A Brief History of Philipp Nicolai's “How Brightly Shines the Morning Star”

“Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern.” No, that’s not something to do with Rhoda of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. It is the name of both the hymn and the tune of our Epiphany hymn “How Brightly Shines the Morning Star.” Philipp Nicolai penned this in 1597 and published it two years later with his adaptation of a preexisting tune. To say it was a hit in Lutheran circles is an understatement! We have his original arrangement as Hymn 396, but the J.S. Bach version at 397 is much more popular today. Immediately, Nicolai’s version took off with German composers in cantatas and other vocal forms, notably Dietrich Buxtehude and the Roman Catholic Praetorius.

Buxtehude, Bach, his brother, and two of his sons, among others used this tune in works for organ. It continues to be used in organ, vocal, and other instrumental settings. My favorite organ setting is by the late Romantic Bavarian Composer Mac Reger from 1899. By that time with all the chromatic harmonies and rhythmic language on can almost hear the European beginnings of jazz in this extensive Fantasia that clocks in a just under 20 minutes.

Besides Bach’s first cantata, my other two favorite choral settings are by Mendelssohn and Peter Cornelius. We alternated them and a couple of other anthems every year at the Feast of Lights at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Mendelssohn’s setting closes the chorus “There shall a star from Jacob come forth” and is from his incomplete oratorio, Christus. At least twice I’ve heard the Cornelius setting on the Lessons and Carols from Kings College, Cambridge. it is an intimate, gossamer like unaccompanied work for soloist over a four-part choir. The choir quietly sings the chorale as the accompaniment while the soloist weaves the story of the wise men. It is listed a “Three Kings” if you want to look it up on YouTube.

Building the Christian Community with Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“The Church is the Church when it exists for others.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote these words from a German prison in the latter days of World War II. A German citizen himself he was jailed for, as he put it, trying to “jam a spoke in the wheel” of the Nazi regime. While his main offense was joining the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, he also was an irritant to the Third Reich because he insisted on the church being the church.

The majority of church leaders in Germany at the time had been swept up in Hitler’s propaganda. The german church supported the political regime to such an extent that those who dissented felt compelled to start a new church. This so-called “Confessing Church” needed a seminary in which to train pastors, and it was Bonhoeffer who leaders tapped to create a school where future pastors could practice being the church.

When they left seminary, these students would be entering a world engulfed in war, violence, and the persecution of God’s people. So how would they remain free to promote the faith and love and justice of Jesus Christ? How would they maintain enough independence from the broader culture to continue to be the church? Bonhoeffer’s answer was to teach them to build Christian community. “The restoration of the church,” he wrote, “will surely come from a new kind of monasticism.”

I am fascinated by Bonhoeffer for lots of reasons, but this emphasis on Christian community as a source of strength and freedom has really grabbed my heart these last few weeks. Christians are followers of Jesus which means — in theory — we should be less susceptible to being blown about by the prevailing winds of our world, our culture, our politics. But standing apart, being different: this is hard work. It is hard work to walk the way of Jesus if everybody else is going a different direction. It’s like walking into a football stadium just as the game is ending. Not impossible, but it takes some effort!

Bonhoeffer helped his students build the community that would give them the strength to remain faithful in the world. he was specific about the practices they should keep: worshipping together, singing together, meditating alone on the scriptures for the day, serving one another, listening to one another, playing together. These habits build Christian community, and being rooted in a Christian community gives one freedom in the world — to be the Church, to exist for others.

For the last couple of weeks, Adult Forum has been learning about Bonhoeffer the man, his context and history. This Sunday, we’ll being working through his description of Christian community in his book Life Together. It’s not too late to join us! I hope you will, not just because you might be interested in history, but because you’re interested in the Christian community we’re building here at Nativity, on that is meant to sustain us a followers Jesus in the world, the empowers us to be the church, existing for others in the world.

