A Meditation from The Rev. Hazel Smith Glover

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While sheltering in place I’ve spent some time in each room of my house. One of the most comforting rooms is my study because there I am surrounded by the array of books that have been my friends for decades. Yesterday, my eye landed on John O’Donohue’s book of blessings,To Bless the Space Between Us.

In his book, the author, poet, and Irish priest with a passion for Celtic spirituality recalls a seminal time in his early priesthood:

“When I was a young priest, I had the occasion to visit a contemplative community of sisters. An old sister opened the door. Knowing that I was a new priest, she asked for my first blessing. I stood over this contemplative and drew on every resource I knew to invoke the most intimate blessing. As I contemplated the blessing , it struck me how ironical this situation was: here was a contemplative nun who had spent more than 60 years of her live navigating the searing silence and darkness of God, yet she was asking a 25 yr old for his blessing. When she stood up I decided to kneel down and ask her for her blessing. She seemed utterly taken aback, she mumbled something and practically ran out of the room. She must never have had such a request for her blessing before. The was a woman who practiced a totally contemplative life, and yet the system made her feel that she could not bless, and, conversely, it made me think I could.”

He continues:

“Who has the power to bless? Perhaps there are deeper questions hidden here: What do you bless with? Or where do you bless from? When you bless another, you first gather yourself; you reach below your surface mind and personality, down to the deeper source within you – namely, the soul. Blessing is from soul to soul.” (pp. 204-205)

“We never know the script of our lives, nor do we know what is coming toward us, or why our life takes on this particular shape or sequence. A blessing is different from a greeting, a hug, a salute, or an affirmation; it opens a different door in the human encounter.” (p. 199). There is no distance in spiritual space. This is what blessing does: it converts distance into spiritual space (p.202)

We are aware of the spiritual space and the blessing between us when we read about individuals and corporations creating masks for those on the front lines of the virus. We recognize the power of it as we listen to cheers and applause for medical workers from balconies in Midtown at shift change (https://www.policemag.com/…/video-midtown-atlanta-residents…) or medical staff on rooftop at Cartersville Medical Center while folks on the ground were serenading them. Story after story of kindness and blessing are everywhere. The CEO and founder of Texas Roadhouse forfeited his salary so that employees could be paid. Ralph Lauren and Apple are donating $10 million for Coronavirus Relief. There has been much soul to soul connection the last few days as the people of St. Paul’s offered their favorite hymns and music on the FaceBook post by our organist/choirmaster, Mason Copeland.

We never know the script of our lives but at times like these we are called to step it up, to move from saying “having a blest day” to becoming a part of the blessing.

I offer an Irish blessing in closing, which you may view here or read the text below:

An Irish Blessing:

I wish you not a path devoid of clouds, nor a life on a bed of roses, not that you might never need regret, nor that you should never feel pain. No, that is not my wish for you. My wish for you is: That you might be brave in times of trial, when others lay crosses upon your shoulders. When mountains must be climbed and chasms are to be crossed; when hope scarce can shine through. That every gift God gave you might grow along with you, and let you give the gift of joy to all who care for you. That you may always have a friend who is worth that name, whom you can trust, and who helps you in times of sadness. Who will defy the storms of daily life at your side. One more wish I have for you: That in every hour of joy and pain you may feel God close to you. This is my wish for you, and for all who care for you. This is my hope for you, now and forever.

Peace,

Hazel+

A Recent Visit to the Cathedral

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By Joan Doggrell

The Cathedral of St. Philip is beautiful and inspiring, and I wanted to know more about it. So I used my status as a St. Paul’s blog writer and requested a tour. Mr. Trammel Williams, Event and Calendar Coordinator at St. Philip’s, arranged for me to meet Mrs. Jean Morris, longtime member of the St. Philip’s parish and an expert on the cathedral. A retired seventh grade teacher, she has an educator’s reverence for knowledge and an incredible memory.

We met in the spacious atrium of St. Philip’s on a rainy Monday. Jean was sitting on a couch near a pile of gear belonging to a homeless man. He had come there to get out of the cold and rain as do many of Atlanta’s homeless, who find shelter in the hallways and recesses of this imposing structure.

