November 27, 2019

Gratitude.

That word is especially appropriate on this day before Thanksgiving. Gratitude and Thankfulness go hand in hand as we reflect on everything for which we are grateful.

I am thankful and grateful for a whole litany of things: My wife and daughter; the parish I serve; friends I have made here on the east coast; modern communications that allow me to remain in contact with family and friends on the west coast; a hobby I continue to love; all of the various people who keep the ministries and outreach of Saint John's active and vital; a good and caring Vestry; a good medical team; and the list goes on.

One of the challenges, though, of listing all of these thanksgivings is falling into the trap of the Pharisee at the temple who prayed, “Thank God I am not like those other people.”

Giving thanks and being appreciative is one thing; seeing those as a blessing from God because you are better in some way than those other people is something else entirely.

So how might we avoid that “more blessed than thou” attitude?

What if, for every blessing you count, you counter that with an action that looks beyond yourself? In other words, if you're thankful for having enough food to eat every day, make a donation to the food bank, to Micah's backpack, or to Community Cafe. If you're thankful for having enough clothes, make a donation to places where clothing is needed. If you're thankful for having a roof over your head and safe place to sleep, make a donation to the Saint John's Shelter, to REACH, or to another agency that works to house the homeless.

This Thanksgiving we give thanks for all the blessings we have received, for that is meet and right so to do; but let us not forget or neglect to see how our blessings can be used to bless others in need, for that is our bounden duty.

Blessings to you and yours this Thanksgiving,

November 20, 2019

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I ran across this saying in a little periodical some years ago. It struck me as particularly appropriate for us right now.

Our pledge campaign is wrapping up and our various commissions are working on their budgets for 2020. The Vestry will be working in conjunction with our Treasurer as we chart our financial course for the upcoming year. And all of that will be presented to the congregation at our Annual Meeting.

Our bishop has, over the past several years, put forth his vision for a Community of Love in the diocese. I have touched on that in a variety of places since I've been here at Saint John's. What does it mean to be a community of love? How do we interact with each other in that community? How do we interact with those outside of this particular community? As St. Paul wrote, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

In other words, love takes work, and it often takes people looking in the same direction.

In this beloved community of Saint John's, we express our love of God and others through our mission statement to Worship, Welcome, Serve, and Encourage. Love is a verb, and so are those four words. With those four words we practice love in a variety of ways, and we practice love by looking outward together in the same direction.

In our Worship, we look outward from ourselves toward the holiness of God. In our Welcome, we look outward to those who are seeking a spiritual home. In our Service, we look outward to those who are in need physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially. And in our Encouragement, we look outward to those whose only positive interaction may come from us.

Our pledge campaign is not simply a plea for money to keep the doors open and heat on. Our pledge campaign, in reality, is our chance to individually commit to being an active part of this beloved community. It is a place where we as individuals can express our active love by looking outward together as we work to make the kingdom of God a very real presence in the here and now.

If you have not yet completed and turned in your pledge card, please do so – not so much that we can set the 2020 budget, but more so we can all work to strengthen this beloved community as we look outward from God.

Blessings,

November 13, 2019

“I believe . . . that our humanity, the 'who we are,' is often laid bare and expressed in the inconvenient actions and time-consuming pursuits we undertake.” – Barry Mano, Publisher, Referee Magazine

I receive Referee Magazine every month, and every month it includes a Publisher's Memo. Think of this as the Rector's Ramblings for the officiating world. And, more often than not, he usually writes about something that can be applied equally to both officiating and the Church.

As I read this particular Memo, I was again struck by the similarities between the two.

Our lives, it seems, are driven by convenience. We run to the store in our cars to pick up a box of butter that we forgot when we were grocery shopping. If dinner can't be made in a crock pot on most weekdays, we scrounge through the refrigerator to find enough stuff we classify as a meal. Microwaves are the most used appliance in the kitchen. We get our news in headlines because it's not convenient to read the whole article.

A lot of this push for convenience comes into play because we seem to be more busy than we ever were and we just don't seem to have the time to take the time.

In his Memo, Mr. Mano refers to things such as carving wood, making repairs to cars or appliances, taking a long hike, and such. These are things, he says, that take time and offer a sense of satisfaction.

Which brings me back to church. Attending church is not convenient. It requires a person to get up early on their day off and commit to being in a place at a particular time that takes time and may offer a sense of satisfaction or fulfillment or completion or whatever word you find descriptive.

Committing to worshiping God takes time and is certainly not easy in this convenience-driven world. Committing to daily prayer can be difficult and also takes time. But like anything worthwhile – a friendship, a marriage, a hobby – these are not things of convenience. These things are difficult, but also an essential part of our being.

May you make the time to do that which is difficult, and may your soul be fed by doing so.

Blessings,

November 6, 2019

“Would you be willing to serve . . .”

And with those words, or something similar to them, the Rev. Ramelle McCall asked me to consider being on the team behind all of the liturgy for General Convention 2021. If you aren't yet aware, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held in Baltimore from June 30 – July 9, 2021.

Fr. McCall serves as Priest in Charge of Holy Trinity, Baltimore, and as Urban Missioner for the Diocese of Maryland. He was appointed as Vice Chair to the GC21 Worship Committee, and he is working on putting a team together to pull this off.

One of the things he did was to ask me to serve as part of this body. For those of you who know me well, you know that I am an introvert and really dislike large groups. In fact, I was hoping to basically hide out in Hagerstown where it might have been possible to be overlooked for anything having to do with GC21. That didn't happen.

However, if I'm going to get asked to serve, it might as well be on a committee in which I have a good skill set (liturgy) as opposed to evaluating some resolution on the efficacy of canine baptism (I'm kidding).

