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November 15, 2019i am a little church (no great cathedral)
far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities
-i do not worry if briefer days grow briefest,
i am not sorry when sun and rain make april
my life is the life of the reaper and the sower;
my prayers are prayers of earth's own clumsily striving
(finding and losing and laughing and crying) children
whose any sadness or joy is my grief or my gladness
around me surges a miracle of unceasing
birth and glory and death and resurrection:
over my sleeping self float flaming symbols
of hope, and i wake to a perfect patience of mountains
i am a little church (far from the frantic
world with its rapture and anguish) at peace with nature
-i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;
i am not sorry when silence becomes singing
winter by spring, i lift my diminutive spire to
merciful Him Whose only now is forever:
standing erect in the deathless truth of His presence
(welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness)
-- E. E. Cummings
A few weeks ago, Bernie Goode shared with me some research he had done for one of his articles that he had written a number of years ago for the “Tybee Breeze.” The article was based on a report in the July 6th, 1891 edition of the Savannah Morning News. The report’s headline read, “St. Michael’s by the Sea – Tybee’s New Roman Catholic Church Dedicated.” Lynch and Sheehan were two of the pioneer Catholic families mentioned as being instrumental in establishing Tybee’s first Church.
So, it is pretty awesome that Thomas and Mary Lynch’s great grandson, Michael, is serving in the sanctuary today as our new altar is being dedicated. And it is awesome that a number of Sheehan descendants have contributed so generously to the upkeep of this Church over the years and are present today along with Carolyn Sheehan who is singing up in the choir loft. And in this day and age when fewer and fewer folks are gathering in our churches to praise God for his many blessings, it is awesome that such a vibrant faith community still gathers in this beautiful little Church every week to glorify God. And it is pretty awesome that Bernie Goode came to church this weekend with his twin brother, Joe, to celebrate 166 years of life as they celebrate their 83rd birthdays. Happy Birthday Joe and Bernie!
Under the guidance of Tom and Mike Beytagh, I was surprised at how quickly our church renovations came together. I am grateful to them and all who contributed to this project. Given his busy schedule, I was surprised at how quickly Bishop Hartmayer was able to come and dedicate our new altar. I thank him for leading us in worship during this special time in the life of our parish. I thank our former pastors: Bishop Boland, Msgr. Costigan, and Fr. Peyton. Their presence certainly adds to our celebration. They have been very much a part of the history of this little Church.
If these walls could talk, what stories would they tell? Touch the walls of this little Church and you are touching history. Looking backward we are debtors who have an obligation to play it forward as together we create new stories for future generations to tell. Stories told not only about the beautiful little church on Tybee, but also about the Faith Community that gathers there. For an altar is dedicated not only as the Divine meeting place between heaven and earth, but also as the place where those who gather are formed and nourished into the Body of Christ in whom God’s Spirit dwells. Led by the Spirit, it is from this little church on Tybee that the true beauty of the Church formed as the Body of Christ surges forth into the world creating with God’s grace new miracles of birth and glory and death and resurrection.
Lord, send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth! And renew our lives! Amen! Amen!
