It's Ash Wednesday - Again

The ritual associated with Ash Wednesday is simple and clear.  It reminds us that we, like everything else on this earth, will die.  Today we remind ourselves about the certain cycles of life and death – the beginning and the end.  We also remind ourselves who we are and from whom we come – God.

Today is a sort of reality check.  The prophet Joel calls us to look at who we are and how we are living and, when it seems we come up short, return to the Lord.  Today we begin a journey inward to encounter and confront all that separates us from God and from one another by taking account of all that causes pain, damage, and separation in our lives.

The season of Lent that begins today, is a time to acknowledge that to move to a new way of life, we first must die to the old – to give up the things that get in the way of our knowing God and one another more deeply and completely.  Lent is a time to remember our baptism and the call to know, love and serve God and one another that came with it.  It can be a season of great change.

During Lent, we reconnect with who we are, with who we can be, with whom God made us to be.  We are humans – made in God’s image and likeness – but unlike God, we are also made of dust – and into that dust we shall return.  Now, then, is the time to make the most of it all!

Slow Down - Save a Life!

There are many ways to tell time. We use clocks and calendars. We mark perosnal time by birthdays, and anniversaries.  We knwo that a day has 24 hours, a week has 7 days, and a year has 365 days. One innovation of Western Culture is to see timeas a line. January begns; December ends.

But the Church tells time differently. The Church’s year is Christological: it is based in the life of Christ.  Reverend Jerome Berryman explains in his book Young Children and Worship, the Church “tells time by celebrating the events of Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension and the gift of the Holy Spirit.” These are divided into two cycles. A key word here is cycle—it indicates a circular movement, not a movement in a straight line. The two key cycles—Christmas and Easter—are divided into our six Church seasons: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.

We begin the season of Advent November 27th this year. The first Sunday of Advent is also the first Sunday of a new church year.  The word advent comes from a Latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival,”especially the arrival of someone or something important. In Advent we wait for the coming of Christ: both at the end of time and for the rememberance of his birth among us. In our own lives, Advent can be a special time of learning to wait and slow down.

Margaret Wheatley writes that one of the crises of our age is the belief that we can ignore or negotiate with time.  This mis-guided belief, she says causes us to forget about the natural rhythms and cycles of life.  “Instead we believe that it’s a straight trajectory into the future, and we can go as fast as we please.   This can move us away from nature, from rhythm, from others, from God and even from a sense of place."  Wheatley adds that as people in the Christian tradition, and especially for those of us in liturgical churches like the Episcopal Church, it is time to say ENOUGH!  We must take time to think.  We must take time to reflect.  We must take time to slow down and enjoy the cycles of nature and our own lives.  Advent is a season that can help us do just this.

Advent can teach us to wait.  How does one learn to wait exactly?  Our culture is not a particularly adept at this.  It seems to teach us always to be in a hurry, to be impatient, and to want instant gratification. Some of the traditions of Advent such as the Advent calendar and Advent wreath are about the opposite – about slowing down and learning to wait.  How might we use them effectively this Advent?   As we await the celebration of Christmas, what might we be waiting to be born in our own lives?

Advent is a gift of time if we will only grasp it.  It is a time to move more slowly, spend more time with family, friends, and with God.

(Thanks to Carolyn Moomaw Chilton who writes and blogs as a spiritual discipline and an invitation to conversation with others. She is on staff at Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia as the Assistant for Evangelism and Stewardship.)

Why is it so hard to pray?

Why is it that so many of us struggle with prayer? We forget to pray, and when we remember to do so, we hurry through it just to get it in.  Even when we take the time, our minds tend to drift, our thoughts scatter like a startled flock of starlings.  After all these years, I still don’t understand why something so important to me can be so difficult: no location is prescribed, no special clothing is required. No title or office is stipulated.  Yet, it sometimes seems as if I am wrestling with a greased pig!

It’s no wonder that our world is so afraid of prayer.  It has great power but is so difficult to control.  Consequently, so many avoid it.  Anything that has power and that we cannot easily control frightens us.

The reality is that it takes discipline, not unlike that required of an athlete who needs to practice a chosen physical feat over and over and over.  Only then is the action insinuated into nerves and muscles so that when it is “crunch” time, the action seems to flow effortlessly.  I need to learn and relearn that lesson itself over and over and over again.  

When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking

Hello friends.  It's hard to believe that it has been so long since my last entry here.  Needless to say, sometimes our busy-ness can overtake us.  In an effort to get back to my blogging, today I simply share something that came across my desk.  Perhaps it speaks to us when we think we are too busy to attend to important things!

author unknown
When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking

• When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and trust.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing, and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don’t.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s all right to cry.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
• When you thought I wasn’t looking I looked at you and wanted to say,’ Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.’

How do we model Jesus to those around us, especially the littlest ones?

