Folks,
The combination of the 23rd Psalm and the gospel lesson from John appointed for this Sunday (Do we all need a shepherd? Perhaps not but it can certainly help!) suggest this might easily be called Good Shepherd Sunday, and indeed when I looked up "Good Shepherd Sunday" I found several links which make clear this name, including https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Shepherd_Sunday I discovered that this is what it is called (earlier tradition applied the name to the Third Sunday of Easter but the reforms of Vatican II, broadly accepted by mainline Christian groups, made the change). The lesson and the context of the chapter suggest that at that time there were many religious leaders to choose from. But how to choose? The passage suggests that real familiarity with the shepherd would help (so you aren't just another butt on the pew) would help. But how we distinguish ourselves in the eyes of the shepherd so they really can call us by name - and recognise us by our bleat, especially as the human population has indeed multiplied? It seems clear to me that the answer must be spiritual, hence both listening for the shepherd in silent meditation but also speaking to the shepherd in the midst of that meditation. (Some might perceive meditation as a a period of inactivity, but spiritual leaders have long pointed out how active one needs to be, both with inner ears to hear God, but also the mind to think for God. Note that the writer at www.WorkingPreacher.org points out that when Jesus was saying these words, much of the world, including the Roman Empire, and especially the Jewish nation were in tumult with many leaders vying for attention (not unlike today). And yet it was still mostly village-based society - ie, folks new their own sheep and recognise those of other. And the site adds that just a real sheep are not totally dumb, so neither are the folks looking for a good spiritual leader. So how to recognise the Good Shepherd's voice? It is here that the message of Jesus ministry shines, as a sort of ultimate model of the Good Shepherd - one who beyond helping in trifling matters is actually willing to lay down his life for his sheep. Note that the the lesson from 1 Peter, also appointed for this Sunday reinforces the value of sacrifice for others, while the first lesson from Acts describe what I see not as a treatise on economics but as somewhat "natural" way the small (family-sized?) church behaved in caring for each other and the common good) ie the "communism" described was fit for the size of the community at that time. (The Working Preacher site's writer notes having visited villages in Africa where this sort of community - beyond actual count of people, an actual mindset of how large the human community is that one needs be aware of, sometimes even in larger cities there.) Our prayer is that we can all recognise, however worldly-wise we may become, we are finally all sheep and in need of recognition of our own voices and - and of those around us! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! We at St Matthew Church in San Ardo will be meeting at 3pm as has been our custom, but may move to a different time for weekly services as the summer month come on (the church has no air conditioning). At fellow mission St Luke Church in Jolon, former vicar Deacon Rob Seifert will lead a Communion Service at 10am. On this Good Shepherd Sunday our friends at the parish of that name in Salinas (Corral de Tierra) tell us that they are focused this Sunday on the students of the parish, including those graduating their various schools , but also on a Science Fair winner from the young people there. And last weekend they tell us the students at their Sunday School put together projects (and food!) to observe Earth Day. We single out these "ordinary" events because it is in them that the life of the church comes forth. The folks at St Paul Cathedral in San Diego tell us May 7 is the date for their St Georges Tea event (with Evensong after). In addition to this "ordinary" event, meant to feed body as well as spirit, another pair of ordinary events to mention well in advance are Camp St Andrews summer camp (contact St Andrews parish in Saratoga) as well as Vacation Bible School at St Stephens parish in San Luis Obispo (contact them for info). While Earth Day was formally observed last weekend, we note that Creation Care efforts will continue year-round with events occurring most of the year. We were especially cheered to hear that "Over 60 people attended Earthcare’s April 15 event, “Visualizing Climate Change and a Just Transition.” Citizens Climate Education, ResilientSLO, and Rotary Los Osos sponsored it with St. Ben's Earthcare Team. Assemblymember Dawn Addis kicked off the session with a recorded video welcome that included her efforts to represent our interests in a healthy planet. The following articles provide a brief recap of the two-hour program that offered insights and a range of actions we can take." from our friends on the Earthcare team at St Ben's. Contact them at https://www.stbenslososos.org/creation-care
0 Comments
Folks,
