Sunday, June 22, 2014, Founders’ Day (full size gallery)
Today was Pentecost 2 in the lectionary tradition about the risks to disciples and discipleship in general. It was also "Founders’ Day" recognizing James S. Patton as we did last year with Rev. Ware.
Here are some related links from the event:
1. Dedication June 22 in church
2. Memories from parishioners, Vestry
3. Links on the website to Jim Patton.
We had 34 in attendance. The day lilies were more abundant than last week with different varieties in front and back. Phlox were out from last week as well as Easter lilies blooming. Are we going back in time ?
The sky with overcast with the clouds hanging over the river which presented a different feel to Sunday. A butterfly floated in the grass in the next lot
Helmut brought in a sandwich board which we can use to advertise St. Peter’s events on the street side. This will come in handy for July 4.
Sydney and Michael helped Catherine with the communion. Earlier Michael did duty to represent death and baptism in the sermon. She referred to page 306 in the Book of Common Prayer – "We thank you, Father, for the water of Baptism. In it we are buried with Christ in his death. By it we share in his resurrection. Through it we are reborn by the Holy Spirit."
We celebrated Roger and Eunice’s 37 wedding anniversary. Ken summarized the tutoring experience – 100 student encounters, 9 tutors over 3 months with Easter intervening. He felt it had been a great start and success. Thanks, Ken for your initiative.
We had about 10 folders of articles on the website about Jim Patton on the porch which parishioners could flip through at the end of the service. They were welcomed to take them home.
Rev. Canon Ousley of the Olympia Diocese of Washington writes the following of the confusing Matthew scripture:
"Jesus speaks directly to his disciples about making his mission, God’s kingdom establishment in the world, a priority of life here in the 10th chapter of Matthew. He reflects that if they are to be his disciples that they, too, will receive the persecution that he receives. Under these trials of cultural attack they will need to persevere in prioritizing God’s will expressing the priorities of their lives. The same is true for us, though most of us in the Western world are not having our life threatened for our faith. However, the cultural attacks and demands on the priorities of our lives for the worldly are vying for our souls.
"Jesus’ hyperbolic statement about bring a sword and hating one’s family can be as disturbing to us as the Genesis story this week. But Jesus’ culture would have understood the "hating" as a cultural idiom for prioritization of another, instead of malice. The sword Jesus brings with putting God’s will first in our worldly dominant culture is to sever us from worldly priorities. And this just might cause some conflict between family and friends with other priorities. Decisions about spending time in worship and in ministry and giving generously, especially tithing, for Christ’s mission are questioned as imprudent in our culture. But our faith isn’t about what’s popular or easy, it is about true life lived following Jesus above all else. Paul’s words to the Roman Church encourage us all in the knowledge that we who have been baptized already have been crucified with Christ. Luther’s famous hymn A Mighty Fortress is our God echoes Paul’s encouragement for us to persevere in faith with the words,
"And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us; We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.
"The "devils" of today’s world may not come with swords, clubs and crosses with nine-inch nails, but they are present all around us trying to steal our attention and sever our Baptismal priorities to take up the cross and follow Jesus in establishing God’s kingdom in the world with all that we have, our time, our talents, and our treasure. The best defense is for us to seek God’s kingdom first. And all else falls into place."