January-February, 2017
TheChronicle
The magazine of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Yardley, PA
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
Founded 1835
47 West Afton Avenue
Yardley, PA 19067
Tel: 215.493.2636; Fax: 215.493.3092
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.standrews-yardley.org
The Rt. Rev. Daniel G. P. Gutierrez,
Bishop of Pennsylvania
Parish Staff
The Rev. Paul Briggs, Interim Rector
The Rev. Lloyd H. Winter, Jr.,
Priest Associate
Mark Dolan, Music Director
Sheila Hughes, Parish Administrator
TITAR Commercial, Cleaning Service
Bob Ebert, Sexton
Office of the Rector
Accounting Warden
Jennifer Duffield 917-846-1120
Rector’s Warden
Joan Thomas 215-369-8141
The Vestry
Angela Grady 215-860-8268
Porter Hibbitts 215-550-6791
Dave Richardson 215-295-3235
Steve Rupprecht 215-428-9568
Kathleen Johnson 215-321-0555
Dorothy Schrandt 215-337-9025
Doug Riblet 215-321-7920
Beryl Moore 215-736-3608
Gerry Yarnall 215-295-1589
Marilyn Slivka 215-321-3524
Write to The Chronicle:
Reviews, Voices: Maximum 500 wor ds.
Letters: Maximum 200 wor ds.
News: Maximum 200 wor ds.
Send via e-mail to editor Robin Prestage at
[email protected]
or call 215-295-7346.
2
FOR YOUR CALENDAR
January
2: New Year’s Day Holiday:
Parish Office closed.
2: Gift of Years, 1:30pm, RCR
3: Camera Club, 7:00pm, PH
4: Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, 2:50pm
6: Epiphany Potluck and Party, 6:00pm, PH
10: Property Committee, 7:30pm, RCR
12: Interfaith Food Alliance, 7:00pm, PH
16: MLK Day of Service, PH
16: Gift of Years, 1:30pm, RCR
18: Book Club meeting, 2:00pm, RCR
18: Vestry meeting, 7:30pm, PH
21: Aid for Friends, 8:00am, PH
24: Prayer Shawl Ministry, 1:00pm, RCR
24: Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, 2:50pm
29: Parish Forum: Speaker, Imam from Zubaida
Foundation, 9:00am, PH
Get The Chronicle at home
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annual subscription for five bi-monthly
issues, $20. Checks payable to “St. Andrew's
Episcopal Church” and marked "The Chronicle" on
the memo line may be placed in the offertory basket
on Sundays or mailed to the church office. Any
questions contact the editor, Robin Prestage
at 215-295-7346 or [email protected].
Photo credits in this issue: Ann Holland, Bud
Holland, Tom Oram, Art Mayhew, Robin Prestage.
On the cover: Christmas shoeboxes and food bags collected at the
back of the church before being delivered to Bucks County Housing
Group’s Robert Morris Apartments, Morrisville. See page 4.
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
IN BRIEF
from 9:00 -10:00am on Sunday,
January 29 for a morning of interfaith conversation and friendship.
Bible challenge from
the Bishop
IN a New Year message, Bishop
Gutierrez sets out a challenge to
the diocese: a daily commitment to
reading and meditating on
scripture. “As a diocesan family
this is something we can do
together.
“It will produce results in our prayer together, in our worship together
and most certainly in our study together,” he says.
To take the challenge: Download
the Bishop’s Bible Challenge App,
which contains all the resources
you need, including a link to the
registration page, the Bible readings
for each day, an online link to the
Bible and more.
Register to participate at the online
registration site – https://
diopa,wufoo.com/forms/bishopsbible-challenge.
MLK Day of Service
and Rite 13
Update from the parish
profile group
St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (aka Bob
Anderson) visited the parish forum in
December and, as promised, there was
never a dull moment.
Local Imam to visit
St. Andrew’s
Thank you so much for an excellent
Parish Town Hall a few weeks ago.
We had great attendance and great
discussion, writes Tim Johnson.
This will go a long ways toward
crafting a Parish Profile to help in
our search for a new rector.
There are two places parishioners
may review the feedback we
received:
A printed copy of the feedback is
available at the back of the church
and a digital version may be viewed
on the Church website. We
transcribed as much of the feedback
that we could, and made sure the
feedback is representative of the
discussion and comments at the
meeting.
Look for a survey to be sent out in
early January to be used to gather
more feedback and ensure
everyone’s voice is heard. There
will also be online and printed
versions of the survey. Stay tuned!
Numaan Cheema is the new
imam of Yardley's mosque, the
January 16, is the annual MLK Day Zubaida Foundation. Numaan and
of Service. As part of that day, the other friends from the mosque will
Rite 13 group is running
be joining us in the parish house
making Valentine's Day cards for
residents of several lo-cal nursing
homes. We could use your help by
donating any of the following:
Outreach: Eric Lair d r eviews r ecent and ongoing activities. P4.
stickers, card stock, markers, glue
sticks, and crayons. Valentine's Day Advocacy: Bob Anderson outlines inter faith events. P5.
Vestry Notes: Joan Thomas on the r ector sear ch pr ocess. P6.
themed supplies are appreciated.
Interim Rector’s Letter: Paul on r eflecting God’s gener osity. P7.
