You have beautiful feet! (Sermon) April 2, 2015 (Maundy Thursday)

Posted on April 2, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Sermon – April 2, 2015

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

Maundy Thursday Bulletin 4-2-2015 (Maundy Thursday)

But who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. Luke 22:27

Please be seated.

“You have beautiful feet.” My friend Dan came back from his first trip to South Africa in the early years of this century. He had visited with families in the Black township of Soweto. Whenever someone just dropped by, totally unannounced, they were greeted with, “You have beautiful feet.” What wasn’t said, but was fully understood is that the visitor had beautiful feet, because they arrived at the home at just the right time! How many of us would respond in a similar manner?

I know often when I am “interrupted,” I feel annoyed, rather than grateful. Earlier this week, I was still in my bike-riding clothes, which are somewhat tattered. My hair was combed and at least I wasn’t in my pajamas. The doorbell rang and a man introduced himself. His feet brought him to my door, because he wanted to see if we at St. John’s would allow an Al-Anon group to meet each week at the church.

I was and am excited about this opportunity for us to be of service. The closest Al-Anon groups are in London and Barbourville, yet AA groups meet every day of the week and there are NA meetings here too. In other words, there are plenty of friends of people who are alcoholics or affected by alcoholism that could benefit from Al-Anon.

I believe ever since I came to St. John’s, people have said they’d like us to host 12-step groups. We used to have AA groups here. The Vestry brought this up again as we looked at our newly-adopted Mission statement, printed on the front of your bulletin, “Proclaiming the Gospel, promoting justice, and preparing a diverse community of seekers to reflect the welcoming love of Christ.” And of course, with our recent Saturday event and Sunday emphases on addiction and recovery from addiction with The Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke, we certainly let each other and our community know we are interested in supporting people in recovery.

So my visitor on Monday certainly had beautiful feet. He was certainly brought to my door at just the right time.

And tonight we remember that our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated the importance of our beautiful feet in carrying his message of love and justice. Most of us have probably forgotten what it’s like to walk long distances…to walk everywhere we need to go in a day. But imagine walking the dusty roads all day and not really having readily available running water. By the end of the day, you’d at least want to wash the dust off of your feet. It’d be so soothing and comforting. Having someone do it for you would mean you’d also get a little comforting massage.

I mean, we take our cars in for regular oil changes and upkeep or at least we should do that. Our cars are our means of transportation so we take care of them. Well, in Jesus’ day, their feet were their main mode of transportation…the main mode of spreading the message and reaching out and meeting people.

Yet, it was considered a servant’s job to wash and care for the “owner’s feet.” It was not appropriate for the leader to do this job. Jesus upends the understanding of leadership. Jesus wants to be sure we have all we need to do God’s work here on earth, including caring for a most basic and sometimes loathed body part – our dirty, stinky, smelly feet.

Tonight you can have your feet washed here. Yes, it’s a vulnerable thing to do to bare your feet and have someone else touch them or to wash another’s feet. It’s intimate. We learn new things about each other, maybe. We open ourselves up to give and to receive love and care from each other.

So, you have beautiful feet. They brought you this evening and bring you into this community of St. John’s and this sacred, holy, special place. They bring you to this altar to receive the meal, which we remember Jesus instituted on this Maundy Thursday. And they take you out into the world to spread God’s love, peace and justice.

You have beautiful feet, because they brought you here at just the right moment!

Amen

Easter Sunday (April 5, 2015) at St. John’s

Posted on April 2, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his mercy endures forever. Psalm 118:1

Last Sunday we started with waving palms and celebration and ended with Jesus in the tomb. During this week, we hear and remember Jesus’ last days on earth with special services and gatherings. And Sunday is our most sacred and celebratory day, maybe not by the standards of society, but by the standards of our Christian life.

Jesus’ horrific and torturous last days where he is in the tomb and his followers aren’t sure what to do next, transform in unexpected ways. Jesus escapes the tomb and joins his followers and us in new ways…in eternal ways.

So this Sunday,, we give thanks. This Sunday we especially know that God is good. This Sunday we especially know God’s mercy and that it will be with us always!

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

PS. Seems like Easter encourages spring cleaning. Members gathered last Saturday to spruce up inside and out. Irene came two days this week to weed along College Street, and the mowers came today. The place looks beautiful!

Thanks Irene for weeding!