This Sunday is the third of the Easter Season and as it happens, the first lesson appointed for this Sunday sounds familiar. It centers on Peter and the first verse of the first lesson appears for both weeks, in order to introduce Peter as he addresses the crowd. Moreover both lessons are from the same chapter of Acts. In the chapter, Peter seems to want to help the Jewish listeners understand that while they were responsible for Jesus death, yet it was a necessary part of God's plan - last week quoting King David as a prophet and this week citing the way forward ("Repent and be baptized"). Note that that message seemed to have been heard since the lesson concludes with " that day about three thousand persons were added." Likewise the second lesson for both Sundays is from the first chapter of the Peter's first epistle. Recall that last week we noted that in his letter Peter noted that his audience, now the emerging church, had not seen Jesus live and die, and yet had faith. This "spiritual" theme carries thru to this week, and here using the term "trust' for faith ("Through him you have come to trust in God"). But this week carries the church even further, with specific instruction to " love one another deeply from the heart." In effect, Peter has begun to build a church to last thru the ages. The gospel lesson for this Sunday from Luke is the Emmaus Road experience of the group of disciples, perhaps that most loving and gentle way ghost story in all the Scriptures, with Jesus quietly appearing amongst them. As the story took place in a walking journey the disciples, then and today, could sense Jesus was indeed walking with them.. May we all look around and realise that as we walk on together as God's people in the still-emerging church, God continues walking with us! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events St Matthew Church in San Ardo will be have an Evening Prayer service at 3pm TOMORROW, And Daphne Denny from our fellow mission parish St Luke in Jolon tells us that "Roy Morris will lead the Service of Morning Prayer at St. Luke's Episcopal in Jolon this coming Sunday, April 23, at 10 am. On Wednesday, April 26, we will have our monthly Vespers Potluck beginning at 6 pm at St. Luke's. Rev. Robert Seifert, our retired vicar will be visiting us for the potluck." We are delighted by their ministry. Other Events While there will be many events of celebration and learning online and throughout the Diocese, such as the special Coffee Hour hosted by the children of Good Shepherd parish in Salinas (Corral de Tierra) after service there, we hope each of you will make your own special Earth Day event as well by spending time in contemplation or hiking in your favourite nature setting! Note that in the San Diego diocese, our friends of St Paul Cathedral have a Creation Care event, this Sunday making wildflower "Seed Bombs" (clay balls embedded with the seeds) to distribute, making plants for pollination. As they should, Earth Day efforts will continue the rest of the year, including at St Paul Cathedral where on Sat Apr 29 the congregation will participate in an Interfaith Climate Crisis event at 5pm in adjacent Balboa Park. Note that the dioc esan websites contain much info about the Climate Crisis, including news at https://realepiscopal.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=99ebbaf4cee8d012c9edafe60&id=9b97dc6853&e=f136cc0442 Our neighbouring "big sibling" parish, St James in Paso Robles, tells us the women of the parish will be having a "Cottage Garden Tea Party on Ma 13 at 3pm. On Wed, May 3, and continuing on Weds in May and June, the congregation will begin a Book Study at 6:30pm, this time on "The Difficult Words of Jesus". The Study will begin after Wed Evening Service On May 5 St Luke Church in Atascadero, with assistance from St James, will be having their big Annual Plant and Bake Sale fundraiser. The event goes from 12-5pm on Fri May 5 and continues from 9-1 Sat May 6. Our many friends at St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande and many other parishes tell us of the Missional Project that is part of the Spring Renewal events (see below) as follows: Spring Renewal: Missional Project As we continue forward, to strive for justice and peace among all people, the El Camino Real deacons invite you to please bring a donation to Spring Renewal with you! Who: All of us; the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus out in the world What: Donations on this list*
When: April 28-29 Where: Diocesan Spring Renewal, Sherwood Hall, Salinas Why: to respect the dignity of every human being The donated items will be given to distribution centers in each deanery The goodwill offerings made during the Eucharist service will be given to the Pajaro community devastated by the Pajaro River levee breach and resulting floods. *Please, no opened or slightly used products Musical Events We want to note that many events of music are available onliine from man parishes, including tomorrow's Choral Evensong offered by St Paul Cathedral at 5pm and at the same location an organ concert entitled Opus 68 at 5:45pm. For full info go to www.stpaulcathedral.org From the DIocese The big event the following weekend is the diocesan Spring Renewal. In the words from our diocesan newsletter: Spring Renewal is Friday April 28, 5 pm to 8 pm and Saturday April 29, 8 am to 3 pm. at Sherwood Hall, Salinas Registration has closed. If you have registered and you would like to sign up for childcare, ministry tables, or