tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73607757947580621102024-03-06T01:46:27.890-05:00The Eternal PursuitA space devoted to the work of the Spirit and the quest to understandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger305125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-82171332400045734292012-03-18T20:37:00.000-04:002012-03-18T20:38:07.074-04:00Lent 4Lent 4, 2012<br />The Rev'd Christopher L. Epperson<br /><br /><br />There are several features to this Gospel text that cry out for explanation. First, Jesus is in conversation with a pharisee, Nicodemus, a member of the religious establishment. Remember, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. He came under the cover of darkness and was fearful. Nicodemus was part of the established order, yet he saw something in Jesus that called him to seek more information. We come upon them after they have had the discussion about being "born from above" or being "born again".<br /><br />Nicodemus doesn't quite get it, so Jesus delves into Israel's history. Jesus invokes the time after Israel was freed from Egypt, spared at the Passover and delivered at the Red Sea. Israel was wandering in the wilderness, awaiting the land of promise. In the midst of one of the cycles of whining, being punished by God and then saved, Israel fell prey to a plague of snake that bit and killed many. The 21st Chapter of the book of Numbers tells us God sent the snakes as punishment for the latest episode of murmuring. <br /><br />While the scriptures often speak in terms of God's punishment, I think it is too simplistic. Rather than reflecting the actual working of God, I wonder if we are not talking about something much more human. I wonder if the negative consequences experienced and illustrated are ascribed to God because the characters are moved to repentance through the negative outcomes. <br /><br />The saving act in this vignette occurred when God had Moses make a bronze image of a serpent to hold up for Israel to see, and it somehow neutralized the snake bites.<br /><br />Jesus invokes this story to cast his ministry and identity in these saving terms. Jesus is telling Nicodemus that God is doing again, what God does, but in a new, stunning and complete way. The promised, hoped for, but surprising way. <br /><br />The problem is, however, the same. Moses encountered resistance to God's offer of be God and Israel be God's people. It was often compromised by the longing for a certain kind of satisfaction. Call it prosperity. Call certainty or comfort. <br /><br />Nicodemus is part of the culture of the haves. He comes to Jesus secretly because he fears losing what he has. He senses God's work in Jesus. Nicodemus longs for the fulfillment of the Kingdom, the new day, the new age, but he is where he is and has what he has. For now, Nicodemus will have to stay put and wonder. <br /><br />Much of the culture Jesus faced resided in darkness, fear and resistance. Jesus offered a bigger view of humanity, God's love and reign of peace. The resistance Jesus faced, the resistance that led to his death was invested in the prosperity of the moment, comfort and status quo. <br /><br />Jesus said that kind of culture is under God's judgement already. That Judgement isn't bound up in a desire to judge, so much as it is bound up in rejection and resistance. Is it judgement when darkness is chosen over grace, love and God's reign of freedom?<br /><br />Last week, I was intrigued by Gregg Smith's piece in the NYT about leaving Goldman Sachs. I don't know Gregg Smith and I don't know too much about the culture of Goldman Sachs, but I was fascinated by Smith's portrayal of a firm that had lost its way, no longer faithful servants of clients, but greedy and self-serving, choosing to earn profits for the company over the clients they serve. Smith painted the picture in moral terms. He felt under judgement and chose another way. <br /><br /><br />I think Smith's story is the good news of acknowledging judgement. <br /><br />I usually know when I am headed down the wrong path. I usually know when I am acting out of fear and for self-serving reasons. Most of us know when we are in a state of grace or in a state of sin. <br /><br />The Good News is that through God's grace we are given insight and freedom to embrace and the just, faithful and righteous course. We are gifted with the spark of divinity within us, that won't let us alone, when we are embracing something other than the right. We know when we are wrong. We know that God is the God of redemption and forgiveness. <br /><br />Hopefully, we remember not just John 3:16, but John 3:17.<br /><br /> "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-2873497496468447562012-02-28T21:29:00.002-05:002012-02-28T21:35:31.211-05:00Lent 1 NotesThe experience of regret is positively awful. We live our lives doing the best we can, yet in certain circumstances and relationships, things don't always turn out well. What could we have done differently, we wonder. The nature of regret is that the time to correct a situation has past. Regrets must be lived with and accepted.<br /><br />Hospice workers offer an interesting window into the nature of regret. Those that work with the dying hear from the dying about matters of great substance. Those close to the dying hear about regret and the regrets are remarkably similar.<br /><br />1-I wish I lived true to myself and my dreams, rather than the life others expected of me.<br /><br />2-I wish I had balanced work better with my relationships.<br /><br />3-I wish I had been more courageous and shared my feelings with others.<br /><br />4-I wish I had stayed in touch with friends.<br /><br />5-I wish I had let myself be happier.<br /> (smartequalssexy.wordpress.com. By T Kelly)<br /><br />These five themes speak to the essence of personhood and authentic humanity. We are created as individuals, we are made for relationships, and those relationships are to be environments of honesty and safety. Finally, our sense of fulfillment hinges on our willingness and courageousness to embrace all the above. <br /><br />We are often, however, tempted to be and do less. We accept the overlay of others to the detriment of our dreams and passions. We often allow the definition of success prescribed by others to sway us from what we believe is right and dare I say, faithful.<br /><br />We are tempted to throw ourselves into being productive and successful, while our friends and intimates don't get enough of us. Too often we don't reveal enough of our innermost selves to those for whom we have the deepest of affection. Too often we let people we care about slip in and out of our lives from lack of attention or some perceived slight. Sins of omission and commission.<br /><br />In all of it, we are tempted to be less than we are.<br /><br />This first Sunday of Lent focuses us on Jesus and his temptation. The Gospel of Mark merely enters the temptation by title. Matthew and Luke give us the detail we remember, it may be that the detail was so well known in the telling, Mark doesn't feel the need to rehearse it. We know the temptation of Jesus was the offering of a full belly, the manifestation of divine power in vain and wealth and power. <br /><br />Jesus answers all the temptations quoting the book of Deuteronomy. Jesus invokes the Torah, the very core of the Jewish identity to rebuff the temptations. Jesus goes to the heart of the tradition that illustrates the dynamic relationship between God and Israel. Identity, passion, honesty and fulfillment are found at that core.<br /><br />The temptation for Jesus is to be less than he is. <br /><br />That is the temptation we face as well. <br /><br />The good news is that in Christ we find the way away from the path of living for self alone. In Jesus, we find another way, a way toward fullness and abundance, rather than less. The good news is that God gives us grace and messengers that minister to us, that we might grasp more with no regrets.Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-14400041440871220122012-02-28T21:27:00.001-05:002012-02-28T21:31:20.226-05:00Lent 1Click on Lent 1 title to go to video.Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-5113792154404152402011-11-18T09:02:00.000-05:002011-11-18T09:03:23.057-05:00Some Sermon NotesPentecost 22-Nov. 13, 2011. The Rev'd Christopher L. Epperson<br /><br />One of the most culturally pervasive phobias is taphophobia, the fear of being buried alive. It has been the subject of ancient lore and modern fiction and movies. The Victorians were so afraid of being buried alive, they created all sorts devices to address the fear. One was a casket with a bell on the outside, connected to a line running inside, so the bell could be rung. Embalming was marketed as a means of insuring that an individual was really dead. Even the stethoscope was marketed as a means of telling the living from the dead. Granted, the implications of being buried alive are grizzly, there is simply something wrong with putting something, or someone, in the wrong place. <br /><br />We bury the dead. We bury objects to hide them. We bury things to dispose of them.<br /><br />The servant that hides his capital, given him to invest via his boss, makes that curious choice to bury what he has been entrusted to grow. That servant robbed the capital of its potential. That servant chose to hide. If increase is life, that servant chose death through burial.<br /><br />Presumably, all the servants knew the boss. They knew that he expected good return on investment. They knew that he was ambitious and hungry for produce, even where he did not cultivate. By working through these servants and leaving them for a long period of time, the boss invited them to emulate him in some respect. The boss entrusted the servants to work on his behalf, function with his vision in mind and accomplish what he would, were he present.<br /><br />Two knew, understood and responded, and one knew, yet did not.<br /><br />Now, these parables of Jesus can only be pushed so far. They are in no way intended to be entire, self-contained systematic theologies. The parables usually have a somewhat narrow, nuanced focus.<br /><br />Jesus tells this parable to his disciples to prepare them for the days ahead, when following will be arduous and frightening. How are they to function faithfully as they await the coming kingdom of God?<br />What does faithfulness look like as they manage Jesus' capital investment?<br /><br />It is about embodying the abundant, ambitious, all-consuming ministry of Jesus that knows no bounds or limits. Matthew's Gospel characterizes Jesus ministry as the formation of a community, The Church. The Church is the school for the sinner, the house of reconciliation and vessel containing the food and drink of new life. That Church goes out into the four corners of the world making disciples, baptizing, obeying Jesus' commandments, and knowing him to be present even to the end of the age.<br /><br />Listening, healing, tending, caring, feeding, loving-one another and the world.Anything less is is hiding what we have been given. Anything less is death. Anything less is disposing of our opportunity to respond to God in the abundant, ambitious, risky way God has called and assembled us. Anything less is being buried alive.Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-80759758280124440252011-06-30T15:40:00.004-04:002011-06-30T17:02:29.169-04:00Which way to fall?I posed a question to my congregation this past week: Are you ready to fall into God's grace? This challenge was prompted by two things I have been reading lately.<br /><br /><br />First, the Revised Common Lectionary's continuous readings for this part of the season after Pentecost have us following Abraham. In reviewing the Patriarch's life it turns out that he made a lot of bad decisions with serious consequences. He decided to take Sarah up on the offer to father God's great nation through Hagar, her handmaid, and conceived Ishmael. The consequences of that decision followed Abraham and his ancestors throughout their lives, and is still with us in the Middle East conflict today. He twice traded his wife Sarah for his own safety, risking his promise for a nation and his love for Sarah on the virtue of a Pharaoh and a nomadic tribal leader, questionable decisions at the best of times. He allowed his nephew Lot, not a giant on character issues, to decide which path to take when foraging shortages were threatening their combined flocks, a decision that placed Lot in Sodom just before its judgement, threatening Lot, Abraham, and their families. These are some, though not all of Abraham's decisions.<br /><br /><br />Who bailed him out and turned the bad into good? God. About the only good decision Abraham made was to pick-up his tents, call his family to him, gather his flocks, and lead them all to where God was showing him.<br /><br /><br />Second, in conjunction with these RCL readings, I picked-up a book by the Franciscan Priest, Religious, and Scholar, Richard Rohr, <em>Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life</em>. The premise of this book: that we need to build structures during the first half of our lives, so that we might be prepared to be what God has created us to be in the second half of our lives. The paradox of the faith journey is that it is not the successes of our building time that help us grow, but the failures. Just as God was there to bail out Abraham, God is there to bail us out too. However, we have to learn and accept this <em>grace</em>. So, Abraham was most successful when he was most wrong. Hence, Rohr's title, <em>Falling Upward</em>.<br /><br /><br />I think this way of approaching our faith lives, both individually and corporately, makes us uncomfortable here in the the good ole USA. This culture values success, and it values people and congregations who are "self-made" in their success. The problem with this way of being is that it leaves little, if any, room for God and God's grace. My church is trying is trying to rebuild. I think we need to be bold in trying new things, risking the possibility of being as incredibly wrong as Abraham, and letting God work on us through these failures. Given my choice, as anxiety laden as it may be, I choose falling, and falling upward would be fine.Papihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391368057416507099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-47417101649023113422011-06-01T10:29:00.007-04:002011-06-07T12:59:59.279-04:00Generational NarcismServing historic churches is a mixed blessing. The long history, the structures-physical and organizational, and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">reservoir</span> of ministries accomplished are all things that provide for the kind of inertia that save many of us from immediate irrelevance. If it were not for this institutional and spiritual inertia, inertia of a good sort in that it connects us to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">historic</span> witness and its trajectory, my 293 year old congregation might have ceased to exist independently about a decade ago. <em>Generational Narcissism</em>, the sense that my generation is the only one that matters, interferes with the positive aspects of standing among the great cloud of witnesses.