Will you?

There's nothing like a boat-load of baptisms to get you thinking about what it means to be a Christian-person.  Never in 20 years of ministry have I seen or heard of an Episcopal church that had two Sundays back to back with baptisms.  It was a joyful experience seeing the children and the parents as the Church welcomes them in the arms of Christ.  God has shown St. Peter's a vision of what he wants for us.  He has called us to make disciples and baptize them.

I hear the baptismal covenant questions, "Do you believe in God the Father...In Jesus Christ his only Son...in the Holy Spirit?  More and more my answer is yes, I believe.  And as I listen to your experiences out in the world (in our community) the more I see the need for God's love, forgiveness, and God's order. So many people are hurting, especially children who lack parental affections and boundaries.  St. Peter's does an amazing job to feed hungry families.  Even more so, they need love.  We've struggled to find ways to reach people with God's love beyond temporal needs. So, we are asking God to show us how and provide the way.

Making disciples of Jesus Christ is not an easy task.  Many people think that they know Jesus.  He's often treated simply as a nice person who cares about people.  If he were that simple to follow we might truly be a Christian nation that upholds the teachings of Christ.  In reality, we all need to know him more.  Perhaps we know "The church."  We know religion.  We know moral values and codes of behavior, many of which are actually set by the culture or our own inclinations.  We may be prone to follow our own moral compass.  That mentality is often supported by the church.  But God knows that our own compasses are flawed and we need God's revelation and one another to support and correct our flaws.

In the baptismal covenant we're asked, "Do you accept Jesus... as Savior... and again...as Lord.  This series of questions is placed in the proper order.  It is the gentleness of Christ's gift that invites us to be saved by him.  It takes humility to acknowledge that we have sinned and need saving. St. Paul's concern (and that of the baptismal covenant) is that we cannot separate Jesus' Salvific work from his Lordship.  He has purchased us with a great price.  His life!  We cannot call him Savior without also calling him Lord.  And to call him Lord, demands obedience.  That's something we don't like.  Think back to the Garden of Eden.  The first sin is disobedience to a God who tried to keep us safe.  We can only learn obedience through study, prayer, and practice.

What are we to do to call him Savior and Lord?  The baptismal question that helps is: Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?  The response is, "I will, with God's help." What is interesting about the response is that the response is two-fold.  "I will"-is an act of surrender of your will to that of God's.  Obedience.  "With God's help, is not at all the idea that he is coming along side to push us forward.  In actuality, it's acknowledging the very fact that we lack the capacity to perform good works without him.  I can do nothing apart from his help.  When we say, "with God's help." we are saying it is God's action in me that makes it possible to fulfill this promise.  It is God who wakes you up in the morning, has you open your bible to read, and to guide your prayers.  It is God who brings you to the Eucharist to break bread, it is God who directs your heart and mind to fellowship with other believers.  The act of your will is simply to step out of the way and obey God's direction.

Up the mountain to pray

I've been struggling with whether I need to write this article or not, whether to answer questions that may or may-not-be out there amongst you.  But as I want to be transparent I decided it's always best to let you know what is going on in my mind.

I'm about to head out on a period of rest commonly referred to as a sabbatical from August through October. The Protestant Work Ethic in me feels guilty because few professions are allotted this privilege.  And sometimes the privilege is granted begrudgingly. I am so thankful for your grace to grant me this time for renewal.

The best example that I'm able to articulate is to liken clergy sabbatical to that of a teacher's need for summer break.  It takes a great deal of mental, emotional, and physical fortitude to be a teacher dealing with children, parents, and administrators.  Few people would say that teachers do not deserve (nae need) the summer break.   In some kind of parallel, clergy need a break like this every several years.  We carry a great deal of emotional and physical concern for our people and the constant responsibility of being on call is a heavy burden.  Without hesitation I can say that I do need this time of rest.

From the bottom of my heart I am so grateful to St. Peter's for allowing me this privilege.  My expectations is that I will return refreshed and prepared to renew our upward-moving-spirit that was hijacked by mold remediation and the pandemic going back to 2019.  We've accomplished some amazing work in this short amount of time.  Having put our physical house in better order we will need to make new strides in bringing people home to St. Peter's. We need to pray about how to do that.

During this time I will be on spiritual pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela which is the historical burial place of St. James the Great one of the two sons of Zebedee. He was the first apostle to be martyred and was a pillar of the church in Jerusalem during the initial persecutions. I'll be cycling the 500 mile traditional route to his burial place between St. Jean Pied du Port and Santiago in northern Spain.  The trip is somewhat Spartan.  That helps to let go of things that are unnecessary and cling only to what is needed. Lodging is provided mostly by church and civic hostels, and I will spend the days, fasting, moving, and praying the Divine Hours. The time will also be devoted to completing some reading, resting and spending time with Kate.

During this time we've invited several familiar clergy to supply and lead worship on Sundays.  I hope you'll take that opportunity to renew old friendships.  I also encourage you to continue fellowship opportunities.  We have so many resources at St. Peter's that are at our disposal for gatherings.  Continue to build your relationships with one another and invite others to join.  Take initiative to stay connected with folks you haven't seen in a while.  COME TO WORSHIP!  Strengthen your relationship with God and one another.

I'm excited about stepping away.  And I'm excited about coming back.  As I commune with God and as you commune with God let's together ask his will for St. Peter's and how to carry out our ministry to bring others to saving knowledge of the Lord!

A little church history

Did you know that by church law you can't be married to more than one person at a time? There's some really interesting things about the role of the church in keeping marital records.  During the Roman Empire the state generally kept the written records of births, marriages, and deaths of it's citizens.  At some point after the fall of Rome the church (dutiful monks and priests) stepped in to maintain those records, hence the books we still keep today.  Along with baptism and confirmation records we include records of the places and dates of marriages and births.  In some places these records are still considered legal records and can be used to determine identity in the absence of an official state birth certificate.

You may notice in the bulletins lately we published the Banns of Marriage for a couple seeking to be married at St. Peter's.  This custom goes back to the medieval age in which churches were required to publish the banns three weeks prior to the Sunday services in the home churches of the marrying couple.  The announcement was to ensure that there is no legal impediment to their marriage.  Perhaps the groom or the bride is already married one village over. The banns provided a way for the community to be responsible for the preservation of the sacrament of marriage and support the family that might suffer due to the loss of a parent or spouse to an unsuspecting bridal party.

In previous decades not publishing the banns could result in nullifying the marriage by the state and the church.  For us today, the banns have become more of a special announcement, though they still carry the form of legal impediment.

Another tradition of the church that is meaningful but sadly has gone by the wayside is genuflecting. Genuflecting when crossing the altar from right to left or stepping in or out of your pew is a sign of obeisance to the presence of Christ in the Reserve Sacrament.  That is to say that when the red candle that hovers over the altar is lit it is signifying that consecrated bread or wine is present in the aumbry (or tabernacle).  We are assured of Christ Presence in the Sacrament and we may bend the knee (genuflect) or make the solemn bow for those who struggle with bending the knee thus acknowledging the King of kings is in this place.  The only time the candle is extinguished is in the absence of the bread and/or wine.  Generally that takes place between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and is not re-lit until the first Easter service that follows.  