St. Philip’s Cathedral (from Wikipedia)

After introductions, I indicated that I was open to anything she would like to tell me. Jean decided that the history of St. Philip’s was a good place to start. Before launching into it, however, she stated emphatically that the cathedral belongs as much to the parishioners of St. Paul’s as it does to the cathedral’s own parish. As we know, St. Paul’s contributes to the support of the cathedral, the Bishop, and the extensive staff with a yearly tithe, as do the other parishes of the Diocese of Atlanta. By the way, Georgia has two dioceses; the other one is the Diocese of Georgia. 

And now for some history according to Mrs. Morris (as well as the Internet). 

“Sometime in the 1830s, six railroad men came down from the North to the town of Terminus (later Marthasville and finally Atlanta in 1847). They were building the intersection downtown where the east-west line and the north-south line cross. Those six railroad men were fortunately Episcopalian, so they built St. Philip’s,” said Jean.  

In 1847, the same year that Atlanta got its name, St. Philip’s was consecrated as a small Episcopal church. It was located at Washington and Hunter, near Milepost One, the area where Underground Atlanta is today. It was a little wooden church for just a few members.

“When the railways were completed, one of the original railroad men saw absolutely no future in the area, and he left and went back up North,” said Jean. “But five of them stayed here, and there are streets downtown named for them: Mitchell, Peters, and Lee.” 

“In 1904, St Philip’s became a cathedral because the area had grown so much.  Ansley Park had grown to be THE place to live, and businesses were thriving. Dean Raimundo De Ovies bought the property at Andrews Drive and Peachtree Road in 1933 because he could see that Atlanta was growing north, and the people that were good Episcopalians agreed with him,” said Jean. “During the Depression and World War II, they built this cathedral. Many times the materials were difficult or impossible to find.” 

“A cathedral is the office of the Chair, the Bishop,” explained Jean. “The word cathedral comes from the Latin term cathedra, and if you house the Bishop, then you become a cathedral.” 

Then we started on our tour.

On our way downstairs to the Bishop’s office suite, we passed several stained-glass windows set into the wall. “These were in the old downtown church, and we were smart enough to keep them,” said Jean. “We do not know who made them.” 

As we walked, she continued with the cathedral’s history.

“Frances Palmer Smith was the architect of the present-day St. Philip’s. He started the school of architecture at Georgia Tech. Besides St. Philip’s, there are many buildings in Atlanta that he was responsible for planning, including some of the Coca Cola buildings and the Buckhead/Druid Hills houses.”

According to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, Smith “trained some of the South’s most significant architects, including Philip Trammell Shutze, Flippen Burge, Preston Stevens, Ed Ivey, and Lewis E. Crook Jr.” His career “culminated in projects for the Cathedral of St. Philip on Peachtree Road, including the Mikell Memorial Chapel (1947), Hall of Bishops (1955), and the cathedral itself (1960-63), the latter two projects in association with Ayers and Godwin.” 

“Smith was born in 1886 in Cincinnati,” Jean continued. “which means that in 1962, he was getting fairly old when the first service was held. He was 82 when he died. He was worried that he would not live long enough to see this building finished. So, wisely, he educated a number of younger men and told them everything they needed to know about this building, so that if he died, they could finish his work. Smith was a student of Gothic architecture, but St. Philip’s style is Neogothic, meaning without the flying buttresses. The walls of Neogothic cathedrals have steel reinforcements, rendering those clumsy structures unnecessary. 

“Abbot Suger was the first to use flying buttresses for the ambulatory at the Basilica of Saint Denis, Paris, 1140-44. Bernard of Clairvaux coined the term Gothic because he thought the flying buttresses looked like something built by the barbarians of the North,” Jean explained. “In the Mediaeval Gothic cathedrals, a weak point develops in the arched ceiling if it gets too high and too wide. When the Europeans were building cathedrals in competition with one another, with each town trying to build its cathedral higher than the one down the road, the buildings sometimes fell in on the congregations.”

We enter the vestibule of the Bishop’s office suite where we meet Mary Job, Receptionist for the Diocese of Atlanta. I was immediately struck by an elegant set of vestments displayed behind glass. I quickly realized that Jean and Mary were ardent fans of Bishop Child, to whom the vestments once belonged.

Mary Job and Jean Morris

Vestments of Bishop Judson Child

“These are Bishop Child’s vestments,” said Mary. “He is the bishop that confirmed me.“

“And I voted for him to be bishop,” said Jean. “Three of us came from St. John’s as representatives of our parish. He was a most charming man.”

