About March 5, I noticed a sudden change outside…
2024 Sun March 10
Bulletin, Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 10, 2024
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“Letting Go” – Diocese of Atlanta, Week 4
Letting Go of Condemnation
If God had a tattoo, like some of us do, across God’s strong forearm it would read, “I love the world.” Everything God seems to do flows from that reality. God loves the world so much, God responded by giving God’s self, God’s son, to the world. Jesus coming among us is God’s love-errand, so that we wouldn’t “perish” or be “condemned” but have “eternal life.” That is life beyond biological definition now, and life so long and deep that years fail as a measurement tool.
The purpose of God coming among was/is not to “condemn” but to “save.” If that is so, I’m pretty sure that means as recipients of this gracious purpose and act of God, we have to let go of the right to condemn others. Decades ago I was a U.S. Navy Search and Rescue Diver. We were deployed in helicopters when things went really bad. We were deployed for rescue not to condemn people for being in situations that required rescue.
Forgoing condemnation of others or even ourselves is deeper than performing politeness toward others or better, kinder, self-talk. Letting go of condemnation is about the appreciation of how God uses power. And, mercy is a sublime expression of power. Having received mercy, our pride and insistence on one-upmanship is purged and real relationship is now possible.
Concerts at St. Peter’s
The recent concert series began in 2013 as a way of inviting people into St Peter’s and to the town of Port Royal and to provide additional inreach for our own congregation. Our church with its excellent acoustics are attractive to both performers and audience. We have enjoyed vocal ensembles, guitarists and other string instruments. Past concerts have included:
8. The Philharmonia, Nov. 2, 2019
6. Magical Strings in Concert April 22, 2017
4. Portland Guitar Duo -April 15, 2016
3. Flamenco Concert – Sept 15, 2015
Earlier Concerts Most of the concerts in this time period were during Nell Clarke’s tenure as organist (1982-2000).
The Creeds Class, Part 3, March 6, 2024
We had 8 participants. Thanks to all who attended.
The second part of the creed deals with Jesus (Who do you say that I am?) Look at the creed, The first part of section 2)
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.
Lord—The very oldest Christian creed is one sentence. “Jesus is Lord.” (I Corinthians 12:3) The Greek term is Kyrios, which means Sir, this term is also used for pagan gods. When early Christians confessed that Jesus was their Lord, they deliberately rejected the many lords and at some personal risk, also challenged the claims to dominion on the part of secular rulers. To call Jesus Lord is to testify that our lives are oriented around Jesus and his teaching about the will of God for our lives.
The name Jesus—comes from the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning Yahweh is salvation. Both Matthew and Luke write in their gospels that Mary’s son be given this name.
Christ, Greek Christos, is a translation of the Hebrew Messiah, the anointed one. A king, descended from David, who would conquer the enemies of Israel in a decisive battle, and establish a universal kingdom of peace and justice for all. We can’t know precisely why the early Christians called Jesus the Messiah, but it is clear that they found his kingship to be other than a geographical realm on earth. “My Kingdom is not from this world.”
Portland Guitar, April 19 concert
They will be performing music written for two guitars at St. Peter’s, Friday, April 19 at 7pm as part of our annual concert series. (Reception 6:15pm in the Parish House.)
The concert is free but donations gratefully accepted for future concerts, held yearly since 2013. This is our 10th concert.
The Portland Guitar Duo are James Manuele and Foti Lycouridis and have been playing together since 1999.
Foti shared some of the details of the concert – “This time we will do a program of 19th century music on copies of period instruments. It will be mostly transcriptions of piano music of the period along with a few duets and solos written for guitar/guitars. We will also talk about the guitar history of that particular time. As performers and researchers we are very interested in music of other media that we can play on guitar, and piano music of that period has a very rich repertoire to draw from.”
Born in California, James Manuele began playing the guitar at age eleven. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree at Mansfield University, where he also studied voice and viola. Later, he earned his Masters of Music in Guitar Performance at Portland State University and has taught in colleges -Clark College in Vancouver and at Concordia in Portland.
Foti Lycouridis was born in Egypt of Greek parents. In 1981, he started his music education at the University of Portland. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Guitar Performance and a Master’s in Music Theory. He also can perform on a 10-string guitar and Baroque lute.
A. Here is a 3 minute summary of the Duo:
B. Live
1. Part 1 of a set for the Portland Community Media.
2. Part 2 of a set for the Portland Community Media.
3. “Miller’s Dance” by Manuel de Falla
4. At Oregon State University. “Spanish Dance no. 2 ‘Oriental'” by E. Granados”
5.
“The Caprice” by Isaac Albeniz