Last Sunday (Pentecost 19, Year A, October 19, 2014)
October 26 – 9:00am, Holy Eucharist, Rite I (Bring a can of soup for the Village Harvest Food Ministry)
October 26 – 10:00am, Godly Play
October 26 – 10:00am, Bible Miniseries in the Parish House
October 26 – 11:00am, Morning Prayer, Rite II, Pentecost 20 (Bring a can of soup for the Village Harvest Food Ministry)
This Sunday at St. Peter’s – Servers, Readings
All Saints Remembrances
The All Saint’s Day Service is Nov 2.
Email Catherine by Monday, Oct. 27 with the names of those who have died in the past year that you would like to have remembered.
Beginning Oct 26 at 10am! Bible Miniseries
This is a 10 hour mini-series that we will begin showing and seeing how much interest there is.
Drop by for some coffee and a snack and watch the series before the 11am service.
More information on the series, originally shown on the History Channel is here. Many great stories are covered – Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Daniel, Miracles of Jesus, etc.
The Tablets, Part 2 – Problems and Solutions
Part 1 on the history of the tablets is here
On Sept 18, 2014 L. Cleo Mullins of the Richmond Conservation Studio visited the church for the purpose of an examination of the tablets and proposing solutions due to problems she uncovered. Her resume is here.
Her full report is here along with a gallery of photos. The following is a summary of her report from her own words based around the problems she found and suggested next steps:
Problems
1. Moisture and earthquake(s)
The altarpiece and the wall to which it is attached have suffered from moisture damage due to leaks along the roof flashing and most recently, due to shaking and settling of the building due to earthquakes.
There are cracks in the wall and plaster framework, which should be addressed.Recent damage due to earthquakes has caused fracturing in the lower left corner and upper left edges of the framework, where there are new cracks and chips. There are several areas of prior damage and loss to the molding with a large section missing from the inner edge of the left-most arch. These areas have been painted over with brass paint.
The roof needs repair as the moisture in the wall is causing the painted areas of plaster to flake and the wooden tablets to bow, crack, and lose paint along the wood grain.
2. Previous efforts to restore- painting over.
The altarpiece has also been severely damaged by well meaning, but poorly conceived and executed restorations. The framework, central panel, pinnacles, and angel corbels have all been extensively altered by overpaint.
3. Wooden panels
Two of the panels are bowing visibly and appear detached at the top.
The paint and ground layers are cracking, exposing the ground and brighter blue of the field.
Fine lines of loss and flaking are found along these cracks due to compression as well as along the grain of the wood, which runs vertically. Deterioration is more advanced in the warped panels. The left panel of the right pair has a splinter along its right edge with a scrap of white cleaning cloth stuck in it, indicating that someone has been wiping the panels
4. Painted Pinnacles
These decorative panels have been solidly overpainted with a dark maroon or reddish brown-colored paint
Divots in the overpainted surface indicate that there was previous flaking of the original surface. This is especially true of the right panel, which shows extensive losses
Deterioration in this panel is obviously active and on-going. There is a large crack extending through the lower edge of the frame and up into the painted panel.
Solutions
1. Wooden panels The wooden panels can be removed from the wall and brought to the conservator s studio, where they can further be examined and then treated
Probable treatment would include glueing and strengthening the wood along the checks and cracks in the panels. Sealing the reverse and edges of the panels with synthetic resin varnish and wax to stabilize the wood and serve as moisture barriers. Local consolidation of the paint and ground where flaking has occurred. Cleaning of the paint surface, then varnishing it with a clear synthetic resin. Inpainting (retouching) of the losses to match the surrounding extant paint
2. Framework and gild -I would recommend that the conservators then return with Russell Bernabo, Gilding Conservator, who can assess the framework and gilded areas. More test cleanings should be made to assess the condition and possible treatment of the pinnacles, central panel, and framework.
3. Central panel Work which must be done on site includes the treatment of the painted plaster central panel and pinnacles and the framework. Test cleanings already made suggest that the maroon overpaint on the painted plaster panels can be removed. If further tests confirm that this is safely possible, then the overpaint should be removed. The surface can then be consolidated, varnished, filled, and inpainted. An estimate for this part of the treatment cannot be given until after further tests and examination are completed.
