints is based on commu- the agony of death, that he
nion with Jesus is in consid- needs him: Into thy hands, I
ering the Scriptural assertion commend my spirit. The one
of Jesus as the new Adam. The who displays his superiority
opening chapters of Gene- and moral perfection does not
sis relate how man falls away despise fellowship with sinful
from communion with God. and broken humans. Rather,
This comes about because he works endlessly to restore
Adam wants to live by his own them to God and to one an-
light rather than the light of other, as in the cleansing of
Godhe will decide what to the lepers who by this cleans-
call good and what to call evil, ing are permitted entrance
rather than subjecting his will into the worship of the temple

28 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

and freed from their status as An Extended


untouchables. family Reunion
By original sin, we belong to The Very Rev. Andrew S. Hook
the old Adamwe are part of Springfield, IL

I
his communion, although this
was raised, more or less,
word can only be used equiv-
within the Mennonite tra-
ocally since the lineage of
dition in a small city in
Adam blindly smashes every
Kansas that had a large
act of communion and fellow-
Mennonite population. The
ship by sin and selfishness. By
surnames of Epp, Enz, Re-
grace, we belong to the new
gier, Schmidt, and Reimer
Adam, our Lord Jesus. As St.
loomed large in my forma-
John reminds us again and
tion. My mother was original-
again, truly our fellowship is
ly a Reimer and her mother
with the Father, and with his
a Schmidt. From there, I can
Son Jesus Christ . . . and if we
trace my tribe back to the sec-
walk in the light, as he is in the
ond and largest Mennonite
light, we have fellowship one
Colony in Russia, the Mo-
with another (1 John 1:3,7).
lotschna Colony. I grew up
As we belong to him and live
eating Verenika, Zwieback,
in him, we become part of this
and Pfefferne. Not only
spiritual family, this commu-
was I raised in the Mennonite
nion of saints that will ever
Church, I was educated there.
grow in charity.
When I felt God calling me
into ministry, I did so within
the Mennonite Church where
I received my undergradu-
ate degrees from Mennonite
institutions and then went to
work as a Mennonite youth
autumn 2015 29
connecting

minister. The Mennonite tra- in Heaven and had no clue of


dition runs deep in my veins what we were doing on Earth.
and lineage; so deep that I am Asking the saints to intercede
what you would refer to as for us, especially Mary, broke
an ethnic Mennonitethat is the First Commandment, and
Mennonite not by faith alone, the statues built to them and
but by blood. Growing up in venerated were breaking the
a Mennonite family, in a large Second Commandment. I
Mennonite town, I had plenty leaned heavily on 1 Timothy
of great aunts and uncles and 2:5, which clearly states that
cousins all over the place. Go- we need no one to intercede
ing to church, or to the Men- for us before God except for
nonite Central Committee Jesus Christ. In other words,
Relief Sale, or out to dinner, we dont need the saints.
could be the site of an extend-
ed family reunion. Then God called me into the
Episcopal Church to work as
Today when I look to the a youth minister and I began
Communion of Saints, I see to read and reflect anew on
this extended family. But it many of the things that I had
wasnt always like that. About previously rejected. Thanks to
a decade ago, I would ac- the generosity of Grace Epis-
knowledge the existence of copal Church in Hutchinson
this communion, and would and the Diocese of Western
agree that we can learn what it Kansas, I entered into a gradu-
means to lead a Christ-like life ate program at a Roman Cath-
from them, but I would have olic university in Wichita to
scoffed at the idea that the get my masters. As one of two
saints could somehow be of Protestants in the program,
use to us in this life. From my I was surrouonded by Ro-
perspective, the saints were man Catholics. I asked many

30 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

questions and, like a sponge, From there it wasnt much of


soaked up knowledge relat- a stretch to think that, just as
ing to the Church before the I would ask a family mem-
Reformation. This gave me ber on Earth to pray for me, I
a whole new perspective on could do the same to a family
the Communion of the Saints, member in heaven. But one
and many other things as well. thing still made me feel un-
easy, and that was the word
I came to see the Church in a pray. In the Roman Catholic
different light and with that, nomenclature, it is the norm
the saints. Before, I had the to say that someone prayed
Church as a divine institution to the saints. To me, prayer
founded by Christ which ex- is something that can only be
ists on Earth and is somewhat offered to God. No human, in
separate from the faithful liv- heaven or on Earth, is worthy
ing in heaven. But I came to of my prayers. To pray to an-
realize that, if the Church is other creature would be again
the Body of Christ, and exists breaking the first command-
wherever his people are, then ment.
it must exist both on Earth
and in heaven. The Church While I was on my way to-
Militant and the Church Vic- wards a greater acceptance
torious are the same Church of the saints, that word, pray,
existing in different realms gave me pause. Then I had
but unified in Christ. Because another revelation. The word
of this union we are all mem- pray does not only mean
bers of one family. With that supplication to God; it also
revelation I came to see that means, and was used more
the saints were truly my broth- often in earlier centuries to
ers and sisters. They were my mean (consider the works of
family. William Shakespeare), to pe-
autumn 2015 31
connecting

tition or implore someone. Kingdom. The saints in heav-


While I could not pray to the en are united as one peo-
saints, I could implore them. ple in their love for Christ.
Semantics, yes. But important This should give us hope, for
semantics. though we exist in a Church
Militant that is filled with
With those hurdles behind unhappy division, our fami-
me, my eyes were opened to ly which has gone before us
our wider family and I felt exists in a fully united com-
welcomed by all of my aunts, munity where the words one,
uncles, cousins, brothers, and holy, catholic, and apostolic
sisters who are, like myself, are true down to their very
servants of Christ. Not only core.
that, I felt free to implore
them to pray on my behalf to I love the saints and I love
our mutual Lord just as I pray the comfort they give me, yet
for my brothers and sisters I also feel that a word of cau-
living in the Church Militant. tion must be given lest we lose
This, surprisingly for a former sight of our purpose. Our pur-
Mennonite, eventually led to a pose is to serve God and God
devotion to Our Lady. alone. The saints are not God.
We have been given permis-
By Gods grace, the revela- sion through our sacred tradi-
tions continued and I came tion to implore them, and im-
to understand that there are plore them we should, but we
no Roman Catholic saints in must keep a trained eye upon
heaven, or Episcopal saints, or our devotion. Jesus is the King
Anglican saints, or Mennonite of the Saints and is our only
saints. There are simply saints, mediator and advocate.
saints of God who gave their
lives for the furtherance of his

