The Rev. Canon Earle King writes for the Diocese of Western New York:
On January 6, I was one of five clergy honored by the Bishop. I was named an honorary Canon in the Diocese of Western New York. The folks at St. Martin’s, Grand Island, asked me, “What’s a canon?” “Well,” I answered, “it’s an honorary title. There’s no increase in salary. No additional responsibility. No additional people to boss around. I could get a fancy cassock to wear as a Canon. But I’m kind of old, and it’s not worth spending the money to purchase.”
On Sunday, February 28, following the Dismissal, two men in the parish escorted me back to the front of the Church. They spoke about my being an honorary canon — without an appropriate cassock. So they handed me an envelope with $1220 in cash in it, so that I could purchase the appropriate cassock. They also gave me a box of items, which included a pair of red socks. The OT lesson was about Moses and the burning bush. So as I was preaching, I also took off my shoes, exposing my red socks that I already was wearing; I had gone shoeless for the rest of the service.
They also borrowed a cannon from the local Sandy Beach Yacht Club, used for starting sailboat races. We went outside to shoot off the cannon.
I believe that I’m the luckiest priest in the diocese. The folks at St. Martin’s are absolutely wonderful. God has greatly blessed me in my time serving as Rector.
