Saint James the Great Anglican Church Smiths Station, Alabama

A Mission of the Anglican Province of America

Fr John Klein can be reached at (334) 663-2985 / kleinjw@tigermail.auburn.edu

Newsletter #35 - Epiphany 2019

Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins

will speak at St. James' Brotherhood of Saint Cornelius

Saturday, January 12 at 9:00 A.M. (EDT)

This is the inaugural meeting of our Brotherhood of Saint Cornelius, named

for the Roman centurion who was the first gentile Christian, and intended to

be a support and fellowship group for veterans of our Armed Forces. This

Traditional, orthodox Anglicanism – Catholic and Evangelical – for modern people.

"brotherhood," which of course includes women who served, is the idea of our

own Don Bowman, LTC, US Army Retired, recipient of the Silver Star. The

prayer breakfast is free of charge and open to all soldiers, sailors, airmen, or

marines currently serving or those who previously served our nation. We will

begin with the Lord's Prayer, the prayer "For the Army," and The Pledge of

Allegiance. Then breakfast will be served followed by CSM Adkins's address

to us. Questions and answers follow then announcements and the blessing.

Bennie G. Adkins is a highly decorated retired US Army Command Sergeant

Major and recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in March 1966 during

the Vietnam War. He deployed to Vietnam for three tours. Upon retiring from

the service he ran his own accounting business. He and his wife live in

Opelika, Alabama. For those who may have a copy of A Tiger Among Us:

A Story of Valor in Viet Nam's A Shau Valley by Bennie Adkins (New

York, NY: DeCapo Press, 2018) I am certain he would be willing to autograph

it.

"Of the millions of men and women who have fought America's wars, only

some 3,500 received our country's highest award for gallantry, the Medal of

Honor. There's just one way to earn it—the hard way. Command Sergeant

Major Bennie Adkins tells us what it takes. A Tiger among Us puts you right

in the middle of desperate close combat in the heart of the Vietnam War's

deadly A Shau Valley. What does it really mean to battle a relentless enemy

'above and beyond the call of duty'? Bennie Adkins knows. Read this book and

you will, too."— Lieutenant General Daniel P. Bolger (US Army, Ret.).

RSVP to Father John Klein at (334) 663-2985.

Rachel Bird had her Baby

Asher was born on January 2 at 10:49 A.M... He weighed 6.9 pounds and was

20 1/4 inches long. Mom and son are doing well at East Alabama Medical

Center. The picture below is of Rachel at the baby shower given for her at

Saint James.

Some words from the Vicar:

The past several months have been a time of intense work converting the

church building to both make it a beautiful liturgical venue and to preserve

what is one of Smiths Station's most historic buildings - The Pittman House.

I am convinced that we have been successful in that attempt. All of this has

taken time, and the vision we had two years ago is now finally coming to

fruition. Incidentally, most of the work is invisible. I have observed that most

people see only on the surface. Not so with the framing carpenters, finish

carpenters, and electricians who have done so much beneath the surface.

The goal; was to open up the building all the way to the apex, some twenty-

nine feet above, and leave the second-floor intact at the liturgical west end.

Little did we know that this gallery-loft would need to be strengthened with

twelve new 2" x 12" 16' joists, bolted together, two tied to each original rafter.

We then re-laid the original flooring, choosing the very best boards for

sanding and varnishing.

Next we rewired the entire nave with modern up-to-code wiring. Everywhere

we could we built in a safety margin. Lighting was installed with an iron

chandelier, very mediaeval in appearance, high above. All the lights were put

on dimmers. The joists in the open expanse of the nave were sistered together

two by two to open the space even more, while greatly increasing the strength

of the century-old building. This renovation left much room for plaster repair:

the covering of the upstairs fireplace, the gaps left between first and second

floors, and some old plaster sections which just had to be replaced with

drywall. Over all this the plasterer put several coats designed to make the

imperfections abundantly present previously, normal for the future. It all

looks older now. After this we needed to build a very strong, very safe balcony

rail. We used the original upright posts - now no longer needed because of the

strengthening of the structure by a factor of about ten times - and fashioned

two of them into the kneeling rail in the loft. We copied the square stairway

baluster posts, which were removed with the stairs, and created a gorgeous

rail complete with bannister rungs and polychrome molding to match the

altar.

