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323154209
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St. Ann's--Kennebunkport, [ME] 8/30/92 [OA 7579]
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323154209
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St. Ann's--Kennebunkport, [ME] 8/30/92 [OA 7579]
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13829-002
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Backup Chronological Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Backup Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13829
Folder ID Number:
13829-002
Folder Title:
St. Ann's--Kennebunkport, [ME] 8/30/92 [OA 7579]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
26
22
7
5
staffed for 2:00 Fri.
(Askew/Bunton)
August 27, 1992
2:55 A.M.
CHURCH
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: ST. ANN'S CHURCH CENTENNIAL
KENNEBUNKPORT, ME
AUGUST 30, 1992
10:00 A.M.
Thank you, and good morning, everyone.
As a member of the vestry council
as one of five
generations of Bushes who've worshipped here
and as a grateful
son of this congregation
I'm delighted to be part of St. Ann's
Centennial celebration. This congregation means a lot to me.
To an unfamiliar eye, St. Ann's might look like just an old
rock church. Beautiful, of course. A graceful blend of sea-
washed walls and stained glass worn oak pews, smooth slate
floors.. and those wonderful needlepoint kneelers.
But that sells it short. St. Ann's is much more than that.
To me, these walls sing. They transmit echoes of good
people, over the years with strong hearts and faith and an
abiding sense of family.
And they flood me with memories
boyhood memories of
summers in Maine, with treasure hunts, bonfires and picnics on
the grounds. And memories of this church and its people: taking
up the offering with the other kids. Singing hymns and praying.
As long as I can remember, by the 10 a.m. family service,
these first three rows on the right were filled with Bushes and
Walkers. And by 10:40
we were all free to play. I grew up
half-believing St. Ann was the patron saint of fun.
1
Turns out she means a lot more than that. Today
to me
she might as well be the patron saint of family.
I remember my uncle Ray Walker saying that here in
Kennebunkport, family was church
and church was family.
That's the tie that binds me to this place.
The Bush-Walker clan helped build St. Ann's, 100 years ago.
My own parents were married by a bishop, here at this marble
altar, on Aug 6, 1921. I was baptized right here, too
exactly
68 years ago next week
by that same bishop.
And I've been coming back to Kennebunkport and St. Ann's for
as long as I can remember. I've never missed a summer except
one, when I was in the Navy and couldn't get home.
So I measured my journey from boyhood to manhood, summer by
summer, right here in this holy place.
And I'm lucky. I know I'm lucky.
Lately there's been a lot of talk in this country about
traditional values. Well
mine started right here. I thank
God I grew up in a family that loved and honored not only its
Creator
but its children as well.
And so this morning, I ask you to join me in praying for
this great country
that those of us who've been so blessed
see fit to extend the traditional gifts of care and hope and
love
to those who never had them.
That's what St. Ann's gave me, and I want to pass it on.
Thank you
God bless you
and God bless America.
2
Facts about St. Ann's and the Bushes' association with it:
*
Construction began in 1887. Finished in 1892.
*
Walkers/Bushes helped build the Church and have
worshipped there for five generations.
Built for use by the weary (vacationing) traveller.
Rocks composing Church are from the coast of Maine.
*
Dorothy Walker and Prescott Bush were married at St.
Ann's on August 6, 1921. The Right Rev. John Poyntz
Tyler, D.D., Bishop of North Dakota, performed the
ceremony.
*
President Bush was baptized, in the still-existing
marble font in the Church, on Sunday, September 7,
1924, at St. Ann's. Bishop Tyler performed this
ceremony as well.
*
No record of family burials at the Church.
*
Needlepoint kneelers were made, over the years, by
various women of the Church. No record if any were
made by Bushes or Walkers.
*
Young G.H.W. Bush took up offerings there.
*
Possibly apocryphal story about him dropping the
offering plate and sending coins and bills everywhere.
*
Bell in tower is Belgian and was purchased from Yale.
*
Chapel is unheated and used on a seasonal basis.
3
8/25/92
Peggy,
at Per the our conversation this morning, the President has committed to make brief
Bishop Allin. The service begins at 10 a.m. Sunday.
"Centennial Celebration Service." That is the only commitment he has made remarks to
to There attend is a vestry meeting Saturday morning. The President (at this time) does NOT plan
that meeting.
