Letters
from 24 to 30 August 2009
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Singing
away the sadness
Heading
to bed before an early morning to
catch a train to Montreal — with three
teen and two early-20s singers — your
letter last week seemed especially appropriate.
I
hope these kids heading to Montreal to sing a lot
of very old music — and a BCP Evensong — will
get something out of the trip and the singing. And
that 'something' would, I hope and pray, make their
present life richer and happier; perhaps a seed will
be lodged by the Holy Spirit which, along with all
the other graces they have received, will make their
future life richer and more complete.
As
you write, no one can really predict these sad events
which so often affect young people so deeply. There
is sadness that young people will experience on so
many different levels, and the community of the faithful
can do something to make young people feel valued.
All of us should care about that, and I am very grateful
that our tiny parish is so supportive of outings
for the kids who sing with us week by week.
Randy
Mills
St Mark's, Port Hope and Trinity College School, Port
Hope
Cobourg, Ontario, CANADA
rmills@tcs.on.ca
24 August 2009
The
observations of love
You
end your thoughtful
essay by
writing, 'Life is good because Jesus said
so. We just have to believe it'.
While
I agree completely, I also believe that hope is taken
away because of mental disease and/or substance abuse
over which certain people have lost any measure of
control. I am sure you realize this, but I wanted
to reinforce that belief is not quite so easy for
some, especially if the forces of despair seem to
offer a 'better' alternative.
It
is up to all of us to watch for signs of clinical
depression and/or substance abuse in those we love
so that healing may be offered, so that life may
come out of death, and the joy of our Lord's resurrection
truly known.
Fr.
Carlton Kelley
Non-parochial
Richmond, Indiana, USA
Carlton.Kelley@FSSA.IN.gov
24 August 2009
Enabling
assistance, not offering an answer
I
had to respond to your front
page reflection about
teenagers in church not likely to be suicidal. This
is not only untrue, it is dangerous.
As
a parish priest I have counselled two teens who were
suicidal and three others who were/are involved in
other self-destructive behaviour such as eating disorders
and self-mutilation. (I do know my limitations and
have referred to psychologists as appropriate.) These
were Sunday School assistants, members of choirs,
readers, sidespeople, servers, and active youth group
members.
Suicide
is a result of a mental illness. To suggest that
church participation somehow inoculates one against
a mental illness is as ridiculous as to suggest that
it protects one from developing cancer.
We
have all read studies about how religious involvement
can make a person physically and mentally more healthy,
and I do not debate this.
But
if the church is to be of assistance to the teens
who are in our midst, we have to be aware that there
is a real possibility that these young people are
in pain, are struggling, and may be in need of some
real compassionate care. Indeed, their presence in
our churches may be a sign that this is exactly what
they are searching for. If they do not find it, there
may be greater tragedies ahead.
Heather
McCance
St Andrew's Church
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
anglican@neptune.on.ca
27 August 2009
Knowing
who you are can make a difference
A
dear friend of mine ended their earthly life in the
same
distressing manner and I still suffer the grief.
May the Lord bless and keep these poor kids and receive
them into His bosom.
I
would prefer not to pontificate But . . . Christ
did say 'Go into the World'. The 'Church'
needs to take a stand on this problem and help. Arguing
about doctrinal matters is hardly Christian witness
to suicidal teens.
And
as an historian, a final point of information: In
the days of the BCP's origin folk would 'feloniously
throw themselves into marl pits against the sovereign's
peace, their crown and dignity'. Cliffs were also
good, according to the Sussex Coronial Inquests Books.
I
find that getting young people to find who their
ancestors were / are is one way of 'suicide-proofing'
them. It works for adults, too. When they feel they
are someone, they are less likely to seek out trains.
Steve
Duke
Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA
redman.duke@gmail.com
31 August 2009
Calling
all Canadian Anglican teachers of Sunday School
I
teach Sunday School in Manitoba, Canada and
have started a Google group: 'Canadian Anglican
Sunday School Teachers'. ( Sharing and caring,
coast to coast to coast ! )
The
idea is that often, coast to coast to coast across
Canada — a VAST country — we work in
isolation. Faith, fun ideas, frustrations,
and resources need an outlet. We can post, ask for input,
and feel less lonely.Please check us out ! http://groups.google.com/group/
canadian-anglican-teachers
Happily, The
Anglican Journal is printing a story about
us in September.
Coline
Bettson
St Paul's Anglican Church
Dauphin, Manitoba, CANADA
coline3bettson@gmail.com
24 August 2009
Ted
Kennedy and 'the narrative of redemption'
During
the past several days, I’ve read some of
the commentary on
Senator Kennedy, both from editorial writers
who praised him, and from vengeful, vicious individuals
who see him only as the icon for causes they
despise or as the person who escaped a manslaughter
charge at Chappaquiddick because of his wealth
and power.
My
conclusion is that both responses, the partisan and
the resentful, fail to understand the promise in
the Christian narrative of redemption. The promise
is that contrition, manifest in works of mercy, is
a sign of grace given. Not, I hasten to add, of grace
assured but of the working of that spiritual gift
which makes transformation possible. To believe in
redemption is to believe in God’s power to
transform lives.
Looking
at Ted Kennedy’s 47 years in the US Senate
— and especially the achievements of the past 19
years — it is difficult to resist the impression
of a life transformed by grace. It is unfortunate that
there are some who are so consumed with hatred, fear,
or resentment at his perceived advantages that they remain
stuck on an image of the person they despise, or on a
moment in that person’s past, and remain incapable
of seeing beyond the memory or the image to the work
of transformation.
Light
perpetual keep him.
The
Reverend David Fisher
St James Cathedral, Chicago
Naperville, Illinois, USA
dhfisher@noctrl.edu
30 August 2009
Can
you help?
I
am looking for any Episcopalians who are current
members of the Friends of Sabeel: Voice
of the Palestinian Christians who reside
in New Jersey. Various Episcopal
church offices in New York and Washington, DC,
the 'Churches of Middle East Peace', and the 'Friends
of the Middle East' were not able to offer assistance.
So if there are any Episcopalians in my area who
are part of the Friends of Sabeel: Voice
of the Palestinian Christians, please contact.
Thank you.
Noreen
Lundeen
Christ Church
Toms River, New Jersey, USA
noreenlundeen@verizon.net
30 August 2009
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