From the Rector
Summer Plans in and Away from the Parish

My dear parishioners and friends of St. Paul’s,

We had a very good Annual Meeting on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, May 31. At that meeting, among other things, including important and encouraging reports from the Building Improvements Committee and the Commission on Mission, we elected new members of the Vestry. The following were elected to three-year terms:  Roy Byrd, Catherine Eikel, Brian Hoyle, and Ann Korky; and Lucky Ajueyitsi was elected to a one-year term. Actually, Roy Byrd and Lucky Ajueyitsi shared an equal number of votes and Lucky kindly (and perhaps wisely!) volunteered to take the one-year slot. The one-year term is to fill out the term to which Kenwin Benn had been elected.

Following the Annual Meeting, the following Monday, as required by the parish by-laws, the new Vestry met to elect officers and wardens. At that time, the Vestry unanimously and without opposition elected Greg Capaldini as the secretary of the Vestry and Polly Peckham as treasurer of the parish. Two nominations were received each for the junior and senior warden positions. In that election, Linda Wilkinson was elected as senior warden and David Schnorrenberg as junior warden. The Friday and Saturday following the organizational meeting of the Vestry, the new Vestry and officers, with the clergy, met for the annual workshop. At that time, new members of the Vestry were brought up to date on procedures and policies, and we familiarized ourselves with the not inconsiderable handbook for the Vestry regarding such.

There was also on the Saturday an important presentation about the building project and its potential financing; there was a review and explanation of the five-year budget plan as well as the budget for 2006. There was discussion of the importance of the work of committees and appointments were made for the coming year. I think that you can be proud of and confident in the leadership of the parish for the coming year. Elsewhere in the Epistle, please find the publication of the parish organizational chart with the newly assigned Vestry stewards as well as committees that have thus far been appointed for the present year. (Click here and here.) More appointments are to follow at the next meeting.

Obviously one of the big issues for the Vestry for this current year will be the finances regarding our building project, as we hope that that gets under way with construction in the fall. A number of committees need to be involved in the work of our finances along with our parish treasurer, and David Schnorrenberg as junior warden has been given specific responsibility to be the finances “point person” and to ensure proper communication between the various financial constituents such as the treasurer, Vestry, Finance Committee, Stewardship Committee, and Endowment Board. David is also on the Human Resources Committee, which obviously involves financial matters. As with all other areas of our parish life, we seek to provide full and transparent information and will continue to do so.

Summer in the parish

As summer is now upon us, might I make my annual reminder to those who are going to be away from the parish on vacation of a number of things. If you are away, it is very helpful to the parish if you can maintain the payment of your pledge. Every year, there is somewhat of a crisis in terms of cash flow, and we end up having to borrow significant amounts of money from ourselves and to then pay it back by the end of the year. All this can be avoided if we are faithful in the payments of pledges even when we are not in Washington. Of course, it goes without saying that the Lord’s Day is still the Lord’s Day wherever we are, and so I don’t need to remind you of your — and my — not only obligation but joy in joining Christian communities as they celebrate the Mass on the Lord’s Day wherever we find ourselves.

As always, the summer months provide not only a time of refreshment and relaxation but also in a parish such as this a time of evaluation of the previous program year and preparations for the coming year. Please keep the leaders of our various programs in your prayers as we make our plans for programs for 2006/2007 of a deepening formation in Christ.

As I have mentioned before, I shall be taking my four weeks annual leave from July 14 to August 12. This will be the first time, apart from my semi-sabbatical, that I have taken four weeks at one time. I do so in the certain knowledge that the staff and the lay leadership of the parish will attend to the needs of the parish very diligently in my absence. This may be the place to say something about clergy time off. The arrangements for vacation and study leave for our clergy follow the Diocesan guidelines. Namely, we receive one week’s vacation following Christmas and Easter; in addition, we receive four weeks annual leave. In addition to that, we receive two weeks study leave each year, and then there are further guidelines for the giving and using of sabbatical time. Now in my ninth year, I am entitled to sabbatical leave of six months, and as you know I have already taken half of that. At this time there seems no immediate chance of taking the remaining three months before my entitlement to the next sabbatical leave! 

While there is no doubt that these provisions are generous in the gift of time off, they do balance the rigorous demands of a basically six-day 24-hour schedule that is on the whole oblivious to secular and federal timetables and holidays. Strictly speaking, I have not used my study leave to do studying per se but to pursue the two primary responsibilities that I have assumed outside of the parish, namely as an Honorary Guardian at Walsingham and the current Chairmanship of the U.S. Walsingham Appeal and my involvement in the Trinity Foundation for Christianity and Culture out of Holy Trinity Sloane Street, London.

I may as well here give advance notice of my unusual plans for next year, which will see my being away more in the first half of the year than the second half of the year. I shall be taking my principal time off in January. In April, I shall be leading the usual every-other-year Pilgrimage to Walsingham, which I do not consider either vacation or study leave, but just work! And of course a great deal of pleasure! In June, I am planning to attend the International Conference for Consultants for the Trinity Foundation for Christianity and Culture in Aleppo, Syria, and will be using the remainder of my study leave to join Bishop Michael Marshall as he leads a pilgrimage around Syria. This is all planned at the time of writing, but in the Middle East things come up, as you know, and can change quickly.

My vacation time normally also allows me to pay visits to England where I can attend to my mother, as most of you know. I was talking recently to a regular attendee at our daily Mass who is a retired naval officer and in fact a member of another parish. He was speaking to me of a project he has recently undertaken, which is trying to encourage the U.S. military to build time for reflection into the expectation of the work of U.S. military officers. I am sure that that is not only important, but relevant to our present situation. I know the same can be said for clergy, that the opportunity for reflection offsite is invaluable for informing our perspective and renewing our sense of mission and ministry. I am sure all this is true for all leaders. I hope that all of you will find time for refreshment, relaxation, reflection, and enjoyment in the relatively slower summer months.