Peace,

Peter+

Riley C. Cole

Riley C. Cole, 90, passed away Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, at Greenwood Leflore Hospital.  Funeral services will be Wednesday at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity with interment in McNutt Cemetery.  The Rev. Peter Gray will officiate.  Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday prior to the service.

Mabel Riley Cole was born Jan. 8, 1929, in Greenwood to Mabel Jones and James Pierce Cole.  Her maternal great-grandfather, Benjamin Lafayette Jones, was a pioneer settler of Leflore County.  She graduated from Greenwood High School and attended Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, where she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority, and the University of Mississippi.  She received her Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education and Master of Education degree from Delta State University, and her post-graduate work was at the University of Mississippi.  She taught sixth- through eighth-grade math at W.C. Williams and then taught in the EGGSTRA program of the Greenwood Public Schools.  Following her retirement from the Greenwood Public Schools, Mrs. Cole remained actively involved in the education of the children of Greenwood.  She was a member of the Greenwood Mentoring Group, an after-school tutoring program.  She was also an active member of Mission Mississippi.  In 2019, Mrs. Cole was presented with a key to the city in recognition of her many years of service to her community and her devotion to and interest in the education of Greenwood’s children.  

Mrs. Cole was a charter member of the Town and Country Garden Club and the Mississippi Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  She was a member of  Greenwood Junior Auxiliary, Greenwood Little Theatre, the Museum of the Mississippi Delta and the Early Families Club.  Riley was also a member and past president of the Greenwood Garden Club and was a former nationally accredited flower show judge.  She was a member of the Church of the Nativity, where she served on the Altar Guild. She continued to play competitive bridge until the last few months, thus obtaining the “Sapphire Status.”  

Mrs. Cole was preceded in death by her parents; her sister,  Elizabeth Ellen “Betsy” Cole; and her brother, James Pierce “Jimmie” Cole Jr.

She is survived by her son, Jeffrey Lee Cole III of Atlanta; three daughters, Lynn Cole Berman of Greenwood, Elisabeth “Libba”  Cole Shrader of Columbia, South Carolina, and Clay Cole Laposata (Sam) of Portsmouth, Virginia;  five grandchildren, Taylor Cole Berman, Collin Michael Cole, Elizabeth “Betsy” Cole Shrader Watts (Matt), William Matthew Shrader and Satchel Riley Laposata; a great-grandchild, Lyon Raymond Watts; a niece,  Katherine Ann Cole; nephews James P. Cole III and Robert Sewell Cole; and several great-nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the Altar Guild of the Church of the Nativity, 400 Howard St., Greenwood, MS  38930; The Greenwood Mentoring Group, 200 Ave. G, Greenwood, MS 38930; or to the charity of donor’s choice.     

Pallbearers will be Robert Cole, Jim Cole, Wade Evans, Jim Thomas, Sanford Thomas and Duncan Fraiser.  Honorary pallbearers will be Bubba Frasier and James Howard Evans.

The family would like to offer a special work of thanks to Riley’s caregivers, Atlean Brewer and Earline McGee, for their compassion and care.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.greenwooddeltafh.com.  Greenwood Delta Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Polly Meek Upshaw

Polly Meek Upshaw, an original Steel Magnolia who was beloved for her smarts, eccentricities and a wicked sense of humor, died Friday at her home in Greenwood. She was 82.

A native of Greenwood, Polly was a committed lifelong student. She graduated from Greenwood High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in English from Sophie Newcomb College (now Tulane University), where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She could recite lengthy sonnets or poems decades after her studies.

She was a self-taught businesswoman who owned rental properties and committed countless hours to studying investment newsletters. She recorded Jim Cramer’s “Mad Money” investment program on CNBC each day so that she could watch it twice to document his stock picks and perform her own research on Cramer’s recommendations.

Polly was also famously absent-minded. While she was driving one day with two of her granddaughters, a Greenwood patrol officer pulled her over. A notoriously slow and cautious driver, Polly was surprised to be stopped until the officer retrieved her purse from the roof of her car.

