Random Bible Verse(s) of the Day

"I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear evil men but have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and found them to be false;  I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary.  But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.  Remember then from what you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first.  If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.  Yet this you have, you hate the works of the Nicola'itans, which I also hate.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."  Revelation 2: 2-7

I wonder what this message to the Church in Ephesus says to us today?  What does it say about standing firm for the faith and acting according to the love of God and love of neighbor?  What does it say about resisting heresy (the Nicola'itans may have been a gnostic sect associated with a return to pagan worship)?  What does it say about our nation, founded according to the principle that our rights and responsibilities are given to us from God?

Discuss.  Please.  Use the comments below.  Start a discussion.

Fr. Michael+

Ephesians for Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Ephesians 1: 5-6

He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Also:  Rom 8: 29-30; Col 1: 13

Sunday's Sermon

Jeremiah 18: 1-11



Fr. Michael+

Random Bible Verse(s) of the Day

"You shall make for yourselves no idols and erect no graven image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land, to bow down to them; for I am the Lord your God.  You shall keep my sabbaths [sic] and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.  If you walk in my statures and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.  And your threshing shall last to the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last to the time for sowing; and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land securely.  And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid; and I will remove evil beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land.  And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.  Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase then thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.  And I will have regard for you and make you fruitful and multiply your, and will confirm my covenant with you.  And you shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new.  And I will make m abode among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.  And I will walk among you, and will b your God, and you shall be my people.  I am the Lord your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect."  Leviticus 26: 1-13

In my Bible (RSV), this passage is subtitled "Rewards for Obedience".  God made a covenant with his people; he entered into a contract, really.  He asked his people to follow him and not the dumb idols and false gods of the world.  He asked that they abide in him.  He gave them the Law of Moses so that they could begin to understand what about the world is so dangerous and by avoiding them grow in their knowledge and love of God.  In doing all that, God promises to take care of them, to provide for them, to protect them.  Now, contrary to the teaching of some misguided, modern "profits" (that is a pun), God does not promise that if you do everything just right, you'll get the Cadillac you always wanted or have a huge mansion or be happy and carefree all the time.  No!  He does promise that through obedience to his will, we will find all the things necessary to be joyful in the Lord.  He will see to that we have what we need.  He will see us through times of trouble and grief.  He will console, and he will elevate us when we obediently turn to him.

The next passage: "Penalties for Disobedience".  It is quite long.

Fr. Michael+

Ephesians for Monday, September 9, 2013

Ephesians 1: 1-4

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Also:  2 Cor 1: 3

Sunday Bible Study and New Mass Schedule

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new year of Sunday School at Christ Memorial.  We begin with Mass at 8 am in the Chapel of St. Anne.  Then we move to the Parish Hall for breakfast at 8: 55 followed by Sunday Bible Study for all ages.  The principal Mass of the day is now at 10:30 am in the Church.

During the Mass, I will be installing the new members of the Altar Guild and recognizing the many years of service of our retiring Altar Guild Chair, Ms. Ann Peters.

Following the 10:30 Mass, there will be a meeting of the ECW in the Parlor.

Blessings to everyone this night, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Fr. Michael+

Random Bible Verse(s) of the Day

"Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and lodge in my school.  Why do you say you are lacking in these things, and why are your souls very thirsty?  I opened my mouth and said, 'Get these things for yourselves without money.  Put your neck under the yoke and let your souls receive instruction, it is to be found close by.  See with your eyes that I have labored little and found for myself much rest.  Get instruction with a large sum of silver, and you will gain by it much gold.  May your soul rejoice in his mercy, and may you not be put to shame when you praise him.  Do your work before the appointed time, and in God's time he will give you your reward.'"  Sirach 51: 23-30

Seems appropriate with Sunday Bible School about to start.

Fr. Michael+

Reminder

ALTAR GUILD MEETING

Saturday, September 7

9:00 am in the Church

In the Rector's Humble Opinion

IS IT A JUST WAR?