Summer pastoral care

One of the areas I look forward to developing in the summer is the area of pastoral care. As you know, our continues to do a stellar job in providing pastoral care for many of our more infirm, housebound, and even distant parishioners. I am delighted that it appears that a couple of other qualified people in the field of health care are interested in assisting with this ministry, including Marcia Withiam-Wilson (whose article appears in this Epistle; click here). One of the challenges in this area, in our very litigious society, is to make sure that we are being responsible not only fiscally but also in terms of liability. This is a very complicated field. For example, I found out last week that the only people insured against liability to provide pastoral care are in fact ordained ministers! Where that leaves our pastoral care of one another, I’m trying to find out!  In any event, I will continue to work with the Vestry and those who are interested in assisting with the ongoing work of pastoral care during the summer months. I hope some sort of team approach might emerge. I am very grateful to all those who take seriously looking after one another as members of the Body of Christ in this place.

Please note that as usual this is a double-month issue and there will be no other Epistle for the month of August. The liturgical highlight of the summer is August 15, the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin and, for those who are less timid, the Feast of the Assumption! It falls on a Tuesday this year, and as usual there will be a Solemn Mass at 6:30 PM. Mark Dwyer is planning a special musical presentation that day. Our guest preacher that evening will be Fr. Tony Noble, the Rector of All Saints’ Church in San Diego, California. Fr. Noble was with us as part of the U.S. Walsingham Appeal Board on the Feast of Candlemas, and it was at that time that we made the arrangements for him to come back in the summer. I am grateful to him for his willingness to preach for us, not least of all because of his willingness to provide his own transportation and accommodation!  What more could one ask for?!  I know you will be here to greet him and welcome him as well as to celebrate the work and witness of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Ministry fair

By way of advance notice, there will be a parish ministry fair on Sunday, September 10, as a kind of kickoff Sunday following the summer. I am very grateful to Rhoda Geasland and Greg Capaldini who have agreed to coordinate that event with the leaders of our various ministries. On that Sunday, I shall also be baptizing the latest addition to the Jeffrey Smith and Elisabeth Braw family at the 11:15 AM Mass on that day.

Let me end by reminding you that our liturgical schedule changes in no way during the summer months, nor do our expectations for the musical offerings at our liturgies. More and more I see that we are quite unique in this among similar parishes and even bigger, wealthier parishes. I hope that our faithfulness to those expectations of our worship are met with similar expectations in the attendance of the faithful at those both on Sundays and during the week.

I do hope that the summer months will give you a time of refreshment and renewal. Again, please keep in your prayers those who during these months will be planning and making decisions for our programs for the coming year.

With many thanks and every blessing, yours in love and gratitude in Christ,
Andrew Sloane +

Five Elected to Vestry at Annual Meeting

At the Annual Meeting of the parish on May 31, seven candidates stood for five open seats on the Vestry. Under the parish by-laws, the four Vestry members completing their three-year terms — David Chase, Phil Schlatter, Jerry de Michaelis, and Deb Loucks — must sit out for at least one year before returning to the Vestry. In addition, Kenwin Benn’s resignation left a fifth seat to be filled for a one-year term. The candidates to fill these positions were Lucky Ajueyitsi, Roy Byrd, Naomi DeVries, Catherine Eikel, Brian Hoyle, Ann Korky, and J. Douglas Ruff.

Voters had until 7:00 PM to cast the first ballot. Promptly at 7:00, the eight tellers collected the ballots and filed out of the dining hall. About half an hour later they returned, and the rector interrupted the meeting to ask the head teller to report the election results.

Behind the scenes

After the tellers departed, they regrouped in the Guild Room while the business of the Annual Meeting continued. They divided into four teams of two, and the head teller counted the 85 ballots and divided them into eight roughly equal batches. Each batch was stapled and numbered.

Each teller then took one batch and counted and recounted all the votes in that batch using a worksheet that listed the seven candidates with space to tally the votes. If the two counts were different for any candidate, then the teller counted the ballots a third time.

Then each teller traded batches with his or her partner and repeated the process of counting and recounting. The tellers then compared their original counts with their partners’ counts. In order to be certified, therefore, the vote count for each candidate from each batch had to be the same in four separate countings.

Next, the head teller went through the list of candidates one at a time, calling on each teller to report the number of votes for that candidate from his or her batch. As the counts were read, some tellers entered the numbers in calculators while others wrote them down, and then they all reported the sums they arrived at. If there was any disagreement, the process was repeated until everyone agreed on the sum.

Once all the votes had been counted and recorded, the ballots and worksheets were collected and sealed in an envelope, which will be kept in the parish archives in case any questions should arise in the future about the election or its results.

Reporting the results

Since 85 ballots had been cast, at least 43 votes were required for a candidate to receive a majority and be elected. Five candidates received enough votes to be elected to the five Vestry positions: Ann Korky, Catherine Eikel, and Brian Hoyle each received more than 60 votes, while Lucky Ajueyitsi and Roy Byrd tied for fourth with 52 votes.

Ordinarily, the four candidates with the most votes would have been elected to the three-year positions and the fifth-place candidate to the one-year position. Therefore the tie was significant. In order to avoid a second round of voting to break the tie, Lucky volunteered to take the one-year position. Before agreeing to this solution, Roy asked for a show of hands to ensure that this shortcut met with the approval of the assembled congregation. The tellers were not called upon to certify this informal vote, but a clear majority preferred to accept Lucky’s proposal, so Fr. Sloane declared the election results final and the annual meeting continued. [BL]

Visiting English Choir at Evensong, August 13

The choir of St Mary’s Parish Church, Moseley, Birmingham, will sing for Sunday Evensong and Benediction at St. Paul’s on August 13 at 6:00 PM. They will be choir in residence at the National Cathedral from August 14-20. The choir is composed of 16 boy and girl trebles and 10 gentlemen. Music to be sung will include Terribilis Est Locus Iste (George Malcolm), Evening Canticles in G (Charles Villiers Stanford), and O Thou the Central Orb (Charles Wood.)

As well as singing for the services of St. Mary’s, the choir has a thriving exchange with the Eschers-heim Youth Choir in Frankfurt (the latest in February 2005) and undertakes singing holidays deputizing for established cathedral choirs during their vacations. In February 2000 and again in February 2004, the choir undertook a singing tour to Atlanta, Georgia.

Mick Perrier has been the Director of Music at St. Mary’s for 28 years. Educated in London and at Birmingham University, he was formerly Organist at St. Michael’s Church, Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield. He holds several posts that have given him much experience both in the fields of church music and education: He is Area Secretary and Education and Training Officer for the Royal School of Church Music in Birmingham. He also holds the position of Diocesan Music Adviser and teaches at Moseley Church of England School as well as Walmley Junior School.

There are great similarities in the music programs of St. Paul’s and St. Mary’s — both offer youngsters an unparalleled opportunity to participate with adults in a skilled activity on equal terms. Being part of the church means they share in worship, they are encouraged in their faith, they receive pastoral care, and can offer their gifts and talents in God’s service. In addition, today’s children need every educational advantage, and singing in such an ensemble helps develop reading, language, concentration, self-discipline, and social and team skills. It instills a sense of achievement and offers a free musical education that is hard to match. Indeed, few other activities offer youngsters such great educational rewards in return for the amount of time spent in their pursuit. Please make every effort to attend Evensong on August 13 — and bring a friend! [MD]

May and June Vestry Notes

The old Vestry met for the last time on Tuesday, May 16. Then the new Vestry met for its organizational meeting on Monday, June 5, and then again at the Vestry workshop on June 9 and 10.

At the May meeting, the Vestry approved adding $3,500 to the designated amount in the budget for reimbursing the for her travel expenses. This brings the line item total to $5,000.

The Vestry also approved an amendment to the contract with the firm of Swanke Hayden Connell Architects to settle our outstanding dispute with them so that work can move forward on the architectural drawings for the building project.

The Building Improvements Committee also introduced a proposed contract with Realco to act as owner’s representative overseeing the construction project. The Vestry authorized the Executive Committee to execute this contract further changes had been negotiated by David Schnorrenberg. The old Executive Committee subsequently signed the revised contract, prior to the expiration of their term.

Phil Schlatter reported on behalf of the Finance Committee that the Finance Committee will revisit the budget at the six-month point in the year to make any necessary adjustments based on pledges and operating expenses at that time. He also reported that the Committee wants to find out when the last survey of the physical plant was done and determine if a new one should be carried out.

At the organizational meeting, the Vestry elected Linda Wilkinson as senior warden and David Schnorrenberg as junior warden. Greg Capaldini was elected Vestry secretary. That meeting was the first for new Vestry members elected at the annual meeting: Lucky Ajueyitsi (elected to a one-year term, to fill the seat vacated by Kenwin Benn and temporarily filled by Brian Hoyle), Roy Byrd, Catherine Eikel, Brian Hoyle, and Ann Korky.

At the Vestry workshop, the Vestry members chose the various ministries for which they will act as Vestry stewards. For stewardship, the Vestry stewards are Roy Byrd, Matthew Leddicotte, David Schnorrenberg, and Geoffrey Peckham. For worship, the Vestry stewards are Fr. Sloane and Lynne Walker. For evangelism, the Vestry steward is Alistair Nevius. For formation, the Vestry steward is Linda Wilkinson. For pastoral care, the Vestry stewards are Brian Hoyle and Ann Korky. And for missions, the Vestry stewards are Rhoda Geasland, Lucky Ajueyitsi, and Catherine Eikel. (See the parish ministry organization chart.)

Greg Capaldini and Rhoda Geasland agreed to help coordinate the ministries fair, which is scheduled for September 10.

The Vestry approved the disbursement of $668 from the altar guild fund and another $668 from the memorial fund to be used to replace one of the green and gold altar frontals.

The Executive Committee reported that it had authorized sending the Ascension Day plate collection to the bishop’s discretionary fund (Ascension Day having been the date of the bishop’s visit to the parish).

David Schnorrenberg reported that now that we have settled our dispute with the architect, he is back at work. This includes dealing with the city elevator permit office. The elevator will require a sump pump, and the architect has taken the elevator permit offices questions about the sump pump to the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permit office in order to determine exactly what kind of sump pump will meet their approval in order to get the elevator permit issued.

The Vestry also appointed various committees. (See Vestry Committees 2006-2007 below.)

At both its May and June meetings, the Vestry discussed the issue of the provision in the parish by-laws that determines who is eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting. It was agreed that either the by-law or its application needs to be changed because parishioners are unexpectedly finding themselves off the voting rolls. Geoffrey Peckham, Matthew Leddicotte, Roy Byrd, and David Schnorrenberg were appointed to look into rewriting that provision to avoid unexpected disenfranchisement of parishioners. Any amendment of the by-laws requires approval by a meeting of the parish. It was agreed that if by-law changes are recommended there should be a special parish meeting no later than October 1 in order to vote on those recommended amendments. [AMN]

Treasurer’s Report to the Parish at the Annual Meeting

Pledges

For 2006, we have received 273 pledges totaling of $802,393. Compared to 2005, there are three more pledges and an increase of $97,547 in total pledged dollars.

Operating Account

After year-end adjustments, operating income exceeded operating expenses by $11,905 for 2005.  This surplus is the result of slightly higher operating income received than was budgeted, as well as a few operating expense accounts being somewhat lower than was budgeted.

The Vestry passed an operating budget of $776.800 for 2006.  Through the month of April, both total income and total expenses are slightly higher than the budgeted amounts.

Parish Endowment

Refer to the attached chart (click here) for an overview of all of the parish’s endowed funds.

The Millennium Fund

Total pledges to the Millennium Fund equal $1,782,550, with $1,579,085 paid. As of April 30, 2006, the Millennium Fund consists of the following assets:

[PP]

Summer Health Tip: Two Essential Types of Living Water

John’s Gospel gives us the story of the Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus when she came to the well to draw water. Jesus was tired from his journey through Samaria and was sitting by the well at about noon. It must have been very hot and dry, and no doubt both Jesus and the Samaritan woman were thirsty. “Give me a drink,” Jesus said to the woman, who was surprised that a Jew would ask her for a drink.

Later in the story, Jesus tells her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14). This reference to “living water” is usually understood to be the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Now that the summer months are here, we need to be especially mindful of our need for both kinds of water.

Water is important to all living things. Physically it is the most abundant substance on the earth and in our bodies. You may already know that the human body is about 66 percent water. But did you know that our muscles are 70‑75 percent water? Our lungs are 90 percent water? And our brains are actually 95 percent water? It’s easy to see why water and hydration play such a crucial role in a healthful lifestyle. Water carries nutrients and oxygen to all cells in the body, helps convert food into energy, protects and cushions vital organs, lubricates joints, regulates body temperature, and moistens oxygen for breathing. The body can last up to six weeks without food, but only one week without water.

Here in the United States, we are blessed with an abundant supply of clean water, yet many of us fail to drink an adequate amount. Most of us (unless your doctor has directed you otherwise) need approximately 8 eight ounce glasses of water each day. This need may increase during the warm months, especially during physical exercise.

God has provided living water for our souls, but how many of us remember to “drink” in the Holy Spirit until we are filled with the Lord? What is an adequate amount of living water? I don’t know, but if we open our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit with each glass of water we drink it would be a rather good start. Thinking about that familiar glass of refreshing water as a symbol for life make a lot of sense both physically and spiritually.

So as you enjoy your summer activities please remember to replenish your bodies and souls with both kinds of water often. [MW-W]

SUMMER HYDRATION RULES

Follow conventional wisdom. Drink at least eight 8 oz. servings of water each day. The more time you spend outside, the more water you need to replenish lost fluids.

Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. By the time you feel thirsty, you probably have already lost two or more cups of your total body water.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Convenience is a must, so carry a bottle of water with you as you commute to work, run errands or enjoy a day at the beach.

Don’t substitute caffeinated coffees, teas, and sodas for water. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, causing you to lose water through increased urination. Alcoholic beverages have a similar effect.

If finding time to drink water is a problem, keep a bottle of water at your desk. Or visit the office water cooler and take a water break rather than a coffee break.

Once you start exercising, don’t stop drinking. Keep a bottle of water with you and take frequent water breaks.

Don’t underestimate the amount of fluids lost from perspiration. You need to drink two cups of water for each pound lost following a workout.

Start and end your day with a serving of water. Your body loses water while you sleep. So drink a serving before bed and again when you wake up.

Don’t forget common maladies such as colds and the flu can frequently lead to dehydration. Keep a large bottle of water next to your bed so you can sip it throughout the day without having to get up.

Remember: When it’s warm outside, cold water (not carbonated soft drinks or sports drinks) is the best fluid for keeping hydrated. Cool water is absorbed much more quickly than warm fluids and may have a positive effect on cooling off your overheated body. [MW-W]

The Role of the Legacy Society

The Planned Giving Awareness Task Force (PGATF) is organizing a Legacy Society, with a role similar to that in many institutions and with membership open to any person associated with St Paul’s Parish (including anyone who desires to remain anonymous) who has made a provision for the Church in his or her estate plan, regardless of the size of the gift. Once in place (Fall 2006), the Legacy Society will do the following, and the PGATF will disband:

Serve as an opportunity for donors to give witness to their good stewardship in making provision for the church’s future life and ministry, thus encouraging others in the parish to make similar provisions in their wills and estate plans;

Encourage and promote membership in a way that does not extract information about the gift but invites donors to give the parish whatever information they are comfortable in providing and seeks permission for their names to be included on the list of legacy society members;

Offer an initial enrollment period of twelve months, to be followed by a formal dedication of the society;

Seek out gift commitments from all parish leaders — particularly the Vestry, Endowment Board, former wardens, and others who have had leadership roles in the planned giving program — before the dedication date and on an ongoing basis;

Induct as the founding members those who made gifts during the initial enrollment time and anyone who had made an earlier gift or bequest;

Seek out commitments from all subsequent parish leaders and from the parish at large and the Friends of St Paul’s;

Provide ongoing thanks and recognition to members of the society, such as by having an annual dinner where (a) detailed reports about the parish endowments are made, (b) good stewardship of the endowments by the leadership of the parish is conveyed, and (c) a speaker could cogently discuss a relevant topic of particular interest to society members; and

Plan and implement ongoing, periodic communication, such as newspaper clippings, pertinent leaflets, or other items of interest covered by letters from the rector or Endowment Board chair, and to stay in close touch with the donors who are key to the parish’s future. [DL]

Summer Reading on the Tract Rack

Among the selections on the tract rack are two books about Anglican traditions: The Anglican Spirit, by the late Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, and Why Study the Past? by the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Also on the rack are Simply Christian, by N.T. Wright, which E.J. Dionne recommended in a recent Washington Post column. There is also a new book by our friend Alan Jones, Dean of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, Common Prayer on Common Ground, which seeks to transcend the current divisions in the Anglican Communion. Finally, the problem of evil and suffering in a world created by a loving God is addressed by Orthodox theologian David Bentley Hart in The Doors of the Sea. [PA]

