Newton Hunt

[Susan Kline]

(Forwarded for Horace Greeley ...)

Dear Friends,

As life unfolds, this is the third death of someone dear to me this 
week.  That, renewed strife at work, and the general difficulties of the 
lectionary (Ezekiel 34:11-17, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, and Matthew 25:31-46) 
have made preparing the homily I am to present tomorrow a real soul 
searching and excruciating exercise...how to take selections that are 
all-too-often seen in black and white, either/or terms and bring them into 
new light?  How to move from fire and brimstone to renewed hope when my own 
reality presently seems so darkened?

I've spent some time now going back and rereading Newton's posts to various 
lists...refusing, in my own way, to accept this news.

Much more than his encyclopaedic knowledge and experience, we have lost a 
truly genuine human being...and yet, we have not.  Newton lives on within 
and among each of every one of us with whom he was in contact - an example 
of returning to others what has been received in one's self.  How very 
fortunate we all are that so much of his knowledge is passed on to so 
many!  Further, that through the various EM lists on which he participated, 
what he was able to share in those places is, in effect, preserved for 
posterity...including the marvelous banter!

So, as I have read, and thought, and mourned, Newton has given me the 
answer to how to address tomorrow's lectionary:  No one and no thing is 
truly irretrievably destroyed.  No one and no thing is lost.  Every one and 
every thing is contained.  God is all in all.

Anyway, here, in Newton's own words is only one example of why he will 
always be with us:

"I was planning to make a sign

		Mama don' 'low no
		No sax sucking
		No bone blowing
		No horn honking
		in this wing

"to post on the doors leading to the practice rooms.  Never did though."


Peace to all.

Horace