The  HolyVVVrinityÿHerald August 2007 P.O. Box 81 * Bonham, TX 75418 www.holytrinitybonham.org

The Vicar’s Voice@

Summer is fast moving toward midway. We have had lots of rain but have been blessed with mild weather, so far. We lost our organist for a while but he is back. We lost Frances Wood and that was a shock to all of us. We pray for the healing of Michael-David and the healing of the Wood family. Charles and Frances’ daughters, Sharon and Angie and grandchildren are in our prayers and thoughts every day.

Pat did a wonderful job with the Britton House Sale with help from a lot of the people of the Church. And now we are in a new phase and life goes on. Life always goes on even though pain and suffering goes along with it. There are up times and down times, but it does go on. The important thing is our acceptance of God in our lives in both the good and the bad times because that is what gives meaning to what we do and what we are. He is with us in ALL times.

August 12^th will be the Sunday of Baptism for Ella Katherine Long. Join us to celebrate the creation of a new Christian.

September 1^st will be the Wedding of Chad Mercer and Lydia Ward. Lydia is the granddaughter of Pat and Roger Ward. The Congregation is invited to join in presence and prayer as they start a life blessed by God and supported by family and friends. Soon it will be September. Where did the Summer go???

THE DIOCESE OF DALLAS 2007 CONVENTION TO CONVENE AT SOUTH FORK RANCH (PLANO) , OCTOBER 19 & 20 – All Episcopalians are welcome to attend as Observers

Parishoners are urged to familiarize yourselves with the issues which will be discussed within our Parish pursuant to instructing your clergy and delegate on your opinions and direction on those issues. Recommended websites: Episcopal News Service http://www.episcopalchurch.org Presiding Bishop Schori comments; Dallas Diocese website http://www.episcopal-dallas.org Dallas Bishop Stanton comments; Church of England website: http://www.cofe.anglican.org Archbishop Williams comments

Vestry Report@ …..

Pat with the help of others did a fantastic job on selling the contents of the Britton House and we made more than we ever expected.  That money is now in the estate bank account to pay any bills until the house is sold.  We are hoping to have the house sold soon.  Did you notice the big tree limb behind the children's swing on the church grounds? Well. it fell while Gail Porter was walking to the Parish House on Sunday morning a few weeks ago.  Ron, Tom, my Gail, and I cut up the fallen limb and a few other trees that were near the fence and gave the wood to Rick for his smoker.  We have also paid some of the expenses for the member children to attend church camp this summer.  I want to thank Jean Whitlock and Fr. Bill for helping me keep up with the finances of the church while Michael-David is recovering from his injuries.  I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. …..Gary Vernon, Senior Warden

Parish Profiles: Frances and Charles Wood

Alvin Charles Raymond Wood was born September 18^th 1934 in Wichita, Kansas. Emma Frances Bledsoe was born November 11^th 1936 in Dallas, Texas. Their lives were forever intertwined the day they married on December 12, 1954. Here is their story…….

Charles grew up in Kansas where his father Arnie Arther Wood was a butcher by trade, his mother Mary Helen was a homemaker. Charles had two older brothers and one sister. Charles was the baby. His family moved to Texas to try their hand at farming in the late 40’s when Charles was a young teen. The family lived and farmed in the community of Duplex, Texas north of Bonham on the sandy land of the Red River.

Frances was the only child of Floyd Bledsoe and Athilean Fletcher Bledsoe. She was born at home in Dallas, Texas, as were many children were during that time. Floyd and Athilean were divorced when Frances was just a baby. This was an unusual occurrence during this time. Athilean moved back home to the family farm in Frisco, Texas to raise her infant daughter. Athilean’s father, William B. Fletcher, a prominent business man and farmer, knew his daughter would need higher education to support his granddaughter. He sent his daughter back to Dallas to study at Baylor University. Frances stayed behind on the farm with her grandfather and grandmother affectionately known as “Pappy” and “Fletcha Mother”. Athilean graduated from Baylor University with a degree as an X-Ray Technician and later found work at Perrin Field, a military based hospital and airport in Sherman, Texas. After growing up until the ripe old age of 11 on the farm with her grandparents, Frances decided to go live with her mother after she had established her home in Sherman. She said it was a hard decision to make and it broke her grandparents’ hearts when she left but she wanted to know her mother better. Perrin Field closed in the early fifties and Frances’ mother obtained employment in her field of work at the old M & S Clinic in Bonham, Texas (where the Creative Arts Center is now located, on Fifth Street.)