Holy Week Service Schedule

Thursday April 2
7:00pm – Maundy Thursday service with Washing of the Feet, Eucharist and stripping the altar
8:00pm – Friday, April 3, 6:00am – Prayer Vigil – sign up to come to the church and pray.

Friday, April 3
6:00am – Morning Prayer
11:30-1:00 – Southeast KY Ministerial Alliance Lunch and Service, First Baptist Church
7:00pm – Good Friday service with Adoration of the Cross and Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament

Saturday, April 4
1:00 – 3:00pm – Decorate the church for Easter
7:00pm – Great Vigil of Easter followed by champagne, sparkling juice and chocolate reception

Sunday, April 5
11:00am – Easter Service with Eucharist
Egg hunt for the children after the service

Provide Flowers for the altar in honor or in memory of a loved one: Donations for flowers for the altar are accepted for any Sunday of the year. Please sign up on the Flower Donation Chart and let us know if you’d like the flowers to be “in memory of/in honor of” a loved one or special occasion. suggest a donation of $20. Please place your donation in the envelopes provided.

What are our 3-5 goals for 2015? Vestry is considering various goals to reflect our mission statement. Ideas include sacristy renovation; support of LGBT people, possibly through a chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) or ongoing support of Union College’s Gay/Straight Alliance; Support for people dealing with addictions and their families; opening up the amphitheater and park to church bands; providing our parish hall to other religious groups; more ecumenical church services. What do you think we should be doing to put our mission statement into action?

Rebecca’s Schedule
Rebecca will be at St. Agnes’ House next week, Tuesday through Thursday. Her Sabbath Day(s) will be Monday and Friday. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

No Adult Forum this week. Next week Rebecca will lead the Adult Forum on Celebrating the 50 Days of Easter.

Fun, fun, fun. The next Family Game Night is Friday, April 24, 6:30 – 8:30pm. Those who wish to, gather at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church for their fish fry at 5:45. $7.00 for adults and $4.00 for children for full meal. Bring your favorite games, snacks, and drinks. Pizza will be provided.

Daughters of the King Regional Luncheon Meeting, Saturday, April 25, 11:30am – 1:30pm. All women members and those interested in becoming members are invited! Please let Shelia Phillips know if you will attend.

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet Thursdays, at 6pm through April 9 and during May.

Diocesan Leadership Training, Friday May 8, 5:45-9:00pm and Saturday, May 9, 9am – 4pm, St. Patrick’s Church, Somerset. Let Rev. Rebecca know if you’d like to attend this important and informative training. The focus is on effective communication and effective community behaviors. Format is a mix of learning and small group discussion.

Belk Charity Sales Day, Saturday, May 2, 6am – 10am. Buy tickets for $5.00 to get into this special sale. The church keeps the money and you get $5.00 off an item for each ticket you have. The church will be selling tickets at Belk on Friday afternoon, April 3.

Fun and Worship at the Cathedral Domain, April 18. Hiking, cooking contest, fellowship, and special worship are part of this enjoyable day. Register at www.diolex.org or see Rebecca.

Participate in or sponsor the Dave Hudson Memorial Rotary Scholarship Scramble, Friday, April 24, London Country Club. All proceeds benefit college scholarships for local high school students. See Rebecca for more information.

Clean-up Day Saturday, March 28, 10am

Posted on March 27, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

When I got to church Thursday morning, I thought the leprechaun had visited and moved our pews all around! But it’s only preparation for the clean-up day Saturday, March 28, 10am. If you’re in town, join us!

What happened to the center aisle? Did a leprechaun visit us in the night?

Work is being done at the edges and the pews will be moved back into place as part of the work day.

The Property Committee to-do list! Help cross off some of the items this Saturday.

This Sunday (March 29, 2015) at St. John’s

Posted on March 26, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

This Sunday is Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday. In other words, we’ll be on an emotional roller coaster. We start in the courtyard, weather permitting. The snow has melted and the daffodils surrounding St. Francis are beautiful. We’ll bless our palms and wave them in joyous procession into the church, which will be cleaned and spruced up on Saturday. We remember Jesus’ coming to Jerusalem, greeted by shouting and supportive crowds.

But just that quickly, the adoration fades and we hear of Jesus’ last days: his trial, torture and crucifixion. We leave him buried in the tomb.

