We bind ourselves…. (Sermon) May 31, 2015 Trinity Sunday

Posted on May 31, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Sermon – May 31, 2015

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

“Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity….” Collect for Trinity Sunday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 228

Please be seated.

In August of 2010, I left my job in Washington, DC, got in my daughter’s car, and she drove me to seminary in New York City. Yes, in a true twist, my daughter drove me to college. Well, I had a bachelor’s and master’s degree already, but I’d never gone away to college and lived on campus.

And my daughter performed the duties most parents do when their children go away to college…the same things I did when I took her to college. She helped me set up my apartment. My daughter had lived in New York City for a number of years, so she knew her way around and had no fear of driving in the City. She knew the perfect place to buy the air conditioner and we even made a Target run!

At the end of September, there was a matriculation ceremony. I’m not sure how I even knew anything about this ceremony. Information was provided in dribs and drabs, I believe. One thing I knew for sure, during the service, I’d need to sign THE BOOK! The book was the 19^th century version of a database. In it was recorded the name and signature of every student who matriculated to the seminary since 1822!

The evening came and I was in my finest, including my famous hat. We went through Evensong and then the final hymn began, hymn 370, signaling the start of the book signing ceremony.

“I bind unto myself today the strong Name of the Trinity, by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three.” (370 ECH)

I felt like I was going to be pulled to the floor. I wanted to cry. There was such power in that moment…binding myself to the Trinity and signing the book… a long line of people who also bound themselves.

Jeff Davis challenged me to preach on the Trinity. Today is the Sunday many preachers dread. You see, there is no way to explain the Trinity without committing heresy or nearly committing heresy. It’s a concept that isn’t all that easy to explain. As Bruce says, you need to live into it.

In seminary a professor had us read a book, “Being as Communion” by John Zizioulas, which really helped me love the Trinity. Zizioulas talks about the Trinity being a model for how we live our lives.

First of all, the Trinity represents unity in diversity. While Zizioulas is Greek Orthodox, this notion is very Anglican. We can be diverse in how we live our Christian faith, but we are still unified in our belief in God who created the world, Jesus, God’s Son who came to live among us and teach us, and the Holy Spirit who still continues to speak through our lives.

In the early church, there were great struggles in understanding the relationship between God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Much of this was based on different philosophical differences at the time. Finally, there was agreement that the Trinity is one substance and three persons. You can read more about this in The Creed of Saint Athanasius on page 864 of The Book of Common Prayer.

These three persons are in a unified relationship with each other – diversity in unity; unity in diversity.

We are certainly individuals, but Zizioulas distinguishes between living as an individual and living as a person. When we live only as an individual, we are bound by our biological nature. We are often exclusive in our dealings with each other. Individualism leads to being cut off and to death.

But to be a person, we must be in relationship with other persons. We know who we are as persons when we are in relationship with each other. In order to be a person, we must be in community. Being a person…in community…in relationship means freedom and authenticity.

The church is a special kind of community, says Zizioulas and here are some ways the community of the church is important:

The church community brings us into a relationship with the world that is “not determined by the laws of biology.” (Being as Communion, 56)
We learn to “love without exclusiveness….” (p. 57) We don’t just love within our family or our tribe. Rather we go beyond the “normal” human boundaries.

And it is when we gather together as the community that we experience a new freedom, because we are not bound by the human biological condition. We’ve learned a new way to be in the world.

Each of you is here today and your presence allows you to be in relationship with each other and with God, to fully be an authentic person, because that can only happen in community. It’s not always easy for we humans to be unified in our diversity. The community of St. John’s is one place we can work on that.

In the time I have been with you, I have witnessed your strong community. I have seen your diversity. I have seen you welcome others in to the community. Today is a good day to look at your relationship to this community. There are many ways to connect: choir, altar guild, property committee, attending services, financial pledge, and prayer. By connecting to this community, you have the opportunity to be an authentic person…the person God created you to be, the person Jesus taught you to be, the person the Holy Spirit moves through.

Bind yourself to this community and live into the Trinity…the unity in diversity.

Amen

We are Seekers (Sermon) April 12, 2015

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

Sermon – April 12, 2015

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

Easter II

4-12-2015 Bulletin Easter 2

But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” John 20:25

Please be seated.