Charles Judson Child was born on April 25 1923, and died on January 5 2004. The seventh bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, he served from 1983 to 1989 (Wikipedia). Bishop Child is memorialized in several ways around the cathedral. For instance, the largest meeting room, formerly the Hall of Bishops, is called Child Hall.

“Now you know the Bishop is over us [the St. Philip’s congregation] as well as you at St. Paul’s since St. Philip’s is also a parish,” said Jean. “Congregations appoint search committees, conduct surveys, and read through applications, but it is the Bishop that approves priests and curates to serve parishes. They may or may not be the candidates chosen by the parish vestry and congregation. Also, the bishop sometimes recommends a curate who is looking for a job as an assistant.” 

At this point, Mary Job became the tour guide, identifying the many offices within the Bishop’s suite. Then it hit me: this is the administrative area, or the nerve center, for the whole Diocese of Atlanta. It encompasses the Finance office, the office of Isaiah Rodriguez, a former Catholic monk who is Hispanic minister for St. Philip’s and a translator for the National Church; the office of Canon John, Canon for Ministry; the office of Easton Davis, Youth Commissioner for the Diocese; and the office of Bonnie Burgess, Canon for Administration and Finance. 

I asked what a canon was. Mary explained that a canon is a member of Clergy who serves on the staff of the Diocese or Cathedral. 

There is a row Bishops’ portraits on the wall outside of the Diocesan office, starting with the first Bishop of Atlanta and Bishop of Georgia before that, Cleland Kinloch Nelson, and ending with our present Bishop, Robert Christopher Wright. As these and other pictures show, the Diocese is really about what goes on inside and outside of the walls of the Cathedral. 

 “As the state of Georgia grew, there became too many parishes for one bishop to visit each of them at least once a year,” Jean explained. “So in 1907, the Diocese of Georgia split, and Cleland Nelson said, ‘I’m going to Atlanta!’ – not like that railroad man who left!”

Christ Church Cathedral in Savannah is still the cathedral for the Diocese of Georgia.

Jean added this historical anecdote. “In 1864, the Catholic priest Father O’Reilly told General Sherman he would excommunicate him and his entire army if he burned any church in Atlanta. Sherman knew that his Irish Catholic soldiers would rebel if this threat were carried out. So all four of the downtown churches were left intact.”

At this point we said goodbye to Mary and continued our tour. We passed the large children’s area, but it was locked, so I couldn’t get a good view to compare it with St. Paul’s new children’s wing. We passed the laundry room and met the fulltime laundress. Jean said that the altar linens and all those white tablecloths in the meeting rooms need frequent washings. We passed a print shop as well. 

Then Jean showed me an attractive and comfortable room – the Gould room with sofas – used for meetings, lunches, and receptions. We also entered the glass- covered atrium that was once open with a fountain in the center. “But it was always dirty, so it went unused,” said Jean. “Now it is much more pleasant. The procession lines up here for services.”

At last we reach the nave, with its neogothic arches and gorgeous stained-glass windows. These are the Willett windows, installed in 1962 and donated by many different people.

Nave of St. Philip’s Cathedral and one of its many magnificent stained-glass windows

In contrast to the windows from the old church that St. Philip’s replaced, which depict a single Biblical story, each of these windows has multiple leaded panels that represent different characters, events, and parables from the Bible and from the later history of Christianity. Jean Morris knows the story of every panel. On the left wall (from the back of the nave) the windows portray New Testament stories, such as Jesus’ miracles. Just one window on that side represents Old Testament stories. Moses is portrayed with horns (the result of a mistranslation). A parishioner once commented that God applying hot coals to Isaiah’s mouth looked like a dentist.  “I am a man of unclean lips,” said Isaiah, so God cleansed his mouth to make him fit for prophesy. 

On the right side of the nave, the windows portray stories of the prophets as well as accounts from later Christian history. There is a window dedicated to the women of the Bible. And many more.

The Benedicte window over the nave entrance commemorates the plane crash in 1962 at Orly Field in France. “103 members of the Atlanta Art Association never made it back from their month-long tour of famed European art galleries. They were among the 130 people killed when Air France Flight 007 crashed off the end of an Orly Airport runway after an aborted takeoff attempt.” (AJC Archives).

Jean pointed out two small crosses that one might not notice otherwise. The Canterbury cross came from the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is made of rock left over from one of the many restorations of the Canterbury cathedral. The Cross of Nails is from Coventry Cathedral, which was bombed in World War II. The cross contains a speck from the Coventry nails. The practice of Foyers started in Coventry. When the cathedral was destroyed, the congregation met in each others’ homes.

Then we took a good look at the altar made of Italian marble. The kneeling pads around it are covered in cloth with needlepoint done by the Guild of St. Philip’s, which includes men as well as women. Beside the altar are the Dean’s chair and the Bishop’s chair, as well as chairs for the Canons.

Bishop’s chair

Behind the altar is St. Philip’s magnificent Aeolian-Skinner organ. Musicians come from far and near to practice on it and give recitals. In fact, our own organist and choir director Mason Copeland gave a recital here a few years ago. 

St. Philip’s organ

The organ console was replaced about ten years ago. It was financed over a three-year period with proceeds from the St. Philip’s Thrift Store. (Psst! Ladies, the address is 1893 Piedmont Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324. Jean says they have good stuff.)  St Philip’s also sponsors an antique show, the proceeds of which go to charity, plus a Farmer’s Market that benefits folks on food stamps.

Then, at my request, Jean took me downstairs again to see the choir room. By the way, the men and women have separate vesting rooms! By chance, we met Timothy Gunter, coordinator of the entire music program, which includes scheduling the recitals and concerts and taking care of the choir library. Timothy is also a fine pianist. In fact, last summer he gave a series of free Beethoven recitals. Over several weeks, he managed to play half of the Beethoven piano sonatas. The other half are planned for this summer.

Timothy Gunter, Program Coordinator for Music

The bride’s room is underneath the narthex. A stairway allows her to make her way to the nave without being seen before she walks down the aisle.

Lastly, Jean took me to see Mikell Memorial Chapel, the oldest part of the church, opened in 1947 and unchanged since. It is dedicated to Bishop Mikell. Its stained-glass windows depict parables. Architects often meet here because they appreciate its perfect proportions. 

Mikell Chapel

“This is a perfect place for a small funeral or a private wedding,” Jean remarked. The St. Philip’s 9:00 am service is held here every Sunday. Its small, elegant organ was given by a schoolteacher.

The tour ended as we took the elevator back to Child Hall, and then we returned to where we had begun. I thanked Ms Jean for a wonderful tour that deepened my appreciation for this magnificent structure. I strongly recommend that a group from St. Paul’s take her tour. St. Philip’s is a treasure, and so is she, for her knowledge and love of this place and the heritage it represents.

Children’s Ministry in the Time of COVID-19

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Hi St. Paul’s Families,

I am writing to you from the comfort of my couch while I listen to the rain gently fall and the birds chirp.  I have decided that I am going to use this time of social distancing to reflect on where I am now and where I want to be in my future. Kind of a perfect exercise for lent.  For me that starts with being grateful.  I am grateful for the green and growing things that are happening outside my window, I am grateful for my family, our clergy, and all of you.  I am grateful for the steady presence of God in my life.  I can’t help but think of the poem “Footprints” at this time.  When I was a teenager, going through life’s normal teen trials, my Mother gave me a card for my wallet with this poem on it.  At the time, the poem really helped me see things more clearly and it still helps me now.  Here it is to share with all of you:

One Night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way,
But I have noticed during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me.”
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child, I love you and would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.” (Author Unknown)

I have been reflecting on all that God has given me in my toolbox to deal with the emotional and physical challenge facing us as a community and a society.  Most obvious to me these days is that we are not alone, even though we may feel like we are sometimes.  We can pray and feel closer to God anytime we want, we can call family or friends, we can send texts and emails.  We can also write in journals, read the bible or a book, play with a pet, listen to music (a favorite of mine), exercise (walks, runs and hikes are great), sit outside, organize things, play board games, watch a movie.  The list is more extensive than I imagined.  It seems in this liminal space we are better served by some of the things we had before all the technology took over our lives. Take this opportunity to connect with each other(we all need it). Take this opportunity to connect with God.  Take this opportunity to experience the Lenten season with your families and look ahead to the hope of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This past Wednesday evening we held a live Bible Story with our families from 6:30 to 7:00pm.  Dawn Harrison joined us for singing and we had an enthusiastic group. We plan to hold this again next Wednesday, so watch your email for the link to join.