Yet, we keep going…. We celebrate the Eucharist, Christ with us. We remember ourselves in the crowds of Palm Sunday and in the crowds of the crucifixion. Even in the midst of the sobering and awful story, we cling to the hope and certain knowledge of resurrection and the love of God and of Jesus Christ.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

Plan a Holy and Sacred week with these important opportunities:

Schedule for Holy Week and Easter Services – Monday, March 30 – Friday, April 3

Monday & Tuesday, March 30 & 31, 7pm, Evening Prayer
Wednesday, April 1, 7:00pm – Stations of the Cross
Thursday, April 2, 7:00pm – Maundy Thursday Service with Eucharist, Washing of the Feet, and Stripping of the Altar
Thursday, April 2, 8:30pm – Friday, April 3, 6:00am – Prayer Garden Vigil
Friday, April 3, 6:00am – Morning Prayer
Friday, April 3, 7:00pm – Good Friday with Adoration of the Cross
Saturday, April 4, 1:00-3:00pm – Holy Saturday and decorate the church
7:00pm, Easter Vigil followed by Champagne and Chocolate Reception
Sunday, April 5, 11:00am, Easter Day Celebration, followed by Easter Egg Hunt for the Children

Southeast Kentucky Ministerial Alliance (SEKMA) Holy Week Services.

Lunch will be served at 11:30am and the service will begin at 12:15pm, at the following locations each day:

Monday, March 30-Corbin Presbyterian
Tuesday, March 31 – Christian Care Communities
Wednesday, April 1 – Sacred Heart Catholic
Thursday, April 2 – Grace on the Hill, Methodist
Friday, April 3 – First Baptist Church (Corbin)

Schedule: Rebecca will be at St. John’s through Holy Week. Her Sabbath day will be Monday. You can get a message to Rebecca by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Pot Luck Sunday: This Sunday, following Holy Eucharist, is our monthly pot luck meal. Bring your appetite and a desire for fellowship. All are welcome so please join us for fellowship and good food!

Easter Flowers: Donations are being accepted until this Sunday for flowers to decorate the church for Easter. Use the donation envelopes and indicate whether the donation is “in honor of/in memory” of a loved one or a special occasion. Donations in any amount will be accepted.

Pray Through the Night (Maundy Thursday into Good Friday): Sign-up for a 1-hour slot to come to the church and pray. We will be holding vigil right after the Maundy Thursday service, approximately 8pm through 6am Friday morning. Bruce Cory will be at the church the entire time. Morning Prayer will follow at 6am

2015 Goals: The Vestry is considering adopting 3-5 goals for 2015 to reflect our mission statement. Ideas include sacristy renovation; support of LGBT people, possibly through a chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) or ongoing support of Union College’s Gay/Straight Alliance; Support for people dealing with addictions and their families; opening up the amphitheater and park to church bands; providing our parish hall to other religious groups; more ecumenical church services. What do you think we should be doing to put our mission statement into action?

Make a Covenant with St. John’s: God has made unconditional covenants with us that God will always be with us, always be our God. Likewise, through our annual pledge, we state our promise and obligation to the mission and work of the people of St. John’s Episcopal Church. Our mission and work not only includes our worship, Grow Appalachia, and family game nights, but also God’s work in our region through our Diocese and in our nation and world through The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Communion. If you’d like to make a covenant with St. John’s through a pledge, please see Rebecca or Gay Nell Conley.

Christian Care Communities Eucharist: Join Rebecca as she celebrates Holy Eucharist at Christian Care Communities. Elmer Parlier will be playing the guitar. The service begins at 2:30pm and is 30-45 minutes and the residents would appreciate your attendance.

Church Parlor Space: The Vestry is considering how best to use the space that is now our Parlor. Various ideas have included using the space as a welcome and information place, where information is available about St. John’s, our various ministries, and our members. Another idea is to have a prayer space with candles that can be lit for specific prayer intentions. If you have comments or other ideas, please see a member of Vestry or Rebecca.

Belk Charity Sales Day: Belk department store will be running a Charity Sales Day on Saturday, May 2, 6am – 10am. Buy tickets for $5.00 to get into this special sale. The church keeps the money and you get $5.00 off an item for each ticket you have. The church will be selling tickets at Belk on Friday afternoon, April 3.

