St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Port Royal, VA
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, who are still here, and we honor with gratitude the land itself and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.
World War I Poetry- A Moveable Feast
We try to understand war through memorials, the written word and art among other mediums. In particular, poetry flourished in this war among young soldiers. World War I saw a number of fine poets on the battlefields emerge. Here are sites that discuss these contributions:
1. The Lost Poets
2. Hanover History Dept
3. War Poetry website
4. The Digital archive
5. British War Poetry
The most famous World War I poem is "In Flanders Fields"
By Donna Britt July 21, 2020 at 12:42 p.m. EDT
A few years back, I was headed to the grocery store to buy a lottery ticket whose jackpot was a half-billion dollars when I ran into my neighbor Kathy. Asked if she, too, was joining the throngs buying tickets at gas stations and convenience stores, this happily married mom and grandma replied:
“I already feel like I hit the lottery.”
Her response was a wonderful example of the ancient spiritual principle that anyone looking for uplift in an anxiety-filled world might consider. Ask yourself a simple question:
What are you grateful for?
Sycamore Tree Aug 6 after the cleanup this past week from a storm on July 29
Opening Hymn – “O Wondrous type!”
Gospel and Sermon – Rev. Catherine Hicks
When my five-year-old granddaughter and I are going somewhere in the car, we often listen to music that she likes. Not too long ago, we got the soundtrack to Aladdin from the library. My car is not exactly a magic carpet ride, but the music does take us into another world, a magical world in which what’s expected gets turned upside down and the impossible becomes reality.
In the movie, Jasmine, a princess with all she could ever want and more than she could ever need who is imprisoned in the restrictive world of royal expectations meets Aladdin, a street urchin who never has enough and is constantly in trouble with the law.
The two go on a magic carpet ride high above the world that holds them both captive. We probably all know the hit song from this show, “A Whole New World.”
As I was listening to this song yet again, the thought burst into my mind that in many ways, the lyrics have some similarities to what is going in today’s scripture, when Peter, John, and James go up on the mountain with Jesus to pray. High above the world that they know, they open their hearts to God. Although they are weighed down with sleep, they are awake enough to be aware of what is happening.
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Scriptures: Exodus 34:29-35 and Luke 9:28-36
I love a good mountaintop experience, and in the Scripture passages appointed for last Sunday, we heard about two of them. Mountaintop experiences are moments when everything changes. You gain a sudden insight into something that up until then, was hidden. You see things for what they really are. And you’re never quite the same again.
But “mountaintop experiences” don’t only happen on mountaintops…
Interesting pew!
“I. Theme – How we can be empowered by our relationship with God?
“ The Transfiguration ” – Fra Angelico (1440-1442)
“About eight days after Peter had acknowledged Jesus as the Christ of God, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.” –Luke 9:28:29
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm – Psalm 99
Epistle – 2 Peter 1:13-21
Gospel – Luke 9:28-36
Today’s readings help us see how we can be empowered by our relationship to God. The Gospels speak about experiences with God and Jesus. In Exodus, we witness the physical transformation of Moses after spending time in God’s presence. In the gospel, Jesus is transformed, his glory revealed and his mission affirmed by a voice from heaven. Ultimately the disciples will need transformation also.
The season after the Epiphany concludes with one of the most powerful epiphanies of all – the Transfiguration. This story comes at the center of Luke’s story, between Jesus’ baptism and his resurrection.
Luke’s account of the transfiguration points back to Old Testament parallels and forward to Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension. As is such it brings in a new dimension of Jesus and a new relationship that the disciples would have with him. Their experience so far has been of Jesus the teacher, the healer, the miracle-worker. Now they are seeing a new vision of Jesus, a new understanding of him as the Christ – as one who would venture to Jerusalem , be killed but then resurrected .
They are still not on board. Peter, however, still wants to avoid the difficulty of the journey to Jerusalem and its ultimate consequences. The mission of Jesus is not about worshipping at shrines or even the practice of religion. The mission of Jesus is about death and resurrection.
