This was one of the most of the unusual Sundays at St. Peter’s, combining ancient liturgy of the 2nd/3rd century Christian experience with the congregation meeting. We had 40 people on a day with brilliant sunshine and moderate temperatures. The bulletin is here.
Catherine provided an explanation of the service:
"The liturgy we’re using comes from two ancient sources. Today’s Eucharistic Prayer comes from the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome, written early in the second century, for the Eucharistic Prayer. The closing prayer is from the Didache, or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, believed to have been written in the late first century or early second century. The prayers of intercession are taken from the Good Friday service in our prayer book. Even though they do not date back to the second or third century, the format is similar to the prayers of the church in the early centuries."
The link between this liturgy and the congregation meeting was the agape meal or love feast used in certain religious meals among early Christians that seem to have been originally closely related to the Eucharist. In modern times it is used to refer to a Christian ritual meal distinct from the Eucharist and used in pietist faiths such as the Moravians. Our agape meal was wine, cheese, bread, grapes and olives.
We celebrated the birthday of Joe Betchy and heard the introduction of the "Tools for the Sudan", a project of Region One. In the congregation meeting, Laura Carey and Fred Pannell were elected to the Vestry. Catherine reviewed her report as part of the congregational meeting reports which are available here
The sermon was on the Corinthians passage- "Many gifts, one spirit". At the center stands a confidence in the grace of God that has been given to all in Christ. The guiding principle for Paul is confidence that with the Spirit’s gifts comes the wisdom to understand and the ability to work for that which “builds up the community. “All things are lawful; but not all things are helpful” (6:12; 10:23). Consideration of these two verses together underscores that for Paul “what is beneficial,” “what builds up,” and living in the “freedom” of “all things being lawful” are mutually interdependent realities.
The metaphor was that of a gift card for these gifts
The holy spirit provides these cards in the form of gifts which are activated by God. What gifts were present in 2012 ? These are seen in the congregational meeting reports which are here . What new ones will appear in 2013 ? Which older ones will be reactivated ? " God continues to invite us to use our gifts in God’s service, for the common good." Of course that “common good” is not always transparent; it has to be negotiated in practice, again by the use of the gift of wisdom, in consideration of what it is that “builds up the community.”
Paul calls attention first to the “gift,” then to the “service,” the purpose for which the gift is given, and finally to the “energy” or “active capacity” which enables the performance of that service. It is the power of the Trinity that enables “all things in every and all circumstances and in all persons” . The importance of this conviction is underscored by the fact that its repetition in verse 11 frames this whole section. The Spirit’s gifts are diverse and particular (12:1, 11), but in each situation they are energized by the “one and the same” (note the emphasis) Spirit. All of this takes place “according to the Spirit’s will.”