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From the Vicar...
Love God and do good - in that order
If you've been going to church for any amount of time, chances are you've heard a sermon or two about slowing down and making room in your life for prayer. It's a good message, and one worth hearing: the "Mary and Martha sermon." It usually goes something like this: "Balance your Martha side with your Mary side; don't bustle around so busily that you lose track of Jesus. Don't be so 'anxious and preoccupied with many things' that you miss out on the 'one thing [that] matters.'"
That's all well and good, but here's the rub: Every preacher who's ever preached this is a hypocrite. Myself included.
I suppose there are some clergy who balance their spiritual lives with their work more gracefully than others. But every clergyperson I know has, at some point or another, become so preoccupied with the bustle of ministry, with its conflicting and often urgent demands, that they find themselves drifting away from their relationship with God - praying less often, sitting with scripture less often, simply being still in the presence of God less often. Who has time to pray when they're running around like a chicken with its head cut off?
The same, of course, is true for lay people. Whoever we are, wherever we are in our faith journey, and whatever sort of work we find ourselves doing, everyone can become "worried and distracted by many things." In fact, perhaps it's when we engage in some sort of ministry that it's more likely to happen. We know we're doing something good, and that it's important; it's probably that much easier to forget to take the time to pray, or to take a mental step back from our anxiety to ask God's presence in our work.
Take Martha, for instance. Martha, about whom we'll hear this Sunday, is busy and preoccupied, to be sure, but she's doing good work. She's serving Jesus Christ. But there is something missing. Somehow, in all the "good host" activities she's up to, her "busy-ness" is distancing her from Jesus himself.
The problem isn't one of activity, but attention. Martha is "worried and distracted" away from paying attention to Jesus. No matter that what she is busy with is good - showing generous hospitality - she is turning away from a greater good towards a lesser good.
There is a lesson to be learned in all of this, and, simply put, it's this: it's not an either/or proposition. We don't have to give up serving to concentrate on being. We are called to both: Love God and do good. We just have to remember to do them in that order - "Love God and do good." It's when we try it the other way around - "Do good, and love God when things slow down," that we get into trouble. First, love God. This is the better part Mary chooses, and it will not be taken away from us.
In Christ,
Fr. Chip
We welcome the Rev. Richard Belshaw while Fr. Chip is on vacation
On Sunday, July 28, and again on Aug. 4 & 11, the Rev. Richard W. Belshaw of Durham will be our guest celebrant at both Trinity and Christ churches. Until recently, he was Vicar of St. John the Evangelist Church, Dunbarton. A long-time resident of the Seacoast, he is now serving as a local supply priest. He is also the Facilitator of the We the People ecumenical group in Exeter that plans lectures, panel discussions, and events on contemporary and ethical issues that touch on the spiritual. Richard has a second job as a television control room operator for the Town of Durham's cable television station DCAT 22, has been a full time at-home Dad (two children, now a senior in high school and a sophomore in college), and has been happily married for 22 years.
Covenant draft endorsed unanimously by Bishop's Committees
On Tuesday, July 16, the combined Bishop's Committees unanimously endorsed the draft Shared Ministry Covenant presented by the Covenant Working Group. There were minor "tweaks" to the text as presented, but it largely was accepted as presented. The Bishop's Committees also outlined the process for adoption by the congregations at large:
- The final text with an explanatory cover letter will be distributed to all households in both congregations in early September.
- Open non-legislative forums will be held to introduce and discuss the Covenant in both congregations. Christ Church's forum will be after the 10:30 service on Sept. 22; Trinity Church's gathering will follow on Sept. 29 after its 8:45 service.
- Each congregation will hold a special parish meeting in the context of its regular Sunday liturgy on Sunday, Oct. 6. The meeting will take the place of the sermon that day. As a full opportunity for discussion will have occurred at the open forums, this is anticipated to be a straight presentation, motion, and "up or down" vote. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of those present in both congregations will be required for adoption.
- The Covenant, if so adopted, will be sent to the bishop for final approval. If he approves, a signing ceremony will be scheduled allowing him to celebrate with us the signing and inauguration of our Shared Ministry Covenant.
The Bishop's Committees thanked the Covenant Working Group for their effective work in drafting the proposed Covenant. Be watching for the final text in early September.
Seacoast Convocation summer happenings
Everyone is invited to join in these events occurring around our Convocation in the coming weeks:
- August 4th: Christ Church, Exeter: Fisher Cats baseball game, their choir will be singing the National Anthem! Call Christ Church for details.
- August 25th, 9:30 am: St. John's, Portsmouth: Service and Picnic at Great Island Commons, New Castle
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September 7th: St. George's, Durham: Coordinated Churches Yard Sale
The Seacoast Convocation will be advertising more activities for all Episcopalians of our region to join in on the fun. Look for ongoing updates.
Trinity Church's new website is now "up and running"
Trinity Church's new, vibrant, better-organized website is now "up and running." Check it out at www.trinityhampton.org. Meanwhile, please continue to be patient as we work out the "kinks" in the other half of our migration to a new web provider: Trinity's e-mail has been "hit-or-miss" this week as we get things configured in our new account. To be on the safe side, you might want to copy any messages to Nita to Fr. Chip's e-mail address, vicarchip@gmail.com until further notice.
Are you going on vacation? Are you going on vacation this summer? Your church family hopes you have a great time - but, before you go, just a reminder: the Church doesn't go on vacation! Our services continue throughout the summer months - and our bills still need to be paid. So please, take the time to keep your pledge up-to-date while you are away. Perhaps it is easiest to write a check before you leave, so you don't have to worry about it when you return. Photography dates set for pictorial directory As announced last month, the Bishop's Committee endorsed our going forward with a locally-produced, non-commercial pictorial directory this fall. Our new directory will only be valuable if it is complete. Accordingly, our goal is 100% participation. By taking part in our upcoming photography Sundays, you can help us all place names with faces, and create an excellent reference and information source for our church communities. This week, all households with e-mail were sent two forms for you to fill in and sign when you come to be photographed. The first is a release form for the use of the photographs taken (plus any others we might wish to publish in print or online). The other is a form confirming the accuracy of our church database. The items in normal print will be published in our directory. Those in italics will be in the database, but not printed. Our photography dates are as follows: Trinity Church: Sundays, July 21 and Aug. 4 after church in Hobbs Hall;
make-up date, Sept. 22 Christ Church: Sundays, July 28 and Aug. 11 after church in the Classroom;
make-up date, Sept. 15 Members of either church may be photographed in either location. If you did not receive forms in the mail, there will be extra copies on hand. | 
