Frontpage, Sept. 22, 2019

Sept. 22, 2019 – Season of Creation 4

Guatemalan Pilgrimage, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019

Pictures and text from this Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019

Videos from this Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019

The Week Ahead…

Sept. 22 – 4:00pm – Gospel on the River

Sept. 25 – 8:00am – Way of Love Breakfast

Sept. 25 – 10:00am – Ecumenical Bible Study

Sept. 27 – 6:00pm – Los Amigos de Jesus – Spanish Bible Study

Sept. 29 – Stewardship Sunday

Sept. 29 – 9:00am – Holy Eucharist , Rite I

Sept. 29 – 11:00am – Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Sunday, Sept. 29 Readings and Servers

Get the details here.

Stewardship Sunday, Sept. 29 – A Letter from Catherine

Greetings, The St Peter’s People of God!

“As I enter the tenth year of serving God with all of you at St Peter’s, I’m thankful. You all are faithful, dedicated partners in worship, in ministry, in mutual support, and in loving one another.

“Truly we are blessed to be together in this place; blessed by God with a beautiful setting to sustain us when we gather, blessed with food to share, work to do, and love to spread.

“The Vestry and I are grateful for your financial support, because without money, we would not have the ability to pay for missions, for salaries, or for maintaining our buildings. And your generous gifts to the discretionary fund have helped so many people over the years. Our Vestry is careful with our budget, and unlike many churches in this Region, we operate with a balanced budget. We are truly blessed, thanks to your generosity.

“When you pledge your money toward the 2020 St Peter’s budget, you are financially supporting our work together as the body of Christ. I consider that being able to offer financial support to our life together is a great privilege.

“Making a pledge allows the Vestry to plan well for next year’s expenses, and perhaps also for some new initiatives if we have the resources to plan beyond simply keeping up with expenses. Remember that your pledge is only that, a pledge. If your financial circumstances change, you can change your pledge. But your best guess on the attached pledge card, allows the Vestry to make good plans for the year ahead.”

“Please be generous. I plan to be! If you already pledge, raise your pledge, even if only by a tiny amount. If you don’t pledge, consider a pledge, even if your pledge is small. Every penny counts

“Please plan to return your pledge cards Sunday, September 29 as your own act of thanksgiving. Elizabeth Heimbach, who serves so capably as the Stewardship Chairperson, has distributed 2 beeswax candles so you can shine a light into the world. I’m looking forward to the year ahead with great anticipation to the year ahead, to see what we’ll grow here at St Peter’s for God’s glory.” Peace, Catherine.

Way of Love Breakfast

We have been working this year on an initiative from the Episcopal Church, The Way of Love. This rule of life sums up the way we Christians are already trying to live. People all over The Episcopal Church have joined together to intentionally adopt this way of life in community, and individually. The Way of Love includes the following seven actions—turning, learning, praying, worshiping, blessing, going, and resting. Most of us already do all seven of these things but being intentional and also accountable to a group of people who have also chosen to be intentional will make The Way of Love a powerful spiritual vaccine that can keep us well, and able to walk in love with God and with one another

The 25th will be a breakfast. Way of Love ends just before Bible Study at 10am.

The Way of Love

 Celebrating the Life of Lancelot Andrewes, Sept 26

Lancelot Andrewes’ life (1555-1626) encompassed the reigns of Elizabeth (1558-1603) and James I (1603-1625). He was closely associated with both of them. We celebrate his day on his death Sept 26, 1626.

Andrewes was the foremost theologian of his day and one of the most pious. He will be forever linked to the creation of the King James Bible being on the committee that created the book. He served not only as the leader of the First Westminster Company of Translators, which translated Genesis – 2 Kings, but also as general editor of the whole project. His contemporaries include everyone from Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raleigh, Captain John Smith who ventured to Virginia and scientist Galileo.

Read more about Andrewes..

 St. Michael and the Angels, Sept. 29

Michaelmas, or the Feast of Michael and All Angels, is celebrated on the 29th of September every year. As it falls near the equinox, the day is associated with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days; in England, it is one of the “quarter days”.

Traditionally, in the British Isles, a well fattened goose, fed on the stubble from the fields after the harvest, is eaten to protect against financial need in the family for the next year; and as the saying goes:

“Eat a goose on Michaelmas Day,
Want not for money all the year”.

Part of the reason goose is eaten is that it was said that when Queen Elizabeth I heard of the defeat of the Armada, she was dining on goose and resolved to eat it on Michaelmas Day.