Congress is currently deliberating a resolution to authorize military intervention in the civil war that continues to plague the people of Syria.  There has been much debate about what role the United States, indeed all the nations of the world, should play in regard to the recent use of chemical weapons in what has become a human tragedy of immense proportions.  In times like these, many look to the Church with questions about what the proper course of action might be; and for centuries the Church, the Body of Christ, has tried to find the best answer to some very difficult theological and moral problems.

It was St. Augustine of Hippo who laid the groundwork for the Church’s doctrine on Just War; and, while this brief article cannot embrace every aspect of that doctrine which has continued to develop over the past 1500+ years, we can consider a few of the key points relevant to our current situation.

First, our Judeo-Christian heritage has long recognized the need for a neighbor to come to the aid of another neighbor, particularly when that neighbor is threatened by someone of greater strength.  Is it moral to stand by and allow a preventable evil to befall a neighbor when one has the ability to save them?  Put another way, if we are walking down the street and come upon a poor fellow being beaten by a gang, do we lend a hand by calling a cop or even by intervening directly, or do we walk to the other side of the street and go about our business?

Certainly, there are people in Syria who are in need of help, but for the last two years, the United States and the rest of the world has been walking across the street and looking the other way.  It is an unconscionable tragedy that so many people lost their lives on August 21 because of Bashar al Assad’s decision to use chemical weapons, however, where was the demand for action over the past two years as thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of men, women and children have died throughout the country.  Since their deaths were caused by bullets, bombs, mortar rounds and conventional artillery shells, are their deaths somehow less meaningful in the eyes of the international community?  We have had plenty of humanitarian cause to involve ourselves in Syria over the last two years, so perhaps it is now finally time to acknowledge our moral responsibility to our neighbor.

Second, the question of whether a war is just cannot be answered simply on the basis of providing help to a neighbor, however.  It is much more complex than that.  We must also consider whether what we are intending to do will actually help the people who are being hurt.  In our current situation, the President cannot say often enough how isolated and temporary our strike against Syria will be.  No one wants to see American troops deployed to Syria, and our military and civilian leadership are all taking great pains to assure the nation that there will be no “boots on the ground”.  The United State Navy has ships in the Eastern Mediterranean which, we are told, have more than enough ordinance to strike targets in Syria that will seriously degrade Assad’s ability to wage war.  I have great confidence in our men and women at arms, and their ability to put the right weapons on the right targets; but that is really not the issue.  The issue is whether that will bring about the end of the problem at hand.

We might be able to destroy major elements of Assad’s army, possibly even his chemical weapon stores, but will cruise missile strikes alone so degrade his ability to fight that he will sue for peace?  I have serious doubts.  Is our goal the removal of Assad from power, and if so, who will we support in his place?  Are we prepared to do everything that is necessary to bring about such a change in regime and the nation building that will result from such an occurrence?

Then, we must consider the almost inevitable unintended consequences of any military action.  Any missile strike, no matter how well coordinated, will most likely produce additional damage to an already weakened social infrastructure and result in collateral damage, injury and death among the civilian population.  We must also consider the possibility that, if successful, our efforts to help the Syrians might bring about a new government headed by the same extremist elements that are currently destabilizing so much of the Middle East.

Third, we must ask whether all other options have been exhausted.  As it stands today, no other country in the world is prepared to join in a military intervention in Syria.  Much of the reason for that is politics, pure and simple.  Russia is Syria’s closest ally and trading partner and, therefore, has no political incentive to act as a catalyst for peace even though they may be in the best position to make it happen.  Have we really exhausted every diplomatic option?  Have we considered other options short of launching cruise missiles at the country?  Would it not be more just to address the individual who is the only person in the country with the authority to order the use of weapons of mass destruction?  If Bashar al Assad is the problem, would it be more appropriate, and, in the end, more moral to eliminate him and spare the people of Syria from a punishment more suited to their leader and their leader alone?

The way I read it, Just War Doctrine does not seek to absolve us of our culpability; rather, it seeks to find a way to reconcile how we, a broken and fallen people, can navigate a dangerous minefield of moral and ethical problems.  It is not right to wage war upon another nation or culture merely because we can or because we think it in our best interest.  Conversely, it is not right to turn a blind eye to the suffering of our neighbor.  The real problem lies in doing that which will cause the least amount of harm; help the greatest number of people; and allow us to stand repentant and humble before God on the Day of Judgment.