There is a big, blue donation box at
Voices: Race in Amer ica; Founding Father s and Fig Tr ees;
the back of the church. If you have
any questions, please ask one of the Post-election distress; Fighting ‘impossible’ dreams. P8-12.
Rite 13 members. Thank you! Look Appreciation: Ann Merriam: a r emar kable woman. P13
Art’s Gallery: Meet the man with those hats, you know who! P14.
out, too, for the advocacy table for
History Corner: Jaf Baxter continues his peeps into histor y. P15
information on St. Andrew’s interfaith activities. (see page 5 for more Finally, a few thoughts. P16
on this project).
On other pages in this issue:
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
3
OUTREACH
Christmas boxes, food bags and Thanksgiving
turkeys help local families
CHRISTMASTIME is a wonderful
time of year for those who can
afford it. Unfortunately, many of
our neighbors cannot. It is through
this regrettable imbalance that the
generosity of St. Andrew’s
parishioners most brightly shines.
The mission of St. Andrew’s
Outreach Group is to live by the
words of the Prophet Micah: W hat
does the Lord require of us? To do
justice, love kindness, and walk
humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).
in RMA
received
groceries and
supermarket
gift cards, and
every child
received shoebox gifts
containing
items like toys,
candy, toiletries, school
supplies, hats
and mittens.
DURING the Christmas season,
Over 30 families were supplied
Outreach Group serves that mission with grocery bags, and over 50 chilby organizing and delivering bags dren were given shoebox gifts.
of groceries to the families housed Additionally, during Advent, St.
in the Robert Morris Apartments
Andrew’s Outreach Group
(RMA), and by bringing shoebox
organized two gift market
gifts to the children in those
fundraisers: our traditional Heifer
families.
Living Gift Market, and a
Christmas can be an especially
Guatemala Gift Card Market.
dehumanizing time for families
Proceeds from the Heifer Living
living in extreme poverty. This year Gift Market go to Heifer
the people of St. Andrew’s came
International, which has long been
through for impoverished families a powerful force for transforming
at RMA once again. Every family communities throughout the world.
The gifts of
animals given
through Heifer
International
provide
families and
communities in
Michael Drobac,
Joanne Smith and
Amanda Drobac loading the Thanksgiving
turkey truck. St.
Andrew’s donated 58
turkeys and trimmings
for local families.
4
Loading Christmas gift boxes and food bags for
children and families at the Robert Morris
Apartments are (from left) Meredith
Twardowski, Mary Winegardner, Susan O'Neil
of Bucks County Housing Group (BCHG), Bill
Vallier and BCHG's Tracy Mellor.
some of the most impoverished regions throughout the world lasting
sources of income.
Over the years, St. Andrew’s has
given Heifer over $130,000.
Contributions from the recent
market were still being tabulated at
press time and will be announced
shortly.
The new Guatemala Gift Card
Market was also set up for the first
time this year, and raised $350.
That money will be divided evenly
between providing ongoing support
for the families we’ve built homes
for in the past, and the next mission
trip to build homes which will take
place this coming summer. Watch
for announcements!
Eric Laird
Chair, Outreach
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
ADVOCACY
Building Interfaith Friendship at
St. Andrew's
From Psalm 133: O how good it is when brothers and 
sisters live together in unity.
ABRAHAM was the common parent and progenitor
of three major faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam. The sons and daughters of these three religions
are meant to live together peaceably. As the Qu'ran
says (Sura 49:13):

O Humankind, indeed We have created you
from male and female and made you peoples
and tribes that you may know one another.
Our Muslim friends at Zubaida, the mosque on Big
Oak Road in Lower Makefield, have been very good
neighbors indeed.
Come to Martin Luther King Day on January 16
in the St. Andrew's parish house: visit the
advocacy table where we will support our Muslim
neighbors and refugees; and participate in a
peaceful and cheerful witness to interfaith
friendship in downtown Yardley.
Come to the parish forum at 9:00am on Sunday,
January 29, wher e we will welcome the new
imam and other guests from the Zubaida mosque
and discuss ways to build our friendship and
share activities.

Make a donation to support the family of Syrian
refugees who have just relocated to our area and
are being sponsored by Zubaida. Checks can be
made to Tzedek v'Shalom with Refugee
Resettlement in the memo line and sent to
BCICRR, P.O. Box 219, Richboro,
PA 18954-1707.

Volunteer to drive the family to various events
and appointments.
They welcomed St. Andrew's parishioners to learn
about Islam and share a meal during Ramadan; 11 of
us accepted the invitation and were received with
heart-felt hospitality.
They have repeatedly denounced terrorism as a
rejection of Islam's core values. They have welcomed
me and other non-Muslims to Friday prayers. And

they have led community efforts to feed the hungry,
including participating with St. Andrew's as members
of the Interfaith Food Alliance.

Become a supporter of the Interfaith Food
Alliance and volunteer at our food pantry.
