Sunday, February 1, 2015 (full size gallery)
We had 47 at service, 10 above average. Almost the entire Wisdom family was present and some visitors. Weather was overcast and on the cool side but not cold. Days have been cold with relatively little precipitation. Sunrises have been brilliant
Today was Helmut’s birthday Feb 1 and Millie’s is later this week. We sang "Happy Birthday" to both. Millie is now the oldest parishioner. Helmut quipped "I can still cut brotwurst but I can’t cut the mustard"
We collected for the Souperbowl which is in its 25 year aiding the homeless. This year we gathered this food for our own Village Harvest – ingredients to make chili. We collected 25 cans, 16 pounds and $327. All of this goes to our February distribution. While were under in cans from last year (25 vs. 70) we exceeded the $200 collected in 2014 in a big way. We thank Tucker and the youth for working on this project and for those who contributed.
We welcomed Shelagh Casey Brown from Virginia Theological Seminary as guest preacher since it was theological education Sunday.
Shelagh spoke on the Gospel reading of Mark 1:21-28 when Jesus enters the synogogue . She reccounted earlier weeks in Epiphany – Jesus baptism and two weeks when gathered his disciples or as she described, "his team." This week the important concept was that Jesus was a man of action, unlike the scribes, who spoke with a new authority of God and with a new sense of action dismissing the demon from the man who was affllicted with an unclean spirit. Jesus stage was the world and not just the synogogue. He became known as much for his actions as his teaching in preaching about the Kingdom of God. She emphasized that VTS today places this same stress on work in the world. Ironically it was the demons who knew Jesus and understood his mission long before the disciples figured it out. She explained that Jesus provided excitement and stirred the crowds but it was not until the transfiguration that the disciples fully undersstood.
Catherine explained that St. Peter’s and VTS history have been intertwined.VTS Channing Moore helped consecrate St. Peter’s in 1836 and Bishop Meade provided guidance. We have had several VTS graduates serve as priests including Catherine, John Wall and Rev. Ware. During the 1930’s VTS students were priests here. Catherine added that she brings back ideas from the seminary and she gives back. Last year the seminary donated the curriculum for Vacation Bible School saving the church funds. St. Peter’s was formed in the 1830’s after a period of decline in the church to bring the gospel to small towns.
We advertised for tomorrow’s special Candlemas service remembering Jesus Presentation in the Temple. The service will feature the blessing of candles, the church bathed in candle light and special harp and organ music. Bring your candles for blessing! This is one of Catherine’s favorite services and we will sing the Presentation hymn she wrote for 2014 when it was on Sunday.
Coffee Hour was certainly one of the best with Eunice and Andrea putting a lot of work into it. It was a Superbowl flavored coffee hour. Eunice wore a Patriot’s sweatshirt and Andrea was for the Seahawsk. Each team had their own dessert – Patriot Cheesecake and Seahawk Sherbut cake. There were two types of wings, one honey flavored. The meatballs were decorated with footballs. There was a kale flavore salad, macroni and cheese, guacamole and refried bean dip. The tables were decorated with footballs. There were napkins with various sayings- "put on jersey, get on couch, don’t move." Everybody was a winner with the food and decorations.
Commentary by Lance Ousley of the Diocese of Olympai
Authority is an awesome responsibility. It is a gift to be handled with great care for those who recognize it in the other and by those who claim it. As it is with any gift, we are called to be good stewards of this gift bestowed upon us and claimed by us, the Church. Psalm 111 opens reminding us of how we are to exercise this authority and it closes reminding us of the proper perspective of our authority. The verses in between remind us from whom all authority flows.
In Deuteronomy we are shown the depth of the implications of prophetic authority. Likewise, the Church has been called into prophetic authority to lead all people into the realization of God’s kingdom. This is a partnership God has covenanted with us, and through our baptismal promises we have accepted this authority. As we lead our people, and as our people exhibit the authority of their baptism we might ask, "Are we and they being prophetic of God’s kingdom to the world?" After all, in our faith, we claim a certain authority. The outside world gets this about us, and keeps a sharp eye to see if we are living into the prophetic authority we claim through our faith.
This is where Paul addresses the Corinthians in the responsibility of their actions and how it affects the understanding of those new to the faith or outside of it. Simply put, Paul exhorts us to live into the authority we claim and that is given us, so that we do not lead anyone astray. He is telling us to be good stewards of what has been entrusted to us. It has implications on the lives of those in the faith and those outside the faith, as well as on our lives!
This is where the Scribes we hear about in Mark this week had lost their way with the people. Just as Paul explains to the Corinthians, the Scribes’ knowledge had "puffed them up" and they had ceased to speak or live with any prophetic authority. But enter One who came among us as one of us who speaks and lives with prophetic authority building up the people with love. This is the One from whom we receive our authority, prophetic in a world desperately in need of love. Jesus understood the awesome responsibility of his authority and he did not exploit it or squander it. To be good stewards of the prophetic authority given to us we must live into it as Jesus did.
The sharp question for us and our churches is, "Do we look more like the Scribes or Jesus in living out the authority we claim?" Are we prophetic, or pathetic?