32 anglicandigest.org
ANGLICAN
BOOKSTORE

We offer many titles for sale through our in house book supplier, the Anglican Bookstore.
We also offer bargain books, which are priced at $3.00 each. You may also order by calling
800-572-7929
connecting

THRSE, FAUSTINA, AND BERNADETTE: THREE


SAINTS WHO CHALLENGED MY FAITH, GAVE ME HOPE,
AND TAUGHT ME HOW TO LOVE by Elizabeth Ficocelli
In Thrse, Faustina, and Bernadette author,
speaker, and retreat leader Elizabeth Ficocel-
li introduces three remarkable women saints
who became not only her role models, but also
her life-changing friends. Thrse of Lisieux,
Faustina of the Divine Mercy, and Bernadette
of Lourdes taught Ficocelli about faith, hope,
and love. Some of the best saint stories are not
about wonder-workers, but rather the everyday saintsfriends
who understand the challenges of marriage, motherhood, and
day-to-day life. Ficocelli offers women the wisdom of these
saints for their own spiritual journeys.
ITEM V0113 (soft cover, 192 Pages), $15

EYES HAVE I THAT SEE: SELECTED POEMS by John-Julian


Fr. John-Julian, OJN, is an Episcopal priest and monk, founded
the contemplative, semi-enclosed monastic
Order of Julian of Norwich in Wisconsin in
1985. From rough folk-verse to high-flown
poesy, from a nine-line rhyme to a six-hun-
dred-line epic, both the style and genre of the
poetry in this volume cover a broad range of
poetic possibility. This is the first volume of
John Julians poetry ever published, revealing
an important new American poetic voice.
ITEM L0157 (soft cover, 96 Pages), $18

34 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

Also of interest:
THE COMPLETE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING with THE
LETTER OF PRIVY COUNSEL by John-Julian
ITEM L0158 (soft cover, 340 Pages), $23

SHARING GODS GOOD COMPANY: A THEOLOGY OF


THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS by David Matzko McCarthy
In Sharing Gods Good Company, McCarthy
explores the role and significance of the saints
in Christians lives today. While examining
the lives of specific saints like Martin de Por-
res, Thrse de Lisieux, and Mother Teresa,
he focuses on such topics as the veneration
of martyrs, realism and hagiography, science
and miracles, images and pilgrimage, and
why the saints continue to captivate Chris-
tians and inspire devotion. Sharing Gods Good Company takes
a uniquely philosophical and theological approach to the topic.

ITEM E1234 (soft cover, 182 Pages), $28

THE SPIRITUAL PRACTICE OF


REMEMBERING by Margaret Bendroth
Our modern disengagement from the past
puts us fundamentally out of step with the
long witness of the Christian tradition. Yet,
says Margaret Bendroth, the past tense is
essential to our language of faith, and with-
out it our conversation is limited and thin.
The Christian tradition gives us the powerful
autumn 2015 35
connecting

image of a vast communion of saints, all of Gods people, both


living and dead, in vital conversation with each other. This kind
of connection with our ancestors in the faith will not happen
by wishing or by accident. Bendroth argues that remembering
must become a regular spiritual practice, part of the rhythm of
our daily lives as we recognize our world to be, in many ways, a
gift from others who have gone before.
ITEM E1235 (soft cover, 142 Pages), $16

STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS ONCE


MORE: BEING DISCIPLES OF JESUS IN
A POST-CHRISTENDOM WORLD
by Addison Hodges Hart
Addison Hodges Hart articulates some crucial
questions for contemporary Christians: What
sort of church must we become in todays
post-Christendom world, where we can no
longer count on society to support Christian ideals? What can
we salvage from our Christendom past that is of real value, and
what can we properly leave behind? How do we become strang-
ers and pilgrims once more, after being at home in Chris-
tendom for so long? Summoning readers to wise and faithful
discipleship in our post-Christendom age, Hart suggests both
how Christs disciples can say yes to much that was preserved
during the age of Christendom and why they should say no to
some of the cherished accretions of that passing epoch.

ITEM E1236 (soft cover, 156 Pages), $18

Please use the order form on page 38

36 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

ANGLICAN
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All bargain books are $3.00 each, available subject to stock on hand, and are
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CHRIST PLAYS IN TEN THOUSAND PLACES


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GLORY DESCENDING:
A MICHAEL RAMSEY READER
edited by Douglas Dales (Item 05C)

NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL: SERMONS FROM


PAULS LETTERS TO THE ROMANS
by Fleming Rutledge (Item 07C)

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE: A BIOGRAPHY


by Stephen Tompkins (Item 07D)

IMITATING JESUS
by Richard Burridge (Item 08A)

CONSUMING JESUS
by Paul Metzger (Item 08B)

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autumn 2015 37
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1-800-572-7929 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

the COMMUNION tion of the Faithful Departed


of THE SAINTS (All Souls) on November 2.
All Saints Day is a time for
The Rev. Dr. Anthony B. the Church to remember with
Holder thankfulness and apprecia-
Pembroke Pines, FL
tion those whose lives bear

