Mar + Apr 2017

the
DOVE
m i n i s t r y • m a g a z i n e
L i v i n g L i k e J e s u s
stories of inspiration
S t . D a v i d ’ s E p i s c o p a l C h u r c h
MARCH & APRIL 2017 VOL. 31 NO. 42

In this Issue
From the Rector 2
Looking Back 3
Looking Forward 5
763 South Valley Forge Rd. | Wayne, PA 19087
www.stdavidschurch.org | 610.688.7947
Sunday Worship Schedule
8:00am | Holy Eucharist Rite I —Church
9:15am | Holy Eucharist Rite II —Chapel
11:15am | Holy Eucharist Rite II —Church
5:00pm | Holy Eucharist Rite II —Church
Clergy
The Rev. W. Frank Allen | Rector
The Rev. Amanda Eiman | Associate Rector
The Rev. Dr. Martha Tucker | Associate Rector
The Rev. Matthew Dayton-Welch | Associate Rector
The Rev. Dennis Reid | Associate Rector
The Rev. Dr. Alexander McCurdy, III | Associate Rector
The Rev. Ed Shiley | Associate Rector
The Rev. William Wood, III | Associate Rector
The Rev. Albert Zug | Adjunct Associate
Staff
Marilyn Callaghan | Parish Administrator
Diane Dowlin | Administrative Assistant
Elaine Giese | Music Librarian
Randy Gopaul | Property Department, Custodian
Matt Grove | Property Department, Cemetery Associate
Kay Joseph | Parish Secretary
Maria Leal | Director of Children’s Education
Lauren Machowski | Director of Communications
Kathy Marcantonio | Administrative Assistant
Joe Matsil | Property Department, Sexton
Osvaldo Montes | Groundskeeper
Leslie Robertshaw | Finance Manager
Dr. Clair Rozier | Director of Music
Dr. Elaine Sonnenberg | Associate Director of Music
Buff Barnes | Spiritual Direction
Judy Krischker | Wedding Coordinator
Margie Winters | Director of the Gift Shop
Vestry Notes 8
Inspire for the Glory of God
By the Rev. Dennis Reid 9
Let Your Light Shine Before Others
By John Mason 11
Inspiration in Haiti 13
By Teri Santivasci
The Reconciling Promise of Peace
By the Rev. Matt Dayton-Welch 15
Living Like Jesus
Quotes o f Inspiration 17
The Spirit Likes to Dress Up 18
The Dove is a bi-monthly publication of St. David’s
Episcopal Church, Wayne, PA. Our mission
is to know God in Jesus Christ and to make
Christ known to others. We are a community
founded in the love of Christ and a love of one
another that seeks to draw everyone into a
deeper life with God by using our gifts for ministry
in building up the Body of Christ here and in
reaching out to the world. For more information
on ministries, events and education, please visit:
www.stdavidschurch.org

Dear People of St. David’s,
I pray that you and yours are well and am delighted to introduce
you to a new format for our bi-monthly magazine.
We have added two important components to the articles
and scripture and poetry that are at the heart of our ministry
magazine. First, you will notice that we’ve included
some pictures and narrative of some of the ministries and
events we’ve shared in over the past few month, including
some of the recent work of the Vestry. Second, we’ve included
some previews of important worship and activities
coming our way in March and April.
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know I have
plans for you,”
declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you
and not to harm you,
plans to give you
hope and a future.”
The articles and scripture this month focus on Stories of
Inspiration from our fellow members and clergy. Story is
such a powerful means for grasping the faith and the life
with God. Jesus knew that and told stories or parables
with every teaching He offered. We know it as well. The
stories of our lives and the stories of others’ lives give us
hope and promise and a deeper understanding of the
wonder of this earthly pilgrimage we walk.
I hope this edition of our Dove inspires you with the power
of God at work in your life and mine and so many persons
we know. I hope, too, that the change in format is helpful
in remembering the recent story of our common life and
the inspired stories yet to be written. Watch for the Lenten
meditation book coming out later this month and the
opportunities that will provide all of us with daily ways to
be more inspired by our gracious, loving God.
Grace and Peace.
2

