Greetings to all!
Tomorrow is Veterans Day. I recently happened upon a book written
by Tim O'Brien, a Vietnam era combat veteran. In this passage, the first
person story teller recalls the intense experience of the combat veteran.
To generalize about war is like generalizing about peace. Almost
everything is true. Almost nothing is true. At its core, perhaps, war is just
another name for death, and yet any soldier will tell you, if he tells the
truth, that proximity to death brings with it a corresponding proximity to
life. After a firefight, there is always the immense pleasure of aliveness.
The trees are alive. The grass, the soil -everything. All around you things
are purely living and you among them, and the aliveness makes you
tremble. You feel an intense, out-of-the-skin awareness of your living
self - your truest self, the human being you want to be and then become
by the force of wanting it. In the midst of evil you want to be a good man.
You want decency. You want justice and courtesy and human concord,
things you never knew you wanted. There is a kind of largeness to it, a
kind of godliness. Though it's odd, you're never more alive than when
you're almost dead. You recognize what's valuable. Freshly, as if for the
first time, you love what's best in yourself and in the world, all that might
be lost. At the hour of dusk you sit at your foxhole and look out on a wide
river turning pinkish red, and at the mountains beyond, and although in the
morning you must cross the river and go into the mountains and do
terrible things and maybe die, even so, you find yourself studying the fine
colors on the river, you feel wonder and awe at the setting of the sun, and you
are filled with a hard, aching love for how the world could be and always
should be, but now is not.
(from The Things They Carried)
The Scripture lessons for Sunday, November 14:
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Ephesians 4:1-16
Mark 10:35-45
Men's Coffee: Men are invited to gather for coffee this Saturday, November
13, 8am, at Paneras on Richmond Road. Feel free to drop by for as long or
short a time as your schedule allows. No rsvp required.
Sunday Conversations continue this Sunday, November 14, 10am, in
Trinity Hall. Our topic for this Sunday, "Notes From New Orleans." Mike
Ward will share observations from his attendance at the centennial
gathering of the National Council of Churches. For more information
about the NCC and/or the centennial gathering, check out www.ncccusa.org.
Children's Choir practice continues this Sunday, November 14, 10:15am, as
the children prepare for a Christmas season presentation. All children through
elementary age are invited to participate. Look for the choir in the "children's
chapel" (weather permitting) or in Trinity Hall. (For adults attending Sunday
Conversations, supervision for children will be available in the Nursery beginning
at 10am. They will be escorted to Children's Choir at 10:15.)
The Annual Congregational Meeting of Walnut Hill Church will be held on
Sunday, November 14, immediately after morning worship. Business will
include the approval of the 2011 budget and pastor's terms of call as well
as the election of Vestry members and officers. If you are aware of other
business that needs attention at Sunday's meeting, please contact our Senior
Warden, Natalie Watt.
The Women's Christmas Luncheon will be held on Thursday, December 9,
Noon, at the Idle Hour Country Club. Cost is $24/person. You may rsvp via the
sign up sheet in the Sanctuary, by calling the church office, or by contacting
Natalie Watt.
Thanks to...all those who had a part in Sunday's cookout and program
including the youth, their parents, their sponsors, our hosts, and, of course,
Daniel Boone. It was great occasion! Over 60 persons attended and more than
$500 was raised for the Youth Fund. (By the way, your contributions to the
Youth Fund are still welcome); Garrett Rea, Phil Bloomfield, Cheryl & Ron
Johnston, Deanna & Thomas Rawlings, and our "Transy" choir for their
service during morning worship.
Peace to all.
Mike Ward
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