Tag Archives: poverty

This Sunday (September 28, 2014) at St. John’s

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Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.  Philippians 2:4

This week I’m in Berea attending the Brushy Fork Institute.  St. Agnes’ House receives $13,500 from the Berea College Appalachian Fund, so we are encouraged to attend this Institute each year.  A major focus is strengthening the leadership in Appalachia.  There are speakers and intensive workshop tracks on helpful subjects.  This year, I’m learning more about ways to communicate that build relationship and partnership.  Look out everyone, because you know I’ll be practicing and sharing what I learn.

Another thing I like about the Institute is the food.  Wednesday evening, we had dinner at Boone Tavern, a wonderful place to eat.  I enjoyed conversations with the people at my table.  Some have lived and worked in the region of Appalachia for many years.  Of course, I had to ask my perennial question — Why has poverty persisted in this region?

Well, we had a fun discussion and veered onto how to build a diverse economy in the region.  One of the issues we talked about is how possible it is to build a business that balances the interests of the business with the interests of the people.  For instance, if the minimum wage kept pace with what it was years ago, it’d be well over $10; not the $7.25 it currently is.  Would paying the minimum wage workers a little more money help both business and people?  Could families be better supported?

In the early church, Paul exhorted believers to reach out beyond themselves and their own personal interests to do what was helpful and caring for others.  What does that look like in your world?  How can we make it happen?

Love, Rebecca+

Bulletin 09-28-2014 insert

Bulletin 09-28-2014

REMINDER:  We celebrate Latino/Latina Heritage Month this Sunday.    Take a look at the bulletin and insert to review the music we’ll be singing.  We’ll also be saying the Lord’s Prayer in Spanish!

Pot Luck This Sunday!  It’s pot luck Sunday, Bring your favorite dish to share.  All are welcome!  Our pot luck schedule is changing for October and November.  October 19 will be pot luck, which is when Bishop Hahn makes his annual visit.  November 16 will be pot luck to coincide with the Annual Meeting.

Rebecca’s Schedule: Rebecca will be at St. John’s Tuesday and Thursday this week. Her Sabbath Day will be Monday, September 29 and Friday October 3. You can get a message to her by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.

Adult Forum: The Adult Forum is reviewing and discussing the 39 Articles of Faith, pages 867-876 in the Book of Common Prayer through September 28.

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.

Confirmation Classes: Confirmation classes are being held every Wednesday through October 1 from 6:30-8pm.  All are invited.  This week’s session will be sacramental theology.

Godly Play Teachers needed. 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.

The ECW Annual meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 4, 10:30am through lunch, Trinity, Covington.  There will be a recognition of Honored Women.  To attend, please contact Lisa Edwards, ledwards102@gmail.com, 859-341-7324.

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.   We will also sell tickets on Thursday, October 2, 10am – 2pm.  If you can help, please contact June.

We will be having an initial gathering of those interested in the Brotherhood of St. Andrew on October 5 after the Sunday service. To learn more, speak to Bruce Cory. You can also learn more from http://www.brotherhoodofstandrew.org/about.php

Furnace Needed: The furnace located in the sacristy, which heats part of the social hall and hallways must be replaced prior to this winter.  Cost is $2,250 for a furnace that will also be more energy efficient.  We’ll also 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 boxes back on the shelves in the parish hall.

Bring your pets to church to be blessed on Sunday, October 5.  We will have a service outdoors in our park (or in the amphitheater).  Pets should be leashed and/or in carriers.

The Grow Appalachia Committee will meet Wednesday, October 1, at 4:30pm, and after church on Sunday, October 5, to distribute flyers for the October 8 community meeting.

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

  • 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.

Following Jesus (sermon) August 24, 2014

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Sermon – August 24, 2014
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, CSW
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Corbin, KY
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 16) Track 1

 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15

Please be seated.