Eat goodies from Cairo Cakes as well as Cramer's
and other local bakeries; and
AT OUR recent Parish Town Hall, several parishioners praised our social justice efforts at St. Andrew's
 Join a St. Andrew's interfaith friendship group.
and embraced the opportunity for interfaith friendship
as an emerging direction. Here are several opportuni- IF YOU wish to volunteer to help the Syrian family.
ties to build that friendship:
sign up for the interfaith advocacy group, or see The
Sultan and the Saint, contact me at
 Join St. Andrew's and Zubaida members going to [email protected] or 267-907-4009.
the Kimmel Center at 6:00pm on January 14 to
see the premiere of The Sultan and the Saint, a
Salaam, Shalom, and Peace,
true story of interfaith friendship between St.
Francis and a sultan during the Crusades.
Bob Anderson
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
5
VESTRY NOTES
Our journey together: Looking back and
looking ahead with thanks and hope
A Look Back
Kenrick, Susan Korman, Liz Lapiska, Jon Rea,
AS 2016 comes to a close, I am grateful for the rich- Steve Rupprecht, Alex Villasante, Gerry Yarnall,
ness of this transition year at St. Andrew’s. The anxi- and Allyson Youngblood for the great work already
eties of the mid-year when an interim rector was still completed and that still to come.
As you know, after the Committee has gathered your
to be found have been replaced by a quiet sense of
responses, it will produce a report on the parish
anticipation.
which will first go to the Vestry and then to the BishI am grateful for the reassuring presence and gentle
op for approval.
humor of Rev. Paul Briggs and the small but meaningful changes he has suggested. Several of you have
THE Vestry has met several times to consider the
lamented that Paul cannot be our permanent rector,
membership of the Discernment Committee, which
but we are so fortunate to have his leadership in the
will be commissioned by the Vestry once the Parish
interim.
Profile Committee has produced its report.
I’m grateful for the leadership of so many in our
The Discernment Committee will then receive
parish, and to those who have stepped up to take on
information on interested candidates for our
new roles, yet again.
In recent weeks, we marked the anniversaries of three permanent rector, interview some and recommend
ordinations: Rev. Lloyd Winter, Rev. Bud Holland, one or two to the Vestry. The Vestry will then meet
and Rev. Paul Briggs. As so many feel, there is truly the final candidate and call the new rector of St.
Andrew’s.
something special about our beloved St. Andrew’s.
And through it all, we continue to be blessed to have Please remember all of the people who have taken on
the guidance of Bud Holland as we move forward in these transition year responsibilities in your prayers.
And please continue your stewardship. Our financial
transition.
outlook is vitally important in calling a new rector.
THE Vestry would like to thank each of the members
of the Parish Profile Committee for an amazing start A Look Ahead
to its work with the Parish. St. Andrew’s Day,
SO perhaps we can greet 2017 with gratitude and
launching the beginning of its canvassing of the
something like excitement for the year to come. On
parish, was wonderfully organized with the use of
the Friday evening of January 6, (the Epiphany) we
colored placards and corresponding name tags to herd will have a great feast in the Parish Hall and then
all of us where we needed to go (no easy task).
repair to the Church for our children’s Epiphany
By all accounts, the discussion groups were
celebration.
thoughtful and lively, and the food and parish hall set
-up were perfect. The Committee is at work on a sur- On April 2, we can expect a visit from the Bishop.
vey that will be sent to every member of the
And in the meantime, as Bud Holland reminded us on
Parish. Please respond to it; we need to hear from all St. Andrew’s Day, we are a “dismissed people” going
of you!
forth from the mass to love and serve God with
gladness and singleness of heart.
So thanks to Tim Johnson and Marci White (cochairs) and to Bob Anderson (the Committee’s
Joan Thomas
chaplain), Leah French, Sara Grady, John
Rector’s Warden
6
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
FROM THE INTERIM RECTOR
How can we be emboldened to reflect
God’s generosity?
Dear Beloved of God,
I AM incredibly blessed to be serving as
your interim rector. I have been here long
enough to get to know many of you better
and to become acquainted with the rhythms
of parish life at St. Andrew’s. I am excited
about what I experience here: Outreach and
Social Justice, Music and Liturgy, and
Youth and Children’s Christian Formation
are three outstanding areas of our life
together. What do we want more of?
All we have is a gift from God: our health,
relationships, possessions, talents, and
finances. At every celebration of the
Eucharist, all that we offer, including our very lives,
flow from the altar outward to heal a hurting world. I
know it can be easy to fall into a mindset of there isn’t
enough to go around: not enough time, not enough
energy, not enough money. That’s what we call
scarcity thinking. How can we be emboldened to
reflect God’s generosity toward us? What steps can
we take to shift a mindset from scarcity to abundance?
Our annual pledge campaign in Easter season will
help us focus on God’s vision for us. We will
conclude our Capital Fund Campaign in May. And yet
one of the surprises in coming to Yardley was to learn
that St. Andrew’s has virtually no endowment. Might
we consider establishing a policy to receive and
steward gifts and bequests? Establishment of a legacy
society, membership consisting of those who have
made provision to remember the church in their will,
is one way we can strengthen the long term vitality of
St. Andrew’s.
Secondly, we are a warm and welcoming community.
My question is how do we invite others into a deeper
life of discipleship? How do we become more aware
of others who may be seeking a church home? Are
there ways we can strengthen our inviting process?