But, like it or not, this is part of what I am called to do. In the ordination rite the Bishop says, “Now you are called to work as a pastor, priest, and teacher, together with your bishop and fellow presbyters, and to take your share in the councils of the Church.” In other words, remember that the Church is bigger than the particular parish you serve; because sometimes even priests need to be nudged out of their pews.

As we come to the end of the calendar year, this is something for which we should all remember: the Church is bigger than our pew, it's bigger than our parish, it's bigger than our diocese, and it's even bigger than our denomination. We are part of the Body of Christ – a living, breathing, active organism. If all we do is sit, then that body will eventually atrophy and die.

You may not be called to serve on a committee for General Convention, but there are plenty of areas around Saint John's for which you can serve. As some of our members begin to grow older and are not able to give as much time physically as they used to, or are in need of a long overdue rest, others need to step up to keep this part of the body healthy and active.

So, would you be willing to serve?

October 30, 2019

“Oops.” – Almost anyone at one time or another

Every once in awhile I have some “free” time on my hands in the office. For one reason or another, the schedule works out where what I normally have scheduled for the week doesn't happen, thereby freeing up the time to do something else . . . like clean off my desk and/or catch up on my reading.

Today I worked on the table in my office as well as the inbox for one of my e-mail accounts. The table got cleaned off to a respectable level, and the in box got down to a grand total of 9 (NINE!!) emails, down from something like 2065.

I basically went through the list one page of 50 at a time, scanned through to see if it looked like it was anything important, and hit the mass delete button. Obviously e-mails from 2016 and 2017 were easy targets. The ones from 2018 received a little slower look, and the ones from 2019 received serious consideration as to whether or not I should keep it.

E-mails to me are a lot like the closets in a church. You don't want to examine them too closely for fear of discovering something that should have been dealt with years ago. But you also don't want to go and throw it all away without taking at least a glance at it because you “might need it someday.” I thought that I might need some of those e-mails someday.

But, really, how many e-mails from two years ago and beyond does a person really need to save?

So I screwed up my technological courage and began deleting page after page after page.

And I may have deleted one or two that I probably shouldn't have. Oops.

If you sent me an e-mail and think I've ignored you, it may be because it fell into the delete pile by mistake. Feel free to contact me again, and I'll get back to you. But I have a feeling that none of the ones that were deleted are ones that we couldn't live without.

As we move into the colder weather, take a look through your closets and identify those things that you carry with you because “you might need it someday.” Chances are you can probably live without it. Screw up your courage and donate that item to the appropriate place – clothing sites, the Re-Use Store, etc. Because sometimes it's necessary to have a planned Oops in our lives as we reach out to others.

Blessings,

October 23, 2019

“One cannot become holy all at once.”

The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

The practice of holiness, like anything else worthwhile, takes dedication and perseverance. The journey to holiness should be focused on the journey, not the destination. If we only focus on the destination of being holy, then we might assume we are already there.

But we are not there. I'm not sure we are ever there. But we can continue on the journey. We can continue to make small steps toward holiness.

On All Saints' Sunday we will have a baptism. When that person is baptized into the household of God, he will not become holy, but it will be his first steps toward becoming holy. His journey toward holiness has just begun.

That journey will include intentional time with God. It will include learning about the faith. It will include making Sunday worship a priority. It will include times of study. It will include learning how to put “loving your neighbor” into practice. It will include so much more that I can't write down here. But maybe most importantly, it will include learning to not take his faith for granted but to put effort and time into becoming a disciple of Christ.

How are you doing on your own journey to holiness? Would you like to become more spiritually “fit?”

Like physical exercise where nobody begins by lifting 200 lbs or running 10 miles, nobody becomes holy all at once; we need to develop good habits and focus on the journey. Where to start? You could start by committing to read Compline from the BCP a few nights a week with a goal of reading it every night. You could commit to reading one chapter of the Gospels each day – at one chapter a day, starting tonight, you could have all of Matthew, Mark, and Luke read by December 29. You could commit to praying at each meal. The list is endless.

And, like with physical exercise, the more often you do it, the easier it becomes and the more you can increase the commitment.

We cannot become holy all at once; but what is stopping us from becoming holy a little bit at a time?

Blessings,

October 9, 2019

The Beloved Community

What makes up a Beloved Community? Or, more appropriately, what are the hallmarks of a Beloved Community? The first, obviously, is that it is based in love. Not the starry, infatuated, emotional kind of first loves, but the kind that hopes all things, bears all things, endures all things. The second is that it is based in gospel justice, it proclaims the love of God to the world, it addresses that which is counter to the mission of God, and it attempts to do so in such a way that, hopefully, opens our eyes to see where and how God is working in the world around us.

Invariably, though, when the community of God meets the powers of the world, things will be said that offend certain people. The prophets offended kings. John the Baptist and Jesus offended Scribes, Pharisees, temple authorities, and other political leaders. Paul offended parishioners in Corinth and Galatia. Bishop Paul Jones of Utah, a recognized saint of the Episcopal church, offended church leaders when he spoke out against WWI. Bonhoeffer offended any number of Germans. Martin Luther King, Jr., offended the white majority. And, no doubt, I offended some people by calling out the president's anti-Christian behavior.

As people of the world, disagreements happen and people are offended. As Christians living in the world, we are no different – which is why I'm convinced that Jesus promised to be in the midst of us when two or three are gathered together. The difference, as I see it, is that the world has moved to a win-at-all-costs mentality, regardless of how harmful that may be. In contrast, the Beloved Community is continually working to align kingdom goals, gospel justice, and the baptismal covenant with our daily living. Sometimes that means pointing out inconsistencies with how we say we will live versus our actual behaviors. And sometimes that means people will be offended.

God, the Church, and her ministers have, at times, disturbed, disrupted, and offended the world. Thomas Kennedy did such a thing right here when he proposed removing the requirement that people holding public office be Christians in what came to be known as “The Jew Bill.”