A few months after I turned 3, my parents bought their first house. It was in a new suburban development being built upon what was farmland. When we first moved in, the streets were not even paved! It was pretty muddy.

This was near the end of the baby boom, so the neighborhood was filled with young couples in their mid 20s and early 30s, having kids. There were lots of kids. And one of our favorite games was “hide and seek,” especially on warm summer nights when we played it with flashlights and called it flashlight tag.

Do you remember the game? In the version we played (which Wikipedia says comes from Russia and Brazil, not Central PA) one person is the seeker and everyone else are the hiders. If you are the seeker, you cover your eyes, usually leaning on a tree or against a wall, which serves as the home base. You count, sometimes only to 10, but more often to a higher number. You count loudly, so the hiders can hear you. When you think everyone has had enough time to hide, you yell, “Fee, Fi, Fo Fum, Whoever’s not ready, here I come.” The hiders are supposed to try to get back to home base and touch it before you can get there and call out their name.

There are various kinds of seekers and sometimes you have to make up additional rules. Some seekers just stand by the base and call out peoples’ names. Others leave the base and think of all of the good places to hide and try to really search and find the hiders.

Sometimes if you’ve sought for awhile and most of the hiders are at home base, you’ll yell, “Olly, Olly, Oxen Free,” calling all of the remaining hiders back to home base. The first person you caught then becomes the seeker.

In our new mission statement, we, in essence, define ourselves as a “diverse community of seekers.” It’s an interesting word choice, don’t you think? We don’t say we are a community of “knowers.” We don’t say we are a community of “we’ve got all of the answers.” We don’t say we are a community of “we’ve got it all figured out.”

When I looked up “seek” in the dictionary, I found this definition, “to try to find or discover by searching or questioning.” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/seek?s=t) In other words, our community of St. John’s continues to find and to discover God by searching and questioning. We believe it is through our searching and questioning that we grow in our faith…that we develop a deeper faith. We understand this seeking is a lifelong journey. Just like the seeker in “hide and seek,” we keep looking for God.

In being seekers, we are like Thomas in today’s gospel. Thomas did not have the experience in seeing Jesus that the other disciples had. We really don’t know why Thomas was away from the community. We don’t know what Thomas was doing. We do know that Thomas did not believe what his friends told him. Thomas wanted and needed to see for himself in a particular way. So, he questioned what his friends told him.

And Jesus returned to Thomas. Jesus heard Thomas and heard Thomas’ request, to see the mark of the nails in his hands and to put his finger where those nails were and to put his hand where Jesus had been pierced in his side. Yes, we hear Jesus chide Thomas some, but still, Jesus returned.

Jesus provided Thomas with the proof he needed, while at the same time, encouraging Thomas to set a different “bar” for proof…to maybe trust his friends a little more the next time…to prepare Thomas to go out to meet all of those who would never have walked with Jesus on earth.

As a result, we hear Thomas proclaim, “My Lord and my God.” And tradition has it that Thomas traveled the whole way to the town of Muziris in the southwest tip of India to spread the Gospel. Thomas questioned and searched. Thomas sought God…Thomas sought Jesus and as a result of his searching, his faith was stronger and his desire to spread the Gospel and to do God’s work was strengthened.

So we seek. Like Thomas, we question. In Adult Forum and Godly Play, we search. We search to find the risen Jesus. We search and we question, because out of that comes action. Thomas went to India spreading the Gospel. Our searching and questioning leads us to action in how to be Christ right here in our region.

Today the Vestry will meet and continue the discussion on what three things we’d like to do the rest of the year to fulfill this mission statement. Your bulletin lists the many things we discussed both at the Vestry retreat in 2014 and at the last meeting. Our searching and our questioning eventually leads to concrete action.

Recently, while driving in my car, I heard this song by Dolly Parton, first recorded back in 1975. She says she wrote it while going through a tough time in her life…a time when she was doing some things she knew were wrong. I think these words from the song are an excellent prayer for all of us as we seek…as we search…as we question…as we deepen our faith and as we go out into the world to do God’s work.

Won’t you reach out and lead me
Guide me and keep me
In the shelter of your care each day
‘Cause I am a seeker, you are a keeper
You are the leader, won’t you show me the way?