Blessings,

Fr. Stephen+

Our Passover!

Easter was such an amazing experience.  We had over 60 additional people than we expected on Sunday.  It was a packed St. Peter’s.  All of our efforts pulled together to prepare our hearts and minds for God to enter and create an opportunity for folks to rejoice in God’s presence at St. Peter’s.  Jesus lives!

The efforts around Holy Week also create this amazing opportunity for Easter Sunday to be so uplifting.  As I said on Palm Sunday, “When you go down with Jesus in the suffering of Holy Week it makes going up with him on Easter that much greater!”

God was honored in all our prayers, worship, and preparation.  I hope these activities have helped you feel closer to God.  I want to thank the Daughters of the King for folding Palm Crosses, the Altar Guild for setting up, filling candles, and so much more.  For Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, and usher/greeters thank you for being positive in these added services and being the face of our church to new guests.  Ministries to Children and youth have kept them connected which led to several baptism and first communions this season, with prospective confirmations to come.  Thank you for our hospitality teams especially that carried the goodies to the columbarium and garden on Easter Sunday.  People were very welcomed and included.  Thank you to the choir who makes beautiful music to God’s glory.

Thank you, leaders and teams, Kathy Thompson, Nancy Leaton, Mary Mabry, Cornelia Estey, Carol Muegge, Cathy Dawson, Kate Whaley, Chris Hilton, and Joanne Clark. 

We will continue to celebrate the wonderful gifts that God has given to ST. Peter’s.  As we enter the summer season in which we tend to travel a lot.  Don’t lose that fervor for God.  Remember that traveling affords an opportunity to see how other churches do things. 

If you’re traveling visit local churches.  Take their service sheets home with you and share them with us.  If there are things that others are doing that will help St. Peter’s improve let us know.

It’s important to continue to cultivate your life in Christ wherever you go.  Sometimes it will also make you appreciate more the things that we share here at home.  It right and a good thing always to praise God wherever you go.  The Lord is Risen!

Loose Ends

This article has a couple of "housekeeping" items.

I am extraordinarily humbled by the outpouring of prayers, love, and support from my St. Peter's family.  Going all the way back to December you've kept me in prayer when I was under a lot of unexpected stress.  You collected a purse at Christmas which made me speechless, and I had to sit down.  Your gifts were anonymous, and so I can't write you all thank you letters.  But please share with one another my great thank you and appreciation!  With the passing of my father you again have showered me with love and support in my confusion about how to feel and think.  You are quite wonderful St. Peter's, and I love you.

Now logistics.  By now you know I've relocated my office to the upstairs hallway adjacent to the church nave. I communicated my rationale for this move to the vestry months ago, but I assumed it would trickle out to the rest of the congregation.  So much for the trickle down theory.  So folks have asked, "Why did he do that?" 

Sometimes actions without broad explanation can cause confusion and often people fill in the blanks without asking directly.  So, I want to let you know my thinking.  

On Sunday mornings if I wasn't teaching a class I would often head back to my old office to sit down and take a rest.  I often felt so far away from where people were gathering; it's isolating.  And at times, if I forgot something when I'm teaching on a Sunday or weekday I would have to go all the way back to my office to gather that item.  So there was a practical need to get my office closer to where I do ministry.  This is true as well for when I read the Daily Office (Morning Prayer).  I specifically want to be closer to the nave and chapel for prayer.  As St. Peter's expands programmatic ministry I also desire to be closer to the programmatic staff.  That is staff that has hands on work with our people.  It's necessary to work collaboratively with music and Moms Inc. teachers. And as St. Peter's grows we hope to integrate a Family Life position that helps with coordinating teaching children, fellowship, and membership integration. 

As my thinking progressed I realized the natural step then is for administrative work to be joined together with my former office with the administrator and bookkeeper positions.  My old office is now the Wardens' and Treasurer's Office.  Our financial records will be kept there and checks will be generated through this office.  Being placed next to the administrator allows for better records storage and access for the financial coming in and going out.  It seems logical to me that they should be closer in proximity as opposed to separate buildings which they have been in the past. It should also help logistical preparation for our yearly audit. In addition the office is also available for our junior and senior wardens to use for organization and record keeping.  We will also continue to use the office for executive committee (rector, wardens and treasurer) to prepare vestry meeting agendas.

The consequence of this change is that during the weekdays it feels to drop-ins that I am harder to reach.  I understand that it might feel that way.  That is an unfortunate interpretation of what's happening.  I am still very accessible no matter who comes in.  It takes the same number of doors to get to me; it's just a different set of doors.  As always parishioners can be buzzed in through our camera system on the exterior hallway door, or through the columbarium door if you want to avoid stairs.  And folks can call me on my office line or cell phone. Just know, that sometimes I'm visiting hospitals, homes, or out in the community.  It's always good to call first.  But I want to be available to you when needed.  See you Sunday.  

Blessings,

Fr. Stephen+

Your presence is a gift to us.

 It's been engrained in us clergy for 2-3 decades that ASA (Average Sunday Attendance) is the gold standard for the health of  a congregation.  It answers the questions; "how many people are coming on Sunday and how often are they coming?"  Traditional forms of measurements and values have forced us to reconsider how we gauge our parish health even before COVID.  An alternative measure has been financial support. It does provide indicators, but to me it feels mercenary to think of money in that way.  Persons are more important.

We still look at our ASA and go online to keep an eye on how many people are watching our broadcast.  We have to do these things for our canonical obligations to the Episcopal Church.  They want statistics on membership, finances, Sunday School classes and participants, as well as how much we spend on missions work.  Burger King™ does the same thing. These numbers represent a lot of activity, but don't represent the full picture of home and hospital visits, shared conversations amongst friends, prayers heard by only God and you, volunteer hours for internal and external ministries.  There is so much that happens here that we don't measure.  I'm glad about that.

All of this makes me turn to what I am concerned about.  We sense a void  of those of you who we do not see on Sundays or in the food line or in bible study and potlucks.  We completely understand for those of you who don't feel safe yet to come back to church.  I've been struggling to articulate my thoughts about this.  

Of course, I want to see attendance numbers return and exceed pre-COVID amounts.  Numbers feel good and they are something a little more tangible to use for evaluation.  But if I'm honest, even when numbers are high, they have never satisfied me in this regard.  They always leave me wanting more.

This thought brought me to remember the ancient church, how small the household churches were.  There might be 10-15 in the church in a city or village.  If someone didn't come, you missed him or her.

All of this leads me to my conclusion of what that void is.  It is just your presence that is missing.  Paul tells us this in I Corinthians 12.  Each person has a role to play. Your presence among us has an impact on the whole.  When you are absent from the Body we miss you and when each of you is present we are better for it.  We know it will still be a while before we're back to full participation.  But we long for that time.