Patty Patty Presoek
SAINT ANN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
18 August 1992
Ms Patty Presock
Office of the Preside
The White House
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear Patty,
Allow me to join with you in attempting to be of service
to President Bush. Thanks to an earlier assist on your part,
he has informed me on both occasions this summer when he has
attended St. Ann's that he was working on plans to be here in
Kennebunkport and St. Ann's on Sunday, August 30th, for the
Centennial Celebration of St. Ann's consecration. Two days
ago, Ed Flynn and a Secret Service colleague came to discuss
plans for his visit, God willing, if nothing interferes
meanwhile.
When I last spoke with the President about his being
here for the celebration, I told him I would send a report of
plans for the occasion. Said plans include our desire to have
him speak - which he replied he would.
This is addressed to you rather than to the President,
because you can both brief him and those concerned with his
campaign plans and appearances. His being present for this
occasion on this weekend can well serve multiple good
purposes.
1. As stated in the earlier letter on this subject, it
will of course be a fulfilling of one of his duties, namely
being a member of the vestry council of St. Ann's, to be
present for the Church's Centennial. That will be pleasing
to this congregation.
2. It can be an easily managed, happily staged "press
and picture" occasion for him, a campaign plus: being seen
with his mother and members of his family at his family
church, among long time friends, where he serves as a member
of the vestry. He will be introduced as the speaker at St.
Ann's annual "Lobster Boil", speaking to a tent full of folk
in front of our well protected rectory. "Family values" can
be the topic or implied as he talks about his "memories of
life in St. Ann's, Kennebunkport".
POST OFFICE BOX 44
kennebunkport, MAINE 04046
page 2. Presock 8/17/92
3. And, we pray that Saturday and Sunday will provide a
relaxing and refreshing variation in his "campaign" routine.
The Annual Meeting of the Members of St. Ann's does convene
at 8:00 am., that Saturday morning, with a meeting of the
vestry immediately following. The President should be
readily excused and need not be at those two meetings, unless
he should just desire to be present. My pastoral concern for
him would rather urge him to take time out. Indeed, I urge
him to schedule a golf game at his convenience on both
Saturday and Sunday (after church).
If I were free of duties on those two days, I would
endeavor to make him a "Godfather offer", one he couldn't
afford to turn down to make a "pastoral call" with me on
some local church members needing pastoral attention at our
local golf course. Surely the President can't be criticized
if he were accompanying "the parson on a mission of mercy".
The 10 o'clock service he normally attends here in St.
Ann's will be the "Centennial Celebration Service". It will
be a special order of service to renew the "church's
consecration"; perhaps a little longer. Following the
service, he and the First Lady and family can come next door
to the rectory for the 15 or 20 minutes (and refreshment as
needed) while the some 130 members of the congregation
assemble for the "Lobster Boil". He should be back at
Walker's Point by 1:00 pm., and a free afternoon.
Our plans here are flexible and do not depend on his
presence. If he is prevented from attending, we'll proceed
with "Plan B" without interruption. It will help to know,
however, when his schedule for August 29-30 is set. If he's
coming, we want to set up a convenient speaking stand.
Thank you for your good assistance, Patty. We hope the
President can be here, and will do all we can to make it a
pleasant and rewarding visit for him.
Best to you. Grace and peace.
Faithfully,
in
area
(Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, Sr.
Chaplain of St. Ann's
26 AUGUST 1992
MEMORANDUM FOR KEN ASKEW
FROM:
JEANNIE BUNTON
SUBJECT:
POTUS/ FIRST JP FAMILY / ST. ANN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
FOR SUNDAY AUGUST 30
POTUS' PARENTS [DOROTHY WALKER AND PRESCOTT BUSH] WERE MARRIED AT
ST. ANN'S ON AUG. 6, 1921. THE RIGHT REV. JOHN POYNTZ TYLER,
D.D., BISHOP OF NORTH DAKOTA PERFORMED THE CEREMONY.
POTUS WAS BAPTIZED ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1924 AT ST. ANN'S
CHURCH IN KENNEBUNKPORT. OFFICIATING WAS THE BISHOP OF NORTH
DAKOTA, J. P. TYLER. TYLEY WAS VISITING KPORT THAT SUMMER.
ELIZABETH STANLEY TROTTER SERVED AS GODPARENT.
[NOTE: BISHOP TYLER MARRIED POTUS PARENTS THEN THREE YEARS LATER
BAPTIZED POTUS. ] "THE BISHOP WHO MARRIED MY PARENTS -- BAPTIZED
ME "