Frontpage, November 1, 2020

November 1, 2020 – All Saints’ Sunday

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The Week Ahead…

Nov. 1 – All Saints, Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost

Nov. 1 – 11:00am Morning Prayer – Join here at 10:30am for gathering – service starts at 10am Meeting ID 810 9876 6092 Password 593073

Nov. 1 – 7:00pm Compline – Join here at 6:30pm for gathering – service starts at 7pm Meeting ID: 839 9039 4934 Passcode: 521853

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November 4 – 11:00am – Ecumenical Bible Study through Zoom

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November 8 – Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

November 8 – 11:00am Holy Eucharist on the River

November 8 – 7:00pm Compline – Join here at 6:30pm for gathering – service starts at 7pm Meeting ID: 839 9039 4934 Passcode: 521853

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Marking Time: Compline, 7pm every Sunday in November on Zoom

The ancient office of Compline from the Catholic Church derives its name from a Latin word meaning ‘completion.’ The office provides quietness and reflection before rest at the end of the day. Compline begins on page 127 in The Book of Common Prayer and was added only for the 1979 Prayer Book.

The Catholics set up 9 prayers are time during the day in the middle ages. It was designed as a means of devoting the whole of one’s daily life to the Lord. It is called the liturgy of the hours.

Compline was a service to close the day before retiring 7pm. It was an opportunity to give thanks for the joys and graces experienced, a chance to confess sins committed throughout the day, and the perfect moment to close the day the same way it started: in prayer. If Morning Prayer is designed to start the day off right then Compline is designed to end it well. It frames you for sleep and puts the day in perspective. You are then ready for the next day.

“Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

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Events in November

• Village Dinner – Nov. 11 – Turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes, string beans, cranberry salad, and sweet potato pie
• Annual Convention, Diocese of Virginia – Nov 14. On Zoom
• ECM Thanksgiving, Christmas collection – Nov. 15. Please make a check to St Peter’s with ECM in the memo line. the Department of Social Services will be providing families with secure store specific grocery limited gift cards due to the ongoing pandemic
• ECW Zoom Tea, 4pm, Nov. 19 – Link to be provided
• UTO – By Nov. 29. Donations this year will be given as grants to support Episcopal/Anglican ministries directly responding to the COVID -19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn

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Fund the Causes in November – ECM, Thanksgiving and Christmas collection  

Each year the Episcopal Church Men (ECM) help St Peter’s provide support to those in need during the holidays. The men coordinate with the Caroline County Department of Social Services to provide families in the area with Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas gifts.

This year the Department of Social Services will be providing families with secure store specific grocery limited gift cards due to the ongoing pandemic.

Ken Pogue says on behalf of the ECM, “Your donations are greatly appreciated by the ECM and the recipients of the gifts, especially the children. Thank you so very much in advance from a grateful community for your love and your participation” in this worthy holiday project.

If you’d like to donate, please make a check to St Peter’s with ECM in the memo line. For a Thanksgiving donation, please make your donation by November 15th. Donations after the 15th will be used to assist families at Christmas.

Last year the congregation contributed $510 toward helping families at both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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Next 3 Sundays- JUDGMENT! 

Matthew concludes this Lectionary Year A with the weighty subject of judgment from 3 stories from Chapter 25:

Matthew 25:1-13 – Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (Nov. 8)
Matthew 25:14-30 – Parable of the Talents  (Nov. 15)
Matthew 25:31-46 – The Sheep and Goats  (Nov. 22)

The three parables in Matthew 25 examine the procedure, preparation, and intention required to enter the Kingdom of God.  Here is a Youtube video that covers these three stories.  There are some similiarities:

First, in each parable the judgment occurs at the consummation of this age. While the timing of that event is unknown, each follower is to be ready for and anticipate the coming kingdom.

Second, the judgment will render decisions that are eternal in nature,reflecting the status of each human being with regard to his or her eternal relationship to the kingdom. Phrases such as “the darkness outside,” the  “fiery furnace,” and “weeping and gnashing of teeth” describe eternal separation from the kingdom. They are not simply expressions of grief over a Christian life that did not count for much in the kingdom, for they are figures and phrases representing an eternal exclusion from the presence of God.

With this in view, it has been suggested that salvation in these parables is viewed as a “whole,” not simply as a point of entry. The “sons of the kingdom” and the “sons of the evil one” (Matt 13:38) are on opposite sides of the soteriological divide. Those who are rejected are permanently excluded.

