|
|
October 30, 2013
Approaching The Feast of All Saints Day
St James Westwood Weekly Epistle
|
|
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ
 | | The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs - Father Angelico - 1423-24 |
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.
(Ephesians 1: 15-18)
Read Sunday's Lessons Here
I spent last week at my last session of Clergy Leadership Project (CLP) in Connecticut. The work my cohort and I are accomplishing will continue in small virtual groups as well as in our congregations but our physical and spiritual time of being with one another has concluded. That fact makes me sad in some ways as well as makes me hopeful about we have accomplished and what lies in front of us beyond the walls of our "being" with one another. It has been and will continue to be saintly work. We parted with this prayer:
"Watch over us as we go our separate ways and through your generous Spirit, continue to be the presence which binds up together, one to another and with the company of all the saints in light. ..." (Trinity Wall Street Episcopal Church, 2013)
Now, I'm back home with each and all of you. I've returned with a deeper and hopefully more honest understanding of who we are as the gathered saints at St. James. I think my deepest learnings over the course of the past couple of weeks and years at CLP are about vulnerability and trust. I'm just now beginning to understand the tremendous potential value of those virtues for us.
Being vulnerable means letting go of our misconceptions, observing what's going on in the community, and paying fully attentive what's happening with us as a church. Living daringly and boldly requires intense vulnerability as we create partnerships and shared discipleship that are fruitful, trustworthy, and blessed. This sort of Christian living means that we are placing a great deal of trust upon God through faith in Jesus the Christ, with the Holy Spirit's wisdom and patience while not expecting the Triune God to accomplish the work for us without our involvement, creativity, and courage.
 | |
The Church doors at All Saints Church - Wittenberg
|
Tomorrow is the 497th celebration of Martin Luther's publishing of his 95 Theses on the doors of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany. It's cleverly curious that the celebration of Reformation Day lands so closely to our celebration of All Saints Day. I find it delightful that Luther rebelled against papal authority by nailing his rebellious document onto the doors of a church with the name of "All Saints."
Luther had this to write about the concept of sainthood:
We must get the noble name (saint) back. You must be holy. But you must be prepared
not to think that you are holy of yourself or on the strength of your merit. No, you must be holy because you have the Word of God, because heaven is yours, and because you have become truly pious and holy through Christ. This you must avow if you want to be a Christian.(Luther's Works 30:7).
This Sunday will be a special time when we gather with one another to offer our pledges of treasure for the coming year. We celebrate All Saints Day by communing with Christ and one another even as we abide with all of saints who have preceded us to special places in heaven and earth. These saints include St. James of Jerusalem as well as Alex Kent, Dorothy Lenhart, and Theresa Hughes. They are guiding us to being more vulnerable to God's purpose for us as we more fully trust that Christ's salvation and heaven are ours. We are living into lives of being more holy through Christ's compassion and presence throughout history and each day we live. These truths are what CLP and life as a priest here at St. James are teaching me today. I hope there's something in there for you too.
Blessings Along The Way, Jim+ |
|
 Tonight, Oct. 30th @ 6 PM Wednesday Night Childcare Volunteer Meeting (Vestry Room) 7:15 - 9:15- Childcare in the Nursery - We're seeking a volunteer to assist with tonight's childcare - please contact Michele Evans ASAP if you can help in the nursery tonight. NOTE !!! - Please contact the church office no later than Thursday noon if you wish to include the name of a loved one who died during the past twelve months in the All Saint's Day Bulletin and Prayers. Gayle will print Sunday's bulletin tomorrow afternoon.  Friday, Nov. 1st
Reception @ 6:30 PM - 7:30 (Lu Dunn Hall)
Musical performances by Voce, Anderson High School
A Cappella Choir, and Forest-Aires - beginning @ 7:30 (Worship Space) - The evening's highlights will include the world premiere of "For the Sake of Song and Silence," written by John Carter and Mary Kay Beall. St. James Episcopal Church and numerous other donors commissioned this work to celebrate Dick's life and his musical legacy. Come and listen to the music!
$15.00 Tickets are still available and may be available at the door for the concert. Contact Gayle for more info. and to obtain tickets. Saturday, Nov. 3 Chancel Choir Practice - 8:45 AM (Choir Room) Adult Christian Education - 9:00 AM (Lu Dunn Hall) Rite II Eucharist - 10:00 AM (Worship Space) - Ingathering and blessing of pledges. Please remember to bring your pledge cards!
Children's Sunday School - 10:00 AM (Children's Sunday School Room) Celebratory Potluck - 11:15 (Lu Dunn Hall)
|
|
|
Later This Month
Much More Happening in November, especially Thanksgiving week - Check back next Wednesday for more details
An All Saints Day Poem by Jan Richardson
For Those Who Walked With Us For those
who walked with us,
this is a prayer. For those
who have gone ahead,
this is a blessing. For those
who touched and tended us,
who lingered with us
while they lived,
this is a thanksgiving. For those
who journey still with us
in the shadows of awareness,
in the crevices of memory,
in the landscape of our dreams,
this is a benediction. |
"All Saints' (Day) insists that it is not we who pass away. It is not the human community, what Christianity has called the communion of saints, who pass away. It is the world that passes away. The communion of saints is eternal. Nations and empires will pass away, but love is eternal. (Rev. Dean Snyder, 2011, p.14)
Enjoy the video and sing along. You'll get some practice in for Sunday. :)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
