(cont’d on page 2)

WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS: THEN, NOW, AND TO COME By Dean William McKeachie, on behalf of Alann Sampson and Robert Grable

September 21, 2014 The Fifteenth Sunday

after Pentecost

8:00 a.m.

Holy Communion

8:45 a.m.

Parish Breakfast*

8:50 a.m.

Praying for St. Andrew’s*

9:15 a.m.

Christian Education*

for all ages

10:30 a.m.

Morning Prayer*

10:30 a.m.

Preschool Chapel*

followed by second hour

Sunday School at 10:50 a.m.

11:15 a.m.

Optional Elementary

Children’s Program

during sermon*

11:45 a.m.

Children’s Choir*

5:00 p.m.

Evening Prayer*

followed by Bible Study & light

refreshments in Koslow

*Nursery

The Lectionary

Jonah 3:10-4:11

Philippians 1:21-27 Matthew 20:1-16

Psalm 145 or 145:1-8

THE MESSENGER SAINT ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

September 19, 2014 Volume 34, Number 37

The Archbishop of Canterbury, at a recent event commemorating the centenary of the outbreak of World War One, spoke of that tragic conflagration as a war which, notwithstanding the 1918 Armistice, in reality perpetuated itself in other guises for years and even decades following — not only through 1945 but (said the Archbishop) until 1989 and the razing of the Berlin Wall. To which, in the context of current events in the Near East, one might, even more provocatively, respond: Has what H.G. Wells in 1914 called the "war to end war" ended even yet?

Such is the kind of question we will be discussing this Fall in the Saint Andrew's "Great Books" Club. Our primary texts through December are going to be A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway and the Koran (Qur'an), supplemented with excerpts from Europe's Last Summer by David Fromkin (by which Archbishop Welby was evidently influenced) as well as examples of the searing, soul-wrenching "war poetry" written from the trenches by Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Isaac Rosenberg, and others.

The fate of nations and ethnicities, concepts of corporate destiny, the nature of freedom versus determinism, the moral imperatives of family and religion and honor and retribution — such issues not only roiled Europe of old but are perennial, endemic to la condition humaine. This past Sunday, in the wake of recent butcheries committed by the so-called Islamic State (intent on reconstructing

a form of Caliphate more draconian than anything abolished with the Ottoman Empire in 1924), the Reverend Canon McCrary preached on the implications of Jesus' many admonitions to love, and especially to forgive, both one another and even our enemies, in both our personal and corporate life and witness as Christians. What is the relationship between forgiveness and one's willingness or otherwise to repent, the ability or otherwise to receive forgiveness itself? What does it mean to win, to lose, to kill or be killed, to die, or to survive, or to be redeemed — as an individual, as a civilization, as a religion?

There are times when such questions hit home with particular focus, even (ironically) force. Certainly they are raised with vivid acuity in Hemingway's novel, as they are also, in more explicitly autobiographical ways, by two of his contemporaries, the Englishman Robert Graves in Goodbye to All That and the Austrian Robert Musil in The Man Without Qualities, books that set 1914-1918 in a perspective that has only expanded with the ensuing century. With reference to them, to the war poets, and to other resources, our Great Books Club will explore the ways in which the war that did not end war — and indeed has hardly ended yet — nevertheless did mark the inexorable unraveling of inherited hierarchy, honorable order, and (in a sense) the modern sense of history itself, such that the claims of Christendom, let alone the Biblical Gospel of Christ, can be said to have lost virtually all authority in twenty-first century corridors of political power, among the "new elite" media-celebrities, and even for mainline religious denominations.

GREAT BOOKS START-UP

This Coming Monday, September 22

Supper and Study, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

All Welcome!

