Fall 2008

For the fourth year young adults from Taccoa Falls College in Georgia have come to Aliquippa to work with Aliquippa Impact, providing summer educational and mentoring opportunities to local at-risk children. Once again we welcomed some of them into our midst as occupants of one of the Row Houses. At the end of the season, as in past summers, they graciously offered a day of “grunt work” and this year James was only too pleased to line up a variety of projects, from clearing dead trees to painting our many wooden porches and steps with special weatherizing paint. Aliquippa Impact recently moved their administrative office into All Saints’ House, in the ground floor space which became available when GOAL relocated to Pittsburgh. We continue to be impressed and encouraged by the commitment of these intern missionaries from the Christian Alliance tradition.

After fifteen months the flooded office basement has been restored for use as a meeting/recreation area. We are thrilled to be able to return to this space for our regular Sunday evening Common Time, which book-ends our Sabbath that begins with the Eucharist and Common Meal on Saturday evening. Since this is the third time in fifteen years that weather related problems have caused sewer water to back up into the basements on most of our properties, we took the bold step of redesigning the drainage flow as to (hopefully) avoid future problems.

In the National Portrait Gallery in London are two portraits of Queen Elizabeth II. In one of them she stands alone against a plain gray background, clad in a floor-length red robe, a serious expression on her face. The other portrait shows her sitting on a sofa in a richly appointed parlor, wearing a skirt and sweater, looking quite at ease. At her feet are her dogs. Family members, casually dressed, lounge or stand around in various relaxed attitudes. The monarch, the mother, the grandmother: quite recognizably the same person in different modes. This is what we have in the four gospels: quite recognizably the same Jesus, but in different presentations: The Good News told four times. As do visual portrait painters, the gospel writers have, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, selected emphases, surroundings, demeanor, and events to show us Jesus: all of the portraits are true, but not identical, not copies. The result: a veritable treasure trove of encounters with Christ, the Messiah. We are so fortunate to have all four of them. At this conference we will look at the particular structure, language, content and beauty of each gospel, so as to “see him more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly.”

The Rev. Ann Paton, retired after a long career teaching English Literature at Geneva College, is an Episcopal priest presently serving as liturgical assistant at the Church of the Ascension in Pittsburgh. She remains active in her retirement as teacher, preacher, retreat leader, spiritual director and enjoys the occasional trip abroad, often to Wales. We look forward to having her as our 2009 conference speaker.

Two highlights in May and Steven’s life this year were the birth of their third grandchild, William Daniel born July 10th to Stephanie and Brad Tubman, and a vacation trip to Wyoming (finally!) to visit long time Community friend and Companion Daphne Grimes, who recently retired as the Community’s Spiritual Advisor.

May at the Cairn on the hill behind Thomas the Apostle Center

While on vacation in North Carolina, Mimi and Bill had a delightful visit with the Community’s former Episcopal Visitor Bill Folwell and his wife Chris.

The backyard Green Space was the venue for the Barton family, Row House tenants, to celebrate Kiara’s graduation from Aliquippa High School and impending move to college. Many friends and family dropped by during the day-long gathering.

UK News Phil and Margaret Bradshaw joined us from England for the Annual Conference in June. The theme of Understanding Difference, with its special relevance to Islam brought to us by the speaker, The Rev. Masud Ibn Syedullah, fitted in well with their experience of meeting with Palestinians in Israel last year. Phil is currently following this up with a course on Understanding Islam. Phil and Margaret found this concept being picked up by speakers at the Greenbelt Arts Festival, UK, which they attended in August – another link in a recurring theme today.

May and Betty lead David’s Song, “We see him everywhere...” an action song for all ages

A group dashed into Pittsburgh immediately after the end of the conference to catch the closing act of the Pittsburgh Arts Festival: Alejandro Escovedo, with David Pulkingham on guitar/vocals. As a multi-talented Pulkingham, he is still making music many decades after composing David’s Song. The anticipated rain held off until the second encore, so the visit with David had to be truncated into a quick group hug.

Garden Tour In August we were very pleased to be invited to participate in the 2nd

Annual Landscaping and Garden Ideas Tour, a fundraising event in support of Contact Beaver Valley’s 24-Hour Crisis Helpline. Gardens in various townships all around Beaver County were on the self-guided tour, with two stops in Aliquippa: Celebration and Uncommon Grounds Café. James produced a very detailed handout for viewing the variety of plants on our property. Bill and James fired up the Earth Oven, and fresh-baked bread was offered to those who stopped by to marvel at this hidden treasure of greenery on Franklin Avenue.

Grounds Of The Community Of Celebration Our humble, low-budget urban gardening over the past 23 years has had an influence on the majority of the 800 block of Franklin Avenue.

Take time to view: 1. The flower beds in the Front Yards of the Row Houses. 2. The Shade Garden Path between #823 and #825. 3. The Backyard with hand-built Earth Oven. 4. The Chapel with indoor fountain. 5. The outside Chapel Garden with fountain and trellis. 6. The Cottage Garden at All Saints’ House.

We hope you enjoy this little bit of oasis and experience something of the presence of God in a distressed neighborhood that is generally devoid of natural beauty.

Don (one of the tour organizers), Steven and Joe hard at work as the welcoming committee