Category: General Interest

Items of General Interest about liturgy, the liturgical calendar, church customs and culture, our unique “Episcopal vocabulary,” the intersection of faith and culture, and all other items not fitting into the other categories (or fitting into multiple categories).

Wind Chimes: 9 Feb 2013

Jimmy Carter at Mercer University, November 2012

Grace is freely given. Grace sings of expansive love. Grace sings of inclusive love. The chimes are singing of Grace today. What do you hear?

Anne Hutchinson would have liked Jimmy Carter

We’ll walk one more day with Anne Hutchinson. See the Wind Chimes for February 7 and February 8, 2013. Anne was at odds with the male leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  She courageously was true to her heart. Though she spoke well and presented a well-reasoned description of what she believed, in 1638 Anne Hutchinson was both excommunicated and banished from the Colony. Nearly 400 years later, in 2000, Jimmy Carter parted ways with the Southern Baptist Convention. I believe Anne would have liked Jimmy Carter.

As the US Congress once again decides whether (and how) to renew the Violence Against Women Act Anne’s witness and Jimmy Carter’s words and witness are reminders of a foundational Christian belief (shared by other world religions as well): “God saw that [all of creation and every part of creation and all that was and would be created by God] was very good.”

The truth is that male religious leaders have had – and still have – an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter. Their continuing choice provides the foundation or justification for much of the pervasive persecution and abuse of women throughout the world. This is in clear violation not just of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but also the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, Moses and the prophets, Muhammad, and founders of other great religions – all of whom have called for proper and equitable treatment of all the children of God. It is time we had the courage to challenge these views. —Jimmy Carter

Source: Losing my religion for equality, The Age, July 15, 2009.

Image: Woody Marshall for The Telegraph, November 2012

Wind Chimes: 8 Feb 2013

“Listen carefully to my instructions …
With the good gifts which are in us,
we must obey God.”

From the Prologue in the Rule of St. Benedict and quoted in The Monastery of the Heart:
An Invitation to a Meaningful Life (p. 3) by Joan Chittister

The chimes invite us to listen today. Pause and listen. What do you hear?

Walking another day with Anne Hutchinson

As I do understand it, laws, commands, rules and edicts are for those who have not the light which makes plain the pathway. He who has God’s grace in his heart cannot go astray.

Anne Hutchinson as quoted in Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Reformers (1907) by Elbert Hubbard (“Anne Hutchinson” on Wikiquote)

Anne Hutchinson on TrialAs shared yesterday: on February 6, 2013, in the “Spiritual Day Hike” (which wanders far and wide in the world without actually leaving St. Margaret’s in Palm Desert, CA) we walked with Anne Hutchinson for a time. Anne is now remembered by The Episcopal Church annually on February 5th.

Born and raised in the faith of the Church of England Anne accepted the teachings of the Puritans and added her own touch.

As you read the excerpt from the Prologue in the Rule of St. Benedict you can easily understand that Anne would have been right at home in the Rule of St. Benedict. Her ‘touch’ added to her Puritan faith was to listen with the “ear of her heart” for the voice and the wisdom of God.

Confident that God was constantly in dialogue with her, confident that she could hear and understand God within her own heart, Anne chose to follow the One who called to her, spoke to her, and led her in Love. She continues to offer her witness to us—listen, listen carefully, trust what you hear in your heart: “You are my beloved child. Always. Everywhere. In every circumstance. Beloved.”

Anne has left quite a legacy. Allow yourself to be amazed by her courage and her confidence in God as you read her story:

Image: Wikimedia Commons and JSS Gallery

Wind Chimes: 7 Feb 2013

You must be holy in every aspect of your lives,
just as the one who called you is holy.
It is written, “You will be holy, because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:15-16 which quotes Leviticus 19:2 CEB

The chimes seem to be sounding a song of joy and freedom. What do you hear?

The grace of God

As I do understand it, laws, commands, rules and edicts are for those who have not the light which makes plain the pathway. He who has God’s grace in his heart cannot go astray.

Anne Hutchinson as quoted in Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Reformers (1907) by Elbert Hubbard (“Anne Hutchinson” on Wikiquote)

Anne Hutchinson on TrialIn the “Spiritual Day Hike” (which wanders far and wide in the world without actually leaving St. Margaret’s in Palm Desert, CA) on February 6, 2013 we walked with Anne Hutchinson for a time. Anne is now remembered by The Episcopal Church annually on February 5th.

Some 450 years after her death she continues to have a profound impact on us as we listen for the Spirit within our hearts. Our group, as we walked with Anne, was affirmed in actively forming and following a conscience illumined by the light of Christ and emboldened by the Holy Spirit. Anne has left quite a legacy. Allow yourself to be amazed by her courage and her confidence in God as you read her story:

Image: Wikimedia Commons and JSS Gallery

Wind Chimes: 2 Feb 2013

Justin Welby in Prayer
Bishop Welby is joined by his wife, Caroline, as members of the Vineyard movement ‘lay hands’ on them as they prepare to move to Lambeth Palace. Photo: Trent Vineyard

The wind picks up. There is change in the air. What do you hear?