Throughout her life, Polly was a style maven and an avid lover of the arts. While traveling in Florence, Italy, Polly was riding in a car with her travel companions who somehow drove onto a pedestrian-only plaza in front of the famed Duomo cathedral. While everyone else frantically tried to figure out how to get off the plaza safely, Polly’s eyes were glued to the Duomo as she cried, “Look! Ghiberti’s doors! Ghiberti’s doors!”

Polly served on the vestry and the finance committee of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity and the board of directors of the Museum of the Mississippi Delta. She was an active member of the Chi Omega Sorority.

Polly was the daughter of the late Dr. Edwin McLeod Meek and the late Frances Johnson Meek. She is survived by her brother, Dr. Edwin McLeod Meek Jr., and his wife, Betty Van, of Greenwood and their three sons; two children, Dr. Frank Henry Flautt Jr. and his wife, Mary Haley Flautt, of Greenwood and Frances Flautt Zook and her husband, James Randolph “Jim” Zook Jr., of Oxford; two stepchildren, Steve Upshaw of Greenwood and Lisa Upshaw Fuente of Safety Harbor, Florida; five grandchildren, Mary Steele Flautt Mock of The Colony, Texas, Katherine Merrill Flautt and Suzanne Alline Flautt, both of Jackson, and James Randolph “Jack” Zook III and Henry McWillie “Will” Zook, both of Oxford; and her first husband, Frank Henry Flautt of Greenwood. She was preceded in death by her second husband, James Edwin Upshaw.

Polly’s family wants to express its gratitude for the tireless support provided by her caregivers — Sherron Wright, Augusta Williams, Daisy Harper, Ruby Short and Lillie Ward. In addition, Polly’s family shares its thanks and appreciation for Abe McGlothlin for nearly four decades of outstanding and faithful work for Polly and her business interests.

The family will host a visitation on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and Thursday at 10 a.m. A memorial service in celebration of Polly’s life will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. Both events will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity. Pall bearers will be Howard Benz, Allen Holiman, Dr. Aubrey Lucas, Dr. John Lucas, Dr. Robert Lucas, Floyd Melton III, Clay Pettit and Marion Roberson. Honorary pallbearers will be Chip Ford, Ewin Henson, Dr. John Fair Lucas Sr. and Floyd Melton Jr.

The family wishes to thank Morgan Moore and staff of Halcyon Hospice and Jessica Lloyd Arabey and staff of Sunflower Home Health for their compassion and professional care.

In lieu of flowers, Polly’s family asks that memorials in her honor be directed to the Episcopal Church of the Nativity (https://www.nativitygreenwood.org/) or the Museum of the Mississippi Delta (https://www.museumofthemississippidelta.com/).

An online guestbook may be signed at www.greenwooddeltafh.com. Greenwood Delta Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (662-374-5161).

Martha Hardy Lott

Martha Hardy Lott, 63, of Falls Church, Virginia, died on Sept. 10, 2019, from complications related to a stroke.

Hardy was born on July 7, 1956, in Greenwood. She graduated from Brenau Academy in Gainesville, Georgia, as its 1974 valedictorian and then attended Hollins College (now Hollins University) in Roanoke, Virginia, graduating in 1978.

Hardy spent her entire career on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. — first in various capacities for U.S. Rep. and then U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, followed by several years as director of scheduling for Newt Gingrich, speaker of the House of Representatives. Hardy then returned as director of scheduling for Sen. Lott during his tenures as Republican leader and Republican whip. Hardy retired after a short stint as director of scheduling for Sen. Roger Wicker.

In her years in the Washington, D.C., area, Hardy founded and led the One by One Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting underprivileged youth in the Anacostia area of D.C. She was a stalwart and much-loved member of the congregation of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Annandale, Virginia. Hardy also became a world traveler — Christmas in Morocco, springtime in China and her 50th birthday in Hanoi, among many other places. But when all is said and done, Hardy was and remains a true daughter of Mississippi.