Ernest Hemingway

David Fromkin

Cont’d. from page 1

In one of the most spiritually powerful confluences of history, politics, and "art" (in every form) in the last century, Coventry Cathedral in England, which had been all but obliterated by the Luftwaffe during World War Two, was re­consecrated in a stunning new building (alongside the shell of the old) in 1962. Among the many "artistic" commissions for its inauguration — which I myself was blessed to be able to attend — was a War Requiem by England's foremost twentieth century composer, Benjamin Britten.

The occasion was planned as one of conscious "international" forgiveness and reconciliation. The solo parts in the Requiem were composed with specific singers in mind: a Russian soprano, an English tenor, and a German baritone. Interspersed between the sections of the Latin liturgical text were several poems by Wilfred Owen from the earlier World War. At almost the last moment — in the midst of what was of

course known as the "Cold War" — the Russian soprano was prevented by the Soviet authorities from participating! However, a fine English substitute took her place, and the performance went ahead; but the irony of the partial yet all too symbolic undermining of the composer's intentions was not lost on anybody. Nor was the heightened irony of Wilfred Owen's revision of the Abraham and Isaac story (from the twenty-second chapter of Genesis) which he called "The Parable of the Old Man and the Young" and which was sung at the appropriate point of the Offertorium:

Parable of the Old Man and the Young BY WILFRED OWEN

So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,

And took the fire with him, and a knife.

And as they sojourned both of them together,

Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father,

Behold the preparations, fire and iron,

But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?

Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps,

and builded parapets and trenches there,

And stretchèd forth the knife to slay his son.

When lo! an angel called him out of heaven,

Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad,

Neither do anything to him. Behold,

A ram, caught in a thicket by its horns;

Offer the Ram of Pride instead of him.

But the old man would not so, but slew his son,

And half the seed of Europe, one by one.

2

Wilfred Owen

Benjamin Britten

Join us for an evening of

Boots & Barbeque

Honoring

Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA)

Sunday, October 5th

Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork

5000 Clearfork Main Street

6:00 p.m

Barbeque Dinner

Presentation by Archbishop Ben Kwashi

Entertainment by Dan Roberts and His Band

Dancing Under the Stars

Contact Nancy Komatsu ASAP at nkomatsu @st-andrew.com

to make reservations with other St. Andrew’s parish members.

Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA) is an international mission agency with a vision

to change the world for Jesus Christ through the transforming grace of the Holy

Spirit. SOMA is called by God to serve the Anglican Communion and the worldwide

Church by building up and equipping the Body of Jesus Christ.

The Most Rev. Dr. Benjamin Argak Kwashi is Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Jos and

Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Prov-ince of Jos in the Church of Nigeria. He and his

wife, Gloria, live in Jos, Plateau State, in Northern Nigeria. They have six children. They

now also have over thirty orphans living with them at Bishopscourt.

Plateau State is Bishop Kwashi's home: he was born in the village of Amper in 1955. He

grew up in a Christian home, and his father was a noted teacher and educationalist. He

attended the Nigerian Military School, but he received a clear call to go into the church's

ministry in 1976. He trained for the ministry at the Theological College of Northern

Nigeria, and it was there that he met Gloria. After ordination and marriage , they served in a

variety of rural and urban parishes and settings in Kaduna Diocese (northern Nigeria), until

in 1990 he was appointed Rector of St. Francis of Assisi Theological College. From there

he was called to be Bishop of Jos, where he was consecrated and enthroned in 1992. He is

currently the International Chairman of SOMA (Sharing of Ministries Abroad).

3

WOMEN’S MINISTRY:IN A PERFECT WORLD by Marsland Moncrief

“Perfect!” “Hold that pose.” “Perfect!” “We shall meet around 8:00 am.” “Perfect!” “Here is your coffee with just a little cream and sugar.” “Perfect!” “How is your steak cooked?” “Perfect!” Have you noticed that the word “perfect” seems to have become a favorite buzz word these days? Think about how often you use or hear the word perfect in a single day.