How can we more effectively know and share the
Good News? I’ll be offering an Inquirer’s class in the
next few weeks; the class is intended to prepare those
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
Marking 133 years in ministry: On Sunday, December 18 Paul celebrated
the 35th anniversary of his ordination and was assisted in the Chancel by
Lloyd Winter, right, his 50th anniversary, and by Bud Holland, who was
ordained 48 years ago. They all attended General Theological Seminary
in New York City.
who may wish to renew their baptismal promises by
being confirmed or received in the Episcopal Church.
It is also open to those who may be at a point in their
life of faith where they want a safe environment to ask
questions or for those who are feeling a nudge to help
revitalize their own faith.
Finally, I had the pleasure of being present for the
closing exercises for Christmas vacation of St.
Andrew’s Nursery School. The room was packed with
Moms and Dads, grandparents and siblings. Santa
Claus paid us a visit and I was invited to offer a blessing at the conclusion of the festivities. I have wondered for the past few months how can we clarify and
strengthen our relationship with St. Andrew’s Nursery
School?
I cannot accomplish much on my own, nor should I.
What I can do is ask questions, “stir the pot,” get us to
think, and seek resources together. I’m looking to a
year of growth at St. Andrew’s. How about you?
Faithfully yours,
Paul
7
VOICES
Race in America: ‘Truth is the only path
to real healing; lies keep us divided’
FOLLOWING the presidential
ing to register to vote as a
election in November there is now young black man in the South
widespread concern among activist and listening to the story of his
and advocacy groups over the path grandmother not being able to
to be taken by the incoming
cast a ballot for the first time
administration towards social and
until she was in her seventies.
economic issues affecting the poor, Fact sheets have proved a valuthe sick, school children and racial able tool in North Carolina. A
minorities.
federal appeals court ruling
Not least among those groups
struck down laws which impreparing for what may lie ahead is posed strict vote ID
the Anti-Racism Commission of the requirements, reduced the
An anti-racism training project run by the
Diocese of Pennsylvania
Diocese of Pennsylvania, whose
state’s early voting period and elimprogram of anti-racism training
inated same-day registration which
workshops may be coming soon to opponents argued placed a
was dumped after a notorious
St. Andrew’s. Information on this
disproportionate burden on black
lynching in 1922. The ceremony
project can be found at:
and Latino voters, college students took place during a pilgrimage by
www.diopa.org/news/anti-racism- and older adults.
175 people sponsored by the
commission.
The appeals court held that “the law Diocese of Atlanta’s Beloved
Leading up to the 2016 election, the had been enacted with racially
Community Commission for
ongoing issues of voter registration, discriminatory intent” and targeted Dismantling Racism;,whose
voting rights and voter ID
chairwoman
laws which mostly affect
Catherine Meeks, a
black Americans and the
former professor of
The second of a two-part personal
poor were being tackled
African-American studies
reflection
on
race
relations
in
by Episcopal churches in
at nearby Mercer UniverAmerica today; how we got here and sity, said: “Telling the
North Carolina.
The Rev. Jemonde
truth is the only path to
the way forward.
Taylor, r ector of St. Amreal healing. People want
brose Episcopal Church in
to say that truth will lead
Raleigh, headed his church’s regis- African-Americans “with almost
to division, but it’s the lies that
tration and advocacy efforts. Pam- surgical precision.”
keep us divided.”
phlets and fact sheets explaining
For many North Carolina churches, The pilgrimage set out in buses
changes in the laws, a frequent oc- engaging in voter registration effrom Meeks’ home church, St. Aucurrence in North
forts was less about court decisions gustine’s Episcopal in Morrow.
Carolina, were displayed alongside and mostly about filling what mem- Most participants were from the
the usual sign-up sheets and anbers saw as a call to Christians to
Atlanta diocese, others came from
nouncements at the back of the
be involved in the public sphere.
neighboring states and some from
church.
In Macon, Georgia a stone and
as far afield as Massachusetts and
Taylor recalled that he grew up
bronze plaque was unveiled in
California. Chris Wight, of Oak
hearing his father’s account of try- October at the site where a body
(Continued on next page)
8
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
VOICES
(Continued from previous page)
“Americans since 1776 have
meaning of the amendment had
View, CA, told Episcopal News
operated time and again on the
been “willfully distorted: mass
Service: “Why am I as a white
assumption that blacks and Indians incarcerations, unreasonable drug
person 50 times safer walking down don’t belong in this republic. This laws and police brutality have
the street than a black person? In
notion comes from the very
become Jim Crow-like means to
my local area, native peoples’ lands founders we revere. It haunts us
control the lives of people of
were built over by freeways and
still,” he said.
color.”
their histories demolished. We need Slavery, and racial prejudice in
In order to increase our awareness
to look at true histories, not white- general, is described as “the plague of the racism around us the
washed history.”
that ravaged America” by Harvard Diocesan anti-racism commission
Since independence too many
scholar and author John Stauffer in says: “Each one of us can play a
opportunities have been missed to his masterly book Giants: The Par- part in eliminating racism in the
bring the nation together for the
allel Lives of Frederick
church, society and world, and that
type of Truth and
Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
change begins with us. In order to
Reconciliation selftruly love our neighbors
examination process
as ourselves, we must
that South Africa went A public notice in 1739 warned: “A fine
walk in their shoes and
through when
of $100 and six months in prison will be understand how our
democracy replaced
behavior affects those
imposed
for
anyone
found
teaching
a
apartheid a little over
around us.”
slave to read or write and death is the
20 years ago. Such a
The commission urges
national effort of
us to attend anti-racism
penalty for circulating any incendiary
honest and courageous
training workshops;
literature.”
goodwill at any time
commit to being a multiin our history may
culturally-competent
have altered the path that led from Today, as columnist Charles Blow person resisting racism; and join the
slavery to Civil War, a doomed Re- reported this past summer, the issue antiracism committee in parishes or
construction, Jim Crow laws,
of racial inequality is just as urgent diocese and with other denominaCharleston and Ferguson and Black as ever. Citing a Pew Research
tions and faith traditions to
Lives Matter.