4. The plaster framework and corbels are very much in need of repair and cleaning. The original surface treatment of the framework and corbels must also be determined. Probably treatment can be expected to include removal of the added paint and other accretions from the surface, repair and stabilization of the cracks in the plaster, restoration and filling of the missing and broken areas of molding, and restoration of th surface to an approximation of its original appearance. Hopefully, Russell Bernabo will be able to propose a treatment that is feasible for the church.
Lectionary, October 26, Pentecost 20
I.Theme – Love as the greatest of God’s commandments.
"The Greatest Commandment " – From Wortle
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18
Psalm – Psalm 1 Page 585, BCP
Epistle –1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
Gospel – Matthew 22:34-46
These passages this week echo the challenge of the Christian journey. We have moments when we see God’s reign breaking through in this world–moments of justice, of hope, of peace–and other times, it seems like war, poverty and famine will continue forever. But we do not lose hope, and we know that our part counts in the reign of God. And our part is to create equitable relationships with those around us. We can’t expect to save the world but we can seek to maintain relationships with those around us.
Leviticus provides a taste of the holiness codes of Israel, on how to live in community with one another. Leviticus is one of the most difficult books to read in the Bible, mainly for the listing of codes and laws that do not necessarily make sense in today’s society, and we are missing the context, both historically and culturally for understanding the application of them. However, the theme of how to live together in community is a theme that transcends some of the cultural and historical context–when decisions or judgments have to be made in the context of community, you can’t show partiality, but you have to be just. In connection with the Gospel the statements on our neighbors concern us – avoiding hatred, vengeance, grudges and basically love your neighbor
In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Paul shares about his journey to Thessalonica, not physically, but rather how he has come to be there on his journey of faith–coming not to judge or to trick them or to test them, nor to please them or flatter them, but simply coming as they are, people who follow God. Echoing back to the passage in Leviticus, Paul is coming as a person of the community of faith–treating the Thessalonians as such, and expecting the same treatment in return. Paul tells them “so deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our very selves” (vs 8). To Paul, telling about God is one thing–living it out is what we are called to do, by sharing ourselves fully with the members of the faith community–being our honest and true selves, without trickery or deceit, without slander or gossip or hate in our hearts–but to be genuine people that follow Christ.
Psalm I extols the blessedness of one who avoids the path of the wicked and walks in the way of wisdom and life. The psalm is built around two contrasting images, that of a tree planted by streams of water and that of chaff in the process of winnowing the grain. The former is an image of the righteous, the latter of the wicked. The former person is ‘happy’ or ‘blessed’, the latter is perishing.
The tree prospers by fulfilling its purpose of bearing fruit in its season. God has ordained that this is a process which takes time, indeed, a different time for each individual. We prosper by growing in grace, coming to maturity, and bearing fruit. Material prosperity is not the principle focus of this text.
The law was not only the source of specific rules and regulations, but it was also intended to teach the Israelites principles which would govern their actions. The fundamental issue underlying the Sermon on the Mount was over the interpretation of the Old Testament law
Matthew’s passage is on the Greatest Commandment. Jesus has been leading up to this pinnacle teaching in his parables and teachings about the kingdom or reign of God. This passage represents the third of three attempts to entrap Jesus, after he has entered Jerusalem in triumph, riding on a donkey, with a large crowd spreading cloaks and branches on the road as they shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David.”
After the Pharisees and the Sadducees have questioned him, a lawyer asks him which is the greatest commandment. On the face of it, the question appears very honest. The Pharisees identified 613 commandments in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). Two hundred forty-eight were positive (“thou shalt”) and three hundred sixty-five were negative (“thou shalt not”). How could anyone remember all of them? Were some more important than others?
And Jesus sums up the commandments in the recitation of the Shema, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and with the call “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” He was the first to place both of these side by side.
Both of these commandments sum up the Ten Commandments, for the first four are about relationship with God and the last six are about relationship with each other in the community. But Jesus goes further in saying, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” In Jesus’ day, the Bible that the Jews knew had the Torah, the Law, the first five books–and it contained the books of the prophets (the Psalms and other writings were still being compiled). Basically, Jesus is saying that this is the point of the whole Bible. Everything else hangs on it. All other laws, codes, rules, ordinances and such fall under these two commandments. This is the point of the whole thing.
After answering this question, however, Jesus poses a question to the Pharisees about whose son the Messiah is. Jesus is trying to emphasize that the Messiah is the son of God, not just of David–in other words, the Messiah, while prophesied about in Hebrew scripture and understood in Jewish culture, is a Messiah for the world, not just for the people. Jesus is not just the son of David as a descendant of David, but Jesus is the Son of God, and therefore a Messiah for all people. And therefore Jesus’ teachings about loving others and loving God are beyond the community present but are teachings to be lived out by all who follow Jesus. They are beyond the law and culture of one people, but for the whole world.