This Sunday (March 22, 2015) at St. John’s

Posted on March 19, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise…. Collect for Fifth Sunday in Lent, Book of Common Prayer, pg. 219

Love is not always easy, is it? That’s a huge challenge in being a Christian. Last Sunday, we heard, “God so loved the world….” The passage is inclusive and broad. God loved the world…God loved all of creation. That’s what we are charged to do.

Yet, as humans, we’re judgmental. We find it easier to love people who are more like us and who think like us. We judge people who are not like us or think differently from us. Sometimes we judge them harshly. We don’t always understand other people and how they live their lives. We give our love conditionally, based upon our judgement about who deserves our love.

We need God’s grace to love fully. We need God’s unconditional gift. Thankfully, we have it…

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca

Rebecca’s Schedule
Rebecca will be in Lexington Tuesday and Corbin Thursday and Friday. Her Sabbath Days will be Monday and Wednesday. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 orpriest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

A Confusion of the Spirit: Holy or Distilled? Saturday, March 21, 10am – noon. The Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke, a priest in North Carolina and one of Rebecca’s professors at General Seminary, is coming to Corbin to raise our community’s awareness about addiction and recovery. As a recovering individual himself, Stuart is very much involved in helping churches, congregations and individuals deal with the disease of alcoholism and addictive illness. He will also preach at the Sunday service.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Adult Forum During Lent, we are discussing various issues in Appalachia. This Sunday, Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke will talk about recovery from addiction.

The Vestry adopted the following Mission Statement for St. John’s Church: Proclaiming the Gospel, promoting justice, and preparing a diverse community of seekers to reflect the welcoming love of Christ.

Wednesday Evenings During Lent through March 25, 6:00pm, series on Appalachia. Plan to come on Wednesday evenings for a soup and bread supper, followed by a special series on Appalachia. Next Wednesday, Professor Jimmy Dean Smith will lead a discussion on the second half of the movie, Matewan.

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet Thursdays through March 26. If you’re interested in planting your own garden, either here in St. John’s Park or in your own backyard, or helping with a community plot here in the park, please plan to attend these meetings.

Diocesan Convention has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 28, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Lexington.

Donations are being accepted until March 29, for flowers to decorate the church for Easter. Use the donation envelopes and write if the donation is “in honor of/in memory” of a loved one or a special occasion. Donations in any amount will be accepted.

Honor or remember a loved one through altar flowers. Please sign up on the Flower Donation Chart and let us know if you’d like the flowers to be “in memory of/in honor of” a loved one or special occasion. We suggest a donation of $20. Please place your donation in the envelopes provided.

The Altar Guild and Worship Committee will meet Friday, March 20, 4:30-6:00pm to plan for Holy Week and Easter. If you are able to assist with altar and worship preparation for this busy week of the Church year, please try to attend or let Rev. Rebecca know.

Make a Covenant with St. John’s! God has made unconditional covenants with us that God will always be with us, always be our God. Likewise, through our annual pledge, we state our promise and obligation to the mission and work of the people of St. John’s Episcopal Church. Our mission and work not only includes our worship, Grow Appalachia, and family game nights, but also God’s work in our region through our Diocese and in our nation and world through The Episcopal Church and The Anglican Communion. If you’d like to make a covenant with St. John’s through a pledge, please see Rebecca or Gay Nell Conley.

Reading Camp Meeting, March 26, 10:15am. The Reading Camp Group is working on raising $2,000 to support five children at the Pine Mountain Settlement Reading Camp, July 12-18. If you are interested in helping recruit children, mentor children, volunteering for Reading Camp, or raising funds, let Rebecca know. St. John’s has committed to raising $400.

Schedule for Holy Week and Easter Services, Monday, March 30 – Friday, April 3

Monday through Thursday, 10am, Morning Prayer
Wednesday, April 1, 6:00pm – Stations of the Cross
Thursday, April 2, 7:00pm – Maundy Thursday Service with Eucharist, Washing of the Feet, and Stripping of the Altar
Thursday, April 2, 8:30pm – Friday, April 3, 6:00am – Prayer Garden Vigil
Friday, April 3, 6:00am – Morning Prayer with consuming Reserved Sacrament
Saturday, April 4, 7:00pm, Easter Vigil followed by Champagne and Chocolate Reception
Sunday, April 5, 11:00am, Easter Day Celebration, followed by Easter Egg Hunt for the Children

Reflecting the Welcoming Love of Christ (Sermon) March 15, 2015

Posted on March 16, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Sermon – March 15, 2015

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

Fourth Sunday in Lent Year B

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

Please be seated.