get information on LiveScan see below: Childcare is available! If we can get a minimum of six children signed up (and we have two so far) we will be able to provide childcare on Friday from 5:45 pm to 9:15 pm, and on Saturday from 8:45 am to 3:30 pm. The cost is $50 for one child, $80 for two, and $100 for three children. Please click here for more information and to register. Ministry Tables Don't forget we will have ministry tables out front on Friday and Saturday. Come and learn about ministries going on in the diocese like Campus Ministries, the Social Justice Committee and Creation Care, and the Community Trailblazer. If you are part of an organization the diocese participates in, please consider hosting a table to introduce folks to it and help them know how to join and contribute. The cost is $10 for a space and a table - what you do with that spot is up to you! Registration closes on Wednesday the 26th. Murray Mobile LiveScan will be at Spring Renewal on Saturday! If your parish already has an ORI (Originating Agency Identifier) number, you can finish your LiveScan application at Spring Renewal! Rosie Murray of Murray Mobile LiveScan will be there from 8 am to 2 pm to process your fingerprints and finish LiveScan applications for volunteers and clergy. Please fill out, print, and sign THIS FORM ahead of time, and bring a Driver's License or ID. It can be from any state, as long as it is current. In the absence of an ID or drivers license, a unexpired passport will suffice. If you have any questions, please contact our HR, Insurance, and Finance Administrator Maria Navarrete at maria@realepiscopal.org. Please click here for more information about Spring Renewal, 2023 and to register! The website will have updates as they come out, so please check back at realepiscopal.org/spring-renewal-2023 for the most up to date information. Dear Friends,
The lessons for this Sunday include from Acts where Peter quotes King David and explains that the quote includes a prediction of Jesus's resurrection and then from Peters own epistle emphasising that resurrection but this time admitting that the audience for his letter had not seen Jesus going thru these things, yet believing. The gospel lesson from John includes the story of the Doubting Thomas and Jesus's mild reproach to him ""Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Over this Easter Season we have spoken a great deal about faith, which to me isn't so much about seeing at all. Rather it is a matter of trusting - of having that ultimate trust in God while enjoying the evidences all around us, eg in the beauty of nature and the warmth of human love. This past week we had visitors for a couple nights who accompanied us on wide-ranging hikes around the ranch - the wildflowers have never been more spectacular (especially the California poppies) and I think even Thomas would have come to believe without seeing Jesus in person! We Pray that all will take the time to enjoy God's many gifts, including visits to nature spots with loving friends. Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events This Sunday we at St Matthew Church in San Ardo will have Bp Lucinda Ashby come for her annual visitation - a special treat for us all. She will lead services at 3pm with the help of her Chaplain (and my spouse) Tony! All are welcome and if you cannot make it to the service, join us for coffee and snacks at about 4pm. Other Events Our fellow mission St Luke Church in Jolon will have Morning Prayer this Sunday at 10am with our friend Susan Raycraft - aka SuRay - leading the service. Further ahead Daphne Denny tells us that on April 26 at 6pm the congregation will host a Vespers service followed by a potluck dinner. This week will be the high point of celebrations and learning to care for our beautiful planet, culminating in Earth Day next weekend. To begin the week, this Saturday St Benedicts will be hosting an event called Climate Change Opportunities and Insights" from 10am-noon. The event will include a presentation by Susan Callery of NASA on the topic from an "out of this world" perspective! Also, our friends at St Barnabas Church in Arroyo Grande tell us of the following event: Interfaith Power and Light is offering a webinar with award-winning filmmaker, Roger Sorkin on April 17 at 11am. You can also stream his films Current Revolution for free during Faith Climate Action Week. For full info go to https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=7b0b3b8f23&e=acee3ced34 Also note that St Barnabas member, Cal Poly professor and our friend Todd Long has produced, directed and co-written a film in which he will perform called Trusting Chloe. Fr Rob Keim and his spouse Jeff Diehl participated in voiceover roles (they recently visited us here at the ranch. The film will be shown at Fair Oaks Theatre in Arroyo Grande at 11am TOMORROW (April 15). Tickets are available at https://www.my805tix.com/e/trusting-chloe and possibly at the door if available. We note that the First Communion Class of St James Church Paso Robles is having a Taquito Fundraiser after the 10am service. From the Deanery Our Deanery chair David Ottesen tells us of the following Deanery-wide events A celebration of Caro Hall's ministry and farewell party: Friday, May 19, 6 pm, at St. Benedict's, Los Osos. Note that in addition