Being Disciples
Deacon Gail Bernthal,
Church of the Saviour, Hanford
The Gospel of Matthew concludes with Jesus giving the disciples the Great Commission, the message that not only was it time for them to continue the work Jesus had begun, but that they had been given the power to do His work. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." (Mt. 28:19-20). And it is in Matthew's gospel that Jesus tells us exactly what doing God's work in the world includes. "...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." (Mt. 25:35-36) As followers of Jesus, when we respond to the needs of others, whether physical or spiritual, we care for Jesus himself. As followers of Jesus, we respond even when it takes us out of our normal routine, even when it is uncomfortable.
In The Five Marks of Mission, we see words that are filled with action, words that are rooted in the gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. In mission, God works through us to renew the world through proclaiming, nurturing, transforming.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, in a recent sermon honoring Absalom Jones, the first African-American ordained in the Episcopal Church said, "If we ever get this (Jesus movement) right, then children will not starve; if we ever get this right, then people in Flint, Michigan, will have clean drinking water; if we ever get this right, then politics will be honorable....if we get this right, all people will learn to love each other." As unreachable as these goals might seem at first glance, we live in hope, and we believe a better world is possible. We live with a vision that all things are possible with God.
Mission is rooted in love. Jesus said, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." (Jn. 13:34) Love has power because it comes from God. But what did Jesus mean when he commanded us to love each other? In the same sermon on Absalom Jones, Bishop Curry says, "Love is not a sentiment; it is a commitment to live not for myself alone." Love is self-giving. In loving, we see ourselves as part of something bigger, connected to all of God's children. Being in community calls us to think of others before ourselves, often deferring our own needs. We live in charity and strive to relieve the suffering of others. Our essential task as disciples is to make Jesus known to others, for it is in Him they will discover themselves to be beloved children of God.
At Episcopal Church of the Saviour, we strive to be a loving presence in our community. In 2015, over 70,000 meals were served to the hungry in our Soup Kitchen, a 30 year old, non-denominational ministry in our parish hall. On Christmas Day, blankets, hygiene bags and coats were provided to those in need. Hundreds enjoyed a sit-down tri-tip dinner. Our GIFTS (Gifts Intended for the Spirit) program provides opportunities for refreshment such as a night out at a restaurant or a movie for families in our community who struggle to make ends meet. We share the beauty of music played on our 100-year-old organ with the community through our Community Concert Series. Church of the Saviour strives to be a holy place, where we share God's love by responding to the needs of those around us. As a community of prayer, we are strengthened and fed to be disciples and continue the work Jesus began.
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Diocesan Council and Standing Committee Retreat See more pictures taken by The Rev. Bob Woods,
St. Sherrian's, Kernville by clicking
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Travel to the Land of the Holy One
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From The Rev. Heather Mueller
Dear friends in the Diocese of San Joaquin,
As many of you already know I am organizing a group for travel to the Land of the Holy One.
The pilgrimage is scheduled for September 23 to October 6, 2016, with the option of going to Jordan....Petra and possibly Ista #CDD7E9nbul.
It is time to make a decision about going and I will connect each person with the travel agent who will work out the travel details. Read more.... For Flyer click here
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News from Ann Lynne, President, AFEDJ on her recent trip.
The Board of Trustees of the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem,
15 members from across the U. S., just returned from a visit to the institutions we support in Israel, Palestine and Jordan, including Gaza. It was a packed itinerary with visits to 13 schools, hospitals and institutes for the disabled in many cities, towns and even villages. Every visit was filled with inspiration. We talked with teachers, doctors, therapists, cooks and priests making do with little, offering compassion and love to all they encountered, regardless of religious, ethnic or economic background. You should be very, very proud of the work your denomination is doing in your Holy Land. And you should visit it. What we didn't see was anything that caused fear or concern for our safety. We did have the kind of transformational experience which will stay with us for the rest of our lives, informing both our faith journey and our understanding of the political news. There are pilgrim groups there now and another coming from the west coast next week. We hope you'll seriously consider this opportunity.
Warm regards, Anne Lynn, President
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Southern Deanery Meeting, February 27, 11am, St. Sherrian's, Kernville
Northern Deanery Meeting, March 19, 10 am, St. Paul's, Modesto
Chrism Mass, Tuesday, March 22, 11am, Holy Family Fresno
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The following forms are due by MARCH 1st to the Diocesan Office:
- Parochial Report
- Congregation Contact Form
- Certificate for Lay Delegates Form
- Church Directory
- Updated Bronze Disaster Preparedness Form
Congratulations go to St. John the Evangelist, Stockton and St. Nicholas, Atwater for being the first two congregations to get all forms in!
Annual Peer Audits are due June 30, 2016. Contact the Diocesan Office if you have any questions.
Taking orders now for our yellow missional bags!
Thank you!
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From ecf: Vital Practices
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The Five Marks of Mission
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The Five Marks of Mission
Click here for poster to post
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Send your donations to The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, 1528 Oakdale Road, Modesto, CA 95355. Please write Yellow Bags in the memo line.
Thank you.
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Parish and Mission Events
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Saint Matthew's Church, San Andreas
Invites you to their weekly Lenten Devotions
Every Friday at 6pm
Stations of the Cross and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
(Followed in the Parish Hall by a 'lite' Lenten Soup Supper
414 Oak Street
San Andreas, CA
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Stories of the Bag, Missional Days, Special Events Articles can be submitted to the Diocesan Office at emeyer@diosanjoaquin.org.
All submissions are due no later than the Tuesday before the Friday Reflection. Pictures submitted are to be in jpeg format and forms to be attached to the Friday Reflection are best in PDF format.
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