Charles and Frances met at Bonham High School in 1952. Charles wanted to play football. The school he attended in Duplex did not offer sports activities such as this. He would walk several miles every morning towards Bonham until he could catch a ride with a friendly farmer heading to town or get to a stop where the school bus ran, whichever came first. He was great at football and his senior year the Bonham Football Team went all the way to State. Jelly and Margaret Ford always loved to tell me stories of how great an athlete Charles was. They would host dinners for the boys of the team and followed the school bus to every out of town game. They were big fans of Charles.

Frances was the beautiful “new girl” at school. Her popularity with the girls dropped a little when she started dating the star athlete and one of the most coveted and handsome boys at school named Charles Wood. The first day she saw Charles walking down the hall at the old Bonham High School and their eyes met she said she knew he was the one. She went home and told her mother “I just met the man I will someday marry” to which her mother replied “your crazy Frances”! Charles was riding in the car with his good friend Macon Wix when he saw Frances leaving the old Bewely’s Five and Dime store on the square in Bonham.. Macon said “ Just look at her! I am going to ask her out on a date!” Charles said, “Go ahead, Macon….but I am going to marry her!” The rest, as they say, is history……..

They started dating and were inseparable after that. Charles lost his mother Mary Helen to cancer shortly before graduating BHS his senior year. His father moved away from the farm and left him alone to handle it. After graduation Charles moved back to Kansas where he studied and played football at Coffeyville University. Frances was still in Bonham attending High School. Their long distance romance continued to blossom. Letters flew back and forth between Kansas and Texas for months. Charles was working his way through college as an orderly at a local hospital and times were hard. He decided to join the Navy to finish his schooling and see a bit of the world. This also offered him full time employment …a way to take care of Frances. He proposed to her and she accepted. They were so exited to start their new life together. Frances’ mothers’ pre-requisite to approval of the marriage was that she would graduate high school first. Frances doubled up on her classes to graduate from BHS early so she could marry Charles in December when he was on leave from his first tour of ship duty. They were married by a Methodist minister in her mother’s home at 232 Boyd Avenue in Bonham where Charles still lives today, fifty one years later.

After several years in the military and two children, Charles was ready to lead a civilian life closer to home with his young wife and children. He left the United States Navy with an Honorable Discharge. He decided that Bonham is where he would settle with his family. Frances’ mother still lived in Bonham and Charles believed in the family. He wanted Frances to be close to her mother. They lived on a small farm north of Bonham until 1979 when they moved into town on Boyd Avenue.

Charles went to work for General Cable Corporation. Frances was a homemaker until the last of their four children Angela started to school. She then worked for the United States Postal Service as a Rural Letter Carrier until 1990 when she retired early due to severe arthritis. In 1991, Charles retired early to take care of Frances.

Many happy years together were they blessed with. They made and kept many dear friends, raised and loved four children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren together for fifty two years. They taught them to love the Lord and each other. They were the best!

How do I know all of this you may ask? I had the privilege of being one of their children. I wanted you to know more about this great team who was most recently separated from each other. They were, and still are, the dearest people to me in the world. When you see our family in Church and notice a tear or two from time to time, just smile and know they are happy tears for our dearest Saint Frances. She was our Love, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Family Matriarch…………….Lovingly submitted by Sharon Kinkade +

@Editor’s Note: Emma Frances Bledsoe Wood passed away at home at noon on Monday, July 9, 2007, from cardiac arrest. The Requiem Mass at Holy Trinity was officiated by Father Dalton and at the burial at Rowlett Cemetery, Frisco, TX. Frances and Charles, former members of Northside Church of Christ, were confirmed into the Episcopal Church together in January 2007. Many friends from Northside Church of Christ attended the Mass and funeral to offer solace to Charles and their family.

Sharon Kinkade, Notary Public - 214-231-2457

sharon.kinkade@trustsolutionsllc.com - Sharon Kinkade has offered her services as a Notary Public to The Holy Trinity Church and its Communicants free of charge. If one would want to make a contribution for her Notary service to the Vicar's Discretionary Fund that would be perfectly fine with her if Father Bill approves.

A Wedding at Holy Trinity !! All members of Holy Trinity are invited to join Pat and Roger Ward for the celebration of marriage of their granddaughter, Lydia, to Chad Mercer at Holy Trinity on Saturday, September 1^st at 2:00 pm. Father Dalton will officiate at the formal wedding Mass at 2:00pm. A reception will follow at Katy Depot in Denison. Please join us for this joyous and beautiful occasion.