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It was in an invitation from a local synagogue, one celebrating its 110<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span></span> anniversary, that I was reminded of this obligation that may constrain but may also be a factor in giving life. At the turn of the 20<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span></span> century a Jewish community of Eastern Europeans was established in my town. Coming from varied backgrounds from within their own faith, they put aside their differences in order to form a synagogue. Then, interestingly, they were aided in their effort by two local churches, one Roman Catholic and mine. The aid was structural, contributions to a building to house the congregation, and relational, a teacher to instruct these young Eastern European Jews in the Hebrew they needed for their Bar <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Mitzvah</span>. To imagine a group of early teenage boys trooping to the Episcopal Church for Hebrew instruction is quite intriguing, especially in the late <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">nineteenth</span> century. Hearing the story bound me to its narrative. I stood no longer on my own, I stood in that line of rectors, good and bad, that led the spiritual life of this community.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I have been known for both creating change and reinforcing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">tradition</span>, hard things to do. Hard poles to manage. The change that I am aiming for is not to totally redo things in this place, but to give it form in a new context which both honors the traditions and takes us into the future. My parish is on less solid ground financially than the one now tended to by Chris. So it needs updating, not <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">upbraiding</span>, and it needs a congregation, which when asked which traditions are really important, can tell me clearly, distinctly, and with a sense of spiritual understanding that shows not only local but universal connections as well. None of us stand alone in the Church.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The mixed part of this blessing, and one in which generational <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">narcissism</span> plays a major role is in the unfortunate history that is part of my parish's past. I am not talking about wrestling between Rectors and congregants. That is tough stuff but not the worst. Rather it is this institution's history with slavery as a commercial enterprise and the source of wealth for prominent members and leaders of this church as well as the source for many of its buildings. Focusing on recent history, and not connecting to our past, allows us to forget the degrading impact of this legacy, one which should firmly ground all the generations of this parish in the notion that they are not perfected but redeemed, and that with our holy deeds have come unholy ones as well. Humility, it seems, is the response that is appropriate to the views of the heights, depths, and faithfulness of the Church and its congregations.Papihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391368057416507099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-62410220666834793952011-05-31T15:30:00.003-04:002011-05-31T16:25:57.779-04:00One's PlaceI have only just started a new ministry in a new parish. The move has contained all the elements one would expect, the pain of physically uprooting with possessions and setting up house, the emotionally draining task of bidding, those you have grown to love, farewell and the process of opening to new people and a new community. It has been a wonderful process.<br /><br />The parish, I now serve is very historic. I took a picture that I posted on facebook of the list of rectors that have served this jewel. My name is the 35th name at the bottom of the list. The start date of the first name is 1674. Some of the names on the list are recognizable and known. Others jingle no bells and stir no recognition. There I am in their midst. I have become part of the unfolding life of this place.<br /><br />In a conversation with a colleague, one of us used the phrase "generational narcism" the idea is that many of us function out of our own limited, time-bound and experiential identity. It is difficult to do anything else. This is not an attempt to stereotype, but to recognize that members of particular generations often share particular nuances and perspectives, peculiar to the particular group. I know there are a thousand exceptions to this, but there is ring of truth in it. Certain generations are dominated by particular, governing, philosophical assumptions. Other generations might have new and different ways of thinking, different assumptions and new questions.<br /><br />Here is the rub. The Church is home to individuals across generational designations, and with the designations come ways of thinking, being and doing. How does the Church stay on-course as the upside-down vessel, granting passage to all of us?<br /><br />Today is the Visitation. Mary arrived to see her cousin Elizabeth and breaks into Magnificat. "His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation." Mary's vocation was not intended for a particular time. Jesus ministry was not meant for a particular people, but all people.<br /><br />As people of faith, how do we accept what has been given us, seek to understand the profundity thereof and do an interpretive piece? We are under some obligation to proclaim what is at the heart of the Christian religion. To do that, I think we have to know it. Knowing it means grappling with it, not merely jettisoning the pieces we don't really understand or worse, don't like. I think we have to mine the tradition for what is at the core, and communicate the core in ways that have resonance for the present.<br /><br />At our 7:30 am eucharist, I told the small congregation that any innovation in the liturgy would be a result of ignorance, not intent. I want to get to know this congregation, and I want them to get to know me. I am not worried about making my mark, but developing a relationship. That takes time. The work we do in the Church isn't exactly our own. We are beholden to those who have come before us and our time. We know there will be those who come after us and our time.<br /><br />I am but one member of a generation and the generations run...Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-1176730399603778552011-02-10T20:33:00.005-05:002011-02-11T10:03:00.144-05:00And Episcopalins TooThe opinion piece by Russell Moore is rich with all sorts of material--on Baptists, church growth, denominational loyalty, and what constitutes vital tradition. However, there is one part I would like to focus on today, although there may be more later: what denominations and, especially, Episcopalians do at their best.<br /><br />Moore expresses this <em>thing</em> in summary. He says "[denominations] represent fidelity to living traditions of local congregations that care about what Jesus cared about--personal conversion, discipleship, mission, and community." I may choose a different vocabulary and some slightly different emphases for these expressions, however, I largely agree, with at least one addition. Denominations also express catholicity, our connections through the body to each other, present and past. Otherwise, congregations run the risk of being disconnected "ecclesial communites," and disconnected generational narcsists.<br /><br /><br />The Episcopal Church emphasizes this catholicity through its continued practice of the sacrments, its commitment to the ancient creeds, its organization and expression around common prayer, the use of a lectionary that routinely takes the church through all of the books of the Bible, and its ordering according to the threefold ministries of deacon, priest, and bishop.