Center report, he said: “The issue of dismantle institutional and systemic
In his draft of the Declaration of
racial inequality as a lived experi- racism.
Independence Thomas Jefferson
ence remains unaltered and many in Let us at St. Andrew’s commit to
included an attack on King George fact believe that it’s actually getting accepting these challenges. We can
III for for cing slaver y on the
worse. Racial inequality is not a
begin with a frank discussion of
colonists, but the Continental
trendy issue, it is an entrenched
these issues at a parish forum and
Congress cut all references to
issue. Only a true and earnest effort then work with the Diocese in
slavery as “piratical warfare” and
to address race relations
planning an anti-racism training
an “assemblage of horrors.”
fundamentally and honestly will
workshop together with other
“The Declaration,” writes history
provide the overdue and necessary neighboring faith groups.
professor and author Robert G. Par- fix,” said Blow.
kinson, “could have been what we In a recent review of the movie
Robin Prestage
yearn for it to be, a statement of
13th, a documentary by Ava
Sources: Diocese of Pennsylvania,
universal rights, but it wasn’t. What DuVernay about the Thir teenth
Episcopal News Services, The New York
became the official version was one Amendment which abolished
Times, TIME, BBC News, History
marked by division.
slavery, TIME magazine said the
Channel.
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
9
VOICES
Of Founding Fathers and Fig Trees:
Faith and Understanding
CAN we agree that Abraham is the Founding Father
of three worldwide Abrahamic faiths: Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam? Can we further agree that
George Washington is our country's preeminent
Founding Father? Yes we can. So when George
Washington celebrates Abrahamic diversity and
liberty, I listen.
In 1790, President Washington wrote a letter to Touro
Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island. On our
country's behalf, he stated principles that are as
eloquent and essential now as then:
"The citizens of the United States of America have a
right to applaud themselves for having given to
mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy
—a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike
liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.
It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it
were the indulgence of one class of people that
another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural
rights, for, happily, the Government of the United
States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live
under its protection should demean themselves as
good citizens in giving it on all occasions their
effectual support...."
"May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell
in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will
of the other inhabitants—while every one shall sit in
safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall
be none to make him afraid."
Washington's letter embodies the Golden Rule shared
by the scriptures of each Abrahamic faith:
Judaism: "You shall not take vengeance or bear a
grudge against any of your people, but you shall love
your neighbor as yourself."
Christianity: "Do to others as you would have them do
to you."
Islam: "None of you has faith until you love for your
neighbor what you love for yourself."
Washington 's letter also acknowledges a truth that
applies to faith communities and individuals alike: we
10
hope to have our place in society welcomed and
affirmed, not just tolerated.
I like Ike as well as George. In 1957, President
Eisenhower welcomed and affirmed the opening of the
Islamic Center in our nation's capital: "I should like to
assure you, my Islamic friends, that under the
American Constitution, under American tradition, and
in American hearts, this center, this place of worship,
is just as welcome as could be a similar edifice of any
other religion. Indeed, America would fight with her
whole strength for your right to have here your own
church and worship according to your own conscience."
As a matter of both faith and patriotism, I thus
celebrate our good neighbors who worship at the
Zubaida Foundation mosque in Lower Makefield.
They have welcomed and affirmed me and my faith.
They have done unto me as a Christian as I hope my
church and country would do unto Jews, Muslims, and
peoples of all faiths.
Zubaida has consistently denounced terrorism
blasphemously committed in the name of Allah.
Zubaida is also a leader in feeding the hungry. The
mosque participates in the Interfaith Food Alliance;
runs a food pantry; and raises money for the poor.
Finally, at a Ramadan event, Zubaida invited
attendees to come to its Friday prayers. I have done so
and found it inspiring to be in peaceful and prayerful
communion with my Abrahamic brothers and sisters.
This passage from the Qu'ran was quoted at a recent
prayer service: "O Humankind, indeed We have
created you from male and female and made you
peoples and tribes that you may know one
another." (49:13).
What a beautiful basis for interfaith friendship. May
Americans of all faiths follow the leads of George,
Ike, and Zubaida and bless each other. May we all sit
under our vines and fig trees safely and fearlessly,
welcoming our neighbors and seeking to know them
better.
Bob Anderson
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
VOICES
‘Love you forever’ as a remedy for
post-election distress
"THIS too shall pass." This is true of our highest highs and
lowest lows — indeed of one's own life itself. Dear Lord,
how did I get to be 65 when I was just 17 moments ago?