God's gift

As a child, I loved the smells of this time of year.  In my memory, it always seemed to get cold in December (even though it rarely snowed in Houston). But the coldness brought with it the smell that somewhere, someone was burning wood.  The idea of campfires and fireplaces and cords of wood permeates the season.  The smells and temperature (not so much the wall calendar) pointed to carol singing in the car on the way to celebrate Christmas with my dispersed families in New Braunfels, Corpus Christi, and Old Ocean, Texas.

I love Christmas. I always have.  Presents were always wonderful to get, but I don’t remember most of them.  What I remember and carry with me to this day are family gatherings in Madisonville and Lake Conroe, Brach’s candy wreaths, huge feasts of ham, turkey, and venison, cream cheese on celery stalks, and putting whole black olives on my fingers to eat them one-by-one.  Then followed Christmas games and pranks, charades with the adults and children playing together. 

I remember the current girlfriends of uncles initiated into the family through pranks at Christmas.  I always assumed they would become a part of the family until they didn’t show up the following year.  Love is complicated.

At the shopping mall the signage of the stores used words like, Joy, Peace, Light, Hope, Love…great words!  I believe in these words.

But none of this compares to the incomprehensible depth of what God accomplished at the Incarnation and birth of his Son.  The God and Creator of the Universe stepped into his creation in the most common way.  Your Maker lowered himself to his creatures to bring us up to where he exists.  This simple fact alone should change us, let alone his acts on Calvary.  More than anything else, Christmas is the time to contemplate and be transformed by the depth of God's gift to you.  Let those great words become manifest in your life daily, not just annually.

Church Processions

 I hope you’re as glad as I am to be done with that long 12-part series on Anglicanism.  😊  It was fun to write a series. but that one was particularly long and somewhat heady.  So, let’s get back down to earth.

Is there such a thing as a “recessional” hymn in church parlance?  The common language folks use for when ministers enter the church is to “process” into the church.  And by extension the opening hymn is referred to as “the processional” or “processional hymn.”  In contrast the hymn sung on the way out of church has been referred to and defined by Webster as the “recessional.”  In essence we walk in (proceed) and we walk out (recede.)  But are we really receding?

While in seminary in our first week in liturgics the professor attempted to deconstruct that type of language and insist that we do not recess from church.  Can you feel the eyes rolling in my head?  What does it matter?  Well as people of the prayer book I have to say language and words do matter.

What the professors were trying to get across to us was that we do not recede from church or from the Presence of God.  Especially since, at the end of worship, we have just consumed the Presence of Christ in the Holy Sacrament.  It’s analogous to think of it as Christ going with us and in us into the world.  In fact, when we listen to the words of the post communion prayer, it anticipates that we are proceeding into the world “to do the works thou hast given us to do" or "to do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in.” Then, we should see ourselves as the “Church” (Body of Christ) proceeding into the world to further God’s work where ever he leads us.

Why is this important?  Because liturgy is supposed to shape the way we think about things.  When you leave church, are you thinking about stepping away from God by leaving the building and going out into world?  That’s a reasonable perspective.  

Alternatively, as Jesus stepped (proceeded) into the world to save sinners it would be more in line with his character if we, his followers, understood that we too are proceeding into the world, for the purpose of bearing his gifts into the same.

What is Anglicanism? Prophetic Witness Article 12 of 12

 Prophetic Witness: “The prophet has never been popular among his other contemporaries.  He has been stoned, beheaded, crucified and shot.  If not killed, we have been all too ready to vilify him or her in the name of God, little realizing that it may well be God who sent the prophet to challenge our complacency.” Urban T. Holmes III.

The final article in this series is a call to action.  Holmes concludes his book on Anglicanism with the understanding that the previous chapters lead us to our individual and corporate actions to work in the world.  We are the ongoing fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer “…thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  This is incarnational, making our prayers come to life.

This is an impossible task for one generation of believers so each generation works to move closer and closer to the Kingdom images that Jesus declared.  Our job is to bring the values that Jesus taught into our lives and into the lives of people in the world.

One of the most obvious prophetic voices in the Anglican past was William Wilberforce Anglican layman and parliamentarian who pushed for the end of the English slave trade in the late 1700s until his death in 1833.  Clergy such as John Newton (author of Amazing Grace) who worked as a slave trader until his conversion to Christ empowered Wilberforce to use his voice in the early abolitionist movement.

What happens when the Gospel is truly preached?  What do we expect to hear when the Good News of Jesus Christ is truly preached?  And how should we act in response to it?  Some erroneously, interpret the Gospel to say that the sufferings of this world are simply to be endured by those who suffer, so that their place in heaven can be greater.(As in slavery)  Some interpret the Gospel to say that as we enjoy the luxuries of our economic system this is God’s tacit approval of our religious state and culture. (today called the Prosperity Gospel).  The problem with these two outlooks is that both are static and accept the status quo.  These mentalities do not bring healing to the sick, or freedom to the oppressed as such they do not reflect the mentality of Christ to bring about his Kingdom.  There is something about the Gospel of Jesus that enacts change in persons and subsequently in cultures.

Upon hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ and accepting his gift of God’s grace, love, and life to us, we are changed and desire a change in the lives of the world around us.  Upon hearing this message, a desire within us is awakened to bring about the Kingdom, a longing for heaven here on Earth.

Through history and today, bishops and clergy will often come alongside political movements hoping to affect changes in our culture.  These often come in the passing of legislation, constitutional amendments and the like which have been both freeing and catastrophic for some communities.  The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s certainly helped confront overt racist policies and mentalities in our culture.  At the same time there have injurious effects to the African American family in the last 50 years.  These are not just political talking points.  These are people suffering.

How do we respond to that suffering?  We must first listen.  We must listen to God.  What is God’s desire for all people?  To be reconciled to God and one another.  We must listen to the sufferer.  Give room for him or her to convey the suffering instead of assuming we know what it is and that we can fix it.  Finally, we must work with others to bring about God’s healing and reconciliation for all of us.

What is Anglicanism? Church and State Article 11 of 12

Church and State:  The Church got a big boost in attendance and membership when Constantine legalized and then declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman state (313-323 AD).  You could make a solid argument those acts were simultaneously the Rise and Fall of Christianity.  On one hand it brought to the forefront the values that shaped Western Civilization: honesty, forgiveness, mercy, egalitarianism.  On the other hand, it brought unchallenged earthly power into the movement of the Church for over 1200 years.  Along with faithful leaders, establishment opened the door for godless leaders to wield power in the church.  The marriage of Church and State brought forth philosophies that existed through the Reformation of the 16^th and 17^th centuries.

Erastianism is the belief that when the church and state are united, the state is supreme to the church as regards ecclesiastical (church) matters.  More specifically it has to do with punishment meted out upon the people for violating ecclesiastical laws.  Proponents of this philosophy would be seen as encouraging the state to burn heretics or deny the sacraments to notorious sinners while the church abdicated its role to maintain order in the church. It appears similar to how the Sanhedrin handed Jesus over to the Roman authorities for punishment.