The region of Caesarea Philippi where our Gospel occurs is beautiful.  It’s about 30 miles north of Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee where Jesus and his disciples spent quite a bit of time according to Matthew.  It is about as far north as you can get in modern day Israel.

What is special about this spot are the springs.  The day I was there, the springs rushed out of the ground and were full and clear and cold.  The rushing water was the dominant sound.  These springs form the Jordan River, which feeds the Sea of Galilee, flowing out through the desert to the Dead Sea, which has no exit. The mighty Jordan River where John the Baptist conducted baptisms, including Jesus’ baptism.    The mighty Jordan River, symbol of the crossing from life to death.  It all starts at Caesarea Philippi.

The ruler Philip, son of Herod the Great, built a palace on a cliff above the site. In a secluded spot away from the rushing springs, he built a worship space to the Roman gods, especially Pan.  The cliff face is full of niches where altars would have been to the various gods.

It is here, in the midst of the altars and niches to the Roman gods, that Jesus issues his altar call.  “Who do you say that I am?” he asks.   He’s asking who the disciples will follow.  They are free to return to the gods of the area or the Roman gods.  They have a choice.  Will they follow the Roman gods or will they follow Jesus?

This invitation by Jesus, this altar call, is issued again and again in our scriptures.  Who do you say that I am?  Who will you follow?

As the Israelites are getting ready to cross this Jordan River into the land God promised them, Joshua, guided by God, issues this same choice in Joshua 24:15

‘Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’ Joshua 24:15

 This is the choice we are continually asked to make.  Who do you say that I am?  Whom will you serve?  And we sing with gusto the Asian Indian hymn,

I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back, no turning back.

But here’s the thing… every day and many times each day, we are asked to make the choice!  Because following Jesus affects every area of our lives.  How do we spend our time each day?  Does it reflect our following of Jesus?  How do we take care of ourselves?  Does it reflect our following of Jesus?  How do we relate to our neighbors?  Does it reflect our following Jesus?  What kind of work do we do?  How do we spend our money?  What do we return to God?  Many times each day, the question comes….Who do you say that I am?  Whom will you follow?

And what does following Jesus entail?

I remember Matthew 25:31-46.  Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, naked, sick or in prison?  And Jesus responds that whenever you see someone in need, you have seen Christ and must respond accordingly.

I remember Jesus’ response to the Pharisees who tried to trip him up in Matthew 22:34-40,

‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

I remember the simple verse from Micah 6:8:

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
   and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
   and to walk humbly with your God?

And we struggle with what it means to follow Jesus.  As you know, people contact me when they are in need and I have a discretionary fund available to give people assistance.  But what is the right amount?  I’ve bought $15 Kroger cards and handed them out to people, but sometimes people need more.

I look at the world…at Ferguson, MO, just the latest place to confirm that racism is alive and well and destroys all of us.  I remember the history of Corbin, the gathering of the African-Americans on the trains to Chicago and the burning of their homes…of the “get out of town by sundown” signs that were up until 1989, and I wonder have we repented of that?  Is there more we need to do to atone for that?

I think of the upcoming pow wow and the land we stand on …land that was taken from the native peoples, who were marched to death to what is now Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. And given that, what does following Jesus, and obeying God look like in response to that evil act?

I think of the Episcopalians who came in 1906, the railroad company families, who founded St. John’s, who most likely helped the resources of coal and lumber to be taken from the land with little regard for the people who lived on the land.  I think of the resulting, pervasive and stubborn poverty, and I wonder are we doing enough to atone for our legacy?

I have decided to follow Jesus and we come to the foot of the altar.  Yet, how are we doing in loving our neighbor, in responding to those in need, in doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God?

We do our best…we try to do better… and we gather each week as St. John’s Corbin, as the body of Christ.  We ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness.  And Jesus calls us to this table and feeds us.  Feeds us with bread and wine…feeds us with his presence, right here, right now, so that we like Peter can answer Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Amen