This Week at St. Bart's

May 11, 2016

A Message from the Reverend Andy Dunks

Where is Jesus?

Many in today's society -and indeed many in the Church, feel the absence of God more than the presence of God, and so "Where is Jesus?" always seems a relevant question, we pondered it in Sunday's sermon as we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension. Where is He? Why did He leave us behind to face life alone?

Jesus is in Heaven preparing a place for us.

Hear these words from St. Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444 AD), which speak of our mystical union with Christ wherever He is:

Christ has not ascended in order to make his own appearance before God the Father. He was, is, and ever will be in the Father and in the sight of him from whom he receives his being, for he is his Father's unfailing joy.

But now the Word, who had never before been clothed in human nature, has ascended as a man to show himself in a strange and unfamiliar fashion. And he has done this on our account and in our name, so that being like us, though with his power as the Son, and hearing the command, "Sit at my right hand," as a member of our race, he might transmit to all of us the glory of being children of God.

As man then he appeared before the Father on our behalf, to enable us whom original sin had excluded from his presence once more to see the Father's face. As the Son he took his seat to enable us as sons and daughters through him to be called children of God. Thus Paul, who claims to speak for Christ, teaching that the whole human race has a share in the events of Christ's life, says that "God has raised us up with him and enthroned us with him in heaven."

Does this sound too abstract, or perhaps too good to be true? There's more:

Jesus is also in our hearts, inviting us into Himself

No one could have written things like the above unless they were both clearly set forth in scripture and also confirmed in the experience of devout Christians down the ages. We have to look for Him in our hearts until we find Him there and learn to walk with Him.

That risks sounding like a cliché. I can't make a quick mental/emotional scan of myself and find Jesus in my heart; "Where are you, God?" still seems like the right question? But God's response might well be "I'M here. Where are YOU? You are concerned mostly with you trivial worries and grievances and pleasures, and you'd rather read about Me or talk about Me or distractedly "go through the motions" on Sunday than to really seek Me!" Such a Divine rejoinder might not be fitting all of the time, but what about most of the time?

Mission

Our mission is to seek, serve, and celebrate Christ in every person.

We invite the community to worship with us, to share our gifts, and to grow in Christ's love.

In This Issue

Rector's column

This Sunday

Spring Clean Up

Financial Information

Coffee Hour Sign-up

Food Donations

Devotionals weekly readings

St. Bart's Youth Group

Spiritual Formation Group

Prayer Request/Answered

On the Horizon

Web Site

www.stbartsrichmond.org

Email

stbartsrva@gmail.com

Phone

804-740-2101

Street Address

10627 Patterson Ave.

Henrico, VA 23238

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 29626

Richmond, VA 23242

Father Dunks's

contact information

Cell: 804-937-7145

dunks.andy@gmail.com

To seek in the depths of our being for Someone larger and greater than we are presents a little danger. It may require that we be vulnerable and take risks. We are afraid that we might not find Him, while also being afraid - if we are honest - that we will.

Fr. Stephen Freeman sums this topic up nicely:

The God who wants us to seek is also kind enough to hide. Finding out where He is hiding is the first step. Finding out where you are hiding is the next. But the greatest and most wonderful step is turning the corner, buying the field, selling everything that you have for the pearl of great price, picking up the lost coin, saying "yes" and "yes" and "yes."

Blessings,

This Sunday

8:30 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:30 AM Adult Sunday School

10:30 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II

5:30 PM Sudanese Service

Spring Clean Up Day!

The date is June 4th. We will start at 8:00AM and will work to complete as
many tasks as possible. We will be working outside and inside so there will be
something for everyone.

Please bring any of your favorite tools or cleaning supplies and stay as long as

you can. Let's get our "spring cleaning" done and make our building and

surroundings beautiful for the summer season. This is also an opportunity for

fellowship and getting to know others a little better.

Hope to see you there!!

Financial Information

Year to date 1/1/2016 - 3/31/2016

Actual Budget Difference

Pledges $28,052.00 $33,364.97 -$5,312.97 84.8%

Total Income $29,989.42 $36,083.40 -$6,093.98 83.11%

Total Expenses $33,132.89 $36,185.20 -$3,052.31 91.56%

Net Income -$ 3,143.47 -$ 101.80 -$3,041.67

As you can see the pledges are behind so far this year. It would be great if
everyone would try to catch up their pledges before the summer gets here.
The bottom line does not look too bad because we have been fortunate and
our expenses are also below budget.

Coffee Hour

Please consider signing up to sponsor coffee hour after a 10:30AM service. All

you have to do is bring goodies to share, stay and enjoy the company and then

clean up afterwards. This time gives us the opportunity to get to know other
members and welcome visitors.

There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board.

First Sunday Food Donations for the Hungry

We continue to collect food donations on the first Sunday of each month.
If you forget that scheduled collection date, just add your donations
to the box to the right of the door anytime. We are currently delivering
the food to the Lamb's Basket Food Pantry in the Lakeside neighborhood. While
they accept any canned or packaged, food, items they regularly distribute to
each family the following products:

Pasta sauces

Soups

Beans

Vegetables

macaroni and cheese boxes

dry pasta

fruit (they have a goodly supply of fruit right now.)

In addition, they offer choices of juices, staples such as cooking oil, condiments
and a shelf of toiletries, detergents and paper goods. On my last delivery, they
mentioned they were low on baby food.

They would also like to have a steady source of fresh eggs. Due to our storage
constraints, I purchase eggs on the way to deliver the food. If anyone wants to
donate cash for eggs, I would be happy to add that to my donation.

Thank you for your support of this outreach project.

Family Bible Devotionals

May 15 - 21

Resurrection, Great Commission, & Ascension
(Luke 24:1-12, 36-48; Matt. 28:16-20; Acts 1:1-11).

Jesus Storybook Bible, p 310, p 318.

E100, #69 & 70.
Bible Story Handbook, Ch. 131-132.

Memory: Matt. 28:19-20.

St. Bart's Youth Group

Calling all youth 13 years and older to join our youth group. The meetings
will be held on Sundays at 6PM. We will continue to meet twice a month on
the second and fourth Sundays. Together we will explore the bible and see
how it can apply to our daily life. We will also be talking about how we can
help the church and community.

We would like to provide dinner for the youth group on the Sundays
we meet. Please call Marlaina Knowlton at 804-897-1495 if you could
help with dinner any Sunday. We will place a sign up sheet on the
bulletin board. Please consider helping by signing up. Thanks.

Spiritual Formation Groups

Monday Night Group (at St. Bart's)

The Monday Night group meets at the Church from 6:30-8:00pm.

Wednesday Morning group (at St. Bart's)

The Wednesday Morning Group meets at the church for prayer and study from
10:30-11:30AM.

Prayer Request and Answered Prayers

Prayer Requests:

This week we are praying for: Arlene, Autumn, Audith, Betty Sue, Betty P.
Betty W., Bill, Carole, Carolyn, Carter, Cathy, Christy, Cierra, Clara, Claudine,

Diana, Dorothy, Don, Donna, Ethan, Frank, F.G., Ginny, Harlow, Hayden, H.B.,
Jane, Jeanne, Jennifer, Jimmie, Joyce, Julia, Kathy, Kelly, Kent, Klaire, Kym,
Laura, Lexie, Lilliam, Linda, Maggie, Martin, Michael, Mindy, Molly, Nick, Okpil,
Paige, Paul, Rob, Robert, R.W., Sarah, Sebastian, Terry, Thomas, Tony, Tukie,
Vonie.

On the Horizon