Anglicans have a long history of standing in opposition to the supremacy of the state over ecclesiastic affairs.  St. Dunstan, St. Thomas a Becket, St. Thomas More are known for their desires to purify the church in ways that were not commensurate with the desires of the sitting king.  This often led to martyrdom.  A more modern example can be found in the life of Archbishop Janani Luwum of Uganda.  During Idi Amin’s rise to power Luwum worked with the administration to build unity between various tribal groups including Christian and Muslim tribes.  The archbishop successfully worked with the government to help unify a Christian tribe that threatened to break free from Uganda early in Amin’s administration.  Later, in order to maintain power, Amin used anti-Christian sentiment to bring a wedge between groups and began persecutions.  Realizing Amin’s intentions Luwum and other bishops wrote a letter condemning Amin’s evil actions.  Ultimately these challenges were used to bring charges of insurrection against the bishops who were summarily murdered. 

What this history points to isn’t so much a picture of political unity between the church and state. It acknowledges that there are times for the sake of the Gospel of Christ when bishops, clergy, and Christian laity must stand in opposition to the abuses of the state.  That line is clearest when the state is totalitarian, persecuting or murdering innocent people.

History has seen Anglicans take on roles within politics. This is revealed in the prominent roles of the founding fathers and presidents of our country.  Many (not all) stood in opposition to the felt totalitarianism of King George III.  Controversially, many Episcopalians (e.g. Robert E. Lee, Leonidas Polk-Bishop of Louisiana) stood in opposition to the government of the United States during the American Civil War.  The point here isn’t that these people were right or wrong in their cause.  Often these examples were balancing conflicting values and loyalties.

The point is that Anglicans understand that personal faith has a role in shaping culture and society.  The instruments of government (particularly representative government) are molded by individuals to achieve those higher values that faith upholds.  Those values are enlightened by God through our conversation with Holy Scripture and one another.

What is Anglicanism? Mission article 10 of 12

During the Second World War allied pilots that were downed in the Melanesian Islands of the Pacific were initially fearful of the native people.  The natives were lightly clothed, carried primitive tools, and with uncut hair matched the stereotypes learned in grade school about savages.  The Allies were surprised to find the Melanesians were a very gentle people, who took them in, bandaged their wounds, and hid them from the Japanese.  These Melanesians were Christian and were the legacy of Anglican Missionaries in the previous century. 

In 1841 at the age of 14, John Coleridge Patteson was inspired by the Bishop to New Zealand, George Augustus Selwyn.  Patteson set a course toward ministry and missions to the other side of the world.  He committed his life to ordained ministry and in 1853 made his way to the missionary regions of New Zealand under the episcopacy of Selwyn. 

Building schools, he focused on the education of the young.  That primitive setting was plagued with various diseases. So, at times a school cafeteria became a hospital from which he would later bury adults and children alike.  He cared for them all.  Expanding his ministry with a boat dubbed the Southern Cross his journey brought him to the Loyalty Islands where he quickly befriended native peoples communicating in 30 different languages, fluent in 5 or 6.  He was known as a friend to all the people, and one who came from a Christian caring community.

Upon Selwyn’s call to the Bishopric of Lichfield, Patteson took his place as bishop of New Zealand.  Along with his episcopal duties he continued his island hopping campaigns through1871 when he landed on the island of Nukapu.  In an optimistic letter penned to Selwyn the night before landing he expressed his hope that the opportunity would finally open for this island to hear the gospel.  Bishop Patteson was killed the next day, not for preaching the gospel but rather as retribution for an unrelated labor kidnapping from the island of Fiji.  Almost a hundred years later the church he established was still thriving and ministering.

Patteson was one of many Anglican missionaries who brought the gospel to various new peoples: Patrick to the Irish, Boniface to the Germans, Willibrord to the Frisians to name a few. “The British are a traveling people.”

After the Reformation, Missions in the Anglican tradition took two main pathways, one to the British dispersion and two, through Missionary Societies.   Missionaries to the British dispersion function still today in traditional ways as parish priests working to grow English speaking congregation in Europe, the Americas, and the other habitable continents.  On the other hand, missionary societies were established to target various regions and populations of non-Anglo groups in Africa, South America, Asia, and Oceana.  These Anglican groups distinguished themselves as high and low churchmanship, Protestant and Anglo-Catholic.

In 1837 The Episcopal Church in the United States dispelled with the complexities of multiple missionary societies naming itself The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States.  It’s first missionaries were sent to Persia where a small Anglican community existed up to 1979 when the Islamic Revolution outlawed Christianity.  Their witness has added to the count of martyrs in recent decades.  The visible church along with its bishop is currently in exile. 

Missionary work in the Anglican tradition is about bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people in need.  Missionary work uses temporal needs as a medium for the message of salvation through Jesus.

 

What is Anglicanism: Spirituality article 9 of 12

 

Spirituality:  “I’m spiritual but not religious.” I encounter that phrase in a lot of pop cultural settings.  To be honest what I take from that phrase is: I like the concept of God, but I don’t want to be bothered with doing anything about it.  It’s helpful to actually have working definitions of these words. 

Religion is best understood to be the actions that you habitually do as a person.  We are all religious as human beings.  Perhaps you religiously shop at HEB or always buy your gas at the same gas station.  When it comes to faith you religiously attend Sunday service, you kneel, make the sign of the cross, receive communion.  Out of devotion during the week you talk to God, you read scripture, you volunteer at the food pantry, the choir, or the altar guild.  These are a part of a variety of religious actions, and they reflect how we offer God our devotion, and we benefit from these actions in the spiritual sense.

The spiritual is the benefit of these actions.  When you pick up your groceries at HEB you are satisfied with the completion of shopping and having a full pantry again.  When you set the altar in preparation for the following day’s worship you are satisfied/blessed with knowledge that you have done service for God.

The Christian who says, “I’m spiritual but not religious” does not quite understand the meanings of the words.  One cannot receive the benefit of spiritual blessing without some action that has brought about the benefit whether it is our action or God’s action in us.  Even meditation in some of its forms is a religious practice in which you sit and “do nothing” yet receive a spiritual blessing because you’ve taken time to be with God.  This is where spiritual growth takes place, encountering God in these intentional religious moments or actions.

The Anglican tradition understands the spiritual life is one in which we experience God’s presence in our lives and in the world.  Urban Holmes summarizes Anglican Spirituality as sharing four common attributes. 

First, Anglican Spirituality is earthy.  God reveals himself in the material world, through gardens, sky colors, flickering candles, flowing water.  Simple elements of our daily life exhibit the Divine Hand at work.  Secondly, in liturgical prayer God shows his presence through the human senses of Sight (colors of glass, icons, architecture), Sound (recitation of prayer and song), Smell (incense), Taste (bread and wine), Touch (kneeling, bowing, sign of the cross).  Anglican spirituality is intended to engage the Body and the Mind.

The third attribute of Anglican Spirituality is reliance on biblical imagery.  Holmes describes the Bible as our poetry.  It is more than a guidebook of rules on living our lives wholesomely.  It is a collection of texts that transcends cultures, time, and geography in which God reveals himself.  The final attribute of Anglican Spirituality is that it is collaborative.  We may pray or meditate individually and receive blessing.  But Anglicanism calls us to corporate (bodily) religious actions in order to fulfill the church’s role on earth.  We come together with our different experiences of God and work for the fulfillment of the Kingdom that Jesus established while he walked the Earth.

