October 30, 2011 - The Reverend Carolyn Estrada
It’s costume-time! My grandchildren have vacillated from one thing to another – Batman, assorted princesses, a dinosaur, Matt Kemp, ghosts… meanwhile, even as my sewing machine has been churning out costumes – Wendy for Alex, Peter Pan for her brother, Captain Hook for their father – the adults have been fielding questions:
It’s an identity issue they will carry into Christmas, when the younger ones will be frightened of Santa, while the older ones will reassure them that it’s really just Grandpa, all dressed up…
Who is this person, really?
And, more importantly, who am I, really?
Today’s Gospel lesson is basically about identity:
Those scribes and Pharisees you see all dressed up? Don’t be fooled! It’s not in the phylacteries and the long fringes. The clothes don’t make the man!
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,” Jesus tells his followers. “Therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.”
Those scribes and Pharisees – they know a lot of important stuff that you should know! Learn it! Do whatever they teach you…
But sadly – knowledge does not necessarily inform behavior.
Just look at those scribes and Pharisees!
Closer to home, we all – you and I – know the Christian imperative to love our neighbor – to love whoever is in front of us at any particular moment – and yet we find ourselves again and again falling tragically short.
What does that say about who we are as Christians?
So – today’s question would seem to be, “How do we bridge that gap between what we know, and what we do; what we have learned, and how we live? How do we integrate who we are ‘up here’ (in our heads) and who we are ‘in here’ (in our hearts)?”
Because Christian teachings are not simply something we put on, like a Halloween costume, a cloak or a mask which we use to cover us – and then discard when we get tired or uncomfortable or it’s inconvenient, and we’re through... Christian teachings are something we absorb and live into…
So I ask myself: HOW can we take those Christian teachings into ourselves so that we can BE Christians?
Because the teachings are hard, and, if you’re like me, it can be a struggle to fully live into them!
Of course, it is a process, and it takes practice. We know that – that’s why we come together as a community – to support and inspire one another, to celebrate our successes and confess our failures.
But it also takes faith:
Our lesson from Joshua today is a concrete example of that kind of faith: as instructed, the twelve priests bearing the ark of the Covenant step into the Jordan River – which parts to become dry land so that the people may cross over. It is reminiscent of the story in Exodus of the parting of the Red Sea. According to Midrash when the Israelites were trapped between the Sea of Reeds and Pharaoh's army, and while Moses was praying to God for help, an Israelite named Nachshon decided to take matters into his own hands and leaped into the sea. Then God said to Moses "Stop praying already! Turn around and look at what your friend Nachshon has done. While you stand here praying he is taking some action!" Only then does God part the sea so that the Israelites can cross.
So yes, we pray.
But we also act.
And our world presents us with many challenges and gives us many opportunities to respond, to act, as Christians.
Certainly, we can step with love into our relationships in such a way that the waters of bigotry, or animosity, or fear, or injustice, are parted, trusting that indeed love is the better way to live.
And sometimes it feels “crazy.” Unimaginable. It doesn’t make sense! The seas don’t part like that, leaving dry land for us to walk on from one side to the other!
That’s not the way the world works!
No, it’s not.
Jesus knew that, also. That’s why he tried to teach us a different way to live, a different way of being in the world.
Because, when we’re different, the world is also different!
And when I get forgetful or discouraged or begin to question WHY? How so? Is it true? Or begin to look for loopholes and exceptions, I am sustained by Stanley Hauerwas’ remark that “I have tried to live a life I hope is unintelligible if the God we Christians worship does not exist.”
“I have tried to live a life I hope is unintelligible if the God we Christians worship does not exist.”
Such informed lives, shaped by the teachings of Jesus and unintelligible if the God we Christians worship does not exist, will surely transform this world, one life at a time.
Amen.
- Who is that, really?
- Is that scary witch REALLY a witch?
- And, scariest of all: If I wear a Superman costume, can I fly?
It’s an identity issue they will carry into Christmas, when the younger ones will be frightened of Santa, while the older ones will reassure them that it’s really just Grandpa, all dressed up…
Who is this person, really?
And, more importantly, who am I, really?
Today’s Gospel lesson is basically about identity:
Those scribes and Pharisees you see all dressed up? Don’t be fooled! It’s not in the phylacteries and the long fringes. The clothes don’t make the man!
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,” Jesus tells his followers. “Therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.”
Those scribes and Pharisees – they know a lot of important stuff that you should know! Learn it! Do whatever they teach you…
But sadly – knowledge does not necessarily inform behavior.
Just look at those scribes and Pharisees!
