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 Sept 8

A look at the Gospel Story – The Syrophoenician Woman

From the book "Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry" – French (15th century)

This is a Gospel story told in Matthew, Mark and Luke. It is somewhat unsettling as Jesus response to a request to a woman was at best harsh and worst a racial slur. It is unique in that it’s the only time in the Bible that Jesus changes his mind over his response. This story appears in Mark sandwiched between the Feeding of the 5,000 (Jewish people) and the Feeding of the 4,000 (Gentiles).

Jesus had moved to Tyre and wanted to remain unrecognized. He was undoubtedly tired and needed a rest.  The last thing he needed was a diversion. However, a woman who was not a Jew approached him, "bowed down at his feet" and said her daughter was tormented by a demon. This could be any number of illnesses. In the Matthew version the disciples advocated sending her away.  

Jesus told this Gentile woman that he was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel and that it wasn’t’ right take children’s food and feed it to the dogs.    

The woman responded that even the dogs under the table will eat the children’s crumbs. Basically she said "give them to me!" Jesus was moved by her faith and love and healed her daughter.

Many writers focus on Jesus. Did he call her a dog ? Is a better translation "puppy" ? Did he stage this as a scene to show the disciples a better way to treat foreigners ? Was he just having a bad day which he later corrected ? Is this story a transition where Jesus’ mission is enlarged from just a Jewish perspective to a Gentile?

The real focus should be on the woman. She risked making a fool out of herself and insisted on help. The upshot is an example of evangelism – she left paganism and idolatry and followed God. This becomes the setting for the Feeding of the 4,000 gentiles.  

The Episcopal Lingo, Part 3: The Wardens

Parish Church

The series will explore words used in the Episcopal Church that may seem arcane to visitors and confusing to old timers. This week’s word is basic – the churchwardens.

The wardens of today’s church is a shortened title from churchwardens. In 1643, the Virginia General Assembly decreed there would be two churchwardens in each parish In many respects the basic functionality is the same – to act in the name of the Vestry in administering the parish’s affairs on a day to day basis. The colonial churchwarden would feel right at home with the present wardens keeping the church in decent repair for small projects or acting for the vestry in large.

Once you get into the specifics one realizes that had many more real functions then. The concept of commission didn’t exist. For instance they directed what staff they had, for instance to make sure salaries were paid and reimbursements made and that other officians such as sextons did their job. They made sure there was sufficient bread and wine for services since there was no altar guild.

In three respects the churchwarden was in another league with a number of civil functions.

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The tipping points of climate change — and where we stand

Johan Rockström at TEDCountdown@BloombergGreenFestival July 2024

Link

Key Points

1 The planet is changing faster than we have expected. We are, despite years of raising the alarm, now seeing that the planet is actually in a situation where we underestimate the risks. Abrupt changes are occurring in a way that is way beyond the realistic expectations in science.

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Summing up end of 2023 progress on Climate Change

From canarymedia.com

1. The U.S. climate law is fueling a factory frenzy.

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in August 2022, aimed to bring a clean energy manufacturing boom to the U.S. through generous subsidies. So far, the plan is working: In the law’s first year, more than 100 new clean energy manufacturing facilities or factory expansions were announced, adding up to nearly $80 billion in new investment from private companies

2. Renewables are on track to keep getting cheaper and cheaper

While fossil fuels have not gotten cheaper with time, renewable energy costs have plummeted over the past few decades. That’s made them more cost-effective than fossil fuels in many cases — and also more attractive to new investments. These cost declines are not expected to stop anytime soon. In fact, by 2030, technology improvements could slash the price of wind energy by a quarter and of solar by half.

3. Clean energy to make up 84% of new U.S. power capacity in 2023

Though they still make up just 20 percent of overall power generation, solar, batteries and wind account for the most new power flowing to the U.S. grid — and it’s not even close. In 2023, clean energy will have accounted for the vast majority of all new power capacity added to the U.S. grid, while fossil-fueled plants will make up just 16 percent of new capacity.