Read more about the Lectionary…
Concept of Love in Biblical Times
By John Pilch
"What does Jesus understand by love? Mediterranean cultural anthropology sheds some light. Remember that our ancestors in the faith were strongly group centered. The group was family, village, neighborhood, and factions (like the Twelve, the Pharisees, etc.) which a person might join.
"The group gave a sense of identity, a sense of belonging, and advice for actions to be taken or avoided. The group was an external conscience exerting enormous pressure on its individual members.
"In this context, love and hate are best understood as group attachment and group disattachment. Whether emotion or affection is involved is beside the point. The major feeling in love and hate is a feeling of belonging or not belonging, respectively.
"Thus, to love God with all one’s heart is to be totally attached to God. To love neighbor as self is to be as totally attached to people in one’s neighborhood or immediate circle of friends (i.e., fellow Israelites) as one is to one’s family group. This has been and continues to be the normal way of life in the Mediterranean world, unless feuding develops.
"To “hate one’s father, mother,” and others as Luke’s Jesus (Lk 14:26) requires of his followers means to detach oneself from family and join the Jesus group. Paul says the greatest among the virtues faith, hope, and charity is charity, that is, love or attachment to the group.
"The group-attachment aspect of love poses a challenge to individualistically oriented, emotional American believers.
"Hurricane"(1999) – A film about Reuben "Hurricane" Carter – Raised Up by Love"
by Mark D. Johns, Instructor of Communication/Linguistics, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa
Trailer
The Biblical verses scene
The courtroom scene
Bob Dylan’s song Hurricane;
"Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a champion middleweight boxer, is imprisoned for life for murders he did not commit. After exhausting every possibility for appeal, he tells his wife that he wants her to divorce him and to move on with her life, saying, "I’m dead. Forget about me." The Hurricane uses his prison time to read, study, and eventually write a book about his life — a book that is published and becomes a best seller, but which is then soon forgotten.
"Years later, a Black teen from the ghetto finds a copy of the Hurricane’s life story at a used book sale, and buys it for a quarter. Moved by what he read, the young man, Lesera Martin, writes a letter to the prisoner, and begins a relationship and a process that eventually leads to the overturning of the conviction.
"At a pivotal moment, the Hurricane notes that it was "no accident" that Lesera had come across that book. He quotes Genesis 49 about himself, "Reuben, my firstborn . . . pre-eminent in pride . . . Unstable as water, you shall not prevail." He then contrasts his name to that of Lesera, a form of the name Lazarus, the one raised from death. The Hurricane tells Lesera that hate had killed Reuben and buried him, forgotten, in the prison walls, but Lesera’s love had raised him and given him life once again."
Denzel Washington for his portrayal of Rubin Carter lost the Oscar in 2000 to Kevin Spacey for American Beauty, but won a Golden Globe.
A Prayer by Jan Richardson from "Night Vision"
She writes "This day and every day, may you know yourself enfolded by the love of the God who calls us to the feast."
Blessing
In your mercy
clothe me
in your protection
cloak me
in your care
enfold me
in your grace
array me.
With your justice
dress me
for your labor
garb me
by your love
envelop me
and fit me
for your work.
Stewardship Narrative Series, Part 4, Oct 26
Stewardship season is here! Over the next month there will be posts from the Episcopal Church Stewardship group, "Tens" on the week’s scripture in relationship to stewardship. This is part 4: 
The Last Words
"Let everyone understand that real love of God does not
consist in tear-shedding, nor in that sweetness and
tenderness for which usually we long, just because they
console us, but in serving God in justice, fortitude of the soul and humility."
-Teresa of Avila 1515-1582
"What is the law of the People of God? It is the law of love, love for God and love for neighbor according to the new commandment that the Lord left to us (cf. Jn 13:34). It is a love, however, that is not sterile sentimentality or something vague, but the acknowledgment of God as the one Lord of life and, at the same time, the acceptance of the other as my true brother, overcoming division, rivalry, misunderstanding, selfishness; these two things go together. We must ask the Lord to make us correctly understand this law of love. How beautiful it is to love one another as true brothers and sisters. How beautiful!"
– Pope Francis 2012