June 2 Sermon

O Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed. Amen.

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone!"… We must meet one another doing good.” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/22/pope-francis-good-atheists_n_3320757.html)

This is what Pope Francis said in a sermon a couple of weeks ago.

Some were shocked by it. I am not. Jesus has redeemed everyone, those with faith and those without, as put beautifully in one of our prayers:

“Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace” (BCP p. 101)

That prayer from our Morning Prayer office is a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for humanity, it says what we believe, but it also says more, as a monk from SSJE put it:

“As Episcopalians [Anglicans] we often claim that praying shapes believing: we can show people what we believe, by how we pray. But it is just as true that believing shapes living: we can show people what we believe, by how we live.” - Br. James Koester

That prayer not only states what we believe, but how we are to live it too, as that prayer continues:

“So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name.” (p. 101)

Our faith compels us to live it in our hands, in our bodies, to honor his name. So people will know Jesus by what we do: a faith that is made by the Spirit of God and the choices that we each make, that shows forth in our lives.

"The LORD indeed is God; the LORD indeed is God."

These words were spoken by the crowd in our first reading after they witnessed an extraordinary sight and their hearts turned back to God. Elijah challenged the people to follow the Lord their God, the God of their Ancestors and not Baal. But they stood silent, only after they witnessed the fire consuming sacrifice, did they return to their belief.

Like those Israelites, we must decide who we give our faith too. And there a lot of Baals out there, seeking our allegiance, our faith. These imposters of God will readily take our sacrifice, they seemingly give us what we want, but in the end, down deep, we know its not right and we remained unfulfilled by what we receive from them.

Elijah the Prophet was sent to help the Israelites understand their faith and their journey with God, to make the right decision. St. Paul was sent to help the first Christians understand their faith and their journey and to continue what they had been taught.

“Am I now seeking human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

St. Paul reminds the Galatians and us, that our faith isn’t about pleasing people & seeking their approval, but following that call, the Spirit of God in our lives, to do good, to bring love and healing to the world. Sometimes we are shown that faith by people we would never even guess would have such faith.

In Capernaum, Jesus is asked by a Centurion to heal a slave he valued highly (or was very important to him (he loved)), and Jesus does just that… On the surface, the healing doesn’t seem so extraordinary, that’s what Jesus does, he heals people… BUT, We should note a few things: a Centurion (Gentile) asks a Jew, a Centurion (an occupying soldier) asks one of the occupied for help, he understands his authority and he understands Jesus authority, and in the end, he humbly begs Jesus not to come, because he is not worthy and Jesus word alone will heal the servant. Jesus was amazed by all this:

"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."

Some who knew the centurion testified to his faith and generosity by how he helped build a synagogue. The centurion is the ultimate other in Israel in the time of Jesus, same as the lepers, outside the faith. And Jesus praises his faith, heals his servant, and reminds us that faith comes even from the other in our midst, a hated enemy, a non believer…

So maybe, from what Jesus did, we should worry less about how that faith is expressed by others & focus instead meeting one another doing good, by reaching forth our hands in love.

In a world, where the Baals seeks our life & faith & status quo, our challenge is to choose the good, and not worship or fear those gods, but instead live out of that God given faith that is inside you and me, that is set ablaze by God’s spirit, that we may remake our world with the hope & love we have. In the words of one faith community:

(O God) Those who work for change suffer resistance, So make us Strong
Those who do new things sometimes feel afraid, So make us Brave
Those who challenge the world as it is arouse anger, So grant us Inner Peace
Those who live joyfully are envied, So make us Generous
Those who try to love encounter hate, So make us Steadfast in you. (& your love Amen.) ~ The St Hilda Community

Parents of Young Children at Church

I saw this wonderful post from a mom and pastor's wife who speaks of the importance of parents bringing kids to worship.

You are doing something really, really important. I know it’s not easy. I see you with your arms overflowing, and I know you came to church already tired. Parenting is tiring. Really tiring... 

I know you’re wondering, is this worth it? Why do I bother? I know you often leave church more exhausted than fulfilled. But what you are doing is so important. When you are here, the church is filled with a joyful noise. When you are here, the Body of Christ is more fully present.

Read the whole wonderful article here.

From Deacon's Sermon Today (Trinity Sunday)

Deacon Christopher spoke about four courageous chaplains (Dorchester) during WW II.

The Dorchester Chaplains: Lieutenant George Fox, Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode, Lieutenant Clark V. Poling and Lieutenant John P. Washington

Their story is here and here.

They are remembered on our calendar of Holy Men & Women on February 3.