I have offended people in the past, and I will probably offend people in the future. But those words spoken and written are never spoken or written with an intent to offend; rather, they are offered to make people aware of situations that are contrary to my understanding of gospel ideals, the mission of God, and of the Beloved Community.

As part of that community, our challenge is to confront the disparate goals of God and world in such a way that generates open and honest conversations without resorting to threats or personal attacks. In other words, if we can bear and endure with each other in all things, then we will have the foundation of a Beloved Community.

Blessings,

October 2, 2019

In the second story of creation (Gen. 2:4b - 25), God creates a solitary human to care for the garden of Eden.  Recognizing it is not good that the human is alone, God proceeds to create every animal in an effort to find a suitable helper and partner, but "there was [none] found . . ." 

But just because animals were not found to be suitable helpers and partners doesn't mean they can't be suitable helpers; or suitable companions.  Guide dogs, sled dogs, and rescue dogs come to mind.  As do purring cats and ranch horses. 

In short, we love our animals.  Often to such an extent that some people will use them as a guide to who they are willing to date (love me, love my dog).  And when we lose an animal due to death or running away, it often leaves a large empty spot in our heart.  An article in the mental health section of Scientific American (5/22/18) states that, "Symptoms of acute grief after the loss of a pet can last from one to two months, with symptoms of grief persisting up to a full year (on average)."
We love our animals.

To honor that relationship, every year on or around the Feast of St. Francis (October 4), we offer a service of the Blessing of the Animals.  In part because Francis had a theology that saw God in every aspect of creation and it was our duty to care for and protect it

As protectors and caretakers of our animals, it is appropriate that we also make time to bless them.  So this Sunday, October 6, we will once again offer the Blessing of the Animals.  You are encouraged to bring your pet, or pets, to be blessed during the service.  This will take place immediately after the Peace and before the Offertory.

Dogs should be on leashes, cats in cages, and other critters appropriately restrained -- we don't want a repeat of the squirrel incident in Pascagoula (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16fG1sDagU).

I hope to see you and your pet this Sunday.

Blessings,

Todd+

September 25, 2019

That's my pew.

We've all heard these words uttered by someone, or maybe even ourselves. There are multiple reasons for making this statement. Sometimes it's an informative declaration telling people where you normally sit. Sometimes it's a playful way of recognizing our ingrained habit of sitting in the same place. Sometimes, like a former Oregon parishioner told me, it's to honor their parents and grand-parents who sat in that pew. And sometimes, like my family experienced many years ago, it's a rude acknowledgment that you have intruded into someone's territory.

We are creatures of habit. I've noticed that people tend to sit in the same seats for vestry meetings, classes, and even a two-day meeting. And sometimes I think clergy lament the fact that everyone sits in the same place because it can lead to a cliquish behavior or, as I mentioned, the feeling of territorial rights. Maybe we clergy think we need to get people out of their rut, so that's why it bothers us. One time in Montana I preached a sermon along these lines only to find that everyone had changed places the following week. Of course, the next week they were back in their regular spots.

But I just read an article in a monastery newsletter that made me rethink the value of “my pew.”

According to this article, many monasteries have assigned seating for their monks and nuns. That is, each person is given a particular place to sit based on their seniority (time of service) in the monastery. They remain in that place until a more senior person leaves or dies, when they move up one space. Because of this system, people can spend years or decades in the same spot.

This spot becomes a place where prayer is cultivated. It becomes a place where the prayers of the person occupying that spot become infused in the life of the person sitting there. It becomes a place where all the prayers of the past are connected with the prayers of the present and anticipate the prayers of the future. It becomes a place that binds you to God in a way different from other ways.

This is my spot. This is where I am connected to God, past, present, and future. That connectedness, that infusing of prayer and Spirit, allows you to sit and be in the presence of God. And it allows for a certain stability in your prayer and faith.

So rather than think, “That's my pew” because you've always sat there, think of that pew as your anchor to God. This is where you have prayed for years, maybe even decades. This is where the prayers of your past are connected to your prayers of the present and anticipate your prayers of the future. This is where you encounter God.

That is your pew. That is where you are connected to the great cloud of witnesses and to angels and archangels. That is your place of prayerful stability and where you are bound to God in that thin place of the Holy Eucharist.

That's your pew. May you treat it with holy respect.

Blessings.

Todd+

September 18, 2019

We are all familiar with this Latin phrase which is found on our coins and means, "Out of many, one."

It fits as our national motto because this country was, and is, made up of people from North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia (and maybe even a few Australians).  There is, of course, an unfortunate history of groups abusing and enslaving others, and we have far to go before we reach the ideal that "every [person] is created equal."

In a sense, this could also be the motto of the Church.  As Paul wrote in Galatians, "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus," and in Ephesians, "There is one body and on Spirit . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism . . ."  Like our country's founders recognized that from many countries came one, Paul recognized that many people make up the one body of Christ.

And yet, this desire for unity, the desire to be one, oftentimes seems unattainable due to our own sins of racism, greed, oppression, hatred, theological warfare, and the like.  During a service recently, a former Montana colleague was reading a prayer out of the BCP that mentions "our unhappy divisions."  He misread it as, "our happy divisions."  And while that was a slip of the tongue, he mused that his slip might be more correct -- that we really are more happy when we are divided.

And I read in another place that "we have entirely too much pluribus and not enough unum."

We are a divided people -- politically, socially, economically, and theologically.

Jesus once told his followers, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."  That's not because two, three, or more people create something holy and sacred; it's because we have a tendency to not get along and we need Jesus among us.

None of this means that we need to bury our disagreements in an attempt to become some sort of unified cult.  We can disagree.  We can have differences of opinion.  The trick is to do it respectfully.  The trick is to do it while holding the other up, rather than working to take down.

