We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.
The Season after Epiphany is all about light. Jesus, the light of the world, continues to be revealed through scripture, son and our worship together. We, the disciples of Jesus, have the privilege of carrying the light that Jesus brings to our lives out into the world, not just during Epiphany, but year round.
In December, as part of sharing the Light, the Vestry sends money to various organizations. St Jude’s Hospital cares for children with cancer. Boy Scout Troop #304 is Tucker Fisher’s scout troop, and Chris Fisher is the scout master—the troop has several boys who lack financial resources, so our donation will help this scout troop thrive. Healthy Harvest Food Bank provides the food that we distribute for the Village Harvest each month. Virginia Theological Seminary trains people for ministry and is in the process of updating its buildings as well as its offerings, which have been broadened to include many offerings for lay people as well as those in the ordination process. Hunters for the Hungry processes the deer that are harvested each year and the meat is then donated to those in need. Our donation helps with the processing of the meat. Our donation to The Diocese of Virginia will help with diocesan outreach projects.
CERV helps with emergency financial needs of people at Caroline County. CERV thanked us with this note.
“Dear Members of St Peter’s Episcopal Church, Thank you so much for your very generous donation to CERVE. Your kindness is very much appreciated—by us at CERVE and especially by those in need. Your donation so $250 will help those in need, which is great when the weather is so cold. Thank you and may you have a very Merry Christmas. Gloria Bolecek”
Caroline Recovery, located in Bowling Green, VA, works with people in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions. They thanked St Peter’s with the following note.
“Dear Rev Hicks, We at Caroline Recovery Center are so very grateful for your donation of $250. This money will help families and individuals regain their lives and find meaning and purpose. Please feel free to come and visit us to see how we help people. Please let your congregation know we are grateful for the support of St Peter’s. Sincerely, Leslie Phillips, PRS, Laney Salton, PRS and Program Director, Don Majewski, PRS Executive director
The Vestry also gave a donation to the Endowment Fund in honor of Ben Hicks, and a donation to the Village Harvest in honor of me, and Ben and I are very grateful for these donations that will benefit the church and our outreach ministries.
In thanksgiving for Carey Connors’ first semester with us, the Vestry provided her with a gift. Here’s the note she sent for all of us.
Dear Catherine and the Community of St Peter’s,
Thank you so much for the lovely Christmas gift. It was incredibly generous and a wonderful surprise. As you might imagine, every penny is counted while in seminary and I will put it to good use. I am likewise so grateful for your friendship, kindness and generous support. You are truly God’s witness in my process of the goodness which awaits me in community. Peace and thanks, Carey
At the end of the year the congregation supported these causes
• ECM Thanksgiving – $510.00
• UTO – $882.70 (this is total for Spring and Fall)
• Giving Tuesday – $497.25
One of the threads that runs through 2019 is extending our reach and activities through the Port Royal Community and beyond.
You can see it in the Spanish Bible Study that started in Lent and continued through the year. Like most ministries there are mutual benefits. It allows the people in the congregation who speak or learning the language to converse with native Spanish speakers in a common language – scripture.
The children’s summer program was a multi-week program in the summer bringing children together from Port Royal and those from St. Peter’s to the Parish House for cooking, fellowship and Bible study. This was an extension of the one day program on Maundy Thursday which we have done for several years and also this year “Cooking with the Kids” in March.
We also walked with Shiloh Baptist in the MS Walk in May continuing the work done in 2018 to promote participation with our neighboring churches. The path took us around Port Royal twice and then around the village square – 3+ miles. It is a good cause which made over $880. There were 30-40 walkers including 7 from St. Peter’s.
We reached out to other churches with the Way of Beauty Retreat. To find what gives you harmony in your life, the moral condition of good, the things that are harmonious, blessed, good and satisfying are all part of living the way of beauty. The mindset of The Way of Beauty gave the Navajo people the strength to persevere and to survive the ordeal in the forced walk to Ft. Sumner in Arizona.
We created a “Blue Christmas Service” held on Dec. 22 for those not in Christmas spirit feeling sad, lonely, or depressed. We partnered with Connexion, choir from Colonial Beach to bring light in our midst with their music. They sang “Lully, Lulla, Lullay” and the “Seal Lullaby” while candles were lit on the altar.
We continued our relationship with Essex and the Baptist Church with “Hunters for the Hungry” which we have done for 5 years. The program is coordinated through the Baptist churches in Essex County. Hunters store the deer in a truck with Champlain. Johnny and Cookie Davis filled Caroline’s social service empty freezer with packaged meat and ground meat for burgers.
It is easy to forget the events we do monthly/weekly in this connection. We celebrated 5 years of the Village Harvest, our food ministry and continued the Village Dinners on the second Wednesday of the month as well as weekly Ecumenical Bible Study. Through funds collected through the Village Dinners and other events, the ECW was able to distribute $2,750 to charities at the end of the year.
We also furthered our relationship with the environment with the Season of Creation during September and the purchase of a new composter. The season focuses on the role of God as Creator and Jesus dwelling in nature as one of us to bring us abundant life. We had a procession of parishioners bringing up a part of nature to the altar. Catherine led Christian Ed during September to places in the world with a spiritual emphasis. Several sermons has the Season of Creation as their main focus.
The Souper Bowl collection on Feb. 3, 2019 was a success attracting $210 compared to $175 and $125 for the previous two collections. We have been involved in the program since 2012 and we have collected $1.3K during that time.
The Souper Bowl program in conjunction with the NBF focuses attention on the issues of hunger and poverty in our community and throughout the world. 149 million will tune into the big game but there are 50 million facing hunger.
The St Peter’s ECW cooked for the Episcopal Lutheran Campus Ministry in Fredericksburg on Tuesday, February 5. It is located at 820 College Avenue across from Trinity Episcopal and known as “The House.”
From Catherine Hicks -“We took dinner to The House, on College Avenue, and served chicken tenders wrapped in bacon, broad beans, mashed potatoes, rolls and chocolate eclair cake to hungry students who came to the dinner.”
“They talked with Megan Cotter from Micah Ecumenical Ministries. The students devised a plan for getting the word out to UMW students about ways they can help Micah’s service to the homeless in this area. Their short answer. “We’ll have a drive for furniture donations around move-out day”
The Rev David Casey is the Young Adult Missioner who heads up ministry for young adults (18-35) in our Region. (Top picture, right).
It was Helmut’s birthday party but it was also a time to celebrate Ecumenical Bible Study! Ecumenical Bible Study is a weekly event and for a survey as this easily missed because it is always there. The attendance can vary from 5 to 15 or more. They have met since at least 2002. While they frequently take a break in August they didn’t in 2019.
The readings follow the lectionary for the next Sunday. In addition they will periodically consider some thematic topics that tie in to the lectionary themes for that particular week.
“Love keeps Caroline couple together, even in senior rehab facility”
“Love has kept Fred and Crystal Pannell together for 60 years—and in recent weeks, so have the actions of some key medical people.
“The Pannells were born on the same day, one year apart, and she’s quick to point out that he’s the senior member of the couple. He’s 83, she’s 82.
Both were teachers in Chicago, dealing with different ends of the spectrum. He taught science to gifted students, and she was a vice principal in one of the toughest neighborhoods on the South Side. Her middle school bordered two gang territories.”
We provide a monetary donation from St. Peters to Hunters for the Hungry. St Peters has supported this project for more than five years.
From their website Hunters for the Hungry has distributed over 26.6 million quarter-pound servings of venison since their program began in 1991. Their goal for this year is to provide 280,000 pounds of venison to people in need in Virginia which will provide over a million servings.
Cookie and Johnny Davis went to Essex County on Feb 26, 2019 and picked up a truck load from Rev. Roy Foster, Pastor of Upper Essex Baptist Church.
They talked to Ann Tyree at social services and filled an empty freezer with packaged meat and ground meat for burgers. The Camden Hunt Club and St Peters both support the project.
Creating a Scene in Corinth:A Simulation explores 1st Corinthians through a book by Reta Halteman Finger which provides an introduction to the Greco-Roman setting of Corinth and a chapter-by-chapter survey of Paul’s letter and in turn leads to a simulation of a church.
The participants divide into four factions – those favoring Paul, Apollos, Peter, and the Christ group (1 Corinthians 1:12). A brief description of the background and nature of the groups gives the participants a sense of their role in the recreation. The characters represent a cross-section of Corinthian society: they include slaves and freeborn, widows and singles, and a number who have suffered deprivation and sexual abuse – much like typical society in that day.
Wednesday, March 13 was the Quiet Day retreat at Roslyn in Richmond. We had 6 people participate. Half of those had to get back to St. Peter’s for the Village Dinner.
Like Ecumenical Bible Study, the Village Dinner is easily omitted in a survey such as this because of its frequency – monthly. It did move from the first Wednesday of the month to the second in 2019.
They are served at the church and also are packaged to go. They also provide home-cooked dinners to parishioners under medical care and have organized a casserole ministry.
The experimental Spanish Bible study for Lent began March 15 from 6pm-8pm and was weekly on Fridays in Lent. We had support from Virginia Theological Theological with videos and written documents.
We had 4 Spanish speakers (two from Mexico, two from Guatemala) and 6 English on the first Friday. It started with a snack supper at 6pm. . There were up to 10 people attending. In the Lent portion there was Spanish video sermon on the lectionary and discussion afterwards.
The offering was during Lent and then was continued monthly until September.
Elizabeth and Jim Heimbach and Catherine Hicks held a cooking class for a few children in the parish house kitchen. Anya, Amya, 8 year old twins, and their brother. Dae’Vionn, age 11, sliced vegetables and prepared a small salad with the help of Elizabeth.
Catherine helped the children make brownies and crescent rolls. Jim showed each child how to crack eggs open and helped each person prepare his or her own omelet. Raoul and Claudia Villa also joined in on the cooking adventure. After cooking all of the food, everyone ate. And then, we all cleaned up the dishes and the kitchen.
The sermon blended our new composter into the sermon on the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree from Luke 13. Catherine gave out compostable paper for people to write “something that you want Jesus to compost for you. ”
The takeaway – “Jesus serves as our gardener. But being the good gardener that he is, Jesus wants to take the time to compost the manure in our lives into the manure can become the fertilizer we that we need to bear good fruit.
“I propose then, that instead of wallowing in the manure of our lives, or just blowing off the wrongs we’ve done, or trying to hide them from ourselves and others, and even from God, that we turn the manure in our lives over to Jesus for composting. Jesus will take your manure, and being the good gardener that he is, will compost it, and put it around your roots, so that you can bear good fruit.
