Email, Oct. 11, 2015


Last Sunday (Pentecost 19,  October 4, 2015)   


October 11 – 10am, Godly Play (preschool through second grade). "Weaving God’s Promises" is cancelled for this Sunday.

October 11 – 11am, Morning Prayer, Rite II 

October 13 – 10am, Dedication of VTS "Chapel for the Ages"

October 14 – 10am, Ecumenical Bible Study 

October 15 – 9am, ECW Annual meeting / 125th anniversary

Calendar 

This Sunday at St. Peter’s – Servers, Readings   


October’s Village Harvest

For Oct’s Village Harvest on Oct 21 we are distributing beans and rice. Bring your supply to the church by Sunday, Oct. 18. Thanks for your help for this worthwhile ministry. Last month we fed 86, the second highest number since the ministry began in November, 2014.


Stewardship, 2015 – "God the Giver"

Here is our stewardship letter

Check out our Stewardship page

Photo Gallery – See how our community is supported by Stewardship 

Each of us must grab hold of the exhilarating truth that all we are and all we have are gifts from God. Archbishop Desmond Tutu write, “This is a God who intervenes on our behalf, not because we deserve it, but because God’s love is freely given. It is grace. It is not earned; it cannot be earned. It does not need to be earned.” God is the Giver, the ultimate lover of all God has created.

We give back as we are given by God. We are inviting you to participate with us, grow with us so we can touch more people. 

The Commitment

Sunday, October 4 was the distribution of 2016 pledge cards. A better word is commitment card.

  • Commit to help us reduce hunger in this area, through the Village Harvest Distribution
  • Commit to us to bring hope to Peumansend jail
  • Commit to help us bring comfort to those suffering in sickness or loneliness,
  • Commit to help us in Christian education and encourage fellowship.
  • Commit so we can make a difference.  

God calls us to share in God’s mission of caring for the world, using all the gifts God has given us.  Over 80% of the funds used to support and plan for ministry in a year come from pledges.   

Make your pledge for 2016

Got Questions ?

Is my stewardship defined only by the money I give to the church?

Why should I pledge ?

How much should I give ?

See our Stewardship FAQ 


Pledge cards are due October 18
 


Stewardship Narrative Series 2015 for Oct. 11, 2015

Stewardship season is here! Over the next month there will be posts from the Episcopal Church Stewardship group, "Tens" on the week’s scripture in relationship to stewardship. Here is the first part for Proper 23, Oct. 11:


Lectionary, Oct 11, 2015

I. Theme –  Working for Justice may cause us to change our lives and lifestyle

"Rich Young Ruler"

"He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions." – Mark 10:20-22

The lectionary readings are here  or individually: 

Old Testament – Amos 5:6-7,10-15
Psalm – Psalm 90:12-17 Page 718, BCP
Epistle – Hebrews 4:12-16
Gospel – Mark 10:17-31  

Today’s readings encourage us to work for justice, to release our attachment to things and to trust Jesus to form us into a people of compassion. Amos decries Israel’s unjust treatment of the poor and oppressed. Trusting in God’s justice, Job wants God to hear his case in person. The author of Hebrews points out that only through Jesus will any of this be fully accomplished—as our apostle and high priest, he builds us into “God’s house.” In today’s gospel, Jesus advises a wealthy man who seeks God to obey God’s commandments and to detach from his possessions and focus fully on God. With God all things are possible!

Being faithful to God calls us to live into God’s ways of justice. We need to love our neighbor as ourselves—it is the commandment Jesus gives us—and we cannot love our neighbor without seeing to their needs. And it is hard for us to see to their needs when we are too busy caring for our stuff, worrying about our material wants, rather than seeing the needs of others. This is a difficult lesson for us, and I’m not sure I’ll ever fully be able to let go of all the things I have. But I know that faith is a lifelong journey, and I don’t have to accomplish it all now. Before God, all our sins are exposed, but before God, all things are possible, all forgiveness is given, and all things are made new

Read more from the lectionary for Oct. 11


Voices on the Gospel

The Gospel story of the "young ruler" is challenging . "Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions."

Some thoughts:

1. David Lose, President of Luther Seminary, Philadelphia

"That is, Jesus might be looking at us with love and, perceiving the deep heart sickness in each of us, actually asking something of us, giving us something to do, something to give up or away, somewhere to go. Now don’t get me wrong: this is not about our salvation; we are saved by grace through faith for Christ’s sake alone. But what if it doesn’t end there? Or better, what if, in one sense, it only starts there. That is, what if God isn’t only concerned about our eternal destiny but also cares about the life we enjoy here and now, with each other in God’s creation"

2. Suzanne Guthrie, writer

"Jesus loves him, but he walks away. The heartbreaking image of the rich young ruler who Jesus loved, turning away in grief, is too much a mirror of daily life. Jesus loves me, but I turn away because of my life of glittering distractions. It doesn’t even have to be money, although money is often connected to it.

Is this story about poverty? Upholding voluntary poverty in times of financial distress seems a little callous and ignorant, as if poverty were some nostalgic romantic ideal. On the other hand, the wildly imbalanced culture of greed for possessions and power drove us to cause the current global economic crisis. Where is the balance? Where is love?"

Read more…


40 Old Testament Stories that every Christian Should know – #3 Cain and Abel

Pastor Vicki Zust is the rector of St. Paul’s, Clarence, NY. Having completed a 2 year cycle of reading the entire Bible she decided to try something different. As she writes, "So I went through the Old Testament and wrote down the stories that a lot of our theology and history depends on. It turns out there are 40 of them." I am excerpting them here.  #3 Cain and Abel. Read it here.

"This story is about the first time that crime enters the world. Cain and Abel are names that we know, they are brothers, Abel is a shepherd and Cain is a farmer.