W
hen I grew up on witness to the love and bless-
the Caribbean is- ing of God. The saints are a
land of Barbados, community which is gathered
there was an old adage that around Jesus, a fellowship that
was often said: it takes a com- recognizes who they are and to
munity to raise a child. And whom their obedience, their
it did. People in a community commitment, and their faith-
came together for occasions fulness lie.
like church, social events, fel-
lowship, and meetings. We In the Apostles or baptismal
knew the people in our com- creed, Anglicans or Episco-
munity and they knew us. We palians, Roman Catholics,
shared in community and met and other Christian denom-
together for activities. In the inations affirm their belief in
same way, people in a partic- the communion of saints: I
ular area in Barbados func- believe in the Holy Spirit, the
tioned as a community; so holy catholic church, the com-
too the communion of saints munion of saints, the forgive-
function as a community. ness of sins, the resurrection
of the body, and the life ever-
The communion of saints is lasting. What does this ref-
an appropriate topic on which erence to the communion of
to ponder as we celebrate the saints in the Apostles Creed
Feast of All Saints on Novem- mean? Is it referring to those
ber 1, and the Commemora- who have died, having lived

autumn 2015 39
connecting

perfect lives in obedience to In the Acts of the Apostles,


God? Is the communion of both Peter and Paul referred
saints comprised of a few peo- to the Christian believers as
ple who have reached a level saints (Acts 9:32, 41; 26:10).
of holiness that is unattainable Paul also addressed the Chris-
by the average human being? tians of the churches he wrote
Who are a part of the com- in a number of his letters as
munion of saints? saints (Rom. 8:27, 12:13; 1
Cor. 14:33; Eph.1:1; Phil. 1:1;
Normally, when we think of Col. 1:2). He also referred to
the communion of saints, them as called to be saints
there is the tendency to focus (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2). Paul
on those who have died for spoke of all Christians as being
the faith. We think of people the holy ones, because they
who have followed in the foot- were made holy as a result of
steps of Christ and have been their baptism and continue to
rewarded for their service in strive toward holiness. God
Gods glory in heaven. Howev- calls all Christians to be holy
er, the Greek word translated yourselves in all your conduct;
as saint, in the New Testa- for it is written, You shall be
ment is hagios or its plural, ha- holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. 1:5-
gioi, which means holy. The 16).
saints are the holy ones (Acts Thus, the communion of
9:13), not because of some- saints is often portrayed in
thing inherent on their part, three ways:
but because of the holy pres-
ence of Christ within them. The Church Militant, the
The word was not only used Christian believers who are
for the saints in heaven but to alive and are members of the
describe the early Christians Church, the Body of Christ,
when they were still alive. through their baptism.
40 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

The Church Expectant or ers. They have lived as Christs


Penitent, those who have died, disciples having read from and
passing from this life into the cherished the same book that
presence of Christ, having we do, the Bible. They tried to
fought the good fight, having live by word and example the
finished the race, and having same Scriptures that you and I
kept the faith (2 Tim.4:7). In seek to live.
some places, the lives of these
faithful Christian believers are Those who are a part of the
celebrated on All Souls Day. communion of saints share in
a fellowship, a close relation-
The Church Triumphant,
ship, a spiritual union, with
who have left this life and
God and each other, having
having perfected holiness and
been called by him to be faith-
obedience, are now in heaven
ful, holy, and filled with his
with God and sharing in His
grace. Just as those who have
divine nature. These are the
gone before us, we who are still
ones we typically remember
alive give our lives completely
on All Saints Day and who
over to God who loves us and
are referred to as St. Peter, St.
redeems us. For we have been
Paul, St. Mary Magdalene, St.
created in Christ Jesus for good
James, and the like.
works, which God prepared to
The saints who have gone be- be our way of life (Eph. 2:10).
fore us, whether as the Church We have been set free from
Expectant or the Church Tri- the law of sin and death (Ro-
umphant, have shown us, the mans 8:2), and have passed
Church Militant, the way to from spiritual death to eter-
embark on our lifes journey of nal life (1 John 3:16). A saint
faith. They have demonstrat- is one who lives a life of love
ed to us how to follow Jesus and service to God and oth-
Christ and to live as his follow- ers. A saint is one who strug-

autumn 2015 41
connecting

gles against many temptations as a community of saints, we


and weaknesses, sometimes are all one family, united to-
successfully overcoming them gether by the common bond
and sometimes not. A saint of being Gods children by
is a sinner who has been for- adoption (John 1:12-13), for-
given by God when he or she given through his death, and
stumbles and falls and seeks to saved by his life (Romans
live a better, fuller life in him.5:10). This is a message that we
As saints, we work together need to share with everyone,
through the power of the Holy not only when we celebrate All
Spirit to continue working for Saints Day, but each and every
the expansion of Gods king- day. Furthermore, since death
dom. As members of the com- does not separate us from the
munion of saints, we share all love of God nor break the re-
these things in common with lationship between the living
each other, knowing full well and the dead, it does not sep-
that membership in this com- arate us from that commu-
munity cannot be destroyed or nity of saints. As a result, the
taken away from us, but will communion of saints is the
last until eternity. Church, the members of the
Body of Christ, living, depart-
Thus, the communion of the ed, and those yet unborn who
saints are the faithful Chris- will become a part of the fel-
tian believers of the past, pres- lowship, with Jesus as its head.
ent, and future who share in
Christs salvation. We have This message of community
been chosen and set apart to speaks loudly to people, par-
do whatever God has assigned ticularly here in the United
for us to do. This is our voca- States, who do not feel a sense
tionto be of service to God of community in spite of quick-
and to each other. Therefore, er communication methods

42 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

through modern technology. of being part of the commu-


In spite of cell phones, texting, nion of saints speaks volumes.
social media, and e-mail, peo-
ple still feel disconnected from On All Saints Day, when we
extended family, history, com- celebrate the communion of
munity, and even within their all the saints, let us remember
own family in the home. They the faithful people who have
feel that there is something preceded us in the life and
missing in their lives. Recent- journey of faith, the commit-
ly, I spoke to one of my neigh- ted believers who are current-
bors who spent a two-week ly keeping the faith, and those
vacation in Italy, and she was who will come after us in con-
commenting on the welcom- tinuing that faith. Let our lives
ing, friendly, community-spir- be true examples of the faith
it that existed there, and felt which we hold dear, so that
this element was missing in others can truly recognize us
the United States. To such dis- as members of the commu-
connected people, the message nion of saints.