(http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-seeker-lyrics-dolly-parton.html)

Amen

A Grow Appalachia Garden Takes Shape thanks to Americorps NCCC

Posted on April 11, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Saturday, April 11, a group of volunteers from Americorps NCCC gave a huge boost to St. John’s Grow Appalachia Community Garden. The group has been working at Cumberland Falls State Park on a variety of projects, including pulling invasive species like burning bush.

Today, they came to set up cedar poles for two grape arbors as part of our garden. In addition, they started to cut the sod from the garden plots, so we can till the soil and begin planting. While all of this has been mapped out on paper, now you can see how it’s all going to look. And it was a great day to be working outdoors.

Thanks to June Sullivan, who provided pizza for lunch. Thanks to Steve Gilbert and Ward Brown for organizing the project!

Enjoy the photos of the day.

Getting started…

Digging, digging and more digging…

Getting the cedar posts firmly in the ground AND digging the next hole…

This friendly neighborhood dog enjoyed watching the activity and playing with the volunteers.

The garden beds are beginning to emerge

cutting sod and digging more holes…

Cutting the sod is hard work, but there is terrific soil underneath!

We piled the sod in the center where we’re planning a circular herb bed. The string shows the outline of a garden bed

The wonderful crew. They’ll spend 10 months traveling around the country helping out in a variety of ways. THANKS for your service!

Poles for 2 grape arbors, garden beds laid out and some ready for planting!

The cedar poles are firmly in the ground and ready for the top frame to hold the grapes

This is the pile of sod from 4 of the 10 beds.

This Sunday (April 12, 2015) at St. John’s

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

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. Acts 4:32

Many years ago, I stumbled upon The Bruderhof Community. They had a community in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, a popular vacation spot in western Pennsylvania. They ran a coffee shop and bookstore. The community published many of the books.

Begun in 1920 in Germany, the group had to flee during the times of the Nazis. They went to Paraguay and finally came to the United States. They number 2,600 on four continents. What was amazing to me was that the foundation of the community was from early Christianity as described in Acts 2 and 4, but especially this verse we hear this Sunday. They strive to be of one heart and soul. They do not have any private property, but hold everything in common.

I’m not sure I could do this. I do think we could share resources a little more — does everyone really need a lawn mower or could we work out a way to share one between a number of families, for instance? Yet, I get connected to my “stuff” and don’t want to part with it. I also like a good deal of private space.

Reading this passage reminds me to look at how I live my life and encourages me to strive to live in ways that support the common good.

Blessings as you finish your week!

Love, Rebecca+

Rebecca will be on vacation next week, through April 22. For pastoral care emergencies, call The Rev. John Bukhart, 606-521-0345.

Godly Play: All children are invited to participate in Godly Play, a special program of Spiritual development each Sunday morning at 10:00am.

Adult Forum: This week Rebecca will lead the Adult Forum on Celebrating the 50 Days of Easter. Next week we begin a 5-week series on Ten Ways to Pray. Jeff Davis will lead us in centering prayer and body prayer.

Daughters of the King: The Regional Luncheon Meeting for Daughters of the King will be held 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 would like to attend.

Diocesan Leadership Training: Diocesan leadership training sessions will be offered at St. Patrick’s Church, Somerset on Friday May 8, 5:45pm-9:00pm and Saturday, May 9, 9am – 4pm. 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. The format is a mix of lecture and small group discussion.

Belk Charity Sales Day: Belk department store will host 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. Members of the ECW will be selling tickets prior to the event.

Grow Appalachia: The Grow Appalachia committee will meet Thursdays evenings at 6pm through April and May.

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?

St. George’s Day: Join other members of the diocese for Fun and Worship at the Cathedral Domain on April 18. Hiking, cooking contest, fellowship, and special worship are part of this enjoyable day. Register at www.diolex.org or see Rev. Rebecca.

Rotary Scholarship Scramble: Participate in or help 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 Rev. Rebecca for more information.

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

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God shows no partiality (Sermon) Easter-April 5, 2015

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

Sermon – April 5, 2015

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

Easter Day

Bulletin 4-5-2015 (Easter Day)

Preached in memory of Steward R. Weaver, November 21, 1964 – April 7, 1995

I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. Acts 10:34-35

Please be seated

During our services, I’ve been using the hymn from Voices Found, “At the Foot of the Cross.” Today, let’s sing verse 5.

