March 10, 2021

A couple of weeks ago a parishioner came into the office and, among other things she needed to work on, asked me if I would make a home Communion visit because she hadn't received the Sacrament in a very long time and wasn't sure when she would be back at church even after we re-opened. I obviously agreed and, since I was going to be out that way anyway, also called a few other parishioners to set up a series of home Communion visits. So I spent this past Monday driving hither and yon through Pennsylvania as I made stops outside Mercersburg, Chambersburg, and Fayetteville.

As you may or may not know, I used to spend my Monday mornings making random house calls to our parishioners. Sometimes I'd catch people at home, and sometimes not. The goal of these visitations was just to catch up, get to know people a little better, and make connections. As an introvert, it was one of the hardest parts of my job. But I cowboyed up (as they say in Montana) and did it anyway.

I grew to like making those visits and even began looking forward to Monday mornings.

And then COVID hit and there were no more Monday visitations.

I hadn't realized how much I missed making those house calls until this past Monday. Besides reconnecting with people on a personal level, and besides the fact that the visits came with the gift of pie and a Reuben sandwich, the other highlight was sharing Holy Communion with these people.

One of the blessings of being a priest is having the honor of administering Communion. For some clergy, Sunday mornings have become too much like work. For others, it is worship but in a different capacity. Most of the time I fall in that second group – Sunday mornings are a time of worship. There have been times during this pandemic with learning about camera angles, sound systems, and other production aspects, where Sunday morning was too much like work. But most of the time, it's worship.

Like you, I have missed your physical presence on Sunday mornings. I greatly appreciate the online community we seem to have built. I like seeing the online greetings from people as they filter onto the Facebook page before the service starts. And I loved the fact that someone felt comfortable enough to say, “We need more time at the Peace.”

But this past Monday reminded me of just how much I missed administering Communion to a variety of people in a variety of places.

This coming Sunday, March 14, we will once again regather for in-person worship. For those of you who can't be there, or maybe choose not to be there because you're still being careful, know that I appreciate your online presence as well as seeing and reading your comments, prayers, and thanksgivings. For those of you who will be in attendance, know that I have missed administering Holy Communion to you as much as you have missed receiving it.

As we once again regather, even in limited form, let us taste and see that the Lord is good.

Blessings,

March 3, 2021

If you've read the March Soundings (http://www.stjohnshagerstown.org/announcements/soundings--2) I hope you had a chance to read the Deacon's Corner.

In this month's article, Dcn. Sue talks about the new Blessings Box that has found a home on the front porch of the office. “Blessings Box” is a bit of a misnomer, as it's really a set of three full-size lockers, the kind you might see in any high school hallway. In fact, I was thinking about calling this new addition “The Love Locker,” but thoughts of Barry White and the B-52's prevented me from doing so.

These lockers are designed to store any number of items, food or otherwise. A list of suggested items can be found on page 11 of Soundings.

We're also working on getting a banner for it that says, “Give What You Can – Take What You Need.”

The idea is that this will be an ongoing, year-round opportunity to provide items for those needing help. People who come to the office asking for Sheetz gift cards now have another source of assistance. And since we don't really specify what goes into the lockers (we just make suggestions), there are no guarantees of what will be placed there. Dcn. Sue imagines that, along with food, school supplies in late summer, gloves, scarves, and hats when the weather turns cold, and personal hygiene items are always needed. As I said, what goes into the lockers is only limited by our imaginations.

Saint John's gives to Micah's Backpack. We give to Families-Helping-Families. We give to Bester Elementary School. This is one more gift that we are offering to the people in our neighborhood and city.

In her Soundings article, Dcn. Sue thanked those who helped make this happen, and I want to reiterate that here: Thanks to Bob Speelman who was instrumental in obtaining the lockers and getting them fit to be placed on the porch. Thanks to Kelly Moore Sheds and Marketplace for donating the three lockers. And thank you to Dcn. Sue for having the vision and drive to making this dream a reality.

I encourage you to take a copy of suggested locker items and put it in your car or in your notebook where you make your grocery list, and the next time you're out shopping pick up a few of those items, swing by the church, and put them in the locker.

The Blessings Box isn't going to make headlines or garner lots of publicity; but it does reflect part of our Mission Statement as yet one more way we look to Serve the people around us.

Blessings,

Todd+

February 24, 2021

“The Parochial Report is here! The Parochial Report is here!!” said no one, Ever.

