We celebrate the Eucharist at 10. The first reading describes a conversation between Moses and God, and Moses gets to see God--God's back side. The second reading is the beginning of Paul's words to the new Christians at Thessalonica. The gospel is yet another scene where religious leaders test Jesus and try to trap him. He doesn't fall for it. 

The first part of the reading shows the leaders as hypocrites: while they inquire whether they should pay the tax levied on them by Rome, they have imperial coins handy for business in the Temple! They try to trap Jesus, but he exposes them as hypocrites instead. 

The passage includes the famous line, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." What do you think belongs to Caesar (or any system that purports to rule us or compete with God for our hearts)? What belongs to God? For the full texts, click "Sunday Scripture texts" on the top left.

As part of our stewardship reflections, we will hear the gospel for this Sunday in three different English translations, and we will have the opportunity to share how it sounds to us and where we think it touches us and perhaps, where it may invite us to change. We will do this reflection in place of a sermon. 

When I've experienced this style of listening and sharing around a scripture passage, it has been enlightening and inspiring, as well as an experience of the Spirit speaking to God's people. 

After refreshments, we'll gather for the Congregational Forum downstairs. Look for an email later today about the topic. 

After the eucharist, Dave Moyer, a retired nurse, will give flu shots to anybody who wants one. He does this service for our community every year. Flu shots will be available on Sunday, October 23, as well. Dave is gentle and professional.

 

This week marks the start of our stewardship reflections. Our theme this year is "A Place of Grace." Some people think of stewardship as simple fundraising, and many aspects of a stewardship campaign resemble an alumni fund drive, or PBS membership week, or even a bake sale. People ask for donations to worthy causes all the time, and we can tire of one more request, especially in economically frightening times. 

But stewardship is broader than raising funds to keep the doors open, the staff paid, and the programs running. Stewardship is a point of view: let's look at what we have, as households and as a church, and consider how we are using what we have (money, time, talents) in light of our baptismal commitments. What choices do we make with our resources, and what are our resources for, in the big picture? 

Our food bank, officially known as the Grace Community Foundation, is open every Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 AM and the third and fourth Saturdays of each month for the same hours. People who meet the income requirements may use our food bank once every four weeks. Our clients come from our immediate neighborhood. (If people come here and do not live in our neighborhood, we help them with emergency food and direct them to a food bank that is closer to them if they need assistance in the future.)

Here are the September numbers: the director (Patty McNamara) and volunteers served 295 families. This includes 520 adults, 455 children, and 25 seniors who qualify for "senior boxes" of staple foods. 90 clients came to Grace for the first time in September.

Every Friday I visit with the clients and volunteers at the food bank. To learn more or to volunteer, call Patty McNamara at 610-435-7245. To see the food bank in action, simply show up anytime it is open. It's certainly "A Place of Grace." 

 

 

 

 

Last week I mentioned that each summer for the last six years a group of parishioners has read a book or two in the summer and gathered on Sunday evenings to discuss it. This summer we read Disrupting Homelessness: Alternative Christian Approaches, by Laura Stivers. We were so persuaded by the book that we drafted a resolution for the annual diocesan convention. 

The convention met last Friday and Saturday; it included all clergy of the diocese and representatives from every parish. At the hearing on our resolution, the room we were assigned had chairs for about 25 people, and closer to 60+ showed up! 

There was great interest and energy in the room, as Libby House and I shared some things the book convinced us of (e.g., the causes of homelessness are poverty and the lack of affordable housing, not laziness or mental illness or other things). We noted that since the causes of homelessness are structural, eliminating homelessness will take more than responses of charity (shelters, soup kitchens, etc.). While those are necessary, Christians could become more involved in structural changes that would make homelessness less likely, if we were more aware of the issues around poverty and affordable housing. Our resolution recommended that parishes engage in study and prayer around these issues that would lead to local plans of action. We provided a list of resources.

When the resolution came to the floor of the convention for a vote, it passed unanimously! To read the whole resolution, click here. 

 

Bishop Jack Croneberger visited last week and about 60 people were here to welcome him--the energy in the room was contagious. When that many folks show up, the singing is stronger, the silences more intense, and we feel each other's support in our life with God. We can heartily welcome visitors and newcomers to a lively community. Above: Bob Hessel, Joan Roy, and Dave Webster enjoy homemade lasagna.