Hardy was preceded in death by her parents, Frances and Hardy Lott (Greenwood), and by her two sisters, Frances Lott Williams (Clarksdale) and Edna Lott Franklin (Greenwood). She is survived by her sister, Marley Lott of Houston, Texas; her niece and best friend, Frances Williams Ware (“Baby F”) of Jackson; her nephew, Webster Franklin of Tunica; her niece, Lansdale Franklin Playford of Memphis; her brother-in-law, Webb Franklin of Greenwood and lastly by her German shepherd, Beau, late of Falls Church, Virginia, and now of Jackson.

Services celebrating Hardy’s life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity, 400 Howard St., Greenwood, followed by a reception/visitation at the church. Wilson & Knight Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to Church of the Nativity, 400 Howard St., Greenwood, MS 38930; to St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 6800 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003; or to the Wilson Research Foundation (the fundraising arm of Methodist Rehabilitation Center), 1350 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue, Jackson, MS 39216.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.wilsonandknight.com.

Sandra Smith McClarty

Sandra Smith McClarty of Jupiter, Florida, went to her heavenly home on April 25, 2019, following a short battle with cancer. 

Sandra was born on June 7, 1947, to Tollie M. and Ruth Freeman Smith.

Sandra graduated from Greenwood High School in 1965 and from Delta State University with a Bachelor of Science in education in 1969. She taught school in Carroll County and later went to Mississippi State University, where she earned a master’s degree in special education. 

She served as the regional director at the Montana State Department of Special Education for several years. Sandra also worked as a sales, training and merchandising representative for Bristol Myers Squibb for a number of years, during which time she resided in Franklin, Tennessee. She also was involved in real estate and property ownership/management during her years in Tennessee. 

Following a move to Jupiter, Florida, Sandra and her husband, Bill, owned and operated Water Zone Inc., a water softener/purification business specializing in purified water to hospitals for dialysis patients, in West Palm Beach. Most recently Sandra worked as a real estate agent at Sales & Rentals at Abacoa Inc.

Sandra loved her family, her friends, hiking the trails in her beloved Montana, and sitting and listening to music on the porch of her family’s cabin at Bitterroot Lake in Kalispell, Montana. She made friends easily and for life. Her infectious laughter and her beautiful smile would light up a room. She was a faithful wife and devoted mother and grandmother.

Sandra leaves to cherish her memory her husband, William “Bill” McClarty, daughter Chelsea (Ryan) Gunn, grandsons Jude and Micaiah, sister Dembie Elaine Copenhaver, nieces Lani (Thierry) Daubenspeck, Ramona (Phillip) Rizzo and Connie Rhodes, and their children, Phil Rizzo, Paul Rizzo, Richard Rhodes Jr., Will Daubenspeck, Cole Daubenspeck, plus extended McCarty family members in Montana and a host of friends. Sandra was especially close to her son-in-law’s parents, Bill and Lynda Gunn. Lynda Gunn was a devoted caregiver to Sandra for the duration of her illness. 

Sandra was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Maxine Nokes.

A memorial service to celebrate her memory will be held on Saturday, May 18 at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Greenwood. Friends and family will gather at the patio area at 10:30 a.m., with the service to follow in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sandra’s memory to a favorite charity.

Mary Swayze Fleming Gee

“Live life to the fullest” is a wonderful mantra to live by.

Mary Swayze Fleming Gee, 65, passed away on May 1, 2019, at her home in Greenwood after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 7, at 9 a.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Greenwood, with the service following at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery in North Carrollton. Wilson & Knight Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Mary Swayze was born on Dec. 28, 1953, at Greenwood Leflore Hospital. Her parents were the late Gene Tucker and Lou Kern Fleming of Minter City.

After graduating from high school in 1971, Mary Swayze received her undergraduate and Master of Finance degrees at the University of Mississippi. While at Ole Miss, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She began her career in the Dallas office of Merrill Lynch. Over the years she was involved in various segments of the financial industry, culminating in her being a founding partner of Street Account, an online financial news service. Her career took her all over the world.