"Both offer sacrifices to God. Abel’s is accepted, but Cain’s is not. We aren’t told specifically why, just that Cain became angry and God asks him why he is angry and says, "…If you do the right thing, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do the right thing sin will be waiting at the door ready to strike! It will entice you, but you must rule over it." It’s not really clear from this response if Cain has already done something wrong, of if God knows what is about to happen or both.

"So Cain takes his brother out for a walk and kills him. Then God asks him where Abel is and Cain says the best known line from this story, "Am I my brother’s keeper?"

"God sends him away and turns him into a nomad, but yields to Cain’s pleas and places a mark on his forehead so that anyone encountering him won’t kill him. (Which, of course begs the question, if Cain & Abel are the only children of Adam and Eve, who is it that is going to kill him?)

"Cain goes on and settles in the land of Nod.

"The point of the story, I think, is that we humans get jealous of each other and lash out at each other because of it. That jealousy is the root of much of the sin and violence in the world and perhaps we need to work on that in ourselves."


Columbus Day and the Doctrine of Discovery

Our nation celebrates Columbus Day on Monday October 12. This holiday may bring conflicted experiences and emotions for different Americans. For many, it serves as a painful reminder of the brutal European settlement and conquest of the Americas.

It can also be a time of learning and understanding,” said Sarah Eagle Heart, the Episcopal Church’s officer for Native American and Indigenous Ministries. “Columbus Day could instead be a time to turn away from those things done ‘on behalf’ of Native Americans so that we all might come to live in justice and peace with all people.”

Eagle Heart pointed out that many people in the Episcopal Church are unaware that for hundreds of years the church joined with the political structures of the Western Hemisphere to legally justify:
• the theft of Native lands
• the murder of Native men, women, and children |
• the denial of basic human rights through subjugation and enforced relocation
• the denial of self-determination through destruction of Native American economic resources, cultures, and religions
• involuntary assimilation and attempted extermination of Native identity

Eagle Heart went on to explain that these aggressive policies and practices have come to be called the Doctrine of Discovery. At the Episcopal Church’s General Convention in 2009, Resolution D035 was passed, which repudiates and renounces the Doctrine of Discovery. The resolution is informed by our baptismal vows “to seek and serve Christ in all persons” and “to strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being” (Book of Common Prayer, pp. 293-294). 

A Prayer for Healing and Hope

O Great Spirit, God of all people and every tribe, through whom all people are related;
Call us to the kinship of all your people.
Grant us vision to see through the lens of our Baptismal Covenant,
the brokenness of the past;
Help us to listen to one another,
in order to heal the wounds of the present;
And give us courage, patience, and wisdom to work together for healing and hope with all of your people,
now and in the future. 

Mend the hoop of our hearts and let us live in justice and peace
through Jesus Christ,
the One who comes to all people
that we might live in dignity. Amen.

Video link – about the Doctrine of Discovery


The Virginia Theological Seminary Chapel – "A Chapel for the Ages" to be dedicated on Tues., Oct 13

In Oct. 2010 Immanuel Chapel on the campus of Virginia Theological Center burned in an accidental fire and so destroyed the center of worship that had stood since 1881. Also destroyed were priceless tiffany windows and other artifacts as well as countless memories of teachers, students and visitors. A piece of the seminary died. 

In the next 5 years a new chapel has arisen from this event. "A Chapel for The Ages" was the phrase used in the fund raising.  It comes with a renovated welcome center and portico but it also carries a sense of the past. Certain objects were saved from the fire such as benches and floors. The ruins of the old chapel are still visible in a newly created prayer garden.

The central worship area is the shape greek cross with seating for 400.  It is designed to be flexible with different configurations.  It is state of the art with its projection system.

The chapel will be consecrated next week on Tuesday Oct 13,  2015, five years after the fire with Archbishop of Canterbury JustinWelby as  preacher and the Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, as presider and Presiding Bishop Elect Michael Curry as concelebrant.  

The service will be streamed live. Here is a link to the dedication page

Catherine snapped some pictures of the building  in February, 2015 arranged in a gallery.  At that time the neither the organ nor stained glass windows had been installed.  She plans to be at the consecration after her trip to Arizona.

It is not unusual to see renovations of existing church structures or even closings of old churches but it is once in a life time to see the rising of a new church. 


Global Refugee crisis webinar, Oct. 15, 8pm

Syrian refugees in Greece

"The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society will present a 90 minute webinar on October 15 focusing on the global refugee crisis, U.S. resettlement and how Episcopalians can be involved in this ministry of welcome.  

"Presented by the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society’s Episcopal Migration Ministries and Episcopal Public Policy Network, the live webinar will begin at 8 pm Eastern.  

"For more than 75 years, The Episcopal Church has welcomed refugees to the United States, helping them find safety, security and new lives as American citizens. Now, with at least 60 million people displaced from their homes and lives, the global community is facing the largest refugee crisis since the end of World War II.  

You can register for the webinar here

Facts to consider:

  • Refugees are persons fleeing armed conflict or persecution. Refugees are defined and protected in international law by the 1951 Refugee Convention.
  • There are nearly 60 million refugees and forcibly displaced people worldwide (UNHCR)
  • At least 4 million Syrians have been forced to flee since the outbreak of war in Syria in early 2011. (UNHCR)   
  • Half of all refugees are children. (UNHCR) 
  • Only 1% of the world’s refugees will ever be resettled to a third country.
  • The U.S. government has announced that the number of refugees being resettled to U.S. will be increased from 70,000 to 85,000 in 2016. At least 10,000 of these refugees will be from Syria.
  • In Fiscal Year 2015, the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society welcomed 4,874 refugees from 38 countries.

Leave a Comment