What is Anglicanism: Pastoral Care article 8 of 12

Pastoral Care:  Talking about pastoral care in the Anglican tradition moves us away from doctrinal teaching to a moving target.  I continue to use Urban T. Holmes’ comments and structure for these articles but here we diverge into concepts more felt than understood.  Modern applications for pastoral care tend to be shaped more toward individual clergy and congregational personalities.  Pastoral care could mean the preaching of modern social issues to the congregation to form or breakdown opinions about the culture.  Pastoral care can be the visitation of homes and hospitals for the sake of connecting or supporting parishioners. It can simply be the availability of a minister to the people of the congregation.

In his book on Anglicanism, Holmes tells the story of Margaret Dudley Binns (1884-1968).   The young woman’s husband was a priest who died on his way to his first cure (care of a parish) in Appalachia.  Rather than return home to New York, Margaret began serving the people that she and her husband were called to minister.  She later completed studies for the order of deaconess (sic) and spent her life and ministry establishing a school, Sunday schools, and giving health talks in the impoverished lumber and coal regions around Nora, Virginia.  At the core of her work was the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  She not only understood what she was doing, but why she was doing it.  Knowledge, health, and love were the vehicles on “Dismal Mountain” that would open the hearts and minds of folks to hear the saving message of Christ.  Holmes views the ministry of Deaconess Binns as a foundation for conceptualizing the Church’s pastoral care.  Simply, we learn and understand the temporal needs of the community around us, and we work to satisfy those needs for an opportunity to authentically share the life-giving message of Jesus Christ.  That Good News provides a timeless promise of God’s peace that begins in this life and carries us through death into heaven.  The ministry we commit is out of a love that desires to pass on the love that has been given to us from God.

According to Holmes, Anglicanism doesn’t divide the world into sacred and profane.  Anglicanism views the world as a single entity with multiple facets that need the love of God.  Every aspect of creation requires the love of God.  He suggests that “politics, economics, industry, business, recreation, as well as our private lives are the arena for pastoral concerns for the church.”  Here I diverge a little from his emphasis in that I would place our private lives at the forefront of the need for reform.  I recall reading Abp. William Temple’s teachings on social justice.  His comments were in effect, if you wish to create a world in which people are treated and fed equally you must convert men (sic) to the Christian faith.  His point being that despite political efforts, if all members of society were to behave as Jesus, we would in effect have ushered in the Kingdom of Heaven.  None-the-less we find in Anglicanism diverse pathways (education, food, water, etc.) to convey the gospel to the world while filling temporal needs. 

I offer a cautionary note at this conclusion.  Diversity is an extremely popular word for a lot of good reasons.   But in the context of diversity of approaches to sharing our gospel message it’s important to understand that smaller institutions (congregations) will wear themselves thin trying to do too many things at once.  Staying focused in a specific area of ministry will make a congregation most effective and bring forth growth.  Diversity comes in allowing space for other congregations or individuals to step into their role to fulfill God’s call for them.

What is Anglicanism: The Episcopacy article 7 of 12

 

What is the episcopacy? The English word episcopal is taken from the Greek επίσκοπος (epis-kopos) which literally means, overseer. In English the word evolved from bisceop to bishop. 

In the ancient church the overseer was the head of a local congregation much like we think of as a rector today.  The office is attested to in Scripture in Ss. Peter and Paul’s letters and the Book of Acts.  Tradition holds that the office of bishop was an unbroken chain of authority passed down from the apostles by the laying on hands and the confirmation of having seen the risen Christ.  Therefor the office of bishop was also an apostolic ministry (to be “sent”) responsible for proclaiming the gospel.

During the first 300 years of the Christian movement the church grew rapidly.  At times, a congregation needed to subdivide for worship and fellowship due to persecutions, geographical distances, as well as the lack of large meeting spaces.  As a sign of the unity between these congregations the episkopos remained the head of these regional gatherings.  Presbyters (elders) and deacons (servants) were given charge in the overseer’s absence.

When the church became the established religion of the Roman empire congregations grew to the point that the office of bishop was distinct from direct congregational leadership.  Although, he remained the pastoral, administrative, and unifying symbol of the various congregations.

Over the centuries we have inherited a great wealth of writings, sermons, and teachings from the collective works of these pastors and theologians.  Unfortunately, we have also seen how the unscrupulous have risen to abuse the authority and resources for which this office is responsible.

The question of the role of bishop was a large part of restructuring Protestant churches during the Reformation.  Congregational churches opted to dispel the office entirely opting for local and democratic control.  Others who believe in a more universal connectivity of the church maintained the office of bishop as that symbol of unity.

The modern Episcopal Church in the United States made its declaration at its founding by naming itself Episcopal after the American Revolution separated the Church of England from its former colonies. 

The role of a bishop today carries similar expectations of chief pastor for his or her diocese. While the bishop delegates to local clergy the celebration of sacraments those functions actually belong to the bishop’s ministry by proxy.  The office continues to be a sign of connectedness to other Episcopalians and Anglicans throughout the diocese and internationally.

What is Anglicanism: The Liturgy article 6 of 12

During the upheaval of the Reformation, Anglicanism was shaped heavily under the reign of Elizabeth I.  Known as the Elizabethan Settlement, the queen’s parliament passed acts controlling the role of government in church matters and the uniformity of worship for the church.  The former subsequently failed under various successive monarchs while the latter still exists in theory today with the use of the Book of Common Prayer.  What the queen was striving for at the time was outward visible unity of worship without delving into conformity of belief.  This was in a context in which the church and state in England was greatly divided between Roman Catholic and Reform Protestant thought.  It’s important to understand that at that point in history, the idea that there could be more than one church was inconceivable.  This resulted in strenuous efforts to hold competing ideologies together under one roof.

The Book of Common Prayer establishes that unity-of-worship within the church so that wherever one goes to worship, he or she can participate in the liturgy.  Liturgy is taken from a Greek compound word (ergos+laos) which means “The Work of the People.” 

Before I write about what liturgy is, it’s important to understand what it ought not to be.  Liturgy can easily become rote.  We can fall into the rut of going through the motions without it having any meaning.  We can worship the liturgy itself instead of the God that it is directed toward.  We see this happen when change is made to the liturgy and people become up-in-arms.  It must be made clear that the liturgy is there to provide us with a way to worship God corporately (together), as opposed to individually.  It is the means to God and not the end itself.

When liturgy works well it impacts the spiritual growth of a person and it connects people to God.  The shape of the service did not just happen by accident.  Consider the Sunday liturgy: The entry into worship with processions (coming into God’s presence), the reading of Scripture (God speaking to us) our responses in prayers and declarations of faith and trust in God, God’s absolution and affirmation of his love for us all, finally culminating in the re-presentation of God’s sacrifice reminding us of God’s love on the Cross and our participation.  At the end we are sent out to spread that Love into the world. 

