Sunday, September 8, 2013 (full size gallery)
A lovely day for a service, muted sunshine and highs in the low 80’s. We had 38 in church and 4 in Godly Play. We had a number of people away.
The Rev. Amy Turner started Godly Play today for preschool through 2nd grade. Godly Play teaches Biblical lessons through common objects and relates the stories around these ojects to the student’s own experiences and relationship with God. It is a discovery model where children can experience God on their own terms through Biblical stories .
The room was set up with mats and 7 cards that Amy made of the 7 days of creation. Each Sunday has a specific lesson – today Creation. You can view the entire schedule here.
We also celebrated Crystal and Fred’s 55th wedding anniversary and heard more about the Good Neighbor program from Eunice.
The announcements contained updated information about Region One’s "Haiti Toilets project". The project has been reduced in cost and with extra funds added by the Diocese and Region One itself only $1,345 is left. Today’s discretionary fund and any so designated checks went tot his program. We had our "toilet" back to take up the donations, helped, of course, by Tucker. There was also general update about Region One’s Sept. 4. meeting
This is a demanding Gospel both in comprehension and ultimate meaning
Jesus has three demands or renunciations: (1) one renounces one’s family; (2) one renounces one’s life–by bearing the cross; (3) one renounces all that one has. Note the demands are for disciples, the leaders, not to those who are invited to only come eat at the table. Grace is for all but not discipleship.
As the sermon suggests "following Jesus will require sacrifice. Following Jesus may involve being mocked, attacked, and may even lead to death."
The sermon explores what is discipleship – "“The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to do these things—To bring good news to the poor. To proclaim release to the captives. To bring recovery of sight to the blind."
"Little wonder that the people of Nazareth were filled with rage and tried to throw him off a cliff at the edge of town. Because he was challenging them to look beyond themselves, to see the inequities of their society, and to work actively for justice for the poor and the oppressed. "
The sermon stresses the town is still divided between rich and poor. So what are we called to do?
Some examples from the sermon.
1. "One example of the cost of discipleship here at St Peter’s is about actual dollars and cents, sacrificial giving, perhaps.
2. "food for the Caroline County Food Bank, and joining in with Parks and Rec and Caroline’s Promise to feed people in our community.
3. "The Vestry has agreed that we will work toward having a Bible Study in the trailer park. Mike Newman and I are working on that. "
4. "The jail ministry is also part of this sort of discipleship—reaching out with Good News to those in prison. "
We never want to say this is enough. The Gospel demands a new level of giving.
Finally "Loving God and knowing what God expects from us through studying God’s word, and knowing God’s story of salvation for us, gives us the courage to count the cost, and to decide, that yes, we can pay the price–letting go of the things that distract us from God’s love, emptying our hands so that we can pick up our crosses and follow after Jesus."