Stay safe and know that you are an important part of our wonderful St. Paul’s family.

Peace,

Susan

Bulletin for March 22, 2020 Online Worship

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If you wish to view/print the bulletin for the service ahead of time, you may access it here. The video for the service will be posted here on March 22, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time. (Please note: the link will not be operational until the designated time)

Children and Lent

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Written by Susan Payne, Director of Children’s Ministry

We have started talking to the children about Lent and Lenten reflections during Sunday School and Wednesday Night Bible Study.  As parents, Lent offers us an opportunity to extend the conversation at home by teaching them at an early age about the value of quiet reflective time. This means time without electronic devices including Television.  Jesus had a lot of reflective of time during his 40 days in the desert.   For us this period of time allows us to re-evaluate our actions and devote ourselves to becoming more “Christ-like”, growing in our faith.

During this past Wednesday night’s Children’s Bible Study Whitney Lowe led a discussion about how to observe Lent.  She mentioned adding something into our lives that is new or removing something from our daily lives. These additions and subtractions are reminders that we need to be mindful of what we do on a daily basis.  As a sat there listening to the discussion it made me think of how the choices we make have ripple effects in our lives.  We very often forget to stop and think first.  Stopping to reflect and be mindful before making a choice is a good practice to begin at this time. The younger we teach it to our children, the more useful it will be as a tool in their toolbox for life.

Following Jesus’ baptism, when he retreated to the desert to pray and fast for 40 days, the devil tried three times to tempt Jesus.  Jesus had choices to make each time, choices that would have consequences.  Was he going to serve God’s will or be tempted by the devil? The devil was offering him self-serving options to sate his hunger by turning stone into bread, sate his ego by proving that even if he jumps off of a cliff he is so important that the Angels will swoop in to catch him, or sate his material desire by worshiping Satan in exchange for ruling over all Kingdoms.  Each time he was tempted Jesus leaned on and quoted scripture to make his choices, thereby, leaning on his faith to guide him.  We are now in the desert and Jesus is with us as we walk it.  We have the gift of our faith and the scripture left behind for us.  We, as adults, know the path that the Good Shepherd has laid out for us.  We can spend time in lent reflecting on where this path is going and see if we have strayed too far, readjusting as necessary.  If we teach the children to be mindful and “Be Still” for a moment at this age we open the door for them to see where the path is and how they return to it.  Lent is truly a gift for all.

Teach Us to Pray! (Part Three)

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By The Rev. Kyle Mackey, Curate

In seminary, a classmate of mine once made the mistake of calling the 400th page of the Book of Common prayer “Rite III” within earshot of our liturgics professor. The professor then quite crossly explained it to the rest of the class. Page 400 of the BCP shows us how a Eucharistic liturgy is shaped, and its parts in their proper order. All Eucharistic liturgies in the Episcopal Church follow this pattern. The inclusion of this “Order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist” was intended to encourage the development of new Eucharistic liturgies by parishes for when a standard from the BCP was simply not going to work. In keeping with the prayer book, our new children’s chapel is based on this same pattern.

The first item on the list is to “Gather in the Lord’s Name.” Children’s chapel begins its gathering in the nave, where on a typical Sunday we hear the opening acclamation (Blessed be God…), the collect for purity (Almighty God to you all hearts are open…), and even the first bit of the Gloria, Kyrie, Trisagion, or another song of praise we may be using. We follow the cross back to the children’s chapel, which like the nave is a consecrated space. We also sing a song as part of our gathering, recently we’ve been using “Jesus Loves Me.” 

While we sing, the candles are lit by a volunteer. These bits of flame help to draw our attention towards the altar itself, as well as serving as a symbol of the Holy Spirit being present in the room. This action in combination with singing together, helps to bring our children together as a worshiping community and helps move the focus towards God. This first step of the liturgy is known by liturgists as the “Gathering Rite.” It begins when we wake up on Sunday morning, and ends with the Collect for the Day.

After the song, the presider uses the ancient greeting of the early church. “The Lord be with you!” which comes from the greeting of Boaz from the book of Ruth. (Ruth 2:4) Then after saying “Let us pray,” a special prayer for the day is used. This special prayer, known as a collect (from the Latin collecta), is used to ‘collect’ our prayers together into one big prayer, focuses us on the occasion we are celebrating, and marks the end of the rite of gathering.