We are a divided people -- politically, socially, economically, and theologically.  Among these happy divisions, are we willing to invite Jesus into our midst?  Among these happy divisions, are we willing to align ourselves with gospel values?  Among our happy divisions, are we willing to keep Jesus front and center?  Because it most certainly is the case that, despite our pluribus, Jesus is our unum.

Blessings,

Todd+

September 11, 2019

On this day

On this day, we pray: O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our brothers and sisters who were slaughtered by the violence of our fallen world. We thank you for giving them to us, their family and friends, to know and to love as companions on our earthly pilgrimage. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before.

On this day, we pray: O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

On this day, we pray: O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

On this day, we pray: Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

On this day, we pray.

Amen.

September 4, 2019

Chores and Sin

We all have our chores to do around the house; at least, I hope we all do and don't let the care of the house fall to one person. In my house, because I have Fridays off, it's my job to do the weekly laundry, pay bills, and clean the bedroom and bathroom that belong to me and my wife. Very rarely I need to skip cleaning the bathroom due to something that gets in the way, but it almost always gets cleaned.

The tub is sprayed down and scrubbed. The shower doors are Windex-ed. The sink and vanity mirror get the same treatment. The floor is vacuumed and sometimes scrubbed. The toilet is cleaned inside and out. And the mats are vacuumed. Luckily it's not a large bathroom, so it doesn't take a whole lot of effort; it's just a matter of getting in there and doing it – 30 minutes tops, maybe 40 under special circumstances.

While I was cleaning this past weekend, I noticed that the space behind the shower door bumpers was looking icky, so I took those off and cleaned both wall and bumper. And when I was doing the sink, I remembered that it had been awhile since I took out the drain stopper. Whereas the bumpers were icky, this was positively gross, with black, brown, and gray gunk built up, along with a small wad of hair (for those eating breakfast right now – sorry).

As I said, I clean the bathroom faithfully every Friday; and yet, there was still an accumulation of yuck.

Sin works the same way. We try to keep our lives clean and holy. We participate in church on a weekly basis not for pardon only, but also for renewal. And yet, no matter how hard we try, how faithful we are, sin has a way of gathering in our lives, finding places to hide and grow, that, if not dealt with regularly, will result in an accumulation of yuck.

We generally don't like to talk about sin, confession, or repentance. But, if we want to do more than a cursory clean where people see only our surface, if we want to do a deep soul-clean, we need to open up those places where sin can build up and, eventually, cause major problems.

Just like we do regular maintenance and cleaning around the house to keep it from being overrun by yuck, we also need to do regular spiritual maintenance and cleaning in our lives to keep it from being overrun by sin.

Take time to examine your life. Take time to confess and repent. Take time to remove the yuck that slowly builds up over time. And then do it again next week.

Blessings,

August 28, 2019

Football and Church

I often say, “There's a lot of similarities between football and church;” especially as the season gets closer. I don't necessarily go looking for the similarities, but they do seem to pop up on a regular basis.

Last week I was out doing my preseason running, minding my own business, doing my sprints along with the regular morning dog walkers whom I've come to be friendly with, when a car that usually drives on by parked near me. A professional-type gentleman got out and said, “Excuse me. I hate to interrupt your workout, but do you live around here?”

My initial thought was that I was being busted by the HOA enforcer for not living within the community. So I said, “Yeah, I live over that way,” pointing in the general direction of some houses and hoping I wouldn't have to defend myself too much more.

“Oh, okay. Well I've seen you out here quite a bit and I was wondering what level of football you work?”

I told him I work high school games in the county. And he said, “I'm going to retire soon and I was thinking that refereeing is something I'd like to do once I have the time.”

So I gave him my name and number, told him to give me a call next April/May, and I would be glad to get him hooked up.

“How is this like church?” you may be wondering. Over the course of my thirty years of being involved with officiating football, I have asked many, many people to become referees. As far as I can recall, none of those people actually took the plunge and got into this hobby I love so much. However, there have been a few people who have known I officiate, or, as this most recent gentleman did, saw me doing my thing and approached me to ask questions as to how they could get involved.

Over the course of my lifetime in the church, I have asked many, many people to come to church. As far as I can recall, none of those people actually took the plunge and got involved with this faith and church that I love so much. But there have been a few people who have seen what I do, or who have seen what the church is doing, and approached me to ask questions as to how they could get involved.

Sometimes evangelism isn't about telling people about your faith in an attempt to draw them in; sometimes evangelism is simply about living your life as a follower of Christ and letting your light shine so that it attracts others to you. And then you can tell them about this faith and church that you love so much.

Blessings,

August 21, 2019

Celebrations

Celebrations come around every so often on a regular basis: Easter, Christmas, birthdays, and wedding anniversaries are a few that come immediately to mind. Celebrations also occur spontaneously: a good test score, an unexpected refund check, your team wins a big game, and others. And sometimes we want a celebration to be over so we can get on with life.

Last Sunday we celebrated the completion of the flooring project as we were in the church for the first time in two weeks. This coming Sunday we will have the opportunity to make one more celebration, as we officially welcome and celebrate Deacon Sue.

Much like the official installation and Celebration of New Ministry for a rector often comes months after their arrival, this liturgy of welcoming our new deacon also comes almost a full two months after Sue's arrival at Saint John's.

By now we've all had a chance to meet and welcome Sue to Saint John's as our new deacon. As the saying goes, this IS her first rodeo, so there are some things to work out and improve on. But I have found her great to work with and she has already begun inserting herself into both the community of Saint John's and the wider community around us.

Which brings us to the upcoming celebration of her new ministry with us. Archdeacon Jane O'Leary will be present Sunday as we officially welcome Sue. At the 8 am service there will be some official words of welcome. And at the 10:15 service there will be a symbolic giving of gifts and we will participate in a liturgy of new ministry.

