July 3, 2016 (full size gallery)
A rainy day but much cooler than usually the day before July 4. Preparations were going on for July 4 – hot dogs, watermellons, the TV moved to the church and reviewing the Community Sing program.
This Sunday was the last session of "Weaving God’s Promises" for the program year. (Godly Play goes on through July 17). The focus was on this passage – Galatians 6 – "So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith." Those in attendance made get well cards for Crystal and Fred.
We had 43 in attendance today. Susan and Shirley Onderdonk Susan will unfortunately have foot surgery this week.
Cookie prepared the flowers for John Faibisy’s mother, born on July 4. She chose Queen Anne’s lace and roses for the altar. Two of the windows on each side also featured roses but a different shade.
The service was proceeded by a hymn sing of national anthems at 10:45am as "St. Peter’s Sings." (It’s back!) There was a background on each hymn and included H 717, “My country, ‘tis of thee, H 718, God of our fathers, “God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand” , H 719, “O beautiful for spacious skies”, H 720 “O say can you see." Karen Richardson was back with her guitar for a solo version of "Morning Has Broken" as a communion hymn.
We began a fund raiser for Shrine Mont.Shrine Mont received matching grant of $50,000—And we can help match this grant. St Peter’s has an antique piece of a Shrine Mont porch. You can see this artifact on display in the parish house. Next to the porch piece, you’ll find an empty apple butter jar. Place your monetary donation of any size in the jar and then sign your name on the piece of porch. Let’s cover it with our names and fill up that apple butter jar with some money to help match this grant. For donations of $50 and higher, you will receive a jar of Shrine Mont apple butter from Catherine as a thank you gift (available in October, 2016).
The altarpiece in the central section and pinnacles that Cleo Mullins is done. Rusty Bernado will be doing the gilt framework and angel corbels. Meanwhile Cleo back in her shop will take several months to get the grime off the tablets.
There were two food related announcements. This week we are doing lunches for Fred. Catherine needs help for Friday, July 8. Then on July 13 we will have the "Village Harvest luncheons" where we invite those who have participated in the Village Harvest for a discussion on what has worked, what has not and suggestions for moving the program forward or for keeping it as it is.
First Sunday Social was prepared by the Betchys and Andersons and included numerous sandwiches, salads and cookies.
Today’s readings focus on the Christian experience of being sent by Jesus to continue his mission. This Sunday’s lectionary readings reflect on God’s call and our response, and how this affects the shape of grace and healing in our lives. Isaiah speaks words of peace and hope for God’s people because God’s love never fails. Paul closes his letter to the Galatians with some final counsel on behavior within the Christian community. Luke tells of the mission of the 70 disciples and their success in defeating Satan.
The central message this week is simple but significant – do not despise the saving power of small things. God’s commitment to justice, restoration and healing is proclaimed strongly through the Psalms and Isaiah’s song, but the way God’s saving work comes into being is often through small, ordinary people and actions
The picture of God’s care and comfort in Isaiah is that of an ordinary, familiar domestic scene – a child being nursed by its mother. Galatians speaks about the work of following Christ in the every day terms of our relationships with one another (correcting each other and sharing burdens), taking responsibility and doing good for all. And Jesus sends his disciples out to share the message of God’s reign, while accepting hospitality along the way – a very ordinary practice for travelers. Even when they celebrate overcoming demons, Jesus downplays it.
The sermon reflected on Catherine’s trip to Chicago
"This past weekend, I attended a show in Chicago called “Far from Equilibrium: Curiosity, Creativity, Uncertainty.” The scientist, dancer and composer who put together this show invited all who attended to consider the concept of turbulence through both the scientific method and also through art.
"This statement in particular grabbed my attention. “In a chaotic system, tiny changes in the initial state can make a great difference in what happens later. Turbulence is chaotic in both time and space.”
"Inertia and turbulence apply to today’s gospel reading from Luke, in which Jesus appoints seventy of his disciples to go on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. The people in the towns where the disciples will go will be subject to the law of inertia—remember, that means that they are going to maintain their tendency to resist a change in motion.
"Like any group used to existing or doing things in a particular way, the people in the towns that the disciples will visit are going to be resistant to change when acted on by an external force.
"When the disciples arrive in a town, the inertia of that place will be affected. There’s no way around it! The disciples, simply by entering the town, have introduced some turbulence into the system of that town—and changes will inevitably occur because the kingdom of God has come near. "