<br /><br />There are other aspects which I am certain to have missed in this summary, but the need to guard against isolationism and egocentrism (i.e. becoming the "church of what's happenin' here and now) is the special trust of the denomiations, with their indiviualized but corporate empahasis.Papihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391368057416507099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-36546478054136802242011-02-09T15:56:00.001-05:002011-02-09T16:06:30.938-05:00WSJ article: Where Have All the Presbyterians Gone?By RUSSELL D. MOORE<br /><br />Are we witnessing the death of America's Christian denominations? Studies conducted by secular and Christian organizations indicate that we are. Fewer and fewer American Christians, especially Protestants, strongly identify with a particular religious communion—Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, etc. According to the Baylor Survey on Religion, nondenominational churches now represent the second largest group of Protestant churches in America, and they are also the fastest growing.<br /><br />More and more Christians choose a church not on the basis of its denomination, but on the basis of more practical matters. Is the nursery easy to find? Do I like the music? Are there support groups for those grappling with addiction?<br /><br />This trend is a natural extension of the American evangelical experiment. After all, evangelicalism is about the fundamental message of Christianity—the evangel, the gospel, literally the "good news" of God's kingdom arriving in Jesus Christ—not about denomination building.<br /><br />The post-World War II generation of evangelicals was responding to congregations filled with what they considered spiritual deadness. People belonged to a church, but they seemed to have no emotional experience of Christianity inside the building. Revivalists watched as denominational bureaucracies grew larger, and churches shifted from sending missionaries to preach around the world to producing white papers on issues like energy policy.<br /><br />More and more Christians choose a church not on the basis of its denomination, but on the basis of more practical matters.<br /><br />The revivalists wanted to get back to basics, to recover the centrality of a personal relationship with Jesus. "Being a member of a church doesn't make you a Christian," the ubiquitous evangelical pulpit cliché went, "any more than living in a garage makes you a car." Thus these evangelical ministries tended not to talk about those issues that might divide their congregants. They avoided questions like: Who should be baptized and when? What does the Lord's Supper mean? Should women be ordained? And so on.<br /><br />The movement exploded. Before 1955, there were virtually no megachurches (defined as 2,000 people per worship service) in the country. Now there are between 850 and 1,200 such churches and many are nondenominational, according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Evangelicalism wanted to open its doors to all believers and it often lacked roots in the traditions of particular congregations. So many evangelical churches have a generic identity. This has changed the feel of local church life.<br /><br />Where hymnody once came from the spontaneity of slave spirituals or camp meetings, worship songs are increasingly now focus-grouped by executives in Nashville. The evangelical "Veggie Tales" cartoons—animated Bible stories featuring talking cucumbers and tomatoes—probably shape more children in their view of scripture than any denominational catechism does these days. A church that requires immersion baptism before taking communion, as most Baptist traditions do, will likely get indignant complaints from evangelical visitors who feel like they've been denied service at a restaurant.<br /><br />But there are some signs of a growing church-focused evangelicalism. Many young evangelicals may be poised to reconsider denominational doctrine, if for no other reason than they are showing signs of fatigue with typical evangelical consumerism.<br /><br />For example, artists such as Keith and Kristen Getty and Sojourn Music are reaching a new generation with music written for and performed by local congregations. Yes, prosperity preacher Joyce Meyer sells her book "Eat the Cookie, Buy the Shoes," which encourages Christians to "lighten up" by eating cookies and buying shoes (seriously). But, at the same time, Alabama preacher David Platt is igniting thousands of young people with his book "Radical," which calls Christians to rescue their faith by lowering their standard of living and giving their time and money to Church-based charities.<br /><br />And though nondenominational churches are growing, the Southern Baptist Convention—the nation's largest Protestant group—has over 10,000 students studying for ministry in six seminaries right now.<br /><br />If denominationalism simply denotes a "brand" vying for market share, then let denominationalism fall. But many of us believe denominations can represent fidelity to living traditions of local congregations that care about what Jesus cared about—personal conversion, discipleship, mission and community. Perhaps the denominational era has just begun.<br /><br />Mr. Moore is dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.<br /><br /><strong>So David, what do you think?</strong>Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-18047974636561801402011-02-08T11:41:00.000-05:002011-02-08T12:03:45.709-05:00New IdeaOne of the very important facets of the Christian life is community, and by community, I don’t mean a mere social function. I mean something more substantial, a group of fellow travelers treading the path of discipleship, who are open to one another along the way. I mean small groups really working on faith.<br /><br />One of the best parts of my week is lunch with a friend and colleague in ministry. My friend David is rector of a neighboring parish and he knows what it is like in the trenches of parish ministry. Once a week, we meet, eat and share our successes, failures and challenges. Our conversations cover a wide array of life.<br /><br />Last week, we decided to share some of that on this blog. We will pose questions to each other and answer them, much like we do at lunch. The idea is that we might loop more people into the conversation. <br /><br />So watch this space and welcome David!<br /><br />Finally, This is the text from Isa 58, that I am praying of late.<br /><br />9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;<br /> you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. <br />If you remove the yoke from among you,<br /> the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, <br />10 if you offer your food to the hungry<br /> and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,<br />then your light shall rise in the darkness<br /> and your gloom be like the noonday. <br />11 The Lord will guide you continually,<br /> and satisfy your needs in parched places,<br /> and make your bones strong;<br />and you shall be like a watered garden,<br /> like a spring of water,<br /> whose waters never fail. <br />12 Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;<br /> you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;<br />you shall be called the repairer of the breach,<br /> the restorer of streets to live in. <br /><br />Peace!<br /><br /><br />Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-79615598608084860652011-02-01T20:08:00.000-05:002011-02-01T20:10:19.817-05:00What is a church worth?A study asks: What's a church's economic worth?<br /><br />Posted:02/01/2011 8:04 PM<br />By David O'Reilly <br />Inquirer Staff Writer <br />What is the dollar value of a marriage saved? A suicide averted? An addiction conquered? A teenager taught right from wrong?<br /><br />In short: What is a church's economic worth to the community it serves?<br /><br />Last summer, a University of Pennsylvania professor and a national secular research group based in Center City took up that seemingly unanswerable question. With a list they devised of 54 value categories, they attempted to calculate the economic "halo effect" of a dozen religious congregations in Philadelphia - 10 Protestant churches, a Catholic parish, and a synagogue.