Then the pews that Linda and I brought from the old barn in Minnesota were

cut down and installed. I repaired all the dings and minor blemished with

steel wool and Old English furniture polish. We now have nine pews below

and one larger in the gallery.

The church as it looked on Christmas morning.

A new iron chandelier is to be hung in the parish hall. Linda's Saint John the

Baptist window is to be set into an interior, backlighted shadowbox in the

nave. We are now awaiting the final sanding of the walls and the finish coats

of plaster. Then we are going to have a painting day when parishioners and

friends of the parish turnout to help paint. Last of all we are going to sand and

repaint the nave floors. When all of this is over you will be invited to our "open

house" celebration. We will no doubt serve tea; perhaps, wine and tapas, it is

after all a church named for Santiago, patron of Spain. Fr. John Klein

Three levels of work in the nave. Electrician above, carpenter in

the middle, carpenter's apprentice on the floor level.

Beams being sistered together

Outside, the upper window had to be removed and shingles

replaced as if nothing had ever changed. It is a long way up there.

To each of the original joists we added two modern 2" x 12" x 16'

joists thus creating giant beams to support the gallery.

New, very strong 2" x 12" ledger boards were added to support the

gallery. This greatly increased the strength probably ten times

greater, horizontally and vertically of the whole west end of the

church.

This is our Christmas Tree in the Gallery-Loft before the

bannister rungs and polychrome molding were installed.

Epiphany in Smiths Station. This is the town's Christmas tree.

We celebrate The Epiphany of Christ this Sunday with Mass at

11:00 A.M. (EDT). It is also Father Klein's forty-seventh

anniversary of ordination to the priesthood.

The Holy Land Pilgrimage Save the Date - February 11-20, 2019

Come see Galilee and trace the footsteps of Jesus. Join me on a journey to Jerusalem and the holy sights of our Lord’s ministry next year. If you have a mom or dad who has always wanted to go to the Holy Land, give them this gift. Perhaps friends who go on cruises every year, this is the best ever. I think all Christians, if they can afford the time and treasure, owe it to themselves to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The package price - including all airfare, four star hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, all entrance fees, a trained guide and with Bishop "Chad" Chandler Holder Jones and me as the spiritual directors of the pilgrimage - is $2998 double occupancy per person (plus approximately $695 airport taxes and fuel surcharge as of May 2018). This makes the total about $3343.00. There will also be gratuities to the driver and hotel staff - $125 per participant is suggested. And, of course, some will want to buy an icon, oriental carpet, or ride a camel. This is a ten day religious pilgrimage in a traditional, orthodox Anglican manner. We will pray Morning

and Evening Prayer daily, celebrate the Eucharist at major holy sites, and sing sacred hymns in the holiest settings. We will even carry a wooden cross along the Via Dolorosa as we walk the Way of the Cross. Come and see, see so many places that will enlighten your understanding of the Bible and our Faith For the itinerary - which is being refined at this point - please see:

https://goo.gl/1SHfrS It is easy to register - just $350 deposit down - go to this URL by simply copying the address and pasting it in your web browser. Itinerary and registration sheets are there online.

Don't miss this incredible opportunity! Fr. John Klein, SSC

CALENDAR: Sunday, Eucharist at 11:00 A.M. (ET) followed by Coffee Hour-Class.

Please join us for Coffee Hour following Mass and our ongoing study of Frank Wilson's Faith and Practice.

Wednesday 6:00 PM Mass with Supper followed by Bible Study.

First Saturdays: Society of Mary at 10:00 AM (ET) - Coffee, Angelus, and Rosary.

Look for Saint James' Little Free Library coming soon.

Fr Klein is being joined by Bishop Chad in leading a Pilgrimage to the

Holy Land in February 11-20, 2019.

BIRTHDAYS:

January 5 - Andrea Granger

February 5 - Robert "Chip" Mosley

February 8 - Alexey Trushechkin

February 17 - Jake Hill

February 24 - Sandra Thornburg

St. James the Greater by Carlo Crivelli (circa 1480)

℣. Saint James, pray for us. ℟. That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.