Povey Prattle

  Here is a political prognostication made just before an American election:  “The people of this country are in a humour where they don’t want to hear any reason...they want change and I think they are going to get it, but if they get it, in less than a year they will be the sickest country that ever walked the face of the earth, or else I will miss my guess”. When was this statement made?      Was it just before the election of Barack Obama to the Presidency of these United States? Was it just before our recent American mid-terms (after which the Republicans gained a majority in the House of Representatives)? Neither!   The statement was made by Colonel Henry Stimpson in the run up to the 1932 presidential election. Stimpson had served as Secretary of War from May 1911 until March 1913 under President William Taft (R) Later (March 1929 – March 1933) he was Secretary of State under President Herbert Hoover (R). His prognostication was made in 193...

The Revd. Bob Ginn, a colleague from Western Massachusetts days, sent me this photo' of the Church of the Good Shepherd, West Fitchburg, MA. I served at Good Shepherd from 1976 -  1980, and was ordained Priest there in December 1976. They were four joy-filled years.  I left Good Shepherd to work on the staff of the Bishop of Western Mass., and to be Vicar of St. Christopher's in Chicopee, MA. Hindsight suggests that I should have stayed longer, but I was starry eye'd at the prospect of being a member of Diocesan staff, and so I left. The Good Shepherd congregation, much depleted in more recent years, has now joined forces with God's people at Christ Church, Fitchburg.  It was a wise move, but I feel a little sad as I see the "For Sale" sign . The Church of the Good Shepherd My immediate predecessor at the Church of the Good Shepherd was the Revd. DeWolf Perry.  He, and his wife Kitty became my  good friends.   I insisted that they sho...

Sermon for Thanksgiving 2010:  The Revd. J. Michael Povey at St. Boniface Church, Siesta Key, FL Ben is aged three. When he thinks that no one is watching he pulls the hair of his two year old sister Helen.  She begins to cry.  Mum had in fact had her eye on Ben.  She says “why in the world did you do that?  Tell Helen that you are sorry”.  Ben tells his sister that he is sorry.  But he is not! Aunt Felicity is visiting.   She hands a gift to Helen who rips it open, and then rushes off to play with these new silly bands. “You come back here at once”, say Mum, “and say thank you to Aunt Felicity”.  “Thank you” mutters Helen. But we know that she hardly means it. Saying sorry and saying thank you.    These we are trained to say from our earliest days. We are trained to say them so that they will become a way of life. Saying sorry, and saying thank you, are a couple of necessary foundation stones if we are to build decent soci...

For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God. gifts bestowed on every nation, thanks be to God. For the plowing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping, future needs in earth's safekeeping, thanks be to God. In the just reward of labor, God's will is done. In the help we give our neighbor, God's will is done. In our worldwide task of caring for the hungry and despairing, in the harvests we are sharing, God's will is done. For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God. For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God. For the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us, most of all that love has found us, thanks be to God. Words: Fred Pratt Green

During recent weeks I have: 1.   Enjoyed a lecture about “The Wisconsin” a private and luxurious rail car owned by circus magnate (and Sarasota resident) John Ringling and his wife Mable. (Yes, that’s how her name was spelt).   “The Wisconsin” has been renovated and has pride of place at our local Ringling Circus Museum.   2.    Heard a lecture about Abraham Lincoln. It was delivered by Justus Doenke, a retired Professor of American history at Sarasota’s New College. Justus is a fabulous teacher. His lecture was a tour de force.    Justus and his wife Carol are members of All Angels Church on Longboat Key (Sarasota, FL) where I have gotten to know them. 3.   Attended the (almost) world premiere of a new musical “Bonnie and Clyde”.   It was staged at the Asolo Repertory Theatre here in Sarasota.    My bet is that it will be taken to Broadway and beyond. 4.   Read and enjoyed a fabulous biography of Catherine the Great of ...

On Thursday November 25 th (God Willing) most residents of the United States of America will celebrate a holiday called Thanksgiving .   I will be one of them. This public holiday is called “Thanksgiving” .   Did you see that? It is not called “Turkey Day”.   We are not being called to celebrate what many of us will eat.     (If that were the case we could also name it “Sweet Potato with Marshmallow Day”, or “Pumpkin Pie Day”, or “Mashed Potato Day”). The day is NEVER “Turkey Day”.   (Do you get my point?) It is ALWAYS “Thanksgiving” . That’s a terrific name for a holiday.    It calls us to be mindful of all those parts of our “uber privileged” American way of life for which we offer thanks; and for all those people to whom we are appropriately thankful. And for some, it is a reminder of the plight of residents in these United States who are “under privileged”. Yet others will want to focus their thanksgivings with gratitude to God/A...

My concerns are for: Liz, a young mother of three, and wife of Matt.   She has particularly nasty cancer. Liz is the daughter in law of my good friends Ron and Charlotte. Brenda, also a mother with cancer.   Her husband is Dudley.   He is my brother Martyn’s long time work colleague.   I had a nice visit with Dudley and Brenda last year when I was in England. Sgt. Michael Cachat, U.S. Army National Guard.   Michael is serving in Afghanistan. He was one of the young people who attended St. Stephen’s, Pittsfield when I was the Rector. My brother Martyn, who will have an angiogram, then possibly angioplasty in the near future. My twin Elizabeth, who has been diagnosed with M.S. Pam, a parishioner from Chicopee days.   She is “down” with shingles. “G.D.”   a cheerful man who used to sit in the pew on front of me at St. Boniface Church, Siesta Key, FL, who is in prison for 60 months for the crime of securities fraud.