The (almost) new Archbishop of Canterbury

This Monday, February 4, 2013, Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, will become the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury in a ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. In January, speaking to an audience at Trent Vineyard near Nottingham, Bishop Welby said,

Quote . . .I think we are in the greatest moment of opportunity for the Church since the Second World War, … In 2008 we had the most significant financial collapse in this country, in terms of the banking system, since the mid-19th century. One of the reasons the recession has been so deep and may be going into a triple dip is because there has been such a loss of confidence. … But the side effect of that has been that the state has run out of the capacity to do the things it had taken over since 1945. All the idols on which our society was based have fallen, they have been toppled. They have been toppled by the financial crisis, by scandal. Trust has broken down.

As reported in The Telegraph, 1 Jan 2013: The Church must fill void left by failing state, says new archbishop Justin Welby

Please keep Justin Welby and the entire Anglican Communion in your prayers.

More information about the (almost) new Archbishop of Canterbury

Image: The Telegraph

Wind Chimes: 1 Feb 2013

The chimes were down for a time, for rest and repair. With the wind blowing and the chimes up again, what do you hear?

Missional

The Acts of the Apostles was the subject matter for a recent teaching series presented by Brian D. McLaren.

Quote . . .I was at Claremont Seminary last week with a vigorous and energetic group of Methodist leaders (along with a standing-room-only public panel with my friends Philip Clayton, Diana Butler Bass, and Mark Whitlock). I concluded my time at Claremont leading a study from the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament. From childhood, I was taught to read Acts as a manual for ecclesiology … to prove that our denomination was the only true and biblical one, of course (a common theme in Protestant Bible reading). But now I read Acts as a missional account of how Jesus continued his work – his Spirit alive in the bodies of growing numbers of his followers who constitute – quite literally – his body on earth.

And the message is the same – the message of the kingdom (or reign, or commonwealth, or sacred ecosystem, or new love economy, or regeneration network, or creative community, or …) of God. You could think of it like this …

Acts 1: The risen Christ teaches the apostles, as he always has, about the kingdom of God. The apostles learn to stop waiting for the kingdom to appear in the future, and instead, wait for the Spirit who will empower them to live in the kingdom here and now.

Acts 2: The Spirit comes – and demonstrates that God is not monocultural and monolingual, but that God speaks all languages, and God is concerned with the poor and rich alike, everywhere … a profound, revolutionary discovery!

Acts 3: Peter demonstrates how the Kingdom begins with those who have been marginalized and excluded (kept outside the gate) by conventional religion – starting with the physically handicapped.

Read the rest of his post here: I love the Bible

In our Prayers of the People, Form III we petition God:

“Give us grace to do your will in all that we undertake; [so] that our works may find favor in your sight.” BCP, p. 387. May it be so, even as it was for the Apostles and the early Church.

Read more about the Book of Acts:

Books by Brian D. McLaren

Image: Amazon.com Book Cover for Dust off their feet

Bishop Phillips Brooks

This week, the Episcopal Church remembered Bishop Phillips Brooks (1835-1893). A Harvard alum, Brooks began his ministry soon after his graduation from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 1859. He was known for his kindness and humility, and in a time of social and economic uncertainty, he bravely spoke against slavery and encouraged his parishioners to conduct themselves with grace and compassion. Believing that parishioners prefer to be spoken to rather than preached at, he developed an open, conversational style of preaching. In 1891, he was elected Bishop of Massachusetts and passed away in 1893 due to complications from a cold. His funeral service included the hymns “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” and “For All the Saints.” 

Image

In addition to his role as well-loved pastor, he also is known as the lyricist of one of our best-known Christmas carols–“O Little Town of Bethlehem.” He spent most of 1865 traveling through the Middle East. He treasured his time there and seemed to have truly felt God’s presence during his travels. He wrote, “Christ is not merely the greatest, but the only presence that fills the landscape in Palestine.” On Christmas of 1865, he rode on horseback into Bethlehem. This experience inspired him to later write the poem “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and Lewis Redner, the organist at Holy Trinity, set it to music in 1868. We know the words well, but there is one verse that has been omitted from our hymnals. It reads,

Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessed Child.
Where misery cries out to thee,
Son of the mother mild.
Where Charity stands watching, 
And Faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.

In addition to this carol, Brooks wrote the text for four others–“Everywhere, Everywhere, Christmas Tonight,” “The Sky Can Still Remember,” “The Voice of the Christ Child,” and “Christmas Once is Christmas Still.”

