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St. James Westwood - Weekly Epistle
Approaching the 15th Sunday after Pentecost
5 September 2012
In This Issue
Dick Wesp's Health
Parish Calendar
A Final Reflection
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Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ 
Jesus Healing a Deaf Man
 They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. ( Mark 7: 32-36)

Be opened. Cracked apart like breaking an egg....Be opened. Gain understanding of something or someone in a bold and new way. Be opened. Allow your soul to learn something profound, something heretofore unbelievable.

Life presents all sorts of opportunities to open ourselves to transformational moments. Such incidents often come with unexpected joy. The birth of a child or gift of a providential opportunity. We openly welcome and encourage such moments.

Other events burst into being in the midst of tragic grief.  The paradox of Jesus' death on the Cross is that Jesus' execution conceivably and emotionally shatters our typical comprehension of senseless death. God willingly  suffers at the hands  and egos of powerful and fearful people. Easter happens despite our best attempts to prevent it. (Re)Birth, life, and death are (im)mortally related to one another. God opens our hearts to such otherwise undesirable situations.

Be opened. Silence and awe create space to behold our Lord's most profound miracles.  Willingness to let go of our most closely held preconceptions allows God to be God even as we listen and seek God's love and presence.

Vespers Painting by Tony Morinelli 
Vespers by Tony Morinelli 
A faithful and compassionate heart welcomes openness, especially during precarious experiences.Be opened. Let your ears hear enough to be still and comprehend that God's love is indeed working. Jesus the Christ in Word, Sacrament, and Incarnational moments will not abandon us even when we construe otherwise.

Blessings Along The Way. Jim+ 
Dick Wesp update
Dick Wesp at the pianoOur beloved organist, music director, parishioner, and friend Dick Wesp is very ill. Doctors have diagnosed him as having contracted the West Nile Virus. He is 1 out of perhaps a 150 people who develop serious symptoms who become infected with West Nile Virus. As a reminder, WNV is not spread through casual contact or interactions. It is almost always spread by the bite of an infected mosquito

Dick's sister Shirley and brother Ken are intentionally speaking with Dick's physicians and health care providers about Dick's short and long term prognoses. There is presently no vaccine for the virus. I truly wish that I could tell you something more promising.
I will say he seems to enjoy the warmth of the blanket that Shirley Miller has knit for him. He seems to be calmed down by the Lord's Prayer and other healing intercessions. Continue to pray for him, his family, and for us as we all dwell in this uncertain and sad time.

This is another day, O Lord. We know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be.  If  we are to stand up, help us to stand bravely.  If we are to sit still, help us to sit quietly.  If we are to lie low, help us to do it

patiently.  And if we are to do nothing, let us do it gallantly.  Make these words more than words, and give us the Spirit of Jesus.  Amen. (BCP, page 461)

 

This Week @ St. James
St James of Jerusalem by The Rev. Tobias Haller
Thursday - Tomorrow
11 AM - Episcopal Church Women Meeting

Sunday -
8 AM - Rite I Eucharist
8:45 AM - Choir Practice (with Mike Presser)
9 AM - Adult Christian Education - Bible Study
10:00 AM - Rite II Eucharist

11:00 AM - ECW Ice Cream Social - Lu Dunn Hall

Beginning Sunday - Sept. 16th Weaving God's Promises Weaving God's Promises Logo
Sunday School Class for children - activities for all ages.







Open Space Meeting
COMING Soon - Sept 21
- facilitated and guided by The Rev. Canon Anne Reed -
Diocese of Southern Ohio

 
Closing Thoughts
Contemplation VideoThis lovely video provides a 9:00 minute period to reflect upon God's love and practical
for discerning God's love and presence in creation all around us.


Enjoy, listen, and believe.

Easter Sermon

St. James Episcopal Church is called to be a center of worship and common life
where Christ's love is visible and experienced
in order to seek and serve Jesus in others.