Christmas Pageant
Every year, St. David’s Episcopal Church holds our annual Christmas Pageant the week
before Christmas, with our parishioners as the stars of the show! We had three different
performances—Sunday at 11:15am and 3:00pm, and Monday at 7:00pm, and all
three were very well attended! The pageant itself was great, and a great reminder of
the true meaning of Christmas. The actors themselves were wonderful as well— costumes
were gorgeous, makeup was flawless, and the set was decorated beautifully.
Even the HUGE sheep seemed to enjoy themselves (after a few brief altercations!).
Christmas at St. David’s
Christmastime here at St. David’s is one of the
busiest, yet rewarding times of the year. We
received MANY donations for the mitten tree
and St. Barnabas homeless shelter, as well as
thousands of dollars worth of gift cards for our
partners in ministry in the Greater Philadelphia
area. Parishioners also seemed to have a wonderful
time at the many Christmas activities we
had here at St.
David’s—from
Christmas Around
the World, to the
Gingerbread
House & Advent
Wreath Making.
But even with all
of this happening,
it was still an very humbling time for us to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
3

Men’s Fellowship Breakfast
The Rev. Herb Lusk, former
“praying tailback” for the
Philadelphia Eagles.
Once a month on Saturday, the Men’s Fellowship group
gathers everyone together for a Men’s Fellowship Breakfast,
and each month the speaker is even better than the
last! In November, we had the Rev. Herb Lusk, the
“praying tailback” on the Philadelphia Eagles football
team from 1976-1978. In December we had David Hale
Sylvester, who shared his story about how after his friend
died in 9/11, he decided to change the world “one hug at
a time” through international Hugs and High Fives tours,
documentaries, books and personal outreach. Finally, in
January we hosted fellow parishioner Michael Merrick,
and he shared a story on the fascinating life of General
Anthony Wayne, grandfather of famed Revolutionary
War Hero, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne (and supposed
great-great grandfather of Batman!) who is buried in the
church cemetery.
Alpha
For the first time in a few years, St. David’s hosted an ALPHA course beginning on
Wednesday, January 11th, with the Rev. Dr. Martha Tucker as the clergy support. Even
though it was right after the holidays, we received over 60 registrants for the course—
an extremely encouraging number! For those of you who don’t know ALPHA, it is a series
of sessions exploring the Christian Faith. It begins with dinner, followed by a video
presentation by Nicky Gumbel, and ends with a discussion in friendly small groups.
4

Stations of the Cross
During Holy Week, St. David’s has a Stations of the Cross meditation time every weekday
starting at 6:00pm.The 14 stations focus on specific events of His las day, beginning
with His condemnation, and are used as a mini pilgrimage as each person moves from
station to station. At each station, everyone recalls and meditates on the specific event
from Christ’s last day.
Easter Egg Hunt & Flowering of the Cross
This year, the day before Easter on April 15th, kids and their parents gather in the
Fairgrounds for our annual Easter Egg Hunt and Flowering of the Cross! Starting at
9:00am, kids race around the field
trying to collect as many eggs as
they can find—all of them filled
with yummy chocolate! Parents
are also encouraged to bring one
flower to use
for the decorating
of the
cross. The
beautiful cross
symbolizes the
new life that
emerges from
the death of
Good Friday.
5

Holy Week
Holy week is a very humbling time for us at St. David’s. Here
are the celebrations you can look forward to during this year’s
Holy Week, from April 9th—April 16th.
1. Palm Sunday Worship: April 9th, 8:00am, 11:15am &
5:00pm in the Church; 9:15am in the Chapel
2. Stations of the Cross: Monday, April 10th—Friday, April
14th, 6:00pm in the Chapel
3. Maundy Thursday (Apr. 13th): (Footwashing, Holy
Eucharist & Stripping of the Altar): 7:00pm in the Chapel;
All Night Prayer Vigil in the Church
4. Good Friday Worship: (Apr. 14th): 12:00pm in the
Church; 7:00pm in the Chapel
5. Holy Saturday (Apr. 15th): Easter Egg Hunt, 9:00am in the
Fairgrounds; Easter Vigil, Holy Baptism & Holy Eucharist,
7:00pm in the Chapel
6. Easter Sunday Worship (Apr. 16th): 8:00am, 11:15am &
5:00pm in the Church; 9:15am & 11:15am in the Chapel
Fr. Martin Smith, Theologian in Residence
Theologian in Residence, the Rev. Martin Smith, will be
visiting St. David’s Church for a dinner and discussion on
Friday, April 28th at 6:00pm in St. David’s Hall, and he
will offer his meditations on Saturday, April 29th. Martin
Smith is well known throughout the Episcopal Church as
writer, spiritual director, retreat leader, and teacher exploring
contemporary spirituality. A priest since 1971, he
most recently served as the Senior Associate Rector at St
Columba’s church in Washington, D.C., in the Diocese of
Washington, while continuing to travel widely for his
teaching ministry. He retired in July 2012, and continues
to devote himself to writing, preaching and the leading
of retreats and workshops. For more information, keep
checking back to our website!
6