The disciples found the journey in the beginning was easier—they left everything to follow him, and to follow meant to learn his teachings and to live his ways. But now the journey will become much harder
Even faithful Christians wonder if God is absent at times, or busy somewhere else. Massive evil, brutal violence and rampant greed seem to smother any slight glimmers of spirituality. Luke’s audience may have had similar concerns, so he stresses for them the necessity of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and eventual passion there. The transfiguration offers the disciples an experience of hope and confidence that will sustain them while they wait for Jesus to return.
As Christ laid down his life for us, so we are called to give of our life to him, to give up being first, to give up our wants and desires to serve others. And like Christ, we will be called to give all for the sake of God’s love of the world. How do we live this transfiguration in our lives? How do we share what our faith means to us? It is more than a conversation that can be controversial. This is our very lives. Do we let it shine, or do we hold it back? Do we still misunderstand? How will you live out your faith differently this Lenten season?
Transfiguration, Aug. 6, 2023
Lectionary for the Transfiguration
Commentary for the Transfiguration
Transfiguration Background
Desmond Tutu and Transfiguration
Butterflies and the Transfiguration
What are you grateful for ?
World War I through poetry
Recovery from July 30, 2023 storm
Pentecost 10 – missing!
Summer Films
Anything but Ordinary! Ordinary Time
The Transfiguration is a transformation and emphasizes that the mission of Jesus in the way of the cross. We celebrate this event on Aug. 6
“Transfiguration” by Carl Bloch (1872)
From Luke – “Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
In his book, God Has A Dream: A Vision of Home for Our Time, Desmond Tutu tells about a transfiguration experience that he will never forget. It occurred when apartheid was still in full swing. Tutu and other church leaders were preparing for a meeting with the prime minister of South Africa to discuss the troubles that were destroying their nation. They met at a theological college that had closed down because of the white government’s racist policies. During a break from the proceedings, Tutu walked into the college’s garden for some quiet time. In the midst of the garden was a huge wooden cross. As Tutu looked at the barren cross, he realized that it was winter, a time when the grass was pale and dry, a time when almost no one could imagine that in a few short weeks it would be lush, green, and beautiful again. In a few short weeks, the grass and all the surrounding world would be transfigured.
As the archbishop sat there and pondered that, he obtained a new insight into the power of transfiguration, of God’s ability to transform our world. Tutu concluded that transfiguration means that no one and no situation is “untransfigurable.” The time will eventually come when the whole world will be released from its current bondage and brought to share in the glorious liberty that God intends
Butterflies are some of the best metaphors of transformation and transfiguration. They are transformed from eggs to caterpillars to chrysalis and finally the adult butterfly emerges. The day was mild, full of sunshine and the butterflies liked the phlox bush.
Original article on the damage
From Catherine, July 31, 2023- “Johnny and Cookie Davis, and Tommy Hicks, a farm truck and a tractor, and a large crew of many other parishioners and neighbors were able to clear the back of the church of the debris from the crown of the tree that had broken off and ended up in the driveway behind the church. Thanks to all of you who helped with this project.”
Most of the work involved a four-part process:
Parishioners gathered loose branches and piled them up. We had several piles going at a time. This was a task everyone could help with.
Johnny Davis and Larry Saylor brought chain saws to help this process as well as cut debris too large for the truck.
During the day, there were obstacles that had to be overcome. The main one was what to do with the main section which was in the shape of a tripod. They tried to move it using straps but they broke. The solution was to cut individual pieces using the chain saw
It wasn’t all work. There were benefits to the day. It was a day the parish could bind together in a common task with additional help from the community. Off and on we had more than 30 people of all ages. This was good hospitality outside of the Sunday services that involved all ages. Luckily the heat was much lower than the previous week!