All of these actions are microcosms of the Incarnation, bringing to Life the story of our faith in the current moment.  So that when we say, “Therefore with Angel and Archangels and all the company of heaven we sing this hymn…” we are actually mindful that we are standing at the foot of God’s throne and joining the whole Communion of Saints in realms above and here on earth to sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy…”  When we engage our heart, mind, body, and spirit we are in the presence of God.

The liturgy expresses the place where God’s people are and attempts to move them closer to God.  It is the reason why regular attendance in corporate worship is critical to the development and growth of the Christian person. It is also the reason why it is necessary at times for liturgy to change or adapt.  People change, the liturgy must adapt to theirs changes while at the same time stay connected to God, who does not change.

Finally, liturgy is the foundation for our way of life together.  Liturgy is shaped by our beliefs and at the same time it shapes our beliefs.  It is what we do together to worship God.

What is Anglicanism: Church and Sacraments article 5 of 12

For a thousand years (from the 4th century to the 1500s) the Church was closely tied to European political powers. On the continent, 16th Century Protestants attempted to reform the church which they deemed corrupted by worldliness and papal abuses. Ultimately these reforms lead to doctrinal differences and were followed by splits in the Western church. At that time in England, King Henry VIII, a proponent of hierarchy, defended the papacy. That is, until he infamously declared himself Head of the Church in England. Contrary to what is widely taught as a divorce, Henry had requested an annulment on theological grounds; this request was rejected by the pope due to international political pressures. Theologically, Henry was very much a catholic and his only intention was to remove England from under the authority of the Pope in Rome.

Subsequent heirs of Henry were influenced by Reform and Roman Catholic theologians resulting in a tug-of-war between ideologies for power. Decades of back-and-forth, was often violent resulting in years of civil war involving the church, the crown, and the right of the people to rule the nation. When the smoke finally cleared a constitutional monarchy was established and greater lenience was given in religious life.  

Decidedly, the church would be more Reform in its doctrine and practices and retain the catholic structures of priests and bishops. Reform influence significantly deconstructed the liturgy and sacramental life of the church in England. Worship emphasized preaching, prayers, and reading of Scripture but neglected much of the ritual of the church regarding it as "popery."

By the 19th century many perceived a considerable apathy in the life of the church. In response the Oxford Movement arose writing tracts defending many traditions of the church that had been rejected at the Reformation. These “Tractarians” began to emphasize the sacraments and liturgy as the way that God conveys grace to his people. As this was a recovery of catholic theology and practices, it was met with resistance within the Church as well as the state. The Tractarians worked to restore Liturgical Beauty in the worship of God, hoping to reflect God’s Kingdom here on earth. Their theology embraced the belief that the Church itself is a sacrament of God.

In the same way that Christ is Present in the Bread and Wine of Holy Eucharist so he is also Present in his Church, the Body. This has tremendous significance for each Anglican person because together we are the Body. So it follows, that when others see the Church they should see Christ. This is the nature of a sacrament; it is the presence or grace of God in common things. The Church, the people of God, is the continuing Incarnation of Christ on earth until his return.

The Church, being the first sacrament conveys God’s grace to the world. Of the Sacraments, Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist are cardinal, both given to the Church in Scripture by Christ Jesus himself. Baptism is the entrance into the Body of Christ, and in it we identify with Christ in his death and his resurrection. Through the waters of baptism our old lives have died and our new life is in Christ Jesus. In the Eucharist we are re-presented with the sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf. We are joined with him and given freedom from our fallen state.

Anglicans accept that there are other sacraments known to the church, confirmation, reconciliation (confession), Holy Matrimony, unction, and ordination. These rites are found in Scripture as well and are outlined in the liturgies of the Book of Common Prayer

Anglicans also accept that God works his grace in other ways that reflects sacramental theology. As the church is the first sacrament then those blessings such as the life of a child or the joy in creation also have been known to be called sacramental.

What is Anglicanism: The Incarnation article 4 of 12

In the 20th century, a famous Lutheran theologian quoted many-times-over stated, “the Anglican heresy is the Incarnation.”  Whether the statement was intended to be an insult or an objective declaration it points out that Anglicanism is trying very hard to bring Heaven to earth.  "Thy kingdom come...on earth as it is in heaven."  

When we consider “heresy” in the ancient church it usually involves elevating a certain teaching of the church at the expense of other teachings.  “…at the expense” is the key. Heresy was often an imbalance of teaching in the church.  The critique here is that Anglicans are prone to elevate the Incarnation over perhaps the Atonement that is Christ’s sacrificial work, redemption on the cross.  In contrast other denominations elevate the Atonement at the expense of the Incarnation.   For example, the imbalance looks like this:  Missionaries go to convert individuals to the Christian Faith but are not concerned with whether the people have running water, food, or medicine.  The criticism of Anglicanism is that we focus on temporal justice and needs at the expense of personal conversion to faith.

But what is the Incarnation? Most Christians turn specifically to Christmas and the Birth of Jesus.  In Anglicanism the Doctrine of Incarnation is a broad image of God’s purpose for Life.  Rather than that singular moment in history the Incarnation is about the process that brings diverse life to God’s creation. 

The Creation story itself is the initial act of Incarnation in which God speaks into the dark void and from that comes Life. (Genesis 1)  The Christmas event is the second most significant moment in which God speaks into the darkness and from it Life emerges and the Life is the Light of man. (John 1) Anglicanism support the Christian doctrine that God’s Created Order is good (as God states in Genesis), and according to Genesis there was a fall from that goodness. 

Believing that Creation was good and brought forth life, then acting in opposition to that reality is what we call sin.  Sin takes on individual as well as societal forms.  We can commit some act against God’s design as a person but also endorse actions that harm others.  Sin is rebellion against God and God’s purpose of Life.

The Incarnation recognizes sin as evil in the world.  In fact, the world itself has been corrupted by evil and yet God steps into the darkness and shines light with the intention of restoring the world.

For Anglicans speaking into darkness and acting as Light in the world reflects our work to bring about Life.  This is important because the modern world functions in an opposite way.   The modern world takes life and uses it for work.  This is backwards.  Our work should bring the sense of fulfillment, joy, satisfaction all the positive attributes of life.  The purpose of our life is not meant to uphold work and the systems of this world that exploit work.  Modern people today are enslaved by the unhappiness of life because their actions do not work toward life, rather theirs actions are geared toward going through motions of life and not receiving the benefits of it. God created us to enjoy him  and his creation, not to be enslaved by the expectations of this world.

Finally, as Anglican followers of Jesus our role is to turn that way of living around.  Jesus himself is the model for life.  The work he accomplished during his life on Earth from conception to the cross was for the purpose of life (the resurrection).  From Christmas to Easter the Logos (Word) of God embraced life in this world.  The Supreme Being walked amongst creatures as one of them, participating in the humblest ways from bodily functions and smells to hunger, anger, love, betrayal, joy.  Jesus (the Word of God) experienced every aspect of what it means to be a human and it culminated in unjust punishment and death. Anglicanism acknowledges and dare I say embraces the fullness of humanity to accept the Incarnation (the good of Creation) and the Cross (the pain of Creation) as the models for how humans live between joy and sorrow, happiness, and toil until that Day when God fully restore the Creation described in the Book of Revelation.

