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.

2024 Sun April 21

The Good Shepherd in our hymns

“The Good Shepherd” – Jorge Cocco

The hymns today speak of the qualities of the Good Shepherd

1 Savior, like a shepherd lead us . Author  Dorothy Ann Thrupp (1779-1847) speaks of Jesus as guardian of us in our lives,  keeping away from sin and coming after us when we go astray, freeing us in the process. She calls upon Jesus help us do His Will in general

Thrupp compiled several hymnbooks for children. Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us appeared unsigned in her Hymns for the Young, published in 1836, but is commonly attributed to her.

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Voices on Good Shepherd Sunday

1. Br. James Koester, SSJE/

The good news is that we don’t need to be perfect. We only need to be found. We give thanks that the Good Shepherd continues to search for us, so that one day we will be found, gathered into his arms, and brought home.

2. David Lose – "God is Not Done Yet"

Amid Jesus’ discourse on being “the good shepherd,” what jumped out to me this time was Jesus’ simply but bold assertion that, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Have you ever noticed that before? Or, more than notice it, have you ever given much thought to its theological and homiletical implications? 

What strikes me is that, quite simply, Jesus isn’t done yet. Despite his healings, despite his preaching, despite all that he had already done and planned to do, Jesus isn’t done yet. He still has more sheep to reach, sheep that are not in this fold. By extension, I’d suggest that God isn’t done yet, either. And this matters for at least three reasons. 

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Maximilian Kolbe – a caring shepherd among his people

From a sermon by Rev. William D. Oldland, "Jesus is the Shepherd and the Gate"  about Maximiliam Kolbe 

"His life exemplifies the role of a caring shepherd for his flock. His life is also a gate or perhaps a gateway through which we can see the effect of the incredible love of God. 

 "The priest’s name was Maximilian Kolbe. He was born in 1894 in Poland. His parents were poor. His father was a weaver. At an early age he had a vision. He had prayed to Mary and asked what was to become of him. In response Mary came to him in this vision holding two crowns. One was red and the other was white. The white one symbolized perseverance in purity and the red one meant martyrdom. She asked which one he would choose. He said he would accept them both. This decision shaped his future actions and would one day come true. 

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Good Shepherd.. in the movies

In the Old Testament, Shepherds are used to represent leaders of God’s people (see Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 23:2). Shepherds watch for enemies who might attack the sheep, and they defend them when necessary. They tend to sick or wounded sheep and search for and rescue lost or trapped ones.

In Christ’s teachings, shepherds love their sheep and try to earn their trust. The sheep know, love, and trust the shepherd above all others. A good shepherd will even die for his sheep. Christ contrasts the shepherd with the hireling, who deserts the sheep in times of danger because he does not love them.

There are movies where the main character exhibit this behavior.

One of Jack Nicholson’s early films was “One Flew over the Cukoo Nest” (1975). Randall McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) is sent from the state penitentiary to a mental hospital in order to be evaluated. McMurphy is promptly situated as the deviant who will challenge the establishment, embodied principally by the villainous Nurse Ratched. Randall demands to know what medication is being administered to him, attempts to teach fellow patients basketball and black jack, and instigates a futile campaign to have the schedule altered so that everyone may watch the World Series. His threat to the stability of the institution is finally acknowledged by the Board after he commandeers the hospital bus in order to take his disciples on a fishing expedition. The group gradually questions the hospital’s procedures. A violent uproar ensues, causing Randall’s beloved disciple “Chief” (Will Samson) to physically assault a ward who attempts to subdue McMurphy.

After the administration of corrective shock treatment to the dissenters, McMurphy begins to persuade the others to leave the institution, a premise they resist due to a lack of faith in their own capabilities to function on the outside.

In the concluding sequence, it is obvious that McMurphy has empowered at least one of his disciples to do what was once unthinkable. “Chief” hurls a limestone bathroom fixture through the window and escapes the hospital. The rush of water at the beginning of the scene can be linked to baptism.