Third, the basis for this eternal judgment is the individual’s works. In some cases the emphasis is on faithfulness to a job assigned: perhaps in a picture of preparation for an event, or a picture of the fruit of the believer. But however it was pictured, works were the key to the judgment.

However, Works are not separated from the faith one exercises for entrance to the kingdom for works are evidence of that faith. A true change of heart will be reflected in a person’s life. A lack of that change is apparently enough to prevent entrance into the kingdom. Works are never ultimately separated from the faith of the individual, for it was also shown that works are not in themselves enough to impress the Son of Man positively in His role as judge.

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Lectionary, Pentecost 23, Nov. 8

I.Theme –   Prepare for Christ – The Second coming – Be Prepared !

 "Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins"

The lectionary readings are here  or individually: 

Old Testament – Amos 5:18-24
Psalm – Wisdom of Solomon 6:17-20
Epistle –1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Gospel – Matthew 25:1-13 

Amos warns that justice and righteousness, not empty ritual and thoughless offerings are how to prepare. Amos’s words speak warning to the people who desire the day of the Lord, the day of judgment. God warns those who desire the day of judgment, thinking God is on their side, because God will execute justice and it will be darkness, not light, for those who seek it. This passage is a warning to those who are so religious they put being religious above doing the teachings of their religions. God says “I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies” (vs. 21). God does not desire our best religious persona, our best religious face to the public–rather, God desires justice and righteousness (vs. 24). God desires for us to do what our faith teaches us–to lift up the poor and help the oppressed. Do we serve our religion, or do we serve our God? Do we serve a particular religious culture or religious politics, or do we serve God? Do we serve a particular religious image, or do we serve the God who created all of us?

Psalm 70 is a cry for help, a cry for deliverance, a reminder that God desires justice, mercy and righteousness, not religiousness. It is a reminder that we choose to serve God, and that we need to be wary of assuming we are on God’s side. But the plea is for God to remember God’s part of the covenant, too.

The Wisdom readings emphasize we desire wisdom for living now toward our future meeting with Christ and to discover better ways to be prepared. Wisdom encourages us to actively seek wisdom and its rewards

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 also looks ahead to the “day of the Lord,” this time of the reign of Christ coming to fulfillment on earth. When he wrote it, the contemporary Christians, including Paul, expected Jesus to come again in glory quite soon, certainly within their own lifetimes. These paragraphs address a troublesome point: will the few Christians who die in this short period somehow miss out on the benefits of Jesus’ return. Paul says no (although he doesn’t say it simply), because what God has wrought in the death and resurrection of Jesus is powerful enough to save even those already "fallen asleep."

Paul speaks of the faithful who have died rising with Christ, and those who are left being taken up to be with Christ, meeting in the air. It is a beautiful image, and we are reminded in Paul’s day of the belief that heaven was in the sky, the earth was flat and the land of the dead was below (Sheol or Hades). The language loses no beauty even with our greater understanding of the cosmos–something beautiful will happen when Christ comes into our lives in a new way.

Matthew 25:1-13 is the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids. This begins a three-parable series in the Gospel of Matthew, the last three parables Jesus tells before he is betrayed. These parables look to the coming reign of God–it has already begun, but it has yet to be fulfilled. 

Jesus tells a story about a party of ten bridesmaids or torchbearers for a procession,chosen to participate in a wedding. Each of the ten virgins is carrying a lamp or torch as they await the coming of the bridegroom, which they expect at some time during the night. Five of the virgins are wise and have brought oil for their lamps. Five are foolish and have only brought their lamps.  

At midnight, all the virgins hear the call to come out to meet the bridegroom. Realising their lamps have gone out, the foolish virgins ask the wise ones for oil, but they refuse, saying that there will certainly not be enough for them to share. While the foolish virgins are away trying to get more oil, the bridegroom arrives. The wise virgins then accompany him to the celebration. The others arrive too late and are excluded.

Each of the wise bridesmaids has made her preparation; she is prepared spiritually but preparedness cannot be transferred to others, so their refusal to give oil to the foolish bridesmaids may be intended to show that each one of us is expected to make our own preparation – by living a godly, ethical life. Two surprising events, the door being shut (v. 10) and the failing to recognize the foolish bridesmaids (v. 12), are probably another way of saying that the unprepared will be refused entry to the Kingdom – just as the wicked servant will be punished. We are to be prepared at all times for the end of the age, the Second Coming of Christ

“The Second Coming of Christ is the medicine our condition especially needs” – C. S. Lewis

Read more about the Lectionary…

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Matthew’s Bridesmaid story – Some background on Jewish weddings  

The Way of Jewish weddings!The groom and his family gather at their household (married couples tended to remain living with the groom’s parents for as long as the parents survived). The bride and her family and guests gather at her household.