One benefit was noticing a bumper crop of pears in the tree beside the parish house. The youth gathered them and put them in a bowl. What a blessing from nature gives amidst the cleanup of what nature took away. This tree may have ome from the time of Rev. Sigismund Stribling Ware (“Sig”) when he preached at St. Peter’s from 1888 to 1918. His wife planted fruit trees at the church. This may be the only one left.
We had one of two estimates for the remaining tree. The contractor felt like the tree would revive with trimming of the damaged portions. The best news!
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Flow winds of time
Whilst the night takes a spin
Stars are falling in deep prime
As the darkness comes in
Feelings like river going
All is within dream reach
Night sky is now glowing
In its twinkling glow bleach
Flow on to a daybreak’s light
Reach the awaken call
In dreams blue and height
As the night must fall
Silvery dress of the day
Awaken in its true reality
Every dream’s now on its way
To become once more free
Flow to the sounds I heard
Whispers in the deep dark
Like ravens of a winged bird
Shadowed dancing embark
Life is like merry-go -round
Deep into their whole make
Until the light’s again found
As new cock-crows’ awake
Now is the night in its dancing
Humming a breeze melody
Dreams of bedroom romancing
For a new tomorrow to be
– Peter S. Quinn
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Note: Due to the Sunday scheduling of the Transfiguration in 2023, Pentecost 10 which would have had the “Feeding of the 5,000” was not heard. Here is a commentary on the lectionary for that week
I.Theme – God cares for his creation
"Christ Feeding the 5000" – Eric Feather
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Isaiah 55:1-5
Psalm – Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-22 Page 801, BCP
Epistle –Romans 9:1-5
Gospel – Matthew 14:13-21
Our readings this week continue to show how much God cares for His creation. We read about lives changed forever. We hear about the innocent people suffering but also that God understands. God even shows His love for those who disobey Him and turn away from Him. We see that God wants to bless His people and we see that come about with miracles taking place and people being blessed.
We are an open church – we welcome everyone to share in our community:
– even the Babylonians and Persians in Isaiah
– Jews who question the falling away of the Christ movement in Paul
– Those who wanted to cast away the people in the Gospel for a lack of food
The Psalm demonstrates the actions of the Lord – the Lord “raises,” “gives,” “fulfills,” “hears,” and “watches.”
This week has the only parable contained in all four Gospels – the feeding of the 5,000. Ironically the emphasis of the event is not so much upon the miraculous nature of the feeding, for the usual reference to the astonishment of the disciples and crowd (12:23, 14:33) is absent, as it is upon the implied revelation of who Jesus is.
At the beginning of the passage, Jesus had retreated on news of John the Baptist death
"This passage shows so beautifully the humanity and divinity of Jesus." writes Rick Morley
"He could have sent them away. He could have told them all what had happened to John. He could have just cried and yelled and screamed. He could have gotten into the boat, conjured up a good storm and been done with them all.
But, he was moved with compassion. He always is. He was able to see beyond his own pain, and feel the pain they were bringing."
For the early Church, the eucharistic significance of the feeding of the 5,000 made it a central experience in the narratives of Jesus’ ministry
The key acts are all there :
1. Jesus takes the food which is an offering – we give what we have.
2. Jesus blesses the food by giving thanks. Our liturgy thanks God on behalf of creation, humanity, and the Church. In our lives we struggle to relearn the natural prayer of our childhood, when we woke each morning with wonder and gratitude in our heart.
3. Jesus breaks the bread. In church, the breaking of the eucharistic bread may help us recall Christ’s sacrifice and death. In our lives, it is our very selves we are challenged to break—our limits of prejudices, fears, and old attitudes. God calls us to break through to a new awareness of the power of God’s love and of the needs of our brothers and sisters.
4. He shares with all as we extend his ministry to the world.
This is the truth in which Paul exults when he proclaims that nothing, not our fears, not our sins, not the crushing powers of this world or any other can keep us apart from the love of God shown us in Jesus our lord. Our lives are broken, but we are loved forever.