to her work at St Bens, Caro worked with Tony(!) and myself for the Integrity organisation of LGBTQ Episcopalians. A presentation of John Rutter's Requiem by combined choirs of Deanery parishes accompanied by chamber orchestra and organ: Sunday, May 21, 3 pm, at St. Barnabas', Arroyo Grande. From the DIocese As we have been mentioning, The Diocesan SPRING RENEWAL is April 28-29 in Salinas. This year, the Rt. Rev. Diana Akiyama, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon, is the Keynote Speaker. She will engage us more deeply with our theme for 2023, "Courage in the Wilderness." Participants will worship, share a banquet to honor our ministries, enjoy presentations and conversation, and most of all, simply be together as a diocese. Spring Renewal is an in-person only event and there will not be an online option available. Everyone is welcome. Registration is now open.https://www.realepiscopal.org/spring-renewal-2023/ Friends,
The lessons for Easter Sunday EVENING service include the gospel story of events on the road to Emmaus (quite a lesson!) along with an OT and Epistle lesson rich in their own right. The brief lesson from Isaiah seems to be a universally beautiful message of God's love "for all peoples" while the even briefer epistle lesson from ! Corinthians metaphorically suggests being ready for a new understanding of the world and our place in it (that we might be a new batch of dough making "bread of sincerity and truth." To me this lesson which only appears in Luke's gospel contains the most important Easter understandings, including that "ghostly" appearance of Jesus, at first being unrecognised, and then after a brief recognition, vanishing. This seems to be the way we are called to recognise God, with a brief spiritual "seeing". In this lesson God appears to us through the testimony of our patron saint, followed by a group experience of a fleshly Jesus who asks for and eats real food. The lesson suggests that the assembly might "believe in ghosts" but Jesus disavows this notion. Whatever was seen back then, the import is that the saints kept God with them. As often we have pointed out, most of us will not get a chance to see Jesus' hands and feet as they were reported then, much less "Touch (him) and see", But the eyes of the Spirit can enable us to see, and the hands of that Spirit to touch. And these things are because of God's grace to give the gift and choice of faith. It is that faith that can lead us, whether we have seen or touched the physical or not, to a life in the light of God. May we choose to accept that gift of faith! Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events Once again as it happens we are travelling for work, so must refer you all to the websites of the many parishes and other spiritual groups around you. We want to mention that St Matts in San Ardo will be meeting for Easter Sunday services at 3pm (NOTE the revised time!) on Easter Sunday, and Tony(!) and I expect to be there. Note that our friends at St Benedicts Church, Los Osos and St Barnabas Church, Arroyo Grande tell us that Interfaith Power and Light is offering a webinar with award-winning filmmaker, Roger Sorkin on April 17 at 11am. You can also steam his films Current Revolution for free during Faith Climate Action Week. You can get more information and sign up for the webinar at https://saintbarnabas-ag.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=debb1b33eb11372203a975524&id=7b0b3b8f23&e=acee3ced34 Other Events We hear that Dean Penny Bridges of St Pauls Cathedral in San Diego is a musician herself, and in addition to singing in the mass, she will be performing in a string quartet at Rancho Bernardo Library on Sat Apr 15. Good going, Penny! We don't know all the musical abilities of our Deanery clergy, but have seen Rev Rob Keim perform in a Gilbert and Sullivan troop, etc. And in a further bit of sound .delight, we have received a useful meditation-link in a six-hour long ringing of Tibetan bowls at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uas-8BpDxBI As with many YouTubes you will want to "Skip Ads" and of course you can start and stop it as you see fit. We are amazed at how much musical harmony can be found in the periods of silence between each sound or set of sounds. Thanks to our friend Ilene Gutierrez (Lala) at the Sunburst Community for sending along this link! From the DIocese Once again we want to note the diocesan Spring Renewal event we have been mentioning set for April 28-29. For full information and registration go to https://www.realepiscopal.org/spring-renewal-2023/ Folks,