Honduras Update

A report from Protección at the end of May indicated that the walls of the new clinic were up. They planned to put on the roof in mid-June. As of the writing of this (on June 12), I’m trying to get another status report, but being in Honduras does not always mean more access to information from our sister parish in the remote mountains of this country. I will provide more information as soon as it becomes available.  As always, thank you for your support of our mission in Honduras. [JAS]

Mission Calendar—2006

Hunger/Homeless

Grate Patrol—every weekend

Preparation—Fridays, 3‑5 PM
Delivery—Saturday and Sunday mornings

Salvation Army dinner preparation—First Friday of each month, 5‑7 PM

Vestry Committees 2006-2007

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Lynne Walker (Chair)
Polly Peckham (ex officio, Treasurer)
Fr. Sloane
Jerry de Michaelis
Susan Dirstine
Silvia Maza
Susan Moore
Phil Schlatter
David Schnorrenberg
Ed Stephenson

STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

Matthew Leddicotte (Chair)
David Schnorrenberg (Co-Chair)
Lynne Walker

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Ed Loucks (Chair)
Brian Hoyle
Matthew Leddicotte
Douglas Ruff
David Schnorrenberg
Marcy Stanford

LANDSCAPING COMMITTEE

Atlee Shidler (Chair)
Fr. Sloane
Linna Barnes
Leslie Cross
Gary Fischer
Bill Gettys
John Klein
Shannon Whitefischer

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Alistair Nevius

BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE

Larry Cook (Chair)
Larry Toombs
Geoffrey Peckham
David Schnorrenberg
Patrick White
Linda Wilkinson

MISSION BOARD

Rhoda Geasland (Co-Chair)
Deb Loucks (Co-Chair)
Ann Korky
Tina Mallett
Gay Hanna Merrill
Ed Stephenson (treasurer of board)
Geoff Suiter

COLUMBARIUM COMMITTEE

Fr. Sloane (Chair)
Atlee Shidler (Co-Chair)
Peggy Battle
Gary Fischer
Bob Maddox
Merlin Packard

Choosing Barabbas                 

“Not this man, but Barabbas!”           

It is often said that Christianity is at its roots anti-Jewish, that it encourages hatred for Jews by teaching that they are responsible for the death of Jesus. Moreover, it is said, this is not just a distortion of the Christian faith by a few misguided fanatics — it is the teaching of the New Testament itself. In this essay, I should like to examine in what sense, if any, this is so.

Before examining the question of how the Christian Scriptures interpret the events, where they lay the blame for the events connected with the death of Jesus, let us consider how they report the events themselves, their account of what happened, and the role of the Jews in it.

It seems to me that some aspects of the trial of Jesus are often misunderstood, and that it is important to clear up the misunderstandings, both because they cause ill-will between Jews and Christians, and because they keep us as Christians from understanding clearly what the Scriptures have to teach us.

In the Gospels, we read that Pilate was willing to release Jesus, but that the crowd shouted, “Crucify him!” and that Pilate gave in rather than risk a riot. From this, many readers infer that the overwhelming majority of Jews hated Jesus because he rebuked them for their sins, and were determined to see him dead. Occasionally, the moral is drawn that the crowd was not so much consistently malicious as hopelessly fickle, so that the same tongues that shouted, “Hosannah, Son of David! Welcome in the name of the Lord!” on Palm Sunday were ready to shout “Crucify him!” only five days later.

Now, the first thing to be noted is that the Gospels plainly declare that Caiaphas and his associates were determined to kill Jesus, not because he was unpopular, but precisely because he was popular. They were afraid that the people would hail him as the Messiah, and start an uprising against Rome, which the Romans would crush without mercy, as they had similar uprisings in the past. (John 11:47-50) And so they decided to have him arrested, but not when there were people about, because of the danger of a riot in his favor. (Matthew 26:5) Hence the usefulness of Judas, who could lead them to him at a time and place where he was alone and could be seized quietly.

It is highly probable that they made arrangements with Pilate ahead of time, explaining the situation to him and receiving his assurance that when they brought him the prisoner at the crack of dawn, he would ratify the judgment of the Jewish tribunal immediately and automatically, without re-examining the case, so that the prisoner could be sentenced at daybreak and nailed up within the hour, before the people knew what was happening.

The following points favor this theory:

(1) If Pilate had received an advance visit, he might well have told his wife what it was about, and so it would have been natural for her to dream of Jesus and her husband on Thursday night and to wake in the morning knowing that he had gone to sign an execution order.

(2) The accusers could not enter the courtroom, lest they become ceremonially unclean and unable to celebrate the Passover. This required Pilate to be continually going outside to hear what they had to say and back in again to confront the prisoner. This is a ridiculous way to conduct court, and presumably court would not ordinarily have met that day at all. That Pilate consented to hear the case under the circumstances suggests prearrangement.

(3) Pilate, having gotten a note from his wife, changed his mind and decided to re-examine the case after all, instead of simply glancing at the warrant and signing it. When he said to the chief priests, “What is the charge against this man?” they answered, “If he were not a criminal, we would not have brought him here.” In other words, “Never mind the details, just sign.” This is an incredible piece of insolence, explicable only if they were relying on an explicit earlier promise that the death warrant would be rubber-stamped. Caiaphas had presumably explained that this was a dangerous man, that unless he was dealt with swiftly and without giving his followers a chance to react, there was danger of a major uprising. So here they were, delivering the prisoner at the crack of dawn as arranged, to be sentenced and nailed up before most of the city was stirring. And now Pilate was, for no apparent reason, having second thoughts. No wonder that his accusers feel double-crossed, and that their response betrays their indignation.