Recently I was reprimanded by my five year old granddaughter for coloring outside the lines, but once I stayed within the boundaries the picture was “perfect” at least in her eyes. “Perfect, perfect, perfect!” If someone did not know any better one might believe that we live in a “perfect” world. But then we know better than that. Just listen to the news.

There was a time when the world was perfect, at the beginning of creation. There was one man and one woman who had the most perfect life with every beautiful flower to smell, tree to admire and plentiful choices of food to enjoy. Their world of perfection was called Paradise, and as long as they stayed within the boundaries their life, it would continue to be picture perfect. Sadly, the story of Adam and Eve is all too familiar. If only Eve had obeyed God’s commands and not listened to the serpent. If only Adam had not listened to Eve. Was the apple that tasty? Temptation can often take you outside your boundaries and like Adam and Eve it can ruin a picture perfect life sometimes.

The first session of the Women’s Thursday Morning Bible study, The Twelve Women of the Bible, Life- Changing Stories for Women Today by Sherry Harney, began with Eve. It seemed rather appropriate to begin with the first woman of the Bible. Eve was a one of a kind. According to Genesis 2:21-22, Eve is unique among Bible characters. Besides Adam, who was created by God, every person born after Eve was born of a woman. Only Eve was born, so to speak, of a man.

Eve, whose name means “Life-giving” or “Mother of All Who Have Life” was also a woman of firsts.

Her life was a series of “firsts” in the history of the world. She was the first woman on earth, the first wife, the first mother, the first grandmother, the first (and only) sinless woman, and the first to be tempted by Satan. Sadly, Eve was the first (along with her husband Adam) to fall into sin and see the cataclysmic consequences of disobedience to God.

Eve was created pure and holy, but she chose to disobey God. When she decided to value her own desires rather than God’s will, she chose to receive the consequences of sin; separation from God, separation from others, and separation from the Garden of Eden.

Angry when Eve chose to sin and tempted Adam to sin also, God sent them from the garden. Though God’s wrath is real, His grace is abundant. Grace is the undeserved acceptance and love received from God to provide salvation and forgiveness. God took the initiative to restore His relationship with Adam and Eve, and He takes the initiative to offer forgiveness to His children who repent.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Be aware that when you choose to sin, you open yourself to God’s wrath. But also be receptive to His grace when you are sorry for your sin and confess it to Him.

Although Eve was “the mother of all living,” she was also the mother of all dying. Through her life and lineage both sin and grace entered the world. Eve suffered the consequences of her own sin and witnessed the sinfulness of her son, Cain, and his descendants. Eve was the first sinner, but she was also the first to receive God’s grace.

By God’s grace, Eve was forgiven and her relationships were restored. She had children, though she suffered pain in childbirth and heartache in parenting. Amid Eve’s pain over the loss of Abel, she

conceived another son, Seth. He lived a godly life, and through his lineage Jesus Christ was born into the world. “Perfect!”

Eve truly experienced the mixed blessings of motherhood. Throughout history, mothers have known joys and sorrows similar to Eve’s. Today, women rejoice and weep over their children’s choices. While Eve’s life teaches the wages of sin, Eve also exemplifies God’s grace to forgive and restore His children.

Fall is a time when the apple orchards prosper and the displays at the markets are tempting. As I was walking through a local market the other day I could not help but think of Eve as I admired the numerous varieties of apples. The choices and the aromas of the freshly picked apples, I must admit, were overwhelming and tempting. The names of the different varieties were also alluring: Red Delicious, Granny Smith, and Envy!

Did Eve ever recover from Eden? Or did her sojourn there stay fresh in her mind until the day she died? Did the sighs, sounds, and smells of Paradise tantalize her memory decades after she experienced them? Or did it all fade like a half-remembered dream?

Did she get quiet when the subject of fruit came up? Did she struggle with the consequences of her decision every day of her life? Did she torture herself with constant thoughts of “If only…”and “How could I have…?” Did she get quiet when the subject of fruit came up or did she accept responsibility for her actions? Did she recognize that the path that led her away from God could also be taken back to Him?