Link to the last scene

Earth Day 2024

Earth Day originated in 1970 after Sen. Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin witnessed the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He hoped it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. It did lead to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the passage of the Clean Air Act and a dialogue on a host of issues. In our time it focuses on climate change

The theme in 2024 is “Planet vs. Plastics”. The organizing arm earthday.org has the main goal of a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040.

To achieve a 60% reduction by 2040, earthday.org goals are: (1) promoting widespread public awareness of the damage done by plastic  (2) rapidly phasing out all single use plastics by 2030 and achieving this phase out commitment in the United Nations Treaty on Plastic Pollution in 2024 (3) demanding policies ending the vast amount of plastic the fashion industry   produces and uses (4) investing in technologies to build a plastics-free world.

Plastics are a threat to human health. As plastics break down into microplastics, they release toxic chemicals into our food and water sources and circulate through the air we breathe. 

Scientists have found microplastics — or their tinier cousins, nanoplastics — embedded in the human placenta, in blood, in the heart and in the liver and bowels. Plastics can also carry other chemicals not involved in their production: “hitchhikers” absorbed onto plastics and later potentially released into the human body.

The chemicals in plastics have been linked to a variety of issues, including reproductive harm and obesity, organ problems, and developmental delays in children. Ingesting these plastics causes cell damage, which could lead to inflammation and allergic reactions, and once consumed, removing microplastics from your body is not an easy process.

Plastics surround us with the use of plastic bags, plastic containers, packaging materials and garments. (70% from crude oil releasing microfibers ). The small fragments linger for centuries. Animals die from our distribution of plastics

Cigarette butts (whose filters contain tiny plastic fibers), food wrappers, plastic bottles, plastic bottle caps, plastic grocery bags, plastic straws and plastic stirrers are among the most common pollutants. 

In 1950, the world produced 2 million metric tons of plastic; in 2019, that number had grown to a staggering 460 million tons. And when that plastic breaks down, it splits into tinier and tinier pieces that can slide more easily into the human body.

Plastics can take anywhere from 20 to  500 years to decompose, depending on the material’s structure and environmental factors such as sunlight exposure. 

Less than 14% of plastic packaging is recycled.  With plastics being composed of several different polymer types, it is nearly impossible to recycle different plastics together as they melt at different temperatures.  

Additionally, to be recycled properly, plastics need to be separated. This is not only time consuming, but costly. 

Links

1. Disposable plastics
2. Single use plastics
3. Ocean plastics
4. Microplastics
5. Threat to human health

Take action

1. Sign the Global Plastic Treaty
2. Educate yourself on plastics
3. Reject fast fashion
4. Take a Plastic Quiz

Manage Your Plastic Use

Individually we cannot change industries or policies but we can make manageable changes in our lifestyles to counter the threats.

Earthday.org calls these the 5R’s- Reduce, Refuse, Reuse, Recycle and Remove

1. Reduce – Before you shop…
Ask yourself two questions when considering plastic products or products with plastic packaging – Do I need it? Can I use something else?

2. Refuse – Say “no” to plastics
The substitutes for plastics are the ones you choose which can make a contribution to the environment.

Some key tips
A. Avoid plastic straws – use metal or wood/paper based straws.
B. Use reusable shopping bags. And buy cloth or mesh bags to carry fresh produce to the cashier.
C. Select products without plastic packaging.
D. Note products that use plastic microfibers – such as nylon and polyester
E. Bring your own coffee cup to the coffee shop.

3. Reuse – Avoid single-use plastics
Use dishes, glasses, and metal silverware instead of their plastic counterparts.
Avoid plastic items going to the dump – When you finally decide to get rid of old clothes, toys, furniture, or electronics, donate them rather than throwing them away.

For young parents -Trying washable reusable cloth diapers instead of disposable ones.

Any food containers from restaurants are durable enough to be reused for kitchen storage. Make sure to wash them by hand—putting them in the dishwasher can expose you to toxins.