None of these is as known and loved as “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” In fact, I was unable to even find recordings of them. (If you find one, would you share it with us in the comments?) However, even without music, the texts are lovely to read and ponder.

Had you heard of Bishop Brooks before this week? I’d love to learn more about him, so if you have any more resources, please share in the comments!

Further reading:
Brooks/Hymn Commentary
Brooks/Cyberhymnal
Brooks/Prayers
Brooks/Harvard Magazine
Brooks/Christianity.com

Wind Chimes: 25 Jan 2013 — Day 8

A Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Readings for Day Eight — Walking in celebration

Habakkuk 3:17-19 | Celebrating in a time of hardship
Psalm 100 | The worship of God through all the earth
Philippians 4:4-9 | Rejoice in the Lord always
Luke 1:46-55 | The Song of Mary

Quote . . .To walk humbly with God means to walk in celebration. The visitor to India is struck by the hardships and struggles endured by Dalits, but at the same time by their sense of hope and celebration. 2013-WPCU-Readings-and-Prayers

Prayer on Day Eight

2013 Week of Prayer (Cover)Gracious God, may your Holy Spirit fill our communities with joy and celebration, so that we can cherish the unity we already share, and zealously continue in the search for visible unity. We rejoice in the faith and hope of peoples who refuse to allow their dignity to be diminished, seeing in them your wonderful grace and your promise of freedom. Teach us to share in their joy and learn from their faithful endurance. Rekindle our hope and sustain our resolve, that in Christ‘s name we may walk together in love, raising a united voice of praise, and singing together one prayer of adoration. God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.

divider lineImage: School of Theology & Ministry, Seattle University

Wind Chimes: 24 Jan 2013 — Day 7

A Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Readings for Day Seven — Walking in solidarity

Numbers 27:1-11 | The right of inheritance to daughters
Psalm 15 | Who shall abide in God’s sanctuary?
Acts 2:43-47 | The disciples held all things in common
Luke 10:25-37 | The Good Samaritan

Quote . . .To walk humbly with God means walking in solidarity with all who struggle for justice and peace. This poses a question for those who pray for the unity of Christians this week: what is the unity we seek? 2013-WPCU-Readings-and-Prayers

Prayer on Day Seven

2013 Week of Prayer (Cover)

Triune God, in your very life you offer us a unique pattern of interdependence, loving relationships and solidarity. Unite us to live our lives in this way. Teach us to share the hope that we find in people who struggle for life all over the world. May their endurance inspire us to overcome our own divisions, to live in holy accord with one another, and to walk together in solidarity. God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.

divider lineImage: School of Theology & Ministry, Seattle University

Wind Chimes: 23 Jan 2013 — Day 6

A Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Readings for Day Six — Walking beyond barriers

Ruth 4:13-18 | The offspring of Ruth and Boaz
Psalm 113 | God the helper of the needy
Ephesians 2:13-16 | Christ has broken down the dividing wall between us
Matthew 15:21-28 | Jesus and the Canaanite woman

Quote . . .To walk humbly with God means walking beyond barriers that divide and damage the children of God. Christians in India are aware of the divisions among themselves. The treatment of Dalits within the churches and between them is a church-dividing issue that betrays the biblical vision of that unity for which we pray this week. 2013-WPCU-Readings-and-Prayers

Prayer on Day Six

2013 Week of Prayer (Cover)Father, forgive us for the barriers of greed, prejudice, and contempt that we continually build which separate us within and between churches, from people of other faiths, and from those we consider to be less important than us. May your Spirit give us courage to cross these boundaries, and to tear down the walls that disconnect us from each other. Then with Christ may we step forth into unknown terrain, to carry his message of loving acceptance and unity to all the world. God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.

divider lineImage: School of Theology & Ministry, Seattle University

Wind Chimes: 22 Jan 2013 — Day 5

A Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Readings for Day Five — Walking as the friends of Jesus

Song of Solomon 1;5-8 | Love and the beloved
Psalm 139: 1-6 | You have searched me out and known me
3 John 2-8 | Hospitality to friends in Christ
John 15:12-17 | I call you friends

Quote . . .To walk humbly with God does not mean walking alone. It means walking with those who are those vital signs of God‘s presence among us, our friends. “But I have called you friends.” says Jesus in John‘s Gospel. 2013-WPCU-Readings-and-Prayers

Prayer on Day Five

2013 Week of Prayer (Cover)

Jesus, from the first moment of our being you offered us your friendship. Your love embraces all peoples, especially those who are excluded or rejected because of human constructions of caste, race or colour. Filled with the confidence and assurance of our dignity in you, may we walk in solidarity towards each other, and embrace each other in the Spirit, as children of God. God of life, lead us to justice and peace. Amen.

divider lineImage: School of Theology & Ministry, Seattle University