<br /><br />They added up the money generated by weddings and funerals, festivals, counseling programs, preschools, elder care. They tallied the salaries of staff and the wages of roofers, plumbers, even snow shovelers. They put dollar signs on intangibles, too, such as helping people find work and teaching children to be socially responsible.<br /><br />They even measured the diameter of trees on church campuses.<br /><br />The grand total for the 12 congregations: $50,577,098 in annual economic benefits.<br /><br />The valuation for 300-member Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Episcopal Church in Queen Village, for instance, was a middle-of-the-road $1.65 million. By contrast, the figure for Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic parish in Kensington, with 7,000 congregants, a parochial school, and a community center, was $22.44 million.<br /><br />The numbers, culled from clergy and staff interviews, "just blew us away," said Robert Jaeger, executive director of the research group Partners for Sacred Places.<br /><br />The study is not yet published. When it is, the robust sums are likely to be challenged, predicted lead author Ram Cnaan, a Penn professor of social policy.<br /><br />Some valuations were drawn from existing academic research, such as $19,600 for pastoral counseling that prevents a suicide and $18,000 for an averted divorce. Cnaan himself arrived at other values - for example, $375 on "teaching pro-social values" to a young child.<br /><br />"Look, it's quite possible that someone will say we calculated all wrong" in some categories, he said. But, he added, he welcomed scrutiny.<br /><br />He and the 21-year-old Partners have well-established reputations in the valuation of houses of worship. In 1998 they began a landmark research series on urban congregations' services to the poor (worth an annual average of $140,000). It led George W. Bush in 2000 to create the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives, which continues in the Obama administration.<br /><br />If there are challenges to the "halo" study, they are not likely to come from churches, which stand to benefit.<br /><br />"Equipped with such measurements," the report said, "a congregation could produce hard numbers to show community organizations, policy makers and potential funders the value of its local presence."<br /><br />Among the churches in the study was 150-member Summit Presbyterian in Mount Airy, where last week the Rev. Cheryl Pyrch stood in the snow and pointed to a row of DayGlo orange dots climbing the stone bell tower.<br /><br />Each spot marked where masons soon would drill iron reinforcing rods to keep the tower from cracking further - a job that will pump $50,000 into the economy. Summit's century-old slate roof is also "coming to the end of its useful life," Pyrch said. The estimated cost of replacing it is $250,000, a windfall for a contractor.<br /><br />Summit's operating budget is a modest $265,000. But the study calculated its "halo" last year at $1.47 million.<br /><br />It is home to a remarkable array of community organizations, including a day-care center, a chamber orchestra, a synagogue, a dance and drum ensemble, a computer company, a dance school, a martial arts program.<br /><br />It also rents space to the Adult Congenital Heart Association for its national headquarters. "It's almost as if this [church] is a small-business incubator," said Tim Clair, an association director.<br /><br />On the other side of the city, the Rev. Bruce Lewandowski said the study changed his perception of his Visitation BVM parish.<br /><br />"You might think of your church as an employer," he said, "but not as an engine driving the neighborhood economy."<br /><br />Founded in the late 19th century for Kensington's Irish population, it now serves primarily Latinos and Vietnamese. He discovered that many of his congregants stay in the neighborhood long after Sunday Mass, patronizing Asian stores and restaurants.<br /><br />Lewandowski thinks of Visitation as three institutions: the church, the 480-pupil school, and the Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua Community Center. "Our mission is not just to get people into heaven," he said, "but help them maneuver through the trials and troubles of life."<br /><br />The community center is home to dozens of sports teams and civic groups. At night, it becomes a refuge for prostitutes plying their trade along Kensington Avenue.<br /><br />If he can acquire a vacant bank building nearby, the pastor said, it will become a 60-unit senior housing center.<br /><br />In West Philadelphia, Calvary Methodist Church reported helping 100 people find employment last year. With each job valued at $14,500, the category alone added $1.45 million to its $2.6 million halo.<br /><br />Not all the categories proved net positives, however. The researchers found, for instance, that crime rates near eight of the churches were higher than in tracts several blocks away.<br /><br />And measuring the congregations' impact on property values backfired for St. Luke's and the Epiphany Church in Center City, where adjacent real estate values were lower than in nearby neighborhoods. While that could not be pinned on the handsome church's presence, the category put St. Luke's halo into negative territory: minus $226,000.<br /><br />Tuomi Forrest, Partners' associate director and a coauthor of the report, said he and Cnaan were pondering how to make real estate a more accurate metric. But he defended the overall findings: "No one in any field has ever tried to compile so many ways to calculate" the value of congregations."<br /><br />The study shows the contribution of religious congregations "to be 20 to 30 times bigger than we knew," said director Jaeger. It "will give congregations dozens of new ways to articulate their value, broaden their constituencies, and survive and grow."<br /><br /> <br /><br />The 'Halo' Effect<br /><br />The economic "halo" effect of 12 Philadelphia congregations:<br /><br />Visitation Blessed Virgin Mary, Kensington $22,440,382<br /><br />Congregation Rodeph Shalom, North Philadelphia 7,969,884<br /><br />First Baptist, Center City 6,090,032<br /><br />Mother Bethel A.M.E., Center City 3,188,685<br /><br />Calvary Methodist, West Philadelphia 2,597,359<br /><br />Arch Street United Methodist, Center City 1,871,621<br /><br />Shiloh Baptist, Center City: 1,656,456<br /><br />Gloria Dei Episcopal, Queen Village 1,646,469<br /><br />Summit Presbyterian, Mount Airy 1,465,327<br /><br />Jones Tabernacle A.M.E., North Philadelphia 1,126,231<br /><br />St. Mary's Episcopal, University City 750,244<br /><br />St. Luke's and the Epiphany, Center City -225,595<br /><br />Contact staff writer David O'Reilly at 215-854-5723 or doreilly@phillynews.com.<br /><br /> Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-85301313688097235962010-12-21T10:28:00.000-05:002010-12-21T10:37:33.260-05:00Group IntelligenceThe following article is about the way groups function. The research tends to show that groups, who value collaboration, tend to function at a higher level than individuals. The article also addresses our persistent tendency to focus on the functioning of the individual. I believe individuals can make a difference in any organization to the extent that there is a guiding vision, and that vision incorporates and takes seriously other members of the team. <br /><br />The simple approach of organizations is often grounded in finding the "right" leader. I believe it is more complicated. The "how" of leadership is probably as important as the attributes of the individual. This is an important lesson for the Church.