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The Grateful Heart CHRIST CHURCH EPISCOPAL June 2010 N E W S L E T T E R Dear Friends, I’m not a sports columnist. Just a fan. A fan not just of baseball, but of dignified human behavior. It I’m a baseball fan, and the other night something spec- may be that Armando Galarraga didn’t sleep well last tacular happened. The Detroit Tigers were playing the night; it may be that this morning he is pretty upset. But Cleveland Indians. Armando Galarraga was on the in the heat of it, he kept his composure and placed limits mound for Detroit, and for the third time this year the on himself. And then, he went back, kept his focus, and most remarkable singular feat in baseball was about to did his job because a lot of teammates and fans were happen: a perfect game. Galarraga had retired twenty- looking for the win. He won’t go down in the record six straight batters…not a walk, not a wild pitch, not a books as a perfect pitcher, but he proved himself and passed ball, not an error by the other eight players with exceptional human being. And Jim Joyce…umpires him in the field. Twenty-one times in major league base- don’t explain calls to the press, and they don’t apologize ball history had a pitcher thrown a perfect game. And to players…but he did both. He humbled himself. He now, Galarraga was poised to throw the third one this made a mistake, admitted it, and made amends as best season. he could. He’s known as a good umpire. He’ll take heat The twenty-seventh batter for the Indians was for the blown call. Lots of it. But the wisest of us know Jason Donald. He hit a soft grounder to first, pulling the that while he may be a good umpire, he is an exceptional first baseman off the bag. As he had done countless human being. times in practice and in games, Galarraga hustled over It’s baseball, but I can see this story in the gos- to cover first. Miguel Cabrera tossed him the ball, Galar- pels. I can see James and John, the two disciples hav- raga touched the bag almost a full step before Donald ing an argument (their collective nickname was “Sons of arrived there…and the first base umpire Jim Joyce called Thunder,” so I think they had lots of arguments), and Donald safe. But the announcers saw that he was out; Jesus responding “There once was a pitcher and an the fans saw that he was out; and the replays, ubiquitous umpire…”, and then telling the kind of story we now call on ESPN, the evening news, and the internet, proved a parable... that he was out. Galarraga would not get his perfect This weekend in worship we’ll honor our gradu- game. Galarraga, 1-1 with a healthy 4.50 ERA this sea- ating seniors. We’ll celebrate achievements, and be son, may turn into a Koufax or Gibson. But most likely, justly proud. We’ll thank parents and teachers for what his bid for baseball immortality ended with that blown they have done to help these young people grow over call. And he knew it. the years. It is a grand celebration of accomplishment, Now…here’s what’s spectacular: Galarraga and a job well done. The successes are manifold, and didn’t throw a tantrum. He didn’t scream, and get in the worth celebrating. umpire’s face, or kick dirt at him. A wry, somewhat sad, But may it be also that over the years they’ve look creased his face that said what everybody else was had practice making their own mistakes and being disap- thinking. And then…after some time was lost to Jim pointed by others; for it is in walking through those mo- Leyland, the Tigers coach, sharing words with Joyce… ments that character is formed and wisdom apprehends he got back on the mound and pitched through the last us. How it is we respond in situations such as those is a batter—the twenty-eighth one—to get the out and a win measure of the maturity of our journey with Christ more for his team. powerful than how we are when we make the right deci- And then, this…after the game, Jim Joyce did sions and the calls go our way. Many behaviors mark two things. He admitted to the press that he missed the our growth as disciples of Jesus…sacrificial service, call. He admitted that he made a mistake. “I thought he prayerful work and play, gentle words and easy smiles… (Donald) beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the and the ability to accept the mistakes of others; to move throw until I saw the replay. I cost the kid a perfect beyond disappointment; to admit our own mistakes game.” And more, he went to Galarraga personally to (even the unintentional ones) and their harmful impact; apologize. His mistake—unintentional though it was— and then, to swallow one’s pride, act humbly, apologize cost Galarraga something that was precious to him; and and seek to make right are certainly among them. while nothing Joyce could do could bring it all back, his Those are skills…or in Christian language, behaviors of apology at the very least expressed his remorse. “He holiness…that make life—for ourselves and for others— feels really bad,” Galarraga said after the game. “… much better than perfect. everybody’s human; I understand; I give a lot of credit to the guy…you don’t see an umpire after the game say Blessings, ‘I’m sorry.’” Paul from Hillary Dear Friends: During our mission trip last month, with the support of Bishop Duracin, and under the lead‐ In May, Christ Church journeyed to Haiti ership of Susan Bruce, Christ Church visited with for its second mission trip. Each day in the town Pere Val in Crioux de Bouquet, and with Pere Jean‐ of St. Marc, we gathered with the students of El Jacque Duraville of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Shaddai Learning Center, a Christian based English Montrouis. The team is making two recommenda‐ school for about 70 Haitian children providing an tions concerning our relationship with the Diocese American education. Before lessons, Delson, a of Haiti. young chaplain to the school, led us with the fol‐ First, the team recommends to the Mis‐ lowing prophetic words of wisdom: sion Outreach Faith in Action Ministry that Christ Church lend financial support in St. Paul’s micro Choose to serve God today. loan project helping young women of Haiti live Choose to love your neighbor today. with hope for the future through independent, No one is promised tomorrow. small business enterprises. Second, the team also recommends to This is how the students of El Shaddai and Mission Outreach Faith in Action Ministry that the people of Haiti live with hope: one day at a Christ Church join in a long term partnership with time. While much of Haiti lives in rubble and dis‐ Pere Val, to rebuild his churches and schools de‐ array, Haiti does not live without hope and hope molished in the earthquake, through mission does not disappoint. With hope, Christ Church teams traveling to Haiti to construct, and build continues its conversations to build a long term buildings and relationships, restoring hope for the people, and especially the children of Haiti. partnership with the fine people of Haiti. th Haiti, with a population of somewhere Dr. Paul Mellon, in early years of the 20 around 9 million, shares the island of Hispaniola, century found in his heart a love for the people of with the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. Haiti and wrote the following after years of living Known as the poorest country of the Americas, and serving among them: 80% of Haitians live in poverty, on about $2.00 per person per day. Haiti subsides under corrupt gov‐ Go to the people ernment, with an illiteracy rate of 50%. On Janu‐ Live among them. ary 12, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude, with its Learn from them. epicenter just miles from the already over popu‐ Love them. lated, distressed capital, of Port‐au‐Prince, devas‐ Serve them. tated Haiti, resulting in the deaths of 230,000, Plan with them. with one million people left homeless, and 300, Start with what they know. 000 injured. Build on what they have. Under the leadership of The Rt. Rev. Jean‐ Zache Duracin,the Episcopal Church in Haiti con‐ Christ Church is blessed to build and grow sists of somewhere around 80,000 members, in its relationship with the people of Haiti as they about the same as the Diocese of Virginia. The build on the hope to be all God has in store for cathedral, Holy Trinity, the seminary, the college, them. Thank you for your continued support of the bishop’s home, all located in the capital city of this long term mission. We’ll keep you informed Port‐au‐Prince, were destroyed in the earthquake. as to when trip three will travel to Haiti in the next Church of the Transfiguration, St. Marc and St. Al‐ months. Please, in the meantime, keep Haiti, and bans, three of six churches and schools under the this partnership effort in your prayers. leadership of The Rev. Pierre‐Henry Fritz Valdema, known as Pere Val, were also destroyed in the earthquake. Blessings, Hillary 2 5K-5th Grade.

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