This coming Sunday is "the Sunday of the Passion" probably better known as Palm Sunday. The lengthy gospel lessons include two familiar alternates from Matthew, both replete with details of the events of Holy Week (perhaps in case like most we cannot make it to daily services in the church's calendar), along with yet a third for the "Liturgy of the Palms" (with no mention of "palms"). The brief OT and Epistle lessons from Isaiah, a rather poetic note, including its reason for being: "The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word." It makes mentions of insults the prophet has had, perhaps foretelling those Jesus would go thru. Paul writing the to church in Philippi summarises how Jesus willingly took on not only human form, but an ignominious death. The gospel lessons describe in almost grisly detail the story Paul neatly summarised. Yet it would not do to omit all those dramatic details - that Jesus predicted all would desert him, that the betrayer Judas committed suicide, that the priests wouldn't touch the "blood money" Judas was paid using it instead to create a "potter's field" for burial of foreigners, the incredibly dramatic paragraph with Jesus final words and death on the cross complete with earthquake and darkness, a final paragraph making clear that the chief priests, sensing their own guilt (remember they demanded Jesus be put to death), hoping to hide their guilt by super-securing Jesus's tomb. So the story of the Passion is indeed incredibly dramatic, but today we are called on to make "sense" of all this (my first reaction). It helped that we received a bit of poetry from a friend living in Turkey who saw the damage and destruction especially at Antakya (as Antioch is called today), noting that the only thing left of the Old City was Paul's cave tomb there (poetically recalling all that Jesus may have been buried in a tomb-like enclosure). Our poet friend wrote of '"The Winters of our Discontent" recalling a Shakespearean title, one of my favourite. This title has always seized me and many others I'm sure with our own problems: here in California our super-sized Winter was for so many was one of floods, children swept-away, drownings. Damage to what we might called (often life-giving) "infrastructure" with impassable roads, many power outages, etc, was such that most of the State is being allowed to postpone filing federal and state taxes for six months - and locally a section of house/carport roof nearly came down and need to be rebuilt. Here at the ranch, our roads were largely washed out, and our lifeline County Road was impassable in so many places a "closed" sign was put up (this doesn't even cover the gaping hole on the steep hillside undermining that Road.) In fact we were unable to attend the funeral of our 104 year old neighbour in town with some of his family stuck at that ranch. Yet in a comparative way, our problems seem minor compare to those in the quake affected parts of the world, with thousands dead in the case of the Antioch area. In that case, the death of just one person duly condemned by authorities of his time on a cross could also seem minor. And yet with much art (poetry and music, wise homiletic words and the liturgies themselves) we hold up that Person's death without "scientifically knowing" that better things than "we can ask or imaging" (from a dismissal in the prayerbook - remember the etymological link we mentioned last week of "Mass" to service , being "dismissed" to go serve) are coming. The very many words of the gospel lessons (the alternate a subset of the other) recall our friend living in Turkey's poem in another way, since he poetically used his visit to the quake area to "shake loose" much of his human past, with imagery of his "Remembrance of Things Past" - seems a good way leading naturally to meditations, and so in part to begin to deal with our problems, be they quakes, serious wintry infrastructure problems, or just the dull ache of continually be stuck inside the house on rainy gray days. So we pray that our own winters of discontent may, as in Shakespeare, be followed by "glorious summer" realising many of our problems are minor, and a shakeup that gives us a hope we are called on to seize with faith - can we do it? Our love to all, Bart (and Tony!) and for all of us at St Matts! Events As is our custom, St Matthew Church in San Ardo will be meeting for Evening Prayer at 4pm while fellow missions St Luke in Jolon and St Mark / San Marcos in King City will have their services Sunday morning, though as of yet we have not heard from either as to exact details - please consult parishioners for details. While this Week of the Passion will include services and other events too numerous to mention here - please go to the websites of the many parishes, synagogues, mosques and other "temples" of spiritual life for their offerings - and note that many are offered as well online - an advantage for those of us with compromised roads), We commend one event that has become a custom in our Diocese, the annual Spring Renewal gathering, this year titled "Courage in the Wilderness". This year it will be in the larger venue of Sherwood Hall in Salinas, April 28-29, an opportunity for worship, thanksgiving and celebration, and shared learning and growth. This event is so in tune with what so many in our diocese having been going thru, it seems worthy of continue mention, so look for it in future editions of the News - and if you can, be there! See more details at https://www.realepiscopal.org/spring-renewal-2023/ and note that it seems a worthy exchange to have this spiritually oriented gathering replace the in-person and sometimes dreary, more business-like diocesan conventions of the past, which are now online. Note at the website, that while the gathering is for personal "feeding with spiritual food", it also includes many ways in which we can "go out to serve" (eg bring donations of needed items, etc)! |
WILLIAM BARTOSH
st. matthews newsWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2024
Categories |