Did her heart leap when she realized that forgiveness was possible? Did her soul feel lighter after she confessed what she’d done? Did she turn to Him for comfort and strength when tragedy struck? Did she pour out her grief to Him when her son Abel was murdered? Did she ask God to help her make sense of her feelings toward her murderous son, Cain? Did she ask for protection for her wayward son?

Did Eve die with regrets? Or did she realize that God’s love and forgiveness can overcome anything?

GOD CAN RESTORE AND RENEW ALL THINGS… PERFECT!

4

5

“Rallied and Ready” for Fall Rally Day was lots of fun…colorful tables and displays all over Moncrief Hall (still set as “Son City”), lively music, lots of people conversing and learning about St. Andrew’s ministries, delicious and inviting box lunches (thanks to Angie Felton and Lindsay Lindley), fun activities for the children, raffle tickets, the Silent Auction, etc. Just a positive, happy day all the way around! Hats off and many thanks to Beth Prim and Sarah Murrin, Rally Day co-chairs; to Karen Ferrer, the energetic and hard-working Senior Warden of the Associate Vestry; to Dean McKeachie for his great guidance of this group; to the entire AV for their hard work that day; to Peggy Rush for producing hundreds of posters, colorful signs, and bookmarks for the event; to Nick Nixon for his wonderful work with the set-up for and clean-up after the event, etc, etc. It was a very memorable morning!

In the Children’s Ministries area, I want to give special kudos and thanks to Melissa Pelton for her wonderful, dedicated, creative work! Melissa can truly make any vision or dream of mine come true. We talked about having some bright colored “saddle bookmarks” with ribbons at the bottom, and Melissa came through with wonderful laminated creations, which are so colorful and nice. She also took about a hundred of Rhonda Hole’s pictures from VBS and the Sunday School Awards Day, mounted them on colorful backings, and laminated them. And she formatted a couple of handouts for our table in a creative way. In addition, each week Melissa does advance preparation work on imaginative crafts for our preschool children, which tie in with their weekly Bible lessons. Thanks, Melissa, for all that you do to enrich our children’s ministries!

Our Amazing VBS Demolition Crew! We were so greatly blessed to enjoy the set of “SON City” in Moncrief Hall for two months this summer! What a special treat for all ages! It was one of our most fun VBS sets ever! Several weeks ago in The Messenger, I mentioned all the wonderful people who hammered, sawed, drilled, sketched, and painted (from young children to some of

our beloved “senior adults”) to make our vision of a Western town become reality. Without their talents, dedication, and hard work, this VBS dream of ours would not have come true.

This week, I want to thank the “Demolition Crew” of “SON City.” After Rally Day, it was time for our Western town to come down, to make room for the start-up of all the fall activities in Moncrief Hall. What took six weeks to create and build, came down in about four hours on Rally Day afternoon. Many thanks to our fabulous VBS Demolition Crew: Dan Turner, Aaron Turner, Henrik Dufresne, Phil Breedlove, Tom Laker, Tim Ferrer, Rick Cleveland, and Nick Nixon! They are “men with a plan,” and they got the job done! Among other things, they hauled usable leftover lumber into the basement, reorganized the lumber storage shelves in that area, took things to the dumpster, hauled off trash, etc. A couple of weeks ago, Tom and Charlotte Laker also picked up many of the pallets we used in Moncrief Hall and delivered them to Phil Breedlove’s home. Phil took care of the pallets from there on. What an amazing work crew! Thanks to ALL these saints of God! I also want to thank Emilio and Wendy Golden for their excellent assistance in helping me with a major reorganization of a VBS props storage room at church…which also involved disposing of a good bit of trash. They are most wonderful helpers and workers also! It “takes a village” to put on VBS, and another smaller but indispensable “village” to take it all down. The Lord provides the most amazing people for all this work. Thanks be to Him!