St. David’s Episcopal Day School
We are extremely proud to announce that enrollment
is officially open for our brand new Day
School! St. David’s Episcopal Day School (SDEDS)
will be opening in September 2017, and is a nonprofit
day school and member of the National Association
for Episcopal Day Schools. We have recently
hired our new Day School Director, Lisa
Black, and we are looking forward to see what
God has in store for this new adventure within our
church. If you have any questions or would like to
enroll, contact Lisa at SDEDS@stdavidschurch.org,
or visit our website at stdavidschurch.org/st.-davids-episcopal-day-school.
Women’s Ministry Retreat
No matter what your age, we all long for deeper connections with God, with
ourselves and with our friends and families. When we learn how, we experience
peace-of-mind, an awareness of joy-full moments, and richer communication.
The Women’s Ministry will be having
their annual Women’s Retreat beginning
at the Pendle Hill Retreat Center in
Media PA on Friday, March 17 to Saturday,
March 18th. This year’s retreat will
be led by De Yarrison of Conversation
Revolution, and it
will be sure to be a relaxing
time filled with compassion,
support, meditation, and
friendship.
7

The Vestry of St. David’s is responsible, with the staff, for planning and implementing
the wide variety of worship and ministries that we all share in at St.
David’s. The Vestry is also responsible for the finances and property of our parish.
Each month the Vestry meets to share in a time of spiritual reflection, to hear
updates from various commissions, and to make decisions for our common life.
Among the topics and tasks taken up over the past fall, the Vestry:
Worked with the Strategic Planning Task Force on expanding the participation
of the parish through an electronic survey and plans for conversations
in the spring.
Appointed Jamie Arnold to lead the 1715 Society’s efforts to invite parishioners
to remember St. David’s in their estate planning.
Supported a fundraiser for the St. David’s Episcopal Day School and the ongoing
search for a Director.
Negotiated a lease agreement with Verizon for placing cell equipment in
our steeple.
Heard of the Arborist’s work to remove diseased trees and plant new trees
on our campus.
Received the news that RTR pledges continue to be received and that we
will pay back the loan to the Graveyard endowment, used for cash flow during
construction, by the beginning of 2017.
Received detailed reports on the ongoing ministry and plans for Discipleship,
Fellowship, Stewardship, Family Ministries, Outreach and Finance.
Approved the preliminary budget for 2017.
Did You Know?
R. Brognard Okie, famous American architect who was noted for his Colonial
Revival houses and sensitive restorations of historic buildings, such as the
Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia, St. Peter’s Church in Great Valley, and the
White House Historic District was a Vestry Member of St. David’s Episcopal
Church?
8

“Many of us are
missing something
in life because we
are chasing after
what is second
best.”
Eric Liddell
The saints of God are wonderfully curious people. As Lesbia
Scott’s famous hymn reminds us, “you can meet them
at school, or in lanes, or at sea, in church, or in trains, or
in shops, or at tea.” The saints are all around us, you see,
sometimes doing everyday things because the saints are
everyday people! For sure, there are terrific stories regarding
the saints that have developed over the many
centuries of the Church: the Apostles healed the sick, St.
George slayed a dragon, and St. Brigid turned bathwater
into beer (a personal favorite!). Yet what really sets
saints apart is their ability to inspire fellow Christians by
doing seemingly everyday things for the glory of God.
I remember being introduced to the idea of the everyday
saints when I was in middle school. I ran track for
Pennfield Middle School, and I especially enjoyed the
sprinting events. I wasn’t particularly good at it, to be
honest, but I wasn’t bad, either. I also knew I was drawn
to sports because I felt a certain excitement and energy
whenever I competed. It was around that time that I was
told the story of Eric Liddell, a Scottish missionary to
China who was also a world class sprinter. Liddell earned
a spot on Great Britain’s 1924 Olympic Team, with his
best event being the 100 meter sprint. However, as the
games approached, Liddell was scheduled to run one of
his 100 meter heats on a Sunday. To the surprise of
many, Liddell sat out his best event in order to honor the
Sabbath. When many may have expected a lengthy explanation
for such an act of both devotion and controversy,
he simply quipped, “I’m not running.” Liddell prepared
instead for the 400 meters and the 200 meters, and was
9

