For the people of Olney
Seven hundred years young
is a tradition that lives–
beating in the heart of Olney’s kin;
a tradition, not in the traditional sense, bound by date, season, or song, but one of inadvertent awe
at what was made by many hands and many prayers
by many names unrecognized but by their celebration of two.
One, whom our saviour so intimately knew,
and whose foundation Christ built his church,
who, Jesus’ name, three times denied
gained mercy, then mission, and a heavenly vision
of the common made clean, the law made complete.
And the other, met only in passing, his risen Lord
who by heaven’s grace was blinded,
reminded all of the new accord
between God and Man and man to all-kind;
to prepare the world for the marriage of Christ and his bride.
Two thousand years later and his bride has since grown
and born out such fruits we still subsist
and revere as miracles such as this:
a testament in stone, built by trades no longer known
to generations who take for granted,
the long-fought privileges with which we’ve been handed,
like the unfathomable dignity each person is granted–by a miracle!
As John Newton testified through his lyrical career
and gave voice to this parish in the tunes we still cherish;
who knew grace and redemption and hoped for a world governed by fairness,
which by feeling, then by thought, compelled many nations who’ve fought
and die to this day for the values Christ taught.
I offer you this word, to commemorate this church
that by keeping his word, you’ve done much more than work.
For what is is much more than the product we see.
This kingdom of heaven of which Peter and Paul preach
is alive and consists of the same substance as time:
Everything and Forever; recognized only by rhymes,
the patterns which we mortals count and rely.
So please live to discover this life.
I trust that you’ll find, as Newton once phrased
“We have no less days to sing of God’s praise than when we first begun”
Seven hundred years young.