<br /><br />http://mobile.boston.com/art/21//bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/12/19/group_iq/?single=1Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-37328146391005214122010-12-14T10:19:00.000-05:002010-12-14T10:47:01.943-05:00Advent and The Second Letter of PeterThe New Testament reading at Morning Prayer, yesterday, came from the first chapter of The Second Letter of Peter. It begins with a reflection on the grace and righteousness offered through Jesus our Lord. The central theme of the opening bit is that God has given us what we need for life and godliness, but it quickly expands upon that theme, considering an appropriate response.<br /><br />Our response to God's gift of life can either frustrate of facilitate our participation in the divine will. The Second Letter of Peter offers an interesting and useful way of considering our response, "You must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love." I think we are meant to be in mind of virtue, and the development of virtue, grounded in love. This development is about growing in love and faithfulness. It is a continuous circle.<br /><br />As we approach the end of our Advent observance, I hope we recognize the unique nature of the gift we are being offered, and that our reception sparks something profound and significant. We are called to appreciate Jesus as the unique, sufficient and complete revelation of the divine love and will. Appreciation is only the beginning of the process of a full and rich appropriation and participation in the life of God, the coming of the Kingdom and the transformation of our hearts and minds. It is all grounded in love.<br /><br />Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-19470689800989540592010-11-09T15:05:00.000-05:002010-11-23T15:05:19.571-05:00ThanksgivingI like Thanksgiving for all sorts of reasons. I love the story. My first public performance was as a character in a kindergarten Thanksgiving play. I was Squanto, the fellow who introduced the pilgrims to corn. (disclaimer: I know nothing of the historical accuracy of my brief stage role.) I also enjoy the gathering of friends and family. I enjoy the food, the travel and the general pace of the holiday. <br /><br />It may very well be the shift in activity level around the Thanksgiving holiday that resonates with me. It is something of a conscious shift. We become active in affirming what we hold dear. We proactively consider who we are, what we have and to whom we belong.<br /><br />Of course, it can also be a difficult time for many. In listing the blessings, we note that through the passage of time and by reason of loss, some of the blessings of our lives seem inaccessible. Few are free of this reality. We, however, are a people filled with trust. We receive gifts and we give gifts, knowing from whom they come.<br /><br />Blessings upon you.<br />Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-90655314266597386242010-11-09T15:01:00.001-05:002010-11-09T15:50:56.290-05:00QuietI am very much looking forward to the “quiet morning” we are hosting at St. Columba’s. Time marked by silence and contemplation is an important piece of the spiritual life. Seeking God in silence is probably one of the most neglected forms of prayer. It may be that we don’t know quite what to do in the silence. It may be that we don’t like what we hear in the silence. <br /><br />Please don’t let potential discomfort or fear keep you away. Please allow me to offer you a few suggestions about engaging the silence.<br /><br />First, choose a simple word of phrase that has the capacity to gently capture your attention. It could be a simple and short line from the Bible. It could be a word or phrase from one of the meditations that will be available at the “ quiet morning.” It could be any word or phrase that focuses you.<br /><br />Internally, repeat the word. When you start thinking about work, repeat the word and let work go. When you think of your grocery list, repeat the word. When you think of some perceived slight, repeat the word. Let your word help you push extraneous thoughts gently from your attention.<br /><br />Finally, be aware of the silence and listen to it. What is happening as you become attentive to the silence? What do you hear in the silence?<br /><br />If you are not able to be with us on the “quiet morning,” you can employ the simple method above wherever you are. Use it whenever you are able. Twenty minutes is a good starting point. Twice a week is a fine beginning. <br /><br />In closing, I leave you with a snippet from 1 Kings. The prophet Elijah was beaten down and in need of God’s presence. God was found in the sheer silence. <br /><br /><br />1Kings 19:11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-48636462697418643732010-11-02T10:41:00.000-04:002010-11-02T10:49:15.585-04:00Thinking BigWe are in the midst of our annual stewardship campaign. We are seeking pledges to build a budget and accomplish all our goals as a parish. The pledge is our primary vehicle of support, but I want to share some interesting thoughts from Harriet Dicicco, our junior warden. She is thinking big! <br /><br /><br /><strong>And something to grow on</strong>….<br /><br />Participating in our community – be it Wednesday or Sunday worship services in our Chapel, the events and meetings in our Parish Hall or elsewhere – I am drawn to the many ways in which God moves, works and is celebrated. <br /><br />Certainly, God is celebrated in tangible ways in our physical site. The stained glass windows. The organ. The trees. We all hear comments about our church’s beauty, about the special spiritual ambiance of our chapel.<br /><br />And I watch God at work through us in our Parish Hall. A physical space whose value lies in the more intangible - enabling community to come together to work, to socialize, to support, to learn – at times for parishioners and other times, for our larger community.<br /><br />And I think about how God moves each of us to become more fully His disciples and to use our time, talent and treasures to create a world which honors and practices His tenets. Assuredly, we are able to do some of this on our own but I have found that my faith is strengthened and clarified when I am a part of a community. And so, it is timely to reflect on how I can give to that community and to myself.<br /><br />Certainly our pledges are the backbone of ‘operating’ St. Columba’s on a daily basis – our ‘meat and potatoes’ – feeding ourselves, our souls by ensuring that we have a place where we come together and a rector and staff to see to our needs. Our pledges are monies to operate on.<br /><br />But what about ‘dessert’? What about monies to grow on? Monies that we may give but may never see used. What about those?<br /><br />There are many members of our community whose gifts we are enjoying though they are no longer with us. Thanks to the Jelke Family, we have an organ and the ability to hear, and for some, sing in praise of God and His works. <br /><br />The Harold Brooke Family ensures that we are able to nurture our property.<br /><br />Parishioners’ generosity enable us to enjoy our stained glass windows….and the ever-changing light which filters through them throughout the seasons– a reminder for us of God’s ability to light us and our lives.<br /><br />And think of those who contributed to the campaign for the Parish Hall….<br /><br />So many people have provided us with ‘dessert’ because they contributed monies to grow on. <br /><br />I would love to be able to provide a dessert on the scale of crème brulee…but I am not going to wait until I can. For now, in addition to my weekly pledge for monies to operate on, I also contribute separate monies for dessert. Granted, my dessert is more on the scale of the chocolate chip cookie or the cupcake. But, for me what matters is the sharing towards something not yet envisioned, something that may make a difference to a person or people I may never meet. Something that will, in some way, help people and a community to connect with God.