Page 38 - MLD Book

him miles away. It was a big story, and all of a sudden, Frederick was designated a poor soul who was wonderful. Now nobody deserved to be murdered, and that was awful, but he did not have saintly ways. We buried his ashes in our Burial Ground, and prayed for his soul, and probably ours too.
1999
Much to his horror, Melvin is elected Senior Warden! Since we had been social friends with Ben and Mary all the time they had been at Calvary, it was easy for Melvin to assume the role of caring for the rector. But all those meetings were not pleasurable for him, and he did confess to going to sleep in some of them. Actually at that time he was having a few health problems that contributed to going to sleep at odd times, and I remember going on a boat trip on an Amsterdam canal celebrating his 60th birthday – with him sound asleep. Medical people never actually did figure it out, although I maintain it was sleep apnea, which he
refused to deal with. But that’s off the track for 1999 news.
The main and lasting accomplishment was the completion of the north entry and one of its first good uses was the Diocesan Convention that Calvary hosted. My anniversary of coming to Calvary, as I have mentioned, is (still) the first Sunday in July, and in 1999, it was my 35th. Always one to be unique, I had requested in lieu of gifts that everybody who wanted to acknowledge that milestone could bring a bag of food! To my astonishment, 130 food bags were brought, and a picture of them gathered around the pulpit is printed in the 1999 annual report. And in addition to the food, cash gifts on the amount of $3,930 were received. Not only that, Bill Garnar retired from the public library at the same time, and he asked for food donations as well. $733 was given for food in his honor. We were flush that year, and that really helped feed 3,339 people for 1999.
On September 2, 1999 a big thing happened! Calvary sponsored its first refugee family when Ridvan, Maki, Tuti and Dita Sherifi came from Kosovo to live in Louisville. We were responsible for everything, and Calvary people pitched in with an enthusiasm I seldom had seen. They arrived on three days notice too, and what a scramble to find and completely outfit an apartment. Lou Henson and the Bakers took the lead, assisted by many, and this family is still in Louisville today, thriving and still in close contact with Lou in particular. They spoke NO English, so there was a lot of picture drawing and sign language. Calvary people provided groceries, drove them to appointments, got the kids in school and it was all a wild scramble but totally worth it when you see how they are today. Since then we have sponsored other families and assist the refugee ministries in a number of ways, including food bags at present.
As mentioned in the context of the cross falling in 1998, it was reattached in 1999 with muchfanfare. Alsointherealmoftheunique,theagingkitchenstovehadtobereplacedat a cost of $3300. My idea, along the lines of what we had done to sell piano keys, was to ask 100 parishioners to donate $33 each to pay for it. That was so successful that we were able to buy four kitchen stools with the excess!! I also mentioned previously about Ronald Bailey, one of our regular food clients, who wrote poetry and would bring some to us from time to time. As the new year 1999 began, he brought me a poem and dedicated it to me. I am so appreciative of this, and as you read below, it serves to underline his philosophy and his role in life as one who was among the poorest, but yet had a brilliant mind and a yearning for peace and a longing for all to be equal:
POEM FOR A NEW DAY
For Margaret – by Ronald Bailey