Pilate delays, sending the prisoner to Herod in the hope of not having to make a decision himself. And by the time Herod sends him back, there is a crowd. They have come to demand the release of the Passover prisoner. Now, few if any have come to demand the release of Jesus. Except for the disciples, who have fled in disarray, and the arresting party, almost no one in Jerusalem knows that Jesus has been arrested. Nor is someone likely to show up who has no particular prisoner in mind that he wants released, but who plans to vote for someone or other when he gets there. In fact, most of the crowd consists of partisans of Barabbas, who have come for the express purpose of getting him released.

Years ago I heard a sermon in which the preacher spoke of how the crowd chose Barabbas over Jesus, and reminded us that Barabbas was a murderer, and that it was as if the crowd had a choice between Jesus and George Sidney Sitts (a then-famous multiple murderer — today he would have said Ted Bundy). But surely this misses the point. Barabbas was condemned for murder and insurrection. In the eyes of those who favored armed resistance to Rome, he was a freedom fighter — less a Ted Bundy than a Nelson Mandela, or, if you like, a Joe Hill.

Dorothy L Sayers, in The Man Born to Be King, suggests a modern parallel. Suppose that in the days before Irish Home Rule, during “the troubles,” you are an Irishman in Dublin, and it is St. Patrick’s Day. Suppose (for the sake of illustration) that it is the custom that every year on that day, the English Governor-General must release a prisoner selected by the Dublin crowd. This year, good old Paddy Murphy is in jail, sentenced to be hanged, because he blew up a bridge that a British troop train was crossing. So we are all going down to Government House this morning to shout, “Free Paddy Murphy! Free Paddy Murphy!” Here we are now, at the back of the crowd, almost a block away from the balcony on which the Governor-General (may his bones rot!) has just made his appearance. A great roar has gone up from the crowd. “Free Paddy Murphy!” On the balcony, the Governor-General (may his bones rot!) is waving his arms and trying to get the crowd to quiet down so that he can speak. People are quieting down a little, expecting him to announce the freeing of Paddy Murphy. But no, he is saying something to the effect that he has another prisoner in mind that he would rather free instead. Now the crowd is really roaring, and we are shouting along with everyone else. The nerve of the fellow! The rule is that he has to free the man that we pick, and does he think that he can take the choice away from us and set someone else free instead? If he can get away with that, we might as well not have the St. Patrick’s Day Amnesty at all. But in fact he is not going to get away with it. If he tries, we’ll see to it that he has a riot on his hands. All together now, boys. “Free Paddy Murphy! Free Paddy Murphy!” Fine. The Governor-General has backed down. I knew he would. He doesn’t want a riot on his record. So Paddy Murphy is free and the other fellow is to be hanged. Who was the other fellow? I didn’t quite catch his name, and it really doesn’t matter. I suppose it is a shame that he’s got to hang, but it was him or Paddy, and what counts is that Paddy got off, and that we showed the Governor-General (may his bones rot!) that we know our rights and that he can’t bluff us out of them.

All this, of course, takes Pilate completely off balance. He has managed the whole thing badly. When the case first came to him, he could have ordered the prisoner released on the spot. Instead, he has the brain-wave about passing the buck to Herod. When Herod simply sends the prisoner back, the crowd has assembled by this time. Knowing (if he was in Jerusalem the previous Sunday he could not help knowing) that Jesus was extremely popular with the people, he assumes that he can talk the crowd into choosing Jesus for the Passover Amnesty. When this blows up in his face, he has effectively tied his own hands. By offering the crowd a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, he has said, “We have here two prisoners, both condemned to death.” Having said that, he cannot turn around and say, “I was just kidding about Jesus of Nazareth. Of course he is innocent and I never intended to sentence him to anything.” To do that would be to acknowledge to the crowd that he had tried to cheat them, had tried to get them to waste their vote on a man who did not need it. Pilate has already convicted the prisoner and passed sentence without noticing it, and there is no way out.

What is the practical application of these considerations? What do they do for our practice, as opposed to our historical curiosity?

First, they guide us in making statements about the Crucifixion and the role of the Jews therein, that meet the tests of truthfulness, fairness, and good will. Christian statements on the subject have not always done so, and it is important that they should.

Second, they guide us in our own thinking about the Passion of Our Lord. It is easy to think of history and conflict in terms of good guys and bad guys. Why did Nero persecute the Christians? Because he was one of the bad guys. Period. Why did Caiaphas want Jesus dead? Because Caiaphas was a wicked man. And of course this means that we would never behave like Nero, or Caiaphas, or Pilate, or Herod (either Herod Antipas or his father Herod the Great at Bethlehem a generation earlier). We may cut a few corners every now and then, but sheer wickedness for its own sake is not our style.

In fact, it is not as simple as that. Let us look at the record:

So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For his man performs many signs. If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation should not perish.” (John 11:47-50)

There you have Caiaphas’ motives plainly set forth, and they are defensible and in some respects praiseworthy. Many times in Caiaphas’ lifetime men had risen up and incited the Jewish people to strike a blow for national independence. Some of them had claimed to be the Messiah. Some had performed, or were believed by many to have performed, miracles. All had ended in disaster, with severe repressions by the Romans. Caiaphas had every reason to fear that with the next uprising all traces of Jewish liberty would be stamped out. Certainly he had grounds for arguing that it was better to kill one potential leader of a rebellion than let him survive to lead thousands to their deaths. A general who will not sacrifice one man to save a battalion has no business in uniform.

Do we ever reason like this, concentrating so on the Big Picture that we neglect the immediate issues of right and wrong that are before us? Perhaps not. Most of us are not in a position to be faced with policy decisions on a large scale. Very well then, let us look at the crowd. If they had assembled that morning out of sheer malice and wickedness, because they had heard that a completely innocent man was on trial and they wanted to make sure that he was convicted, then their actions would have no lesson for us. But in fact they were there for the perfectly legitimate purpose of getting a freedom fighter out of the clutches of the occupation troops. Intent on their purpose, they did not stop to think when Pilate put forward an alternative. They simply thrust it aside and demanded what they had come to demand, seeing in Pilate’s suggestion only a distraction from the business at hand.