Last week the Vestry adopted a Mission statement: Proclaiming the Gospel, promoting justice, and preparing a diverse community of seekers to reflect the welcoming love of Christ. At the meeting we also discussed what 3-5 goals we want to work on this year to make this statement not just words, but reality. Between now and the April 12 Vestry meeting, we’re asking you to think about this.

As I reflected upon the Gospel for today, I was reminded of part of our Mission statement…. “reflect the welcoming love of Christ.” Whenever I think about my experience of being welcomed, I think of my grandson. Yes, it’s a danger to have a grandmother in the pulpit!

Logan is my first grandchild. For nearly the first year of his life, I lived about 20 minutes away from him. Needless to say, I visited frequently. At one point, I developed a pattern of going every Sunday afternoon, taking my laundry with me. I’d play with Logan and do my laundry, while my son and daughter-in-law went grocery shopping or had a little break. Often Logan’s parents would arrive home to find me holding Logan on my shoulder and both of us sound asleep taking a wonderful afternoon nap.

But eventually I moved to Washington, DC, and visited about once every 5 weeks. Now, I got to stay at Logan’s house. Again, we developed our routines. I’d usually arrive on Friday evening in time to read Logan a story and put him to bed and then on Saturday morning, I’d get up when he was awake and we’d play and I’d fix breakfast for him.

When Logan was about two, he had his own mini chair – an Elmo chair. I’d call my son as I was leaving my home to let him know I was on my way. Logan would watch a movie, probably Cars, in his little chair. They’d hear my car pull up to the house, usually at 7:30 or 8:00. Logan would be tired, but he’d fight to stay awake when he knew I was coming.

I’d get out of my car and open my trunk to get out my suitcase. Then my son’s front door would open and little, bald-headed Logan would break into a huge smile and squeal, “GRANDMAAA!” He would be so excited to see me.

That’s what I think about when I ponder what “welcoming love” looks like. Have you ever or do you now know what that welcoming love feels like? That’s what we’re saying we’d like to be as St. John’s community.

And while my story makes welcoming love sound so easy, we all know it’s challenging. It’s easy to love people we get along with and generally enjoy being with. But John the Gospel writer, doesn’t say, “God so loved the people you love…..” John says that God loved the world.

The word in Greek is from the word cosmos! The entire creation!

And that’s why the church is essential and wonderful. We have the chance to know and to learn to love people who may be very different from us…people we may not have ever met.

We are called to reveal… we are called to model to others the love that God has shown us. Maybe we’ll have to work to be as excited as little Logan was to see me. God welcomes each of us with deep love and joy. Let us do the same….

Amen

This Sunday (March 15, 2015) at St. John’s

Posted on March 12, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God…. Ephesians 2:8

I can’t help it…this verse from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians gets me and probably always will. Most likely it’s all of those years being a Lutheran. Grace, the free and unmerited gift of God, saves us.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not always grace-full with others. Don’t we all want someone to “earn our trust?” It’s wise after all not to fully trust others. We live in a world where it’s necessary and prudent to place conditions on our relationships.

That’s why God’s unconditional relationship with us is so amazing and liberating. We always get another chance. We are loved because we are…. And because of that acceptance and love, we are changed and we change how we live in the world. We are generous. We are compassionate. We are forgiving. Our response to God’s unconditional love of us, is to be better people and to create a better world.

Blessings to you, beautiful creation of God, as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

Rebecca’s Schedule
Rebecca will be in Lexington Tuesday and Wednesday and Corbin Thursday and Friday. Her Sabbath Day will be Monday. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 orpriest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Adult Forum During Lent, we are discussing various issues in Appalachia. This Sunday, Professor Joe Pearson will talk about “Why Appalachia got left behind – 1965 to present.”

Good Ag Practices (GAP) Certification class, Monday, March 16, 6pm, Laurel County Extension Office. This class is required if you’d like to sell items at the Farmer’s Markets.

Diocesan Convention has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 28, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Lexington. We need two new Deputies to attend on our behalf. Our elected Deputies are unable to attend on this date. Please let Rebecca know if you can attend.