The Franciscan Order of the Divine Compassion


An Anglo-Catholic religious order of Third Order brothers and
sisters striving to proclaim the Good News of Christ through
penance and prayer. Our brothers and sisters minister in the
communities in which they live. For further information please
contact:
Br. Glen Weeks, OSF,
228 Old Glenwood Rd., West Falls, NY 14170.
e-mail minister-general@fodc.net
or call 716-652-6616
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autumn 2015 43
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Please call between 8 A.M. &


5 P.M. CT, Monday-Friday.
gathering telling

OUR COMMON LIFE the church to celebrate in par-


ticular the Eucharist. Delving
The Rev. Benjamin D. into the history of our shared
Hankinson, Jr. communion, we find from
Mt. Vernon, IL
the early days of the church

H
ave you ever asked or an inclusion of the saints in
been asked: Why do our common life of prayer,
we have special days in recognition not only of the
to celebrate saints? or Why past but of the present reali-
do we add Mary and oth- ty that, as we give thanks, we
er saints to the prayers? or step out of time and space
What do we mean when we into the transcendent fullness
say I believe in the commu- of the Christian community
nion of the saints? gathered together across the
ages. We are gathered with all
Each time that I reflect on the the saints as one holy catholic
topic of the saintsnot just and apostolic church, as the
those heroic witnesses but all one mystical body of Christ.
the faithful departedit is We are in, and share commu-
not only the saints and their nion with, the saints because
lives which hold my attention, of that which we hold in com-
but what we have in com- mon: one body and one Spirit;
mon, our shared communion. one hope in Gods call to us;
That word makes its way into one Lord, one Faith, one Bap-
a number of conversations tism; one God and Father of
and activities in the life of the all; one bread and one cup. In
church. We hear it in the in- Christ, and by the indwelling
tentional relationships of the of the Holy Spirit, we are one
faithful one to another. We with the saints.
find it in our sacramental life
and the coming together of
autumn 2015 45
connecting

As one, we who continue in any, they were such by a


our earthly pilgrimage listen kind of miracle, and that
to their words and example so their example is nothing
that we might learn to grow in to us . . . Almighty God
faith. Just as we pay attention has called all Christian
to those around us whom we people from old times to
love and trust, we likewise sit learn and say, I believe
at the feet of the faithful who in the Communion of
have gone before us. From the Saints: that is, I believe in
saints in each generation we the gracious working of
receive the collective treasure Gods Holy and Almighty
of Christianity, and from their Spirit, entering into sin-
witness we bring forth what is ful men, uniting them to
old to understand anew the Jesus Christ as members
things of which Jesus speaks of him, separating them
and to which he calls each and from the evil world, keep-
every one of us. By their lives, ing them from all wilful
we see the fruit of a life in and serious sin, and mak-
Christ, a life which stands at ing them truly and real-
odds with those who oppose ly holy. Sympathy with
the kingdom. Saints and Martyrs.

Blessed John Keble once said: We draw near to the saints


because we find in them liv-
This is how the devil ing examples of holiness both
would beguile us . . . he great and small, and in them
would have us believe, we are reminded that the life
either that there never of faith is ever a call to holi-
were any saints, any per- ness. The world, the sinful
sons really good and holy, desires of the flesh, and the
or that if there have been devil would have us believe

46 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

that holiness is an impossi- by proclaiming ourselves, but


bility. The saints stand in op- by pointing to Christ, and
position to that impossibility by throwing ourselves on his
and encourage us in our own mercy and on his cross.
sanctification. When it feels
like the church is in tough We celebrate their lives be-
times, I recall the story of cause they have already run
Athanasius. Or when I won- with wonderful grace and
der about church discipline, I virtue the race in which we
am tempted to reflect on the still strive to persevere as ves-
potential example Nicholas of sels of Gods grace and light
Myra at Nicea. Or when we to the world around us. We
find ourselves being grilled pray for them even as we bid
for our faith, I think of Law- them to pray for us because
rence. While some stories of we believe the words for to
the saints may be apocryphal thy faithful people, O Lord,
at best, what we find in the life is changed, not ended; and
substance of their lives and when our mortal body doth
collective example are people lie in death, there is prepared
striving by the grace of God for us a dwelling place eternal
to live out the faith. We look in the heavens (1979 BCP,
to the saints when the road Preface for Commemoration
is rough, when the church of the Dead). We believe in
is in turmoil, when the light the communion of the saints
seems to have all but gone because we hold fast to the
out, because when we look faith once delivered, passed
to the saints, they point not down from generation to
to themselves but to Christ. generation as a joyous pledge
And in their witness, we see of the hope of our calling by
the manner in which we are the obedient example of their
to draw others to faith: not righteousness.

autumn 2015 47
connecting

With John Keble: HOLY ADVENTURE


I believe that there have
been, are, and will be
saints, holy persons, men The Rev. Blake Sawicky
and women, lifted, by St. Louis, MO
Gods mercy blessing their

A
own hearty and humble s a kid I was fascinated
endeavours, above the lev- by adventure stories,
el of ordinary Christians: in books and film. Star
and believing this, I am Wars comes to mind and so
without excuse, if I mis- does Jules Vernes Twenty
trust the power of the same Thousand Leagues Under the
Spirit to preserve me from Sea. Later on, I discovered
wilful and habitual sin: C. S. Lewis and the Narnia
I am without excuse, if I books, and Tolkiens Middle
knowingly give way to any Earth. More recently, I loved
temptation, under the plea the film Finding Neverland
of its being irresistible. about the life of Peter Pan au-
thor J. M. Barrie and I was not
I believe in the communion of the only one to get swept up in
the saints because with them I the Harry Potter series. Some
hold fast to our common faith of these adventure stories have
in the Lord Jesus Christ, to a bent towards naturalism,
the power of the Holy Spirit, some are pure science fiction,
and to the grace, mercy, and others verge on fantasy, while
love of our heavenly Father. others are located at the in-
tersection of myth, real life,
religious symbolism, and the
creative process in general.
Each of them is very different
from the others.
48 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

