Saying thanks to David McIlhiney Sunday

Please join us Sunday after the 10 am service as we offer our thanks to The Rev. David McIlhiney who is retiring at the end of July. We will have a reception after the service, testimonials and a surprise or two. 

On a personal note, I am very grateful for David's service in this time of transition at St. Paul's, and his pastoral care for people of all ages. I am personally thankful for his advice and assistance in my transition as rector at St. Paul's.

David will not be going far; he will be back with us in the Fall leading our 5:30 pm service for a time as we continue our transition with new clergy leadership.

Celebrating the University of Virginia

I arrived back in Charlottesville late Saturday evening. Today we mark the near-end of the academic year and the many contributions to our church, community and the world by our people connected to the University of Virginia. 

I am constantly amazed by the creativity, intellect, and self-less service of the people of St. Paul's, and that is in no small measure because so many of them are connected to this great university, either as faculty, staff, students or alums. Others are connected (like us) because we were drawn to Charlottesville on the strength of this "academic village." Come join us, and The Rev. David McIlhiney will be preaching.

Winging my way East

I am traveling today, flying out of San Francisco to Dulles. I should be back at St. Paul's in time for Sunday's worship services which will be focused especially on our special relationship with the University of Virginia and the end of the academic year. And I do hope everyone will take the time to show their appreciation for The Rev. David McIlhiney, who will be preaching at all our services and is retiring at the end of July. It is not too soon to contribute to a gift "purse" for David; you can make your check payable to St. Paul's, and mark the memo line "David McIlhiney gift."

As I wing my way east today, I will read the usual assortment of newspapers and magazines. Here is a thought-provoking item from Jim Wallis at Sojourners:

The Religious Right was a Christian mistake. It was a movement that sought to implement a “Christian agenda” by tying the faithful to one political option -- the right wing of the Republican Party. The politicizing of faith in such a partisan way is always a theological mistake. But the rapid decline of the Religious Right now offers us a new opportunity to re-think the role of faith in American public life.

To read Wallis' full article, click HERE. Blessings to all.

David McIlhiney to retire

By now, those of you on the St. Paul's mailing list should have received The Rev. David McIlhiney's letter announcing his retirement after more than 40 years of ordained ministry. His last Sunday will be July 26, and he plans to stay in Charlottesville. I will reprint his letter below. 

There is much to be said, and I hope each of you will take the time to talk with David and share your gratitude for his tremendous service to St. Paul's. When I came to this wonderful parish, he had been ably steering the ship for many months. 

He graciously stayed on as associate rector helping us in this latest phase of St. Paul's transition. I am especially grateful for his wise counsel to me, his pastoral care to our members, and his passionate concern for the university community. His liturgical and preaching skills are tremendous, and especially appreciated by me.

In the next few weeks, we need to find ways to thank and honor David, though he has asked that we not make too much fuss. We will have a big coffee hour in his honor in July. And I hope you will make some fuss, and let me suggest that individuals and small groups might take him to lunch or invite him to dinner.

Here is David's grace-filled letter:

Easter Monday 2009

My dear friends,

Five years ago you invited me to join the St. Paul's ministry. I have loved being part of this parish, sharing in the lives of so many of you, watching our student ministry regain some of its earlier vitality. I could not imagine a more satisfying way of rounding out my forty years in the ordained ministry.

It is now time for me to retire from that ministry. I have been with you during a period of transition from one rector to another, a transition that is now complete. Under new leadership, the parish has the exciting opportunity of reaching out to the Charlottesville and University communities with renewed energy and vision.

Jim and I have determined that July 26th will be the end of my service at St. Paul's. Because I plan to remain in Charlottesville, I shall look forward to seeing all of you frequently. I have been greatly blessed by having been part of St. Paul's, and I pray that God will continue to bless the parish in the months and years to come.

With my love,
David

Palms to Passion

The earliest known account of Palm Sunday comes from a Spanish (or perhaps she was Gallic) pilgrim, Egeria, who described the elaborate ritual she saw in Jerusalem in 381 or so. Palm Sunday took all day, with time out for a mid-day meal before the faithful joined the bishop on the Mount of Olives for a procession with palms into the Holy City. Egeria wrote about her experience, and by the fifth century Palm Sunday had caught on in Spain and soon spread through the Christian world.

Our Palm Sunday did not take all day, nor did we have to walk so far. We began with a procession of palms that wound down the aisles and around, led by our acolytes and wonderful choir. We sang and prayed, and we walked and we waved our palms.

For me, it was a new experience though I have lived in many Palm Sundays. This was my first Palm Sunday at St. Paul's, and is was new and wonderful. We heard the ancient story of the triumphant procession of palms as Jesus entered Jerusalem. Then members of our congregation read the Passion story from the Gospel of Mark, reading aloud while standing in different places in our nave. David McIlhiney preached a homily about how we must travel with Christ to the Cross to unlock the Kingdom of God. 

And so our walk into Holy Week, and to the Cross, begins on a beautiful, sunny spring day (and that is Lori with her palm after our 10 am service). There is something fitting about the contrast of such a gorgeous day with the Passion story that comes next. I believe it is the contrast that gives Palm Sunday so much power.

Tomorrow, Monday in Holy Week, includes our regular noon Prayers for Peace, with prayers from many traditions. At about 12:30 pm we will celebrate a simple Eucharist. Please join me if you can, and wherever you are at noon, please pray for peace and especially for the peace of Jerusalem . 

May your week be blessed.

Celebrating David McIlhiney's ministry among us

Dear Friends,

I hope those of you can will join us tomorrow Dec. 21 to celebrate the ministry of David McIlhiney. He will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. He has shown much devotion and care to people of all ages at St. Paul's and I greatly appreciate his support and friendship in this time of transition in our parish. And I do hope he will serve with us for many years to come.

David will preach at both the 8 am and 10 am services, and we will have a festive reception for him after the 10 am service.

Blessings to all,

Jim+