Apalachicola

Some twenty five years ago Bedford and Eugenia Watkins moved to Apalachicola/Eastpoint and started visiting churches in our area. Coming from the American Baptist Church in Illinois, they had lived in Bloomington where Bedford was Professor of Piano and Harpsichord at Illinois Wesleyan University. As a couple they had been organist and choir director at First Baptist Church there for twenty five years. When I tried to engage them in conversation about taking up the same ministry at Trinity Episcopal Church they declined, saying that they wanted to settle down and enjoy retirement.

American Baptist is a mainline church in worship and social tradition similar to the United Methodist, Presbyterian and United Church of Christ. My hope and prayer was that they would find their new church home at Trinity and not at the United Methodist parish around the block from us. 

This morning Linda and I are driving to Apalachicola, where I am to preach at the farewell service for Genie and Bedford. They have been organist and choir director at Trinity Church almost from the beginning. We are looking forward to seeing them one more time, to being again in a town where we loved living, and to worshiping in the church I served as parish priest for fourteen years.

A Collect for Sundays

O God, who makest us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of thy Son our Lord: Grant us this day such blessing through our worship of thee, that the days to come may be spent in thy favor; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

TW+