“Offer up this manure up to Jesus for transformation.”
Five people gathered on the last Wednesday in March for the first Way of Love breakfast at St Peter’s. As you can see in the picture a number of vultures (about 30) were also interested in the subject (or just maybe the breakfast!).
The Way of Love came from a July 5, 2018 sermon by Presiding Bishop Michael /Curry to General Convention meeting in Austin, Tx introduced the “Way of Love”, spiritual practices to “help our church to go deeper as the Jesus Movement, not just in word, but not just in deed, either, but for real. How do we help our folk to throw themselves into the arms of Jesus.” There are 7 practices – Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, Rest.
After enjoying a leisurely breakfast together, we worshiped and then talked about the purpose of meeting as a small group for the next nine months. We talked about rules of life working like trellises in our lives, providing structure and shape for the spiritual growing that we hope to do as individuals and for the work of God in this church. The hope is to deepen our relationships with God and with one another.
About a dozen hearty souls teamed up with Johnny Davis to beautify the yards for spring and Easter. The Campbell magnolia was out in full bloom. The work day lasted all morning but Johnny and others continued until 4:30pm.
They were able to mulch, pull weeds, power wash the memorial garden, graves, parish house and fill in places along the drive way among other projects.
Mary Peterman (artist, flutist, singer) not only created 14 watercolors depicting the Stations of the Cross but also included the relevant verses. This was a wonderful addition for Good Friday. Thank you!
From Palm Sunday to Easter, 2019 we held 5 services. The services varied as well as mood – Psalm Sunday with the procession, the darkness and shadows of Tenebrae, the communal footwashing of Maundy Thursday, the musical meditation and tapers of Good Friday and then the wonderful attendance of Easter day. We also participated in the Port Royal Sunrise service on Sunday morning. Yes, we did walk with Jesus in his suffering and hardships and then sharing and proclaiming the resurrection.
St. Peter’s was invited to walk with Shiloh in this year’s MS Walk in Port Royal. The event is named after Laura Dobbins who passed away after enduring 25 years of multiple sclerosis. The National Multiple Sclerosis defines the disease -“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The cause of MS is still unknown. Scientists believe that a combination of environmental and genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing MS.
Walking at Shiloh were Cookie and Johnny Davis, Nancy Long, Helmut Linne von Berg, Catherine and Ben Hicks. Elizabeth Heimbach provided refreshments at the half way point at St. Peter’s. The path took us around Port Royal twice and then around the village square – 3+ miles.
At the Easter sunrise service in 2018 we pledged closer relations among all 3 Port Royal churches. A year ago we had a security seminar at the Fire Hall. We have marched with Shiloh for the MS Walk in that year and now 2019.
Wed., May 15, 2019 on a gorgeous spring day. On St. Peter’s 183rd birthday – a full house for Bible Study at 10am showing off 3 cakes for the Village Harvest and then the Village Harvest later that day at 3pm. Eunice made a pineapple upside cake, Cherry angel food and Brad contributed a pound cake.
At the harvest, 146 were fed with 1,192 pounds of food – produce, groceries, meats and those birthday cakes! 146 was our best draw in a year. We have fed 593 this year close to last year at this point at 601 though under 2017 with 692.
Clients received an average of 8 pounds of food worth approximately $49. The year it has been higher at 12.75 pounds just behind last year in May at 13.67 pounds.
Thanks to Andrea Pogue’s work on Shred-it today May 18, 2019, we earned $390, the largest tally in 8 years. The funds go to St. Peter’s outreach ministries. It covers well over a month of the Village Harvest.
A storm ripped through Port Royal, west to east destroying some of Robert Bryan’s trees on May 31, 2019 and moving across St. Peter’s property. St. Peter’s lost a dogwood in the front yard, a branch off the pear tree and a large 40′ pine on the border to an adjacent property. There were also larger branches on top of the sacristy.
Thanks to Johnny and Cookie Davis for cleaning up the mess. They took two truck loads on June 3 and Cookie estimates it will take too more. Johnny is the Junior Warden, a position traditionally tasked with the building.
We encouraged parishioners to host a prayer service at your house or the Parish House during the Thy Kingdom Come.
We held one on Friday June 7 -“A Cup of Tea and an Hour of Prayer” with Cookie and Catherine,11am until noon at Cookie’s home.
Eleven people gathered at the home of Cookie and Johnny Davis to enjoy a time of fellowship and to pray together. After the group enjoyed cups of tea and goodies prepared by Cookie, Marilyn Newman led us in prayer accompanied by harp music, and then we prayed by following a finger labyrinth to the music of the harp. Then the group prayed together for a number of people who are dealing with various troubling issues. The time of prayer ended with thanksgiving and The Lord’s Prayer.
June 16, Trinity Sunday, was a busy Sunday!. It was Bishop Ihlof’s Visitation with the reception of two people into the church (Morgan Key, John Hess), the conclusion of our study of First Corinthians with an Agape Meal, Trinity Sunday and Father’s day.
At 10am we experienced an agape meal with Bishop Ihloff playing Paul in our “home church” in Corinth, concluding our 2 month study of First Corinthians. We had 10 people in attendance. The videos and pictures are here
The agape meal is known as a Lovefeast and was originally part of the Eucharist in the early church but split off by 250AD. These foods are typical of the food that would have been eaten by the Corinthians -Grapes, dried fruit of various sorts, dates, olives, green peas and basil, hummus, pita bread, lentils, mint, goat cheese].
Questions for “Paul” were prepared prior to the meal:
1. Please speak on the necessity of taking care of those less fortunate than us
2. How do we promote joy in the midst of hardship?
3. How do we handle division with the issue of the Resurrection ?
St. Peter’s was the scene of the Historic Port Royal July 4, 2019 observation.
Many parishioners were involved. Cookie Davis, the President of Historic Port Royal opened the event. Nancy Long and Thom Guthrie helped with the music, Mike read the Declaration, Marilyn presented 2 harpists. Johnny Davis along Charles McGuire, Eunice Key, Andrea Pogue sold concessions.
The videos show many of the above events. You can see part of what we saw and experienced.
The summer program occurred throughout June and July, 2019. The last children’s summer program was held on July 31. The Bible story used was the “Feeding of the 5,000.” The 16 children present made little pizzas and enjoyed ice cream (and toppings) on them.
The Davis and Fisher families participated in gleaning on Aug 6 in Westmoreland County. We had a special guest Congressman Rob Wittman U.S. Representative for Virginia’s 1st congressional district.
“When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” Deuteronomy 24:19
Our main source for fresh vegetables for the Village Harvest food distribution (3rd Wed of each month, 3pm-5pm) is the Healthy Harvest Food Bank in Warsaw whose market area includes six counties of Essex, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond and Westmoreland, including Colonial Beach. Although we are not in that market area, they allow us to purchase food from them. Johnny and Cookie Davis are responsible for developing and continuing that relationship. Both of them drive monthly to pick up the vegetables early in the morning to be ready for the distribution later in the day
This was our first separate backpack service, a chance for a more informal service in the late afternoon before school begins the next day. We had one family with 4 eager children ready to go back to school. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon with mild temperatures for Aug. 11
Everyone showed off their new backpacks with all the gear. The service was a shortened communion service with a reading from Deuteronomy, Chapter 6, Verses 4-8 and Luke Chapter 2, Verses 41-52, Jesus as a student
Ladies Night Out was conceived in 2003 by Tom Mahoney, originally with the men cooking for the women in our parish house on a weekend evening. It was held as a social event honoring the ladies of the church.
It also has been a fund raiser for Church projects that Bill Wick noted in 2014 had raised $6,000. We have added games (newlywed game in 2012,a murder mystery in 2013, a game show Jeopardy in 2014,) and had gone offsite (My Fair Lady 2016 at the Riverside).
We were back at the Riverside for Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific in 2019. Jim Heimbach and Ken Pogue of the Episcopal Church Men organize 25+ people to go on Aug 23.
The musical which has just celebrated its 70th anniversary opens on a South Pacific island, during World War II, where a naive young Navy nurse from Arkansas becomes romantically involved with Emile de Becque, a French plantation owner. A second love story ensues between an American lieutenant and a native girl.
We rang St. Peter’s bells on Sun., Aug 25, 2019 at 3pm for one minute as part of remembrance of the 20 slaves brought to Va. Thanks to Jim and Elizabeth for doing the bell ringing. The bell is in the gallery with the front of the church in the distance showing the altar piece we restored in 2016.
Governor George Yeardley and his head of trade bought the “20. and odd Negroes” aboard in exchange for “victuals” — meaning, they traded food for slaves.
For the third year we have substituted lectionary readings and other events for the month of September to celebrate God as creator of nature and the Word, Jesus. Jesus is the source of truth and understanding of God’s will and dwells in nature as one of us to bring us abundant life. The Holy Spirit is the energy behind nature.
The first week we had a procession of objects from nature.
In Christian Ed, Catherine took Christian ed participants on a whirlwind tour to sacred places in Jerusalem,
The Rev. Deacon Carey Connors is a Deacon in the Diocese of Virginia and is currently in the process for ordination to the priesthood and is in her second year at Virginia Theological Seminary. Carey will be at St Peter’s for this school year as a seminarian. Carey brings many years of experience to our congregation. During her time as a deacon at St George’s in Fredericksburg, Carey was instrumental in starting The Table, a market style food distribution that is open every Tuesday to those in need in the Fredericksburg area. She also worked at empowering youth and women at St. George’s At St Peter’s, Carey will spend time in conversation with Catherine and with a lay committee whose members include Cookie and Johnny Davis and Helmut Linne von Berg. She will be assisting on two Sundays a month and preaching periodically as she learns about life at St Peter’s.
The location has varied over the years but the format is similar – singing favorite gospel hymns on various instruments with food either before or after. It has always been sometime in September just before the fall coolness arrives. This year it was at the Heimbach house for the second year and attracted 35, double the number from the preceding year.
This was part of the article in the Oct. newsletter and featured 30 pieces of art in the church and parish house. Unlike an art gallery, they are not organized as a collection don’t have labels attached.
God, the master artist, is always creating anew throughout the year, and the beauty of God’s earth is apparent everywhere on the grounds of St Peter’s. The church itself, which has been lovingly maintained since its opening in 1836, is a stately addition to the earlier colonial buildings in Port Royal.
St. Francis day is Oct. 4 but due to a prior commitment we did it on Oct. 2
The day was unseasonably hot 97% in Fredericksburg at noon. Thus we had only two pets due to the heat. However, that meant more mouse cookies for those present
Despite the weather, the fall colors were present in our sycamore trees.