Are we ever like that? Do we ever pursue a goal with a single-mindedness that keeps us from stopping to consider who might get hurt in the process? If so, then let us remember Our Lord’s words: “What you have done to the least of these, you have done to Me.”

We have seen how the Holy Scriptures narrate the events leading up to the Crucifixion. Now, what do they say about blame for the events?

On two occasions, Peter, addressing Jewish audiences, speaks of them as involved in the killing of Jesus.

“Men of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works which God did through him in your midst, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” (Acts 2:22-23, abridged)

“Men of Israel, the God of our fathers glorified his child Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.” (Acts 3:12-13, abridged)

However, when Paul is addressing a synagogue audience in Pisidian Antioch, he says:

“Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him or understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him. Though they could charge him with nothing deserving death, yet they asked Pilate to have him killed.” (Acts 13:26-28)

The distinction is clear. Peter is addressing crowds in Jerusalem, the first address less than two months after the Crucifixion, and the second shortly thereafter. It is probable that both audiences included persons who had been present when Jesus was condemned. But Paul, addressing Jews outside Jerusalem, says, not “You killed him,” but “They of Jerusalem killed him.” There is no suggestion in the New Testament that “the Jews” as a body were responsible for the Crucifixion. The most that can be argued is that the writers think that “they of Jerusalem” were responsible.

Now, Christians have been accustomed to view the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D. as a consequence of the Crucifixion. And in support of this, we have Christ’s own words as he wept over the city (Luke 19:41-44 and Matthew 23:37-39).

What are we to make of this?

I reply that a historian who refused to put any religious interpretation at all on his data would nevertheless have good grounds for connecting the crowd’s choice of Barabbas over Jesus with the fall of the city a generation later. The people were offered a choice between two leaders, one offering spiritual renewal and the other political and military action aiming at national independence. They chose the latter. Given the strength of Rome, and Rome’s willingness to use that strength, the choice was suicidal. A purely secular historian might have listened to the crowd that day and said, “Now I know that the sack of this city by the Romans is inevitable.”

A Jewish friend to whom I made this point asked, “But why do you blame the Jews of that day for aspiring to political freedom and national independence? In what other people would such a goal be considered anything but admirable?” I said: “One answer would be that the Jews had a calling not to be like the other nations, and that therefore what is allowed to other peoples might not be allowed to them. (1 Samuel 8:7,19-20) It is not that political aspirations are wrong in themselves, but that they cannot take first place with those called to serve God. But in fact, I remind you that our hypothetical historian is carefully steering clear of religious and moral judgments. He is not saying that it is wrong for the Jews to fight Rome for their independence. He is only saying that if they do, they are bound to lose — which they did.”

So, when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but that a riot was about to begin, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children.” (Matthew 27:24-25)

Here we have the people solemnly cursing themselves. But one thing is missing: a voice thundering from heaven, “So be it!” It is written: “How can I curse whom God has not cursed?” (Numbers 23:8) A curse, even on oneself, is powerless if God does not ratify it. Jesus, as he was being crucified, said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Does anyone suppose that his words carried less weight with the Father than theirs did?

(I regret to say that I have heard one person argue that this prayer was spoken only on behalf of the Roman soldiers, not on behalf of the Jewish rulers, since they knew what they were doing. This contradicts the words of Peter (Acts 3:17): “Brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.”)

On the other hand, the fact remains that Matthew has preserved for us the words of the crowd. Since he clearly did not preserve every word spoken that day, it appears that he thought these words significant. What then is their meaning?

There are no grounds for applying them to the Jewish people as such. The application must be narrower, to the then inhabitants of Jerusalem and their immediate offspring, the next generation; or broader, to all the peoples of the earth.

(1) As we have already noted, they are applicable to the sack of Jerusalem, and it is largely the crowd gathered in front of Pilate’s hall, and their children, who would bear the brunt of that sack when it came a generation later.

(2) On the other hand, they are applicable to the whole human race. In the Law of Moses, we find that blood is taken as a symbol of guilt. To say that A’s blood is on B is to say that B bears the responsibility and the guilt for the death of A. But blood is also taken as a sign of purification. When a leper is declared to be well again, and clean of his former disease, he is smeared and sprinkled with blood. (Leviticus 14:6,7,17) When the covenant is ratified at Sinai between God and the people of Israel, they are sprinkled with blood. (Exodus 24:8) When a priest is consecrated to the service of the Lord, he is smeared and sprinkled with blood. (Exodus 29:20f; Leviticus 8:23f,30) In like manner the blood of Christ is on every member of the human race, either for guilt and condemnation, or for cleansing, incorporation into the covenant, and consecration.

May God grant to each of us to receive it for the latter! [JK]

Parish Statistics

Transfers In:  Thomas E. Morrison from the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando, Florida; Felix Abrams from St. Mark’s, San Antonio, Texas

Confirmations:  Enogheue Luck Ajueyitsi; Margaret Elizabeth Jones Dietrich; Lisa Anne Michele Fischer; Susan Ratchford Granum; Charlene Teresa Hai Joon Mui; William Holland Heron; James Robert Larsen; Colin David Tooze; Karin Christine Tooze (May 25, 2006)

Received: Benjamin C. Augustine Tchao Kong; Silvia Esther Luisa Maza; Michael William Vreeland (May 25, 2006)

Burials: James Van Story, Jr. (April 20, 2006); Peter Lekki (May 1, 2006); Curtis Grant Hildebrand, Jr. (May 13, 2006); Catherine E. Bunn (May 30, 2006)

