|
|
The Abundant Lite
|
August 27, 2009
For Sunday August 30th
|
|
From The Rector
Not Another Hand Washing Rant
This is my first week back from
vacation. It was a wonderful time of visits with the kids and other family. It
was a time largely ignorant of the goings on at St. Paul in the Desert. It was
a time of relative cool - rarely did the temp climb above 60 at night. It was a
time of worship in familiar, yet not home churches. It also included 3 weeks of
sleeping on a hide-a-bed. We were blessed by the time away and we are blessed
to be back.
As a Parish we are blessed by
the amazing leadership of Mother Stephanie, and the ministry of staff, lay
ministers, Vestry, and our Sr. Warden, Jan Heller. We work throughout the year
as a team, so there is not huge stress when one of us is gone. (Actually, there
is often more difficulty when the Sexton is on vacation than when the Rector
is!)
In the Gospel appointed for this
Sunday, Jesus is involved in another controversy with one group of religious
leaders, one faction. On the surface it is about hand washing. As in everything
Jesus does or says, this becomes an opportunity to move from the surface to the
heart for the purpose of transformation.
This is not Jesus saying that
religious observance is unimportant. It is Jesus saying that the external
observance must be the expression of a heart turned to God. I hope we can
listen to this Gospel and learn from it without trivializing either Jesus'
message or the devotion of the religious leaders. The "traditions of the
elders" serve a purpose. They clarify some boundaries on the path to holiness
of life. However, clear boundaries may not be helpful if we focus on the fences
rather than the path.
Our goal is to live fully in
God's abundant life. Our worship, our common life, our care for those in need,
and even our attention to a budget are on the path of living the Abundant Life.
When any of these become the center of attention they risk becoming idols and
turning us away from God. Whenever any of these become disconnected from the
centrality of God's love, they can work against the very purpose for which they
exist.
We are called to be transformed
by God's love in Jesus, not so that we never get distracted, but so that what
comes from our hearts, even when distracted, orients us to the Abundant Life.
Join us this weekend on this
path.
Fr. Andrew
|
Featured Scripture
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 (NRSV)
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Now when
the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus, they noticed that some of his disciples were
eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the
Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash
their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do
not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are
also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups,
pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him,
"Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the
elders, but eat with defiled hands?"
He said to them, "Isaiah
prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
'This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.'
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."
Then
he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you,
and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can
defile, but the things that come out are what defile. For it is from
within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication,
theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness,
envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within,
and they defile a person."
|
Worship Schedule
All Services include
Holy Communion
Saturday Evening 4:00 p.m.
Sunday Morning 8 a.m.
Sunday Morning 10:30 a.m.
Children Welcome in Worship
Childcare is available
on Sunday Mornings
|
|
|
|
Bible Studies
The Tuesday Night Bible Studies Resume September 8th!
 Join
Mother Stephanie beginning Tuesday, 9/8 as we begin a 12 week romp
through the Gospel According to John. Unique among the four Gospels,
John takes us into the mystery of Christ with a proclamation that is
rich in symbolism and and filled to overflowing with multiple layers of
meaning in almost every line. This will be a great adventure of
spiritual enrichment, we hope to see you there.
The Tuesday
Night Bible Studies offer an opportunity to grow in faith and
understanding through our Scripture as well as providing a fun and
welcoming environment to form community with other members of the
parish and beyond. Sign up by calling the office at 320-7488 ext. 0.
If no one answers simply leave your name and telephone number and we
will call you back to confirm your reservation. The class fills
quickly so sign up soon! The books are $11.00 and scholarships are
available.
|
|
|
Rubber Stamp Classes Starting
Card Making Workshop
 Here's
an opportunity to learn a creative card making technique called rubber
stamping. This technique employs rubber stamps, ink pads, markers, and
embellishments to create beautiful hand made greeting cards. Michael
Funke will take you through the steps, and, at the end of the workshop,
you will have created a minimum of 4 greeting cards to take home with
you. Michael says, "I don't feel rubber stamping is a difficult craft
to master and after all it's only paper!" Click here to get all the details, schedules for the class, and pictures of the cards you'll be making.
|
Mission Statement
God has invited us to share the Abundant Life of Jesus Christ,
through the Church of St. Paul in the Desert,
by serving Christ in others and by gathering
to praise and thank God in worship.
We are a Welcoming, Empowering, Supportive Community.
|
|
|
Join
Mother Stephanie beginning Tuesday, 9/8 as we begin a 12 week romp
through the Gospel According to John. Unique among the four Gospels,
John takes us into the mystery of Christ with a proclamation that is
rich in symbolism and and filled to overflowing with multiple layers of
meaning in almost every line. This will be a great adventure of
spiritual enrichment, we hope to see you there. 
Here's an opportunity to learn a creative card making technique called
rubber stamping. This technique employs rubber stamps, ink pads,
markers, and embellishments to create beautiful hand made greeting
cards. Michael Funke will take you through the steps, and, at the end
of the workshop, you will have created a minimum of 4 greeting cards to
take home with you. Michael says, "I don't feel rubber stamping is a
difficult craft to master and after all it's only paper!" Click 
Join
Mother Stephanie beginning Tuesday, 9/8 as we begin a 12 week romp
through the Gospel According to John. Unique among the four Gospels,
John takes us into the mystery of Christ with a proclamation that is
rich in symbolism and and filled to overflowing with multiple layers of
meaning in almost every line. This will be a great adventure of
spiritual enrichment, we hope to see you there. 
Here's an opportunity to learn a creative card making technique called
rubber stamping. This technique employs rubber stamps, ink pads,
markers, and embellishments to create beautiful hand made greeting
cards. Michael Funke will take you through the steps, and, at the end
of the workshop, you will have created a minimum of 4 greeting cards to
take home with you. Michael says, "I don't feel rubber stamping is a
difficult craft to master and after all it's only paper!" Click 
Here's an opportunity to learn the card making technique called
stamping. Michael Funke will take you through the steps, and, at the
end of the workshop, you will have created a minimum of 4 greeting
cards to take home with you. Michael says, "I don't feel rubber
stamping is a difficult craft to master and after all it's only paper!"
Click 