Monthly Archives: November 2020

Repentance, Repair & Reconciliation

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Advent 1B, November 29, 2020.  The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz

Isaiah 64:1-9. O that you would tear open the heavens and come down.…We are your people.
1 Corinthians 1:1-9 So that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mark 13:24-37 Keep awake.

O God of Repentance, may we have the wisdom, the strength, and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.

Today marks the beginning of a new Church year with the first Sunday in Advent. The Christian new year doesn’t begin with festivities or celebrations, but with lamentation in Isaiah, with a letter from Paul written in response to reports of in-fighting – of quarrelling in the church in Corinth, and with the Gospel of Mark’s “apocalypse” – Jesus’ prediction of the end of life as his disciples know it. The end, according to Mark, will be a very good thing because of the enormity of suffering, because of the desolation being experienced. I get this at a deeper level than I ever have before because of the revelations and devastations of this past year.
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Restoration

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Last Sunday after Pentecost, November 22, 2020.  The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will guard!
Ephesians 1:15-23. So that with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you
Matthew 25:31-46. Just as you did it to the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.

O God of Restoration, grant us the strength, the wisdom, and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.

Today marks the end of our liturgical year in terms of Sundays, and the end of our year of readings from the Gospel of Matthew. We have reached the end of the teachings of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel narrative. This passage is the conclusive teaching before the Passion. It’s combined in our lectionary with another great sorting description from the prophet Ezekiel, and an interlude from the letter to the Ephesians. In each of our readings for the day we have bad news and good news. In my family, we always wanted (and usually got) the bad news first.
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Shehechyanu

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Proper 27A
November 8, 2020

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. So that you may not grieve as others who have no hope
Matthew 25:1-13. Keep awake therefore

I don’t know how many of you heard the Gospel passage that Bob just read and felt a sense of vague anxiety or maybe even stronger – a sense of indignation or anger about who is in and who is out. It’s striking to read this in the context of our nation, divided nearly in half politically. It sounded different to me at the beginning of the week compared with the end of the week. Maybe some hear this Gospel passage and feel secretly smug because you are someone who is always prepared – you know, who never lets your gas tank in your car go below half full. Maybe you are elated by the results of the presidential election. I will confess to you that I am someone who is often driving on empty, and I’ve been on the losing side of votes many times.
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Difficulty Enforcing Guidelines

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Last week after Common Art, I found myself remarking in a rather ironic statement to my supervisor, the Rev. Pam Werntz, that all the action at Common Art takes place on the stage. In the back of the room is a large stage that some folks opt to sit or lie down on. I’ve noticed over the last few weeks that this tends to be a hotspot for any commotion or behavior that may need some checking in with. This was the case this past week as some tensions arose near the stage a few times throughout the day.

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Sing the songs of Love!

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The Feast of All Saints
November 1, 2020

Revelation 7:9-17. These are they who have come out of the great ordeal.
1 John 3:1-3. See what love [God] has given us
Matthew 5:1-12. Blessed . . . blessed . . . blessed

O God of all saints, grant us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.

Today we observe the Feast of All Saints in the Church, with a special celebration of “A Saint for All Saints, The Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray,” the first Black woman ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church, sponsored for ordination by Emmanuel Church before any woman had been ordained in the Episcopal Church. I hope that you will be able to join our webinar program at 4:00 this afternoon about her life and legacy – there’s still time to register by going to Emmanuel’s web page. You may also want to download the program booklet.
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Setting Boundaries

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Isabelle Olsson

In addition to working with Common Art, as a part of my internship I am also spending some time at the Black Seed Writer’s Group offered as a part of MANNA at St. Paul’s Cathedral. This has been such a wonderful opportunity to continue to work with many of the same community members in a different space, through their writing I get to see a different side of their creativity that often compliments their artwork. This past week, as I left the Black Seed Writer’s Group I found myself a bit stuck on the concept of negotiating boundaries. I had a few small moments throughout the day that tested my boundaries as a new member of the community and had me reflecting on what boundaries should look like. In some ways, I felt like I had foundered in a few moments where I could have set firmer boundaries. Continue reading →