And then, after all of this is over, we will go back to life as normal. Every celebration has its ending. Every celebration can be seen as a respite from the daily grind of life. So before we get back to business as usual, or before we get bogged down with the minutiae of every-day living, let's take this time on Sunday to pause and give thanks for our new deacon and use this celebration as a starting point for how our ministries might change in the future.

On Monday we work. But this coming Sunday we celebrate! Please join us.

Blessings,

August 14, 2019

Back at it.

Sometime back in May, I think, but certainly by June, my calendar clicked over to the “It's time to start getting physically ready for football” season. So every Tuesday and Thursday I would head out to a long, flat stretch of lawn that covers the length of a football field to run.

I call it “running,” but it's really a bit more complicated than that. I do a warm-up set in 30-yard groups that takes me the length of a football field. Then I do some side shuffles, crossovers, and back-pedaling mixed with forward sprints. Add to that some flag throwing so I can accurately judge distances and hit my spots, and you have the makings of a morning “run” that roughly simulates what I do on game day.

Three weeks ago I was out of town on vacation, so no running there. Two weeks ago I was home on vacation but sick, so no running there. Last week I was recovering from being sick, so no running there either. Finally, yesterday, I began training again.

Unlike my first run earlier this year, I'm not sore (thankfully!), because I'm now smart enough to know not to return to the same level as when I left. So I'm easing back into the running regimen, looking to be ready for game day in a few weeks. But I'm back at it, and that's the important thing.

This is kind of like our time in church. We have a weekly regimen of attending Sunday services, as well as an Evening Prayer service and mid-week service. Obviously not everybody attends every service, but we all (hopefully) have a spiritual regimen that we follow. And then comes vacation, or a series of business meetings, or some other event that disrupts that regimen.

These disruptions often take us out of rhythm and away from our regimen. And even if we manage to maintain the regimen, there's something . . . different . . . about it. I went to church with my mom, but it wasn't the same. I could've maintained my training by going to a nearby school. We could've done something while away from our familiar surroundings to maintain our regimens, but sometimes that feels more like a chore than simply saying, “I'll start again when I get back.”

Summer is coming to an end. Vacation times are coming to an end. It's time to get back to whatever spiritual disciplines or regimens we were actively pursuing before we slipped away. There's nothing wrong with getting away, even Jesus and God took time to rest. And just as it's important to keep our physical bodies in shape, it's also important to keep our spiritual bodies in shape.

It's time to get back at it.

Blessings,

August 7, 2019

Enough.

Just before I went on vacation, President Trump verbally attacked four congresswomen of color telling them to, “Go back where you came from.” The implication, of course, being that unless you are white you aren't from here, nor do you belong here. It's a clearly racist and xenophobic view held not only by him, but by the vast majority of his supporters.

While I was on vacation, the president verbally attacked Rep. Elijah Cummings of Baltimore's 7^th congressional district. The most (in)famous words when he called Baltimore a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” where “no human would want to live.”

Besides being obviously racist, the president's rant contained other dark undertones. In stating that no human would want to live there, he effectively identified those people who do live there as sub-human and less-than. As a white man describing this black-majority area this way, he has used a tactic that slave owners, traders, and white supremacists have used for centuries, equating non-whites as sub-human. I'm waiting for him to propose a bill stating that blacks get 3/5 of a vote. It is also reminiscent of the posters and other propaganda that were distributed in the 1940's during the Nazi occupation of Denmark equating Jews with rats that must be exterminated.

And this past Saturday evening, I went to bed with the news that 18 people had been killed by a gunman in El Paso and awoke Sunday morning to the news that 9 had been killed in Dayton. In El Paso, a white nationalist who idolizes the president and his racist rhetoric set out to cleanse Texas of the Hispanic invasion. The Dayton killer had compiled both a “hit list” and “rape list” of those he wanted to kill and/or harm. All of this on the heels of the seemingly endless words from our president pushing a white, nationalist agenda that proclaims there are fine people in the white supremacy movement.

Enough.

In the face of these and other acts acts of misogyny, xenophobia, racism, and other hate-spewing rants, I can no longer be silent. In the face of lies designed to appeal to our most base nature, speeches designed to increase our fear of others, and evil words and actions that have been utilized and normalized by a swath of Christianity, I can no longer be silent.

What is being held up as virtuous by this president and his supporters are, in fact, evil powers which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God. There is no repentance, only poor excuses. There is no resistance to evil, but an embrace of it in the name of national purity. There is no proclamation of Good News, only a bullhorn proclaiming fear. There is no desire to seek Christ, only a desire to seek the elimination of those not like us. There is no striving for justice and peace, but a striving for homogeneity that silences minority opinions and voices. There is no desire to serve, only a desire to maintain power and control over those who are different and a desire to be seen as the greatest.

Feed the hungry. Welcome the stranger. Love the enemy. There is no more Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for all are one in Christ. This is the gospel we should be following. And unless we speak out against the atrocities of the current regime, we will be seen as supporting it, because our silence will be our approval.

Enough.

July 17, 2019

Vacation

So, after almost three years here at Saint John's, I'm finally taking a vacation. There are several reasons why I haven't done so until now, probably none of them are very good.

First, I'm more of a “short few days away from the office” kind of guy than a “long two or three weeks away from the office” kind of guy. I've really always been this way, never really liking being away for a long period of time. Well, let me rephrase that: I've never liked coming back to the office after being away for a long period of time. So I avoid it when I can.

Another reason is that Joelene hasn't always had the time available from her job to take a vacation. She's used days here and there, just as I've used time here and there. But now she does have the time so we can both take vacation at the same time.

And a third reason is geography. “Way out here in western Maryland” it can be difficult to find supply clergy to fill in. We don't have any retired priests within the congregation able to do so, and retired priests in general are in short-supply out this way.

