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.

Diocesan ECW 134th Fall Meeting, Oct. 12, 2024

The ECW Fall Meeting will be hosted by Aquia Episcopal Church on Saturday, October 12, 2024. 9am. registration/continental breakfast. Meeting begins 10am.

The Rt. Rev Gayle E. Harris is the keynote speaker. Theme -“A Child of God, A Woman of Faith, A Warrior of Christ. ” The address is 2938 Richmond Highway, Stafford, VA, 22554.

The meeting concludes at 1:30pm with Holy Eucharist.

Registration is here. Please register by Oct. 1.

Sunday Links, Sept. 22, 2024

18th Sunday After Pentecost Sept 22, 11am. Season of Creation 4

  • Web site
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  • Location – 823 Water Street, P. O. Box 399, Port Royal, Virginia 22535
  • Staff and Vestry
  • Wed., Sept 25, Ecumenical Bible 10am in the Parish House reading the lectionary for Sept 29

  • Coming up!

  • Bill Wick’s Funeral, Sat Sept 28, 11am

  • Diocesan ECW 134th Fall Meeting, Oct. 12, 2024

  • All articles for Sunday, Sept 22, 2024

    Recent Articles, Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Sept 22, 2024

    Eigteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Season of Creation 4, Sept. 22

    Season of Creation 4, Sept. 22. Lycoris (Red Spider Lily)


    Diocesan ECW 134th Fall Meeting, Oct. 12, 2024
    Lectionary, Sept. 22
    Lectionary commentary, Sept 22
    Visual Lectionary
    Commentary – A Lack of engagement-Jesus and the Disciples
    Episcopal Lingo Part 5 – Parishioners

    Hildegard, Sept 17, an original
    Matthew, Sept. 21, Apostle and Evangelist
    Lancelot Andrewes, Sept 26, Theologian

    From Week 4, Sept. 22 – Food
    Focus on 5 areas of the Environment during the Season of Creation – Food this week
    Food waste introduction
    Focus on Food Waste
    Food Waste tackled by 9 states. Only Mass. was able to make reductions
    Season of Creation Lectionary IV, Sept 22
    Prayers for the Earth

    From Week 3, Sept. 15 – Native Plants
    Focus on 5 areas of the Environment during the Season of Creation
    Native Plants on the Rappahannock
    Boosting Pollinators during the Season of Creation

    From Week 2, Sept 8 – Climate Change
    Focus on 5 areas of the Environment during the Season of Creation
    The tipping points of climate change — and where we stand
    Summing end of 2023 progress on climate change
    Assessing Climate – What’s NOT Working?

    From Week 1, Sept 1 – Introduction
    Why a Season of Creation ?
    What is the Season of Creation ?
    The Season of Creation, 2024
    Connecting to the Season of Creation
    Keys to the Season of Creation
    Spritual Reflections on Nature and Humankind

    Lectionary, Pentecost 18, Proper 20, Year B, Sept. 22

    I. Theme –  Looking beyond self-centeredness toward "spirit-centered" relationships.

    “Christ Blessing the Children” – Lucas Cranach the Younger (1540)

    “ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’” – Mark 9:36-37

    The lectionary readings are here  or individually: 

    Old Testament – Jeremiah 11:18-20
    Psalm – Psalm 54 Page 659, BCP
    Epistle – James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
    Gospel – Mark 9:30-37  

    Today’s readings call us to humility, compassion and service. The author of Wisdom  gives voice to the ungodly, who experience the goodness of the righteous as an unwelcome reminder of their selfishness. James reminds us that humility and peaceableness show the wisdom of God. Today’s gospel reading from Mark contrasts the disciples’ battle over privilege with Jesus’ proclamation of his radical approach to the Kingdom of God and discipleship—placing ourselves at the disposal of the lowliest of the kingdom.

    Brian Epperly writing in Patheos about this week, "Taken together, these passages are invitations to spirit-centered relationships. They challenge us to see beyond our own or our nation’s self-interest. They convict us of self-centeredness when we place profit over people or success over relationship. They urge industriousness that builds community and well-being that embraces an affirmation of women and men in their many and varied roles."

