Reading the Bible in a year!
Resources
Block Print by Mike Newman
Continuing Projects
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2. Prayer requests – Add a name to the prayer list here.
3. St. Peter’s Directory
We will be taking pictures next for the Directory on Sundays Jan 13 & 20, after Church for the 2013 Directory. You can "schedule yourself" by just appearing on the second floor of the Parish House in Catherine’s study for the photo.
The Feast of the Epiphany, Jan 6., 2013
See the full slide show – 40 pictures
Christ centered, Biblically based, spirit filled and a place of simple hospitality, we have shared our communal life with our church,our community, and those in need. Your presence enriches us.
Jan. 13 -9:45am – "Emergence Christianity" in Adult Education
Jan. 13 -11:00pm- Holy Eucharist Rite II
Next Sunday Readings Readings
New Year’s Eve bash – photogallery
About 20 gathered on the last night of 2012 for fellowship, food and more food. Johnny cooked his venison as the main course but their openers of chicken, small hotdogs, cheese and with the meal many vegetables. Here is the gallery.
Emergence Christianity in Adult Ed, begins Jan 13, 9:45am
Can Christianity maintain a viable presence in an increasingly secular culture ? Can it make inroads with the youth ? How does it handle those who maintain they are “spiritual, but not religious” ? How does it handle those who see the Bible as espousing universal truth vs. those seeking universal truth ? How does it react to those without any faith ?
These are “struggles of faith” which is our them for Adult ed in 2012-2013. It certainly won’t be easy!
The term “Emergence Christianity” is often used to describe both how this has happened and the direction it has taken and may take in the future. This is big stuff. Words such as “upheaval” and “tsunami” have been used to describe what has happened. Phyllis Tickle says the amount of changes we are experiencing occur once every 500 years. Diana Butler Bass calls it the “4th Great Awakening” fitting it into American religious history. Brian McLaren sees the need for a “New Kind of Christianity” focused around 10 questions where he proposes new answers.
Emergence Christianity places changes in Christianity within a cycle of history or simply in relationship to the past.
Mainline churches have not been sitting still. Some churches have been re-discovering ancient practices within the Christian tradition. Centering prayer, spiritual direction and walking the labyrinth have become part of our vocabulary. Some have been re-evaluating their hospitality and how relationships are built. Some have been adding new programs or forms of worship. What do we have to do to carry on Christ’s mission in the world as an effective and not reactive way? You may find this study as a source for discussion of new ideas which can be accepted, modified or discarded. It might actually confirm existing practices.
Writers have been struggling to describe Emergence Christianity, report it and to decide whether they want to be a part of it. Over 5 weeks we will look at three writers – Phyllis Tickle, Diana Butler Bass and Brian McLaren – for their insights into this phenomena. We will see both video excerpts from interviews as well as read excerpts of their writings.
Imagine if you were living in a city and then found yourself in a new land that was rural. All you knew was gone. You have to step up and find ways to feed your family. A 100,000 refugees fleeting Sudan to the South know that feeling. Plus there were floods and a border conflict between the Sudans to deal with.
We would like to help with this plight and at the same time support our missionary there Larry Duffee.
Region One of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia is starting an innovative project, “Tools for the Sudan “ to support these new residents. Our project is simple, but unique, to encourage you, the parishioners of the 19 Region One churches and others, to “buy” them tools through a shopping art. More details to follow…
Some background is necessary. Here is a link for the Episcopal Church in South Sudan. Also we considered the country in "Building Futures", part of Adult Ed, May, 2012.
The border conflicts which have helped to create a refugee population are examined here.
The wave of refugees is described here.
Larry Duffee was a member of St. George’s in Fredericksburg when he received a call for the missionary after hearing Diocesan mission coordinator, Buck Blanchard speak. He started as a financial consultant for the Episcopal Church in Sudan (EPS) in 2010, managing inflows and outflows of money from many international partners. He had to learn to deal tactfully with many peoples from bishops to businessmwen. He is now the International Coordinator of the ECS. "In this I am responsible for managing all of the relations between the ECS and its many international partners, for presenting the ECS to the international community."
Read more here. Larry has a blog which he calls "Duffman in Africa."
What should we do with Epiphany?
The English word "Epiphany" comes from the Greek word epiphaneia, which means "appearing" or "revealing." Epiphany focuses on God’s self-revelation in Christ.
The painting to the right of the baptism of Christ was composed by Luis Garcia, seminarian in the Dominion Republic who visited Cookie and Johnny at the end of 2011.
The Epiphany celebration remembers the three miracles that manifest the divinity of Christ. The celebration originated in the Eastern Church in AD 361, beginning as a commemoration of the birth of Christ. Later, additional meanings were added – the visit of the three Magi, Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River with the voice from heaven that identifies Jesus as God’s son, and his first miracle at the wedding in Cana. These three events are central to the definition of Epiphany, and its meaning is drawn from these occurrences.
In either case, the emphasis is upon God making himself known to the world through Jesus, the divine Son. During Epiphany, the divine words at Jesus’ baptism—"You are my child, my Beloved"—are spoken to every child of God.
The theological essence of Epiphany is found in 2 Timothy 1:10: "And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News." If you were reading this verse in Greek, you’d find the word epiphaneia where we have "appearing." God has made "all of this" plain to us through the epiphany of Christ.
1. Epiphany is the season of the Church year from January 6 to the beginning of Lent (Feb 13, 2013) which we experience the unfolding of the identity of Jesus as the Son of God through scripture and song.
2. Epiphany is the season of wonder. Epiphany invites us to take the long view of her or his vocation and God’s ministry in the world. The season of Epiphany joins, like Christmas, mysticism and mission in revealing God’s vision for all creation and humankind.
3. Epiphany is about the unexpected: unexpected joys and synchronicities and unexpected challenges and tragedies. Epiphany is filled with unexpected revelations that change our minds and ways.
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