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St. James Westwood's Weekly Epistle
November 7, 2012
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Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ
I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3: 14-20)
I joined about maybe 70 or 80 people last night at a Election Day Communion Service at The Episcopal Church of The Redeemer in Hyde Park. Quite frankly, I wanted to go home and watch the election returns but I felt that it was important to join other believers in affirming that my allegiance to my faith in Jesus the Christ is more important than the political candidates and leaders that I support. I'm glad that I went because last night's liturgy has meaning for us well past the polls' closing. Many people that I know are thrilled with yesterday's results just as many people that I know are angry and frustrated. A quick look at my Facebook and Twitter accounts reflects that people that I love, and respect, are communicating a wide and often raw sense of their invested emotions in our electoral process. Citizens were especially committed to this year's electoral process. You probably understand how many robocalls the church received in the last week directing me to vote in a particular way as well as seek to influence the votes of this church. I elected not to engage you in that process. Quite frankly, I find such considerations rather alarming. I'd like to remind all of us that Jesus' Gospel is not defined by our individual political allegiances or nationalistic sensibilities. The Rev. Bruce Freeman reminded me and other listeners that our Christian freedom and hope do not reside in the President's agenda or our preferred political party's platform. Our alliances are bound to someone and something greater. Put in a different manner: " real power in this world - the power to save, to transform, to change - ultimately rests not in political parties or presidents or protests but in the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus."
The Divine Grace of God's love in Jesus may not feel anywhere near strong enough to calm your anxiety about what the next four years hold for you and this nation. Take heed, the Lord is as near as your next prayer. You may be zooming around on a cloud of political ecstasy because of last night's outcome. Such joy will not endure forever. 'Just wait till the first occurrence of legislative bickering occurs in January, 2013. At the end of the day, all of us whether we are happy, frustrated, ambivalent, or carrying around some other set of emotions should realize people close by in our neighborhoods and our church do not necessarily share the same set of feelings that you and I possess today. Jesus offers two prophetic and pastoral lessons that may be especially relevant for us today. First, 'In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7: 12). Second, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. (Matthew 12:25)
Our vision for St. James is to be a place where we can mutually experience Jesus' love and visibly share God's love with others, ourselves and our guests included. Communion, true communion, occurs when all of us willingly, earnestly set aside our differences as well as our own personal allegiances & abide with one another at the altar when and where we are united with Christ and with one another.
Blessings Along The Way, Jim+
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This Week @ St. James
What's going on under our roof and around us 
Friday & Saturday - Nov. 9 & 10
Diocese of Southern Ohio 138th Convention - Crowne Plaza Columbus North Hotel
Please keep St. James' delegates as well as faithful delegates, diocesan staff members, clergy, and bishop in your thoughts and prayers as we gather to conduct the diocese's annual business and establish our shared mission priorities and goals. Sunday - Rite I Eucharist (8 AM), Adult Bible Study, Choir Practice (9 AM) Rite II Eucharist , Children's Sunday School (10 AM) - This week's stewardship theme focuses us on focused on how we recognize the abundance that God has given to each of us individually and as a faith community. What are the assets that we overlook or are underappreciated that we need to celebrate? Join with Joyce Keeshin as she preaches the Good News and welcome a special guest who will assisting Michael with our music.  Jim will also have an exciting announcement at the 10 AM worship service. Don't miss it, especially if you weren't at last Friday night's 1st Annual Dick Wesp Memorial Concert. Karen Dewar took some great photos from the concert! Check them out!  Take the opportunity to listen to VOCE's beautiful rendition of Bright Morning Stars.
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More that you may care to Know
 The Episcopal Church Women will gather in this year's United Thank Offering at both of Sunday's worship services. Jim will be away from the office next week for his second session of Clergy Leadership Project conferences in Connecticut. Joyce Keeshin and Walt Dewar III will be managing Jim's pastoral and parochial affairs while he is away. Contact one of them if you have urgent and important matters requiring assistance or response. We will have something very special to celebrate on Thanksgiving Day Morning when we will  baptize Lucy Wetenkamp. Plan on being here and joining in with Lucy, her family, and sponsors as she begins her Christian life on a special and memorable day. Jill and Matt will host a reception in Lu Dunn Hall afterwards. |
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When all you got is hurt
One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other One...life |
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