St. Paul's of Petersburg

Today I attended service at St. Paul's Episcopal church in Petersburg. The building is large and extremely beautiful. It's a historically significant place since Robert E. Lee and his staff attended services there during the 292 day siege of Petersburg. The interior, except for the additions of some subtle electric lights, seems hardly to have changed since Gen. Lee was there. All the woodwork is old and dark against the white plaster walls. The sanctuary is almost entirely lit by light from the enormous and very old stained glass windows (Most date back to the 1800's before the Civil War).The congregation is small these days but very friendly. I was invited three times to the organ concert this Wednesday. The skill of the organist makes me hope that I'll have time to go. The priest who spoke today was filling in for the rector who was on vacation and the sermon on the parable of the sower was well done; straightforward yet insightful in a commonsense kind of way. The thing that very much impressed me about the speaker was his manner of speaking. I constantly tell my classes that when they're presenting or speaking to project without yelling and to make eye contact. This priest - Father Gilbert if I remember correctly - did these things better than anyone I have personally seen speak publicly. He had the same calm, deliberate, easy-yet-intense manner of speaking that I've seen only in old films of Teddy Roosevelt or Winston Churchill. I would be prepared to testify that the man never once glanced at his notes, and that he quoted scripture perfectly without looking at the text. I felt that for most of the sermon, which was short, poignant, and well referenced as all good sermons should be, he was looking and speaking directly to me. It hardly mattered that I was sitting a little over halfway toward the back. Father Gilbert is perhaps 65 years old and I think the only comparison I can make is with someone like Garrison Keillor who has gained ability by speaking sincerely and well as part of a long career.

I'll most probably be going back to St. Paul's next week.   

St. Paul's