A Confusion of the Spirit: Holy or Distilled? Saturday, March 21, 10am – noon. The Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke, a priest in North Carolina and one of Rebecca’s professors at General Seminary, is coming to Corbin to raise our community’s awareness about addiction and recovery. As a recovering individual himself, Stuart is very much involved in helping churches, congregations and individuals deal with the disease of alcoholism and addictive illness. He will also preach at the Sunday service.

Schedule for Holy Week and Easter Services, Monday, March 30 – Friday, April 3

Monday through Thursday, 10am, Morning Prayer
Wednesday, April 1, 6:00pm – Stations of the Cross
Thursday, April 2, 7:00pm – Maundy Thursday Service with Eucharist, Washing of the Feet, and Stripping of the Altar
Thursday, April 2, 8:30pm – Friday, April 3, 6:00am – Prayer Garden Vigil
Friday, April 3, 6:00am – Morning Prayer with consuming Reserved Sacrament
Saturday, April 4, 7:00pm, Easter Vigil followed by Champagne and Chocolate Reception
Sunday, April 5, 11:00am, Easter Day Celebration, followed by Easter Egg Hunt for the Children

Native Americans and Appalachia – Wednesday Night – 6pm

Posted on March 10, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Come Wednesday evening, March 11, 6pm for Compline, soup and bread supper and a presentation on Native Americans and Appalachia. Ken and Shelia Phillips will be the presenters! Rebecca is making a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch (German) soup – chicken corn soup and Anne Day is providing the bread.

Zeal for Change (Sermon) March 8, 2015

Posted on March 9, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Sermon – March 8, 2015

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

Third Sunday in Lent Year B
International Women’s Day

03-08-2015 Bulletin

“Zeal for your house will consume me.” Psalm 69:9 as quoted in John 2:17

Have you ever met a person who’s been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? I’ve had the great fortune to attend a lecture by the Dalai Lama (1989) and to meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1984) and hear him speak a number of times.

In the summer of 2012, I was fortunate to meet another Nobel Peace Prize Winner – Leymah Gbowee. Ms. Gbowee, a social worker, spoke at the National Association of Social Workers conference I attended. Ms. Gbowee was born in 1972 in Liberia and grew up during the civil wars in the country. She left Liberia for a time, living in Ghana, but eventually returned to her country. She was poor, sometimes homeless.

She was able to obtain some social work training, especially to help victims of the trauma from the first Liberian Civil War. She eventually helped young boys who had been child soldiers in the war.

Midst the second Liberian Civil War, which began in 1999, she continued studying peacebuilding, especially connected to professors and students through a program at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA. Various peacebuilding movements were occurring between countries of Africa and Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET) was established, with a branch in Liberia, headed by Gbowee in 2002.

In a dream, she heard God telling her to gather the women and pray for peace. Gbowee was Christian and connected with a Mandingo-Muslim woman, named Asatu. They started by gathering women to go to Muslim prayers every Friday, to the Saturday morning markets, and to two churches on Sunday.

Their flyers read: “We are tired! We are tired of our children being killed! We are tired of being raped! Women, wake up – you have a voice in the peace process!” They also handed out simple drawings explaining their purpose to the many women who couldn’t read.

They prayed Muslim and Christian prayers. They wore white t-shirts to distinguish themselves. Eventually, they met every single day in the capital. They even met in a soccer field that the President passed every day.

Eventually, a peace process was convened in Ghana. Gbowee led a contingent of women to the posh hotel where the men were meeting. At first, they gathered outside of the hotel, but when the peace process dragged on, they went inside the hotel and sat down in protest just outside the doors of the meeting room. They vowed not to move until peace was negotiated. When the men tried to leave, the women threatened to take off their own clothes. Ms. Gbowee explains, “In Africa, it’s a terrible curse to see a married or elderly woman deliberately bare herself.” (Mighty Be Our Powers, p. 162). The peace accord finally came a few weeks later in August 2003.

The aftermath of war meant much work to restore the country and to heal the people. Ms. Gbowee continued her studies, eventually earning a Master’s Degree in Peacebuilding from Eastern Mennonite University.

In our Gospel today, Jesus is angry. But why? I mean, the people had set up a system to worship God that had been in place for quite awhile. There was a currency of the Temple since many people came from many different places. They could convert their home currency into one used in the Temple. Everything was there for sale that was necessary to make the proper sacrifices – thanksgiving or intercession or atonement. The rules for sacrifice are contained in the early chapters of Leviticus. They represent the main way humans interact with God.