So there are some reasons why it has taken me so long to get away.

That said, Joelene and I are heading to Washington (the big one in the upper left corner) this Saturday. We will spend time visiting family and friends in Seattle, Wenatchee, Richland, and Spokane. And then we come home on a red-eye flight that gets us into Baltimore at 6 am.

While I'm away, you can contact Deacon Sue or Melonie if you have a pastoral emergency. Dusty and Sherrie, with their pastoral care team and Stephens Ministers are also available if needed. And for my part, you all will continue to be in my prayers.

I'm looking forward to being out west once again; but I'm also looking forward to a safe return home. Have a good couple of weeks.

Blessings,

July 10, 2019

Three Priests and a Truck

Well, it was more like, “Two pastors, a priest, and a truck,” but that's too long for a tag line.

Monday I put out a request to the congregation asking if anyone was available to help a parishioner make a short move on Tuesday. I knew this was extremely short notice, but you never know what will happen when you ask. Unfortunately nobody was able to help.

So yesterday morning, on even shorter notice, I put out a text request to a local clergy group I'm part of. Texts flew back and forth, a phone call was made, and we were able to pull together a total of three clergy guys and a truck. We made two trips, and probably another few trips will be required to finish it. At 5 pm on Tuesday I still wasn't sure if we were going to get this done.

Spending my day moving a parishioner wasn't on my list of things to do when I got into the office yesterday. Spending my day moving a parishioner today is probably not on my list of things to do, but we'll see how it turns out.

Sometimes we are hit with the unexpected. Sometimes we are asked to do things not on our schedule. Sometimes we are asked to provide neighborly assistance when we have other things on our schedule.

And all the time it's those little things that are big to somebody else where God steps in and is present.

“The Lord be with you,” we say. Let us also remember that, for the Lord to be with you, I need to be with you. For the Lord to be with me, you need to be with me.

We are all in this together, and, hopefully, none of us will have to face any unexpected surprises on our own.

Blessings,

June 26, 2019

I like that you're broken, broken like me . . .

Lovelytheband

These are the opening lyrics to “Broken” and from the first time I heard the song it became one of my favorites. Besides having a catchy tune, the lyrics are insightful.

“I like that you're broken, broken like me. Maybe that makes me a fool. I like that you're lonely, lonely like me. I could be lonely with you.”

We all have our broken pieces: A love lost; a friendship ended; words spoken in haste; a perceived slight; attempts to reach out that have been rebuffed; the memories of bullying. And the list goes on.

We all have our broken pieces. We all have our scars. But all of this – our brokenness and our scars – are part of being human. And all of this tells the story of who we are.

This brokenness also tells the story of who others are. Some people have been broken more than ourselves, some less. Some people have more scars than us, some less.

I think it's important to remember that. It's important to remember that we all have various broken pieces and scars.

And it's important to remember that people break, people are scarred, most often at the hands of others. How would our life be different if people treated us like a fragile piece of art they didn't want to break? How would the lives of those around us be different if we did the same? How would the Church be different?

May we strive to be gentle. May we strive to be a community that heals and strengthens.

Blessings,

June 19, 2019

Ordinary Time

We have moved out of liturgical time and into Ordinary Time; that time of the Church year when Sundays are simply counted sequentially. It is during this time that, instead of the season shaping the readings, the readings shape the season. In other words, instead of the events of Jesus' life being the focus, the life of Jesus becomes the focus. This long season is really where we learn about daily discipleship. It is here, in this long season, where our discipleship roots grow deep.

Christmas and Easter cast wide nets. Those are the two seasons, well . . . days, actually, where we see the most people in attendance. Those two days are the high holy days of the year, and people from far and wide come to be part of the celebrations. And that's okay. In fact, that's good. It's good to see the church full of people worshiping. It's good to hear the sound of a full church as people raise their voices in song and praise.

But not every day is a celebration. Not every day can grab peoples attention. By trying to do that, by trying to cast our nets wide, we end up focusing on the shallow. We end up focusing on what looks good.

Ordinary Time, however, allows us to focus on daily discipleship. It allows us to focus on strengthening our relationship with God. It allows us to, as Jesus told Peter, put out into the deep water. It allows us to develop holy roots.

Every Lent we are asked to develop a Lenten discipline that helps us fast from what draws us away from God. We spend this time in prayer, fasting, and self-denial, as we confront our sinful nature and look to repent and return to God.

This is always a good thing to do, but it is often short-lived since we tend to follow this discipline only through the 40 days of Lent.

In this upcoming Ordinary Time, I invite you to develop an ordinary discipline. I invite you to develop a discipline, habit, rule of life, that isn't so much focused on reminding you of your sinful nature as it is focused on developing a deep-rooted discipleship. Read scripture daily. Pray at set times. Find a time to listen to God. Participate in a new activity at church. Attend Evening Prayer. The list is close to endless.

And remember that you've got a long time to figure this out. A spiritual discipline shouldn't cause stress or additional problems in your life. As a monk said at my conference last week, “A spiritual discipline is only helpful if it's helpful.”

My prayer for all of us as we move into Ordinary Time is that we will all develop ordinary disciplines that will grow deep discipleship roots in all of us.

Blessings,

June 5, 2019

Follow

We have gone to the tomb only to find it empty. Christ has been resurrected. Through his death and resurrection we have been given new life.

In this Easter season we have experienced the joy of resurrection. We have also had our doubts. The resurrection stories are full of joy and doubt: the initial news as told by the women; the ten disciples telling Thomas; all of the disciples at the Ascension. Joy and doubt seem to go hand in hand when talking about the resurrection. But that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Doubt leaves room for questions and learning. It leaves room for people to explore their faith. A faith that can doubt is a faith that can question and wrestle. Jacob wrestled with God. Gideon had doubts. Almost every prophet exclaimed, “Not me!” Mary pondered things in her heart. Jesus may have wrestled with his call during those 40 days in the wilderness. But note that none of those people who doubted and wrestled quit following God.

