All Souls Weekly                 
Volume 2, Number 38, August 16, 2009

WAS FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE A SAINT?

Those who notice the Episcopal Church calendar will see that August 12 carries the heading, “Florence Nightingale, nurse and social reformer.”  Does that mean that we celebrate St. Florence’s Day? Does it mean that we should say a special prayer for nurses on that day?  Does it mean that she is a saint?

The Episcopal Church has a broad understanding of saints.  On some level we follow the Apostle Paul’s usage, describing all Christians (living and dead) as saints, people who are on their way to being made holy.  Because of our Catholic past and tradition, the Episcopal Church’s calendar still retains apostles, martyrs, and many of the “famous” saints who were venerated in the early Church.  The democratic aspect of our church is expressed in the meeting of General Convention every three years and at those meetings additional people are sometimes added to the church calendar.  They are sometimes people who might be regarded widely as “full-fledged saints”—those people who were in some ways larger than life, and whose lives provide inspiration and guidance for people still.  But there are also other people added to the calendar whose lives draw our attention to particular aspects of Christian service, charity, and mission.

 
Florence Nightingale was born in Italy in 1820, trained as a nurse, and eventually became a superintendent of a hospital in London.  She served as a nurse during the Crimean War, and upon returning to England, organized a training center for nurses at St. Thomas’s Hospital and King’s College Hospital.  Her high standards are regarded as contributing toward the public’s understanding of nursing as a profession.  Throughout her life, Nightingale was a devout Anglican and had a strong personal prayer life.  She was widely regarded as a healer and holy woman.  She died in 1910. 

We should never lose sight of the fact that we, too, are called to be holy, whatever work or profession we may do.  Like the popular children’s hymn sings, “They lived not only in ages past, there are hundreds of thousands still, the world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus’ will. You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea, in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea, for the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too.”  John Beddingfield

Around the Parish . . . The Rector is on retreat in New Windsor, Maryland through August 18.  He will check
 messages on his cell phone, which incidentally, has a new number: 202-510-7454 . . . Attendance on Sunday, 
August 9 at the 8:30 a.m. Mass, 31; attendance at 11:00 a.m. Mass, 105 . . . Total pledge offerings for the week 
were $4,955.00. The plate offering last Sunday was $505.60.

Your prayers are asked for . . . Helen Horne, Pat Latin, Erling Hansen, Tim Dill, Nick Aherne, Mark Hoffman, Mona Bauer, Sarah Calder and her family, Mary Backus, Sandy Jenkins Dixon, Robert Konefal, Steve Collins, I. Kathryn McKewen, Lexi Ball, Thais Blanchard, Bruce MacDonald, Bob Colburn, Elizabeth McKee, Freddie Cameron, Robert Long, Frank Karel, Barb Chaffee, Harriet Martin, Chris Cobb, Landis Vance, Vickie Drell, Stephanie Russell, Ruth & Fred Huber, Jim St. George, Mark Henderson, Martha Holdgate, Chip Meyers, Walter Jason, Arthur Andrew Warren, Robert Osborne, Mary Beth McCutcheon, Bryan Powell, Regina Dading, Julia Gutierrez, Ted Field, and for the repose of the soul of Elizabeth . . . Pray for members of the parish in the foreign service and others who are working overseas, especially Chuck Hunter, Steve Kerchoff, Brad Moore, and Michael Pate . . . Pray also for the members of our Armed Forces on active duty, especially Jack Severson, and Timothy Zlatich . . . If you wish to participate in our ongoing Internet Prayer Circle please contact Vicki Lowe at lowevg1@verizon.net.

The parish rejoices with Dan and Kate McClain upon the birth of their son, and with Henry upon the birth of his brother, Jude Rowan McClain, on Monday August 3.  Jude and family are doing fine. 

Liturgical Notes . . . We welcome the Reverend Caroline Kramer as our celebrant and preacher today.  Father Beddingfield will be back next Sunday . . . The flowers at the high altar today have no specific dedication and are paid for from the church flower fund. If you would like to donate flowers in celebration of someone or some event, or in memory of someone, please contact the parish office. 

Sunday School Organizational Meeting . . . Please join us on Sunday afternoon, August 30, at 5:30 p.m. for a light dinner and an organizational meeting for the children’s Sunday School, 2009-2010.  We’ll get to preview the new curriculum, which is published by the Episcopal Church called, “All Things New.”  It follows the church year and is primarily based on biblical stories and the basics of Christianity. If you can come or have ideas, please contact Lisa Watson, Father Beddingfield, or the parish office.

From the Parish Treasurer . . . Through the end of July, All Souls’ income has exceeded expenses by 4%.  As treasurer, I want to thank the giving parishioners for continuing their financial support during the usual slack summer months.  If we continue this way, I shall be able to wear my green and black tie at next year’s annual meeting. Larry Sturgeon

Thanks from the Episcopal Center for Children . . . The Episcopal Center for Children sent a note to the parish thanking us for “the wonderful cookies from All Souls during the month of May” – more than 36 pounds!  The Executive Director even came out to help bring them all in.  Merriam Woodhouse

Healing Ministry Meeting. . . Please join us on Sunday, August 23, after Coffee Hour following the 11 a.m. Mass for a light lunch and a meeting about being a healing minister at All Souls.  We will gather in the conference room.  Additional copies of the book, “Healing in the Landscape of Prayer” are available in the church vesting room.

Lay Eucharistic Minister Meeting . . . Please join us on Sunday, August 30, after Coffee Hour following the 11 a.m. Mass for a light lunch and a meeting about being a lay Eucharistic minister at All Souls.  We will gather in the conference room.

A Special Recital in Ft. Hunt, Mt. Vernon Area . . . On Sunday, August 23, Kate Campbell, a singer-songwriter from Nashville, will be giving a concert at St. Aiden’s Episcopal Church at 3:00 pm.  St. Aiden’s is located at 8531 Riverside Rd., Alexandria, Virginia.  This is in the Ft. Hunt area between the beltway and Mt. Vernon.  The suggested donation is $15.00.  Most of Kate’s music comes from her experiences growing up in the South in the 60s & 70s and as the child of a Baptist preacher.  She has an international following and her lyrics have been compared to the writing of Eudora Welty.  Kate is the niece of Larry Sturgeon, a parishioner of All Souls and she has visited All Souls in the past.  For more information, please see Larry.

Readings for the Daily Office