[Oe List ...] A Letter from Eileen

Thu Dec 22 00:00:13 EST 2005

Thank you Del, for that beautiful letter --real Christmas joy!
Marian
On Dec 21, 2005, at 1:13 PM, Del Morrill wrote:

>
> Many of you have commented on how much you appreciated the letters 
> from our granddaughter, Kathryn, when she and her husband were working 
> "overseas."  Here is one from the mother who "birthed" her.  She and 
> George left their big suburban church some time ago, and went to this 
> inner city one in the heart of Columbus.
> Del
>  
>  
> Sunday was even crazier than usual at the Church for All People, and 
> that's really saying something.   This week the choir was singing and 
> we were also Christmas caroling after worship.  I had to transport 
> about 25 choir robes down to church by 8:30 (we have no place to store 
> them there) and do my usual setup of all the equipment.     I won't be 
> here Christmas weekend so I also was transporting about a dozen 
> Christmas eve costumes, a "fake fire" and logs loaned by Church of the 
> Messiah. I also had Christmas cards and presents to deliver to various 
> people.  This is what is known as "leaving everything to the last 
> minute".  I loaded up my car and drove in. 
>  
> The person who helps me set up didn't arrive until I was done.  I 
> discovered I had left the Order of Worship at home and had to get 
> Holly to find it and print it out.   Then I couldn't find the music 
> and had trouble with the copier.  Rehearsal didn't really get going 
> until 9:15.  I had to get all the robes and music distributed, get 
> everybody rehearsed, and be ready to go at 10:00.  I found out 
> I'd forgotten the yoke things that go around the choir robes.   Then 
> John Edgar let me know we were also showing a video clip before the 
> service, and Chris Sunami had to talk with me about a skit that was 
> added, and then removed again.   We managed to have a good rehearsal, 
> but ended so late and the video started so early that we never prayed 
> together before we started.  By the time worship started I was pretty 
> well unsettled, exhausted and overwhelmed.  Bah Humbug.
>  
> Then ....joy. 
>  
> Our choir got up to sing, filling the entire front of the church.  Dee 
> played the conga drum for the song "Come to Set Us Free" set to a 
> Puerto Rican folk song.  She was wearing a Santa hat, which was just 
> plain fun.  The choir was all in their new (used) robes and looking 
> like angels. They sang beautifully -- imperfect but joyous.   So many 
> people tell me how much they love singing in the choir.  It really 
> makes the effort worth it.  And they love the robes (thank you Powell 
> UMC!) 
>  
> This was immediately followed by sharing joys and concerns. A tall 
> white man I didn't recognize stood up in the back.  He was wearing a 
> dark stocking cap and coat.   "I just want to say God bless this 
> church. I'm homeless.  I come here several times a week to get a 
> meal.   I feel like people care here.  I was looking at this piece of 
> paper," (he meant the bulletin) "and it says on it "Church for All 
> People".   Well, I don't have any family so I feel like you all are my 
> family."
>  
> I felt tears come to my eyes, because this is the reason we are here.  
> This is the reason we put in the effort, each in our own way, to make 
> this place truly a church for "all people".   Without knowing it, this 
> man had just stated our thesis.
>  
> Then Paul Parker stood up.  I've been meaning to write about Paul for 
> awhile, because is is just full of joy and song.  He is 
> African-American -- probably in his thirties.  He wears glasses and 
> has a big smile.   Every week he stands up during joys and concerns 
> and shares some song that's been on his heart.  By his own admission, 
> he's not much of a singer (in fact, pretty off-pitch), but the band 
> usually manages to figure out a key and join in once they hear the 
> tune.
> He often sings this one:
> "I am a promise, I am a possibility,
> I am a promise, with a capital "P" 
> I am a great bundle of potentiality. 
> And when you're trying to hear God's voice
> and you're trying to make the right choice,
> I am a promise to be, anything God wants me to be."
>  
> He sang something else this Sunday and I can't even remember what, but 
> it was again a joyous tune about all that is possible.  As he sang, 
> members of the choir stood up and sang and clapped along so we kind 
> of ended up with a second choir performance.
>  
> After prayer time, the icing on the cake was Jonathan Meier's sermon.  
> He was preaching instead of John this week.  Jonathan is a 
> young seminary student, slight of build, but huge of heart.  He has 
> been fasting and praying in the freezing cold  outside the Statehouse 
> for 18 hours each day to protest the election law requiring ID in 
> order to vote.  He feels that the requirements make it difficult for 
> the poor to vote and impossible for the homeless to vote, since they 
> likely don't have ID, bank statement or utility bill to show.  (Think 
> about it.)  He feels God cheers to hear every voice and that God 
> supports a democracy that includes each person.  Anyway, whether you 
> agree with him or not, you have to admire his conviction and 
> courage.   
>  
> He preached about Mary and said that he felt that Advent is really 
> about Mary.  About Mary's intimate relationship with God.  About her 
> willingness to say "Let it be" when asked to make a huge sacrifice and 
> take a huge risk (of being stoned to death for being pregnant outside 
> of wedlock, among other things).  He said "what if Mary had said 
> "no"?"  But she said "let it be". 
>  
> "Let it Be", this season.  Let joy come into our hearts.  Let us 
> search for an intimate relationship with God that impregnates us with 
> the promise of the kingdom of heaven.  Let the Kingdom come near to 
> earth, bringing justice and peace. 
>  
> And, I would say, as hectic, flawed and insufficient as our efforts 
> sometimes feel at the Church for All People, I truly find the kingdom 
> comes near to me over and over again.  I hope you find that as well 
> during this Christmas season.    Christmas eve dinner at the "Inn" 
> will be at 5:00 and the service around the "campfire" is at 6:30.  You 
> might try something different this Christmas Eve, and eat with some 
> shepherds at 895 South Parsons Avenue. 
>  
> Merry Christmas,
> Love,
> Eileen
>  
> P.S.:  As always, if you wish to be removed from this list, just let 
> me know._______________________________________________
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