Tributes

Last Sunday, as I mentioned in an earlier post, was Shirley Harris Crockett Award Sunday. We gave the award (with a monetary component as well as a tribute) to Katharine Breunig. We also gave the award (without a monetary component), posthumously, to Tony and Margaret Dale Barrand. This was an enotional and gratifying moment. Katharine has not let a disability keep her from being a very engaged and giving member of the congregation. We are still mourning the deaths of Tony and Margaret Dale, but their memorial service will not take place until June 25th - over a month away. We wanted to express our gratitude for them now, so we did. Here are the tributes I wrote for Kstharine and Tony & Margaret Dale:******************************************************* A TRIBUTE TO KATHARINE BREUNIG It gives me great joy and pleasure to give the Shirley Harris Crockett Award this year to Katharine Breunig. Katharine has been a part of this church family from the very beginning. I can't think of anyone who has been a more willing and passionate participant in the life of this church. One of my favorite photographs which I hope I still have somewhere is of you, Katharine, sitting on the front pew with a gaggle of girls - Carolyn Wesley, Phoebe Crompton, etc., all grinning like crazy - it is an explosion of joy. I probably can't think of everything you have done, Katharine, but here's a start: you are perhaps most famous for playing the doxology on the piano almost every Sunday. That in itself is a great gift. You sing in the choir regularly, and sometimes, like today, you take a solo part. You have done sacred, interpretive dance many times here. You have frequently been a part of the Christmas pageant. You have very often served as a greeter, and I know that in at least one instance, your greeting played a big role in the decision of a family to make this their church home. You are a very regular candle-lighter. You have done a great thing in keeping alive for us the memory of your mother, Dinah. And during the pandemic, you have been one of the most consistent and passionate participants in the Zoom coffee hour and in the Centering Prayer sessions. Most of all, you are an inspiration and I would say a role model to so many in your full engagement in life, your positive attitude, and your determination to do what you set your mind to do. We are so blessed to have you in our midst. We know your love for music, both piano and voice, and my understanding is that the financial aspect of this award will support your working with Samirah Evans in taking voice lessons. That is very exciting, and I'm sure that this church will be a beneficiary of that work in the future.

Katharine playing the piano

Katharine singing in the choir Sunday (with Robin Davis)************************************************** A TRIBUTE TO TONY AND MARGARET DALE BARRAND It is impossible to list everything that Tony and Margaret Dale have given the Guilford Church, but here is an attempt: In the area of music, there is so much to say! Just 2 1/2 weeks after they were married in the church on July 12, 1986, Tony & Margaret Dale participated in what was called a "Summer Musicale" - an evening of music in the church performed by a wide variety of people. In addition to singing, Tony did clog dancing that evening. Later that year at Thanksgiving, 1986, he introduced Captain Kidd and also sang Come All Ye Jolly Plowmen. In the following years, he introduced what became traditions - reading the King James version of the Lukan Christmas story on Christmas Eve; singing Over the Hill and Over the Dale and The March of the Kings at Epiphany; celebrating Candlemas Sunday (mid-winter) and Mothering Sunday (mid-Lent); each with its appropriate carol (we must be one of a handful of Vermont churches who observe these British holy days); singing My Old Dutch at the occasion of a wedding anniversary - often that of Phil and Peg Hunter; The Bells of Norwich at the beginning of spring; The Merchant's Carol on Palm Sunday; I Come Like a Beggar before Communion, The Prodigal's Return and God Beyond all Names on many occasions, and on and on. Margaret Dale often sang duets with Tony and also sometimes accompanied him on pipe and tabor. On several Sundays from 1991-1996, Tony and Margaret Dale led an entire service in the absence of Shirley and Larry - that happened on at least 8 Sundays during those years. And of course in 1991 Tony composed Shirley of Guilford which was inspired by Julian of Norwich and Hildegard of Bingen, and was premiered by Tony and a rowdy church band at a church birthday party celebration at the old fire house on March 10th. It has been sung many times since. In 1996, when the church was moved to its present location, Tony filmed the entire day: and that is a fascinating video to watch! When Larry retired from being choir director in 1997, Tony was one of the three - Peter, Andy and Tony - who took over directing the choir. As MS claimed more and more of Tony's body, his voice was almost miraculously spared and as we all know he sang almost up to the very end and was a living model of perseverance and an inspiration to us all. On top of all that, Margaret Dale was hugely responsible for the gardens which adorn the church grounds, beginning with their original design. Over the years she put in countless hours in the church gardens - with help from others, of course. She has also provided altar flowers on many occasions. Margaret Dale, I believe, created the beautiful May quilt which adorns our wall. She initiated and for many years prepared and led the Seder Passover celebration and meal which preceded our Maundy Thursday service. She has served as a teacher in the Sunday School and has often given the children's story during the Sunday morning service. And quietly behind the scenes, I'm sure her care and devotion made it possible for Tony to actually get to church, and many other places as well. One could go on, I'm sure. But that is enough to make clear what this church owes to this remarkable couple. Rather than saying we will miss them, I will say that we will have occasion to remember them, again and again and again, for years to come.

Margaret Dale and Tony (a few years ago)