Yet they all share one com- own communities. All around
mon feature: whether through us, there is usually more hap-
accident, fortune, destiny, pening than meets the eye.
or providence, each of their Lots of stories go untold, un-
protagonists is brought to an written, and unread. The
awareness of a whole world past stretches behind us, ev-
they did not previously know ery passing moment another
existed. From Luke Skywalk- door closed to all but scholars
er and the Force, to the Peven- and memory. The future lies
sies and Narnia, to J.M. Barrie ahead, misty and inscrutable
and the wondrous world of apart from a volatile compos-
ordinary things, each of them ite of predictions, forecasts,
finds their horizon expand- and the limitless potential of
ed to encompass a broader human personalities. Every
spectrum of time, place, and person, every corner of our
people than they might oth- lives, is a treasure trove of
erwise have thought possible. undiscovered country. New
Much of these stories appeal worlds await us at every turn,
lies in the way we as readers and adventure stories remind
(or viewers) tag along as the us that we had better get busy
characters explore the worlds exploring them: there is an
opening before them, and in awful lot to see and learn and
the way we participatehow- do before time disappears, or
ever distantly or vicariously the neighbors move away, or
in what those worlds have to we are given new responsibili-
offer. ties at work.

While its possible to fall prey


to escapism with this sort of But what happens when the
writing, it can also point us books close, on the stories and
back to our own lives and our on life? Occasionally, I have

autumn 2015 49
connecting

felt sheepish to realize I was to end, even when all signs


in (minor) grief after the last point in that direction. When
page of a novel. More seri- Jesus died on the cross, every-
ous griefs occur all the time, one thought that was the end.
as we say goodbye to loved But on the third day he rose
ones, close the door on possi- again, and here we are, some
bilities we had once cherished, two thousand years later, still
and come to terms with nor- drawing hope and strength
mal constraints of time and from his resurrection. But
resources which reduce the his resurrection is not mere-
scope of our imaginations. ly an historical event meant
Children die young. Marriag- to encourage us. It is also
es end. Some people never the power of God to recon-
find love. Some are passed cile the world to himself: to
over in the promotion race. make peace between Jews and
Others possess great gifts Gentiles, heaven and earth, all
which go unrecognized, while in the body of Jesus his Son.
some never possess the gifts When we are baptized, we are
they wish they had. Healthy baptized into his body, and are
fruit can wither on the vine. brought to share in his death
In griefs like these, the wide and resurrection. This means
open horizons of the adven- that death itself, formerly the
ture stories seem unrealistic, final punctuation mark of any
as all-too-real constraints and story, is no longer the end to
boundaries close in. Is this our own, but rather the gate-
the end of our own stories? way to eternal life.
Or is there more?

As Christians, we are used to Enter the Communion of the


pointing to Jesus as evidence Saints. This doctrine is at the
that our stories do not have center of Christianity because

50 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

it flows directly from the sav- More significantly, the Com-


ing work of Christ, and con- munion of the Saints shows us
tinues in the Holy Spirit as that our stories do go on, past
the character of the Church. whatever limitations, losses,
It holds that all the baptized and failures we might expe-
from every agepast, present, rience here and now. In this
and futureare alive togeth- Communion, our life is hid
er in God. It means that the with Christ in God, and from
Church is always more (much that vantage point we can
more!) than the sum of its parts let the eyes of our spirits be
at any given moment in time. taught by all the blessed who
We look for the resurrection now behold him face to face.
of the dead, and the life of the Whatever experiences and
world to come, when God circumstances have conspired
will consummate the king- to constrain our imaginations
dom in a new heaven and new here in this life, in the Com-
earth; but there are moments munion of the Saints we always
even now when that kingdom have a window through which
flashes out among us, and we to recast our vision. Through
catch glimpses of its splendor this window the world opens
and glory. When we pray with up afresh, and there are new
the saints, or ask their prayers graces to discover at every
for us, we strengthen our own turn, in every person, at every
connection to that kingdom moment. The adventure story
which they now enjoy. When returns, and our pleasure is no
we go to church, we strength- longer to tag along vicari-
en our relationships with our ously through an authors nar-
family in God, and when we rative, but to participate fully
make our communions, we and truly in the constantly
are nourished with the bread unfolding joy of God, Father,
of heaven. Son, and Holy Spirit.
autumn 2015 51
THREE WAYS
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for more information:

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Phone: 479-253-9701
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gathering telling
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spring 2014 53
connecting

THE UNITY OF truth; your word is truth. As


THE SAINTS you have sent me into the
world, so I have sent them
the Rev. James C. Pappas III into the world. And for their
Fayetteville, TN sakes I sanctify myself, so that

W
they also may be sanctified in
e often think of truth (John 17:17-19).
the communion of
saints as something Words like these from Jesus,
having to do with those souls meant to be great comfort,
who have achieved mystical are unfortunately the stuff of
union with God in the life that which great fights and schisms
is to come. But the idea needs are made. If sanctification is
to be larger and more practi- to be found in the truth, then
cal than just that. If we cannot those who arent upholding
see that mystical communion the truth as we see it are not
as lived out here in the lives sanctified. And if they are
of the saints who make up the not sanctified, then they are
body of Christ on earth, then not true Christians. For close
it isnt a particularly useful to two thousand years now,
doctrine. The union of the the idea of truth and who
life to come must be seen as has it has been at the root of
a perfection of the unity lived excommunications, anathe-
out here, however imperfectly, mas, schisms, and bloodshed.
in the lives of the saints who Since our very beginning,
make up the Church. Christians have been almost
constantly bickering about
In his great high priestly who is or is not a real Chris-
prayer in Johns gospel, Jesus tian. And at the heart of the
says, Father, sanctify those fighting is always this idea of
you have given to me in the truth.