- And we know in our own experience that is true as well:
- most smokers can cite the Surgeon General’s report, and they smoke anyway;
- and, “Just say no!” is an admirable program – but some children going through that curriculum have also fallen into drug use, and we discover that “just saying no” isn’t quite as easy as we had thought or hoped.
- And, we all know that a healthy diet and regular exercise is important in our lives – but how many of us take what we KNOW and make it a part of what we DO?
Closer to home, we all – you and I – know the Christian imperative to love our neighbor – to love whoever is in front of us at any particular moment – and yet we find ourselves again and again falling tragically short.
What does that say about who we are as Christians?
So – today’s question would seem to be, “How do we bridge that gap between what we know, and what we do; what we have learned, and how we live? How do we integrate who we are ‘up here’ (in our heads) and who we are ‘in here’ (in our hearts)?”
Because Christian teachings are not simply something we put on, like a Halloween costume, a cloak or a mask which we use to cover us – and then discard when we get tired or uncomfortable or it’s inconvenient, and we’re through... Christian teachings are something we absorb and live into…
So I ask myself: HOW can we take those Christian teachings into ourselves so that we can BE Christians?
Because the teachings are hard, and, if you’re like me, it can be a struggle to fully live into them!
Of course, it is a process, and it takes practice. We know that – that’s why we come together as a community – to support and inspire one another, to celebrate our successes and confess our failures.
But it also takes faith:
- Faith in the one whose teachings we follow;
- Faith in the relationship we have with Jesus;
- Faith to risk and to take that first step;
- Faith that what sounds crazy – turning the other cheek, for example, or the last shall be first, or loving one’s enemies – are in fact important Truths.
Our lesson from Joshua today is a concrete example of that kind of faith: as instructed, the twelve priests bearing the ark of the Covenant step into the Jordan River – which parts to become dry land so that the people may cross over. It is reminiscent of the story in Exodus of the parting of the Red Sea. According to Midrash when the Israelites were trapped between the Sea of Reeds and Pharaoh's army, and while Moses was praying to God for help, an Israelite named Nachshon decided to take matters into his own hands and leaped into the sea. Then God said to Moses "Stop praying already! Turn around and look at what your friend Nachshon has done. While you stand here praying he is taking some action!" Only then does God part the sea so that the Israelites can cross.
So yes, we pray.
But we also act.
And our world presents us with many challenges and gives us many opportunities to respond, to act, as Christians.
Certainly, we can step with love into our relationships in such a way that the waters of bigotry, or animosity, or fear, or injustice, are parted, trusting that indeed love is the better way to live.
And sometimes it feels “crazy.” Unimaginable. It doesn’t make sense! The seas don’t part like that, leaving dry land for us to walk on from one side to the other!
That’s not the way the world works!
No, it’s not.
Jesus knew that, also. That’s why he tried to teach us a different way to live, a different way of being in the world.
Because, when we’re different, the world is also different!
And when I get forgetful or discouraged or begin to question WHY? How so? Is it true? Or begin to look for loopholes and exceptions, I am sustained by Stanley Hauerwas’ remark that “I have tried to live a life I hope is unintelligible if the God we Christians worship does not exist.”
“I have tried to live a life I hope is unintelligible if the God we Christians worship does not exist.”
Such informed lives, shaped by the teachings of Jesus and unintelligible if the God we Christians worship does not exist, will surely transform this world, one life at a time.
Amen.
October 23, 2011 - The Reverend Carolyn Estrada
What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?
Today’s lesson is the last in a series of stories from Matthew in which “the authorities” try to entrap Jesus, including, “Is it legal to pay taxes to the emperor?”; followed by: “Which of the woman’s seven husbands can claim her as wife in the resurrection?”; and now, “Which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
I can almost hear Jesus thinking, “You want to do some legal sparring? I’ll show you legal!” before he poses his own questions:
What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?
Good questions. Legitimate questions. Orthodox questions.
I wonder if they invite in us the same sort of catechetical response we hear from the Pharisees: we’ve learned the “correct” answer and proffer it accordingly.
- The son of David, the Pharisees respond.
- Jesus, the son of God, we say.
But Jesus isn’t looking for a catechetical response. He doesn’t want to know the correct, or appropriated answer. This isn’t about vocabulary, or parsing a phrase; it’s not a quiz to see if we did our homework, or a check of our memory or a test of our faith – although I think we, like the Pharisees, are easily drawn into that world. Number two pencils in hand, erasers at the ready, we’ll bubble in the right response, fill in the blank…
What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?