Fr. Michael+

(Author's note:  This is not meant to be an exhaustive theological treatise on Just War Doctrine.  This is a blog post which seeks to bring to the fore what I consider to be the most germane parts of a very complex discussion.  Probably the best thing that any of us can do is pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and for the peace of God which passes all understanding for all the people of the world who suffer.  Please do not be afraid to comment on this post.  I welcome the discussion.  MWM+)

Random Bible Verse(s) of the Day

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than your whole body go into hell."  Matthew 5: 27-30

This comes from a discussion I recently had about purity.  Our culture today is totally disordered when it come to our perspective of human sexuality and how men and women relate to one another.  God created us, man and woman, and gave us the gift of love and sex so that we might find comfort and pleasure in one another, and for the purpose of procreation.  According to God's economy, man and woman mutually support and respect each other and that gift is properly shared within the bond of the union which we have come to recognize as the Sacrament of Marriage.

Today, however, society places a much higher value on the heightened sexuality of individuals and the power and status that imparts to them.  Children have become more sexualized at a younger and younger age, to the point where the Chicago Public Schools are about to start teaching sex ed to kindergartners.  Young men and women are bombarded with images of scantily clad people on every form of media.  Pornography is only a click away on any computer or smart phone.  The institution of Marriage is routinely mocked and is no longer held up as the ideal for a sound culture.

We must embrace the notion that sex, a gift from God, is not meant to be displayed and flaunted in the public square at every opportunity.  Dressing provocatively, sexting and posting inappropriate posts on social media sites are not examples of men and women exercising their freedoms or displaying their personality or innate sense of self.  These actions are demeaning and pervert the true nature of God's intentions for us.  There are other ways to define oneself than to compete to see who can show the most skin or pose in the most provocative manner.

We are called to remain pure in two ways.  First, we should dress appropriately and to avoid being the object of temptation for someone else.  Second, we should look away and to avoid putting inappropriate images and temptations in our minds that can be used against us by the Enemy.

Adam and Eve did not recognize there nakedness until after the Fall.  We are the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve, and we therefore have a disordered view of human sexuality.  We are also heirs to the Kingdom of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and through him we find the ability to repent of our sins and to find a sense of order in our lives according to God's Will.  I believe that it is God's Will that we remain pure in heart, body and spirit; man and woman united in the bond of marriage and sharing in the intimacy of the marriage bed.

Fr. Michael+

Announcements

THERE WILL BE A MEETING OF THE ECW 

AFTER THE 10:30 MASS THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 

All women are invited to attend.

THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, WE BEGIN OUR NEW SUNDAY SCHEDULE

8:00 am - Mass in the Chapel of St. Anne

8:55 am - Breakfast Served in the Parish Hall

9:15 am - Sunday Bible Study

This is a family style Bible Study that is open to all ages.  Families are encouraged to attend 

and spend time in God's Word together.

10:30 am - Mass in the Church *NEW TIME*

A NEW PARISH DIRECTORY IS IN THE WORKS.

Draft copies should be ready in a week or so.

Not Quite So Random Bible Verse(s) of the Day

"Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."  Jeremiah 2: 12-13

This is not a totally random set of verses because they come from last Sunday's Lectionary.  I preached a little bit about the broken cisterns, but it has been bugging me all week that I didn't say more about this imagery and how it relates to our relationship to God.  To me, it seems obvious that God is telling his people, through the prophet Jeremiah, that they have come to rely far to much on themselves and on their own abilities.  The Living Water, a recurring image in Scripture, refers to God's continued provision for the welfare of his people and to the promise of redemption and heavenly renewal contained in the Living Word, Jesus Christ.  Yet, we have a tendency to look for ways to collect or manufacture our own provision and even to seek our own way to the Father.

Unable to shake this image, this morning another account from Scripture occurred to me.  When God lead his people out of bondage in Egypt and into the desert of Sinai, he heard the cry of the people in need and provided them with food and water.  God provided manna from Heaven each day for the people, but he warned that no one should collect more than their portion each day (twice that for the Sabbath), and that no one should store up the manna from day to day for it would not last.  God promised to feed them, and to take more than their share or to store it up implied a mistrust that God would continue to give them everything that they needed.  When the people grew tired of the manna, God provided quail so they would have meat.  The message is that God provides us what we need, and it is not up to us to second guess or to doubt  that he will continue to do so.

