|
|
|
Saint James Episcopal Church - Weekly Epistle
|
|
|
|
Approaching the 7th Sunday after Pentecost
| July 24th, 2014 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | | How many seeds did it take to plant this field? |
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Jesus The Christ
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." ( Matthew 13: 31-33)
Read Sunday's Lessons (Track 2)
It's such a pretty parable, isn't it? A single, teeny-tiny little seed hits the ground and it grows and grows into something much bigger that it started. The tiniest of seeds becomes a mighty tree where birds set up their nests and life expands beyond our wildest dreams. Sunday School teachers often use the Parable of The Mustard Seed as an illustrative way to describe how a small bit of faith will produce great acts of discipleship. This is a wonderful teaching and it's potentially too easy to adopt if we neglect to fully understand its adult implications for our Christian lives.
Mustard was not wheat to the people who initially heard Jesus' parable. Mustard was a weed. In fact, it was a ritualistically forbidden plant for Jewish gardeners. Why? Jewish rulers understood that mustard doesn't stop growing once it is in the garden. Its branches invade the vegetables and other plants. Mustard is smelly, energetic, and has a zest for life. Most plants do. Seemingly, it would spread over a plot of land in hardly any time at all. That fact leads to another interesting point.
1st Century Jews may not have grown mustard in their gardens but it's definitely
true that it grew around them in open fields. Archaeologists tell us that people since 2,000 BCE (Before the Common Era) have used mustard as an oil, a spice, and a medicinal plant. Mustard seeds traveled across the Mediterranean world into Central and Northern Europe around the time of the Medieval Crusades. Many types of mustard in the Ancient World didn't grow to be very tall but some, especially around the Jordan River, grew from tiny, tiny seeds into mustard plants more than 10 feet tall!
What does this parable mean for us today? First, mustard is a very cool spice to plant and tend to, if you've got the space to plant it. It's truly got a mind of its own but it's really tasty! The parable has meaning for us as a church. Do we desire to let a healthy Jesus-inspired spiritual weed decisively spread into our lives? It's wise to look out for what happens in the prayer life of your gardens. If that's too personal. What does it mean for us to apply the teachings of this parable in our the fields and homes of our lives? As I write this note, there are more than a dozen music campers playing guitars, practicing piano, and singing all around our church. I pray God's love is being sown around them, even as they share their childlike presence and talents with us.
God's Reign is like a mustard seed. It lives in ways we cannot control but may choose to enjoy as well as spread when we observe it's presence around us.
Blessings Along The Way, Jim+
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This Week @ St. James and around Westwood
There's an updated website article on the webpage summarizing some key July events.
|
Front Yard Fiestas!
 |
Come to the Recital then let's find a .... Fiesta |
Then --- Beergarden Numero Tres (Next Saturday - August 2nd) in our Front Yard
|
 | | Support these children with school supplies |
Westwood Elementary School - Backpack Drive
Westwood United Methodist Church and other nearby churches are working with the Westwood Elementary School resource coordinator to collect 500 backpacks filled with essential school supplies. Saint James is signing up to support this effort by purchasing and providing 500 packs of pencils, 500 erasers, and 500 pocket folders. Nancy Jacob has graciously volunteered to be the project person to support St. James' involvement in this worthwhile outreach project. The latest info is that we need to collect these school supplies by August 3rd. Volunteers will assemble the backpacks on August 10th at Westwood United Methodist Church (Time to be determined). Westwood Elementary's back to school fair is August 17th. Let's get moving! E-mail or talk with Nancy and get involved in making sure our neighborhood children have the resources they need to get off to a successful start in school! | |
 | |
Godspell Jr and beautiful art in the worship space and parish Hall
|
Happening at St. James in AugustMore than 20 young performers will come to St. James in early August to rehearse and perform in Godspell Junior. We're also pleased to announce that artists from around Cincinnati will be displaying their quilts and fiber pieces in the parish hall for the musical performances on Aug. 8, 9, and 10, including a reception on Friday night, 8/8 at 5pm. Contact Joyce for more info. about the art show and reception. |
|
|
|
Music Camp winds us with the campers recital THIS Saturday (4PM). Come, enjoy the fruits of this program. Bring friends and neighbors to celebrate music being made here!
Recital
July 26 - 4:00 PM Check out the Facebook Page |
|
Farmstands and the sowing happening there
|
 | | Read Julie Murray's article about "Food and Friendship" |
Julie Murray has written a wonderful article about how collaborations between Findlay Market and neighborhoods like our own are renewing relationships all over Cincinnati. Please read Julie's piece. While we're at it, let's note that none of these markets would exist without the diligent, productive support of Findlay Market's people. Mike Hass, Sarah Fenske, Robert Ziegler and Seth Kahle. are key leaders in terms of getting the products we sell from the farm to St. James' market. Mike and his team work long, often-unnoticed days and hours to collaborate with Findlay Market's partner farms.
Second, all of these mission-based seeds wouldn't be sown without the farmers who are growing the produce, vegetables, and fruits doing what they do.These farmers understand that we are energized to build our local communities. They are actively supporting our mission by offering us products they could elect to sell themselves and/or by giving us discounted prices. Today, all of these entrepreneurial "mustard seeds" are growing and flourishing because the Findlay Market team of Rebecca Heine, Karen Kahle, Mike Hass, and the folks who work with them believe in this endeavor and are doing all they can to make it work. They along with Kathy Schaeffer, Joyce Keeshin and our team of St. James' volunteers are spreading mustard-like wellness all over Westwood. Thanks!
"I (indeed) love that people from all over are gathering here around food and friendship-much like what communion is supposed to be."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
