June 21, 2023

We have officially entered the long, green Season after Pentecost, otherwise known as Ordinary Time.

We have also officially entered the summer season – the season of vacations, trips to the beach, family visits, bbq's, and other activities.

One of the things summer also brings us are visitors to the church. People may just be passing through the area and want to worship on a Sunday morning. Some people may want to see something different from what they're used to. Some people may be new to the area and are searching for a spiritual home. Some people, for whatever reason, may have left their old church and are looking for a new home as well. Whatever the reason, summer is a time we may see new people come through our doors.

I recently read an article written by a retired ELCA pastor who visited several churches in an effort to find a spiritual home. Although not surprising, she was surprised by the spectrum of welcoming to non-welcoming churches she visited. A lot of what she wrote about is obvious and already incorporates how we interact with visitors here at Saint John's; but she made a few points that bear repeating.

“Hospitality,” she said, “is about spotters and scooters.”

Spotters are those people who keep a lookout for new people or people they don't recognize. A spotter will then make a point to introduce themselves to the new person with something like, “I don't believe we've met . . . I'm NN.” They will then offer to accompany them to coffee hour or, if before the service, ask if they are familiar with the Episcopal liturgy. In both cases they will also look to spot a parishioner who will then take them under their wing, so to speak.

Scooters are those people who move to invite the new person to join them. If this is at coffee hour, they notice (or are told by the spotter) the visitor in the room and move to interact with them. They ask non-threatening questions (“Where are you from?” or “Do you have any questions about the church?” but NOT, “Would you like to chair our pledge campaign this year?”). If this is before the service, a scooter can ask if they are familiar with the liturgy and, if not, offer to sit next to them and help guide them through the BCP & Hymnal. Even if they are familiar, asking to share a pew and then inviting them to stay afterward shows you care about not leaving them alone.

The best way to bring people into the faith and into the church is by inviting them. The second best way is by taking an interest in them when they are visiting and not leaving them alone.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the elect, “I was a stranger and you invited me in.” This summer let's make sure we spot the stranger in our midst, scoot up next to them, and invite them in.

Blessings,

June 14, 2023

I sat in the church on Sunday afternoon listening to the harpist practice for her recital later that day. As I listened, I took a visual tour of the stained glass windows in the nave. We are blessed to worship in one of the most beautiful spaces I've known, and I'm sure many of you feel the same way.

As I was looking at those windows that tell the story of Christ's life from the Annunciation to the Crucifixion and his Ascension, I wondered, “Which one is my favorite?” I think that probably depends on my mood at the time. So then I asked myself, “Which one speaks to me now?”

As I looked around the nave and all of the windows, and even up into the chancel and sanctuary, I kept coming back to Jesus encountering Nathanael under the fig tree. This episode can be found in John 1:48. What John tells us is that Jesus called Philip and Philip then told Nathanael about Jesus. There's an encounter and Jesus eventually says, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Using artistic license, our window appears to depict Nathanael asleep under that tree, not noticing the presence of Christ right next to him.

How often, I thought, are we like Nathanael in that window – asleep to the presence of Christ right next to us?

Maybe we no longer take time to notice the holy presence of the Lord in our midst because we see it so often. Maybe we are asleep to the presence of Christ in the form of those people who use parts of our building for shelter. Maybe we are asleep to the presence of Christ in our lives because other things always seem to take precedence. Maybe we are asleep to the still, small voice of God because we would rather see or hear something big and dramatic. The list can go on.

In his book, The Problem of Pain, CS Lewis wrote, “They wanted some corner in the universe of which they could say to God, 'this is our business, not yours.' But there is no such corner.”

There is no such corner where God is not present. There is no such corner that Jesus does not touch. Maybe what it takes for us to be awakened to that is to spend some time in peaceful quiet with our eyes and ears wide open so that we are awake to the presence of Christ right next to us.

June 7, 2023

Deacon Sue and I spent this past Saturday in Baltimore at the cathedral for two ordination services. The first was at 10:00 and saw the ordination of two deacons. The second was at 2:00 and saw the ordination of five priests.

Ordination services are always joyous affairs. The color of the day is red, so you get to see a bunch of red stoles you normally don't get to see. Clergy gather around the ordinands as Holy Orders are conferred on them by the bishop. There is a sense of hope as things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new. You get to see the joy in their eyes as they help celebrate their first Communion, and you notice the difference they feel in administering the Body and Blood to those in attendance for the first time as ordained clergy. And, for the most part, there were only one or two times when I got the liturgical heebie jeebies; which isn't bad for two services that spanned four hours or so.

After we exchanged the Peace, the bishop reminded those in attendance at both services that, through the centuries, the Church has called a small percentage of people to serve as deacons and priests. That is not because those people are more special than others, but simply because they have a different ministry. When asking, “Who are the ministers of the Church?” the Catechism clearly states they are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons. As we continue to recover from the COVID pandemic, as we see a hurting world in need of healing, we know the Church has a big job ahead of her, and it will take all of her members to bring the healing presence of Christ to the world around us.

During the Examination in the ordination service of a deacon, the bishop says, “Every Christian is called to follow Jesus Christ, serving God the Father . . .” And at the ordination of a priest, the bishop says, “All baptized people are called to make Christ known as Savior and Lord, and to share in the renewing of his world.” These two ordination services make clear that all people are ministers within different orders.

As we move into summer and people take vacations and trips, I would ask that you take some of that time to discern how you might serve the Church in general, and Saint John's in particular. Fall is not that far away, and as people begin to return to onsite worship we need everyone to participate in various ministries. John Sabine has a pick-up choir through summer; drop in and check it out, and maybe you will find a home with our music ministry. Kim Halsey and the Service & Outreach group are always looking for ways to put our faith into action. Charlie Chaney and the Fabric & Grounds group have no shortage of things needing attention around the building. We are still looking for a Treasurer. Our worship service needs people to serve in the Altar Guild, as Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, and Acolytes. What interests and skills do you have that you can offer up?

I'm reminded of the hymn, “Jesus calls us o'er the tumult of our life's wild, restless sea, day by day his clear voice soundeth, saying, 'Christian, follow me'.”

As the recovery from COVID continues, we must all answer the question: How will you serve?