And then, of course, Jesus muddles up our “correct” response, making us think a bit more deeply about what we’re saying, by posing another question. (It kind of reminds me of my childhood fascination with a friend whose babysitter was her niece – the teenage daughter of her mother’s oldest sibling. Or, the mind-bender riddles kids ask: “Someone at a party introduces you to your mother’s only sister’s husband’s sister-in-law. He has no brothers. What do you call this lady?”)
Jesus uses the Pharisees own focus on the law to shift the paradigm, to move us out of the world of legal gamesmanship. His riposte is semantic, as though to expose the emptiness of the legalisms and the tests: But, David calls him ‘Lord’ – how, then, can he be his father?
All of a sudden the questions aren’t quite so simple.
What is Jesus asking, anyway?
What do you think of the Messiah?
How would we answer, really answer, that question?
Forget our catechism for a minute. And our Sunday School lessons.
What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?
Jesus asks that question right on top of having discoursed on the two greatest commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
It’s no mistake, I think, that Jesus poses this question the way he does, placing it firmly in the context of love of God and love of neighbor.
- He doesn’t ask “WHO do you think the Messiah is?” – although I think that’s what we hear.
- He asks “WHAT do you think of the Messiah?”
- It isn’t the WHO that’s important; it’s the WHAT.
- It isn’t the name that’s important – but the action, and the interaction.
The Messiah comes to bring salvation to his people – and he does it in the context of love of God and love of neighbor!
We can all play the legalistic games of figuring out sonship and authority, or trying to name our neighbor – someone like me? Living within what radius? Looking like me? Similar lifestyle? Someone with whom I agree?
We have only more grown-up versions of my granddaughter’s foot stomping, tearful wail, as once again she expresses her frustration with her meddlesome older brother: “But I do love my neighbor. I just don’t love my brother!”
Our obsession with details can cause us to lose the message – or generate the exceptions and qualifications which render it meaningless.
- The power of the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves does not lie in the definition of neighbor, but in the mandate to love.
- The “what” of the Messiah is not in his lineage to David, but in his love of God and humankind.
If we’re focused on counting how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, we lose sight of the fact that the angels are dancing!
Jesus’ question takes us out of that realm of “literal” and moves us into a more fundamental, more life-giving realm. It is underneath those designations – Lord, son, neighbor, brother, sister, wife, gentile, Jew – that we find the essence of the Messiah, the love of God and neighbor on which hang all the law and the prophets.
Jimmy Carter tells of learning the profound implications of love of God and love of neighbor, not from Scripture, not from theological commentary, but from the real life lessons of working with Elroy Cruz, a pastor from Brooklyn, in the dangerous alleyways of the barrio, rife with gangs and drug dealers and the desperate lives of the marginalized poor. “In the midst of all the violence and despair - where did you get your gentleness?” Carter asked him, “and your love?” “Well,” Elroy responded, “our Savior – the Messiah! – cannot do much with a man who is hard.” And then he added, “You only need two loves in your life: for God, and for the person in front of you at any particular time.” (cited in Christian Century, October 4, 2005, p. 6).
Our Savior – the Messiah! – cannot do much with a man – a woman, a person! – who is hard.
And I am reminded of how easily we allow ourselves to become hard – shaped by pride or anger, or resentment, or bitterness, or hurt; how our hearts can be hardened by grudges or stubbornness or frustration or guilt…
The Messiah cannot do much with a person who is hard.
And, we need only two loves in our life: for God, and for the person in front of us at any particular time.
Soft hearts.
Love of God.
Love of neighbor.
What do you think of the Messiah?
I think Jesus challenges us to think of the Messiah as embodied in the loving relationships between us and God – and us and one another, our neighbors.
We find the Messiah in those two great commandments!
And, as we live them out, the Messiah is being born, again and again, into our midst!
Lord, son, brother, sister, neighbor, mother, wife…
Not in the name, but in the relationship, the love.
In the book Testimony: Talking Ourselves Into Being Christian, the author, Thomas Long, tells about an exchange between a young bookstore clerk and a Hasidic Jew. (p. 21) “Would you like any help?” the clerk asked. “Yes,” the man responded, “I want to know about Jesus.” She led him to the religion section where there were shelves filled with books about Jesus, academic as well as popular, and about the early history of Christianity, but as she turned to go, he called her back. “No,” he said. “I want to know about Jesus the Messiah. Don’t show me any more books. You tell me what you believe.”
Tell me what you believe.
Is it a name?
Jesus?
Whose son is he?
Or is there more, deeper? What does it mean?
What do you think of the Messiah?
Amen.