On this day, we give thanks for the many ways in which God’s loving care watches over us, both directly and indirectly, and we are reminded that the richness and variety of God’s creation far exceeds our knowledge of it.

Read more about Michael..

6 Key Environmental Issues –

1. Climate Change

2. Deforestation

3. Pollution

4. Water Scarcity

5. Loss of Biodiversity

6. Soil erosion and degredation

Read about the other issues

This week we will look at Earth: Biodiversity, Soil Erosion and Food waste.

6 Key Environmental Issues – Loss of Biodiversity

Increasing human encroachment on wildlife habitats is causing a rapid loss of biodiversity that threatens food security, population health and world stability. Climate change is also a major contributor to biodiversity loss, as some species aren’t able to adapt to changing temperatures. According to the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Index, biodiversity has declined 27 percent in the last 35 years.

From American Museum of Natural History

“The term biodiversity (from “biological diversity”) refers to the variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems, and can encompass the evolutionary, ecological, and cultural processes that sustain life. Biodiversity includes not only species we consider rare, threatened, or endangered but also every living thing – from humans to organisms we know little about, such as microbes, fungi, and invertebrates.

“Biodiversity is important to most aspects of our lives. We value biodiversity for many reasons, some utilitarian, some intrinsic. This means we value biodiversity both for what it provides to humans, and for the value it has in its own right. Utilitarian values include the many basic needs humans obtain from biodiversity such as food, fuel, shelter, and medicine. Further, ecosystems provide crucial services such as pollination, seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and control of agricultural pests. Biodiversity also holds value for potential benefits not yet recognized, such as new medicines and other possible unknown services.

Biodiversity has cultural value to humans as well, for spiritual or religious reasons for instance. The intrinsic value of biodiversity refers to its inherent worth, which is independent of its value to anyone or anything else. This is more of a philosophical concept, which can be thought of as the inalienable right to exist. Finally, the value of biodiversity can also be understood through the lens of the relationships we form and strive for with each other and the rest of nature. We may value biodiversity because of how it shapes who we are, our relationships to each other, and social norms. These relational values are part of peoples’ individual or collective sense of well being, responsibility for, and connection with the environment. The different values placed on biodiversity are important because they can influence the conservation decisions people make every day.

“Over the last century, humans have come to dominate the planet, causing rapid ecosystem change and massive loss of biodiversity across the planet. This has led some people to refer to the time we now live in as the “anthropocene.” While the Earth has always experienced changes and extinctions, today they are occurring at an unprecedented rate. Major direct threats to biodiversity include habitat loss and fragmentation, unsustainable resource use, invasive species, pollution, and global climate change. The underlying causes of biodiversity loss, such as a growing human population and over consumption are often complex and stem from many interrelated factors.

“The good news is that it is within our power to change our actions to help ensure the survival of species and the health and integrity of ecological systems. By understanding threats to biodiversity, and how they play out in context, we can be best prepared to manage conservation challenges. The conservation efforts of the last decades have made a significant difference in the state of biodiversity today. Over 100,000 protected areas—including national parks, wildlife refuges, game reserves, and marine protected areas, managed both by governments and local communities—provide habitat for wildlife, and help keep deforestation in check.

When protecting habitat is not enough, other types of conservation actions such as restoration, reintroduction, and the control of invasive species, have had positive impacts. And these efforts have been bolstered by continuous efforts to improve environmental policies at local, regional, and global scales. Finally, the lifestyle choices of individuals and communities can have a large effect on their impacts on biodiversity and the environment. While we might not be able to prevent all negative human impacts on biodiversity, with knowledge we can work to change the direction and shape of our effects on the rest of life on Earth.”

To encourage biodiversity along the Rappahannock the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1996 to conserve and protect fish and wildlife resources such as the bald eagle, threatened and endangered species, and wetlands. A brochure is here. It currently protects 9,030 acres.

The Port Royal unit is a part of the refuge. It protects critical floodplain habitat on the river’s edge. This 125-acre site is managed as grassland and shrubland habitat for species such as vesper and grasshopper sparrows. A mowed trail provides access to the Rappahannock River, host to year-round concentrations of bald eagles and wintering waterfowl.

What You Can Do: As consumers we can all help protect biodiversity by purchasing products that don’t harm the environment. Next time you are at the grocery store, check to see if food packaging contains any of the following eco-labels: USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified, Marine Stewardship Council or Green Seal. Other product certifications include Forest Stewardship Council Certification, Rainforest Alliance Certification and Certified Wildlife Friendly. Also, reusing, recycling and composting are easy ways to protect biodiversity.