The groom and his family make their way to the bride’s house to collect the bride to escort the bride to his father’s house. The dowry had to be agreed Last minute haggling between the groom and his father-in-law over the dowry was commonplace. Such haggling symbolized the esteemed value of the bride, but many times delayed the wedding.

The wedding party would take the longest route through the village to finally arrive at their home. The more houses they visited, the more well-wishes (and gifts) they received. You didn’t want to leave one home out because no one wanted ill feelings on a wedding day. That could bring bad fortune. This day was an opportunity to reach out to break down some old barriers and to be generous to the poor or forgotten. Along the way there would be much jovial visiting and exuberant hospitality.

As a result no one ever knew when the wedding party would show up at their home (where the final festivities occurred).

At this time, town criers would proclaim the arrival of the groom. Such proclamations alerted those who did not stay at the bride’s house or who waited for the ceremony to begin. Since this was an all-night celebration, napping between events in the wedding was reasonable.

One thing we need to remember about Christ’s era was that there were no street lamps. Therefore, the role of the bridesmaids was more than a cultural display of symbolism. Their lamps lit the path home for the wedding party and all the attendees. It is also important to revisit that God chose to have his Son to be born in an occupied country. The law of that time allowed no one to be on the street after dark without a lamp. To find yourself in that situation was to risk arrest—particularly for these residents of an occupied territory. The great sadness is that it is still that way in many parts of Palestine.

The Bridesmaids would literally provide legitimacy to the homecoming party so they would be safe from the occupying government. They would have to provide their own lamps. Without their lights, the party would look like an insurrection or a mob disguised in wedding attire. Certain religious zealots would have undoubtedly thought of using just such a ploy to attack the Romans.

Having your lamps ready would provide for both the safety and direction of the wedding party. To be ill prepared for the arrival of the wedding party wasn’t just a social faux pas, it meant exposing the entire wedding party to Roman attack.

Because of the political climate and the dangers of the time, once the Host’s gates were shut that is how they would remain. Furthermore, if you truly cared about a family you would not expose them to the risk of a knock on the door in the middle of the night.

Missing a wedding party would be a great loss. There was not a whole lot to celebrate for the masses of impoverished workers in Christ’s day. So a wedding was a grandiose affair generally lasting from the close of one Sabbath to the beginning of the next.

During that week all stops were pulled out and for one short week of their life the bride and groom were called prince & princess. In a life of oppressive drudgery and servitude this was their moment in the sun and everyone shared in their joy.

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Interpretations of the Bridesmaids story for us 

Here a couple of ways it can be applied:

1. Second Coming can be participated in now

Link  (from Rev-o-lution) 

"Again, this “Day of the Lord,” this “Second Coming of Christ” may not be a specific moment, but rather something that is continuing to unfold before us. Christ is entering our lives in a new way, as we understand grater our global community, our family of God, our responsibility to be good stewards of creation, and the way systemic sin corrupts our relationship with each other and with the earth. Christ is coming again. Christ is doing something new in our lives now. We don’t have to wait until an “end time.” We can participate now. Keep awake. Be alert. Don’t worry about putting out a “religious face” to the world, that you need to fit in with a particular religious-social-cultural-political identity. Follow God. Don’t be religious but do what your religion teaches you. Be prepared for Christ to enter your life in a new way, and know that you will not be the same. You will be compelled to build up the reign of Christ on earth, if you are truly ready, alert for your opportunity to participate." 

Interpretations of the Bridesmaid story…

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Dr. King and the Book of Amos 

Our reading from the Old Testament this week is from the Book of Amos. Martin Luther King focused on this book throughout his life.  In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail (1963), King applied Amos to his situation, quoting from Amos 5:24. Amos gave his message to the Israelites in 750 BCE.  Amos warns the people of Israel that the Lord is displeased with their behavior. People are overly concerned with earthly possessions, bodily desires and there is a shallow adherence to their religious values. Amos tells the people that God will soon judge them for their sins.

"But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God."

He also quoted Amos in the "I Have a Dream" speech, 5 months after the above letter – Dr. King declared, “we will not be satisfied until ‘justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’”

Here is a musical adaptation of the words from Amos

Amos inspired Dr. King’s entire ministry.  

Read more about King and Amos…

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