On Election night, I was stunned by the results,
especially as the handwriting on the Pennsylvania firewall
became clear about 1:00am. "This too shall pass" offered
me scant comfort at that moment. But then another truth,
the ground of all being, came to mind as I gazed gratefully
at Peggy sleeping beside me: "Love you forever."
"Love you forever" is the one thing that does not pass. It
remains true even beyond death. "Love you forever" is
what God whispered to Jesus when he was baptized and
when he prayed on the mountaintop. It was what God
enacted when Jesus was resurrected.
"Love you forever" is what is whispered to every blessed
one of us. "Love you forever" is at the heart of our major
faith traditions, whatever Name we accord the Whisperer in
Chief — for example, Gaia, YHWH, Christ, Allah, or
Buddha. "Love you forever" is what I say to my friends
who voted for Donald Trump as I trust they say in return to
me. I am grateful to live in a democracy where people can
vote for different candidates for different reasons and still
love one another.
As Jesus said, the sun rises and the rain falls on all of us
alike. In that regard, Donald and Hillary and their supporters are the same. No one of us is more or less worthy or
lovable in God's eyes than another. Thus, we are bidden to
love one another with that same commitment and
dispassion as the sun and the rain. Since the election, I have
adopted a daily discipline of saying "Love you forever" to
an expanding circle of acquaintances and to my Trump and
Hillary friends alike. But "Love you forever" has a sharp
edge as well as a warm center. Since every single human
being is loved equally and fully, I must speak up whenever
any group is stigmatized as inferior or denied the same constitutional rights and equal protection as other groups.
If, for example, a registry of Muslims is proposed, I will
peacefully but persistently protest that discriminatory idea.
"Love you forever" is a truth Martin Luther King, Jr. lived
by as he built the Beloved Community at his own mortal
peril. He said: "We must accept finite
disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."
Disappointments will happen and they will pass. But
infinite hope abides and will prevail.
Love you forever.
Bob Anderson
P.S. "Love you Forever" is also the name of a winning
children's book written by Robert Munsch and
illustrated by Sheila McGraw. Ginny Maddock
remembers Sharline Fulton reading the book to us as part
of her first sermon at St. Andrew's circa 1990. May we
teach our children well.
Generous Listening
ON Sunday mornings, two opposing inclinations beset me. One is to go to church. The other is to listen to Krista
Tippett's inter views on her NPR show, On Being, air ed between 7:00 and 8:00am. Listening to Kr ista and
company, I have often been led into the temptation of pulling over and blowing off church. But I've done my duty
instead. Now I can read and return to Krista's new book, Becoming W ise: A n Inquiry into the Mystery and A rt of
Living. This book excerpts her interviews with a panoply of poets, physicists, healers, astronomers, educators, and
mystics as well as her own sage self. Here is a sample of Krista's luminescent learning:
“Listening is an everyday social art, but it's an art we have neglected and must learn anew. Listening is more than
being quiet while another person speaks until you can say what you have to say. I like the language Rachel Naomi
Remen uses with young doctor s to descr ibe what they should pr actice: ‘gener ous listening.’ Gener ous listening
is powered by curiosity, a virtue we can invite and nurture in ourselves in order to render it instinctive. It involves a
kind of vulnerability — a willingness to be surprised, to let go of assumptions and take in ambiguity. The listener
wants to understand the humanity behind the words of the other, and patiently summons one's own best self and one's
own best words and questions.”
Generous listening is needed in all walks of life and especially when discussing faith and politics. Generous listening
is what Krista Tippett has modeled for years and what she displays in Becoming Wise. May we be sparing in
judgment and generous with empathy. Wise up and Listen up!
Bob Anderson
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
11
VOICES
Time to take courage and fight the
‘impossible’ dream
WE ARE on such a small planet in a relatively small
galaxy. I have often believed that our work was to be
reconciled and to sow peace.
In my faith tradition that is our work — but larger than
that — if it is not our work we may indeed be doomed
to a future that we do not want or most fear.
It is a work that lasts many lifetimes and is often
marked with bits and starts and stops so much so that
it can feel like chasing this dream will be
impossible to sustain much less achieve.
But I believe to continue to seek common ground is
our gallant fight without which we live in perpetual
fear and a sense of hopelessness.
WE need to be in koinonia — to be in communion
with one another and to have one another’s backs.
We can catch a vision of this new reality in the
particularity of our lives and work — to resist
prejudice and discrimination, to rise up against forces
and words that demean others, to pursue truth, to
accept responsibility for our behavior, to seek to see
and understand life through others' viewpoints, to
share stories, in a morsel of bread and a drop of wine
in Eucharist, in the exchange of peace in a service of
worship and in the world, to be inextricably connected
to the poorest, weakest, and most abused members of
the human family, and in a whole host of other ways
that are being birthed in your hearts.
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
It is not a time to retreat but rather to take courage and For a heavenly cause
put on the armor of resilience. Our hope lies in part in
our creative intentionality to hue a stone of hope out
And I know if I'll only be true
of a mountain of despair. (to paraphrase Martin
To this glorious quest
Luther King, Jr.)
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
Much more later. For now the song The Impossible
And the world will be better for this
Dream (from Man of La Mancha, lyrics by Joe Dari- That one man, scorned and covered with scars
on, music by Mitch Leigh) comes to mind — a song
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
that also speaks to our contexts.
