Clergy Corner

                                by Rev. Herb Sprouse
    

Dear Friends,

Happy 400th Birthday, KJV!

Perhaps it seems a strange birthday to celebrate, but the creation of the King James Version of the Holy Bible (the KJV, also know as "The Authorized Version") was a miraculous event. We can't help but wonder at the strange intersection of faith, secular politics, quarrels within the church and a strong-willed king that produced this learned work of majesty and enduring impact. James I sought to unite antagonistic factions - each with their own preferred version of the scriptures - through a royal project where experts of all stripes were required to collaborate to produce a new, better translation. The result was not just the best scholarship of the age. James wanted, and received, a bible that sounded magnificent. Especially when read aloud in church.

The Authorized Version has had a profound influence on the English language. One scholar counts 257 specific examples of familiar phrases that come to us through the KJV: phrases like "out of the mouth of babes," "a man after his own heart," to everything there is a season," "eat drink and be merry," "salt of the earth," and "money is the root of all evil."   How do we know that this impact extends beyond us churchgoing folks? Well, consider Let There Be Lite (a low-fat cookbook) and newspaper headlines like "What Hath 50 Years of Barbie Wrought?" and "Don't Cast Your Bread Upon the Stock Market." When publishers can be sure that everyone will get the joke (or the pun) you can be sure the impact is just about universal.

Perhaps most important, as the British Empire waxed and waned the King James Bible spread throughout the world. It became the dominant bible in the young United States and forms the basis of most foreign language translations of the bible to this day. By one estimate, 500 million Chinese Christians read a bible in their own tongue which is a direct translation of the KJV.

Our own Episcopal Church has moved on to a more accurate translation in language that is much clearer to modern ears, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), which was completed in 1989. In many ways, our move to the NRSV is like James's sponsorship of his bible translation: it is intended to make participation more accessible and understandable to everyone. And as our "Elizabethan" service demonstrated, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer fulfills a similar purpose. But the KJV is a permanent part of our linguistic heritage and for many, the thee-s, thou-s, begats and unto-s will always sound like the very voice of God Almighty.

Yours faithfully,   

Herb+

Feeding the hungry,

one family at a time

The steady stream of people often starts lining up in St. Paul's basement 45 minutes before the Food Pantry opens at 10 a.m. Sometimes they just want to beat the crowd. Other times, though, they come early because they have run out of food and they are hungry.

The number of people coming for help from the Food Pantry keeps expanding each month. In October, for example, the Pantry provided food to 469 different households, encompassing almost 1,300 people, including 530 children under 18. Many of these clients came the two times (once every two weeks) allowed under the Pantry rules. Thirty-one of the households registered with the Food Pantry for the first time in October. Many of these newcomers registered because of individual problems affecting family members. Very often, though, it was a result of the difficult economic times in which we all find ourselves. Whatever the reason, they are welcomed.

A substantial number of our clients are refugees from far-away countries. Natives of Bhutan comprise the largest group of new Americans served. The majority of clients, however, are born and bred in the United States. On just one recent day, two  couples registered for the first time. One pair was in their 60s; the other in their 70s. Both couples admitted they had never asked for any assistance before. Other households are struggling young families, trying to raise children on limited budgets. Several clients cope with some form of disability.

The Food Pantry receives food from local and government programs at no cost. But that support is hardly enough and is supplemented by product donations and financial contributions from parishioners, community organizations, local markets and other businesses. In the fall months, the Pantry's regular sources of food are supplemented by local farmers and gardeners who bring fresh produce. Particularly noteworthy are the many deliveries from Apple Hill Orchard, which regularly donates both fresh fruit and baked goods.

Even with all this assistance, the Food Pantry frequently runs out of popular staple items, such as cans of fruit, soup and tuna fish, and personal supplies such as soap, tooth paste and feminine hygiene products. Donations of these items are always welcome.

In addition to the normal services, the Food Pantry provides special Thanksgiving baskets to people who have been regular clients. Many children of Food Pantry client families receive gifts at Christmas time through St. Paul's Giving Tree program.  That is why our Food Pantry is featured as our Mission of the Month for November.

Approximately 40 volunteers work in the Pantry each month. Some volunteers distribute food to the clients while others stock shelves or make weekly runs to the New Hampshire Food Bank or local merchants. Some keep records for reports to government agencies or to track inventories and trends. Several individuals even volunteer for more than one job.

The Pantry always is happy to receive new help, either from new volunteers or from parishioners and friends who desire to donate either money or needed products.

by Steve Blackmer     

There are two tough questions I think about at this time of year. Perhaps you do too. The first is, "What is the 'right' balance between giving money to others - to those who are less fortunate, worthy non-profits, good causes - and keeping enough for my own needs and those of my family? The second question is, of the amount I can give, how much should I give to my church community, to St. Paul's?  

Of course, there is no simple answer, no formula that just tells us what to do. We have to consider, How much do we need to live now? How much should we put aside for emergencies and the future? How important are material things? Education? Travel? These aren't simple questions! What is our obligation to the community around us? To others who have less than we do? To help change society and the world? Again, no simple answers - and what is "right" will be different for each of us.

And for what I can give away, how important is St. Paul's? How much can I afford to pledge or give weekly? What is the place of St. Paul's in doing good for the world? Questions, questions, questions. No simple answers.

But I have to confess: I like giving away money, even though it hurts sometimes. For me, it is like donating blood - when I do it, I feel good, happy, fulfilled - knowing I have given something of myself to others who need it. And I like knowing that others carry a piece of me within them.

In this way, giving blood and giving money are both a kind of communion. Giving is a Eucharist in which we offer ourselves, our goodness, our blood, our bread so that others may be helped, healed, made whole. Through giving - even until it hurts, maybe especially when it hurts - we are restoring the world. The reason I give to St. Paul's is precisely because I believe that the world desperately needs Eucharistic healing - and that with the support of this church community, I can help.

So, I give away more than I can "afford." Isn't that what it means to be part of the Body of Christ?