Our work then is to live a life that enjoys and reflects God's glory and beauty while still living in this broken world with all of its flaws. 

Rector's Annual Address and Report January 24, 2021

20+C+M+B+21

The Lord be praised.    Last year I began this report with the sentiment that we had endured several struggles in the latter part of 2019 specifically, staffing changes and the beginning of our remediation work.  Having solid plans on how to address those issues as well as new relationships in the community and early stewardship preparation, it appeared that 2020 was only going to get better...

Well...the Lord thinks very highly of our parish's ability to endure.  2020 has been a year of memories that we will never forget, no matter how badly we want to, or how hard we try.  But 2020 is now hindsight.

I will not try to prophecy that 2021 will be better.  But by the grace of God and the love of Jesus Christ, and the faith of St. Peter we have come through this unprecedented year with flying colors.  Once again I praise God to be your rector and priest.  

We have accomplished so much together.  Unfortunately, our proximity due to COVID has not allowed us to see much of it.  But let's touch on these things.

In 2019 we established a Music Director Search Committee which found and promoted Gavin Craig to me in order to appoint him as our Interim Music Director.  Gavin was a great person with flexibility to help us make transitions during the onset of COVID from in-person worship to online.  We pivoted from pipe organ and nave to piano and parish hall. He was professional, faithful, and a pleasure to work with.  And he was very knowledgeable about the Anglican musical tradition.  Gavin let us know early that he would not be able to make this position his permanent calling.  And so the committee reconvened as much as possible during the COVID pandemic to renew the search for the permanent position.  Having looked at several quality applications, God dropped a pearl into our email inbox.  Jo Clark applied for our permanent position in the middle of the year.  With her experience and qualities of musicianship our search committee found in her an incredible fit to the variety of choral and instrumental musicianship that will continue in the tradition that St. Peter's is accustomed.  She jumped to the top of the list and never left.  With their recommendation I appointed Jo as Music Director of St. Peter's and we work very well together.  I express my sincere appreciation to the committee:  Dr. Wendy Bergin, chair, the late Lloyd Behm, Beth Appel, Roger Ross, Amy Schramm, and Chris Hilton.

Also carrying over from 2019 was the beginning of this epic remediation and renovation journey.  We held off starting that work until after January of 2020.  Preparations were made and begun to clean the church facilities.  As we entered the project we started to see glimpses of the pending COVID pandemic with its restrictions and limitations.  After three Sundays in Lent (two of which were online Morning Prayer) St. Peter's closed the nave and shifted worship to the new parish hall. With this came the necessary and rapid familiarization with Audio/Video Equipment, Facebook and YouTube platforms and streaming software.  Without the wisdom and knowledge of Chris Hilton we would have floundered.  I've reviewed our Service Book and found that we completed a great number of Morning Prayer and Liturgy of the Word services as we worked to prepare a COVID protocol of safe health practices.  Dcn Carol was instrumental in helping provide that document and I value her wisdom and experience.  We submitted that document to the bishop's office for approval.  It was very difficult to not have Holy Week and Easter Services.  We suspended many of our beloved traditions in light of concerns of reducing spread of the virus.

The vestry determined at that time to unfetter our contractors to work throughout the church in order to more thoroughly clean our building.  As they did so we unfortunately discovered a deeper need for cleaning that necessarily expanded the scope of our remediation project.  What we thought would be a remediation and restoration project unexpectedly became a major renovation project.  There are many people to give thanks for.  For their hands on work: I express my appreciation to Charles  L. Schubert as senior warden who has steadily guided this process with a strategic governance keeping the project moving and protecting the resources of our parish.  He has often talk me down from anxiety.  I thank Pam Schubert for lending Charles to us when he could have been home more.  I thank Brenda Squyres as Treasurer of St. Peter's who has guarded our financial bookkeeping between our operations budget, renovation budget, diocesan and federal grants to bring us to the end of a very difficult year with a budget that is very close to balanced.  To Jeff and Beth Appel who have poured more sweat equity into the renovation work than any other, my eyes swell.  When we discovered the dangerous electrical situation with our church lighting Chris Hilton dedicated his time to build a lighting plan that would be efficient and flexible. He spent many hours forty feet in the air giving his time to our church.  Thank you Molly and John Henry for lending him to us. For the thousands of little things that have been done and that are still needed to be completed I am thankful for those who volunteer their time to make St. Peter's a beautiful church inside and out.

There are still some things that need to be accomplished.  As I write we are resetting the nave for worship.  I express my deep appreciation to Mary Mabry and the altar guild.  They have kept us in order with the most basic things needs for our worship.  God has been praised because of their service.  I thank Cornelia Estey for her faithfulness and patience in assigning lectors and LEMs even when there were moments when we have had to change our worship plans she has been faithful.

We are resetting the parish hall for groups that meet such as AA and Exercise Group.  The beautiful and clean classrooms are being set up.  The Activity Hall (Old Parish Hall) has been used as a clean storage room.  That area will receive a new ceiling.  Some areas will need to be refloored just as general maintenance demands.  We have made great strides in improving our campus.  But there are still many smaller things to do.  COVID restrictions make these tasks more difficult to accomplish as we are not able to have general invitations to help with these things.  So the weight of it falls on a few individuals.  I would like to thank Amy Schramm and my wife Kate for taking on many of these items.  Like others, both are doing this in addition to their daytime ministries and out of love for our parish.  

Pastor's wives rarely get the recognition that they deserve.  Out of a sense of humility we do not wish to bring inordinate attention nor to unseemly inflate a sense of importance.  But I will take this paragraph to tell you what a servant of God Kate Whaley is. Not only does she sing in the choir and help in these efforts of building restoration, she prays daily, reads scriptures daily.  She is mindful of the concerns of parishioners and lifts them up.  And most especially she prays for and tolerates me when I am frustrated at how long these things take.  She listens to my concern over the processes of capital campaigns and stewardship campaigns and operations budgets...

And so to budgets...In 2019 I asked you to put St. Peter's first in terms of Stewardship.  In January 2020 we saw strong pledge numbers and commitments that reflected positively on that message.  By April and May with the anxiety presented by COVID I honestly did not know what to expect for the remainder of this year.  We anticipated and realized a shortfall in unpledged income that was offset by a diocesan required PPP Loan application and two diocesan assessment relief grants.  But your pledges remained very strong and very faithful through the end of the year.  At the time of this writing we are within two percentage points of our committed revenue.  In a year like this it is a testimony to your faith and obedience.  Thank you for those attributes; I hope that they are seeds that grow your faith.  At the same time we have managed to mark over a $160,000 toward our capital campaign for the renovation work.  All of this has been under the isolation of COVID.  I see God's hands have moved around us.

Building on the financial procedures put in place by Martin Coles we had hoped to get a jump start on our stewardship work for 2021.  We wanted a budget to present by August/September with the stewardship drive in October.  With all the additional financial balancing we were not able to match that schedule.  Subsequently materials went out in November and follow up materials went out in January for stewardship.  That delay was also due to me acquiring COVID in late December.  We are entering 2021 with some uncertainty as to committed income.  The vestry is monitoring this closely and will make budgetary adjustments at the first quarter as needed.  It is the desire of the vestry to balance the budget and honor the contributions that are made both toward the operations of the church as well as our renovation expenses.