October 16, 2011 - Father Mark D. Stuart
May I speak in the Name of God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Last Sunday in my sermon I reminded you that one thing we can count on in life is change. But to defer to one of my favorite American authors, Mark Twain; we can also add that the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. These days it appears that most Americans seem to be more graciously accepting of death than of taxes. With local, state, and federal budgets all seemingly in crisis with the current economy; and the topic of taxes much in the public debate these days, I am going to resist partisanism by saying nothing further on the subject. But I will add - did you know that April 15th is not only income tax day, but it is also the date the Titanic sunk and the date Lincoln was shot? Most people don’t enjoy paying taxes, except maybe the magnanimous Warren Buffet; but we just do it.
Well the people of Jesus’ day had to pay taxes, too. Even worse, they had to pay them to the Roman occupying government they despised. A portion of their hard-earned income ended up in Caesar’s pocket and this made the Jews very unhappy, indeed! They were a proud people and truly resented the Roman domination. Thus, Jesus’ dilemma when asked the loaded question: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Either likely answer would potentially lead into dangerous waters for Jesus; he would either offend the devout Jewish populace or be accused of treason by the Romans.
Well, Jesus very deftly avoided both. “Whose likeness do you see on this coin?” he asked. “Caesar’s” they answered. “Render then,” he said, “to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” The modern translation of this text in our lectionary, reads, “give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s…” Being a bit of a wordsmith, I prefer the word most of us probably are familiar with in this story, “render.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the meaning of “render” in this context is to give in return or in acknowledgment of dependence and thus has a richer meaning than just the word “give.”
Of course, the very clever thing about this story of Jesus’ encounter with the Herodians and Pharisees is that he never answers their question. But his answer ought to settle the matter, doesn’t it? There are things that belong to Caesar, like the money with which we pay taxes and there are things that belong to God… Such as? Well, there’s the problem. Jesus’ response raises some important questions. How and where do you draw the line between the things that belong to Caesar and the things that belong to God? What are the things of Caesar and what are the things of God?
In our contemporary Western mindset we like to put things neatly into compartments and easy to find categories. Being well-organized Westerners we find it makes sense to categorize our information for quick and efficient access. In this mentality one could look at our Gospel story today and infer that “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s,” means that some things belong to Caesar and other things belong to God. But we need to revisit such an interpretation.
Many of us old time Episcopalians remember what we used to say every Sunday when the offering plates were presented at the altar: “All things come of Thee. O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.” Jesus was a devout Jew who every Sabbath recited the Shema: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Our God has a claim on all our life, so what then is left to render unto Caesar? The image of Caesar was printed on the coins, but the image of God is on every human life. Still, rendering unto Caesar is pretty clear in our society. What Caesar wants Caesar gets – end of subject.
Rendering unto Caesar does not evoke a dilemma, but for many rendering unto God does. We all have heard from certain church members of any denomination that the church talks too much about money. Giving to the work of God through the tangible community of the Body of Christ in the world, namely the Church; is a low priority for a lot of folks. One might assert that is the case for two reasons.
First, as a culture we are becoming more materialistic; it’s difficult to have the latest I-Phone, the fanciest car, the biggest HD, 3-D plasma TV, and all one’s other toys and still give 10% to the church. It’s like the little boy who was given two quarters – one for Sunday School and one for an ice cream cone. Walking along the street one day, one of the quarters slipped out of his hand and fell through the grillwork and into the drain below. The little boy raised his face toward heaven and said with genuine sorrow, “Well, God, there goes your quarter.” Think about it – we are increasingly materialistic.
In the second place, there is something intrinsically seductive about money. Money can become like a drug. It’s like the true story of the German businessman who was worth over 11 billion dollars when the recession hit a couple of years ago. He lost 5 billion dollars in the careening stock market and was absolutely devastated he was now only worth 6 billion dollars. Wrought with grief over his tragic circumstances he threw himself in front of a train, because his life was not worth living with only 6 billion dollars in assets. This true story sounds more like a parable of Jesus.
Jesus devoted more to the subject of money and belongings than to any other subject in all his teaching and preaching. Some things don’t seem to change in 2,000 years – the worship of material possessions and money is the most widely practiced religion in our country today. But please don’t misunderstand; as you know Scripture does not say that money is the root of all evil. It is, rather, the love of money that is the problem, when the worship of money and material things competes with God.
When we understand that everything we have, everything we are, and everything we can ever hope to be is a gift from God, and when we understand the magnitude of this reality our hearts will be captivated with the love and grace God has lavished upon us. Then we will comprehend the great joy and privilege of being faithful with our whole being. When you find the perfect gift to give someone you love very much, you are thrilled to present it to them and don’t fret about the cost. You feel the joy they will have in receiving it and the joy you yourself experience in giving it. That is what rendering unto God is like. When we are in tune with the Holy Spirit we will know the joy of rendering unto God which brings joy and fulfillment the way rendering unto Caesar never can!
