Tag Archives: #StJohnsCorbin

Preparing for the Kingdom of God (Sermon) November 9, 2014

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Sermon – November 9, 2014

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

22nd Sunday after Pentecost Year A Proper 27 Track 1

Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:13

Please be seated.

Recently, I was looking through some old photographs.  Yes, actual photographs.  Unfortunately, I was not a good cataloguer of my photos.  I didn’t always write the date on them and I didn’t put them in albums in chronological order and many times, I got duplicate photos then stuck them in different albums!  I’m so grateful that we now have online archives of digital photos and computers that somehow know when the photos were taken!

So, I was looking through album after album, remembering the process of taking the photos, using up the roll of film, taking it to be developed, maybe even to a 1-hour processor, and then getting them back, and finally seeing if they were any good or not.

Then I saw it.  I had forgotten I took the photos of the event, but it is seared in my mind as a place and time when I got a glimpse of the Kingdom of God here on earth.  It is a photo of a diverse group of people…diverse in culture, gender orientation and age.  We are sitting around some tables having dinner and conversation and plenty of fun.

I looked closely at the photo from the early 1990s.  I did know most of the people and am still in touch with many of them.  But some have died.  I couldn’t remember the name of the restaurant, although I remember a lot about the owner, whose name I’ve also forgotten.  I didn’t even remember what time of year it was or why we were there.  But I clearly remembered it as a glimpse of the Kingdom of God.

Why is that?  Because there were so many things in that group that could have divided us…could have kept us separate.  Things like race, culture, class, age, sexual orientation.  Yet, we were together and having fun and so grateful for our friendship.  I just knew and know the Kingdom God is like that.

In today’s readings, we are asked first of all in Joshua, to choose the God we will serve.  Last week I asked you what makes you cling to Jesus, despite the challenges of being a Christian.  Now this week, you are asked to be clear about whether you will serve God or whether you will serve other things in your life that you think are God?  Will you serve your own pride and ego?  Will you serve money?  Will you serve property?  Or will you serve the God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca…the God whose Son, Jesus Christ came to live and die as one of us?

If you will serve the God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, the Father of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, then in the Gospel of Matthew you are told to “Be Prepared” for the coming of the Kingdom of God!  Those of you who were members of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will remember those words!

Always be prepared.  Always be prepared for the Kingdom of God!  So how do we prepare for the Kingdom of God that we’ve never seen?  Jesus did give us some hints.  The Kingdom of God will be filled with all kinds of people, especially those we least expect.  Remember Jesus found that the outcasts of his day…the marginalized of his day…the tax collectors, the women, the prostitutes, the Gentiles…were the very ones who believed in him…believed in his message…and changed how they lived their lives.  Having oil in our lamps…Being prepared and awake…means that we look around us and see how our relationship is with those people today who are marginalized or on the fringes.  Does our church look like the Kingdom of God because all people are active members of our body?

Jesus said we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  So at the heart of the Kingdom of God is love.  Do we love ourselves?  Do we forgive ourselves?  Do we learn from our mistakes, ask forgiveness and move on?  Or are we constantly abusing ourselves?  Having oil in our lamps means that we love ourselves, faults and all.

And what about our neighbor?  Are we judgmental, rather than using good judgment?  Do we work so that all of our neighbors have what they need to live a good life or are we just concerned with ourselves and our family?  Having oil in our lamps means that we love our neighbors.

So, choose this day whom you will serve, and then Be Prepared…keep awake…have enough oil in your lamps, because the Kingdom of God is amazing and you won’t want to miss it!

Amen

Cling to Jesus (Sermon) November 2, 2014

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Sermon – November 2, 2014

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

All Saints Day (Transferred) Year A

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1

 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…. Matthew 5:11-12

Please be seated.

I don’t know how many of you were here the other Wednesday night when Tom talked about the difficulties of Christians in Pakistan.  I was sorry to miss it.  Tom gave me the information he passed out and he’s sent me various articles and emails about the situation.  In an October 17 Washington Post article, In Expansive Pakistan, Christians struggle to find space for cemeteries, reporter Tim Craig describes the life for Christians, who are 5.5% of the population.  Listen to this:

“In this tiny village [Torey Wala] where most homes don’t have windows and meals are cooked over fire pits, Christians are used to feeling like second-class citizens.

 Christians say they earn less than $2 a day working in the sugarcane fields. They must shop at the sparsely stocked Christian-run rice and vegetable store. They are not allowed to draw water from wells tapped for Muslim neighbors. Now, in what many consider to be a final indignity, they and other Pakistani Christians are struggling to bury their dead.”

Tom has been involved in supporting a family of 8 Christians, who fled from Pakistan to Thailand after protesting the imprisonment of a fellow Christian, 50 year-old Asia Bibi.  Ms. Bibi has been in prison for over five years, charged with blasphemy against Allah.  She was sentenced to death.  She lost her most recent appeal on October 16.

Now, certainly there have been times in the history of Christianity where people of different beliefs have been persecuted and killed, so it’s not that we are free as a faith from this kind of action.  However, what I thought about on this All Saints Day…what I think about any time I’ve read about the martyrs of our faith… is the depth of faith of these people and what about following Jesus is better than life itself and would I be as faithful as the many Christians around the world who are so persecuted and abused?