At the foot of the cross, we sit with Mary and worship with love in our hearts.

For he has risen and lives with his Father.

We only love him. He lives to carry us home.

Home….

1996 was a really hard year for me. I was living in Kansas, 1100 miles away from my family. My mother started the year in a coma after many medical complications from a fall out of bed. She came out of the coma in March and started a long journey of physical and occupational therapy. My children were navigating post-high school to adult independence, which wasn’t always an easy road. And my husband and I separated just before Valentine’s Day, with me moving in with a friend. He soon filed for divorce. Midst all of this, I was finishing up my Master’s of Social Work degree.

My daughter’s college had a program where you traveled to a foreign country for three weeks. She took a 1-credit course during her spring semester and at the end of the course, she traveled to the country. Of course she chose Italy, since we are part Italian.

I don’t know how I did it and I’m probably still paying for it, but somehow I managed to find the money to meet her in Italy at the end of her three weeks and plan a trip with her for two additional weeks, mostly to visit places she had not visited on her trip…especially to take her to Sicily and Riposto, the town where my grandfather was born and the island of Lipari where my grandmother’s family was from.

You see, midst all of the upheaval in my life…midst all of the emotional turmoil, by “hook or by crook” I was going to Italy…I was going to Sicily…I was going to Lipari…I was going to Riposto. I had to get there. We arrived in Sicily and found a little hotel by the Ionian Sea just North of Riposto. The Sicilians considered it too cold to go swimming in June, but not the many Germans visiting the area and not me. I was drawn to the sea and soon had my bathing suit on and climbed into the water. The water surrounded me and I felt like I had come home. I cried and cried as I allowed the waters of my ancestors to hold me afloat. I had come home.

Now, I cannot even speak Italian! It was only my second trip to Sicily. I’d been there only once before, nearly 20 years earlier. Yet, I felt at home.

What is this place we call home and to which Jesus carries us?

We use “home” a lot to speak about our home with God after our death – our home in heaven. But I also think we get glimpses of and are called to make “home” here on earth. Yes I know that sometimes our human homes are not necessarily the most wonderful places. God calls us to the best home possible. What does that look like?

Today I think of Carl and Audrey, who celebrate 62 years of marriage! I know it probably hasn’t always been easy, but when you talk to them, you know they understand the meaning of “home.”

In our reading today from Acts, we hear about Peter’s post-resurrection work. Peter has been summoned by a Roman Centurion, Cornelius, to come to his home in Caesarea. Cornelius, although a Roman Centurion, is a God-fearer, a Gentile who sympathized with the Jews. An angel tells Cornelius to invite Peter, who is 30 miles away in Joppa, to visit him.

Peter has been working only among those who are Jewish, believing that the message and work of Jesus was only for people who were Jewish and followed Judaism. To visit a Gentile would have been taboo and considered a defilement.

However, as the messengers sent by Cornelius are arriving, Peter has a vision from God. He doesn’t understand it at first. It seems to be about food and it seems to change the rules for eating that Peter had followed all of his life. Peter hears God say, repeatedly, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” (Acts 10:15)

When Peter greets the messengers from Cornelius, it all becomes clear. The message wasn’t about food, but was about people. The Good News of following Jesus Christ is for all people. When Peter arrives at the home of Cornelius, a great crowd has gathered. During his address to them, we hear these words from today’s reading, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. Acts 10:34-35

Home… Every one of us is welcomed. God shows no partiality…none. God is not partial to the wealthy, middle class or poor. God is not partial to men or women or those who identify as gender queer. God is not partial to whether you live your life as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or transgender. God is not partial to any of the labels we humans have created for each other, building hierarchies. God accepts all those who are in awe of God, who fear God and who do what is right and acceptable to God. PERIOD!

We love Jesus and when we follow Jesus, we are carried home to a place where we are loved and accepted…to a place where we are encouraged to live as Jesus did…to follow God’s commands…to do those things that are right and acceptable.

I hope the places you go every day are homes of love, acceptance, and growth for you. And I hope that this place – this St. John’s Episcopal Church – is a place of love, acceptance and growth for you.

At the foot of the cross, we sit with Mary and worship with love in our hearts.

For he has risen and lives with his Father.

