Letters from 10 to 16 March 2008
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.
Frederic McFarland
I pray that our recitation of sets of words from the Book of Common
Prayer in whatever circumstance may be heartfelt, meaningful convictions, expressed God-ward, and not "vain repetitions".
The Rev'd Canon Timothy Makoto Nakayama
St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, Washington, Diocese of Olympia
Seattle, Washington, USA
frtim@yahoo.com
10 March 2008
I went through this a month ago with my father's
death. All of you and all who love Frederic are in my prayers.
Paul Davison
St. Christopher's Episcopal
Perry, Georgia, USA
10 March 2008
My thoughts and prayers are with you, even if I
haven't met you personally. You provide a great service to us all, and we are not in a position to know the pain you are going
through - though I do have some personal experience with cancer. It seems to me that this (our lack of knowledge of each other)
is one of the reasons for our unedifying struggles. We label ourselves and one another, and in so doing dehumanise each other,
which allows us the delusion that we can get along without each other.
So thank you for keeping the links going, along with the always human commentaries - not least of which is the current observation
that our self-important news-making is not worthy of reporting.
Blessings on you all in this, the church's and your own Passiontide.
Peter Davison
All Saints, Vernon & St. Michael and All Angels Cathedral, Kelowna
Vernon, British Columbia, CANADA
pwad@junction.net
10 March 2008
As we pray for Frederic and Cynthia and the AO family,
we remember all those whom we have loved and see no more.
In the secular world, death is finite - the end - there is no more.
Let us give thanks to God, not only for Frederic's life, faith and work, but for all those we have known who have died in the
assurance of the Resurrection and eternal life in Christ, and for our faith that helps us to bear the burden of such deep and
personal loss.
On a personal note to Cynthia: Give thanks that you have known and
loved Frederic in this life, and also for the family of faith that surrounds you and will continue to uphold you in the lonely
days ahead. My husband died last June and while I miss his physical presence in my life I am deeply aware of the love of God
shown to me through my family and friends. This past nine months has shown me in a very real way what that love means, and how
the grace of God works in our lives through others. My prayers are with you.
Rene Jamieson
St. John's Cathedral
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA
10 March 2008
Thank you for reminding us that there are many
things of much more import than the continuing struggles our beloved Communion continues to endure. The impending death of your
friend and colleage, Frederic, and the spiritual welfare of his wife Cynthia and those who love them are receiving more attention
in the communion of saints who surround us than all the supposed concerns we have about sexuality and issues of authority. For
those things, they are probably weeping that we have wasted so many resources we have been so generously given causing us to ignore
the proclamation of the Love of God in Jesus Christ. For Frederic, they are assuredly rejoicing that his entrance into the Larger
Life of Love is being prepared. May his soul rest in peace. May light perpetual shine upon him.
Fr. Carlton Kelley, AOJN
Richmond, Indiana, USA
10 March 2008
Thanks for your editorial last week - it ministered greatly to my
heart as it spoke so directly on what had just happened to my family and myself as we had just prayed with my daddy through his
last days.
It was a trying but blessed time, heavy in heart but yet knowing that
our Lord Jesus was with us in all of it. Having ministered to others who are sick, I was familar with the requirements of this
pastoral service, but, being my dad's son, I found it so difficult to take on this duty for my daddy. The Prayer Book was really
a great help in this moment of transition as Jesus gave me the blessing of being able to be there to minister and pray my dad
to his spiritual birth in heaven.
My heart is one with your editorial team as Frederic walks through
his illness to Jesus - both he and Cynthia will be lifted to Jesus daily in prayer daily as they rest in the assurance that our
Lord is present in all these trying but blessed moments.
Anthony Chew
St Andrew's Cathedral (Anglican)
Singapore
yuyuen@singnet.com.sg
11 March 2008
Good news
No news? Good for you. We have news overload which serves only to
clutter our minds and shrivel our souls. Prune souls are poor receptors for whatever subtle or urgent messages the Holy Spirit
may send our way. This a season for attentiveness and the static of "news" thwarts reception.
The Rev. Phillip C. Cato
Washington Naational Cathedral
Potomac, Maryland, USA
phillipcato@yahoo.com
10 March 2008
Can you help me find more resources for teaching children at home?
I'm the mother of a 7 yr old, and I would like to incorporate our
Anglican faith into the daily activity of the home as much as possible. I've found one resource on your site, Faith-At-Home,
which addresses this desire entirely. However, I'm really disappointed to find little else. I've also done Google searches as
well. Are there more resources for "doing" Anglicanism in the home? Blogs even? I'd appreciate anything that you could find!
(I'm also aware of Godly Play and Catechesis of the Good Shephard, and while these are great, they are more directed at corporate
activities, rather than single family activities).
Liza Purdy
St. Thomas Episcopal, Terrace Park
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
10 March 2008
(Ed: Perhaps one of our readers knows of some resources for which
we do not have a listing. If you do suggest something to Ms Purdy, please tell us about it, too, so we can add it to our resource
listings).
Ancestry
I recently found out that
one of my ancestors was an Episcopal minister in Newark, New Jersey in the 1800's. Where can I find information on him? His last
name was Ollerenshaw and he had a daughter named Miriam Evelyn Ollerenshaw. Thank you for any help.
Susan Smith
Charleston, West Virginia, USA
susancuer@aol.com
10 March 2008
(Ed: Perhaps one of our readers could help you find the archives
of the Diocese of Newark. Though, depending on when in the 1800s
you might be talking about, you might need to contact the Diocese
of New Jersey. The Diocese of Newark was formed in 1874 by dividing the Diocese of New Jersey. Also, there are several Ollerenshaws
listed in Newark in the United States Census for 1910.)
Earlier letters
We launched our 'Letters
to AO' section on 11 May 2003. All published letters are in our
archives.
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