The Saints of God

One of my favorite hymns is " I Sing A Song of The Saints of God". My Baptist grandmother, whose birthday was All Saints Day loved coming to the Episcopal Church especially around that time to sing this hymn. When she passed away, we had poorly xeroxed copies of the hymn borrowed from St. Helena's Church in Beaufort, SC (Established 1712) at her memorial and all the Episcopalians sang loud and proud to the awe of the others. It is often used at memorial services and was part of my father's in 2010.

         I have spent a great deal of time this year commemorating the many Saints of God as Christ Church and the greater Charlotte community have sent many to be with Our Lord. Young Henry Coulter was one of those Saints. He fought a courageous ten month battle his entire life including a successful heart transplant. As Lisa said at his memorial, Christ Church has had four of seven rectors named Henry (including Chip) several that went on to become Bishops. Henry skipped all that nonsense and went straight to sainthood. God bless his parents Carrington and Jane, twin sister Loulie and all of the Coulter and Wardlaw families.

          Another Saint is our own Aimee Norman who completed her two year battle with cancer on Sunday. For those of you who took any French, Aimee is from the word amour or love. Everyone loved Aimee and Aimee loved everyone. For those of you who were not blessed to know her, she was the heart and soul of Christ Church. I don't believe the Charlotte Observer can list all of her accomplishments in one issue. She was instrumental in the strength of our relationship with the Diocese of Costa Rica and Bishop Hector. Her fingerprints are on every Habitat House we have built in the last dozen years or so. Our twenty-fifth house is in her honor (now memory) so swing a hammer, slap some paint, or anything you can do for Aimee. Homeless issues, especially for women and single mothers were a huge part of her ministry. She also continually challenged the staff and clergy to make Christ Church our Spiritual Home. Her spirit is with us as she has ascended to the Heavenly Kingdom and I'm sure has already suggested ways to make it better.

           I can't finish speaking about sainthood without mentioning John Norman. Upon Aimee's diagnosis, he exhausted every resource he could to try and find a cure for his bride. During her two year battle, not only did he support, love, nourish and care for Aimee every step of the way; he also kept Allie and Katie upbeat and focused throughout their mom's illness. He also kept his extended family up to date with regular Caring Bridge posts full of insight, love, hope, humor and philosophy. As we explore our journey as Men of Purpose, we need to lift Saint John up as a shining example of what we should strive to be. Blessings and prayers to the Norman and Akers families.

For the saints of God  are just folk like me, and I mean to be one, too.