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Copyright © 2003 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee | September/October 2003 |
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| From the bishop ... |
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Recently retired Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord George L. Carey, told a
story during his Evensong sermon at St. Paul, Chattanooga, and he repeated
it at the Laymen’s Conference. If you attended either event – or if you
have spent much time with me since then – you have already heard the story.
In any of those cases, I apologize for retelling the Archbishop’s story
once again, and I encourage you to skip the next paragraph of this letter.
According to Archbishop Carey, the trains in Wales are known to be especially
slow. One day, an anxious businessman boarded one such train and sat down.
The train then proceeded on its laborious way, across hill and vale, slowly
making progress. The businessman became more and more agitated until he
could stand it no longer. He got up, went to the front of his car, passed
through the next car and eventually arrived at the engine. And after arriving
there, he said to the train driver, “This is the slowest train I’ve ever
seen. Can’t you go any faster?” After a moment’s reflection, the driver
responded, “Yes … but I have to stay with the train!” After hearing that
wonderful story – twice – and retelling it myself several times, I heard
a special report on National Public Radio entitled “People Get Ready,” aired
on August 26. This was one among several segments that focused on the fortieth
anniversary of the March on Washington. Inspired by events of the early
and mid 1960’s, Curtis Mayfield wrote a song that helped encourage people
of that day. And the image of that inspiration and encouragement was – once
again – a train:
A music critic interviewed
on NPR for the show – Stanley Crouch – spoke of the ’60s song in words that
echo Archbishop Carey’s hopes: “By saying, ‘There’s a train a- comin,’ get
ready,’ that was like saying, ‘Okay, so regardless of what happens, get
yourself together for this because you are going to get a chance. Your chance
is coming.’ “The train that is coming in the song speaks to a chance for
redemption – the long-sought chance to rise above racism, to stand apart
from despair and any desire for retaliation … an end to the cycle of pain,”
Crouch said. Whether the source of pain is racism, prejudice of any other
kind, or grief and anger in the face of unwelcome change, what we all crave
is the opportunity for redemption, for relief and for moving on. Therefore,
my friends, there is indeed a train a-comin.’ Let’s get on board – and,
to combine metaphors, let’s stay on the train! Regardless of how slow or
how fast it moves, that train is “bound for glory,” as yet another song
proclaims. The train that is the Church travels many detours. It picks up
quite a variety of passengers. Those passengers, along with the train employees,
are purely and simply people – imperfect, by definition. But those people
– all of us – are called to “get ready.” And further, we are people who
– in spite of what we sometimes do – are bound for glory, as we travel together
on the train! Chugging along with you, |
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The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg, Bishop 814 Episcopal School Way
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Dear Friends, 