"...therefore never send to
know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."
John Donn 1624
It is said Beethoven
loved to hear the bells ring. The beauty of that sound is missing in
contemporary time; more like the sound of Gershwin's An American in Paris-not such a bad sound but not the sound of
calling folks together.
Today we hear
sirens, horns, mechanical chimes, whistles; and, not many bells to remind us to
pray, to warn of danger, to tell the time of day, or to celebrate. One of the
surprising things about looking around is seeing how much we do and how
generous this congregation is and in how many ways we are generous.
John Donn's rich
Meditation is one of social justice and connectivity. There is a recognition
that we are all one and interdependent. We need each other. What benefit is
there if we do not reach out to others perhaps even to those we do not like-at
all? It is the richness of our internal life that suffers if we do not and the
richness that is gained when we do, surprising with the benefits of complexity
and human need.
Although Donn's
bells were of funeral bells -a different calling-bells call us to each other
and to notice, to be aware, to understand, and to do for another making all
stronger and pushing us forward into agape.
Look around you;
read the Outreach Page; Stop and read the Bulletin Boards; Send a post card;
volunteer, smile and recognize all that
we are.
UTO, St. David's
Court, Souper Bowl, Heifer Project, COTA, Garage Sale, El Salvador, Springfield Garden, Samaritan Center, 1st
Friday Supers, Forums, Church School, Music, Arts, Coffee Hour, post cards,
Eucharist, Flower Guild, Altar Guild, Stewardship, Vestry, Choir, Priest,
Servants, Memorial Garden, Legacy Society, All Saints, Thanksgiving, Christmas,
and Easter offerings, Living Will, Liturgy, Reason and Tradition, our parish
community, and so much more--
Continue to name our
assets at St. David's Episcopal Church in DeWitt. We have much to be thankful
for and much work to do to rebuild us as we are meant to be.
And now with God's
help, let us care for all our assets.
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