    The Gospel is the second of three efforts to tell the disciples about his coming death and resurrection.  The disciples don’t understand, are angry and are concerned about their role in the kingdom and what will happen to them (somewhat like a company which looks like it will close). 

    As Jesus probes the anger and denial of his disciples in today’s gospel, his question comes to us: What concerns are closest to our hearts? Do we, too, fret over status, authority or a lack of perks we think we deserve? Are we engaged in the disciples’ game of comparison?

    We envy and can’t obtain, so we quarrel.  From our painful attempts at acquisition, we know the truth of this stark statement. Jesus’ finger points at us as well as at his companions. But by the same token, he offers us the same remedy. Into our midst, he plunks the same disheveled, impish and probably grubby child. And if we’re honest, we ask, “What does this kid have to do with theological discourse? Who invited her?”

    Jesus invited her. And if Jesus invited her, then the child must have something to tell us. The child who has no bank account, no learned degrees, no office staff and no expertise has everything. In her total vulnerability, she is wrapped by the arms of Christ. She enjoys a peace for which the contentious disciples would crave.

    "God, grant me heavenly wisdom which is pure, peaceable, gentle and willing to yield…"

    Read more

    Jesus and the disciples – a lack of engagement

    From the SALT Blog, Sept 22, 2024

    Jesus for the second week as directing the disciples on the path forward as well as teaching about discipleship. The desciples are not engaging with Jesus and are in their own little world.

    SALT Blog – “This week’s reading is the second of three successive cycles through a distinct pattern: a) Jesus predicts his suffering and resurrection; b) the disciples clumsily misunderstand him; and c) Jesus offers a clarifying teaching on discipleship.” We saw this last week Mark 8:27-38. Mark knows Jesus is the Messiah but they don’t understand how they fit in. Theis focus should be on the community and not on themselves and rank.

    SALT Blog – “The disciples are more worried who is the greatest. They are falling back on traditional thoughts. SALT Blog – ” their argument on the road share a common root: a vision of greatness as marked by the conventional trappings of power and prestige. Associate with the relatively powerful, and thereby gain power. Look down on the relatively powerless, and thereby take up a position on a rung above them. Conquer and win, and you climb. Be vulnerable and lose, and you fall.”

    “It’s as if Jesus says: You have heard it said, “Conquer and be great!” — but I say to you, God will redeem the whole world not with a mighty army but through a suffering servant. You have heard it said, ‘Be dominant, and get what’s yours!’ — but I say to you, live your life in gentleness and love, not as a master but as a “servant of all’ (Mark 9:35). You have heard it said, ‘Consort with the powerful, and gain power!’ — but I say to you, welcome the powerless, the outsider, the ones whose supposedly low status offers you no promise of conventional advantage in return. Otherwise your hospitality may well be a thinly-veiled, self-serving maneuver. Take this child, for instance, a person with perhaps the least social status in the neighborhood. ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me'” (Mark 9:37).

    Lectionary, Season of Creation IV

    Link to the Lectionary, Sept. 22

    1 Collect –  Hold fast to the environment! “Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure”

    Proverbs 31:10-31 The ‘capable wife’ is someone whose practicality certainly extends to the necessary negotiation with climate and the environment

    In Hebrew tradition, wisdom is embodied.   we best understand it best by reflecting on a lived example. This is a way that we can approach Proverbs

    “She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.”

    She looks well to the ways of her household,
    and does not eat the bread of idleness. “Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the city gates”

    She is able to negotiate the market in terms of price but imports from far away if necessary. Sells in the market.  Rises early to provide food and “works with willing hands

    “She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

    She looks well to the ways of her household,
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

    3 Psalm 1 compares wise and righteous folk to trees planted by streams of water: what a lovely and profound natural image!. Everything they do prospers and contrasts to wicked

    4 Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22 The option of reading from this apocryphal book encourages a godly community to stand up for the wisdom of justice and God’s love and favor for the poor, and for Creation.

