Making Plans to Celebrate
FROM THE RECTOR
On May 23, 1848, a group of Episcopalians in Fayetteville, Arkansas, gathered in the town’s schoolroom, where they normally met for worship, and, after sharing Holy Communion, called to order the first parish meeting of our congregation. The first order of business was to elect wardens and a vestry, and then the name of the parish was officially chosen—St. Paul’s Parish Church. One hundred seventy-five years ago, St. Paul’s was organized, and it has been the spiritual home of Episcopalians in this community ever since.
In one month, we will celebrate our 175th anniversary as a parish, and I hope you will join in the fun. A committee of faithful volunteers is leading our efforts along with support from our staff and vestry. We have scheduled a series of events from Friday, May 19, through Tuesday, May 23. You may want to come to all of them, or you may pick and choose what is attractive to you. Regardless, this will be a time of great celebration, and I hope everyone will find a way to be a part of it.
On that Friday night, we will hold a celebration banquet in the parish hall. Although details are still being planned, we know that it will be a catered dinner and that tickets will be on sale in advance. At the banquet, we will find ways to share stories from our recent past and celebrate what St. Paul’s has meant to us and to the wider community. We want to remember some of the organizations and projects we have undertaken with an eye to what lies ahead of us. Although we do not yet know what our next big project will be, we hope that celebrating past successes will encourage us to dream more concretely about what the future holds.
On that Saturday morning, we will gather at St. Paul’s to walk around the historic boundary of the parish. In the Episcopal Church, borrowing from our English roots, each congregation is established with a particular geographic boundary. Normally a congregation would walk the boundaries of the parish in prayer during Rogation Days, which are traditionally observed on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Day. This year, Ascension Day falls on May 18, which means that our procession will be a few days late, but the timing is too good to pass up! As we walk together, we will pray for the whole community and all its endeavors. When we return to the church, we will finish with a celebration of the Eucharist as we seek to embody our calling as a people of prayer and faith for all of Fayetteville.
Every Sunday in the year is a celebration of the resurrection, but on that Sunday we will also celebrate our history and where that history has led us. In worship, we plan to debut a hymn that is being commissioned in honor of our 175th anniversary. The Adult Forum that morning will focus on the images and stories of our past. And we will also hold our annual Parish Picnic, serving hotdogs and hamburgers along with the side dishes and desserts that the congregation is asked to bring. In the afternoon, we will gather on the lawn to enjoy each other’s company and to share our own experiences of the church we love.
Finally, on that Tuesday night, the proper anniversary of the organization of our parish, we will hold a celebratory concert, featuring our choir, organists, and other instrumentalists. The concert will begin in the church and, after an intermission, will conclude in the parish hall. Music has always been central to our identity as a congregation, as the historical records show, and it is fitting that we cap off our celebrations with a concert.
Anniversaries are opportunities to reflect on what has been and to look ahead to what will be. There are countless moments from our past worthy of celebration. Even in the struggles, God has been with us, enabling us to continue our mission of exploring and celebrating God’s infinite grace, acceptance, and love. In these anniversary celebrations, we gather not to pat ourselves on the back for a job well done but to rejoice in all the ways that God has been present in our lives and in the lives of those who have called St. Paul’s their home. This congregation has been an important part of the life of our community for 175 years, and, with God’s help, we will continue that work for at least another 175 years. At their core, these celebrations are an opportunity to remember that, and I hope you will be a part of them.
Yours Faithfully,
Evan D. Garner