<br /><br />I invite you to think about dessert. About making a contribution beyond your weekly pledge. Monies to grow on. <br /><br />God is about community, communities. Each one of us may contribute the equivalent of a cupcake – but when we put these cupcakes all together – ah, just think of what an amazing dessert we can create. Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-12899815714010805152010-10-26T10:16:00.000-04:002010-10-26T10:51:26.850-04:00The VestryAs we approach our annual meeting at St. Columba’s we are working on plans, budgets and yes, the vestry election. The vestry and the work the vestry accomplishes in a parish are important. We all know the vestry is about the business of the parish. Traditionally this has meant things financial. If you read the canons, they set up a dichotomy between things spiritual and things financial. The clergy handle spiritual and the vestry handle temporal.<br /><br />I am not sure the split has ever been a terribly helpful way of approaching parish ministry. The separation of spiritual and temporal strikes me as artificial and patently false. Conceptually, the separation conspires to make the vestry like any other board, and I don’t believe that is meet or right.<br /><br />At St. Columba’s, the vestry and clergy work together to shape and enliven the ministry of our church. Our spiritual commitment dictates how we do our business, because the Spirit is at our core. At each vestry meeting, a member of the vestry offers an opening reflection. It has been an important way to know one another and remember what we are about as a vestry. Members of the vestry often speak of what they have gained through their service.<br /><br />I see the vestry as a group of spiritual leaders, gathered to do the work of the Church. We are responsible for the physical aspects of the life of the community. The life of the Church is about much more than buildings and budgets. We seek to be faithful. <br /><br />The red doors on the church symbolize the presence of the Holy Spirit. Clergy and vestry seek the Spirit’s presence in our parish. I hope you will consider offering your gifts for the service of your parish. <br /><br />Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-40510028009117590312010-10-11T09:07:00.000-04:002010-10-11T09:34:07.442-04:00GratitudeLuke 17:11-19<br /><br />On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."<br /><br /><br />In the sermon Sunday, I explored the significance of the identity of the “grateful leper.” He was a Samaritan and a leper, a double outcast, but was the surprising source of thanks. I think this is the critical focus of this passage from Luke.<br /><br />The sermon could have taken a number of directions; it is a rich text! There is certainly something here about responding to grace and healing. The “grateful leper” received the same restoration as the other lepers, the same gift of life and new health, but he alone stops to recognize God as the source of it. His act of thanks marks a greater awareness of the significance of his healing. He was readmitted to society free of leprosy, so he was restored to relationship with his fellow humans, and his giving thanks to Jesus signified right relationship to God.<br /><br />Gratitude is a powerful and central feature of all healthy relationships. Expressed appreciation communicates to others the meaningful nature of their gifts to us. How do we offer God our gratitude for all the blessings of this life? What do you offer God in the name of expressed appreciation?<br /><br />Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-26988794593443332432010-10-05T10:41:00.000-04:002010-10-05T11:11:24.486-04:00A Foundation of RockIn preparation for St. Columba’s annual pledge campaign, I have been thinking a great deal about the role of stewardship in my own life. It is very easy to lump my pledge to the Church into the realm of philanthropy. I think philanthropy is different, and I want us to consider the differences.<br /><br />How often do we receive solicitations to contribute to a worthy cause? There are countless organizations that come to us, whose appeals are rooted in the good work they do. They often show us budgets and show us a percentage of administrative costs in an effort to highlight their prudence and effectiveness. Our decision to give usually hinges on our agreement with expressed values and work. Our gifts to nonprofits are a function of the organization.<br /><br />I see my pledge to the Church in a very different way. My pledge isn’t as much about the organization as it is about me. My contributions to the Church are a function of how I understand myself in relationship to the Gospel. Am I person grounded in the teachings of Jesus, seeking to love God, love my neighbor and bring about the kingdom? I seek to be faithful in stewardship because I am seeking to be faithful to God and my calling as a disciple. The followers of Jesus pooled resources in an effort to care for one another because it said something about who they were.<br /><br />Stewardship is about who we are at heart. It is about what resides at our core, our foundation. My prayer is that you will consider our campaign theme, “A Foundation of Rock,” and consider your core identity, your foundation as a follower of our Risen Lord.<br /><br />Peace,<br />Chris +<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Matthew 7:24-27<br /><br />24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell--and great was its fall!"<br /><br /><br />Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-43575893618011460932010-09-07T11:44:00.000-04:002010-09-07T13:24:13.913-04:00Suffering and the Search for AnswersAs we approach the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, I feel my own anxiety build. The memories of that day are unpleasant, to put it mildly. As Americans, we came face to face with our vulnerability. We witnessed tragic loss of life at home. Despite our best efforts, justice is incomplete. The whole thing feels unresolved.<br /><br />Some events are never finished. They might recede into the background and become less overwhelming, but they are always present. 9/11 is such an event. Given the nature of this anniversary, how do we respond?<br /><br />I think a kind of holy recall is possible to mark the loss and horror of that day. We remember to honor and hold dear what was lost, life and perspective. We remember in prayer those who died, received injuries and those who live with grief. <br /><br />We often hear questions about the presence of God in the midst of tragedy and suffering. God was certainly present at the World Trade Center. No horror or tragedy is sufficient to cause God to flee, not even a seemingly senseless execution. A better question might be leveled. What does the resurrection faith of the Church demand? <br /><br />As followers of Jesus, we press forward to a new day, bolstered by his promise of the kingdom. The Bible is full of images illustrating the kingdom, like the lion resting with the lamb and swords beaten into plowshares. The response of faith is working with God to bring about a time and place, where hatred doesn’t move women and men to act, but love.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-9040228257305645162010-08-10T12:34:00.002-04:002010-08-10T13:16:53.562-04:00FaithIn a recent conversation with a trusted friend, the subject of faith was introduced. The introduction had to do with faith speaking directly to daily life. Faith in the midst of life is all too often ignored in favor of faith’s other meanings.<br /><br />Faith in popular parlance tends to be associated with believing the unbelievable, or believing something without evidence. While faith has this connotation, I think it misses the real core of the Gospel. The scriptures offer a more nuanced view of faith.