Another Take on An Old Story

Fred Plummer, from the Center for Progressive Chrisitanity, recently published this article.  It is a description of the Jesus of history that takes a little different tack -- not the usual Bethlehem-Nazareth-Jerusalem cycle with which we are so familiar.  I want to share this with you so that you can read and digest some of the insights that simply come with the reading. Don't be put off because it comes from a source that is labeled "progressive." There is nothing avant guard about it.  Feel free to comment after you have read it.

Just Click here to read the entire article. You won't be disappointed.

How Shall We Evangelize?

Because of its geographical distance, Ireland was out of the loop of the first round of major evangelization by the church. When it was evangelized by Saint Patrick, it operated underneath the radar of Roman control. Thus, its breed of Christianity grew up independently of much of the rest of the church. It was, to use modern missions terminology, an indigenous church.

Depending on who you listen to, Ireland was thoroughly Christianized between one and three generations–incredibly rapid growth by anyone’s standards. Thus, it becomes a great model for us to study.

George Hunter, in The Celtic Way of Evangelism that spells out the Celtic strategy for doubling groups contrasted with the Roman way:

“Bluntly stated, the Roman model for reaching people is: 1) Present the Christian message; 2) Invite them to decide to believe in Christ and become Christians and 3) If they decide positively, welcome them into the church and its fellowship. The Roman model seems very logical to us because most American evangelicals are scripted by it! We explain the gospel, they accept Christ, we welcome them into the church! Presentation, Decision, Assimilation. What could be more logical than that?

The Celtic model for reaching people works like this: 1) You first establish community with people, or bring them into the fellowship of your community of faith. 2) Within fellowship, you engage in conversation, ministry, prayer, and worship. 3) In time, as they discover that they now believe, you invite them to commit. “

This seems the perfect model for the way we do things at St. Mark’s.  With the tremendous efforts spent by the parish in reaching out into the community through its Jubilee Ministries and intentional hospitality the number of people touched daily by the “small” congregation provides an excellent foundation for the Celtic Model.  Last month alone, nearly 300 hundred people and were touched in one way or another.  That constant and abiding statement of care, concern, and presence is St. Mark’s way of fulfilling our baptismal covenant:

“Celebrant      Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and
                 fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the
                 prayers?

People          I will, with God’s help.”

-BCP, 304

Thanks to Josh Hunt information on The Celtic Way of Evangelism

by way of Sharon Pearson’s blog “buildingfaith”

Memorial Day 2011

"According to news commentator and Episcopalian Jon Meacham," wrote The Rev. Carolynne G. Williams,canon for pastoral care and elder ministry at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, GA, " less than one-half of one percent of Americans serve on active duty in our combined armed forces. I was shocked at the number."

Our armed forces and the families of those serving are huge, in my mind. My father, who died in 2002 at the age of 75, served in World War II. My uncle Art, who is like my second dad, survives at age 88. He served not only in World War II but also in Korea. My cousin, Matthew, served in Vietnam, and a mentor and friend in the priesthood, Msgr. Bill Galagher, served in the First Gulf War (Desert Storm). Others dear to me fortunately served in peace time postings.  I was forunate that those who served and that have been dear to me were able to come home. We all know some, however, whose loved ones served gallantly but did not return.

Those that, as Lincoln said, "gave the last full measure of devotion," deserve at least a moment of silence out of respect and thanksgiving for the great sacrifice they made. When I was younger, in my hometown, the morning of Memorial Day was a sober affair.  A parade featuring living veterans in our community made its way from one war memorial to another. At each, an honor guard gave a wreathe was laid, there was a volley salute, taps was played and a moment of silence followed. This took most of the morning, timed to end at the main memorial in the center of town at just about noon. All flags were at half-satff until the noon bells rang. It was then that the somber celebration turned its attention to family, picnics, and events marking the beginning of summer.

Many veterans are buried in St. Mark's Cemetery. We mark their graves annually by placing small national flags at their headstone. Market Square in Lewistown is dominated by the War Monument. While we can sometimes fantasize about the gallantry of those who have fought our battles, they fought not for their own glory, but that we might have peace. So, in the words of Civil War General John A. Logan, "We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance."

How will you remember our war dead on this Memorial Day? Is this just another long weekend for you? Is this weekend just another opportunity to tap the screen of your iPad to download a coupon for a great sale? Don't misunderstand me. I do these things as well.

But, I believe that when we look into the eyes of those who have served our country and we have the opportunity to talk with them, we should seize the moment. There is pride and stability represented in those men and women. There is a respect that yearns to be shown in the midst of our overlooking the humanness of their experience. In our hurriedness, we tend to forget the costs of war, not only of munitions and logistics, but the priceless human costs of those that gave their lives and those who return, whose lives are forever changed by their experience.

On this Memorial Day, in the midst of our long weekend of sleeping in, shopping, rounds of golf, beach trips and finishing those last three books, all of which are wonderful and fun things to do and be a part of, let us pause for a moment or two to recall, reflect, and remember those who have protected our great nation and its place in the world.
Have a good Memorial Day.