This was our 8th yearly concert since 2013! And it was our largest group – 23 singers and director. We had 50 people who came to the show.
PhilHarmonia opened its 7th Season with “Music, She Wrote” – a concert celebrating works by women composers through the ages. The concert included traditional pieces for choir with that lush sound as well as pieces with extreme dissonance, foot stomping and soaring pitches. They have a special affinity for performing pieces that tackle social justice issues including racism, and LGBT. There was energy on all their pieces, evident in their delivery.
The Way of Beauty Retreat took place at St Peter’s on Saturday, November 9. Carol Maher, the founder of Many Waters Ministries, led the retreat for a group of fifteen people from St Peter’s and from St Mary’s in Colonial Beach
After we spent some time in prayer, listening to God, we made collages that reflected what we feel most passionately about in our lives, what means the most to us, what inspires us, where we go for refreshment and peace.
A dozen ladies gathered at Cookie Davis house to celebrate the year almost past, to decide on how to use the monies they collected in terms of donations and to enjoy the day with tea and other foods. They also made tags for the Giving Tree which will debut on Nov. 24.
Donations of $250 each or $2,750 in total to 11 groups:
Healthy harvest food Bank
Village harvest food distribution
Tunnels and towers
Heifer international
The discretionary fund
Wounded warriors
Saint Andrews school
Caroline’s promise
five talents
Episcopal relief and development
Caroline young life
On Nov. 19, 2014 we attracted 60 clients and gave out 300 pounds that day.
5 years later in 2019 we are averaging almost twice that number at 112 and 4 times are much food. I have called it “Give a Little, Gain a Lot.”
5 years later we have served over 6,800 clients over 64,500 pounds of food. This year the average pounds of food per person is over 12 which at $6 a pound is worth $72 It is clearly one of our more visible and valuable outreach expressions from our church. We are called to do like Jesus – and he fed people both physically and spiritually. Witness the stories of the Feeding of the 4,000 and 5,000.
The Episcopal Church Men (ECM) delivered Thanksgiving to 10 families this week (7 are single).
For Christmas we had the “Giving Tree” which was titled “St Peter’s Christmas Tree Family”. Tags were up by Nov. 24, and gifts returned by Dec. 8. This was a project between the church and Caroline County Department of Social Services. The tree will have gift tags on it describing the gifts needed by the family that we will be assigned.
This event in its 15th year is a combination of a pizza dinner, raffle, and a visit with Santa plus gifts provided after the visit. It is also a cooperative event between 3 churches, Parks and Rec., Town of Port Royal, the merchants, Caroline’s Promise and the Fire Department – and, of course, Santa. St. Peter’s provided the pizza and helped serve it. The children are the real stars.
Sat’s choir retreat has been an annual event for several years, at least since 2012. It is a combination of a separate practice away from the demands of Sunday to concentrate on the Christmas music as well as an opportunity to prepare a meal and enjoy each other’s company.
The choir ran over the Christmas music and enjoyed a lunch of crab quiche, bread, salad and and pie. In an earlier life, Brad was a chef in Washington which shows in the luncheon portion of the Choir retreat.
This is not a Christmas party but a Christmas experience. In every room in the Everett household you are surrounded by Christmas. It is challenging just to see everything. And their collection is still expanding! The family pitches by starting the decorating in early November to be ready.
There were at least 40+ people. The 2018 event was snowed out – well Cherry said there were about 20 hearty souls.
The first of a series upgrades – a new roof during the week of Dec. 16, 2019. Later the outside will be renovated as well as the inside. The work on the roof was donated.
In 1965, Rector Fall reconstructed the old outdoor kitchen behind the Rectory and converted it into a one-room structure with wood-stove piped into the chimney. This became the art studio of Mrs. Fall and is now our nursery building. Originally there was a shed there.
The play takes place with the Trinity, God, Son, Holy Spirit looking down at the world. God sees the world as beautiful but the Holy Spirit laments “I’m having trouble getting through to people. They are barely able to catch their breaths, much less breathe deeply enough to take me in.” Jesus adds “And their hearts have turned to stone, impervious to love. They are busy hating on each other.” God adds his response – “They seem so distant and lost from us, and they’ve made a mess of our good creation “But….many people are praying for rescue. Holy Spirit: “I’ve noticed too, as I blow where I will on the earth, that not all hearts have turned to stone. Take Mary, for instance. What a kind heart she has, overflowing with love.”
All three say together: “We will become one of them so that they can find their way back to us. ” The Christmas story is told with Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the three Wisemen and Herod.
We advertised it this way -“the Christmas Season a time when you feel sad, lonely, or depressed? We invite you to join us at this service to acknowledge these feelings and share in a time of reflection on the pain, sadness, or loneliness you may feel. We pray that you will find hope and comfort in knowing that you are not alone with this service.”
The setting of the service at 4:30pm at the winter solstice echoed the darkness of people’s lives. In contrast to this the candles in the windows and the altar candles provided an alternative setting.
We invited Connexion Chamber Choir to participate in this service. The highlight of the service was the section of “Lighting of candles” which included “Lully, Lulla, Lullay” and the “Seal Lullaby”. It was very ethereal especially when the descant came in. People came forward lit a candle and placed it in the pot remembering people we may have lost, a longing not fulfilled a particular hope.
A beautiful day to have a service! Moderate temperatures in the low 50’s with abundant sunshine. The outside views of the church were spectacular.
We had 52 at the service. A surprise was that both Fred and Crystal Pannell were able to make it to the service. In fact Catherine paused the service to welcome Fred who had not been able to get to the service in several years.
This year there were fewer instrumentalists as in 2018. The choir presented Carol of the Bells and Venite Adoramus, Gesu Bambino. However, there was a new women’s ensemble from the choir and others (Nancy, Denise, Mary and Catherine) who call themselves “St Peter’s Soli Deo Gloria Women’s Ensemble”. They have been practicing the music of John Rutter and performed “What sweeter music” at the offertory.
Thanks to Andrea Pogue’s work on Shred-it today May 18, 2019, we earned $390, the largest tally in 8 years. The funds go to St. Peter’s outreach ministries. It covers over a month of the Village Harvest.
Andrea originated it and has developed it over the period. It is a not only a convenient way to dispose of sensitive, private documents but we find it is a great fellowship event attracting all ages, particularly with all the food Andrea brings to the event! The weather was seasonable but in the sun the temperature rose. The watermelon and popsicles she brought his the spot! Thanks to all who contributed and for Andrea’s leadership.
Wed., May 15, 2019 on a gorgeous spring day. On St. Peter’s 183rd birthday – there was a full house for Bible Study at 10am showing off 3 cakes for the Village Harvest and then the Village Harvest later that day at 3pm. Eunice made a pineapple upside cake, Cherry angel food and Brad contributed a pound cake.
At the harvest, 146 were fed with 1,192 pounds of food – produce, groceries, meats and those birthday cakes! 146 was our best draw in a year
2. Shred-It – May 18, 2019
Thanks to Andrea Pogue’s work on Shred-it today May 18, 2019, we earned $390, the largest tally in 8 years. The funds go to St. Peter’s outreach ministries. It covers over a month of the Village Harvest.
Andrea originated it and has developed it over the period
Sunday, May 19 we had 38 under sunny skies. However the weather was noticeably warmer hitting the high 80’s today compared to unseasonably cooler weather in the last two weeks.
The Collins were here. Jennifer has completed one year of theological studies at Vanderbilt. She has one more year. We also recognized Sally from St. Paul’s King George and a friend from Colorado. Sally is now in Deacon’s school
We celebrated Bill Wick’s birthday today as well.
Catherine leaves today for 10 days in Ireland with her middle daughter. Helmut will preaching next Sunday. There will not be Adult education on Corinthians next Sunday nor a 9am service.
Today’s readings picture the love and encouragement to be found in Christian community. In Acts, Gentiles receive God’s word and the Holy Spirit just as the Jews do. John, in his Revelation, celebrates God’s final descent into our world to bring salvation and a restored world order. In the gospel, Jesus gives us a new command—love one another; by obeying Jesus, we show our discipleship.
Acts 11:1-18
Peter is such a reassuring figure to those of us who know only too well how flawed we are. Sometimes he’s a bit slow on the uptake. Sometimes he puts his foot in it. But there are times when he so wonderfully and courageously gets things right. The latter is on eof those times
As the story unfolds, Peter reveals that it took him three attempts to ‘get’ what God was trying to tell him and he recounts how it was through promptings from heaven (v.5) through the Spirit (v.12) and an angel (v.13) that he eventually understood what God was saying. And Peter compared that moment to the one he and the other disciples had experienced on the day of Pentecost when, gathered in that upstairs room, they found all they had known being completely shaken up, stirred and turned upside down, by the Spirit of God who was and is and is to come. Here Peter’s courage, as he speaks to these early Christians, is mind-blowing. But it is not Peter who is the hero of what happens this day. God is. God is the one who takes away all the prejudices and barriers that try to divide people into those who ‘belong’ and those who are ‘outsiders’.
Peter defends his unprecedented decision to baptize the Gentile Cornelius to critics who reflected the early Christian opinion that Jesus was for the Jews alone, and that faith must be accompanied by a strict adherence to the Jewish law.
Peter explains the baptism as a God-inspired act. God led Peter to recognize that the believing Gentiles’ were included in the kingdom because God granted them the same gifts of the Spirit that the Jewish believers had received (2:1-11). To withhold baptism would have been to oppose God. With this bold act, the Church understood that God’s impartiality demands the unity of Jews and Gentiles in the life of Christ.
Psalm 148
Psalm 148 summons all creation to praise God. First from the heavens–by angels, sun, moon, stars and celestial waters—and then from the earth—by sea monsters, seas, weather, rocks, trees, animals and people–the praises of God resound.
This final section of the book of the Psalms (146-150) sees those Psalms linked to each other by three words: ‘Praise the Lord’. Psalm 148 calls for that praise to be given to God from the heavenly realm (vs.1-6) and then from the earthly (vs.7-8). Even inanimate objects are to join in God’s praise and within that whole, humanity is included. We are no different from the rest of God’s creation. We too are a part of it and our voice is to be found in tandem with all God has made. It is alongside the whole of God’s creation, that God is to be praised for God’s work in c
Revelation 21:1-6
Once the first creation has disappeared and the wicked have been driven off to punishment, all that remains is to wonder at God’s eternal magnificence, reflected in the new creation. Because of its association with brutal storms, raging waters and myths of primeval chaos, the sea no longer exists. Such violence is not compatible with the peace of the world to come.