Because, really, it’s not all that easy to follow Jesus for many of us in places where we face little persecution for our faith.  Jesus says we must forgive, 70 times 7!  Forgiving others is not easy, even though it’s healthy.  We’d rather plot our revenge against the other person.  We’d rather prove how right we are. We’d rather hold on to “they dun us wrong,” than let go and be in peace.

Following Jesus confronts us with our earthly desires and worldliness.  How much is enough?  Are we too attached to our possessions?  Are we greedy?  What about our money?  Over and over again, we are challenged to examine the way we live our lives.

Jesus also gave preferential treatment to those who were marginalized during his time, to those who were not considered in the mainstream or dominant culture.  And that is true today.  Following Christ means listening to the voices of those who are the outcasts of today…those living in poverty, those whose cultures are considered “minority.”  In Luke 4:21, Jesus told the people of Nazareth he came to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah:

 The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18-19)

 And in our Episcopal denomination, we are asked to live into our Baptismal covenant, which is truly a summary of what it means to follow Christ.  On pages 304 and 305 in the Book of Common Prayer we are asked to:

  • Continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers
  • Persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever we fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord
  • Proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ
  • Seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves
  • Strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being

Quite a tall order to live by, isn’t it?

And then there’s so much required of us in reconciling the beliefs and understandings of thousands of years ago with our current times.

And yet, in many places in the world, people hear the Good News and they cling to Jesus.  They cling to Jesus, even if it means they will die for their belief.  They cling to Jesus even if it means they will be discriminated against, given the lowest paying jobs or maybe no job at all.  They cling to Jesus even if it means they must flee from their homes.  What about following Jesus is so necessary…as necessary for life as the air we breathe?

In today’s readings, we have that beautiful one from Revelation, a glorious vision of heaven and we can see our loved ones right there at the feet of Jesus, can’t we?

For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Rev. 7:15-17

It’s such a comforting and wonderful vision.  Maybe this is one reason why we Christians cling to Jesus.

Then in 1 John, we hear that we are children of God.

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1

We know and experience God as our parent, the perfect parent, another comforting vision and reason we as Christians cling to Jesus.

The heart of following Jesus is all about love.  Jesus puts it so simply.  We just heard it last week in our Gospel from Matthew, when the Pharisees tried to trip up Jesus.  Which commandment is the greatest, they ask?  And Jesus replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  And then he says the second most important commandment is similar to the first, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matthew 22:34-46)  This love Jesus describes and calls us to, is the very breath of our lives.  Without this linchpin, life just isn’t worth living.

And there is mercy and forgiveness.  Living into our baptismal covenant, living into the two most important commandments, is not easy for us.  But over and over again, we are forgiven and God shows mercy to us.  God still loves us.  Paul told us that in his letter to the Romans (8:39),

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

 Those saints who have gone before knew in their souls what it was about following Jesus that was life itself.  Those like Asia Bibi and the Gill Family, experiencing persecution and exile for following Jesus demand that we feel in our very bones what following Jesus means to our lives.  They demand that we know why we cling to Jesus. It is the least we can do in return for God’s love of us, claiming us as children.

Amen

This Sunday (November 2) at St. John’s

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Taste and see that the LORD is good; *
happy are they who trust in him! Psalm 34:8

This Sunday we remember all of the saints, living and dead.  Yes, we are saints, too, here on earth.  And there are those who are no longer with us.  It’s important to take the time to remember them, because they showed us by their very lives that God is good.  They showed us what is meant to trust in God.  They showed us the joy that comes when we trust in God.

Now, it’s our turn to be that example and guide for others.  It’s not always easy.  We think happy means we are never down or sad.  But happiness more connotes peace…the peace that comes from knowing we are grounded in our faith and grounded in God.  There is serenity.  Even when lots is happening around is, we rest in the assurance that God is good and we can trust in that.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

November 2 bulletin

News & Notes
Rebecca’s Schedule: Rebecca will be at St. Agnes’ House Monday, November 3, through Thursday, November 6. Her Sabbath Day will be Friday, November 7. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or by e-mailing priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org

Weekday Morning Eucharist will be available Wednesday, November 12, 9am, in the Sanctuary.

Adult Forum: The Adult Forum meets each Sunday at 10:00 am in the Parish Hall. This Sunday we will conclude our series on Living with Money.   Next Sunday’s session will focus on end-of-life issues.

Godly Play: The Godly Play program is for children and is offered each Sunday morning at 10:00 am. All children are invited to participate in this special form of spiritual development.

Worship Committee will meet this Sunday, November 2, after church.

The Diocesan Budget Committee will be at St. John’s on Wednesday, November 5, 7-8:30pm to talk about the 2015 Diocesan Budget. Come meet the Committee, ask questions and learn where our collective dollars go.

Belk Charity Sales Day: The annual Belk Charity Sales day will be Saturday, November 8, 6-10am. Members of St. John’s are selling tickets for $5.00 for this special event. The church keeps the $5.00 and for each ticket you receive $5.00 off an item. If you can help, please contact June.

Addiction and Grace, a service for people affected by addiction, will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday, November 9, 3:00pm.  If you’d like to car pool to the service, see Blythe Swinford.

On November 9, we will honor our members who are veterans of the Armed Forces. To have a name read at the service, please place it in the offering plate or leave a message on the church phone or email webmaster@stjohnscorbin.org by November 2.