Amen.
Last Sunday in my sermon I reminded you that one thing we can count on in life is change. But to defer to one of my favorite American authors, Mark Twain; we can also add that the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. These days it appears that most Americans seem to be more graciously accepting of death than of taxes. With local, state, and federal budgets all seemingly in crisis with the current economy; and the topic of taxes much in the public debate these days, I am going to resist partisanism by saying nothing further on the subject. But I will add - did you know that April 15th is not only income tax day, but it is also the date the Titanic sunk and the date Lincoln was shot? Most people don’t enjoy paying taxes, except maybe the magnanimous Warren Buffet; but we just do it.
Well the people of Jesus’ day had to pay taxes, too. Even worse, they had to pay them to the Roman occupying government they despised. A portion of their hard-earned income ended up in Caesar’s pocket and this made the Jews very unhappy, indeed! They were a proud people and truly resented the Roman domination. Thus, Jesus’ dilemma when asked the loaded question: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Either likely answer would potentially lead into dangerous waters for Jesus; he would either offend the devout Jewish populace or be accused of treason by the Romans.
Well, Jesus very deftly avoided both. “Whose likeness do you see on this coin?” he asked. “Caesar’s” they answered. “Render then,” he said, “to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” The modern translation of this text in our lectionary, reads, “give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s…” Being a bit of a wordsmith, I prefer the word most of us probably are familiar with in this story, “render.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the meaning of “render” in this context is to give in return or in acknowledgment of dependence and thus has a richer meaning than just the word “give.”
Of course, the very clever thing about this story of Jesus’ encounter with the Herodians and Pharisees is that he never answers their question. But his answer ought to settle the matter, doesn’t it? There are things that belong to Caesar, like the money with which we pay taxes and there are things that belong to God… Such as? Well, there’s the problem. Jesus’ response raises some important questions. How and where do you draw the line between the things that belong to Caesar and the things that belong to God? What are the things of Caesar and what are the things of God?
In our contemporary Western mindset we like to put things neatly into compartments and easy to find categories. Being well-organized Westerners we find it makes sense to categorize our information for quick and efficient access. In this mentality one could look at our Gospel story today and infer that “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s,” means that some things belong to Caesar and other things belong to God. But we need to revisit such an interpretation.
Many of us old time Episcopalians remember what we used to say every Sunday when the offering plates were presented at the altar: “All things come of Thee. O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.” Jesus was a devout Jew who every Sabbath recited the Shema: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Our God has a claim on all our life, so what then is left to render unto Caesar? The image of Caesar was printed on the coins, but the image of God is on every human life. Still, rendering unto Caesar is pretty clear in our society. What Caesar wants Caesar gets – end of subject.
Rendering unto Caesar does not evoke a dilemma, but for many rendering unto God does. We all have heard from certain church members of any denomination that the church talks too much about money. Giving to the work of God through the tangible community of the Body of Christ in the world, namely the Church; is a low priority for a lot of folks. One might assert that is the case for two reasons.
First, as a culture we are becoming more materialistic; it’s difficult to have the latest I-Phone, the fanciest car, the biggest HD, 3-D plasma TV, and all one’s other toys and still give 10% to the church. It’s like the little boy who was given two quarters – one for Sunday School and one for an ice cream cone. Walking along the street one day, one of the quarters slipped out of his hand and fell through the grillwork and into the drain below. The little boy raised his face toward heaven and said with genuine sorrow, “Well, God, there goes your quarter.” Think about it – we are increasingly materialistic.
In the second place, there is something intrinsically seductive about money. Money can become like a drug. It’s like the true story of the German businessman who was worth over 11 billion dollars when the recession hit a couple of years ago. He lost 5 billion dollars in the careening stock market and was absolutely devastated he was now only worth 6 billion dollars. Wrought with grief over his tragic circumstances he threw himself in front of a train, because his life was not worth living with only 6 billion dollars in assets. This true story sounds more like a parable of Jesus.
Jesus devoted more to the subject of money and belongings than to any other subject in all his teaching and preaching. Some things don’t seem to change in 2,000 years – the worship of material possessions and money is the most widely practiced religion in our country today. But please don’t misunderstand; as you know Scripture does not say that money is the root of all evil. It is, rather, the love of money that is the problem, when the worship of money and material things competes with God.