God then provides a new Jerusalem—a holy city because God dwells in it–that suggests the intimate union of God with the chosen people. “The home of God among mortals” fulfills God’s promise to “be with us” (Exodus 3:12) and Jesus’ assurance that “I will be with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
It is a city that descends from God: a city where a myriad of God’s people dwell as God’s people. Think… relationships. Of Community. It is also worth bearing in mind that while the talk has tended to be of being taken up into heaven at the final call, here we find God coming to the people yet again – and it’s in the coming that salvation lies. It’s not the city that saves: it’s God and the tears God wipes from every eye are all the tears that have ever been shed. We carry tiny glimpses of that new Jerusalem within us when we live out the costly, selfless kind of love we hear Jesus calling us to, in the next portion of Scripture; in John 13
John 13:31-35
For John, “glory” means a visible revelation of God’s presence and holiness. Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection manifests God’s glory in the fullest sense. The cross is not a humiliation but a glorification and the revelation of God’s plan for salvation.
The love commandment is new, not as a commandment, but in that Jesus’ love becomes the model for all love and the basic obligation of the new covenant. God’s unconditional love has been revealed in a new way in Jesus. Jesus is more than the standard for Christian love; he is its source. His love is both affective and effective, bonding the Christian community and bringing salvation.
Love is not a warm fuzzy feeling. It’s what you do. Right after Judas has left the room to betray his Lord, Jesus turns to those around Him, to tell them what love is – and love He tells them, is about doing mundane tasks for another and it is also about taking the risk to do something utterly unselfish and heroic for the other. When Jesus could have been forgiven for being a just a little preoccupied with what was about to happen, He chooses to tell the disciples of His love for them. It is a love Jesus will show them when it pins Him to a cross and then refuses to let death have the last word.
“I am with you only a little longer.” Jesus breaks this hard news to his friends at the Last Supper. When we love someone deeply, words such as this come with heartbreaking poignancy. “No!” we want to shout in reply. “Don’t go!” It was clearly too soon for him to leave.
But such an argument mistakes the end of a scene for the conclusion of the play. Jesus opens a new scene as he continues, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” Just as we cherish a picture of someone dear who has died, so we reverence this teaching. If Jesus’ presence is to lighten this crazy, chaotic, death-filled world, it’s up to us.
One more Sunday rainy day. This one picked by the end of the service and was on the cool side considering we are close to the middle of May.
Today was both Mother’s Day and Good Shepherd Sunday from John 10 – “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.” It colored the hymns, anthem and sermon:
From the sermon – “Many of us choose the way we should go through life in a sort of willy-nilly way. Listening for the shepherd’s voice is essential in choosing the right pathways through our lives… If we are listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd, and we are in his flock, then what we find following us is goodness and mercy instead of want, exhaustion, meaninglessness, and fear.
First Corinthians continued with the passage from Chapter 12 on the many members of the body and the unique gifts of all. Paul was trying to create unity in the house churches of Corinth
We celebrated Karen’s birthday, the Long 36th wedding anniversary and welcomed the most of the Long family to St. Peter’s. Laura came from California.
During the announcements Catherine highlighted the 183rd anniversary of the church this Wed and the Village Harvest that day. We have 3 cakes being made from the congregation.
Next Sat is Shred-It, the 8th year. The donations of $5+ a box help pay for the truck and also provide a donation to the outreach ministries.
Today’s readings explore the image of God as a caring Shepherd. In Acts, the apostles’ preaching and miracles bring many Gentiles to believe and follow. John, in his Revelation, describes a great multitude worshiping God, who plans to care for them tenderly for all eternity. In today’s gospel, Jesus pictures his relationship to the faithful as that of a shepherd who works for the life of the sheep.
Acts 9:36-43
One of the purposes of the book of Acts was to explain to Gentile converts how their new religion started within Judaism, but soon reached beyond its roots to embrace strangers. This passage gives details about the human passions and divine providence behind that change.
One of the most pressing questions in the early church was what to make of the break between Judaism and Christianity. The earliest Christians had seen Jesus as the fulfillment of their own ancient Jewish hopes. Why, then, were he and they rejected by mainstream Judaism? One could argue that Christians’ openness to the Gentiles was both cause and effect of their rupture with Judaism. That’s strongly suggested by today’s first reading. One of the purposes of Acts is to explain this to Gentile converts, and to explain to them the Jewish background of their new religion
In this section, which is devoted to how the Gospel is received and acted upon in Judea and Samaria, we have a collection of stories about Peter’s ministry in Palestine. There is a rationale for this collection presented in 9:31: “The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.” There is also another purpose for Luke, and that is to show Peter as active in the same manner that Jesus was active.
Joppa is the present Jaifa, some 15 kilometres from Lydda, and the name ‘Dorcas’ is the Greek translation of ‘Tabitha’ and means ‘gazelle’. Had the disciples sent for Peter so he could join them in mourning Tabitha? Did they imagine Peter would be able to ‘do something’ for Tabitha
The story of Tabitha’s restoration to the community is reminiscent of the resuscitation of Jairus’s daughter by Jesus (Luke 8:49-56). Luke, the author of Acts, is demonstrating that the disciples now carry on the healing work of Jesus.
Peter repeats Jesus’ actions: responding to the request for help, sending the crowd out of the room and speaking to the dead woman. The only difference is that Peter pauses to kneel and pray, thereby illustrating that the authority to raise the dead is not his own like it was Jesus’, but is an extension of the presence of Christ.
When Peter arrives, the women are wearing the clothing Tabitha had given them while she was alive. She was always doing good and helping people who were poor and she is identified in the text as a disciple. Peter orders everyone out of the room, presumably because he does not want the miracle which is about to take place to be treated as a spectacle. ‘Tabitha, get up’, has echoes of what Jesus said to the young girl, ‘Talitha cum’ (Mark 5:41) and some scholars have wondered if this is the same story sometimes attributed to Jesus and sometimes to Peter.
In his commentary Acts: The Gospel of the Spirit, Justo L Gonzalez notes Luke often links a story about a man with a story about a woman. Gonzalez also points out Peter remained in Joppa with Simon, a tanner, an occupation considered unclean by many Jews because it involved working with the skin of dead animals and in the following chapter we learn of Peter’s extraordinary vision of unclean animals in Simon’s house (Acts 10: 9-23.
Psalm 23
This psalm is probably the most familiar and popular psalm of all. It celebrates God’s loving care for us under the guise of a good shepherd who provides food, security and protection from all dangers. God guides us on our journey through life so that we might “dwell in the house of the lord.”
It is a song of hope and strength in times of darkness and doubt, death and fear. We know that God provides for us and gives us strength and refuge in times of trouble. We know that with God, we are not alone, and even in death we have nothing to be afraid of, for God is right beside us. God will be with us throughout our lives. We recite this psalm at funerals and in times when we need reminders the most that we are not alone, even if we feel alone, we know that surely goodness and mercy will cover us. We know that we will dwell with God forever, even if we can’t feel it now.
Verses
1. The Lord is my shepherd: The prophets (Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ezekiel 34) use the image of Yahweh as the shepherd of his people.
In the ancient Near East, the king was seen as shepherd (vv. 1-4) and as host (vv. 5-6).
2-4: The singer uses the imagery of the shepherd’s care for his/her flock to describe Yahweh’s care for his flock.
God faithfully provides for his sheep, and constantly cares for them. He revives our very lives (“soul”, v. 3), and guides us in godly ways (“right paths”). Even when beset by evil (“darkest valley”, v. 4), we have nothing to fear. God’s “rod” (a defense against wolves and lions) protects us; his “staff” (v. 4, for rescuing sheep from thickets) guides us.
5. The singer describes his acceptance in the Temple, where he is fed with heavenly food and drink, and anointed with holy oil.The feast (v. 5) is even more impressive, for it is in the presence of his foes. Kings were plenteously anointed with oil (a symbol of power and dedication to a holy purpose).
6. Yahweh’s care and protection will continue throughout the life of the singer. He will dwell in the Temple.May God’s “goodness and mercy” (v. 6, steadfast love) follow (or pursue) him (as do his enemies) throughout his life. He will continue to worship (“dwell …”) in the Temple as long as he lives.
Revelation 7:9-17
Before the opening of the seventh seal, John sees a vision of the assured victory of God and God’s people. The innumerability and ethnic diversity of “the great multitude,” in contrast to the 144,000 from the 12 Jewish tribes, suggests the catholicity of the Church. The white robes of the redeemed are a sign of purity and righteousness, recalling the white robe put on the newly baptized.
Those who have “come out of the great ordeal” have survived the test of conflicting loyalties. The destiny of the redeemed weaves together a skein of images from the Old Testament: unending worship of God, shelter in God’s presence, the satisfaction of hunger and thirst, protection, the provision of water, God as shepherd and the end of all sorrow.
John 10:22-30
Not for the first time a dispute had broken out between Jesus and the religious authorities. At first it centers on the healing of a blind man, but soon the debate is about which of them has the authority to speak and act for God.
The Sadducees controlled the temple with its God-given feasts, ceremonies and rituals, while Pharisees controlled the synagogues, where attention was focused on obedience to the law and keeping the commandments.
If Sadducees and Pharisees both felt they had legitimate claims to be the shepherd of God’s people and speak for God, evidently both resented the upstart from Galilee with His claim to be THE good shepherd of God’s way, God’s truth and God’s life.
The incident in the Gospel takes place in the portico of Solomon, on the east side of the temple – shielded from the cold prevailing winds. The Festival of Dedication takes place in December, which we know as Hanukkah, a remembrance of the relighting of the temple lights following the defeat of the Seleucid kings and the rededication of the Temple to the exclusive worship of God. Such a setting would put the reader in mind of an earlier messiah – namely the Maccabees, who saved the Jews from the cruelties of the Hellenistic overlords.
Thus the question comes up, “If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus evades the implications of their question (cf. John 8:25) and is concerned with their having a correct view of who and what he was. He replies quite frankly that he has told them and they don’t believe.
Although Jesus has given many hints about his identity he has only explicitly revealed himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman (4:26) and to the man born blind (9:37). To the rest, he provides evidence and waits for them to draw their own faith conclusions.
Jesus seeks to have them know his true purpose. In a few short sentences, Jesus describes our relationship to him and his relationship to his Father. We’re united with Jesus because we heed his word, as he is united with the Father because he does the Father’s will.