Read more about earth and biodiversity…

6 Key Environmental Issues – Food Waste

1/3 of the food produced on earth is wasted. Expressed in another way 28 per cent of the world’s agricultural area – is used annually to produce food that is lost or wasted. The average four-person family spends about $1,500 per year on food they trash, according to savethefood.com.

It is not just a case of wasted resources. It also has environmental implications. The exploitation of land and water resources, combined with climate change, is threatening the world’s food supply.

Agriculture accounts for at least 8.4% of total greenhouse gas emissions across the globe, according to the U.N. (Meat, dairy and rice production are the biggest offenders.) That means that if uneaten food were its own country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, just after China and the U.S.

Read more about food waste…

6 Key Environmental Issues – Soil and Soil Erosion

Unsustainable industrial agriculture practices have resulted in soil erosion and degradation that leads to less arable land, clogged and polluted waterways, increased flooding and desertification. According to the World Wildlife Fund, half of the earth’s topsoil has been lost in the last 150 years.

Excessive farming ruining the soil

From World Wildlife Magazine

“Food production is a leading driver of habitat loss, over fishing, and freshwater consumption. Yet the habitat under the most direct pressure from agriculture is also the most ignored: soil. An ecosystem in miniature, soil is full of microscopic canyons, bogs, and even wildlife. These features are vital to food production—but they’re seriously stressed by it, too. Fortunately, when farmers are not planting cash crops like corn and soybeans, a growing number of them are planting “cover crops” to give back to the soil that gives so much.

“These include hairy vetch, clover, or field peas—that are especially good at pulling nitrogen from the air into the ground, to nourish the next round.

“Cover crops are like umbrellas for the soil. When rain hits the bare ground directly, it can displace the soil, causing erosion and runoff. Crops break the rain’s fall and help keep more sediment and nutrients in place—and out of nearby waterways.

“By allowing better water absorption and enriching the soil with nutrients, cover crops have been shown to increase yields of economically important crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat.

“In addition to improving soil health and cash crop yields, cover crops can add financial value to a farm, especially one with livestock. Letting farm animals eat the cover crops effectively turns plants into protein, and can help reduce spending on feed, fertilizer, and fuel.

“While herbicides help keep weeds at bay, their overuse can come with harmful side effects. Cover crops such as cereal rye are good at suppressing unwanted plants, enabling farmers to better manage their use of these sometimes toxic treatments.

“By keeping roots in the ground, cover crops break up the soil and keep it from getting compacted. Roots hold soil in place and help create space underground that allows the soil to better absorb and store water, all of which comes in handy during floods and droughts alike.

What You Can Do: you can make a difference in your backyard by switching to non-toxic green pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

Other Climate Change Links

1. Summary Change from the 4th National Climate Change Assessment
This is required to be published every 4 years.

2. How to be green without giving up life’s luxuries?

3. Climate Change and Children’s Health

Lectionary, Sept 29 2019 – Season of Creation 5, Year C

Proverbs 8: 22-31

About five centuries before Jesus, a Jewish sage compiled a collection of his people’s wisdom. He wanted to make other Jews proud of their heritage and eager to know its truths. As an introduction to the collection, the sage wrote what we know as chapters 1 through 9

The verses of this poem place her at the moment of creation, where she is present as YHWH orders chaos, and creates the earth and all that is in it. 

The author personifies wisdom as a woman, focusing on her participation in creation. There was no time when God’s wisdom did not exist. This poetic description offers a way to understand Jesus as the “wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30), through whom “all things came into being” (John 1:1-3) at creation. Wisdom’s main joy is found among humans, for they are the crown of God’s creation. 

The author is trying to show us that wisdom is more than practical knowledge. Rather it is a spiritual being whom God created first and made his partner in the work of creating everything else. If the reader believes that, then the prospect of possessing wisdom will be most attractive.

The actor is clearly God, and the observer is clearly Wisdom. In that capacity she communicates to humankind God’s joy in her, and God’s joy in the human race as well. 

What is unspoken here, in the choice of this reading for this Feast of the Holy Trinity, is the presence of all three persons of the Trinity – the creating God, Wisdom/Christ, and the breath – the Spirit. 

Proverbs 8 counsels a spirituality and ethic of joyful attentiveness. . God delights in beauty, God has fun in creativity, the poet of the universe rejoices in the creativity of creaturely life. If God has a bias toward joy and playfulness, then these are values we should also pursue in our personal and corporate activities. Spirituality is about fiery passionate love of the earth, not otherworldly withdrawal. 

Read more about the Lectionary….