54 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

Now immediately after the echism is not the truth. The


words quoted above, Jesus Prayer Book is not the truth.
goes on to pray, I ask this not Theology is not the truth. The
only on behalf of these, but Creeds are not the truth. The
also on behalf of those who Bible is not the truth. This
will believe in me through essay is not the truth. All of
their words, that they may these things give testimony
all be one (John 17:20-21a). to the truth, but they are not
Clearly Jesus does not mean the truth itself. If these things
for his prayer, or for this idea were the truth, then all of our
of truth, to be the source of two thousand years of fighting
bickering among us. Jesus and schisms might be justi-
does not mean for truth to di- fied. But the truth is supposed
vide us; he means for truth to to unite us, not divide us. The
unite us. ways in which we experience
the truth, the ways in which
Perhaps then we should take we interpret and give testimo-
a cue from a Roman governor ny to the truth, these are im-
of long ago and ask, Quid portant, but we cannot con-
est veritas? What is truth? fuse them for the truth.
(John 18:38). It might seem
funny to quote Pontius Pi- So back to Pilates question:
late as the key to understand- What is truth? The answer
ing Jesus, but he does ask the is in a very old Latin ana-
question that we all ought to gram of the question. Pilate
be asking. asked, Quid est veritas? The
answer is, according to the
Before we can state affirma- anagram, Est vir qui adest.
tively what the truth is, we first Question: What is truth?
need to name some things that Answer: It is the man who
are not the truth. The Cat- is here. Pilates question was

autumn 2015 55
connecting

actually off by the letter D. Pi- son. The truth is Jesus himself.
late asked, quid, what. He And he cannot be controlled;
might better have asked, qui, he cannot be boxed in. And in
who. Our question is most him, it is impossible for us to
properly, Who is the truth? divide ourselves and declare
and the answer is, Jesus. In who is in and who is out.
Johns gospel, Jesus has al-
ready given us the answer Jesus prayer is not that we be
when he identifies himself sanctified in an idea, or in a
as the way, the truth, and the particular interpretation of an
life. The gospel opens with idea. Jesus prays to the Father
the declaration that Jesus is that we might be sanctified
Gods word and Jesus tells us in him. Jesus sanctifies him-
in his high priestly prayer that self, walks the way of the cross
Gods word is truth. No story and dies and is raised, that we
about Jesus can truly claim to might be sanctified in him,
be Gods word. No liturgy in that we might live in him, that
praise of Jesus can truly claim we might find him to be the
to be the truth. No formular- answer to the great longing
ies or testimony about Jesus question of our hearts, What
can truly claim to be the truth. is truth? Jesus is the truth.
Only Jesus himself, in his flesh And Jesus calls us to live in
and in his Spirit, is the truth. that truth, to live in him. Je-
sus calls us to walk the way of
We so very desperately want the cross, to be crucified to the
the truth to be ideas. Ideas world, and to be raised. Jesus
can be controlled. Ideas can calls us to love him and each
be boxed in. Ideas can allow other and the world. Jesus
one group to be in and anoth- calls us to be the truth just as
er to be out. But the truth is he is the truth. Jesus calls us
not an idea. The truth is a per- to live fully into the mystery of

56 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

the communion of saints, into knowing how to end the vis-


that body of those made one it, and finally say, usually out
by baptism into the death and loud, Goodbye. I am some-
resurrection of Jesus. Jesus what surprised every time I do
calls us to live into an identi- this. I am not an overly senti-
ty in God that Jesus proclaims mental person. I know that
with his own being: God in her body is beneath the earth
us and we in God. If we do before me, and I trust that her
this, then we will fulfill Jesus soul is in expectant repose.
prayer that we might all be Yet cor ad cor loquitur, heart
one, and in us the world will speaks to heart, and the voice
know the truth. of my heart intuitively rises.

In his Confessions, St. Augus-


tine wrote about the death
joined in of his own mother. Far from
COMMUNION home, Augustine and his
brother vowed to bury her in
The Rev. Steve Rice ancestral soil. St. Monica told
Winston Salem, NC her grieving sons to bury her
body anywhere they wished,

E
very time I return to my but her one request was that
hometown, I make a vis- she be remembered at the al-
it to my mothers grave. tar of God. She understood
The visit is never long. I read that while her body may rest
her name in the headstone in the earth, her soul would
and the dates below. I admire be on pilgrimage. She asked
the yellow flowers that my Augustine to remember her at
father diligently keeps fresh, the celebration of the Eucha-
and I say a prayer. I linger a rist not only that his prayers
bit, perhaps awkwardly, not might aid her as she grows
autumn 2015 57
connecting

from strength to strength but baptized, the saints here on


also so that they might be to- earth who hold things tempo-
gether in the heavenly ban- ral and spiritual in common.
quet. And there is the fellowship
of the saints across the whole
I remember learning in state of Christs Church:
seminary years ago that the Militant, Expectant, and Tri-
Church Fathers understood umphant. There are at least
that the seemingly great two places in the Book of
chasm between the living and Common Prayer that call us
the dead disappeared in the deeper into this second un-
Holy Eucharist. It was as if the derstanding of the mystery of
pilgrims on earth were ush- the communio sanctorum. The
ered into a liturgical worm- first is in the prayers in the
hole that brought them to the Burial Office (Rite I) where we
sounds of the angelic hymn ask Gods help in the midst of
already in progress. They were things we cannot understand,
at the Heavenly Banquet, not to believe and trust in the com-
fully seated, but recipients of a munion of saints. The prayer
foretaste of the glory to come, book reminds us that God is
a glory presently enjoyed by not the God of the dead, but
the angels, archangels, and all of the living (Mark 12.26).
the company of heaven. This Life is changed, the Requiem
shared good is the communio preface tells us, not ended in
sanctorum, the communion of death. Therefore the funeral
saints. isnt therapy for the living who
are grieving in the pews; it is
The Church has understood our duty to the dead, who are
the communion of saints, this now alive in Christ, to pray
shared good, in two ways. for them as they increase in
There is the community of the the knowledge of God. The