For those who don't know, the Parochial Report is sent to every Episcopal parish each year “from the home office” as a way to look at the life of the Church in the previous year. It sets out to capture things like attendance, baptisms and confirmations, burials, number of worship services, number of people enrolled in education programs, and the parish budget. And, just like your taxes are due on April 15, the Parochial Report is due March 1.

Knowing what we know about 2020, there are some things on the report that needed to be adjusted. Attendance being a major issue. How do you track attendance when you (practically speaking) haven't had anyone attending? So this year the report changed how we calculate that metric and began including online attendance – which won't actually be calculated until we get the 2022 report; but hey, they need to start somewhere.

For the first time, the report this year included a section that was to be completed by the Vestry. So I sent out the questions asked and spent time yesterday collating responses into something we could put into the report. I won't go into all the questions and answers from the Vestry, but I wanted to share a few of them with you today.

“What were the primary opportunities, innovations, and challenges during the pandemic, and what have you learned?”

Opportunities included the ability to include people who couldn't physically get to the church and improving our online presence. Innovations included reevaluations of how we use technology and new ways of reaching out. Challenges included that less tech-savvy people may be neglected and how do we keep Sunday worship from home a priority? What we learned is that Holy Eucharist is incredibly important to the people of this parish, fellowship of all kinds is important to us, and we are able to overcome obstacles when we work together.

“What do you think are the primary opportunities and challenges the church faces as it plans for the future?

Opportunities included renewed fellowship and expanded involvement of people beyond our parish boundaries, learning how to reconnect with people in non-traditional methods, and continuing to see our online or media presence as an important part of who we are. Challenges included having people get back into the habit of attending worship and church related activities on a regular basis, and how we might increase our evangelism efforts.

Some of these I found familiar and some of them were new to me. If you are reading this, you are a part of Saint John's in some manner. With that in mind, know that we are all in this together – it is not strictly my job, or the job of the Vestry, to attend to these things.

As we move forward into 2021 and beyond, how might you address some of these challenges and opportunities so that Saint John's will continue to be healthy and vital in the coming years?

Blessings,

Todd+

February 17, 2021

In case you missed the notice, today is Ash Wednesday.

This is the day when we remember our mortality. This is the day we “lament our sins and acknowledge our wretchedness.” This is the day when are asked to make a right beginning as we work to observe a holy Lent by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word.

In this season we are asked to give up something that draws us away from God. In this season we are asked to take on something that draws us closer to God. Maybe we do both. Maybe we only do one of those. Maybe we succeed and change our habits and practices in such a way that our Lenten discipline carries beyond the season and forever changes our lives. Maybe we fail, and our Lenten discipline becomes yet one more resolution that couldn't last a week.

The season of Lent, and the disciplines we associate with it, aren't designed to make us miserable. The season of Lent was originally a time when converts were prepared for baptism. It was a time when “those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church.”

If you see Lent as a time to be miserable, as a time of self-flagellation, I think you are looking at it wrong.

Instead, I encourage you to see Lent as a time to make a new start. A time to separate ourselves from that which separates us from God, thereby bringing us back into full communion with our Creator.

If you think about it, life is full of little Lents: times when we work to better ourselves and strengthen relationships. In both life in general, and Lent in particular, we are making progress – maybe ever so slowly – and moving one step at a time toward our goal.

May this Lent be both a somber reminder of the times we could have been better as well as a joyful journey that changes our lives, one commitment at a time, as we approach the throne of of grace and are changed from glory to glory.

Blessings,

February 10, 2021

Grant to us that we . . . may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory . . . – from the Collect for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany

Lent begins next week with the Ash Wednesday services. Weather permitting, we will have four services in the lower parking lot held at 10, Noon, 2, and 4. If you are able to come, please remember to park in every other parking space. Each vehicle unit can gather outside their car in an adjoining empty space for the service. Masks are required and I will impose ashes on anyone who wants, with Dcn. Sue reciting the words of imposition from a safe distance (our health experts are telling us that it's not the imposition of ashes that is the problem but the proximity of people speaking; hence the reason Dcn. Sue will be standing at a safe distance).

Later that evening at 7 we will broadcast the full Ash Wednesday liturgy on our Facebook page. For those who are unable to attend the earlier services, you can participate by imposing ashes on members of your household at the appropriate time. There is nothing particularly special about the ashes, but they traditionally come from burning last year's palms. If you have old palms at home, you can place them in a safe container to burn and use the ashes at the service.