Earlier in his Good Shepherd discourse, Jesus focused on the role of the door and of the shepherd; now he develops the role of the sheep. In John 10:22-30, Jesus refers to those who know him as his sheep (at the beginning of chapter 10 he refers to himself as the Good Shepherd). The sheep know the voice of the shepherd. Each shepherd has a distinctive call that his own sheep recognize, and that makes possible the separation of herds after a night of sharing a common sheepfold.
Those that follow God follow the Shepherd, for God and the Shepherd are one (vs. 30). It is all about relationship (my sheep hear my voice – I give them eternal life.) Jesus as a shepherd caring for his own flock provides more than green pasture and still waters
The sheep trust the shepherd. We who follow Jesus trust Jesus. We trust his voice, and we believe because we trust. It’s less a question of doubts verses faith as it is a question of trust verses mistrust. We may have doubts and questions about faith, but if we trust in Jesus, we still have faith. It is when we do not trust that we have lost. Trust leads to faith, and what Jesus calls us to do is to know his voice.
Our Good Shepherd guides us through the heights and depths of life, even during the most difficult times when we feel we are alone and abandoned, even when we feel the absence of God. This is the voice we trust in life and in death, through the valley of darkness and the shadow, when it seems there is no hope, we know Jesus’ voice. We trust the words of Jesus, who leads us into new life, everlasting life, that begins now.
Some people are unresponsive, not because Jesus has not done the works of a shepherd, but because they are not of the flock; they are willfully blind. The statement made about Jesus in verse 28 is then made in verse 29 about the Father: their sheep are safe.
Jesus sums up by affirming that he and his Father are one. John describes their unity in actions, in teaching and in knowledge. Jesus’ unity with the Father also lies in the essence of his divine identity, which John makes clear, particularly through the “I am” statements (6:20; 8:24; 8:28, 58; 13:19; 18:5) that echo the sacred name of God from Exodus 3:14.
The final comment, “The Father and I are one” is the last straw. In the verse following our passage, the Jews pick up stones with which to stone him. The symbols in this passage are telling: Light, Rededication, Protection, Revelation, The Shepherd and the Sheep, and Unity.
Shred-It is scheduled on May 18, 2019 11am-1pm. This is the 8th year and the first to be scheduled on a weekend. We are hoping to attract many more people. Your donations make this event possible.
Last May we collected $325 or approximately 65 boxes in May, 2018. After paying Shred-it $225 for the truck we made $100 for St. Peter’s Outreach ministries.
Why support Shred-It?
1. For You – You are able to dispose of sensitive documents safely and securely freeing up needed space at home or work. Check your old folders and envelopes containing pay stubs, tax records, bank statements and receipts that have amassed over time. An eye sore is eliminated!
2. For the Environment – one less document in a landfill. A majority of the US still sends their trash to the dump. Harmful chemicals and greenhouse gases are released from rubbish in landfill sites. Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by waste.
3. For the Church – The funds we earn less the cost of the Shred-it truck helps our outreach ministries, such as the Village Harvest food distribution.
And we have a good time doing it! It’s fun to watch the Shred-It truck do its job. It’s a great fellowship event visiting with neighbors.
Shred-it 2018 happened under a beautiful spring day with abundant sunshine. The temperature was warm hitting 90 degrees but the humidity was not oppressive. The sycamore was out on the side along with Iris. The Rappahannock River was deep blue
Andrea Pogue set up shop with drinks and this year a beanbag game.
We collected $325, about 65 boxes and after paying Shred-It $225 the fund raiser cleared $100 for St. Peter’s outreach ministries. This was less than in 2017 with over 100 boxes for $560. After paying for the truck, we made $335 that year for St. Peter’s outreach ministries.
The Community Dinner which was well attended featured a marinated chicken, macaroni, salad, bread and ice cream and cake at the end.
As the sycamore and Iris came out this week, we are reminded this is Rogation Sunday. We are in the "Named Sundays" which come at this time of year – commemorating agriculture, the Ascension, Pentecost and Trinity Sunday. They are four feasts of great importance in the life of the Church.
Rogation is an old celebration. While it goes back to Rome, the Christian festival is based on decided events – calamities when events overtake the main means of production – agriculture. In 470 that was in Vienne, France after a series of disasters had caused much suffering among the people. The Goths invaded Gaul. There was an enormous amount of disease; there were fires; there were earthquakes; there were attacks of wild animals.
Today it is time set aside to appreciate and recognize our dependence upon the land for our food and most importantly upon our dependence of God for the miracles of sprouting seeds, growing plants, and maturing harvest. It takes on an environmental focus which affects all of us. We praise God for what God has provided but also ask for forgiveness for our mishandling the environment.
The offertory hymn was for rogation – "As those of old their first fruits brought". The lyric – As those of old their first fruits brought of vineyard, flock, and field to God, the giver of all good"
This week was Shred-it which supports recycling to help the environment. Thanks to Andrea Pogue for this event’s 7th year. We collected 60 boxes and made $100 for St. Peter’s Outreach ministries.
This Sunday was also Shrine Mont Sunday in the Diocese to remember the camps. We had 8 people on retreat with Christ Church, the fifth year of this program.
The congregation was small as a result, 23. It was Morning Prayer. The bulletin is here and the readings here . Coffee potluck followed with ham biscuits, vegetables, fruit, potatoes and macaroni and one of Brad’s chocolate cakes.
Cookie was the officiant, Susan Tilt the lector and Nancy Long provided the sermon.
Nancy’s message was from the Gospel,John 15:9-17. God is Love. We don’t necessarily need to understand it or ask why just do it.
If we are created by God we must know God before we leave the womb. We are born with love because God’s loves us. Infants nestle close to their mothers and therefore close to God. An infant’s smile reflects the love of God
As we grow we have to make the choice between good and evil. Parents provide a world of Bible understanding. We have the ability to love. God leads you in faith and to abide in God’s love. Faith is the cornerstone. We can choose to be baptized and God lives within us and love can grow
We have to remember to love one another as God has loved you. This is important to remember when we have differences. Jesus got angry at the disciples and Pharisees but he did on the basis of love and not hate. A basket can block light but it can be taken off to let light shine.
We must follow John’s love to love with actions and trust. Love can be a noun, verb or adjective. We must use love as a verb to show action. How do you use love as a verb in how we treat others? How can the congregation spread love. We must show the truth of God’s love in our actions to make the world a better place. God accepts all of us but won’t let us remain that way (Max Lucado)
Today’s readings urge believers to come together in a community characterized by love. In his sermon, Peter tells Cornelius of God’s work in Jesus Christ, thus opening the doors of the Church to Gentiles. A few simple words from today’s psalm unify today’s readings: “sing…a new song.” That allusion to newness captures the spirit of rebirth in spring as well as God’s marvelous surprises. We can almost imagine the jaws dropping as the Jewish believers discover the shocking truth that God’s grace has been poured out on Gentiles too. The author of 1 John describes Jesus as God’s love for us, and calls us to embrace one another in that love. In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that they have been chosen to love one another; in this they will find perfect joy.
This missionary speech in the Act’s reading "(Acts 10:44-48) marks an important turning point in the outreach of the early Church. Many Jewish Christians feared and resisted the possible inclusion of Gentiles, but Luke makes clear that Peter himself (even before Paul) began the mission to the Gentiles under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Cornelius was a “God-fearing” Roman, one who worshiped God but had not adopted all of the Jewish religious practices. Cornelius receives the sacrament of baptism, but not before he and his gathered household receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This event marks a new Pentecost. The circle of Christian faith has now broadened to include the inhabitants of “the ends of the earth” (1:8). The Spirit first came to Jews (2:1-4), then to the despised Samaritans (8:14-17), and now to the Gentiles.
The writing of 1 John seems to have been occasioned by a schism in the community due to heresy, specifically the denial of Jesus’ humanity. The central theme of 1 John is that “God is love” (4:8). As 1 John points out, the important, new discovery is not that we love God, but that God loves us. For centuries, humans tried to placate angry deities. The significance of this statement is explored through repeated meditation that interweaves theology and ethics
The Gospel reading from the discourse on the vine and the branches deals with the disciples’ relationships with one another. Jesus’ relationship with the Father has now become the model for all believers. The Father and Son’s relationship of mutual indwelling is now extended to Christians. The Father’s love for the Son is the basis, both in origin and in quality, of the Son’s love for the believer.
Believers are to love one another with a love characterized by self-sacrifice. Thus while Christians are still "servants" (v. 15, literally “slaves”) of Christ in terms of ministry (see 12:26; 13:14-16), they are "friends" (v. 15) of Christ in terms of intimacy with God. In and through this relationship Christians are appointed to "bear fruit" (v. 16).
A beautiful spring afternoon, no more than 70 degrees under brilliant sunshine with a gentle wind.
We donated over 100 boxes with monetary donations of $560. After paying for the truck, we made $335 for St. Peter’s outreach ministries. This was the best year in 6. Andrea Pogue conceived of the project and has directed it each year.
Luther, the driver, works a route from Stafford down to Petersburg. Stafford Hospital gets emptried weekly as does Geico. Some anchor stories generate enough shreddable items to demand 3 visits a week. This is a clean industry. The shred items will go from his truck to eventually to be made into future paper products.
Thanks for those who contributed. We would like to get even wider community support.
Andrea scheduled Shred-It in conjunction with the Village Dinnner. Eunice, Cookie, Betty and Cheryl cooked an enchilada dinner with vegetables and flan cake.
On July 13, 2016, we invited a group from the Village Harvest food distribution to meet with parishioners for overall fellowship as well as to see their needs in relationship to the existing Village Harvest program which has been ongoing since Nov. 2014. How well is it going ? Any changes ? We had 11 from the food distribution and 9 from St. Peter’s to sample Catherine’s glazed chicken. Cherry said she was surprised how many people were on assistance.
This week major work was done on the altapiece with the gilding of the framework. Check out the picture in the slideshow.
Sunday, July 17 featured full sunshine, not too warm, with the crepes myrtle in full bloom. Wild animals came forth from the osprey on our front sycamore to a bee enjoying the phlox. The back sycamore was lush with green leaves. Cookie had Johnny pick sunflowers from the field around Camden which adorned our altar and windows. It was a large service -we had 59 with all the children and several back from vacation.
This Sunday was Pentecost 9 but also Callie Towler’s last Sunday as Godly Play teacher. Becky Fisher will be taking over in the Fall but this Sunday was the last session in this program year 2015-2016.
Callie parents were on hand and She was the preacher today. The children were up front supporting here. She brought up the children to sing a Godly Play song at the end of her sermon. Catherine arranged the music in Levas with shorter hymns and at least one known by the children.
