 St Alban’s Episcopal Church Bolivar, Missouri Tuesday, January 10, 2022 Looking backwards and forwards at the same time Looking Backward  A Treasure Last Sunday after Church, Lloyd Hensley gave me a small, blue velvet-covered book with a gold shield on its cover, that his relative had retrieved from an old house that was being emptied. It was tied with a gold ribbon, because some of the pages were at risk of falling out. Nevertheless, it was in excellent shape for a book published sometime in the mid-1800’s. It was a copy of the Book of Common Prayer, the first American prayer book – used from 1790 until 1883 when the second version was published.I had never seen one. It felt like the whole history of our American Church lay in the palm of my hand. I wondered whose it had been – There was no name or other notation in it. But this book had been used – alot. At some point the front cover had separated itself from the spine, and was lovingly stitched back.  Inside the cover was a lithograph of an older painting that will be familiar to many of you. I spent a happy morning tying to figure out how long ago it had been painted, by whom, and when it was printed in black and white, and by whom. The internet helped, of course. And so did a bunch of eager assistants among my friends. The original painting was made in 1776 by Sir Joshua Reynolds in England, entitled then, The Infant Samuel. The engraving was made by an American printer, Samuel S E Cowperthwait, who lived in Camden, New Jersey. But I found something else interesting in an old Methodist magazine. Cowperthwaite was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Camden, and on the building committee for a new church to replace one that had burned in 1837. There was even a photo of him: a dour looking, older, bearded man! I might find out more, but at least we know now that this engraving found its way into some printing of the 1789 prayer book in the mid-late 1800’s. The book beside me as I write is somewhere between 140 and 160 years old – It could not have been printed after 1883, and was likely printed some years years before. Why do I care? Why might you? Because this is us. It is our 1979 BCP’s ancestor; and holding it, looking through it, reading its tiny print, wondering where it was used and by whom, ties me to those early Episcopalians who compiled it – wrote the changes, and used it for almost a hundred years – from our Independence until after the Civil War. It is good to see both the continuity and the changes – to try to get into the heads of our ancestors in faith and to wonder what they might think of us today. Under the picture are the words: “Speak, Lord! For thy servant heareth.” That’s not a bad way for the BCP to introduce us to its words, so heavily drawn from Scripture – then and now. Looking Forward  Twenty years ago this month I was ordained deacon at the same Cathedral where Ryan was ordained last Saturday. At that time I was assigned to St Albans, in anticipation of the retirement of The Rev. John West. On September 6, 2003, I was ordained priest here at St Alban’s. It has been my joy and my challenge to serve you for these 20 years. But I will be 76 in February, and I am feeling those years! I have notified our Bishop, Diane Bruce, and the transition officer, The Rev. Chas Marks, that I intend to retire (for real this time!) and to celebrate my final day with you as your priest eight months from today, Sunday, September 10, 2023. There is a great deal to do together before that date. Some of the work of planning for the future will need to be done by the Bishop’s Committee led by Paul Shepard. Those meetings are normally open to anyone who wishes to attend. You will all be asked to contribute ideas and to consider options going forward. In the mean time, we will go on as we have done – sharing the Eucharist, listening together to the Word of God, serving those in need, continuing to work on the forestation project and the wildflower prairie on our back acres – creating a simpler food garden (and praying for better, less chaotic spring weather.) For now, here are a few more photos from Ryan’s ordination – and the ordination of three other young people: The future of the Diocese is in good hands. And so is the future of St Alban’s, even though none of us can see what it will look like – and don’t need to! All is well. And all will be well.  Ryan being presented by The Rev. Ron Keel, (his supervisor and mentor at Christ Church, Springfield), Paula Shepard, The Rev. Larry Lewis and me.  The four new transitional deacons, who will all be ordained priests later this year, God willing and the people consenting.  This is just some of the Bolivar and Springfield contingent of support for Ryan! Beside these, Sandy Sherry, Becca Cox, Louise Ritter, Janet Wray and Jean Vincent had already made their way over to the reception.   |
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