Teach Us To Pray! (Part Two)

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By the Rev. Kyle Mackey, Curate

Patrick Malloy, an Episcopal priest and liturgical theologian, lays out 8 principles of good liturgical worship in his book “Celebrating the Eucharist.” The first and most important principle simply reads as follows: “The entire assembly celebrates the liturgy.” Everyone is a part of this little miracle we witness so often. It is a coming together of many members of the one body of Christ, and there is a beauty within that merging. 

One of the most obvious places where we come together as a church is in the singing of hymns as a congregation. Whether the text we sing is chosen from our hymnal or prescribed by the prayer book, anyone who has been in a choir will speak of the connection that forms when people sing together. This is not a new phenomenon either. The Epistles of the New Testament, some of the closest scripture we have to the life of Christ, mentions the singing of hymns. (Colossians 3:16 comes to mind)

Because of that history of song, when we set out to make our children’s chapel the richest experience it could be, we knew it needed music. Thankfully, we have been blessed by the presence of someone who has many years of experience teaching sacred music to children. Ms. Dawn Harrison. The first thing we do on Sunday in Children’s Chapel is to sing while an adult helper lights the altar candles. This song helps to serve as our song of praise at the opening of the liturgy, much like the Gloria in Excelsis does for the service in the nave.

We also sing a song in the middle of the service. This hymn varies slightly, it may be like the sequence hymn of the service matching the Gospel of the day, or it might be more like a musical introduction to the prayers of the people. Either way, all music that we use in church or chapel, is intended to help bring the all of God’s children together with their focus on the Lord whom we worship.

Children’s Formation at St. Paul’s

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By Susan Payne, Director of Children’s Ministry
It has been said that the way we pray shapes the way we believe. With that principle in mind, we have designed a new way to do children’s chapel that more closely mirrors the way we pray together on Sunday. By organizing the children’s chapel service much like the service in the nave, we are passing on and entrusting our tradition to some of our youngest. You might be asking “What does this new service look like?” Please join Reverend Kyle and Susan in the Children’s Chapel for Children’s Chapel Shepherd training at 9:45 am on Sunday, February 23rd.  This 15 minute training will be for all parents assigned to volunteer for Children’s Chapel and anyone curious about the new format.  
Children’s Sunday Formation is up and running in our new Children’s Ministry space from 9:30-10:45am on Sunday mornings. Developed by Dr. Jerome Berryman, Godly Play, is a Montessori-based curriculum that includes biblical storytelling, interaction, exploration, and creativity to teach and enliven Bible Stories. In Godly Play (age 4-3rd grade) marvelous things happen as children “work, play and wonder together at the awesomeness of God.” Parents are welcome to observe a Godly Play session. Please send a request to the Children’s Ministry Director if you are interested in observing. 
Building Faith Brick by Brick is a faith based Sunday School Curriculum for 4th and 5th graders that teaches Biblical Stories and allows older Elementary School aged children to express their thoughts and analyze stories through Lego creations.

St. Paul’s Holy Bible

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By Bill Tudor

HOLY BIBLE
CONTAINING THE
OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
TRANSLATED OUT OF THE ORIGINAL TONGUES, AND WITH THE FORMER TRANSLATIONS DILIGENTLY COMPARED AND REVISED
WITH REFERENCES AND VARIOUS READINGS
PHILADELPHIA
PUBLISHED BY E. H. BUTLER & CO.
1859

The above is extracted from the cover page of this Bible. In early 2019, this Bible was found on a high shelf in what was once the sacristy in the original building, now the Children’s Wing.

The binding was damaged, due to old age. It has now been repaired and restored, due to the generosity of a parishioner, and is on display in the Narthex.

No one seems to know the history of how and when the Bible came to be a part of St. Paul’s history. According to a book on Coweta history, the original “St. Paul’s Episcopal Church was established in Newnan in 1882 with services first held in Thomas Hall, on the west side of the courthouse. Later a small traditional white frame church was erected on Wesley Street at the intersection of Jackson Street… For reasons unknown, services were discontinued, and the property was sold in 1914… In 1954, Charles Van S. Mottola, Jim Hardin, and Beverly Upchurch conferred with Bishop Claiborne, who consented to establish an unorganized mission in Newnan… To maintain continuity with the original church at Wesley and Jackson Streets, permission was requested, and granted, to retain the name St. Paul’s.”