 

There is so much to be thankful for at St. Peter's.  I continue to feel the prayers of the Daughters of the King and others who pray for me and our church.  Thank you to our vestry for their prayers and hard work in all of this upheaval.  For the few special events we were able to have such as the Pet Blessing, I'm thankful to Cathy Dawson for organizing that effort.  I wish to thank the staff in other ways.  Carol Muegge continues to send out information about the parish to stay in the consciousness of our town.  Pam Knebel has tried to stay connected with our youth which has been very difficult, even our Baptist friends have struggled at this.  She managed to coordinate a socially distanced gathering.  And Suzzanne who continues to keep our financial numbers in order and reported has stayed faithful to that task.  And I'm sure that as I write this, I am forgetting something or someone that has helped in some way.  I wish to say thank you.

As we move into 2021 I hope that we stay connected with one another.  I look forward to seeing your faces each Sunday especially as vaccines are more widely available.  

Iwant to close with a growing point for St. Peter's.  My biggest area of concern for our church as we move forward is a transformative need to become a church not simply of welcome, but more of a church of invitation.  As people emerge from their COVID foxholes, shell-shocked from isolation and perhaps fear, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the balm that brings peace and restoration. I hope that as we rise from this period we become more than a friendly or welcoming church.

I hope God makes us a "Come with me to my church" type of church.  People will meet Jesus here when we bring them.  And that is the greatest gift we have for the world.

 

The Lord bless you all.

Faithfully in Christ,

Fr. Stephen+

Necrology

It is with faith in Jesus Christ and his resurrection we say farewell to those who have died in 2020

Gordon Moore

Marilyn Sanders

Bess Burch

Billye Faust

Quin Kroll

What is Anglicanism: The Bible article 3 of 12

 

When approaching biblical interpretation Anglicans (as well as others) have incorporated literary techniques that aid in the study of the bible.  Historical criticism is a structure that attempts to explore the variety of experiences within the writing, recording, and editing of the Old and New Testament.  Exploration of the history of a geographic region is likely to have an impact on how a biblical writer tells the story.

These same techniques of study help to makes sense of biblical texts when the quality of writing changes from very formal language to more colloquial language in the same manuscript.  This form of critiquing the text allows us to see that some texts were spliced together over time to become one larger text such as the Prophet Isaiah.

The ability to study scripture in this way gives us insight to who is writing the text and to what type of people the texts are written.

Historical criticisms allow us to hold in tension those aspects of the bible that seem to conflict internally.  For example, in creation we are told that Adam and Eve have three sons.  And later they are expected to be fruitful and multiple.  Where do their wives come from? We are left without a clear answer if we are only allowed to believe that this text is a history of human reproduction.  (We may find that the bible is not trying to answer questions that we have for it.)

The bible also records the culture around the time that it is written to persuade and convey the listener.  The use of the word, “Logos” in John’s gospel is thought to appeal to the Greek philosophical tradition that put high importance on the reason and logic of the gods.

Taken in this perspective the bible is not merely a rubric of to-dos that faithful people must follow to gain relationship with their Creator.  It is more akin to a tapestry of experiences of the God of creation that express a broad picture of the diversity of humanity across an expansive geography and centuries of time.  The tapestry presents a uniform revelation of God and humanity’s place next to that God.

Anglicanism takes in all of these different perspectives that at times reveals logical conflicts or presents paradoxes.  At the same time Anglicanism doesn’t surrender to the extremes of throwing out the texts as archaic or superstitious nor embracing such a literal application of every text that we amputate our hands or pluck out our eyes when these things cause us to sin as recorded in the gospel.

It is because the Scripture contains such breadth about God and humanity the Anglican custom is to be familiar with the entirety of the bible.  Where as some theological traditions may focus on doctrines supported within Paul’s letters or to study holy living in accordance with the Mosaic Law. Anglicanism is inclined to read routinely the whole of Scripture in course through the Sunday and Daily readings of the church calendar.  In the wholeness Anglicans are then shaped as an orphaned, adopted, fallen, redeemed people and person of God.

At the heart of an Anglican’s approach to the bible is that the story of God and his people has the ability to change the lives of the people who read it.

What is Anglicanism: Authority in the Church Article 2 of 12

“Authority” in the Church is the system we use to make decisions when confused about God’s work in the world and how we fit into that work.  Differing Christian traditions use different systems and they vary. 

In the Roman church with its “magisterium,” the Pope and bishops are empowered within the bounds of Scripture and tradition to declare new teaching.  In some Protestant traditions, the individual Scripture reader guided by the Holy Spirit is given a form of authority. In more charismatic Protestantism the individual guided by the Holy Spirit alone is given a direct authority. 

Anglicanism is distinct from these examples though each of these expressions can be found within modern Anglicanism.  Classical Anglicanism articulated by Richard Hooker in the sixteenth century upholds an inherited structure whose authority balanced the voices of Scripture, Traditional interpretation, and contemporary reason.  If we think of this union as a musical chord: Scripture is the melody, while tradition is the dominant, and reason is the subdominant harmonies.  They work together making music; at the same time there is hierarchy in the authority.

Holy Scripture is accepted to be the received self-revelation of God testified through God’s relationship with his people.  It is authoritative in conveying God’s intentions for creation and it describes the fallen nature and subsequent restorative plan of creation.  This self-testimony from God is given with the purpose of teaching God’s people how to relate to God. Classical Anglicanism therefore would not teach anything contrary to Scripture.  However, this does not mean that Anglicans reject things that exist outside the influence of the biblical record. For example, the Amish do not drive automobiles.  Anglicans are not likely to reject driving an automobile simply because Jesus walked everywhere.

Tradition in its place of authority is intentionally secondary to Scripture.  Tradition is something that emerges from the experiences of God’s people and is then captured in the practices and understanding of the church.  Tradition is time dependent. It walks for decades and centuries within and alongside Scripture but might not be specifically articulated in Scripture.  For example, the dogma of the Holy Trinity is alluded to in Scripture.  It is present in words like Father, Son, Holy Spirit, One God.   It is the center of our understanding of the nature of God, but it was not articulated and received universally until the Councils of Nicea and Constantinople.

Reason is critical to articulate in this chord of authority because reason or logic is very much a part of God’s stamped image in us.  To be reasonable beings is to make use of that seed of self-awareness that God implants in every human.  It is from God that proceeds our creativity, consciousness, and cognition…our ability to rationalize.  Reason allow us to look at nature and see God's handiwork and contemplate our role in that handiwork.  With reason comes caution.  Reason can often be corrupted by opinion, bias, emotion, the fallenness of humanity.  Therefore, it finds its proper place relative to Scripture and Tradition.

It is through these attributes of authority that Anglicans seek to work alongside God in his creation.  It means subordinating ourselves to a shared system that helps move us all walking in the footsteps of God.