We have seen the empty tomb. We have encountered the risen Christ. We have joy and we have doubts. In that joy and in those doubts, let us continue to follow the one who has destroyed death and claimed the victory of life.

Because it's in the continual following where our faith is strengthened.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Blessings,

May 29, 2019

The Tomb is Empty

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, or when the sun had risen (depending on which gospel you read), Mary Magdalene and various women go to the tomb where Jesus was laid to either finish the burial rite or to simply mourn his death.

People can get caught up in the minutiae of an event that leads them to miss or invalidate the prime truth the event, and this is one of them. Was it still dark or wasn't it? Was it only Mary Magdalene at the tomb, or was her and another woman, or was it her and three or four other women? Did they bring spices or didn't they? Was the rock already rolled away or was it rolled away as they approached? Again, it depends on which gospel story you read. But none of that is the prime truth of the event.

The prime truth of the event, and therefore the prime truth of the gospel, all four of them, is that the tomb was empty. The women went to the tomb to finish the burial rite, and the tomb was empty. Mary went alone to the tomb to mourn the death of her friend, and the tomb was empty. And after seeing the empty tomb, there are four different response.

The women go and tell the disciples, and they are believed. The women flee in terror and say nothing to anyone. The women go and tell the disciples, and are dismissed as silly women. Mary tells two of the disciples who then run to verify her account.

The tomb is empty. We are now in the position of the women. Will we tell people about the good news of the resurrection, or will we say nothing to anyone for fear of how we will be perceived?

The tomb is empty.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Blessings,

May 22, 2019

Power

Power is an interesting thing. We tend to think of power as equal to strength or force. Military power, for example. Or physical strength and power. Or maybe we think of power as equal to control.

But is that what power really is?

In the Gospel of John, Jesus and Pilate have a discussion about what power is and who holds it. I've pointed out several times that part of the reason we are to forgive others is so that their harmful actions will not hold power over us. The power of the Civil Rights movement, while not completely fulfilled, stood in the face of violence and hatred. Many martial arts are predicated on the transference of power; ie using the strength and aggressiveness of the other to your advantage. We used to think that death had power over us, but Christ destroyed that power through the power of his resurrection.

In our journey with Christ, we learn about a different kind of power – a power based on the love of God. This is a power that stands in the face of evil to proclaim the love of God to all. This is a power that says, “We are not afraid.” This is a power that says life is changed, not ended. There is a power in living in the assured grace of God.

It's not always easy, but it's powerful.

As we move through the Easter season, may we continue to find places of resurrection. May we continue to find opportunities to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ. May we continue to grow in our discipleship and faithfulness, as our own resurrection energies and abilities are released into the world.

That is a powerful witness.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Blessings,

May 15, 2019

Embodiment

“Eat this bread. Drink this wine. This is my body. This is my blood.”

Every Sunday we hear these and similar words at Communion as I read the Institution Narrative and the epiclesis. Every Sunday bread and wine are substantially changed as they are infused with the real presence of Jesus Christ. Every Sunday these creatures of bread and wine become holy gifts for holy people, the bread of life and the cup of salvation. And every Sunday we are fed and nourished by our Lord through the sacrifice he made.

In partaking of that holy meal we are also infused with the real presence of Jesus Christ. In partaking of that holy meal we are also substantially changed.

This is one aspect of embodiment; that we feed on him who died for us and, through that feeding, become embodied with the presence of Christ.

But there is another aspect to the embodiment of Christ, and that is our sharing in the totality of his life. We share in not only his life, but his baptism, his ministry, his death, and his resurrection. And this may be the most difficult part of embodiment – to embody Christ in our daily lives. To live our lives respecting the dignity of every human being. To seek and serve Christ in all people. To recognize differences yet respect and honor the image of God in all people. To walk daily in the footsteps of Christ. To live a life of discipleship in a way that embodies Christ always. This is the hard work of embodiment. This is the hard work of discipleship.

It's hard work, but it is worth it in so many ways.

How are you the embodiment of Christ in the world around you?

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Blessings,

May 8, 2019

Victory

When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.

Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

1 Cor. 15:54-55

During the Easter season we celebrate Christ's victory over death. We remember that neither the powers of this world nor death have any hold over us. More than any other time of the year, we proclaim the power of the Resurrection.

In the current world climate with daily mass shootings, the bombings of synagogues, mosques, and churches, the rise of white supremacy and nationalism, the scapegoating of easy targets, wars and rumors of wars, it can be easy to forget this. It can be easy to forget that death has lost. It can be easy to forget that the powers of hell have been vanquished. It can be easy to forget all this because it seems as if these things, not Christ, have won.

Unfortunately too many people, when faced with the paradox of Christ's victory in a world filled with death, offer simplistic platitudes – a pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by attitude telling people it will all be okay in the end while doing nothing to help in the now. In the current climate, many people are wondering about that victory and whether or not they will be okay.

Christ died for the sin, and sins, of the world. Christ died to put an end to death. Christ died so that we might live. Christ embodies a death-defeating, life-giving power that can and will save and heal. But in order for that power to be unleashed in the world, we must live as if we believe it. We must live lives that challenge all that attempt to destroy what God has wrought.

For us to continue to challenge death and hate, for us to plant the seeds of love and inclusion, then we must continue to proclaim Christ crucified and resurrected, and we must feed, tend, and feed others. Only then will the victory of Christ be made known to the world.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Blessings,

May 1, 2019

New Life

“Behold, I am making all things new” – Rev. 21:5

The resurrection of Jesus Christ wasn't just the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is also the beginnings of the resurrection of all creation. When Jesus was resurrected, his life was changed, not ended. So we also proclaim at our funeral services, “Life is changed, not ended.”