Mary Swayze’s husband of 30 years, Orman Kimbrough Gee III, preceded her in death by nine days. She had cared for him through his battle of many years with a brain tumor until she received her own diagnosis.

Mary Swayze is survived by her sister, Betty Lou Fleming Garrigan (Pat) of Oxford; brothers Gene Tucker Fleming Jr. (Jeanne) of Carrollton and Hays Edward Fleming of Minter City; and numerous nieces, nephews and godchildren. She also leaves a worldwide community of friends who love her dearly.

Mrs. Gee was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity. The Rev. Peter Gray will officiate the services.

The family would like to thank caregivers Regina Henderson and Derrick Thompson and especially Annette Mize, who has loved her like a sister their entire lives.

Honorary pallbearers will be Annette Pleasants Mize, Charlotte Pinkston Dale, Missy Bass Pillow, Liz Stanton Haskins, Lynn Woodside Mosley, Rebecca Peteet Cleland, Judy Farrish Johnson, Kathy Carroll Houpt, Corinne Henderson Abney, Becky Blakemore McKenzie, Pauline Shuler Lewis, Laura Newman Nixon, Karen Cox Pinkston, Sharon Hardy Draper and Sally Morgan Ratcliff.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to The Episcopal Church of the Nativity, Minter City Methodist Church, 910 Poplar St. Rear, Greenwood, MS, 38930, or Halcyon Hospice.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.wilsonandknight.com.

Orman Kimbrough Gee

How do you pay homage to a character about whom so many stories have been told and retold, and all of them are true?

Orman Kimbrough Gee III, 68, died Monday, April 22, 2019, at his home in Greenwood. Visitation for Orman will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Greenwood on Friday at 9 a.m., with the service to follow at 10 a.m. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery in North Carrollton. Wilson & Knight Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Mr. Gee was born July 27, 1950, to Orman and Wessie Gee at the Greenwood Leflore Hospital. He was raised in Carrollton.

He was a 1968 graduate of Greenwood High School and attended the University of Mississippi in the fall of that year. Later while attending Mississippi State University, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. At Mississippi State, Orman was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After college, he engaged in farming and animal husbandry, but his greatest success was in real estate.

Diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1984, he underwent a series of operations, from which he had remarkable recoveries that eventually left him weakened but still engaging and fun-loving.

Mr. Gee is survived by his wife of 30 years, Mary Swayze Fleming Gee of Greenwood, who has been his constant advocate and champion and is responsible for his resilience throughout his long battle with his brain tumor. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Anne Gee Boswell of Jackson; his brother, Dr. Peter Ellzey Gee of Austin, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.

The Rev. Peter Gray will officiate at the services.

The family would like to thank caregivers Annette Mize, Regina Henderson and Derrick Thompson.

Honorary pallbearers will be Jody Gee, Dr. John Fair Lucas Jr., Dr. Aubrey Lucas, Robert Lucas, Dr. John Lucas III, Jophy Gee, Burrell Gee, Sam Fonda, Harry Lott, Frankie Box, Bob Baird, Johnny Atkinson, George Sherman, Mike McDonald, Walter Pitts, David Russell, Bob Provine, Brian Jones, Bill Brown and Fasia Duren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the Episcopal Church of the Nativity in Greenwood or Grace Episcopal Church in Carrollton.

An online guestbook may be signed at www.wilson-andknight.com.

Pastoral Care Ministry

This group will meet Monday, April 29 at 2pm in the church office to write birthday cards, pray for those who are sick or homebound, and plan our pastoral visiting. If you can write, pray, or visit, you can be a part of this ministry!

Parish Work Day: Thank you!

Many thanks to those who gathered on Saturday, March 30 for our parish wide work day. Our yard warriors spread 8 tons of rubber mulch under the large playground, spruced up the rose garden, and pressure washed several patios and sidewalks.