To reach the unreachable star
Bud Holland
12
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
APPRECIATION
Ann Merriam: Physicist, Biblical Scholar
and Master Wood Carver
ANN MERRIAM died on
November 26. She was aged 94
and lived at Pennswood Village.
Ann was a remarkable woman
who was a long-time attender of
St. Andrew's services.
In her first years with us, she
delighted in being a whitehaired, white-robed acolyte and
in hoofing it up at Heifer
Project events.
In her last 15 years, she
"attended" services by
receiving communion from our
lay eucharistic ministers. A service continues until all are fed,
including those fed at home,
hospital, or hospice, so Ann
participated in our shared meal.
She relished every bite.
HERE are some aspects of
Ann's life of courage,
intellect, art, and faith.



Ann and her companion Ruth Fiesel resigned their faculty positions at a private
school in
Baltimore because the school refused to
desegregate.
Ann and Ruth relocated to Bryn Mawr, where
Ann, a physicist, worked for RCA and earned two
patents. One was for figuring out the circuitry
needed to remove "snow" from our TV screens.
(A scientist to the end, Ann left her body to
Temple Medical School.)
When Sharline Fulton was our rector, Ruth died
and Ann moved to Pennswood Village. Using
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
Sonly hand tools, Ann was a
master wood carver. Her
groundhog Irene found an
annual Advent abode on a
church windowsill; her
peaceful presence and
hopeful, uplifted posture
expressed the season
perfectly.
When Daniell Hamby
was rector, Ann's
Pennswood apartment
turned into a branch St.
Andrew's chapel since Ann
and other Pennswood
Episcopalians could no
longer come to Yardley.
Ann spread the fair linen
and we then vigorously
explored scripture. Ann, you
see, was a biblical scholar
who took her faith seriously.

Yet Ann could be
scandalous as well as scholarly (and is the Bible
not chock full of scandal?). She introduced St.
Andrew's to the ribald tales of Archy and
Mehitabel as told in poems by Don Marquis and
as since recounted at numerous bedsides and
funerals. Ann was true to Mehitabel's code of life
no matter how bad things got: "Toujours gai" and
"There's a dance in the old dame yet."

The New Testament scholar gets the last word.
Ann's faith, as regularly expressed to rectors and
LEMS, came down to this: "Christos anesthi."
Christ is risen.
Indeed.
Bob and Peggy Anderson
13
ART’S GALLERY
Meet the man of many
hats, costumes and guises
“FEAR, gratitude and baseball” brought Bob Anderson
and wife Peggy to St. Andrews about 35 years ago. “I
came for baseball and got religion on the side,” Bob jokes
as he recounts the attraction of the church, whose
rector at the time was Ned Gammons, brother of famed
baseball writer and ESPN commentator Peter Gammons.
Peter began his career at the Boston Globe, where he
covered the Red Sox, Bob’s favorite team.
The “fear and gratitude” reasons were because the
Andersons were thankful for their first-born child, yet
knew they needed all the help a church could provide as
they began that well-known perilous journey into
parenthood.
Having grown up as a Congregationalist in Rhode Island,
famed for its strong religious freedom advocated by Roger
Williams, Bob knew the importance of religion in his daily life. Peggy, raised in Delaware, brought him into the
Episcopalian fold of her youth.
St. Andrew’s helped them raise a son, Carl, 36, an
English Lecturer at Penn State and father of two young
sons, and a daughter, Greta, 33, a charter school executive
in New Orleans.
BOB has been involved in many church activities over the
years. ”I have done just about everything in the church
except for the choir, the property committee and the altar
guild.” To list them all would take up at least a whole page
in The Chronicle. Most recently, he is serving on the
committee creating a parish profile to guide our search for
a new rector.
He is also active outside the church, including Mercer
Street Friends in Trenton, Chandler Hall Hospice in
Newtown and Pennswood Village in Newtown (“where
we hope to live someday”) with, among others, parishioners Marcie White, Gail Lowden, Sam and Betsy Smith,
and Beryl and Betsy Moore.
His strong social conscience—“my mother thought she
was Eleanor Roosevelt”—is reflected in the wide variety
of projects he has been involved in over the years. He has
led the youth group ("I can't say no to kids); chaperoned
several mission trips with young church members; taught
Sunday school and confirmation classes; led efforts to
write to prisoners; visited Washington to encourage
politicians to do more to feed the hungry, particularly
kids; and much more.
14
And then, in the midst of all this good work, come THE
HATS, which, Bob says, provide a visual way of bringing
attention to worthy causes through laughter.
“The world needs more joy and laughter, less high moral
dudgeon and grumpiness. I hope to make people laugh in
Wawas, restaurants, hospitals and even hospice…and
generally I succeed.
“In theological terms,“ he says, “God made the world and
it was good, so God said: ‘Play ball!’ With all our
teammates, including animals as well as humans. Just
consider me a walking Noah’s Ark (and a Heifer Project
to boot.)”
Heifer International is a charitable organization designed
to provide food and a way to generate revenue for a
recipient. Our parishioners have supported this
organization for years; Bob helped by putting on a cow
suit, complete with a horns hat. (“I would dress like a cow
and eat like a pig,” he says.) He would show up at Sunday
services, dressed horns to toe as a cow, complete with an
udder, to generate interest in this fund-raiser. That cow hat
was the first one.