4. Recycle -Know your waste management company/county. This is not the best choice when dealing with plastics. It cannot replace the need for reducing consumption or refusing and reusing plastics when you can.

If you have to throw away something, segregate it and give it a chance to be recycled!. If recycling is the best option, you should do so following the rules of your community.

For Caroline county -Eric Johnson is the Solid Waste Superintendent email – ejohnson@co.caroline.va.us or phone number (804)572-6301.

For the most part, only recycle if you are positive that the item is truly recyclable.

5. Remove – “Get it outta here!

Plastic/litter clean-ups are great community events that let you meet the people who live around you while cleaning up your local community at the same time.

I try to take an hour or two to walk different paths in the neighborhood to pick up trash. The walking and stretching are good exercises and help the community at the same time.

Biodegradable plastics have emerged as a potential solution and are made from natural sources like plant-based materials and micro-organisms such as bacteria that can be used in a variety of industries such as packaging, construction, and healthcare.

Parish Creation Care Committee – Additional ideas for Earth Day

From the Diocese of Connecticut, April 12, 2024

1. Purchase silicone containers as a substitute for plastic containers from restaurants for takeout

From St. Peter’s, Cheshire, CT

A Campaign to Minimize Single-Use Plastic and Food Waste -Contain&Sustain* was awarded *The Jack Spaeth Creation Care Environmental Grant* through ECCT and gained additional financial support from St. Peter’s ECW fund. In late July we launched a matching grant community crowdfunding campaign through Sustainable CT that ended Sept. 2.We reached our $3,000 donation goal and earned the 1.5 dollar-for-dollar match to equal $7,633.30!**

These funds purchased 1700 compact, reusable silicone take-away food containers, which we are distributing FREE to community members. Our goal is to build awareness of food waste AND the waste caused by single-use plastic/styrofoam carry-out containers AND to change behavior to minimize their use in Cheshire

2. Use sneaker collection Highland Elementary, is doing a sneaker recycling drive for Earth Day. Used sneakers will be collected and sent to a company that recycles them and keeps them out of landfills.

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A Poem for Earth Day

“The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Village Harvest, April 2024 – “Low numbers, however they got a lot of nice stuff.”

April, 2024 brought 77 people to the Village Harvest. it was the 3rd lowest total over the year and is below March’s 90.  77 is also below the 6th-month average of 98. Our range over the 6 months has extended from 77 to 112 in December 2023.  A year ago in April, the total was 104.

Food sources were also lower at 1,242 pounds in April compared to 1,322 pounds last month. Like the client totals food was the 3rd  lowest in a year.  However, unlike with clients, April’s total was above the 12-month average. 1,242 pounds was above the 6th month average of 1,217.  A year ago in April 2023 pounds were higher at 1,365.   

The composition of food in April, 2024 was closer to other Aprils (except for April 2023) at 38% produce, 45%, and 17% meat. (Last year, April 2023, produce was significantly higher at 51% ).  Generally, grocery has been higher than produce by 10 percentage points at this time of the year

Pounds per person is a measure that tries to relate client and food trends. How much food did the typical client receive? Despite the totals being lower in both clients and pounds this month, pounds per person were at a 12-month high at 16.1.  The 6 months average is 13 as was a year ago in April, 2023.   Pounds per person was at the highest level since July 2023 at 16.75. As Elizabeth remarked “Low numbers, however they got a lot of nice stuff.”

St. Mark’s Day, April 25

John Mark is the author of the Gospel of Mark which we read in Year B. 

The painting was done in 1625 by Frans Hals, a Dutch painter, who painted portraits of all the Gospel writers.

Mark’s work was the first Gospel probably written in the 60’s AD. Gospel means “Good News” of Jesus Christ reflecting His life and work.  The Gospel says the Kingdom of God is at hand and brings new life, sanctification and hope to the world. It is also one of the Synoptic Gospels.  

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