When we understand that everything we have, everything we are, and everything we can ever hope to be is a gift from God, and when we understand the magnitude of this reality our hearts will be captivated with the love and grace God has lavished upon us. Then we will comprehend the great joy and privilege of being faithful with our whole being. When you find the perfect gift to give someone you love very much, you are thrilled to present it to them and don’t fret about the cost. You feel the joy they will have in receiving it and the joy you yourself experience in giving it. That is what rendering unto God is like. When we are in tune with the Holy Spirit we will know the joy of rendering unto God which brings joy and fulfillment the way rendering unto Caesar never can!
Amen.
Greetings from your Discernment Committee Chair!
We have already completed the first step in the rector search process, which is to prepare the Parish Profile. The Parish Profile is an in depth description of the parish, based on interviews and focus groups with members conducted over the last several months. The Profile provides potential rectors with a brief history about Messiah, including our congregation and our ministry focus. Our Parish Profile will also be a wonderful tool to introduce newcomers to our parish. If you have not yet had a chance to look at it, it can be seen on the Messiah website at http://www.messiah-santaana.org/news/profile.pdf. Now that the Parish Profile has been completed, it has been sent, along with other information about the rector position at Messiah, to the Clergy Formation and Deployment Office of the Diocese. This office is staffed by the Rev. Canon Joanna Satorius, canon for formation and deployment. The information in the profile is posted on a national data base which is available for clergy who may be considering pursuing a calling at a new parish. Our profile is now posted on this database and available for review by potential clergy.
At this point, we are at the “name gathering” stage of the process. Any clergy person who is interested in being considered for the Messiah rector position will submit his or her name to Rev. Canon Satorius. This gathering of names may take several months, while potential clergy consider whether or not they feel called to pursue a position at Messiah. Although it may seem as if not much is happening during these months, this waiting time is an important step in allowing the Holy Spirit to enter into the process, not just for our parish, but for the potential candidates.
After the names have been submitted, Rev. Canon Satorius then reviews the list and does a preliminary background check of the candidates. During this process, Rev. Canon Satorius only reviews the names for any “red flags” which would prevent the priest from serving in the Diocese; neither she nor the Bishop makes any other decision as to whether a priest should remain on the list. Once this process has been completed for each candidate, a list is compiled, and the list is sent to the Messiah Discernment Committee. Although we do not know for sure when that will happen, we expect it to be sometime after the beginning of the year.
When we receive our list of names, the potential candidates will be sent a few written questions, and will be requested to submit answers to the questions, along with other supplemental materials, such as sermons. The Discernment Committee has already met and drafted the questions to be sent to the candidates, so we will be ready as soon as we receive our list. The candidates will also be provided with additional information about Messiah, which may include bulletins and the monthly newsletter. Then, there is a waiting period while the candidates put together their responses and packets. Only after the materials have all been submitted will the Discernment Committee begin interviewing candidates. Some candidates may also be visited at their home parishes by members of the Discernment Committee, so that there is a chance to see the candidates in their own current parishes. Ultimately, after this process and lots of prayer, the Discernment Committee will pass three names on to the Messiah Vestry. The Vestry makes the final decision as to who to call to be the next parish rector from the three finalists.
What can you do now? Continue to pray for our parish, for the discernment committee and for the potential candidates. With your prayers, we know that the next rector of Messiah parish will lead us in the direction God has chosen.
Nancy Whitehead
October 9, 2011 - Father Mark D. Stuart
May I speak in the Name of God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
“Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” They went our into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests… For many are called but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:9-10, 14)
Here we go – another Gospel story involving eating, a banquet, and a party! Most Episcopalians (including me) love to get together and eat, for whatever reason – I was glad to learn that Messiah parish has so many potlucks, parties, lunches, and even active supper clubs!
Those who heard Jesus’ parable about the wedding banquet may or may not have understood his veiled reference to the people who rejected him, but through the benefit of hindsight we know to whom he was referring. He was the banquet, the Bread of Life, but not everyone wanted to attend. So Jesus flung the gates open to anyone who was spiritually hungry – anyone could now come to the banquet.
Unfortunately, throughout history there have always been those who reject the gifts they have been offered. There have also been those who ignore or make light of others with significant accomplishments. Whether from envy, the desire to deny power, or the sin of neglect the contributions of women, people of color and of other cultures, or LGBT persons have been devalued over the centuries. Sadly, even some in our nation’s government also make light of the Gospel, sometimes using Christian rhetoric even as it denies its very message by pandering to the rich and neglecting the poor.