July Birthdays

1    Susan Moore
2    Susan Dirstine
3    Joseph Hobson
4    Sharon Boyl; Edward Stephenson, Jr.
5    David Gurr; Thomas Leggett
6    W. Page Dame, III; William Hall; A. Weldon Walker, III
9    Sara Mixter
10  Lisette Stewart-Brooks; Laura Schnorrenberg
11  Ann Hyde
12  Christine Nevius
13  Joseph Rawson; Ivy Quintyne
15  Ken Springstead;Anne Windle; Christopher Wright
17  Morgan Sammons; Carol Meekhof
18  Barbara Moyer; John Gettys
19  Ronald Pitcherello; Michael Vreeland; William Cox
20  Lynn Gould; Fr. Nathan Humphrey; Adam Kriz
21  Elizabeth Nevius; Gary Newsome; Sylvia Altman; Hannah Leggett
22  Hugh Gouldman, Jr.; David Boulet; Matthew Welch; Daniel Ohe
23  Marilyn Withiam
24  Robin Meigel; Glenn Smith
25  Kristen Schutte; Paul Davis
28  Barbara Williams
29  James Holt; Phillip Landis
30  Charles Donald Roudebush
31  Andrew Zelno

August Birthdays

2    Richard Ziomek;   George Keeler; Noah Wallner; Jillian Wallner;
     Katie Wallner; Marlon Guishard
3    Fr. Jack Aber; John Burrows; Tandy Fleckner; Hilary Malson
4    Kendall Simmons; Samantha Taggart
5    Alice Tilson; Mary Beth Bakke
6    Lewis Cutshaw
7    Michael Davis; John O’Dowd
8    Marjorie Tweed
9    Roy Byrd; Bruce Lowery
10  Marcia Stanford; Oghenekevwe Ajueyitsi
11  Ernest Latham, Jr.
12  Martha Taggart
13  John Evans
14  Clay O’Dell; Jane Stephenson; Sekou Okwesa
15  Charles Halty; Alice Hord de Michaelis
18  David Lewis; Rugel Chiriboga; Susie Perry; Anna Margaret Hanson
19  Shayne Doty; William de Michaelis
20  Marilyn Wilson
21  William Linden, III; Peggy Battle; Mary McAllister;Sean Boylan
22  Virginia Northen-Cole; Antoinette Mac Aulay
23  Eileen Johnson
24  Percival Quintyne, Jr.
25  Edith Davis; Ethan Henderson; Stephanie Bailes; Beverly Guishard-Jackson
26  Gary Blank; David Dickey
27  Lindsay Robinson; Richard Krimm
29  J. Charles Bruse; Brian Nahodil; Terrance Guishard
30  Gertrude Van Sant; G.W. Anthony Smith; Curtis Hildebrand;
     Catherine Braun; Kelly Blank; Nathaniel Radley
31  Robert Baldre

If you have a July or August birthday that was not included, or if there are any mistakes, please contact the parish office. [MW]

Feast Days in July and August

St. Mary Magdalene
Saturday, July 22     
9:15 AM          Morning Prayer
9:30 AM          Low Mass
5:00 PM          Confessions
5:30 PM          Devotions at the Shrine of Our Lady of   Walsingham
6:00 PM          Evening Prayer

St. James the Apostle
Tuesday, July 25
6:45 AM          Morning Prayer
7:00 AM          Low Mass
5:45 PM          Evening Prayer
6:00 PM          Low Mass

Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord
Sunday, August 6
7:30 AM          Morning Prayer
7:45 AM          Low Mass
9:00 AM          Sung Mass
11:15 AM        Solemn Mass
6:00 PM          Solemn Evensong and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament

St. Mary the Virgin (Feast of the Assumption)
Tuesday, August 15

6:45 AM          Morning Prayer
7:00 AM          Low Mass
6:30 PM          Solemn Mass
The Rev’d Tony Noble, Rector of All Saints, San Diego, preacher

St. Bartholomew the Apostle
Thursday, August 24
6:45 AM          Morning Prayer
7:00 AM          Low Mass
5:45 PM          Evening Prayer
6:00 PM          Low Mass

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The Epistle
A monthly publication of St. Paul's Parish
K Street -- Washington, D.C.

Editor Alistair Nevius
Assistant Editor Allison Freeman
Desktop Publisher John Walker
Designer David McGaw
Contributors Phyllis Altrogge, Mark Dwyer, James Kiefer, Bruce Lawrence, David Lewis, Polly Peckham, Andrew Sloane, Jo Stelzig, Melva Willis, Marcia Withiam-Wilson

Submissions Invited
We welcome the submission of articles, comments, and suggestions. Manuscripts and correspondence can be dropped off at the church office or e-mailed to the editors at nevius@erols.com. Electronic manuscripts are preferred. Articles accepted for the Epistle are subject to editorial revision.

SAINT PAUL'S PARISH
Washington, DC 20037-1797
phone 202-337-2020
fax 202-337-7418
e-mail info@StPauls-Kst.com
Web www.StPauls-Kst.com

Parish Staff
The Rev'd Andrew Sloane, Rector
The Rev'd Nathan Humphrey, Curate
Mark Dwyer, Music Director
Scott Dettra, Assistant Music Director
Melva Willis, Parish Administrator
Frederick Murdock, III, Maintenance Manager

The Vestry
The Rev'd Andrew Sloane, Rector
Linda Wilkinson, Senior Warden
David Schnorrenberg, Junior Warden
Greg Capaldini, Secretary
Polly Peckham, Treasurer
Lucky Ajueyitsi, Rhoda Geasland, Matthew S. Leddicote, Lynne V. Walker; Alistair Nevius, Geoffrey Peckham; Roy Byrd, Catherine Eikel, Brian Hoyle, Ann Korky 

Our Mission
St. Paul's Parish seeks to restore all people to God and to each other, through Sacramental Worship and Christlike lives.

Deadline for next issue
Monday, August 7

© 2006 St. Paul’s Parish, K Street