4. U.S. EV sales are having a record-setting year

All-electric vehicles (also known as battery electric vehicles or BEVs) are powered by an onboard battery that stores electrical energy, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. Unlike conventional gas-powered or hybrid vehicles, EVs rely solely on electricity for propulsion. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies EVs as zero-emissions vehicles due to the lack of exhaust or tailpipe emissions expelled.

Despite recent gloomy headlines, the U.S. electric-vehicle market has soared. According to marketwatch “Electric car sales have taken off in the U.S. since 2020. About 1.6 million EVs were sold in the U.S. in 2023 — a 60% increase from the 1 million sold nationwide in 2022.

Assessing Climate – What’s NOT Working?

From canarymedia.com

1. The United States is not currently on track to meet its goal of cutting emissions in half by 2030.

2. Over the past year, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, global temperatures averaged 1.6 degrees Celsius (2.9 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels.

Under the landmark 2015 Paris agreement, the world’s leaders pledged to hold Earth’s temperature rise “to well below” 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase” to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels, to avert some of the worst effects of global warming. The fact that the planet surpassed 1.5 degrees C for one year does not amount to a permanent shift, but it comes as scientists are warning that it is likely to happen again — within a few years.

A separate study published by a group of 57 scientists on Wednesday found that human activities were responsible for 92 percent of the warming observed in 2023, the planet’s hottest calendar year on record. It said the rate of warming in the past decade is “unprecedented in the instrumental record.”

3. Resource constraints. There may not be enough resources to fight climate change, and it can be difficult to allocate them efficiently. For example, funding for climate action, technology development, and climate adaptation in vulnerable regions may be insufficient.

4. Decarbonizing steel, cement and chemicals are still a challenge. They’re also among the largest global sources of carbon emissions — manufacturing them releases more CO2 into the atmosphere each year than all of the emissions generated by the United States.

These materials are so emissions-intensive not just because of how they’re made, but also because of how much of them the world uses

Assessing Climate 2023 – Seven Victories

From Earthday.org

#1: The Ozone Layer is on Track to Heal by 2040. The ozone layer is recovering, with projections indicating a return to 1980 values by 2066 over Antarctica, 2045 over the Arctic, and globally by 2040 if current policies continue.

#2-The EPA Crackdowns on 5 Toxic Chemicals Commonly Used in Plastics. The EPA has prioritized risk evaluations for five chemicals used in plastics, signaling a strong effort to address plastic-related issues.

#3: 26 Species at Risk of Extinction Have Recovered in Australia. Australia, often recognized for its high mammal extinction rates, witnesses a glimmer of hope as 26 species have recovered enough to no longer be classified as threatened under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.

#4: Scientists Discover Fungus Capable of Breaking Down Plastics. Australian scientists found a breakthrough method using backyard molds, Aspergillus Terreus and Engyodontium album, to efficiently break down persistent plastics, potentially enhancing plastic recycling rates.

#5: Youth Activists Win Historic Victory Against the State of Montana. In a landmark decision, a Montana state judge ruled the state’s support of fossil fuels violates citizens’ constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment, offering a legal precedent for climate activists. T

#6: Pepsi Cola Gets Sued for Their Part in the Plastics Crisis. In a positive move towards environmental responsibility, New York state’s Attorney General, Letitia James, has filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo and its Frito-Lay subsidiaries, holding them partially accountable for plastic litter affecting Buffalo’s drinking water. By taking legal action, the state emphasizes the right to clean water and aims to address plastic pollution, signaling a commitment to holding major corporations responsible for environmental impacts and pushing for cleaner practices.

#7: There Were More Investments in Solar Power Than Oil.The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports a significant shift in energy investment patterns, with solar power investments surpassing spending on upstream oil for the first time in human recorded history. More than $1 billion per day was invested in solar power in 2023, exceeding the total spending for new upstream oil projects.