Callie plans to go to seminary in the future. During the announcements, Catherine presented her two gifts from the congregation – an annotated Bible and Strong’s Concordance. Catherine said she still uses the latter in her regular sermon preparation . We also signed a card for her.
Marilyn provided the communion music on her new harp. It was a plain song that could have been heard at St. Peter’s at the time the altarpiece was created (1853). The sound was lilting, pensive and folkish.
A reception was held after church on the lawn and provided by Cookie and Catherine and featured light refreshments – oatmeal bars, brownies, popcorn, pretzels and several drinks. People enjoyed bringing out the food from the back on the church and catching up. The babies in the congregation were the hit. Karen also helped put it all together.
Today’s readings remind us of the surprises related to hospitality and the hidden presence of God. In Genesis , Abraham receives three heavenly visitors who speak of the imminent birth of Sarah’s son. Paul describes the mystery of reconciliation with God and its implications for the Church. Jesus visits the home of Mary and Martha and reminds us of the importance of paying attention to God’s presence and words.
An extraordinary message runs through today’s scriptures. The theme is best expressed in the question put to Abraham: “Is anything too wonderful for the lord?”
Callie’s sermon concentrated on the Gospel. She sympathized with Martha – in her life dealing with people at school who weren’s pulling their weight. Martha had all the work to do to prepare a meal for Jesus and many disciples. You can imagine her frustration as Mary dominated Jesus attention by sitting at his feet and Martha dealing with getting the wine jugs in and other preparations. However, maybe the distractions get in her way of understanding and of achieving something more valuable, particularly sitting at the feet of the Lord. Callie remembered when she graduated absorbed at getting resumes out and nearly missing the opportunity to go to Shred-It in 2014 at St. Peter’s and hearing we needed a Godly Play teacher. She is glad she did as it became her opportunity for 2 years to sit at "feet of the Lord."
A triple pack Sunday – Easter 7, Ascension and Mother’s Day. The lectionary was Easter 7 with the Ascension mentioned in the Sermon. A special Mother’s Day prayer was heard after the Prayers of the People
After a week of mostly rain, the sun, often a hazy sunlight was appreciated. The iris are spectacular this year with blue and red the front and blue and yellow in the back. Once again, Cookie had arranged Iris in the church windows.
Godly Play had 5 children and "Weaving God’s Promises" had 7 children and adults, the latter featuring the Acts reading this morning – Acts 16:16-34 where a Roman jailer and his family are unexpectedly baptized. Catherine asked us to pick all of the instances of the Holy Spirit work and then how the Holy Spirit has entered our lives. All of this went better with some banana muffins which she brought.
The theme of the lectionary readings this week could be "forging the glorious unity of God’s people. Today’s readings give us a sense of comfort – we catch a glimpse of the glorious unity of God’s people. Paul and Silas show their concern even for their Gentile jailer, who becomes a believer through their example. John, in his Revelation, describes the believers’ urgent longing for final union with Jesus. In the gospel, Jesus prays for us, who have come to faith and unity in him through the testimony of the disciples .
Cookie brought a number of pictures from the 150th anniversary of the church in 1986. These are Linda Upshaw’s pictures and both had labelled the backs of the pictures. Additional help was provided by Nancy Long today. Next week we will celebrate the 180th anniversary of St. Peter’s.
We had 43 in the service. The sermon was an exploration of the ‘Lion King" in relationship to Easter 7 and Ascension. Catherine’s daughter took her to the show in Richmond on Friday.
We celebrated the wedding anniversary of Nancy and Alex Long. They had two of their children and all grandchildren present today. An amazing site!
Catherine announced we made $980 at the Community Give to benefit the Village Harvest food distribution.
She alluded to the Parish retreat last weekend. Although rainy, the Fishers made it to the top of North Mountain, including Zeke at age 7!
Catherine recognized Charles McGuire as the newest member of the church. His transfer from Christ Church Dover came in this week.
Upcoming events this week include Shredit on Thursday May 12 at 4pm and Susan Tilt’s "Day of art" on Saturday.
For the 5th year in a row, we held Shred-it a way to safely dispose of any king of paper product, especially valuables. After paying the company, we made $50 for Outreach ministries. Thanks for Andrea Pogue for conceiving of this project and heading up for 5 years. She also actively promoted it to Port Royal businesses and organizations.
We served 86 people on Sept 16, 2015, the second largest number we have had since November, 2014 when the Village Harvest began. 500 pounds of fresh produce was purchased.
We had a split congregation today with our rector and 9 other parishioners with Christ Church Spotsylvania at Shrine Mont. Catherine was responsible for the program ("Stations of Resurrection") and Christ Church would be providing the sermon and service on Sunday.
We had 21 in attendance this morning on one of the most beautiful mornings of the year – temperatures in the 70’s under clear skies. The Iris were beginning to bloom. There was new growth to trees along the river. Blue wild flowers provided a lengthy tableau along Route 17.
We had Morning Prayer with preacher John Sellers and officiant Elizabeth Heimbach. John spent 3 years in seminary, was ordained into the Baptist church and served as an assistant minister in Colorado. He later went back for a doctorate which was a doctorate in American History rather than theology. He told me that the job situation was much better in history than theology. While in graduate school he also directed music in a church in New Orleans. His musical talent is in music. John is clearly an intellectual and mult-talented man. His charming wife Sylvia came too.
John’s sermon was on Chapter one of Mark. This is when John the Baptist prepares the way for Christ but John focused on the Holy Spirit. "I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.” John professed that the concept of the holy spirit has been difficult for both theologians and philosophers to get an understanding.
The holy spirit may be best understood through examples. The holy spirit was clearly at work with the early disciples. Andrew and Peter, James and John did not not hesitate but left their callings, their professions and immediately joined Jesus. There was no other reason for their action.
John delved into his own family – his mother very religious brought up in the Episcopal church. He gets his Baptist faith from his father. His mother had several siblings but they ignored religion and the church. John’s parents have benefited from their religious life.
John expressed sadness at own time with people caught up in their own pursuits and did not have a spiritual life. The word "I" is used more than any other in conversation. By contrast, this pronoun did not occur in a great work that John cited, The Gettysburg address.
He felt the best moments for understanding the holy spirit came through prayers. John admitted he did not have a specific method or time of day for prayer and that his prayers were more of an extended conversation with the circumstances. He felt close to the holy spirit with his horses.
This is a giving week coming up at St. Peter’s
1. Community Give. The Community Give is a day of supporting non-profits in the Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Caroline and King George counties. Help support the Village Dinner with a $10 or more donation on Tuesday May 5 which will provide 10 pounds of fresh produce for 20 people. We are now feeding as many people as in our congregation. Also support other non-profits – many do unique work. The link to the Website is https://www.thecommunitygive.org/. Then search for “Harvest”.
For the May Village Harvest on May 17, we need considerably more donations. We are trying to collect especially tuna fish and macaroni but any canned goods will do.
2. Shred It is Friday. $5 a bag – bring all of your paper particularly those items with sensitive private information. Last year we collected $385 and made $175 for Outreach. Thanks to Andrea Pogue for conceiving it and leading it.
3. Support Nepal relief. As of Sunday there have been over 7,000 casualties after the recent 7.8 scale earthquake. Concern now is the condition of the airport. Episcopal Relief and Development has been there since the event. There is an urgent need for food, water and shelter. Donate here for the Nepal Disaster relief fund
Nancy did a wonderful vocal arrangement at the offertory on "Come Thou Fount". Nancy and Alex are celebrating a wedding anniversary on May 7
Coffee hour was presented by Helmut and Susana and Elizabeth. It featured Helmut’s lentil soup (Susan’s receipe), a wonderful casserole (page 43 of the cookbook), fruit, sandwiches, raw vegetables. Dessert included oatmeal cookies, brownies and Trifle. Cookie provided the punch.
Ken Pogue has produced some postcards of the church and environment. They are $1 each (extended size). We sold $30 today – available in church and Parish House. A church fund raiser.
Commentary by Canon Lance Ousley, Diocese of Olympia
Stewards of God’s love bear the life-giving Fruit of the Vine in Jesus Christ.
In the 1st Century water was often in short supply and fresh potable water was even more scarce. So wine was needed to survive. The reality is that wine was a matter of life or death for Jesus and his contemporaries. The image of the vine for Jesus’ 1st Century hearers was poignant because they understood viticulture and its intensive care.
The good vine steward spends much time attending his vines and knows that only with proper care the branches of the vine will produce good fruit. This is year-round work nurturing the vine in each season to produce the abundant harvest that the vine was meant to produce through its branches. The vine is pruned in early spring of the branches that will not produce fruit. In the summer the amount of leaves on the branches are regulated. Too many leaves can rob the fruit of nutrients needed to produce the best fruit and an abundant harvest. The fall brings the harvest of the well-attended fruit. And the winter is a time of mulching and protecting the vine from the elements for the next growing season. All of this care for the vines meant life for the community in the 1st Century. With an abundant harvest the whole community could and would thrive.
Jesus tells his disciples and us that he is the Vine and that we are the branches, and he reminds us that only the branches that are connected to the Vine can produce fruit. God is the Master Vine Steward, who has planted Jesus the Vine in the world so that the world can have life through the Vine and the fruit that it produces. All of God’s tending the Vine and branches is an act of love to give the fruit of abundant life to the world.
John teaches us in his 1st letter to the Church what this fruit is to look like in the world. The fruit of Love that is produced through abiding in Love is shown through our loving one another. And it is in the midst of our loving one another the way God the Vine Steward and Jesus the Vine have loved us that this fruit of abundant life is produced. So we are to be stewards of the same type of loving care the Vine Steward gives the Vine and the Vine gives to the branches sharing this fruit with the world around us. In this stewardship of the fruit of Love, we are branches of the Vine producing fruit through him that gives life not only to the world, but also to us. We truly cannot thrive without producing the fruit God intends for us, and this takes attentive year-round attention like a good vine steward.
So how are you living as a Steward of the fruit of Love, both as an individual and as a community
This was the 4th year of bringing our paper clutter to St. Peter’s to be professionally shred. It allows people to dispose of private, confidential documents securely There were stories of people bringing tax records, estate records, bills etc. to be shred that went back decades. We encouraged a donation of $5 a bag all to go to St. Peter’s outreach ministries.
It was a beautiful spring afternoon in Port Royal in the high 70’s under full sunshine. The iris were mostly in full bloom – all colors – yellow, purple, shades of red. It was not only Shred-It but the 70th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) day. A salute goes out to those who fought and worked for that effort.