Now, at any given time, he says he may have 25 to 35 hats
covering a wide range of animals, frogs and even a Viking
helmet. People give them to him and he gives some away,
particularly to children who, like Bob, seem to love them.
In addition to his sense of humor, Bob is a thoughtful,
(Continued on next page)
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
FROM THE HISTORY CORNER
THROUGH the war parishioners in
military service received word from Jaf Baxter continues his
home via the “Parish Letter”
series in which he
written every week by the Rector.
recounts the genesis and
The May 28, 1944 issue stated:
“Wherever you are, wherever we
subsequent history of St.
pray, there is the fellowship
Andrew’s.
established.”
At St. Andrew’s that fellowship
was fostered each day by a program
of prayer during the day as parish
members took turns to maintain the
connection. The “Parish Letter”
went on to say that “whenever
during the day you send up a prayer
know that someone here will be
praying with you in the church, at
home, somewhere so that you and
he/she/they will be united in prayer.
And at a special service each
Wednesday evening your name is
An oil burning furnace was
mentioned before the altar of God.” installed in the Parish House at a
cost of $410 to serve both
AND there was correspondence in buildings.
return. But censorship made the
In 1946 a “Service League” was
letters sorely lacking in any real
started comprised of laymen and
news. The church bell tolled on
women of the parish to promote
April 12, 1945 to mark the passing activity in church life through
of Franklin Roosevelt, and a
regular church attendance,
special memorial was offered at the receiving new members, and raising
Sunday service. Also in 1945 the
funds for church needs. The League
use of coal to heat the church and
provided sitters for young children
Parish House ended as oil heat of- through the ages of five years in
fered a more efficient alternative.
order that parents could attend the
11:00am service. It also assisted
with the expenses associated with
the bulletin, and provided a
breakfast to encourage fellowship
and attendance at the early service.
It also sponsored a number of social
events during the year.
In January 1946 Rector Pugh
suffered a heart attack at Church
House in Philadelphia and died at
12:30am on June 8 in Pigeon Cove,
Massachusetts. During Pugh’s
illness Victor Humbrecht, Jr., the
Rector’s Warden, assumed many
administrative responsibilities;
substitute ministers visited St.
Andrew’s on Sundays to conduct
services. Victor Humbrecht also
served as organist and did so from
the 1930s until 1958. He was the
husband of Nellie Humbrecht and
died in his 60th year in 1964. The
1946 Vestry included James
Albert Dilliplane, one of 13
children and a great uncle to Steve
Dilliplane, Nancy’s husband;
Victor Humbrecht; and Elmer
Wright, husband of Marguerite
Wright, who died a few year s ago
at Twining Village in Newtown.
Nellie Humbrecht was appointed to
oversee the Contributors’ Account
(i.e. pledges). When Nellie died she
left a bequest to St. Andrew’s.
Art’s Gallery: One man, many hats
(Continued from previous page)
compassionate person. He is a retired
lawyer (“People are surprised when I
tell them I was a lawyer”) who reads
daily from a variety of sources and jots
down comments that show up in
newspaper columns, Facebook
postings, The Chronicle articles, and
elsewhere.
He gets his interests in hat and humor
from his architecturally-trained father
who “was a free spirit who liked to
have fun” and whose nickname was
“Whaletail.”
Where did that name come from?
“My father was a free spirit. He also
had a big butt and loved to tell stories,”
Bob says lovingly.
According to his father’s diary, which
Bob treasures, the name was given to
THE CHRONICLE J ANUARY-FEBRUARY, 2017
him by a fellow student by the name of
Julia McWilliams, who later became
famous after her marriage as Julia
Child. They met in 1934 while being
in a college play and remained friends
thereafter.
And to complete the circle: Where
does Ned Gammons live today?
In Bob’s Rhode Island.
Art Mayhew
19
Finally, a few thoughts
ON the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of
the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions.
Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of
THE single and true purpose of mature religion is to power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does
lead you to ever new experiences of your True Self. no one believe a word of it? The churches are chilIf religion does not do this, it is junk religion. Every dren playing on the floor with their chemistry sets,
Sacrament, every Bible story, every church service, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning.
every sermon, every hymn, every bit of priesthood, It is madness to wear straw hats and velvet to
ministry, or liturgy is for one purpose: to allow you church; we should all be wearing crash helmets.
to experience your True Self—who you are in God Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares;
and who God is in you—and to live a generous life they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping
from that Infinite Source.
God may wake someday and take offense, or the
Richard Rohr
waking God may draw us out to where we can never
return.
Annie Dillard
THE congregation does not believe one thing; we
believe a multitude of hazy, crazy things. Some
among us are smart; some serene; some feeble, poor,
practical, guilt-ridden; some are lazy; some arrogant,
rich, pious, prurient, bitter, injured, sad. We gather
in belief of one big thing: that we matter, somehow.
We all matter. No one can matter unless all matter.
We call that which gives matter God."
Richard Rodriguez
YOU simply will not be the same person two
months from now after consciously giving thanks
each day for the abundance that exists in your life.
And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual
law: the more you have and are grateful for, the
more will be given you.
Sarah Ban Breathnach