The Judeo-Christian ethic emphasizes the responsibility of the powerful to use their power to help those with no power. When that mandate is made light of and power is enjoyed for its own sake, or is abused to reward only those with influence, then the channel of God’s will for alleviating the plight of the marginalized is circumvented.
We Christians, wanting to fit into the secular culture of this age, can be tempted to trivialize our commitment to God’s kingdom. Instead of being a light to the world, we sometimes make light of our responsibility toward the world in the name of God. When we are Christians in name only, or when we adopt a stance we call Christian but overlook justice and hospitality toward others, we are depriving the world of Christ’s influence through us. If that is the case then we can also deprive ourselves of the spiritual vitality that could change our lives.
Jesus never made light of people and their concerns, but poured out his life as he listened, healed, taught, and loved people, both friends and strangers. The people originally invited to the marriage feast declined the invitation. It was not a high priority for them, so others were invited to take their places. Christians are to take very seriously the invitation to divine intimacy and community with others. In doing so, we become light that shines in the darkness, highlighting what had previously been obscured by darkness with the light of God’s grace and justice. Of course, this can be a challenge in this age with all of its injustices and uncertainties.
But one thing is certain in life and that is change. Change is something that does not come easily to most folks, but it will happen whether you like it or not. Some people view change like death, when actually death is only a change. Personally, I have certainly struggled with this in my own life. But change is actually a sign of growth and an opportunity for growth in fulfilling one’s purpose. Embracing change and, yes, even death, is to embrace growth trusting in God’s merciful loving kindness that in the end it will all work out for the best, sometimes better than we could have ever imagined.
This is a time of change – for me as well as for you as a parish. All of you knew for a while that Fr. Brad would be retiring and last Sunday being his farewell, I’m sure was full of a spectrum of emotions for many of you. You probably have many questions about your future as a faith community after three decades of capable leadership with your former rector. But I would like to remind you that we as persons and corporately as a faith community are always in transition – things never stay the same. In parish life that means members move or die; babies are born; new persons come into the community – and each one of those things changes the dynamic of the whole; the same holds true in our personal lives, as well.
I am excited to be with you now at Church of the Messiah at such an important and challenging time in your life as a parish and for a new chapter in my own ministry. But I must confess I feel a bit nervous this morning, because I’m the “new kid on the block.” You are probably wondering, “Who is this Mark Stuart?” as much as I’m wondering, “Who are these people of Messiah parish?” And to be totally candid, I’m a bit nervous because I want you to like me. I want you to like me for who I am, the person you will get to know during this transition period. I cannot be your former rector and I am not going to try. I will, however, be sensitive to your needs and concerns because first and foremost I am here for you and I will give you my very best and I promise you that I will love and serve you as a pastor and priest, which I take very seriously.
As we enter into this phase in the long, rich history of Messiah parish let us remember that the Lord of life offers us the joy of a wedding feast, blessing it with his presence and with his gift of abundance. There are many challenges in churches today. Some faith communities like Church of the Messiah are entering a period of transition in which there is a degree of uncertainty regarding the future.
In our passage from Philippians today, Paul offers hopeful encouragement:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. The Lord is near. 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.”
I see probably one of the greatest problems facing many churches today is that they are plagued by a mindset of scarcity – a false impression of scarcity that is not faithful to a God of abundance. They feel that they never have enough and may ask why another church has all the blessings and theirs has only the leftovers. That is a sorry position that excuses lack of vitality and denies the work of the Holy Spirit and insults God’s promise.
Every Christian’s task is to lay aside the things that daunt us, that make us afraid, and hold us captive to scarcity. As Paul reminds us we are to rejoice that God delights in us and celebrate the gifts God has given us to move forward in mission. We acknowledge in our Scripture lessons today that we have a generous God who wants us to have all good things and wants us to have abundance. When Jesus provides an answer to our prayers it can often be more glorious than what we could even expect. By giving us something other than exactly what we could have anticipated, he is able to give us so much more!
As we enter this challenging time of transition as a faith community in this place, Paul’s additional words offered to the Philippians can bring us further assurance: “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Amen.
“Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” They went our into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests… For many are called but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:9-10, 14)
Here we go – another Gospel story involving eating, a banquet, and a party! Most Episcopalians (including me) love to get together and eat, for whatever reason – I was glad to learn that Messiah parish has so many potlucks, parties, lunches, and even active supper clubs!
Those who heard Jesus’ parable about the wedding banquet may or may not have understood his veiled reference to the people who rejected him, but through the benefit of hindsight we know to whom he was referring. He was the banquet, the Bread of Life, but not everyone wanted to attend. So Jesus flung the gates open to anyone who was spiritually hungry – anyone could now come to the banquet.
Unfortunately, throughout history there have always been those who reject the gifts they have been offered. There have also been those who ignore or make light of others with significant accomplishments. Whether from envy, the desire to deny power, or the sin of neglect the contributions of women, people of color and of other cultures, or LGBT persons have been devalued over the centuries. Sadly, even some in our nation’s government also make light of the Gospel, sometimes using Christian rhetoric even as it denies its very message by pandering to the rich and neglecting the poor.
The Judeo-Christian ethic emphasizes the responsibility of the powerful to use their power to help those with no power. When that mandate is made light of and power is enjoyed for its own sake, or is abused to reward only those with influence, then the channel of God’s will for alleviating the plight of the marginalized is circumvented.
We Christians, wanting to fit into the secular culture of this age, can be tempted to trivialize our commitment to God’s kingdom. Instead of being a light to the world, we sometimes make light of our responsibility toward the world in the name of God. When we are Christians in name only, or when we adopt a stance we call Christian but overlook justice and hospitality toward others, we are depriving the world of Christ’s influence through us. If that is the case then we can also deprive ourselves of the spiritual vitality that could change our lives.
Jesus never made light of people and their concerns, but poured out his life as he listened, healed, taught, and loved people, both friends and strangers. The people originally invited to the marriage feast declined the invitation. It was not a high priority for them, so others were invited to take their places. Christians are to take very seriously the invitation to divine intimacy and community with others. In doing so, we become light that shines in the darkness, highlighting what had previously been obscured by darkness with the light of God’s grace and justice. Of course, this can be a challenge in this age with all of its injustices and uncertainties.
But one thing is certain in life and that is change. Change is something that does not come easily to most folks, but it will happen whether you like it or not. Some people view change like death, when actually death is only a change. Personally, I have certainly struggled with this in my own life. But change is actually a sign of growth and an opportunity for growth in fulfilling one’s purpose. Embracing change and, yes, even death, is to embrace growth trusting in God’s merciful loving kindness that in the end it will all work out for the best, sometimes better than we could have ever imagined.
This is a time of change – for me as well as for you as a parish. All of you knew for a while that Fr. Brad would be retiring and last Sunday being his farewell, I’m sure was full of a spectrum of emotions for many of you. You probably have many questions about your future as a faith community after three decades of capable leadership with your former rector. But I would like to remind you that we as persons and corporately as a faith community are always in transition – things never stay the same. In parish life that means members move or die; babies are born; new persons come into the community – and each one of those things changes the dynamic of the whole; the same holds true in our personal lives, as well.
I am excited to be with you now at Church of the Messiah at such an important and challenging time in your life as a parish and for a new chapter in my own ministry. But I must confess I feel a bit nervous this morning, because I’m the “new kid on the block.” You are probably wondering, “Who is this Mark Stuart?” as much as I’m wondering, “Who are these people of Messiah parish?” And to be totally candid, I’m a bit nervous because I want you to like me. I want you to like me for who I am, the person you will get to know during this transition period. I cannot be your former rector and I am not going to try. I will, however, be sensitive to your needs and concerns because first and foremost I am here for you and I will give you my very best and I promise you that I will love and serve you as a pastor and priest, which I take very seriously.
As we enter into this phase in the long, rich history of Messiah parish let us remember that the Lord of life offers us the joy of a wedding feast, blessing it with his presence and with his gift of abundance. There are many challenges in churches today. Some faith communities like Church of the Messiah are entering a period of transition in which there is a degree of uncertainty regarding the future.
In our passage from Philippians today, Paul offers hopeful encouragement:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. The Lord is near. 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.”
I see probably one of the greatest problems facing many churches today is that they are plagued by a mindset of scarcity – a false impression of scarcity that is not faithful to a God of abundance. They feel that they never have enough and may ask why another church has all the blessings and theirs has only the leftovers. That is a sorry position that excuses lack of vitality and denies the work of the Holy Spirit and insults God’s promise.
Every Christian’s task is to lay aside the things that daunt us, that make us afraid, and hold us captive to scarcity. As Paul reminds us we are to rejoice that God delights in us and celebrate the gifts God has given us to move forward in mission. We acknowledge in our Scripture lessons today that we have a generous God who wants us to have all good things and wants us to have abundance. When Jesus provides an answer to our prayers it can often be more glorious than what we could even expect. By giving us something other than exactly what we could have anticipated, he is able to give us so much more!
As we enter this challenging time of transition as a faith community in this place, Paul’s additional words offered to the Philippians can bring us further assurance: “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Amen.
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