This year we collected $328 at Shred-It. After paying the Shred-it truck $225 we came out with a profit of $103 for St. Peter’s Outreach ministries. This wasn’t as good as last year but a wonderful contribution to help us give back to others,
Thank you Andrea Pogue for your leadership over these 4 years. Andrea not only negotiates for the truck but also promotes the project to friends, businesses, St. Peter’s and other churches. She distributes fliers and engages others in conversation and serves food for the event. A wonderful spring afternoon to help the environment and a good time for fellowship.
A wonderful week of giving both monetary with the Village Harvest ($1,255) and in terms of paper with Shred-it! ($103). Thanks to all who participated.
This Sunday was Rogation Sunday and Easter 6. This year alternate readings for the former were done (BCP Pg. 930). We are in the "Named Sundays" which come at this time of year – commemorating agriculture, the Ascension, Pentecost and Trinity Sunday. They are four feasts of great importance in the life of the Church.
Rogation is an old celebration. While it goes back to Rome, the Christian festival is based on decided events – calamities when events overtake the main means of production – agriculture. In 470 that was in Vienne, France after a series of disasters had caused much suffering among the people. The Goths invaded Gaul. There was an enormous amount of disease; there were fires; there were earthquakes; there were attacks of wild animals.
Today it is time set aside to appreciate and recognize our dependence upon the land for our food and most importantly upon our dependence of God for the miracles of sprouting seeds, growing plants, and maturing harvest. It takes on an environmental focus which affects all of us. We praise God for what God has provided but also ask for forgiveness for our mishandling the environment.
The sermon enlarged the concept of rogation beyond our parish, our community to consider the larger picture. "So this Rogation Sunday is a good day to ask for the forgiveness of our transgressions as the early Christians did–especially our transgressions against creation itself.".."The psalmist reminds us that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” and today’s reading from Deuteronomy reminds us that “the eyes of the Lord your God are always on the land, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”".. God gives us the invaluable sacred gift of the earth. The earth, with its gravitational pull, is the foundation beneath our feet. The earth feeds us and clothes us. The beauty of the earth is a constant source of amazement and wonder.
The concern back in 470 was making the harvest which determined whether we would have sufficient crops to live. Now the harvest is different. "Now let’s talk about what it means in this day and age to pray for a good and bountiful harvest. And so on this Sunday, we pray specifically for good and bountiful outcomes for our work."
There is a fallacy that our harvests are only dependent on our own efforts. "We’ve fallen into the trap of believing that our worth is based on what we produce, and that we can completely control the outcome of any work that we are doing." "Our job is to sow our seeds on the ground. And then, here’s the hard part—to wait." In this process is the need to reclaim the Sabbath as a day of rest.
Rogation was celebrated with two gifts of flowers. Cookie produced bouquet of clover for all of the windows. They had flowers of red. The Altar flowers added some Iris. The Iris were again in full bloom today around the church – purplse, reddish, yellow. Catherine provided portulaca plants for all the congregation in honor of both Rogation and Mother’s Day.
The weather was mostly cloudly with periods of sun. Blue wild flowers lined Route17. Also there were several fields of yellow, particuarly striking against the darker clouds.
We had a congregation of 38. BJ and Jim Anderson were back from Texas, BJ bringing her bread making ability. Jim had a heart issue over the winter so it was glad to see him back. Barbara Wisdom is now off a walker and just has a cane. Justin and Karen Long were back for a visit with her mother.
The hymns were of note this week for Rogation. The opening hymn was "Not here for high and holy things" is a wonderful hymn back to the 18th century of the environment and stewardship in general
"Not here for high and holy things
we render thanks to thee,
but for the common things of earth,
the purple pageantry
of dawning and of dying days,
the splendor of the sea,"
The last hymn was "All creatures of our God and King". St. Francis wrote this in 1225 shortly before his death and has 7 verses.
"All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!"
The bulletin announcements included one for Susan and Tommy Tilt’s 50th anniversary celebrated next Sat at their home in Colonial Beach Sat. May 16- email susantilt@mac.com. There were also a list of thank you’s from the Rappahannock Valley Garden Club, Hunters for the Hungry and Pope and Lockleir families.
Commentary on Easter 6 by Canon Lance Ousley, Diocese of Olympia, Washington
The readings for Easter 6 Sunday Year B include Acts 10:44-48; Psalm 98 1 John 5:1-6; and John 15:9-17
Stewardship involves a series of choices everyday. We all have people and things that have been entrusted to our care. How we choose to care for theses people and things is how we practice good stewardship or poor stewardship. But these are not the only things that pose choices before us in our world today challenging our hearts to be stewards of the love of Christ that has been entrusted to us.
In the BCP lectionary the Acts reading for Easter 6B is the story of Paul addressing the Areopagus in Athens about their monuments to their many gods and the one true God, the Creator of everything that is, seen and unseen. These other gods were pretty clear in the pagan culture of Athens, demanding their appeasement offerings. But the Acts reading in the RCL lectionary for Easter 6B shows other things that demand our attention that are not so clear. In Acts 10:44-48, we hear that there were cultural barriers to extending open hospitality to some being baptized into the family of Faith because they were believed to be outside the grace of God. Fortunately, Peter made the choice to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit who had chosen to include all people in the family of God, instead of following the tradition of his cultural exclusivity. In this act of acceptance Peter was a good steward of the unconditional love Jesus had entrusted to him.
As we read in our 1 John lesson, we hear John make the case that one of the ways our love is shown to a parent is through our loving their children. As people who believe in the Creator of all that is seen and unseen we understand that God is the Parent of all of humanity. Jesus shows us what it ultimately looks like to love the children of the Parent of all, by choosing over to love them over all other things by laying down his life for them. Jesus stewards all of God’s children entrusted to his care by choosing to love them over the choices that the culture poses the world.
And Jesus has chosen us to be stewards of his love so that others may know the unconditional love of God. He has told us that we show our love of God by loving the way he loves, forsaking the choices that the culture of our world poses us. Jesus has chosen us to reveal God’s unconditional love to, and chosen us to be midwives delivering his love to the world. But we have to choose to steward Jesus’ love to all God’s children over the choices our culture poses to through its many gods that merely want us to appease their (and our) selfish desires. Just as Jesus lays down his life for us, he chooses us to lay down our worldly lives for all God’s children. And so we have been chosen, not to reveal our own salvation but for the revelation of the salvation of the whole world as children of God.
How will we obey Jesus’ commandments, choosing to be good stewards of God’s children laying down our lives to show them the love of the one true God, Creator and Parent of all that is, seen and unseen?
Today is a double header – Rogation Sunday and Memorial weekend. The next 4 Sundays are formally named – Rogation, Ascension, Pentecost and Trinity. It was the most perfect day with the weather – abundant sunshine and pleasant temperatures for the end of May. A relaxing time on a long weekend. Most noticeable the fields had corn about knee high looked good considering the excess rain we had a few weeks ago.
We had 8 at 9am and 33 at 11am with two families at least on vacation. We celebrated Jackie’s impending graduation as well as Andrea’s Shred-It which raised $175 on Friday evening. The osprey are back with a nest at the base of King Street opposite the river. Very majestic!
Memorial Day was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service. It has been extended further to veterans who have given their time and put their lives on the line while serving for our country.
There are pictures here from Fredericksburg’s National Cemetery. The luminaria which has been going for 20 years is the famous event on Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend. However, the morning sunrise and afterwards with all the flags on 15,000 graves is a most awe inspiring time.
St. Peter’s has its own flags on its veterans in the grave yard – Civil War (Rev. Friend a chaplain, D. B. Powers one brother of a large family that survived), Austin Hoyt (WW. II) and others.
Today we had current veterans representing the Army, Navy and Air Force recognized for their service from World War II to Vietnam. Woody Everett, an Air Force colonial, wore his uniform which fit almost perfectly considering it had not been worn in 31 years!
The other celebration is Rogation Sunday. Rogation" means "asking". In the agrarian culture of yesterday, it was common for the church to gather on the Rogation Days to ask God to bless the crops being sown. We would have asked Him to send rain and to bless us with a good harvest later in the year. A common feature of Rogation days in former times was the ceremony of beating the bounds, in which a procession of parishioners, led by the minister, churchwarden, and choirboys, would proceed around the boundary of their parish and pray for its protection in the forthcoming year.
We call this Sunday "Rogation Sunday" because the 3 days which follow it are ancient Rogation Days, these being the 3 days leading up to the great Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, this year on May 29. Rogations Days have been a part of the Christian year from early days. There used to be both a Major Rogation (April 25) and 3 Minor Rogation Days (the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday proceeding Ascension Day). Thus originally, this Sunday was not a Rogation Day – the change being made in 1662, after the Major Rogation had dropped away. Rogation days are days of prayerful supplication before God. Today Rogation can be made into a study of the environment and how we can improve it. The readings are here
The sermon provided a metaphor for understanding today keeping the rogation theme – "Imagine a huge radiating golden circle, a circle great enough to hold all of God’s creation, including this earth, with its amazing diversity of life, and all people. Let’s call this huge golden circle The Body of God, based on one of the metaphors that theologian Sally McFague uses to describe God in her book, Models of God. We know that we are made in the image of God, and Jesus came to dwell among us, to pitch his tent among us, in a human body, the body of God. And Jesus also described himself with images from God’s creation. Jesus is bread made from grains of wheat ground and baked into a loaf, and Jesus is wine, made from the crushing of grapes.The Holy Spirit appears as a bird, as wind, as flame, as the breath of life itself. Water flows through our scripture and liturgies, gushing up to eternal life, as Jesus puts it."
"And Jesus describes this great golden circle, The Body of God, to his disciples in the comforting and strengthening talk that he shares with them before being lifted up on the cross. They have already known what it is like to be surrounded by and to live in The Body of God—and Jesus reminds them of this fact when he says to them, “You know him (the Spirit of Truth—Jesus, that is), because he abides with you, and he will be in you.And the disciples will live even more completely in The Body of God when Jesus departs and sends the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, to abide with them… "At the beginning of today’s gospel, Jesus said to the disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” "And the two great commandments are to love God with all our hearts and minds and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. And our neighbor includes the natural world around us."
"Today is our day to love Jesus, and to keep his commandments.
"Today is our day to let ourselves be drawn into that great radiating golden circle that is the Body of God, to find God present in those around us and in all of creation,
"Today is our day to live and love in Jesus, to care for one another and for all of God’s magnificent creation,
"And today is our day to be enfolded and embraced and healed and strengthened and empowered within the Body of God."