Youth grades 10-12 are invited to Happening at Cathedral Domain from 6:30pm Friday, November 14 until Sunday, 5:00pm. See Rebecca for more information.

The Second Diocesan Ministry Fair will be held Saturday, November 15 at Emmanuel Church, Winchester, 8:30am – 4:30pm. Keynote speaker is The Rev. Stuart Hoke, Th.D. He will speak on the church’s role in addiction recovery. Cost is $20. Forms are on the bulletin board and online registration is at www.diolex.org.

Our Annual Meeting and Potluck will be held on Sunday, November 16. We will pass a 2015 budget, vote for new Vestry members to begin their terms on January 1, and vote for Delegates to the Diocesan Convention in February.

Thankoffering Sunday will be November 16. Please bring your United Thankoffering boxes to church that day.

The Communitywide Thanksgiving Service will be held on Monday, November 17, 7pm, Freedom Point Church of God, 472 N Hwy 1223.

St. John’s Game Night, Friday, November 21, 6:30 – 8:30.  Pizza provided.  Bring your own drink.  The young adults in the parish are hosting a game night.  If you have a favorite card or board game that you’d love to play, let Jason or TJ Beams-Jackson, Les Carter, James Partin or Blythe Swinford know.  Everyone is invited!

We will celebrate Native American Heritage Month at our service on Sunday, November 23. Ken and Shelia Phillips will lead our observance. We are reminded that the worship of The Episcopal Church is in many languages and traditions each and every week of the year.

Chocolate Fest, Saturday, December 6, 9am – 3pm. If you can contribute something to the fest, please turn in your donation form by November 23.

Rotary Club of Corbin is collecting 500 new winter coats, especially for boys and girls ages 3-9. Coats will be distributed at the Empty Stocking Fund party on December 22. If you’d like to donate a coat, bring it to church and give it to Rebecca. You can also make a financial contribution to Empty Stocking Fund and give it to Rebecca.

Two furnaces replaced, 1 more to go! The furnace located in the sacristy has been replaced and funds received for the second furnace. Thanks so much to all who donated! Now we need to replace the furnace in the rectory. Cost is just under $1,700 for a furnace that will also be more energy efficient. Donations for the furnace can be put in the box on the table in the parlor.

Kroger Rewards: St. John’s is now registered with the Kroger Community Rewards Program. Please register your Kroger card at http://krogercommunityrewards.com . Our NPO number is 47782.

The Vestry has voted to donate $25 each month to Everlasting Arm Homeless Shelter. If you’d like to contribute, put your donations in the collection box by the guest register or mark your donation and put it in the collection plate.

Please prayerfully consider the gifts God has given you that you will give back to St. John’s for Christ’s ministry and mission during 2015. Pledge cards should be returned this Sunday to prepare for our November 16 Annual Meeting and adoption of the 2015 budget.

My church is composed of people like me. I help make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am. Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them. It will do great work, if I work. It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver. It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship, if I invite and bring them. It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these same things. Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things that I want my church to be. Amen Archdiocese of Rochester

Serving Our Neighbors – See baskets in the parlor.
Everlasting Arm, Corbin’s shelter for people who are homeless, is in need of men’s and women’s razors, gloves, deodorant and socks.
The Food Pantry at Corbin Presbyterian Church is always in need of nonperishable food items. Vegetables are especially appreciated.

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Seeing with our eyes, but not crossing over (Sermon) October 26, 2014

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Sermon – October 26, 2014

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 25) Track 1

The LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, `I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” Deuteronomy 34:4

 Please be seated.

Recently, my children, Scot and Carrie and I had the opportunity to tell someone how much they meant to us and how they affected our lives.  It was my second husband, Fred’s, birthday and his wife Daphne asked for people to send photos and memories to Fred to celebrate his birthday.  Fred is in treatment for some pretty serious cancer and Daphne thought the memories and photos would be fun for Fred.

So often in life we do the best we can, don’t we?  Sometimes we know when we are doing something that someone appreciates and other times, we never know.  I know there are many ways that my life is different because Fred was so supportive of the things I wanted to do in life.  Even though we divorced, I am grateful for the part he played in my life.  I am also grateful for the ways he was a father to my two children.

How wonderful to see the words my children wrote on Fred’s Facebook page.  Scot wrote:

“Thank you for everything that you have done for me. Thank you for all of the trips to the crazy places that I never wanted to go to, but I was always glad I went. Thanks for the trips down to the 7 Eleven where I could NEVER make up my mind. Thank you for letting me play poker before it was the cool thing to do. Thank you for bringing me on the camping trip to find the next place to have the next 4th fest. And especially thanks for stepping up and being my father when you didn’t have to!”

Carrie wrote:  “You chose to be a father to Scot Brown and I; you helped raise us and loved us and hold us in your heart. I’m sure there were times we didn’t make it easy for you, but you didn’t let go. I remember you telling me that I was so good at science and math that I better find a career in it. And look at me now  I teach science! You helped shuttle me around to dance recitals, choir recitals, band practices, parades, and events. … I’ve tagged you in photos that I could find to help you remember all you’ve done and how much more you have left to do! Hope it’s a wonderful year full of love, health, and peace!”

To see what my children remembered and what meant so much to them…what helped them grow into the people they are today… was heartwarming for me, reminding me that we can never tell how our interactions shape the future.  Many times we never hear words as clear as those of my children to their stepfather.  Sometimes we never know.

Today in Deuteronomy, we hear how God showed Moses the Promised Land.  God called Moses to stand up to the oppressive enslavers of the Israelites, leading the people from slavery into freedom.  Then God called Moses to lead the people in the wilderness for 40 years, until new generations could be born, who could see the vision of freedom and live into the vision of freedom, not as a reaction to having been enslaved, but as an embodiment of trust in God who was with them the whole way.

But Moses was not going to lead the people into the Promised Land.  Remember how the people were wandering in the wilderness and started to complain because they had no water?  Remember how they wanted to go back to their oppressors, rather than be without water?  Well, in Numbers Chapter 20, God tells Moses God will provide water for the people.   In verse 8, God says, “Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock before their eyes to yield its water.”

So Moses and Aaron gather everyone together before the rock and in verse 10, Moses says, “Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”  Then Moses strikes the rock twice.  Plenty of water comes out.  But do you see what Moses did?  Moses did not say that God would provide the water.  Moses acted like he and Aaron were going to provide the water when he said, “shall we….”  Moses confirmed his own actions by striking the rock, rather than obeying God’s instructions to command the rock to release its water.  Moses did not trust God or God’s words and did this his own way.

As a result, in verse 12, God tells Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”  Now, it’s nearly 40 years later and God lets Moses look upon the Promised Land, but reminds him he shall not go into the Promised Land.

And that is so true of how we are called to live our lives.  We live them in today, yet we must be ever mindful that our actions today carry on and into places we will never see.  We may be tempted to live only in the now…only in the short term…only find valuable those things whose results we can see right here and right now.

But that’s not what God requires of us.

Today is pledge Sunday when we turn in our pledges in the offering plate…when we, with God’s help and direction, say how much of what God has given to us, we will return to God for God’s work through the community of St. John’s Episcopal church.

Look at the church….  Even physically in what we can see and touch.  Who sat in that pew you were sitting in?  Someone sat there many years ago…many years before you were born, even.  Their gifts of time, talent and dollars made sure that pew is here for you today.  They could not imagine, sitting there when they did, how the church would look today or what the church would be doing today.  They could not see you…had no vision of you.  Yet, they gave, so St. John’s would be here for you.

Like Moses, we are asked to do our part…to use our talents, dollars and skills in God’s service…to lead people through the wilderness, if God asks.  This is our call…to do as much as God asks of us, knowing God may let us see it with our eyes, but not cross over there.

Amen

This Sunday (October 26) at St. John’s

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Lord, you have been our refuge *
from one generation to another. Psalm 90:1

On Tuesday, my son posted a photo of my grandson walking up to his bus stop in a lot of fog.

Walking confidently into the fog. (Photo by S. Brown)

Walking confidently into the fog. (Photo by S. Brown)

I truly love this photo, not only because I love almost anything that includes a photo of my grandson, but because of the deeper meaning (and no it’s not the Stephen King story, I’m talking about 🙂

We are familiar with lots of fog here in the region.  With fog, you can’t see too far in front of you.  You really can’t see your destination.  Sometimes as you move closer into the fog, things become a little clearer, but often not too far in front.

Now, if we’re familiar with the path or road we’re on, we may travel a bit faster to our destination.  We know the way.

I like this photo, because my grandson is walking confidently into the fog.

This Sunday we turn in our pledges.  Right now, in the end of October, we make a promise to God and to the community of St. John’s regarding our intentions to contribute to the ministry of Christ here in the region during 2015.  We do our best to return to God, what is God’s in the first place…what God gave into our care.

We can’t see what 2015 will bring.  We don’t know what will happen over the next year.  Next year is foggy to us, not clear at all.  Yet, we walk confidently…we pledge boldly, because, you see, we know the destination.  Just like the Psalmist, we know God is our refuge.  We walk confidently, because we know we walk into God’s loving arms.

Blessings as you finish your week.

Love, Rebecca+

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

Please prayerfully consider the gifts God has given you that you will give back to St. John’s for Christ’s ministry and mission during 2015.  Pledge cards should be returned by Sunday to prepare for our November 16 Annual Meeting and adoption of the 2015 budget.  So far, we’ve received 6 pledges for a total of $9,960.  These pledges and your gifts of time and talent sustain the Christian community of St. John’s and allow us to be Christ to our region.

Prayer of St Ignatius

God, Take and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will – all that I have and call my own.
You have given it all to me;
To you, God, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.
Amen

Join me Sunday afternoon as I celebrate 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.

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

If you are interested in becoming a Godly Play Teacher serving when you can, plan to attend a meeting on Wednesday, October 29, at 6:30pm.

Adult Forum – The Adult Forum focus is Living with Money.

Godly Play Teachers needed.  Meeting Wednesday, October 29, 6:30pm.  Godly Play teachers are needed.  Training is provided.  This is a wonderful program of spiritual development for children and we’d like to keep it going in the parish.  Please let Rebecca know if you are willing to be trained and serve as a teacher for a period of approximately 1 month.

Weekday Morning Eucharist will be available Wednesday, October 29, 9am, in the Sanctuary. I will also celebrate on Wednesday mornings, November 12, December 3 and December 24.

Trunk or Treat, Friday, October 31.  We will be distributing candy from the church on Halloween evening.

Two furnaces replaced, 1 more to go!  The furnace located in the sacristy has been replaced and funds received for the second furnace. Thanks so much to all who donated!  Now we need to replace the furnace in the rectory. Cost is just under $1,700 for a furnace that will also be more energy efficient. Donations for the furnace can be put in the box on the table in the parlor.

The Vestry has voted to donate $25 each month to Everlasting Arm Homeless Shelter. If you’d like to contribute, put your donations in the collection box by the guest register or mark your donation and put it in the collection plate.

Grow Appalachia!  The Vestry has voted to move ahead to become a Grow Appalachia site for 2015.  Please talk to the Vestry about your ideas, questions, and concerns.  The Grow Appalachia website is http://www.berea.edu/grow-appalachia/

 The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet Sunday, October 26 after church. 

 All Saints Sunday, November 2.  We observe All Saints Day and will read the names of those saints close to us who have died.  To have the name of your loved one read at the service, please place it in the offering plate or leave a message on the church phone or email webmaster@stjohnscorbin.org by October 26.

Worship Committee will meet Sunday, November 2, after church. 

Chocolate Fest, Saturday, December 6, 9am – 3pm.  If you can contribute something to the fest, please turn in your donation form by November 23.

The Diocesan Budget Committee will be at St. John’s on Wednesday, November 5, 7-8:30pm to talk about the 2015 Diocesan Budget.  Come meet the Committee, ask questions and learn where our collective dollars go.

On November 9, we will honor our members who are veterans of the Armed Forces.  To have a name read at the service, please place it in the offering plate or leave a message on the church phone or email webmaster@stjohnscorbin.org by November 2.

Belk Charity Sales Day, Saturday, November 8, 6-10am.  We are selling tickets for $5.00 for this special event.  The church keeps the $5.00 and for each ticket, you receive $5.00 off an item.   We will also sell tickets on Thursday, October 2, 10am – 2pm.  If you can help, please contact June.

The Second Diocesan Ministry Fair will be held Saturday, November 15 at Emmanuel Church, Winchester, 8:30am – 4:30pm.  Keynote speaker is The Rev. Stuart Hoke, Th.D.  He will speak on the church’s role in addiction recovery.  Cost is $20.  Forms are on the bulletin board and online registration is at www.diolex.org.

Daylight Savings Time ends next Sunday, November 2.  Remember to turn your clocks back 1 hour.

Flowers for the altar: Donations for flowers for the altar are accepted for any Sunday of the year. Please place your donation in the envelope, marking whether they are in honor of or in memory of someone.

 Hymn Selection Group If you’d like to choose hymns for services, join this group.  You will choose hymns for an upcoming service and then meet with the entire group to confirm the final selections.  See Billy Hibbitts if you are interested.

Would you like to write Prayers of the People?  If you are interested in writing these prayers (there are resources that can help with this task), please let Rebecca know by phone or email priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

United Thank Offering.  Remember to get your box for your thank offerings for this ministry of The Episcopal Church.  The next collection will be Sunday November 16.

Youth grades 10-12 are invited to Happening at Cathedral Domain from 6:30pm Friday, November 14 until Sunday, 5:00pm.  See Rebecca for more information.

Addiction and Grace, a service for people affected by addiction, will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday, November 9, 3:00pm. A similar service will be held at Christ Church Harlan at 3pm.  Please let me know if you’d like to attend one of the services.

Thanks for the words of appreciation!

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On Friday, October 10, the Corbin Times Tribune had a Pastor Appreciation on page 12A.  Thanks to everyone who helped put that together.  I really appreciated it.  Here’s a copy of the page and the St. John’s Entry.  I know a number of people were involved, especially Laura Love, who wrote the words, and Elmer Parlier, who took the photo.

 

Thanks for this kind appreciation in the Corbin Times Tribune on October 10. I know many were involved, but only know two for sure - Laura Love and Elmer Parlier.

Thanks for this kind appreciation in the Corbin Times Tribune on October 10. I know many were involved, but only know two for sure – Laura Love and Elmer Parlier.

I was in some great company! Corbin Times Tribune October 10.

I was in some great company! Corbin Times Tribune October 10.

Getting Ready for the Bishop’s Visit (Sunday, October 19)

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The church is ready for Bishop Hahn’s visit.  Join us tomorrow!

Come join the celebration!

Come join the celebration!

Bishop Hahn will speak at the Adult Forum  – 10:15am – 10:45am.  He will preach and preside at the 11:00am service.

We will receive James Partin to the Episcopal Church.

We will confirm Jason Beams-Jackson, TJ Beams-Jackson and Amber Hibbitts.
Annaliese Elizabeth Herzer will be baptized.
We also welcome new members by transfer, Tracey Herzer and Camille Ruddick.

One baptism, 3 confirmations and a reception! Welcome to the Episcopal Church.

One baptism, 3 confirmations and a reception! Welcome to the Episcopal Church.

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We’ll renew our own Baptismal vows.

We are ready for the baptism and to renew our own vows.

We are ready for the baptism and to renew our own vows.

Then we’ll have a pot luck!

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Come join the celebration!

This Sunday (October 19) at St. John’s – Bishop Hahn will Visit

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Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Exodus 33:13

I love the story of Exodus.  Written thousands of years ago, I still see that human nature has not changed all that much.  God delivers the people from bondage and they just want to go back to being enslaved.  God shows up to Moses in a burning bush that does not burn up and all Moses can do is question God’s judgment.

And in the passage we’ll hear this Sunday, Moses is still trying to figure out who is the God.  Isn’t that so true of all of us.  We have some experiences that convince us that God exists and is present in our lives.  At other times, we have our doubts.  And here is one of the most faithful leaders chosen by God asking questions.

At least in the Episcopal Church, asking questions and expressing our doubts is considered a necessary part of our faith and our tradition.  Adult Forum is lots of fun, because we get to discuss these issues and hearing from fellow members is helpful.

So, come in your doubts and in your questioning for that is often the best path toward God.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

Bishop Hahn visits this Sunday.  Join us for baptism, confirmation, reception and pot luck!

Bishop Hahn will be with us at Adult Forum.  He’ll preach at the service, as well as baptize, confirm, and receive new members.  After church, we’ll have our monthly pot luck.  Join us for this special day as we receive new members:

Annaliese Herzer – Baptism
Jason Beams-Jackson – confirmation
TJ Beams-Jackson – confirmation
Amber Hibbitts – Confirmation
James Partin – Reception
Tracey Herzer – Transfer
Camille Ruddick – Transfer

My Schedule
I will be at St. John’s Monday, October 20, and in Lexington on Tuesday, October 21.  My Sabbath Days will be Wednesday, October 22 – Friday, October 25, when I will be out of town.  You can get a message to me 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 – The Adult Forum focus is Living with Money.  Next Sunday’s session will focus on Making Peace with Money.

The furnace located in the sacristy was replaced this week at a cost of just under $1,700.  About $1,200 was received so far.  We’ll need to replace two more furnaces over the next two years:  one that heats the parish hall and one that heats the rectory.  Donations for the furnace can be put in the box on the table in the parlor.

The Vestry has voted to donate $25 each month to Everlasting Arm Homeless Shelter. If you’d like to contribute, put your donations in the collection box by the guest register or mark your donation and put it in the collection plate.

Pot Luck Sunday:  This Sunday is our monthly pot luck.  Bring a dish or drink to share.  And all are welcome!  Plan to fellowship with each other.  Our pot luck schedule shifts in November to November 16, when we have our Annual Meeting.

 Grow Appalachia!  The Vestry has voted to move ahead to become a Grow Appalachia site for 2015.  Please talk to the Vestry about your ideas, questions, and concerns.  The Grow Appalachia website is http://www.berea.edu/grow-appalachia/

The Diocesan Budget Committee will be at St. John’s on Wednesday, November 5, 7-8:30pm to talk about the 2015 Diocesan Budget.  Come meet the Committee, ask questions and learn where our collective dollars go.

Join Rebecca (next Sunday afternoon/this afternoon) as she celebrates 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.

Please prayerfully consider the gifts God has given you that you will give back to St. John’s for Christ’s ministry and mission during 2015.  Pledge cards should be returned by October 26 to prepare for our November 16 Annual Meeting and adoption of the 2015 budget.

Prayer of St Ignatius
God, Take and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will – all that I have and call my own.
You have given it all to me;
To you, God, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.

Amen

Trunk or Treat, Friday, October 31.  We will be distributing candy from the church on Halloween evening.

All Saints Sunday, November 2.  We observe All Saints Day and will read the names of those saints close to us who have died.  To have the name of your loved one read at the service, please place it in the offering plate or leave a message on the church phone or email webmaster@stjohnscorbin.org by October 26.

The Diocesan Budget Committee will be at St. John’s Corbin, Wednesday evening, November 5, 7:00pm to talk about the 2015 Diocesan Budget.  Come learn how our joint contributions further God’s mission in the region.

Belk Charity Sales Day, Saturday, November 8, 6-10am.  We are selling tickets for $5.00 for this special event.  The church keeps the $5.00 and for each ticket, you receive $5.00 off an item.   We will also sell tickets on Thursday, October 2, 10am – 2pm.  If you can help, please contact June.

On November 9, we will honor our members who are veterans of the Armed Forces.  To have a name read at the service, please place it in the offering plate or leave a message on the church phone or email webmaster@stjohnscorbin.org by November 2.

Youth grades 10-12 are invited to Happening at Cathedral Domain from 6:30pm Friday, November 14 until Sunday, 5:00pm.  See Rebecca for more information.

 The Second Diocesan Ministry Fair will be held Saturday, November 15 at Emmanuel Church, Winchester, 8:30am – 4:30pm.  Keynote speaker is The Rev. Stuart Hoke, Th.D.  He will speak on the church’s role in addiction recovery.  Cost is $20.  Forms are on the bulletin board and online registration is at www.diolex.org.

Serving Our Neighbors – See baskets in the parlor.

  • Everlasting Arms, Corbin’s shelter for people who are homeless, is in need of men’s and women’s razors, gloves, deodorant and socks.
  • The Food Pantry at Corbin Presbyterian Church is always in need of nonperishable food items. Vegetables are especially appreciated.

 Flowers for the altar: Donations for flowers for the altar are accepted for any Sunday of the year. Please place your donation in the envelope, marking whether they are in honor of or in memory of someone.

 Hymn Selection Group If you’d like to choose hymns for services, join this group.  You will choose hymns for an upcoming service and then meet with the entire group to confirm the final selections.  See Billy Hibbitts if you are interested.

Would you like to write Prayers of the People?  If you are interested in writing these prayers (there are resources that can help with this task), please let Rebecca know by phone or email priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

United Thank Offering.  Remember to get your box for your thank offerings for this ministry of The Episcopal Church.  The next collection will be November 16. 

 Are you interested in assisting with the Sunday service?  Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Crucifers, Altar Guild Members and choir members are all important for each Sunday service.  If you’re interested in serving, please let Rebecca know by phone 859-429-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Subscribe to our Website Feed!

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Saying Yes to God’s Banquet (Sermon) October 12, 2014

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Sermon – October 12, 2014

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 23) Track 1

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. Matthew 22:1

 Please be seated.

I LOVE weddings.  As a little girl, my mother gave me her beautiful half slips for my dress-up clothes and you could often find me wearing them on my head as pretend veils.  At 7, as a Roman Catholic, I “made my first communion.”  The experience was fraught with trying to remember so many details.  The best part was wearing the beautiful white dress and the veil.  The best part of the Sound of Music was Maria’s wedding dress.  I still have my Barbie doll’s wedding dress.  And if you would have seen me Friday, my day off, you’d have seen me watching a marathon of, “Say ‘yes’ to the dress.”  I guess in addition to the love and community witness of weddings, I especially love the clothes.

Recently, my grandchildren attended the wedding of their former day care teacher, Miss Tina.  I loved seeing the photos from that day.  The kids looked like they were having so much fun dancing with the bride and with each other.  Later, I was talking with my son.  He said my 8 year old granddaughter, Sydney, really loved the wedding.  She asked her daddy to hold her so she could better see the bride come down the aisle.  As the bride approached, escorted by her father, Sydney whispered in her father’s ear, “We’ll be doing that some day.”  My son said it was all he could do to not start blubbering.

Yes I’d say I’m a feminist and all for women’s rights.  I am astounded by the costs of a wedding and understand why people elope.  All of that is true and I still love a traditional wedding.

And if you’ve planned a wedding or even a big party, you can relate to the king in our Gospel lesson today.  How wonderful that your child is being married.  The day comes and you prepare a sumptuous banquet and party for the community.  You’ve sent invitations and asked people to let you know if they’re coming so you know how much to prepare.  Once the banquet is ready, you send out the notice and suddenly people who said they’d come, don’t even acknowledge you!

Of course you can’t believe it, so you once again send out, explaining all of the work you’ve gone to to create a wonderful party.  Now, those you’ve invited are annoyed and even kill the messengers!  Finally, you just need the food to be eaten — kind of like we try to get people to take home food after pot luck – and you invite everyone, every single person you can find, both bad and good, we are told.

Jesus is trying to explain the Kingdom of God to us.  God prepares a sumptuous banquet, like any parent would prepare for their child who is getting married.  But the day comes and what happens?  Oh, so many other things appear to be more important.  Just like the Israelites in the desert worshipping the golden calf, we find so many other things pulling at us.  This wonderful, loving banquet seems unimportant.  We don’t want to go to the feast.  Sometimes, we even kill those who bring the invitation to us.

And God wants people at the banquet.  God invites all people.  The banquet is open to everyone!  God’s feast is available to everyone, not just a few.  God’s feast is available to everyone who will come to partake of it.

Yet, you cannot come lightly or thoughtlessly, like the man who showed up disrespectfully without a wedding robe.  You cannot expect to slip in, eat some food and dash out!  Stepping into the banquet hall requires responsibility and accountability.  Stepping into the feast God has prepared for us means we acknowledge our host, we respect our host, and we do the right thing by our host.

We join the banquet community.  We do our best to live as God has asked us to do and as Jesus showed us and as the Holy Spirit continues to speak to us.  We do our best to put aside the golden calves in our lives and remember the giver of the feast.

God is delighted to prepare the banquet of life in Christ for us.  God is delighted for us to know how much we are loved.  God is delighted to show us how to live in ways that serve each other, reject evil, worship God in community, and strive for justice and peace and respect the dignity of every human being.

We must first accept the invitation, then we must show up, and finally, we must come prepared.

Amen

This Sunday (October 12) at St. John’s

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Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

This past week, the clergy of the Diocese were together with Bishop Hahn at the Cathedral Domain.  On Tuesday evening, five members of Al-anon came to talk to us about this important 12-step program.  Al-anon is for anyone whose life is being affected by alcoholism or another addiction.  Those in Al-anon are worriers and their worry pushes them to believe they can control and somehow cure the action and behavior of the addict.  The members told us they were crazier than the person with the addiction!  They had to learn that, “they didn’t cause it, they couldn’t cure it and they couldn’t control it!  Letting go and not worrying is so difficult.

Yet, Paul tells us that when we worry, we need to pray, earnestly and humbly.  We need to pray with thanksgiving.  We need to let God know our requests.  We need to speak to God about our worry.  Now, Paul doesn’t say what we request will be granted, necessarily.  Paul says, however, that we will find peace, a peace that in many ways we cannot understand.  It is that peace, which we need in this worrisome world.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

Bulletin 10-12-2014 (1)

A Stewardship Prayer
My church is composed of people like me. I help make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am. Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them. It will do great work, if I work. It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver. It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship, if I invite and bring them. It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these same things. Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things that I want my church to be.

Amen  (source: Archdiocese of Rochester) 

Stewardship: Please prayerfully consider the gifts God has given you that you will give back to St. John’s for Christ’s ministry and mission during 2015.  Pledge cards should be returned by October 26 to prepare for our November 16 Annual Meeting and adoption of the 2015 budget.

Rebecca’s Schedule: Rebecca will be at St. Agnes’ House, Monday through Thursday.  Her Sabbath Day will be Friday, October 17. You can get a message to her by calling the

Adult Forum: The Adult Forum meets each Sunday at 10:00 am in the Parish Hall. Through November 2, the topic will be Living with Money.  On October 19, the Bishop will be meeting with the group.

Sunday School – Godly Play: The Godly Play program is for children is offered each Sunday morning at 10:00 am.  All children are invited to participate in this special form of spiritual development.

Pot Luck Sunday:  Next Sunday, October 19, is our monthly pot luck.  Bring a dish or drink to share.  And all are welcome!  Plan to fellowship with each other.  Our pot luck schedule has shifted in October and November.  Pot Luck will be October 19, when the Bishop visits; and November 16, when we have our Annual Meeting.

Daughters of the King meets the third Wednesday of each month at 4:30pm.  The next meeting is October 15. If you have special prayer requests or would like to join this prayer ministry, please contact Shelia Phillips.

All Saints Sunday, November 2.  We observe All Saints Day and will read the names of those saints close to us who have died.  To have the name of your loved one read at the service, please place it in the offering plate or leave a message on the church phone or email webmaster@stjohnscorbin.org by October 26

Belk Charity Sales Day:  The annual Belk Charity Sales day will be Saturday, November 8, 6-10am.  Members of St. John’s are selling tickets for $5.00 for this special event.  The church keeps the $5.00 and for each ticket you receive $5.00 off an item.  If you can help, please contact June.

The Diocesan Budget Committee will be at St. John’s on Wednesday, November 5, 7-8:30pm to talk about the 2015 Diocesan Budget.  Come meet the Committee, ask questions and learn where our collective dollars go.

The Vestry has voted to donate $25 each month to Everlasting Arm Homeless Shelter. If you’d like to contribute, put your donations in the collection box by the guest register or mark your donation and put it in the collection plate.

 Kroger Rewards: St. John’s is now registered with the Kroger Community Rewards Program. Please register your Kroger card at http://krogercommunityrewards.com .

(Instructions)

  • Be sure to have your Kroger Plus card handy and register your card with your organization after you sign up.
  • If a member does not yet have a Kroger Plus card, please let them know that they are available at the customer service desk at any Kroger.
  • Click on Sign In/Register
  • Most participants are new online customers, so they must click on SIGN UP TODAY in the ‘New Customer?’ box.
  • Sign up for a Kroger Rewards Account by entering zip code, clicking on favorite store, entering your email address and creating a password, agreeing to the terms and conditions
  • You will then get a message to check your email inbox and click on the link within the body of the email.
  • Click on My Account and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step.
  • Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and input your Kroger Plus card number.
  • Update or confirm your information.
  • Enter NPO number (47782) or name of organization, select organization from list and click on confirm.
  • To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see your organization’s name on the right side of your information page.
  • REMEMBER, purchases will not count for your group until after your member(s) register their card(s).
  • Do you use your phone number at the register?  Call 800-576-4377, select option 4 to get your Kroger Plus card number.
  • Members must swipe their registered Kroger Plus card or use the phone number that is related to their registered Kroger Plus card when shopping for each purchase to count.


 

Furnace Needed: The furnace located in the sacristy, which heats part of the parish hall and hallways must be replaced prior to this winter. The new furnace will cost $2,250. The new furnace will be more energy efficient and lower the electric bill. Two more furnaces will need to be replaced over the next two years: one that heats the parish hall and one that heats the rectory. Donations for the furnace can be put in the box on the corner shelves in the parish hall.

Flowers for the altar: Donations for flowers for the altar are accepted for any Sunday of the year. Please place your donation in the envelope, marking whether they are in honor of or in memory of someone.

Hymn Selection Group If you’d like to choose hymns for services, join this group.  You will choose hymns for an upcoming service and then meet with the entire group to confirm the final selections.  See Billy Hibbitts if you are interested.

Would you like to write Prayers of the People?  If you are interested in writing these prayers (there are resources that can help with this task), please let Rebecca know by phone or email priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

United Thank Offering.  Remember to get your box for your thank offerings for this ministry of The Episcopal Church.  The next collection will be in the fall. 

Are you interested in assisting with the Sunday service?  Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Crucifers, Altar Guild Members and choir members are all important for each Sunday service.  If you’re interested in serving, please let Rebecca know by phone 859-429-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

 

Serving Our Neighbors – See baskets in the parlor.

  • Everlasting Arms, Corbin’s shelter for people who are homeless, is in need of men’s and women’s razors, gloves, deodorant and socks.
  • The Food Pantry at Corbin Presbyterian Church is always in need of nonperishable food items. Vegetables are especially appreciated.