    5 Jeremiah 11:18-20 Perhaps drawing from the same source as Psalm 1, Jeremiah squirms and cries out when opponents scheme to “destroy the tree with its fruit”, in a passage which has been traditionally linked to the mission of Christ.

     

    Focus on 5 areas of the Environment in the Season of Creation, 2024

    We have taken the five Sundays readings in the Season of Creation and highlighted a specific environmental area which we will cover weekly. (This week, earth; ) How is this area affecting us ? What can we do to improve our use of them ? We have added related scriptures.

    1. Earth – Sept 1

    Collect “O God, creator of heaven and earth, you have filled the world with beauty and abundance. Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that rejoicing with your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. ”

    2. Water – Sept 8

    Isaiah 55:9-10 “8 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater.”

    3. Energy – Sept 15

    Isaiah 40:28-31 “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. 30 Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; 31 but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

    4. Food – Sept 22

    James 5:7-8 “Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. ”

    5. Climate (Deforestation) – Sept 29

    Romans 8:18-21 “18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ”

    How to turn the tables on food waste

    Transcript

    Inevitably, we’re sitting there at the end of the meal, they’re pushing food around their plate, they don’t want to eat, and they’re looking at me with some awkward excuse. And I say, like, we can’t eat our way out of this. This is a systems problem. And it’s just way too big. How big?

    It’s the size of the entire United States. It uses three times as much water as the whole country. And it grows food all year long, and when harvested, produces enough to fill 100 tractor trailers every minute, all year long. Those trucks then drive, fly and float all over the world. Except instead of going somewhere to be eaten, they go straight to landfill, where the food rots and produces nothing. A powerful greenhouse gas. Seems crazy, right? But that’s effectively what we’re doing, from science experiments in the back of our refrigerators to truckloads of products that are too close to some arbitrary expiration date

    Globally, 1 billion meals are wasted. Go any in every single day. That’s more than a meal per person for everyone on this planet who faces hunger. Not to mention it’s worth $1 trillion. And this whole ridiculous exercise has five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

    Read more

    Food Waste tackled by 9 states. Only Mass. was able to make reductions


    From the Washington Post, Sept 13, 2024

    “Food waste is a pressing national problem. Of the millions of tons of food in the United States, more than 30 percent goes unsold and uneaten, according to ReFed, a research and advocacy group that works on food waste. Spoiled food makes up the single largest volume of material sent to landfills and incinerators, where it decomposes, releasing methane — a powerful greenhouse gas that is heating the planet. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found emissions from food waste in the United States are roughly equal to more than 50 million cars on the road.

    Nine states have passed food waste bans aimed at businesses such as chain restaurants and supermarkets. Researchers studied the first five laws and found that from 2014 to 2018, Massachusetts reduced its solid waste by an average of 7.3 percent. But similar legislation in the other states — California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont — had no discernible effect.

    What did Massachusetts do differently? Read on

    Season of Creation – Food waste

    1. Food Waste

    The local food banks and other distributors have worked out agreements with restaurants to help eliminate waste by taking foods they cannot sell due to sell by dates and redistributing the foods. Globally, the issue of waste is a large one.

    World Wildlife Federation has covered the topic in its fall magazine.

    “Today, 7.3 billion people consume 1.6 times what the earth’s natural resources can supply. By 2050, the world’s population will reach 9 billion and the demand for food will double.

    “So how do we produce more food for more people without expanding the land and water already in use? We can’t double the amount of food. Fortunately we don’t have to—we have to double the amount of food available instead. In short, we must freeze the footprint of food.

    “In the near-term, food production is sufficient to provide for all, but it doesn’t reach everyone who needs it. In fact, one-third of the world’s food—1.3 billion tons—is lost or wasted at a cost of $750 billion annually. When we throw away food, we waste the wealth of resources and labor that was used to get it to our plates. In effect, lost and wasted food is behind more than a quarter of all deforestation and nearly a quarter of global water consumption. It generates as much as 10% of all greenhouse-gas emissions. As it rots, it pollutes water and soil and releases huge amounts of methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases.

