ACW Quiet Day hits the mark

The New Brunswick-Nova Scotia border was the backdrop for this year’s Diocesan ACW Quiet Day, held at St. Mark’s, Mt. Whatley, Aulac on Sept. 10.

The Rev. Canon Kevin Stockall led the service of Holy Eucharist, with organist Sharon Cole and layreader Julia Lockwood. Darlene Hicks, Linda Fury and Julia were readers. In attendance were 26 ACW members from various parishes.

Kevin spoke on the passage from Luke 7:36-50, where a woman washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and anointed them with an expensive perfume. 

Kevin explained the similarities of this story with the story of Epiphany with the arrival of the Magi, and of the intended preparation of Jesus’s body after crucifixion. He called the people involved in these stories the myrrh bearers.

“The challenge is to imagine the feelings as the women go to the tomb. They went with a deep and abiding sense of hopelessness,” he said. “The only thing they can do at the moment is to faithfully care for his body.

“Jesus is dead. His ministry is over, yet their love for him doesn’t end. The myrrh bearers get to be the first witnesses — the apostles to the apostles. They’re given the amazing privilege of hearing the news first.”

Modern day myrrh bearers are still in the business of caring for the body of Christ: the church cleaners, the readers, the altar guild members, the coffee makers and those who clean up afterwards.

“The Church now is different from the one when we grew up,” he said. “There are negative things, despair and hopelessness. The death of the church is predicted.

“But death is not the last word, so we go about our work. We live in hope knowing the power of God to raise the dead. It’s the same as those tasks the myrrh bearers did.”

After the service, the guest speaker was the Rev. Wendy Amos-Binks. Retired and living in Riverview, she is an honorary assistant in the Parish of the Six Saints.

She, too, referenced the woman with the alabaster jar of perfume. 

“She has no name,” said Wendy. “All we know is she was a sinner from the city, and we can infer the worst. She would not have been invited to the table of Simon the Pharisee. Yet she was there.”

Somehow she slipped into the meal with her alabaster jar of perfume “and did something outrageous!” said Wendy.

She was overcome with emotion, bathing the feet of Jesus with tears and drying them with her hair. 

“She felt drawn to him — a friend, a healer — and he noticed her,” she said.

And while Simon was outraged over this breach of purity laws, Jesus had only hospitality, forgiveness and love on his mind. And his story of the two debtors illustrated who loved him more — the sinful woman or the powerful Pharisee.

Wendy ended the session by passing out a prayer card featuring the Prayer of St. Richard of Chichester to each woman. 

Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given us, for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us. Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen.

This 13th century prayer formed the basis of the 1970s hit song, Day By Day from the musical Godspell, which Wendy played. 
Day by day, day by day
O dear Lord, three things I pray:
To see thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
Follow thee more nearly,
Day by day.

Lunch was a selection of casseroles, salads and sweets provided by the people of St. Mark’s.  The $200 offering was split between the Farraline Place carpet fund and the Prot Elgin School lunch program.

The afternoon was set aside for a craft. Volunteers pre-made desktop storage containers for pens, scissors and other items, and the ACW women spent their time decorating them before taking them home.

FEEDBACK
Gwen McConnell: It’s not quiet! Fr. Stockall did a nice job of the Eucharist. The guest speaker was very organized and spoke well. The food was nice and different from the usual. And this was an interesting and useful craft.

Cheryl Young: I like the fellowship. It’s a spiritual journey with like-minded people, and there’s no stress.

Jill Stewart: There is nothing not to like. We get to meet friends and other ACW members. We had a wonderful service and the guest speakers are always terrific. The food was absolutely scrumptious and the craft was wonderful.

Photo captions:

1. Ladies gather at St. Mark's, Whatley in the Parish of Westmorland (Aulac) for the annual ACW Quiet Day Sept. 10.
2. ACW members work on their craft.
3. The Rev. Wendy Amos-Binks was the guest speaker.
4. Parish volunteer David Ripley preps the food for lunch.
McKnight photos