The Britton House estate sale

The estate sale on the weekend of July 13-15 of the artifacts, art and memorabilia that Shirley Britton bequeathed to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church was a roaring success. Joe and Sandra Ward who managed the sale had high praise for the hard work and participation of parishioners which made it possible to maximize the proceeds of the sale in an expeditious manner. Many who came to the sale were friends, classmates or students of Shirley who came to find a small memento of their friendship with her. One lady found that Shirley had kept a paper she had written when she was one of Shirley’s students. Others who came were eBay type resellers and antique dealers, and those looking for bargains on household goods. Some were collectors of fine art, old books and dolls, vintage clothing and toys, designer fashions, accessories and shoes, fine costume jewelry, old coins and fine crystal and china. Few were disappointed. Sales were brisk all 3 days of the sale. The first morning, nearly 100 people arrived an hour before the door opened to secure a number which would admit them to the house in an orderly fashion, 25 at the time. The proceeds of the sale will help to pay the expenses of maintaining the house (utilities and insurance, etc.) until such time as the house is sold. The house is listed with Angel Titsworth who was the first to inquire about listing the house with her agency, Heritage One, located on W. Sam Rayburn next to Chloe’s plant nursery.

Huetta Bickel and Pat Ward delivered the unsold clothing and shoes to a grateful Genesis House in Dallas, a shelter for abused women and resale shop of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas after the sale.

The Queen of Bingo directed by Kim Jenkins and starring Bill Dalton as Father Francis McKenzie Muldoon, Rector of “St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Battle Creek, Michigan”. “Father Muldoon”, in his finest Irish brogue, will welcome Red River Community Theatre patrons to its annual dinner-theatre fundraiser at the Bonham Family Life Center on Friday and Saturday nights Sept. 28 and 29. Feasting begins at 6:00pm followed by fun and games and a stage play featuring, in addition to our own Father Dalton: Victoria Sutherland (Sis), Mary-k Ashley Wilson (Babe) and John Henard (the Bingo Caller). Tickets are available online through PayPal from the theatre’s website, or by a check in the mail to RRTC, P.O. Box 582, Bonham, TX 75418. Parties of 10 will have a reserved table. All others are open seating. Reservations are required and seating is limited.

Guess who’s coming for tea?

By Nan Cobbey June 28, 2007 [Episcopal Life] Sister Teresa Irene, OCD, picked up the phone in her cell on a Monday afternoon in June and heard a distinctly British voice. "Rowan here," said the man. Sister Teresa Irene, acting prioress of the Episcopal Church's recently founded Carmelite monastery in Rising Sun, Maryland, took a deep breath. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams was calling. Sister Teresa Irene had met him years before in England and when she heard he was to spend part of his sabbatical in Washington, D.C., she wrote to him at Lambeth Palace.

"I knew he was supportive of the religious life and especially appreciated contemplative orders," she said. "I thought he might be interested in visiting the first Carmel to be founded in the Anglican Communion." Sister Teresa Irene, who professed life vows just eight months ago, is the first Anglican in history to take solemn vows as a Carmelite. The new order, known as Episcopal Carmel of Saint Teresa, has 20 associates and four people in training to be oblates so far. "I didn't expect in a million years to hear from him. But lo and behold… he did want to visit. The day after next." Sister Teresa Irene said, "The call came just hours after Bishop [Robert W.] Ihloff, our bishop visitor, left for Africa." She invited Sister Constance FitzGerald, OCD, of the Baltimore Carmel, the first Carmel in America, to join them for tea and a tour of the monastery. Sister Constance and the nuns of the Baltimore Carmel are serving as mentors for Episcopal Carmel of Saint Teresa.

"We didn't tell anyone,' said Sister Teresa Irene, "except the associates who were cooking in the kitchen." They were to make America's favorite treats for the honored guest. Williams toured the monastery, celebrated the Eucharist in its newly renovated chapel and thanked Sister Constance and the nuns of the Baltimore Carmel "on behalf of the Anglican Communion" for all that the Baltimore Carmelites were doing "to bring the Carmelite life into our church." Then he joined the sisters for tea, dinner and an early celebration of his birthday.

"We grilled salmon on the grill and had strawberry ice cream shortcake… and tea on the back deck with the chocolate chip cookies," said Sister Teresa Irene." It was "good strong British tea, Yorkshire Gold tea." "He was relaxed. He was laughing. How wonderful it was just to see him laughing."

September Newsletter deadline: September 20, 2007 * Send news, photos and bios to HOLYTRNTYEDITOR@aol.com * Editor: Pat Ward, 353 PR 207, Ivanhoe, TX 75447 FAX: 903-664-2244

Vicar: Father Bill Dalton * FatherBill@Verizon.net * 903-583-8184