    “Another negative aspect of food waste is its connection to species loss. Consider this: Food production is the primary threat to biodiversity worldwide, expected to drive an astonishing 70% of projected terrestrial biodiversity loss by 2050. That loss is happening in the Amazon, where rain forests are still being cleared to create new pasture for cattle grazing, as well as in sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture is expanding rapidly. But it’s also happening close to home.

    “These wasted calories are enough to feed three billion people—10 times the population of the United States, more than twice that of China, and more than three times the total number of malnourished globally. Wasted food may represent as much as 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and is a main contributor to deforestation and the depletion of global water sources.

    “By improving efficiency and productivity while reducing waste and shifting consumption patterns, we can produce enough food for everyone by 2050 on roughly the same amount of land we use now. Feeding all sustainably and protecting our natural resources.”

    South Korea has a system that keeps about 90 percent of discarded food out of landfills and incinerators, has been studied by governments around the world. But the country’s mountainous terrain limits how many landfills can be built, and how far from residential areas they can be built.

    Since 2005, it’s been illegal to send food waste to landfills. Local governments have built hundreds of facilities for processing it. Consumers, restaurant owners, truck drivers and others are part of the network that gets it collected and turned into something useful.

    In the case of a restaurant when it gets to a plant. Debris — bones, seeds, shells — is picked out by hand though most facilities are automated. A conveyor belt carries the waste into a grinder, which reduces it to small pieces. Anything that isn’t easily shredded, like plastic bags, is filtered out and incinerated.

    Then the waste is baked and dehydrated. The moisture goes into pipes leading to a water treatment plant, where some of it is used to produce biogas. The rest is purified and discharged into a nearby stream.

    What’s left of the waste at the processing plant, four hours after Mr. Park’s team dropped it off, is ground into the final product: a dry, brown powder that smells like dirt. It’s a feed supplement for chickens and ducks, rich in protein and fiber, said Sim Yoon-sik, the facility’s manager, and given away to any farm that wants it.

    For consumers, at apartment complexes around the country, residents are issued cards to scan every time they drop food waste into a designated bin. The bin weighs what they’ve dropped in; at the end of the month they get a bill.

    Read more

    Prayers for the Earth

    Based on the Fifth Mark of Mission

    To Strive

    God, creator of the universe, Fill us with your love for the creation, for the natural world around us, for the earth from which we come and to which we will return. Awake in us energy to work for your world; let us never fall into complacency, ignorance, or being overwhelmed by the task before us. Help us to restore, remake, renew. Amen 

    To Safeguard

    Jesus, Redeemer of the World, Remind us to consider the lost lilies, the disappearing sparrows; teach us not to squander precious resources; help us value habitats: seas, deserts, forests and seek to preserve this world in its diversity. Alert us to the cause of all living creatures destroyed wantonly for human greed or pleasure; Help us to value what we have left and to learn to live without taking more than we give. Amen 

    Integrity of Creation

    Spirit of the Living God At the beginning you moved over the face of the waters. You brought life into being, the teeming life                                                  that finds its way through earth and sea and air that makes its home around us, everywhere. You know how living things flourish and grow How they co-exist; how they feed and breed and change Help us to understand those delicate relationships, value them, and keep them from destruction. Amen 

    To Sustain

    God, of the living earth You have called people to care for your world – you asked Noah to save creatures from destruction. May we now understand how to sustain your world – Not over-fishing, not over-hunting, Not destroying trees, precious rainforest Not farming soil into useless dust. Help us to find ways to use resources wisely to find a path to good, sustainable living in peace and harmony with creatures around us. Amen

    To Renew

    Jesus, who raised the dead to life Help us to find ways to renew what we have broken, damaged and destroyed: Where we have taken too much water, polluted the air, poured plastic into the sea, cut down the forests and soured fertile soils. Help all those who work to find solutions to damage and decay;    give hope to those who are today working for a greener future. Amen

    Anne Richards, Mission Theology Advisory Group, Resources available on www.ctbi.org.uk The Dispossession Project: Eco-House