CHILDREN MINISTRY: SIT TALL IN THE SADDLE WITH JESUS THIS FALL by Judy Mayo

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES — OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE

Name: _________________________________________ Phone:

Email: ________________________________________ I am interested in, or would like more information on:

______Teaching Sunday School

______Substituting in Sunday School

______Helping with children’s crafts

______Helping with music

______Bible storytelling or skits

______Helping with memory work

______Being a Lay Preschool Chaplain

______Hosting a Sunday School event in my home

______Helping with VBS 2015

______Helping with the 2014 Nativity Pageant

IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP

Oct. 5 Kick-Off of Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Project

Oct. 18 Fall Festival of Saints, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Moncrief Hal

Dec. 16 Advent-Christmas Pageant, “Christ Is Coming,” 6 p.m., in the church

Dec. 20 Sunday School Caroling Expedition & Christmas Party, 2:30-5:30 p.m.

Second Preschool Lay Chaplains’ Training Session

Sunday, September 21, 10:20 to 10:50 a.m. in the Children’s Chapel, Ryan House

…for interested laymen of our parish… a wonderful, rewarding ministry to our youngest members!

Questions? Contact Judy Mayo or Karen Ferrer.

6

Alpha

this Tuesday, September 23 at 6:00 p.m

Marriage

Laura Anne Mayer &

Christopher James Hall

September 13, 2014

Birth Everlee Lynn Rash

daughter of

Elizabeth & Ryan Rash

granddaughter of

Beccy & Billy Egger

niece of

Kathryn Egger

great-niece of

Debby Crow

September 5, 2014

Birthdays

September 21

Ron Weatherill

Karen Wilson

Mary Beth Pressley

Stephanie Stouffer

Cassie Bay

Cole Woollis

September 22

Priscilla Turbeville

Conrad Beyer

Barron Parker

Neely Brunette

Anna Melton

September 23

Honey Bronson

Melinda Kirby

Meredith Helm

September 24

Harrison Farris

September 25

Edythe Sesnick

Lisa McKeachie

Kelly Nichols

Amanda Ellis

Jeff Waldrop

September 26

September 27

Kelli Brazzel

Emily Oakes

Palmer Lummis

Birthdays The flowers for Sunday September 21

are given to the glory of God

at the Church and Chapel altars by Ron Weatherill

“in appreciation for the support given to Margarete by the St. Andrew's

prayer chain, and in thanksgiving

to God for yet another year on Planet Earth”

and at the Children’s Chapel altar in thanksgiving for the twelfth birthday of Anna Melton

Altar Flowers

7

Our Deepest Sympathy on the death of

Dr. Harrison Miller Moseley

husband of Doreen (Dene) Moseley

stepfather of Denise Burgess, Karen Messick (Alan),

& Cheryl Castells (Rod)

grandfather of Eric Burgess, Brian & Andrew Messick,

Cristina Puri and Roddy Castells

great-grandfather of Michaela Burgess & Adrienne C. Burgess

great-great-grandfather of Rylan Burgess

brother of Dorothy Kellam

uncle of Tom & Kerry Kellam

September 10, 2014

Blessing of the Pets The entire parish is invited to come celebrate

Sunday, October 5 at 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Rectory, 6245 Locke Avenue.

We will thank God for the special creatures He has placed in our lives and celebrate them as an expression of His love and kindness toward us and the whole creation.

Please bring your furry, finned, or feathered friend in a carrier or on a leash.

But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you…let the fish of the sea speak to you...for the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of all humanity.

Job 12:7-10

And God saw everything He had made, and behold it was very good.

Genesis 1:31

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church

917 Lamar Street Ft. Worth, Texas 76102 817-332-3191, Fax: 817-332-9724 Email: church@st-andrew.com

SAINT ANDREW’S MESSENGER is published weekly, except bi-weekly during the summer and the week after Christmas, by St. Andrew’s Parish. Periodical postage is paid at Fort Worth, TX. USPS 5898-90.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 917 Lamar Street Fort Worth TX 76102.