Other passages about widows with bottomless jars of flour and oil also come to mind.  Then, there are a couple of places in the Gospels where Jesus provides food for some people - several thousand at a time, I believe.

There is nothing wrong with digging a cistern, as long as that is what God desires.  There is nothing amiss about making plans and executing them, as long as the Holy Spirit is the author of those plans.  There is nothing erroneous about believing, as long as the focus of that belief is Jesus Christ.  We have everything to fear when we dig, plan and believe according to false gods and lifeless idols.  Our God is a jealous God, not because he needs our undivided attention to support his flagging ego, but because he knows what is best for us, and he wants us to be righteous in his sight and present with him in the life to come.

Fr. Michael+

Weekly Newsletter

 CHRIST MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

WEEKLY GIVING

           

            Week of September 1 - $1,432.58

           

ATTENDANCE

            Sunday, September  1  @ 8:am -12  @ 10:am - 23

            Wednesday, August  28- 18

           

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS –

           

            WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!

            Saturday, September 7, at 9:00 am a meeting of the altar guild.  Everyone who is

interested in this ministry is invited and needed.  Fr. Michael will instruct us on the duties of the altar guild.  

                       

*Sunday School will resume September 8 with breakfast at 8:55 am.  Family bible study begins at 9:15 am. in the Parish Hall.

           

            **Principal Sunday Mass will be at 10:30 am.**

            Tuesday,  7:00 am will be coffee and conversation in the parish hall. 

            Bro. Lawrence on Tuesday.

            Wednesday, September 4 Mass at 6:00 pm., dinner, and Discussion  

            This weeks dinner will be pot luck.

                       

Morning Prayer Monday through Friday 8:am in the chapel

           

BIRTHDAYS

            September

            2^nd Mary Vay Cobb

            3^rd Annie Durr

            22 Emma Millard

            23 David Maroski and Jean Calvert

            24 Joan McFadden

            26 Scott Stone

           

YOUTH NEWS         

UPCOMING EVENTS

All announcements are posted on the bulletin board along with sign up sheets for Wednesday night attendance.  Also there is a sign up sheet if you would like to host the supper one Wednesday night.

Time to start collecting items for Operation Christmas Child.  National Collection Week is November 18-25.

SHOUT OUTS

To all the many individuals who volunteer at Christ Memorial, to love and serve as one body in Christ.   

ECW

            Meeting Sunday, September 8, following 10:30 am mass.

                       

PRAY THIS WEEK ESPECIALLY FOR

            All those on our Intercession list.

           

            Helen Jordan

            Kermie Valentine

           

THINK ABOUT IT

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that prisoner was you.

           

(please take note that some of these are not my original thoughts, just a little

                plagiarism going on)

If you know of someone who would like to receive this newsletter

or have something you would like to add please have them send their email address to:

 jeancr71052@yahoo.com

Random Bible Verse(s) of the Day

"Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail.  Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Ba'al, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!' - only to go on doing all these abominations?"  Jeremiah 7: 8-10

Basically, it is only hypocrisy if one does all the things that Jeremiah lists above, and then go to the House of the Lord, say the proper words and then go out and keep doing the stuff we're not supposed to do.  The modern solution for that is to justify the sinful behavior so that we don't even have to seek forgiveness for it.  Basically, modern sensibilities seek to nullify the concept of sin, therefore obviating the need for confession or redemption.

Whether we want to admit it or not, there is a right and a wrong.  History has proved, and personal experience has confirmed, that we are capable of justifying almost anything.

In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglass Adams describes a method for escaping the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal, the most voracious and dangerous creature in the known universe.  If confronted by the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal, one must immediately cover one's head with one's towel (read the book to understand the importance of the towel to an intergalactic hitchhiker).  The Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal will then assume that since you cannot see it, it cannot see you, and it will go away.  Wouldn't it be great if things really worked that way.

Fr. Michael+