Inspired by a note given to him before the 400 meters by a team masseur that
read: “In the old book it says, ‘He that honours me, I will honour.’ Wishing you
the best of success always.” He went on to win gold in the 400 meters and
bronze in the 200 meters.
Eric Liddell’s story was put to the big screen in the 1981 classic film Chariots of
Fire. In the film, Liddell’s character tries to explain to his sister that his running
isn’t simply a distraction from his missionary work but rather a gift from God
through which he might even make God known. Though the quote from the
movie is apocryphal, the intent still hits home:
“I believe God made me for a purpose, for China.
But he also made me fast! And when I run,
I feel his pleasure. To give it up would be to
hold him in contempt...It's not just fun: to win
is to honor him.”
Eric Liddell’s story changed sports for me but
also changed my understanding of joy and
inspiration. I knew I enjoyed sports and running,
but I didn’t realize that God had given
me both the ability to play sports and joy that
came from playing them. Liddell’s story is an
inspiration to me because he lived his faith in
such a way that both acknowledged his God
-given gifts and, more importantly, honored
God through worship and obedience, even
in the midst of the Olympics.
Photo courtesy of Corbis via Getty Images
Eric Liddell, pictured winning the
400m final at the 1924 Olympics in
Paris.
God has given gifts to each of the saints -- including you and me -- that through
them we might build up the Kingdom of God and be drawn closer to God. Remember,
Jesus called fishermen so that they would go out to use those skills,
but instead by “fishing for people”. God called an Olympic sprinter to run not
just for competition but to honor God while doing so. Like all the saints, you
have gifts through which God is inspiring you and calling you! For all the remarkable
stories of the saints, never forget that there’s even more everyday saints.
After all, “the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too.”
The Rev. Dennis Reid
10

Matthew 15: 13-16
“You are the light of
the world. A city
built on a hill cannot
be hid. No one after
lighting a lamp puts
it under the bushel
basket, but on the
lampstand, and it
gives light to all in
the house. In the
same way, let your
light shine before
others, so that they
may see your good
works and give glory
to your Father in
heaven.”
Several years ago I went to a conference on missional outreach
in San Diego, California. One of the speakers, a
young woman, who along with her husband, were missionaries
in eastern Europe.
She gave a very good picture of what mission work was
like in the twenty-first century in a former communist
country. However, the one thing that really impressed
me…and a lot of others in attendance…was her answer to
a question at the end of her presentation.
This young woman was asked, “How do you bring Jesus
Christ to the local people? Do you tell them all about how
Jesus Christ saves sinners and about His resurrection?
Just how do you talk to them about being saved? How do
you get their attention?”
Her answer was “We don’t do anything like that” and her
story proceeded something like this.
We have found that approaching people directly with “the
Story,” with “the Good News,” turns them off and causes
them to avoid us in the future.
This is how we proceed. When there is an earthquake, we
are there helping people, finding food and shelter for
those impacted, and helping people heal.
When there is a fire, we are there helping people, doing
the things that are needed to get the medical attention
needed, to find a place for those affected to stay, and to
make sure they have food.
When housing for the poor is needed we help in the building
where we can, we help find furniture and other things
for the rooms, and council for owning and keeping up
such facilities.
11