The Rt. Rev’d Jack L. Iker, D.D. Bishop The Rev’d Dr. R. William Dickson Rector The Very Rev’d William N. McKeachie Vicar for Parish Ministry The Rev’d Canon Ronald L. McCrary Director of Pastoral Care & Spiritual Formation

Kendall Felton Director of Student Ministries Jason Runnels Choirmaster Glenda Robinson Organist Elisabeth Gray McKeachie Harpist Judy Mayo Director of Children’s Ministries Marsland Moncrief Liaison to Women’s Ministries Peggy Rush Editor/Publications

Mission Statement St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church exists to worship God in the beauty of holiness and in Spirit and truth; to win the lost to Jesus Christ and disciple every believer; to equip and empower every member for ministry; and to spread God’s kingdom through charitable, righteous works locally and globally.

Weekday Worship Schedule

Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion Thursday 7:00 a.m. Holy Communion

Daily Schedule September 22 11:50 a.m. Bill Nichols Bible Study, Moncrief 6:30 p.m. Great Books, Koslow Tuesday, September 23 6:45 a.m. Men’s Devotion & Bible Study, Chapel & Koslow 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion, Chapel 1:30 p.m. Staff Meeting, Koslow 6:00 p.m. Alpha,* Moncrief Wednesday, September 24 12:00 p.m. Rector’s Bible Study, Koslow 4:15 p.m. Vestry, Koslow 7:00 p.m. St. Andrew’s Choir Practice,* Choir Room Thursday, September 25 7:00 a.m. Holy Communion, Chapel 9:30 a.m. Women’s Morning Bible Study,* Moncrief, Koslow, & McFarland 7:00 p.m. Greek Class,* Koslow 11:30 p.m. Messenger Deadline Friday, September 26 9:00 a.m. Altar Guild Cleaning Saturday, September 27 8:00 a.m. Breakfast prep, Kitchen

Sunday, September 28 The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost 6:00 a.m. Breakfast Prep, Kitchen 8:00 a.m. Holy Communion, Chapel 8:45 a.m. Parish Breakfast,* Moncrief 8:50 a.m. Praying for St. Andrew’s,* Chapel 9:15 a.m. Christian Education for all ages,* Moncrief 10:30 a.m. Morning Prayer ,* Church 10:30 a.m. Preschool Chapel,* Children’s Chapel, followed by Second Hour Sunday School,* Preschool Rooms 11:15 a.m. Optional Children’s Program during sermon,* Youth Room 3 11:45 a.m. Children’s Choir,* Choir Room 5:00 p.m. Choral Evensong,* Church 6:00 p.m. Reception,* Koslow

*Nursery

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EVENTS

please visit our webpage at www.st-andrew.com

Prayer Chain Requests Names may be submitted to Carrie Brent

at 817-738-6496 and/or Patti Parrish at parrishuc@mac.com.

Permission should be obtained before submitting the name of someone other than oneself.

Inviting ALL WOMEN of St. Andrew’s

Don’t forget that the Diocesan Churchwomen’s Fall Congress will be

held at St. Andrew’s this Saturday, September 20th. Phil and Debi Jones

will sing your hearts out. You can also choose to take a wonderful tour of our

stained glass windows,

or attend an art

workshop offered by

Suzanne Hearn

entitled: Symbols:

How God speaks to

us through the eyes

of His world’s

greatest artists. It will

be an art-filled

extravaganza spanning

the centuries. Be

blessed by a colorful

encounter with our windows and encouraged through the “picture” of God’s

word.

Come enjoy...

Evening Prayer Sunday, 5:00 p.m.

in the Chapel

Refreshments and Discussion in Koslow Library

following the service.

A nursery is available.

Thinking Christianly in a Collapsing Contemporary Culture