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Letters from 27 March to 2 April 2006

Like all letters to the editor everywhere, these letters are the opinions of the writers and not Anglicans Online. We publish letters that we think will be of interest to our readers, whether we agree with them or not. If you'd like to write a letter of your own, click here.

Can the promise be felt?

Having recently returned from a three week trip to Australia, where I attended both a metropolitan parish church in Sydney, and then a week later, a much smaller, country parish on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, I was struck (smacked actually) once again during this Lenten Season by the "oneness" of us all - by the similarities in the Anglican Tradition that binds us. The liturgy, while subtly different, yet similar enough (thanks largely to Cramner who we commemorated last week) that "no one is a stranger".

One church was not "in my tradition", being largely evangelical, the other, let's say, more familiar - yet neither turned me off or turned me away - there was enough there that was familiar that I remained comfortable and comforted.

Now, back in the US, in my home diocese, I find myself reminiscing over this experience, and holding out hope that the promise I felt can be felt throughout our Communion.

I believe that we can all work for this, and I believe that your efforts here, in this ministry on this internet website, can only help.

Andrew Auld
Calvary Episcopal Church
Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, USA
aauld@juno.com
2 April 2006

Thank you. . .

Recently I ran across alternate words to the familiar hymn in the 1982 Hymnal #658 ('As longs the deer,' tune Martyrdom). In this time when, for me and a group of friends at least, illness seems to be pervasive, these words seem appropriate:

We come to you for healing, Lord, of body, mind and soul,
And pray that by your Spirit's touch our lives may be made whole.

As once you walked through ancient streets and reached toward those in pain,
we know you come among us still with pow'r to heal again.

You touch us through physicians' skills, through nurses' gifts of care,
and through the love of faithful friends who lift our lives in prayer.

Through nights of pain and wakefulness, through days when strength runs low,
grant to us you gift of patience, Lord, your calming peace to know.

We come to you O loving Lord, in our distress and pain,
in trust that through our nights and days your grace will heal, sustain.

For Mary Jane, Cynthia, Diana, and others whose names I don't know just now,

Kathleen Cameron
St Stephen's Episcopal Church
Edina, Minnesota, USA
2 April 2006

Earlier letters

We launched our 'Letters to AO' section on 11 May 2003. All published letters are in our archives.