But, you see, the wisdom of the world that set up this tidy little system, was not in accord with God’s. It was not a worshipful space, but rather had become a place of commerce. Imagine, God’s mercy…God’s worship distilled down to a simple formula – two turtledoves or a male sheep or goat. Jesus has come to emphasize a new way to connect with God…not through sacrifice…not through pilgrimage to the Temple during the great feasts…but more directly through Jesus.

Once again, Jesus upsets the established ways of the world. The established ways of the world upset him.

During Women’s History Month and today during International Women’s Day, we can take time to upset the ways of the world especially in regards to girls and women. The statistics showing the reality of women’s lives are awful. Yes, things have changed dramatically during my lifetime and yet women’s earnings continue to be less than they should be. Poverty is greater. Women in many countries are denied the most basic education and too many women still die in childbirth. And the rates and acceptance of violence against women are scary. We must upset the ways of the world today when it comes to women.

We can look to the example of Leymah Gbowee who came to know the power of women to require peace…to save their children. A woman who worked across tribal and religious boundaries for the good of humanity. She was and is not perfect. The realities of war took their toll on her and she went into recovery from alcohol addiction. Ms. Gbowee’s Christian beliefs grounded her. In an address to students at Eastern Mennonite University in 2009, she said,

“I didn’t get there by myself… or anything I did as an individual, but it was by the grace and mercy of God…. He has held my hands. In the most difficult of times, he has been there. They have this song, “Order my steps in your ways, dear Lord,” and every day as I wake up, that is my prayer, because there’s no way that anyone can take this journey as a peacebuilder, as an agent of change in your community, without having a sense of faith…. As I continue this journey in this life, I remind myself: All that I am, all that I hope to be, is because of God.”

Amen

This Sunday (March 8) at St. John’s

Posted on March 5, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Collect, Third Sunday in Lent Pg. 218, Book of Common Prayer

Our Collects for each Sunday of the church year are beautiful. Collects are a way we “collect” our prayers to God. They have a particular form — Address, petition, aspiration, doxology. Let’s look at the Collect for this Sunday:

Address – Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves
Petition – Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls
Aspiration – that we may be defended from all adversities which my happen to our body, and from all evil thought which may assault and hurt the soul;
Doxology – through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever

Yes, God knows we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves. While I think I have great faith, I am constantly reminded that there are some parts of my personal, daily life, I don’t think God has time for. I find it hard to ask for help from others, so will flounder around on my own for awhile, before realizing there are others who can help.

But God knows I need help. God know I need the help of others and the help of God to live life. This doesn’t mean I have no responsibility. I still must do my part AND I must keep my overreliance on my self in balance.

Blessings as you finish this snowy week!

Love, Rebecca+

Daylight Savings Time Begins at 2:00am THIS SUNDAY! Change your clock one hour forward (spring forward).

Observance of Women’s History Month this Sunday, March 8. Hymns written by women and special sermon.

Rebecca’s Schedule
Rebecca will be at St. John’s this week, Tuesday through Thursday. Her Sabbath Days will be Monday and Friday. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Godly Play offered for children. All children are invited to participate in this special program of spiritual development.

Adult Forum
During Lent, we are discussing various issues in Appalachia. This Sunday, Rebecca will lead a discussion on the “Discovery” of Appalachia. Next week, March 15, Professor Joe Pearson will talk about “Why Appalachia got left behind – 1965 to present.”

The Vestry proposes the following Mission Statement for St. John’s Church: Proclaiming the Gospel, promoting justice, and preparing a diverse community of seekers to reflect the welcoming love of Christ. Let us know what you think about this statement, which guides us to goals and actions that embody our Mission.

Wednesday Evenings During Lent through March 25, 6:30pm, series on Appalachia. Plan to come on Wednesday evenings for a soup and bread supper, followed by a special series on Appalachia. Next Wednesday, we will have a discussion on the connection to the land.

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet not meet tonight, March 5, but will meet Saturday, March 7, 8:30am for a shopping trip. If you’re interested in planting your own garden, either here in St. John’s Park or in your own backyard, or helping with a community plot here in the park, please plan to attend these meetings.

Good Ag Practices (GAP) Certification class, Monday, March 16, 6pm, Laurel County Extension Office. This class is required if you’d like to sell items at the Farmer’s Markets.