<br /><br />The Letter to the Hebrews describes faith as, “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” This well-quoted line illustrates the multivalent nature of faith. Faith is part investment in a future hope within the context of the unrealized present. <br /><br />The Letter to the Hebrews goes on to list many examples of faith. Abraham is chief among them. Abraham leaves all that he knows, family and land, to embrace a promise made by God. Abraham wasn’t stepping off a cliff into nothingness, but was moving into a future that he couldn’t completely grasp. The obedience of Abraham is a sign of his trust in God for his life and the future generations of his family. Abraham’s faith is manifest in his trust that his life is intertwined with the life of God. <br /><br />Our practice of faith is not unlike that of Abraham. We are not promised that every moment will be bliss, if we believe in God. We are not promised an easy or successful life, if we follow Jesus and keep his commandments. Faith is trust that our lives are bound to the life and love of God. <br /><br />Faith is seeing life in the security of God’s love. Faith is recognizing and appreciating the moments of obvious intersection, when our lives collide with the life of God. Faith is trusting in the midst of the uncertain, unfolding future that we are inextricably bound to God and the Kingdom. I need that faith, everyday.Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-15686938287750243122010-08-03T12:14:00.002-04:002010-08-03T12:34:28.846-04:00Guest PreacherThis Sunday at St. Columba's we will have Father Gary Lemery with us. He will be the preacher at all Sunday morning services. Father Lemery has been active in the Diocese of Rhode Island in a number of significant ways. He is the retired rector of Transfiguration, Cranston. He is a board member of Episcopal Charities. Father Lemery also has taken an active role in disaster preparedness, works in chaplaincy with the airport and local fire and police departments. He was a first responder at the Station nightclub fire. <br /><br />It will be a great Sunday. Plan to join us!Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-139562331793757622010-07-26T21:47:00.000-04:002010-07-27T09:44:52.909-04:00Outdoor Service and Parish PicnicWe have been trying to have an outdoor service at St. Columba’s for the last several years, but the weather hasn’t cooperated. This past Sunday everything came together and it worked. We had a huge crowd, too big to fit in the church. Special thanks to our parish life committee, Duane and Paula Sousa for hosting and all those who brought food or helped with clean-up. It was a great event because we gathered, and were ready to share in the fun. <br /><br />The Gospel text for Sunday included the Lord’s Prayer from Luke. The focus of the sermon was the prayer. You can watch the sermon via the YouTube player at the bottom of this page. <br /><br />One of my points had to do with “our daily bread.” In one sense, Jesus is talking about what we need for physical life, and encouraging us to trust God with those real needs. I think Jesus is talking about more than the physical realm. In the New Testament, bread is not just bread, but also a sign of God’s presence. It is Eucharist, Jesus’ ongoing, spiritually-sustaining presence in the sacramental community.<br /><br />We started our Sunday with the Eucharist, the official celebration of Jesus’ presence in our midst. The picnic followed. It was a celebration of the presence of Jesus in our midst as well. When the community assembles, Jesus is with us. <br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-35808897081914338862010-07-20T13:37:00.000-04:002010-07-20T14:53:01.586-04:00Good ReadWhen I travel, I like to read historical fiction set in the place I plan to visit. Since I was to be in the U. K., <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Hall-Novel-Booker-Prize/dp/0805080686">Wolf Hall</a></em> seemed a good choice. It turned out to be a great choice.<br /><br />Author, Hilary Mantel approaches the turbulent time of Henry VIII through the eyes of those around him, most particularly Thomas Cromwell. Having some knowledge of English history around the reign of Henry VIII, I was able to enjoy Mantel’s marvelous development of characters like Cromwell, Wolsey and Cranmer. Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn leap off the page and spring to life. The novel gives the reader an appreciation for the humanity of those who would forever alter the course of England and Christianity. <br /><br /><em>Wolf Hall </em>is well-researched and captures the confusion and nuances of the debates and the times. While we may never grasp with absolute certainty the complete motivation of the various individuals involved, Mantel presents the individuals in a credible fashion. One is left with a sense of complex people, living in a complex time, seeking to secure a vision of the future.<br /><br />In a way, <em>Wolf Hall </em>made me appreciate the present. We are complex. Our world is complex. The future is out there, and there are competing visions for it.<br /><br />I love a good read. For me, a good read always frames more questions. The debates in <em>Wolf Hall</em> are about the nature of marriage, Church, state, Catholic and Protestant. The answers to those questions shaped the world in which we live. What are the questions, we face, that will alter the course of history for the next 500 years?<br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360775794758062110.post-64420273093886829482010-07-13T12:17:00.000-04:002010-07-13T13:52:43.548-04:00What I did on my Summer HolidayHaving just returned from three weeks in the U.K., I am still processing much of the experience. Part of the holiday was pure leisure and touring, but a significant piece of it, about a week, was trailing after the vicar of <a href="http://www.stjohnswoodchurch.org.uk/">St. John's Wood</a>, the Rev’d Anders Bergquist. Last summer, I hosted Fr. Bergquist for a week to explore the Episcopal Church. My week at St. John’s Wood was the culmination of our reciprocal visits. It was that work that has provided much food for thought.<br /><br />There are a fair number of similarities between our respective parish churches. The churches are roughly of similar vintages. The casual observer recognizes the shared roots of worship forms. While St. John’s Wood is much more ethnically diverse, the demographics around age are similar. Both churches are fortunate to have attractive buildings, but St. John’s Wood is situated in an urban area, while St. Columba’s is in a more bucolic setting.<br /><br />One major difference, one that has serious implications for ministry, is the concept of a parish. Fr. Bergquist took me for a long walk on my first day. We actually walked much of the parish boundaries. I daresay most Americans think of the words parish and church as roughly interchangeable, meaning a building or group of people dedicated to a finite religious community. Fr. Bergquist has responsibilities to those who live within the confines of his parish, even if they are not part of his church. <br /><br />The assumptions related to boundaries have interesting implications. On the one hand, focused boundaries are the stuff of community, and foster a sense of responsibility and communicate expectations about belonging. Boundaries create identification, definition and norms that grow out of core values. Boundaries are important.<br /><br />Boundaries can obviously be barriers to engagement and interaction. Boundaries run amok are not useful parameters, but are closed doors. Maybe, it is a matter of degree.<br /><br />One stop I particularly enjoyed was an after-school program. The kids there spanned many neighborhoods. They were of many races and religious backgrounds. Fr. Bergquist takes a keen interest in the place, because it is a place in his parish where so many different members of his parish gather. <br /><br />Can our parishes be more? <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> Chris+http://www.blogger.com/profile/00422418690650086178noreply@blogger.com0