Congratulations are in order for Parker Stoker who has graduated this year from Baylor School, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Parker will be continuing his education this Fall at Sewanee, The University of the South.

Remember that our schedule of Services does not change during these three months. Both Bible Study and Anglican Studies classes will continued to be offered each week.

During our Bishop's Visitation on Trinity Sunday our Parish celebrated the Baptism of Rene Margaux Camille Ahlers, the infant daughter of William and Sirena Ahlers. Bill was Confirmed and Sirena was Received immediately following the Baptism of Rene. The Ahlers bring with them to All Saints' Parish their young son, Fitz William Louis Ahlers and, taken together, are wonderful additions to our Parish family.

But Trinity Sunday brought more joy and blessings to the Parish as Bp. Haverland also Confirmed Mardena Kay Ehert, Michael Edward Coats, Judith Waldeck Hammond and Received Stephen Alexander Boyko, Robert George Storey, David Allen and Constance Kinkade Beveridge, and Elaine Meredith Keller.

Welcome to each and all of you.

During his Visitation the Bishop joined the Parish clergy, vestry members and their spouses at a dinner on Saturday evening hosted by Fr. Clanton at the Houndslake Country Club. Also attending were Fr. and Mrs. McAughey and Fr. and Mrs. Martin from St. Luke's Parish, Augusta.

Following the Sunday Services, Bp. Haverland was our guest of honor at a "Solemn High Coffee Hour." There, in addition to being very well nourished by the wonderful spread of foods provided by our members, he was presented with a gift from the Parish for his discretionary use.

We hope to have Bishop Haverland return to All Saints' this Fall at which time we anticipate that another nine persons will be presented for Confirmation or Reception, Fr. Alexander will be Instituted as All Saints' new Rector, and the relocated Library of the Anglican Catholic Church will be Blessed.

Gentlemen, who are so inclined, are still held in good grace when they decide to leave coats and ties in the closet. Ladies, of course, may be as uncomfortably attired as they think best.

This issue of The All Saints' Herald will be my last. Fr. George Alexander takes on the mantle of the Rector of this fine Parish effective July 1. He will have my fullest appreciation and support as I know will be given him from the entire Parish.

Retirement, for a priest still able to function, is not really an appropriate concept. "Thou art a priest forever." But changing one's role in the life of a Church or parish is often a good idea and sometimes even necessary. To me it seems the former and as I struggle with an unreliable memory, a body that is in increasingly frequent rebellion and certain weariness with such things as administration, newsletters, bulletins, trying to find my keys, etc., perhaps the latter applies too. But, truth is, I'm not really so much retiring as changes roles.

So long as he desires, I will be assisting my former assistant and new boss. Mostly this will consist of liturgical and pastoral support. In addition I will be remaining Archbishop Haverland's Archdeacon until he determines that another might serve him and the Diocese better. I shall continue to look after Our Savior's Parish in Florence until relieved of that responsibility and shall probably do the majority of their clergy supply. There is also now the Church's Library that I shall be tending. Finally, "retired clergy" are frequently asked to supply for ill or absent clergy in other Parishes and perhaps I shall be called upon from time to time to help out in that way too. So, retirement, for me, means I will still be blessed with involvement with the clergy and good people of All Saints', our Diocese and Church. I just get to be more "independent" about it and concentrate of the "fun" parts.

As those of you who have put up with me these past nearly 13 years know, I am embarrassingly emotional when personal matters arise. Telling people how much they mean to me or saying goodbye, or accepting kindnesses tends to trip the tear trigger no matter how much I would prefer to be less of a boob. So let me here, sitting alone before this keyboard, try to convey my heart.

I've been a priest for over 45 years and have served in a number of Parishes and Church institutions. I have never, however, had a more wonderful Parish than All Saints'. What has made it so fine is its people, clergy and lay alike. Fr. Alexander and Dn. Davies have been an immense blessing offering both service and friendship. Naming individual members of the Parish seems to me very unwise as I would almost certainly fail to include all that I should. I will make this one exception: Sara Wood was our Senior Warden when I arrived and remains so as I step down as Rector. Her service, wisdom and love has never been withheld; her dedication has never wavered. To her my specific thanks cannot be silent.

I have also, unfortunately, passed during these years of ministry through several ecclesiastical jurisdictions. It should not have been so. Men, especially Churchmen, should have been more faithful and disciplined so that the Faith once delivered would not have assaulted from within. The Anglican Communion should not have been sliced, cut, divided by sinful, misguided men. I should not have had to make decisions about who was most right, most faithful, most true. But I did and, sometimes, I was wrong. Thanks be to God that, in the end, we together found the Anglican Catholic Church, Archbishop Haverland and a solid, faithful home.

And then there is my family: always supportive, always forgiving, always loving. They were always punished with me when we were in hostile situations and rarely rewarded, as I have been from time to time. They have done without the time I should have given to them because others came first. They have done without some of the things that a better financial circumstance might have provided. They have always understood a heart and mind too often preoccupied with other things; other souls. God love them…as I most surely do.

The Parish is going to do just fine. You deserved a better priest these past years, but you have held up really well. I know you will give Fr. Alexander all the support and encouragement that I enjoyed before him. I thank you and I thank God for you.

Hilary Blanton	June 1
Anthony Harris	June 1
Bob Ruddy	June 6
Les Wilkinson	June 6
Michael Wood	June 7
Sandy Harris	June 17
Lainey Keller	June 18
Raney Wilcox	June 20
Frank Newkirk	June 23
Ruth Clanton	June 27
Murf Herbruck	June 27
Mary Catherine Wilcox	June 30
Willard Rappleye	June 30
Claire Voegele	July 1
Pat Byers	July 3
Janice Jenkins	July 7
Mildred Young	July 7
Onesta Carswell	July 19
Judy Colley	July 27
Judy Parrott	July 29
Michael Hardwick	August 1
Allen Marshall	August 2
Beth Orlowski	August 2
Parker Stoker	August 6
Dieter Voegele	August 6
Kenneth Gordon	August 9
Jenne Stoker	August 16
Diane Gordon	August 21
Sara Wood	August 21
David King	August 22
Dacre Stoker	August 23

David & Gail King	June 5
Fred & Betty Christensen	June 9
Lee & Alice Larison	June 10
Dacre & Jenne Stoker	June 30
Anthony & Sandy Harris	July 11
Alan & Phoebe Marshall	July 13
William & Trina Crocker	July 18
Dn. Christopher & Cecelia Davies	July 28
Dn. Christopher Davies (Ordained Deacon)	August 6
Carl & Jane Schultze	August 7
Harold & Beverly Kimmel	August 17
Walter & Janice Jenkins	August 31