This change is evident in the resurrection. Mary Magdalene didn't recognize him at the tomb. When Jesus showed himself to the disciples, some believed while others doubted. I think that doubt arises from an inability to grasp the power of the resurrection.

But again, this change, this resurrection, doesn't only apply to Jesus – it applies to all of creation.

All things are being made new. The first heaven and the first earth will pass away as a new heaven and a new earth come into being. This is the resurrection of creation that began with the resurrection of Jesus. From the innermost parts of our atomic makeup to the vast expanse of interstellar space, all things are being made new.

As we move forward through the Easter season, how are you being made new? As we end our Lenten fast and live into Easter, how have you been changed?

How do you see this idea of resurrection, of life being changed not ended, of Christ making all things new, play out in the life of our parish?

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Blessings,

April 24, 2019

Resurrection

Our faith is built on the Resurrection of Christ. We affirm, in one way or another, that, “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.”

With the resurrection of Christ, things that were old are being made new. With the resurrection of Christ, hell has been vanquished. With the resurrection of Christ, life is changed, not ended.

It's not a coincidence that the Day of Resurrection happens in the spring. Trees that once seemed to be nothing but a ragged collection of dead limbs bud to life. Dead and dormant grasses begin growing again. Hibernating animals that had been in a state of suspended animation return to life.

Resurrection is all around us if only we are willing to open our eyes to witness it.

But the resurrection we celebrate is more than plants and animals returning to life after a long, dormant winter. The resurrection we celebrate is victory over death. It is a complete change to life as we know it. And the resurrection we celebrate requires more than opening our eyes to witness it. The resurrection we celebrate also requires us to open our mouths and proclaim the Good News.

“Go quickly and tell his disciples . . .” – Matt. 28:7

“But go, tell his disciples and Peter . . .” – Mark 16:7

“And returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and all the rest.” – Luke 24:9

“But go to my brothers and say to them . . .” – John 20:17

News of the resurrection is not to be kept to ourselves. On this first week of Easter, when our own resurrection experience is still fresh in our minds, whom will we tell?

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Blessings,

April 17, 2019

Notre Dame is burning

That four word text went out to my wife and daughter when I heard the news about the fire at the famous cathedral. Seeing the smoke billow from the building, watching the spire collapse, was an almost unbelievable and surreal experience. Seeing the overhead drone footage of the fire was like looking into the mouth of hell itself.

But as tragic as this event was, it seems to have happened at the right time. Let me explain.

We are in Holy Week, the last week of Lent. This season began on Ash Wednesday: Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return. All of us, and all of our creations, will return to dust at some point. The fire at Notre Dame reminds us that no one and no thing is everlasting except God.

We are in Holy Week, that time we betray and deny Christ, and watch him die. This is a difficult time. Watching the great cathedral burn felt like watching it die. My mind flashed back to the churches that were destroyed during WWII and never rebuilt, but left to stand as bombed- and burned-out shells of buildings. I had that same feeling, thinking that future generations would only see the remains of what was. In the midst of life, we are in death.

We are in Holy Week, that time we look with hopeful expectation to the Resurrection. As I watched the footage from Notre Dame, I saw the photo from inside the damaged cathedral of an undamaged Altar and cross. In the midst of life, we are in death. Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return. All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

As we move through the rest of this Holy Week, may Notre Dame be a symbol for our faith: life, death, and resurrection.

Blessings,

April 10, 2019

Today's Wednesday Word isn't so much a Word as much as it is a reminder.  Holy Week begins next Sunday, April 14, with Palm Sunday.  As always, we have many opportunities for you to experience this most sacred event, to worship, and to contemplate those mighty acts whereby we have been given life and immortality.

I encourage you to put these on your calendar and participate as fully as possible in the various services that lead us to both the cross and to new life through the resurrection of Christ.

May you have a blessed and meaningful Holy Week  -- Todd+
 

Holy Week Schedule

for

Saint John's Episcopal Church

April 14: Palm/Passion Sunday

Both services (8 and 10:15) will gather in front of the columbarium (in Trimble Hall if inclement weather) for the Blessing of the Palms and procession into the church. Incense will be used at the 10:15 service.

April 15: 12:15 Stations of the Cross in the Nave (enter through the breezeway door)

5:30 Evening Prayer

April 16: 12:15 Stations of the Cross in the Nave (enter through the breezeway door)

5:30 Evening Prayer

April 17: 12:15 Stations of the Cross with Holy Eucharist in the Nave (enter through elevator, Antietam Street, or breezeway door)

April 18: Maundy Thursday

12:15: Stations of the Cross in the Nave (enter through the breezeway door)

6 pm: Holy Eucharist begins in Trimble Hall with an agape meal, the Liturgy of the Word, foot washing, the Confession, and the Peace. Following the Peace, we move upstairs for Holy Communion (the last of the week) and the stripping of the Altar.

April 19: Good Friday

12 Noon: Stations of the Cross and Veneration in the Nave

1:00 – 2:30: Ecumenical Cross Walk in City Park

7 pm: Stations of the Cross and Veneration in the Nave

April 20: Holy Saturday

12 Noon: Liturgy of the Word with the Holy Lamentations in the Nave

April 21: Easter Day

6 am: The Great Vigil of Easter

Service begins in the lower parking lot with the Service of Light and kindling of the new fire, processing into the church for the chanting of the Exsultet and the Service of Lessons, the Renewal of Baptismal Vows, and Holy Eucharist with the administration of Easter Communion. Incense will be used at this service.

7:30: Celebratory breakfast in Trimble Hall

Come for the Vigil and stay for breakfast, or come for breakfast and stay for Easter worship.

10:15: Festal Easter Day celebration of our Risen Lord with the Holy Eucharist and full choir.