58 anglicandigest.org
gathering telling

faithful departed are in Christ, only in Christ and in the Holy


and we, the faithful still in Eucharist where communion
our earthly pilgrimage, are in can be found. May we believe
Christ, and so in him we enjoy and trust in this.
a communion more intimate
than touch. Far from science The second place, perhaps
fiction or sance, this is the surprisingly, is during the Ash
Body of Christ, which extends Wednesday liturgy. After the
far beyond parish boundaries saying or singing of Psalm 51,
and membership rolls. This is the Litany of Penitence begins
why St. Monica asked Augus- with a confession to God the
tine to remember her at the Father, to one another, and
altar. How many lives have to the whole communion of
been derailed by the death of saints in heaven and on earth.
one so dearly loved? Like all This, in essence, is a para-
parish priests, I see so many phrase of the Confiteor, where
well-intentioned attempts at we confess to the Blessed Mary
making connections with Ever Virgin, Blessed Michael
those who have died. Senti- the Archangel, Blessed John
ment overrides theology and the Baptist, Peter and Paul,
our faithful seek solace in re- etc. Why on earth would we
leasing balloons and carrying confess to them? Despite our
cremated remains in lockets. wishes otherwise, and subse-
In their grief they bottle hope quent justification, our sins
and throw it in the ocean and are not self-contained. Even
wait for a message to return if we seem to only wound
which of course, it doesnt, ourselves, others still feel our
because it cant. Our intuition wound. Our sins keep us from
tells us that we are still con- being fully present and fully
nected, despite the painful active in the Body of Christ
rupture death brings, but it is and that distance impacts on

autumn 2015 59
connecting
communion. We confess to they ascend to the Father?
each other and to the whole May God help us to believe
communion of saints because and trust in his great gift and
we are accountable to each promise of the communion of
other in our baptismal fel- saints.
lowship. But even more, we
confess to the communion of Every time I go to the cem-
saints so that we may benefit etery that keeps my moth-
from their example and their ers grave, I know that my
prayers. The highway of prayer gut-feelings are trustworthy
has two lanes. We pray for and sound. I know that the
those who have died so that love she had for me, and I for
they may grow from strength her, has not vanished. Like Au-
to strength, and we ask those gustine, I pray for my mother
we know are already strong in at the altar and I believe and
the presence of God to pray trust in that communion that
for us. We have no problem the Church promises. I believe
at all asking others to pray for and trust in that communion
us. We certainly have no prob- which is not self-serving or
lem airing our troubles and purely sentimental, but a com-
failures on social media and munion that is real and holy
over a cup of coffee to a trust- because it is bound and an-
ed friend or sometimes even chored in the Glorified Christ.
a stranger. Why not trust that The Communion of Saints has
the Body of Christ extends its power not because we are
into a greater mystery? Why joined to each other, but be-
not include those who lived cause we are all joined to our
and died with heroic faith to Lord Jesus.
pray for us and, like incense,
throw their prayers on the
hot coals of Christs love so

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THE GREAT of heaven and earth, and of


THANKSGIVING all things visible and invisi-
ble...; Almighty and everliv-
The Rev. Ian Wetmore ing God...; Almighty God,
OFallon, IL the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, Maker of all things,

B
y far my favorite part Judge of all men...; ...and the
of the Prayer Book is blessing of God Almighty, the
what we call the Gener- Father, the Son, and the Holy
al Thanksgiving. Its called a Ghost... This is who we wor-
general thanksgiving because, ship and who we love above
like the General Confession, all others, not because he is
its meant to be prayed by all almighty, however, but just
the congregation, and it cov- because he is God. Or to put
ers all the bases. In fact, one it even more succinctly, and
of the key words it uses re- more mysteriously, just be-
peatedly is one that Ive just cause he is.
used repeatedly: all. It even
begins with that word by ad- In the General Thanksgiv-
dressing God as Almighty, ing, we go on to address our
which is a contraction of all Almighty God as Father of
mighty/powerful. God holds all mercies. What is mer-
all power over all things in cy? We usually think of it
his hands. We use that word as something like pity, as
(almighty) all the time in the when people with some sort
liturgy, probably without real- of affliction pleaded with Je-
ly considering what it means sus for mercy, but its much
most of the time. Almighty more than that. Mercy is the
God, unto whom all hearts be compassionate love of God
open...; I believe in one God for his creatures. We pray for
the Father Almighty, Maker his mercy in particular ways,

autumn 2015 61
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depending on our needs. that we have and that happen


Even though we may not to us. So we give him most
know exactly what we need, humble and hearty thanks
like the person who goes to for all [his] goodness and
the doctor seeking relief from loving-kindness To us and to
a pain or an ailment that he all men... We bless [him] for
cant really identify, we simplyour creation, preservation,
ask God for his mercy, trust- and all the blessings of this
ing that he knows what we life. We bless God for bless-
need. In fact, the most com- ing usfor creating us in the
mon prayer offered up to God first place, and for preserving
is, Lord, have mercy. How us (keeping us alive and well).
many times do we say that in We all thank and bless our all-
an hour on Sunday morning? mighty God for all the ways
Whenever I see an ambulance he blesses us and is merciful
or fire truck on the move, to us. Thats not something
I pray, Lord, have mercy. we get together to do only
Whenever I hear bad news on Thanksgiving Day; that is
about someone, or listen to a the ideal Christian attitude
grieving relative struggle with every day of life. We should
a eulogy, or even when I lis- all thank God every morning
ten to the news, I pray, Lord, when we wake up and every
have mercy. Its the prayer forevening when we lie down,
all occasions, which is why itsand every time something
so much a part of the Churchs good happens, even though it
liturgies. may not be very pleasant, like
sitting down to lima beans or
Almighty God is the Fa- cauliflower, or having little
ther of all mercies, i.e., our samples of blood drawn out
all-powerful God is the of your arm at the hospital.
source of all the good things