When there is a need for readers in a local school, we help to arrange people to
help with the reading, to help with the understanding, and to support and encourage
the children to do better.
Then, we will go to a meeting somewhere nearby…for whatever reason…and
someone will come up to me and say, “I saw you working with people after the
earthquake and I saw you working with people at the fire at such and such a
place, and I saw you working to house poor people in this and that area, and I
saw you helping children learn to read. You don’t seem to get any payback or
reward for any of this work. You don’t seem to be asking anybody for anything.
Why are you there? And, why are you doing these things?”
The young woman stopped…and, then she said…”Now, I’ve got them!”
“Now, I explain my role model. Now, I make Christ known to others. But, I reveal
the image of Christ to the questioner,
because I want the questioner
to focus on the behavior and the
outcome of the behavior. I want
the questioner to take my lead and
follow the role model I follow.”
People are looking for ways to act,
or behave, or copy. People want to
act in ways that bring about results,
that bring about better outcomes,
or that help them to make better
decisions.
We learn about God, and we learn how Jesus models the way God wants us to
act. And, then it is our responsibility to pass that image along.
It is not the doctrine or the theology that brings the people in. It is the outcomes
of the way we act that can influence people to learn more about why we
behave the way that we do.
And, we hear from Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, “You are the light of the
world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it
under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the
house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see
your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
To repeat…let your light shine before others….
John Mason
12

Last summer Louise Haley, Rev. Matt Dayton-Welch and I
went on an outreach trip to Haiti to visit our Haitian partner
Pere Fred and his congregation at St. Mathias. St. Mathias
is located in the mountainous area of Grande Colline.
“We had to
remind ourselves
that it
was 2016, and
not a century
earlier.”
As we left Port-Au-Prince and headed to the mountains,
we realized how isolated and remote Grand Colline truly
is. Much of the roadway to Grand Colline is unpaved and
barely passable. We saw young children walking on the
“highways” carrying water jugs in search of potable water
and old men walking
their goats. We
had to remind ourselves
that it was
2016 and not a century
earlier.
In this impoverished
and beautiful
nation we found many sources of inspiration:
Our partner and friend, Pere Fred (or Father Fred). Not
only is Pere Fred the religious leader for his community,
but he is also the unofficial “mayor” of Grande Colline.
People in the community frequently stop by Pere Fred’s
house for advice, comfort and fellowship. He travels
miles on dirt roads each week to reach his congregation
and to teach at the seminary in Port-Au-Prince. His spirit
and energy is indefatigable.
The Haitians we met at church and in Grande Colline
welcomed us into their community with open
13

hearts. These people have so little, yet they are proud and grateful for what
they have.
The beautiful two hour church service at St. Mathias. Although we couldn’t understand
the French and Creole used at the service, we could feel the energy
and spirituality of the congregation, particularly during the intercessions for the
prayers of the people. Also we were amazed to see the congregants giving
money for the collection, since they have so little to spare.
Without a doubt, the most inspiring moment of the trip for all of us was our
meeting with the vestry of St. Mathias after the church service. As we sat with
the vestry on the porch of Pere Fred’s house, we
discussed St. David’s relationship with St. Mathias
Church. Matt explained how the people at St.
David’s love to do projects and asked the vestry if
there were any future projects for St. Mathias
that we should consider. The head of the vestry
explained that our visit was enough. She said that
it meant so much to them that the three of us
were willing to leave our families and our homes
to spend time with them, especially since their
own government has forgotten them. At that
point, we were speechless and had tears in our
eyes. We realized that these people were grateful
for our fellowship and that just being together
and praying together was enough.
Of course, the people of St. Mathias appreciate
the support that we give them each year, but we
now understand that more importantly they are
thankful for our thoughts and prayers.
Visiting Haiti was a spiritual experience that has forever changed me. It is a special
place where you feel closer to God. I feel blessed to know Pere Fred and
feel inspired by the Haitians every day.
Pere Fred—religious leader of
Grand Colline and the unofficial
mayor.
Teri Santivasci
14