Holy God, you inspired the Dorchester chaplains to be models of steadfast sacrificial love in a tragic and terrifying time: Help us to follow their example, that their courageous ministry may inspire chaplains and all who serve, to recognize your presence in the midst of peril; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Memorial Day Prayer

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give you thanks for all your servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them your mercy and the light of your presence, that the good work which you have begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.  (BCP)




An invocation for Memorial Day Observances
by Rev. Jennifer Phillips

God our Comfort and Strength:

Be with us in your mercy and love as we remember all those who have given faithful service to our country, and especially those who have given their lives on our behalf; we pray you:

hold in your perfect light and love those who laid down their lives generously in military service;
keep vigil with those who bear the outward or inward wounds of war;
give your mercy to those who carry burdens of conscience or troubled memory;
gather into your everlasting arms those who may die on this day;

lift up all those who grieve for loved ones who died in the armed services and for those who are missing in action; lend strength to the families who bravely watch and wait;
guard and protect those in the path of danger and any whose hearts are troubled;
grant wisdom, courage, and restraint to those who bear authority under the pressure of peril;
give us at home compassion toward those who are turned from right action or kindness by the brutality and grief of war;

hear our thankful remembrance of those who labored, and who still labor, in support of our troops overseas and at home;
receive our thanksgiving for medics and nurses, chaplains and counselors, and all those who have tended the souls and bodies of those in service;
and grant that we may never forget the many whose brave, sacrificial, and faithful service built up the heritage of liberty we enjoy.

These we remember! For these we give thanks!We pray in your most Holy Name. Amen.

A Prayer for America

Behold America by Rev. John Wallace Suter, 1964, adapted


Behold, O God, this our beloved country:

The old, the young, the little children; rich and poor, ignorant and learned;
The laborers and mangers of industry; workers in factory and mine, office and home;

A people of many traditions, many colors, divergent hopes and fears.

Behold America:

Its mountains and plains, rivers and forests, its inland seas and shining coasts.

Upon this land, upon these people, pour down thy life-giving Spirit of nobility and truth.

Where there is strife, bring cooperation for the common good;

Where greed and envy abound, control us with that divine perspective which sees in every person the dignity of a growing soul;

Where interests clash, set free in us the higher impulse which seeks first thy righteous kingdom, where we may enjoy the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Behold, O Father, this our Nation.
Bless it, make it strong with thy strength, and fill it with the beauty of holiness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Boy Scouts Half Step

The BSA (Boy Scouts of America) have decided to end the policy against openly gay scouts but keep in place the ban on openly gay adults serving in leadership positions.

These feels like a half step trying to keep two sides happy - those who want to end discrimination against gays and those who want no change in the policy.

In 2000, the Episcopal Church at Their 73rd General Convention held in Denver, CO adpoted the Following Resolution in Response to the Boy Scouts of America's Policy of Discrimination

Text of C031:  "The Boy Scouts of America Policy on Homosexuals" as adopted by the General Convention:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 73rd General Convention recommends that all clergy in charge of congregations and vestries:

1) Inform the local Boy Scouts of America Council and other organizations of the Episcopal Church's policy adopted at the 65th General Convention (1976) that "homosexual persons are children of God who have full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance and pastoral concern and care of the Church;"

2) Encourage the Boy Scouts of America to allow membership to youth and adult leaders irrespective of their sexual orientation; (my emphasis)

3) Strongly encourage individual churches which charter or host scout units to open a dialogue with the unit leaders, scouts and their parents regarding discrimination against youth and leaders on the basis of sexual orientation;

4) Engage in educational programs within their churches to inform members and others about these issues; and be it further


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This issue will not go away for the BSA.  I hope and pray they take the next step and end the policy against openly gay adults from serving in leadership positions.  Let the discrimination end.  (As it has for the Girl Scouts, see link below.)


http://ideas.time.com/2013/05/23/the-girl-scouts-are-better-than-the-boy-scouts/

What to send & not to send after a distaster strikes

On how stuff works there is Top 10 List of Worst things to Send after a Disaster:

• Used Clothes
• Shoes
• Blankets
• Teddy Bears
• Medicine
• Pet Supplies
• Mixed Items in a Care Package
• Bottled Water & Canned Food
• Your Unsolicited Help
• Money to the Wrong People

The point of the article (from the author):  

The most important thing I learned writing this article is the danger of being half-right. We are absolutely right to assume that supplies like extra clothes, blankets and nonperishable food are critical following a natural disaster. But we are wrong to think that the best way to get those goods to the victims of a disaster is by donating them ourselves. In fact, by taking the great initiative to collect, pack and ship donations to a disaster area, we are making life much more difficult for the overwhelmed relief workers and volunteers on the ground.

There is a hopeful note for those who really want to donate physical goods rather than send money. Go to the National Donations Management Network, a searchable online database of nonprofit organizations that have posted a specific and urgent need for disaster supplies. If you own a business, this is a great way to connect with, say, AmeriCorps volunteers in New York and send them a dozen 220-volt commercial heaters or 100 Tyvek suits for mold remediation. Keep up the good work!

Where to help?

• Episcopal Relief & Development: US Disaster Program
• American Red Cross
• American Humane Society (Red Star Animal Emergency Services)
• Salvation Army
• National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters