Tag Archives: Al-anon

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

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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

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.