In a previous life, I worked for the U.S. State Department in Jerusalem advocating
for human rights in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Much of that
work was spent in the field, collecting stories and looking for trends that Washington
policymakers might need to know, trends that frequently foiled efforts to establishing
bilateral peace talks. Many of the stories began to mirror one another:
peaceful people victimized
by a system
of oppression and, in
turn, walling off their
hearts from the vulnerability
mutual
peace requires.
That’s how this intractable
Israeli-
Palestinian conflict
Bassam Aramin (left) and Rami Elhanan (right)
stays so intractable:
it matriculates one-off
instances until a whole new class of cruelty becomes normative.
So Bassam Aramin’s story stood out to me. Bassam grew up experiencing firsthand
the abuse commonly committed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and he grew up
in a Palestinian community that saw resistance to the IDF as commendable. At 17,
he was sentenced to seven years in an Israeli military prison—once a right of passage
for some Palestinian young men—for participating in an unsuccessful ambush
of an IDF patrol. In prison he learned about the Holocaust, and the experience of
that helped him understand his perceived enemy. When he was released from prison,
he vowed to find another way to defend his people, and so he helped organize
Combatants for Peace, a joint Israeli-Palestinian project which brought together
former IDF soldiers and Palestinian militants.
This outcome was unusual. Usually young hearts are hardened in prison, not illuminated,
but Bassam saw too much common ground between his people and the Israelis
to wage violence. He married and began to provide for his new children, one
15

Son and one daughter, and he advocated publicly for non-violence. His children
admired his work, and he loved them, especially 10-year-old Abir. Something about
dads and daughters.
Which is what made that day in 2007 so unbearable. Abir had gone to see her
friends after school. On their walk home, the girls passed some Palestinian boys
throwing rocks at a distant IDF caravan. Abir and her friends had hoped only to
pass through the mêlée; she did not participate in the rock throwing. But she was
fired upon by the IDF troops just the same, hit in the head with a rubber-tipped
bullet. She died three days later.
Bassam’s faith in non-violence experienced its greatest, most personal challenge
yet. Getting roughed up by IDF soldiers as a kid was one thing, but this trauma was
in a whole new league. How could he possibly commit to non-violence after such
personal, violent injustice?
Amidst dark grief, Bassam’s circle of friends began to widen. He received messages
from other Palestinians who had lost their children to IDF violence, and they had
found solace—quite scandalously—in commiserating with Israeli parents who had
lost children in acts of Palestinian violence. Indeed, a network was developing of
parents, both Israeli and Palestinian, who had lost children to the conflict, and
through them, Bassam found his path to healing.
Which is how I met him. I wanted to hear his story. I needed to meet hope personified,
hope that the promise of peace the Bible describes in this land was not lost.
As a man of faith, I needed to believe that in a world of hardened hearts, God’s
goodness could still break through.
I met Bassam at a hotel lobby in East Jerusalem. Five minutes into our conversation,
an Israeli man walked in. Bassam and the man said nothing, but Bassam stood
and they embraced one another for what felt like a whole minute. They sat down
together and even held hands, squeezing them like loved ones squeeze hands before
surgery. Rami met Bassam through the parents group, now known as the Parents
Circle. Rami had lost his daughter, Smadar, to a suicide bombing in 1997.
I sat across from them astonished at their affection. Rami, wiping tears from his
eyes, said, “I hope you don’t mind if I join you; I haven’t seen Bassam in a month.”
Bassam, still squeezing Rami’s hand, looked at me and said, “I might have lost my
daughter, you see, but I gained a brother, and he teaches me every day how promising
reconciliation can be.”
The Rev. Matthew Dayton-Welch
16

quotes of inspiration
“Do not fear, I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you in my righteous hand.
Those who wage war against you, will be as nothing at all. For I am the
Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not
fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid.”
Isaiah 41:10, 12b-13
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting
away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and
momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs
them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is
unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“...The great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go,
His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference;
and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall all
be cured of those sins, at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to him.”
C.S. Lewis
“Do not ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and
go do it. Because what our world needs is people who have come alive.”
Howard Thurman
“All that is gold does not glitter
Not all those that wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”
J. R. R. Tolkein
17

The Spirit Likes to Dress Up
The spirit
likes to dress up like this:
ten fingers,
ten toes,
shoulders, and all the rest
at night
in the black branches
in the morning
in the blue branches
of the world.
It could float, of course,
but would rather
plumb rough matter.
Airy and shapeless thing,
it needs
the metaphor of the body,
lime and appetite,
the oceanic fluids;
it needs the body's world,
instinct
and imagination
and the dark hug of time
sweetness
and tangibility
to be understood,
to be more than pure light
that burns
where no one is --
so it enters us --
in the morning
shines from brute comfort
like a stitch of lightning;
and at night
lights up the deep and wondrous
drownings of the body
like a star.
Mary Oliver

763 South Valley Forge Rd. | Wayne, PA 19087
www.stdavidschurch.org | 610.688.7947