The Affair At The Beach

From Sun Realty

This January we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of All Saints Church on the Outer Banks. For the first four Sundays we have invited clergy who were connected to the church to share the history. The first, on January 3, 2016, is the Rev. Robert Moriseau of the Diocese of New York, retired, who for more than 20 years ago vacationed in Duck and for three Sundays gathered with a groups of curious and determined vacationers and some full time residents and retirees to do a 7:30 AM Sunday morning Eucharist service at a Methodist Chapel. Other vacationing clergy also helped out on other Sundays or a lay person might lead morning prayer. He will share what it was to be before the beginning of this process. of building this church.  I will not be preaching but I have written a poem about this stage in the church's life.

The Affair At The Beach
It begins with play, imagination asking, “Why not?”
To which a response retorts; “But think really why?
It is so much effort; can't we just stay where we are,
not putting all that work; besides who really cares?”
After a silence comes a voice: “But I care!”
        Another says, “And I care”
             A tentative “So do I.”, chimes.
                “As do I.”, asserts yet again.
Space between the two or three becoming sacred,
Holy Ground, where passing fancies morph into
Ideas of starting on a road to . . . where?
One foot in front of another, but to what purpose?
After all this is only a summer fling, not real life;
Yet, life seems more real, the water more bracing,
       the sand richer between the toes,
          the shells tell more stories
             the laughs deeper in the play . . .
                  YET?
Lighting the fire for passing warmth lights a fear
that this can consume and burn us unless we stop.
Yet, not wanting an ending, against all wisdom, we
bank the ashes together letting flames rest until the
next breath blowing gently at next time of meeting.