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But above all, the General That our all-mighty God,


Thanksgiving continues whom the universe cannot
above all the many ways contain, so humbled himself
God has blessed us and been to enter into the womb of a
merciful to uswe thank him pure teenage girl, and, be-
for his inestimable love In ing born as a helpless baby,
the redemption of the world put himself at the mercy of
by our Lord Jesus Christ. his creatures, many of whom
Theres a word that doesnt later rejected him, tortured
fall off the tongue easilyin- him, and finally killed him in
estimablesomething that a most cruel way, and then to
cannot be estimated. We cant rise from the graveby all of
even guess at the tremendous this he opened up to us the
measure of love that God has fountain of his limitless grace,
for us, that moved him to lie and he fills us with the hope
down on the cross to redeem of everlasting life with him.
us. Its inestimable, immea- He did all this, as the Gener-
surable; because its infinite, al Thanksgiving says, For the
theres no end of it. And our means of grace, And for the
finite little minds cant even hope of glory. And its all just
comprehend the immensity of a very small taste of his inesti-
that love, or the fact that God mable love for us.
has that much love for each
one of us. Even if we could So the big question is, how
respond to the first and great- do we respond to that kind of
est commandment by actually love, to that kind of mercy?
loving God with all our heart, Are we even capable of re-
soul, mind, and strength, it sponding in an adequate way?
wouldnt come close to the Well, yes we are. Because God
inestimable love he has for us. has given us the abilitythe
graceto respond in the Per-

autumn 2015 63
connecting
son of his Son, who is himself And having been nourished
the means of grace. Jesus is by him and filled with him,
the way we respond, the way the only way we can possi-
we give God the Father our bly respond is by putting our
most humble and hearty thanksgiving into action: By
thanks for all [his] goodness giving up ourselves to [his]
and loving-kindness. St. Paul service, And by walking be-
says that if you confess with fore [him] in holiness and
your lips that Jesus is Lord, righteousness all our days.
and believe in your heart Loving him in return, loving
that God raised him from the who he loves, and loving the
dead, you will be saved (Rom way he lovesthats what it is
10.9). As the Word of God, Je- to walk before him in holiness
sus is the supreme expression and righteousness.
of divine love. He is every-
thing that God has to say to Having died with Christ in
us. And Jesus is the only thing baptism, and having been
that we can say to God in re- filled with him in our eucha-
sponse to that love. He is our ristic worship, we are part of
thanksgiving to God. his Body. As St. Paul puts it,
I have been crucified with
He is our Eucharistthats Christ. It is no longer I who
the Greek word for thanksgiv- live, but Christ who lives in
ing. And thats what we do in me. And the life I now live in
Church every week. We come the flesh I live by faith in the
seeking Jesus, and he really Son of God, who loved me
does speak to us through the and gave himself for me (Gal
proclamation of his Gospel, 2.20). Living for the God who
and he really does feed us lives in us, giving up our-
with his Body and Blood in selves to [his] servicethat
the sacrament of the Altar. is how we give thanks.

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DEATHS
THE REV. EDGAR GEORGE of the Transfiguration. He
ADAMS, SR., 83, also served as chaplain and
in Richmond, VA. headmaster of the Bethany
School in Cincinnati and as
A graduate of the Philadel- chaplain at Christ School in
phia Divinity School, he was Arden, SC.
ordained in 1959 and served
parishes in Pennsylvania,
Maryland, and Virginia. He THE REV. KEITH
also served as a Navy chap- JOHNSON, 53,
lain. At the time of his death in Harlem, NY.
he was priest associate at St.
Marks, Richmond. A graduate of Virginia Theo-
logical Seminary, he was or-
dained in 2001 and served
THE REV. JAMES M. parishes in Florida, Califor-
HINDLE, 89, nia, and Louisiana before be-
in Hendersonville, NC. ing called as rector of St. Phil-
ips, Harlem, in 2012. He was
A 1952 graduate of General one of six Fellows in the Faith
Theological Seminary in New and Justice Fellowship pro-
York City, he served parish- gram under the Federation of
es in Mt. Holly, Tryon, and Protestant Welfare and Agen-
Greensboro, North Caroli- cies and New York Theologi-
na. His first and final parish cal Seminary.
was in Bat Cave at the Church

autumn 2015 65
connecting
THE RT. REV. RUSTIN
KIMSEY, 79,
in The Dalles, OR. TAD on
A 1960 graduate of the Epis-
copal Theological School in
TAPE
Cambridge, MA, he served
parishes in Redmond, Baker
City, and The Dalles. While
serving on the Churchs Ex-
ecutive Council from 1969-
1982, he was the Episcopal
Churchs priest representative
to the Anglican Consultative
Council. He was consecrated
as the fifth bishop of the Di-
ocese of Eastern Oregon in
1980 and served until retiring We offer The Anglican
Digest on audio tape
in 2000. He also served as as- for readers with vision
sisting bishop of Navajoland problems and for those
from 20052006 and as assist- who would prefer to
ing bishop of the Diocese of listen to TAD.
Alaska from 2009-2010.
Please Write:
Rest eternal grant unto them The Anglican
O Lord, Digest
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and let light perpetual shine Eureka Springs, AR
upon them. 72632-9705
Phone: 479-253-9701

66 anglicandigest.org
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