First Sunday in May, Easter 6, felt like the first Sunday in April – cool and overcast. Small congregation of 38 for the first Sunday. We did have a few guests – Eleonore, Alan and Wendy and a newcomer Tony.
The Iris in the front were completely out in the front and the yellow iris near the Parish House are beginning.
This was a busy week with the Vestry retreat on Tuesday, Village Dinner on Wed, and jail ministry on Thursday. The retreat was written up here and the May newsletter. It also figured prominently in the sermon today. The readings are here.
We celebrated Alex and Nancy’s 30th wedding anniversary. Nancy also contributed an arrangement of fresh flowers for the altar.
It was Rogation Sunday. In honor of this event we used Eucharistic Prayer 2 from Enriching our Worship and a selection from David Adam for the Prayers of the People. There was an emphasis on God and creation, wise use of the resources and praises for those who till the land.
A great coffee hour compliments of the Carpenters and the Fishers – Tuna and Barbecue sandwiches, cheese, salad and Trifle and cookies for desert. Very filling!
The Ascension is this Thursday. Catherine was planning a service but her mother has an operating this week in NC. Friday is the shredding event at 4pm. Next week is an all-in-one service – Ascension, Easter 7, Mother’s Day and Founders’ Day.
Jesus continues to prepare his followers for his departure. The Gospel passage is both to instruct and provide promise for the disciples. The readings are here
Judas, son of James (one of the twelve in Luke’s list of disciples) has asked him: “‘how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’” (v. 22). What the disciples are likely to fear most: isolation from their teacher and friend. All that they have done has been about being part of Jesus’ life and journey. But Jesus’ promises mean that they will not be alone.
From this question, it sounds as if Judas is expecting Jesus to reveal secrets, to give his followers knowledge hidden from the world at large Jesus answers, but not directly. In the era to come, when the Father and Son come, separation between God and those who love him will no longer exist (v. 23).
The word used is “abide”, used over 40 times in John’s Gosepl .How do we prepare for Jesus to abide with or in us? Abide signifies to stay, to remain, to dwell, to lodge, to last, to persist, and/or to continue. We are to make time and space now to welcome Jesus in his relationship to the Father and the Spirit into our lives
By keeping Jesus’ commandments (14:15) and by loving Jesus, which inevitably and inextricably means keeping his word. Loving Jesus implies obeying him. This is not a totalitarian obedience but a freely voluntary participation is essential to John’s vision. It is closer to holding, paying attention to and protecting Jesus word
The results of loving Jesus and keeping his word in v. 23 are: The Father will love that one . The Father and Son will come to that one. The Father and Son will make a dwelling with that one
We prepare for Jesus to abide in us by welcoming his gift of peace (14:27) and responding to his presence with faith in the absence of sight (14:18).
Jesus commands that we serve one another – just as Jesus washed his disciples feet, so he expects us to serve each other (13:14-15). Jesus commands that we love another, even that we love another as Jesus loved us! (13:34). And Jesus commands that we love one another even to the point of giving our life for one another (15:12-13).
John’s language can seem polarizing. This aspect of John’s vision is partly result of his circumstances in which his community was under attack and persecution; you either were a fully devoted, loyal participant of John’s community or you were a danger to the community. This historical context does not need to be repeated, and does not have any theological significance for understanding John. The key is see John’s passage as organic. Everything comes as a complete package and so our experience of any part will only be as rich as our experience of the part we least participate in.
The message Jesus brings is “from the Father” (v. 24); Jesus is his agent. Jesus’ words will be complemented by the actions of the “Holy Spirit” (v. 26), who will be “Advocate”, i.e. helper and counsellor to believers. He will cause the disciples to remember (“remind”) what Jesus has said, and help them to understand the true significance of Jesus’ words and deeds (“everything”).
Jesus gives to his followers “peace”, (v. 27, shalom) – a very different gift from worldly gifts. ). He does not describe the peace he offers, though from his words in John 14:27, we may conclude that his peace offers the disciples both comfort for troubled hearts and courage in the midst of fear. It is not the same as absence of war but an internal feature of wholeness, completeness. It envisions the full prosperity of a people of God living under the covenant of God’s demanding care and compassion are rule
The command to love the promise of peace are all bundled up. And like love, peace is a mark of true discipleship that is required of the disciples — then and now.
This is not a passive peace. It is an active working toward peace in multiple situations. This Spirit and peace will propel the disciples and later the church into active discipleship and mission
In loving God, we come to know him. If they really knew Jesus, they would rejoice at his coming departure (v. 28). The Father has sent him into the world to do his will, so in that sense “the Father is greater than I”. Jesus has told them this so that when they see his manner of leaving (“it”, v. 29), they “may believe”.
Recall Judas’ question "How is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?" (John 14:23). These are the ways those who love Jesus will continue to see and know him after he goes away: in the home that the Father and the Son make with them, in the work of the Spirit to call to mind everything that Jesus taught, and in their ongoing experience of peace that comes from him and not from the world.
By telling us what is going to occur in advance, we may be confident that the ruler of this world actually has no power over Jesus; what is about to happen is because Jesus is keeping his Father’s commandment (and thereby showing his love).
Today was a two service Sunday at the end of the month on Easter Five – Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 at 9am with 10 and and Morning Prayer at 11am with 35.
We also had an adult ed on climate change emphasizing what we can do to be better stewards of the environment. The relatonship of earth and God was mentioned at several points in the lectionary. Psalm 148, a praise psalm had "Let them praise the Name of the LORD, for his Name only is exalted, his splendor is over earth and heaven." The passage from Revelation 21:1 starts this way "I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
The weather began sunny but became overcast and by 1pm was raining. This is the first week of the Iris blooming in numbers with more coming next week.
The children joined Catherine at 11am on a hymn ("In My Life Lord Be Glorified) from LEVAS that showed the themes of the lectionary and sermon. We also continued to sing the Psalm.
The life of the church was explored in the announcements. We announced we had collected $1,320 for the Haiti toilet project. The recent Region One meeting was described with $2,000 – provided $1,000 for Church repair at St. John’s in King George and $1,000 for two missioners. We have a shredding project coming up on May 10 which Andrea advertized. Apparently you have to remove staples and other things from the papers to be accepted!
The sermon was on the concept of glorious love based on the Gospel reading ."This glorious love isn’t just the garden variety love that we create on our own. This glorious love that Jesus talks about is reflective of the glorious love that God has for us, and we glorify God in our lives when we love one another as God has loved us. "
-This glorious love is free.
-This glorious love is sacrificial
-This glorious love is abundant.
-This glorious love is healing.
-This glorious love is full of praise.
-This glorious love is new.
-This glorious love is full of God’s freedom and justice.
-This glorious love is visible to the world.
This week the Gospel is about extending love in the world. There are plenty of reasons in the world not to love but equally there are just as many to extending love.
This is the beginning of what scholars call the “Farewell Discourse”, or more properly, “Farewell Discourses” in John. The “Farewell Discourses” take up several chapters in John’s gospel, in which Jesus directs his teachings no longer at the crowds in general, but at his disciples in particular. Jesus’ goal is to prepare the disciples to continue on without him after he dies, is raised, and finally ascends into heaven – in the case of this first discourse, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his crucifixion.
David Lose provides the following thoughts on the Gospel reading of John:
"In terms of the larger structure of the Gospel, we are early into the “second book” of John (the first being the “book of signs," chapters 2-12) that relates the story of Jesus’ “glorification” in the cross, resurrection, and ascension.
"This section begins with the account of the Last Supper and the moving words that summarize the whole: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” As this particular passage commences, Jesus has already washed the feet of his disciples, Judas has just departed to betray him, and the rest of the disciples are in a state of confusion. At just this moment of drama and tension, Jesus’ offers these words, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
"Think about it: when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, Judas was there. Further, he will now demonstrate just how much God loves the world by dying for those who manifestly do not love him. Love is hard because it is self-sacrificing. It means putting the good of the other first, even when it hurts.
"I find it striking that these are the words Jesus’ leaves with his disciples. I mean, he could have said, “Go out and die with me.” Or, “keep the faith.” Or, “when I am gone go out and teach and preach to all the world.” Or, well, any number of things. But instead he offered this simple and challenging word, “love another.” Why? Because this kind of love is the hallmark not just of God and Jesus but also of the Christian church. As in the old camp song, Jesus agrees that the whole world will know we are Christians not by our sermons or our sacraments or our festivals or our buildings or our crucifixes or our family values … but by our love. It’s just that important.
"Second, having set the scene so that we can hear again and anew the import of these words, remind us that we actually can and often do love one another. Sometimes the love command seems so challenging we assume it’s an ideal, a lofty goal that none of us will ever reach. But while we may not love perfectly, we do love, and sometimes one of the most powerful things you can hear in relation to a command is the affirmation of your ability to keep it.
"Perhaps it was looking out for the interests of a colleague, or overlooking the slight of a friend, or putting aside one’s own goals to help someone else achieve theirs. Maybe it was a large act of love, or maybe it was much smaller. But each of us, I’d wager, did in fact “love one another” this past week and it would be good to call that to mind. "
Suzanne Guthrie, priest and writer, provides an elaboration of what this love is. "Love in all forms (meditation one) to live and die for love (meditation two) embodying the qualities of gentleness and generosity (meditation three). As we mature in love, our love and our actions have no boundaries (the Last Word.)"
We can also look at this passage in a more narrow way based on what was happening to the church during John’s time. Jesus doesn’t tell his disciples to love their neighbors, Gentiles or Samaritans, victims or Others. Jesus tells his disciples to love one another – those who are already in the community of Christ (John 13:35). In the context of John’s church, which was beset with tension both from without and within, this was important and necessary advice. In order to bring the good news of Christ to the nations, it was necessary that the followers of Christ take care of one another, that in the midst of disagreements about doctrine and struggles in establishing the church, the disciples of Jesus needed to love one another. The politics of a world beset against Christianity required it.
Indeed, in a world in which Christianity too often finds itself beset against itself in wars over scriptural authority, denominationalism, separation of church and state, and the like, the advice of the Johannine Jesus continues to be excellent advice – setting aside all our differences, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to love one another.
In the Acts reading, Jesus sends Peter to the home of Gentiles, commanding him to “make no distinction” between himself and them (Acts 11:12). Indeed, as a result of this encounter with those whom he would have otherwise avoided as Others, not only are Peter and the whole Jerusalem church opened to a larger view of ministry, but everyone in that household – including, one would assume, slaves, women, and children (more Others in the first century world!) are baptized and experience Christ’s salvation. Through Peter’s love of the Other, they are thereby brought into the community of Christ.