Lent gives us the time for self-examination, prayer, fasting, self-denial, and the studying of Scripture. The goal of this season isn't to be beaten down or to be made miserable. The goal of the season is to help us make needed corrective changes to our lives so that we may be changed into Christ's likeness. Having trouble finding time to read Scripture? Watch less TV. Having trouble finding time to pray? Put prayer time on your calendar. There are plenty of ways to work at strengthening our resolve and slowly change so we may reflect Christ's glory.

Lent also reminds us of our mortality. “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” At no other time in our lives have we been more reminded of that than during this season of COVID. The ashen cross on our forehead reminds of of our bodily mortality, but it also reminds us of the oil cross and seal of the Holy Spirit placed on our foreheads at baptism marking us as Christ's own for ever.

From our baptism to our death we are being changed into Christ's likeness. Each Lent we take up disciplines designed to strengthen us and help us make those changes. Each Lent we are reminded of our mortality. In our mortality,though, we are reminded that life is changed, not ended.

This past year we have had to carry many burdens. As we move into Lent next week, may our disciplines reflect our desire to draw nearer to Christ, and may we be changed into his likeness from glory to glory.

Blessings,

February 3, 2021

Did you hear it?

Did you hear the repetitive drone of someone shoveling their driveway? Did you hear the muffled sound of a car driving down the street? Did you hear the sound of the snowfall?

I am not a big fan of being cold and wet, so playing in the snow – sledding, building snowmen, making snow angels, skiing – is not something I like to do. But I do love a heavy snowfall in the evening.

I love the way lampposts have a magical, Narnian quality to them. Generally speaking, I actually like shoveling snow – there's something cathartic about it, like chopping wood. I love the way sound is different during a heavy snowfall – both muffled and enhanced. I like going for walks in the neighborhood and hearing the snowfall. I like the way lights in houses seem warmer and more inviting during a snowstorm.

But besides being beautiful, peaceful, and sometimes romantic, snow (especially lots of it) forces us to slow down. We walk more slowly so as to avoid slipping and injuring ourselves. We tend to drive more slowly. More people actually use their turn signals during a snowstorm. We give ourselves more room to stop and we pay more attention to where we are going. I think we also tend to be more forgiving to other drivers knowing that conditions are far from normal.

Ash Wednesday and Lent is two weeks away.

Lent is like a spiritual snowstorm. It calls us to slow down. It calls us to walk more slowly so we can see where we might slip and injure ourselves. It calls us to be more patient. It calls us to be more forgiving. It calls us to listen to the often imperceptible voice of God.

Lent, like snowstorms, can be difficult to maneuver through. But Lent, like snowstorms, also has its own beauty and its own sounds.

This Lent, may you take time to slow down and listen.

Blessings,

Todd+

January 27, 2021

Compassion cannot happen from a guarded, invulnerable distance. It sends us to come alongside people who find themselves isolated, separated, segregated, demonized, otherized, and relegated to the margins of peace, justice, and hope. – Gregg Louis Taylor, Here Now With You, p. 38

In many instances Jesus showed compassion to any number of people: lepers, demoniacs, tax collectors, prostitutes, disabled, maimed, women, foreigners. Very rarely do we see Jesus performing miracles from a distance. The vast majority of the time Jesus performs healing miracles alongside those in need, sometimes touching those who were untouchable.

And even when not performing miracles, he spends time alongside people outside the boundary of the accepted norm. Think about the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, the sinful woman who washed his feet, the tax collector at whose house he ate, the tax collector he called to discipleship, and others.

Walking the way of Jesus compels us to offer compassion – and not just compassion from a distance, but compassion next to those in need. Compassion compels us to walk next to, sit beside, and eat with those who have been relegated to the margins.

This also entails a great deal of risk. Compassion isn't simply a feel good emotion that lets us pin a gold star on our shirt. True compassion is risky. It's risky to hang out at the REACH shelter. It's risky to stop and be a non-anxious and visible presence when a black man has been pulled over by multiple white police officers. It's risky to engage in a conversation with a homeless person on the street. It's risky to pull from your own resources to help those with limited resources.

The Church is a place that provides and offers compassion. It is also a place of risk.

May we be a people of compassion. May we be a people willing to take risks in the name of Jesus.

Blessings,