We only love him. He lives to carry us home.

Amen.

Living with Helplessness (Sermon) April 3, 2015 (Good Friday)

Posted on April 3, 2015 by St. John's Episcopal Church

Sermon – April 3, 2015

The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW

St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY

Good Friday Bulletin 4-3-2015 (Good Friday)

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. John 19:25

Please be seated.

In the 2008 Presidential campaign, Sarah Palin said the hardest thing about the campaign was when the media said things about her children. In an interview with a New York City TV station, she said, “They’re my kids. The mama grizzly bear in me comes out, makes me want to rear up on my hind legs and say, ‘Wait a minute.’”

And there have been times, especially when my children were little that I was the mama grizzly bear. One incident I think I’ve talked about before, is one I’d forgotten, but my son has always remembered.

We were trick-or-treating. We lived in the city, so there were lots of houses and lots of kids and people out having a good time. All of a sudden, a kid ran up from behind and snatched my son’s bag of candy right out of his hands and kept running. Well, just that fast, mama grizzly came upon me and I ran as fast as I could, yelling at the kid who stole my son’s candy. I was incensed at the injustice of it all. It was easy for any kid to get candy that night. This was an act of meanness. I was incensed at the cruelty and hurt the act caused my son.

But I acted. I could do something. And after a block or so, the kid dropped my son’s bag and we retrieved it and went on their way. My son has never forgotten how I sprang into action and took care of him.

So, I honestly do not know how Mary stood at the foot of that cross, helpless to help her son…helpless to stop the inevitable…helpless to stop the terrible torture and death. Recently I found this hymn, which I think says it all, At the Foot of the Cross by Carol Petersen, Hymn 43 in our Voices Found hymnal. We’ll sing verses of it during our services the next couple of days. Tonight, let’s sing verses 1-3.

(sing)

At the foot of the cross Mary sat weeping and gazing with love at her Lord.

He hung there bleeding and suffering and dying.

She could not help him. She could not carry him home.

Blessed Mary, his mother bore him and rocked him and bathed him with love for her son.

Saw him in childhood and growing to manhood.

She could not help him. She could not carry him home.

Now with love in their hearts Mary and John sat together and poured out their grief.

“Look, John, you mother” and “Mary, your son, John.”

She could not help him. She could not carry him home.

“She could not help him. She could not carry him home.” Yes, tonight is a night of helplessness. Tonight we need to remember all people everywhere who have a loved one they cannot rescue. There are family and friends loving someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol or sex and they cannot help their loved one. They cannot carry their loved one home.

There are family and friends loving someone and warning someone about the path they were on and watching as that person was arrested and sent to jail for many years. They could not help their loved one. They cannot carry their loved one home.

There are family and friends loving someone who is being treated unjustly, but can’t seem to get the help they need to get justice. They cannot help their loved one. They cannot carry their loved one home.

There are family and friends grieving tonight because they watched their loved one die from a dreaded disease. They could not cure the disease nor stop its progression. They could not carry their loved one home.

What can we do when faced with this helplessness…this inability to make things right and just and okay?

What strikes me in our Gospel tonight is that Mary was physically present, even as hard and awful as that must have been. Even as she must have wanted to hold him and touch him, she couldn’t do so, but she was there.

And we can be there. We can offer our presence. Just like Mary, we can stand there with our loved one. We can be witnesses to their pain and suffering, as hard as that is. While Mary couldn’t hold Jesus, we may be able to hold our friend. I worked in hospice and we always told people that the last thing to go was hearing. We’d encourage people to hold the hands of their loved one and to talk to them.

We can create and reach out to a supportive community. In our Gospel, Jesus tells Mary she has a new son, the disciple John. He tells John that he has a mother, Mary. Even in his dying, Jesus encourages us to find supportive and loving communities to be family and friends. Mary and John shared many experiences of Jesus. They would be able to comfort each other in their grief. They’d be able to tell stories and share memories about Jesus. Isn’t that one of the hardest things when someone dies…to find others who love to hear your best memories of that person when you so desperately need to remember?

I don’t know about you, but I hate feeling helpless. Yet, there are times when we just are and we must accept that. We can be witnesses and be present during those times and most of all, we can help each other and find those friends and loved ones who will walk with us.

Amen

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.

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