Give thanks for the little known folks in our lives

From Bishop Adams ...

The Feast of SS. Simon and Jude
October 28, 2011

Of Simon and Jude, two of the twelve, little is known.  They tend to be linked because tradition places them as apostles to Persia, modern day Iran.  Yet the antiphon above names them along with the other apostles as foundation stones of the heavenly Jerusalem.

In Scripture we have glimpses of the conversations that took place among the original disciples.  They include words of excitement, hope, disappointment, disagreement and even bickering.  Sometimes they are clueless and other times great words of faith shine forth.  Very human power struggles cause conflict and division.  In the midst of it all, however, comes a vast reservoir of faithfulness of which you and I are the inheritors.  Foundation stones indeed.

Such grace, more often than not, comes to us from the little known saints whose paths we cross.  They are also a part of our foundation.  I am a person of faith in Christ Jesus today because of the original twelve, because of Simon's and Jude's "ardent devotion."  I am also a person of faith because of a third grade Sunday School teacher who, with a twinkle in his eye, taught me the awesomeness of God; an eleventh grade trigonometry/analytic geometry teacher who invited me to see the complexity of God and to trust my own giftedness; an elderly parishioner who helped me to revel in and enjoy the beauty of God as she danced her prayer.  The list goes on.

Who are these little known folks in your life?  Who are the ones who have passed on the great repository of faith to you?  Give thanks for them this day even as we bless God for the gifts of Simon and Jude.

From Bowie Snodgrass of Faith House Manhattan

Faith and Abundance in a time of great n

 http://www.episcopalchurch.org/documents/Reflection_3_Full_Page.pdf

the good earth that God has given us ...

MANY THANKS to all who dug, raked, pulled, swept. wiped -- and supervised us all on Saturday, October 22. Garden pictures do come to mind often when we think about the things for which we give thanks. The beauty of our building and grounds is a gift to all who come here, to all who pass by. Thank you to all who keep our corner of God's green earth tidy and in order.

Rooting our giving in the baptismal covenant

Here's a thoughtful way to approach stewardship, from Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio:

"Each Sunday in worship, the people of Trinity Cathedral affirm our faith by reciting five vows from the Baptismal Covenant of the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer:

✙  Will you continue in the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
✙  Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
✙  Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
✙  Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
✙  Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?

To each question, we respond: I will, with God’s help.

When we recite our baptismal vows, we are renewed in and reminded of God’s call in our lives and the life of Trinity Cathedral. We are all ministers of God’s word by virtue of our baptism, and we are all called by God to proclaim, in word and action, God’s justice, love and mercy for all creation."

A prayer as we begin ...

O God of all creation: 
of galaxies and of fragile, fragrant flowers.

We thank you for the beauty and wonder of life.

Help us to remember that while you surround us with beauty and fill us with wonder, that you call us to be more than mere creatures in your creation.



Give us the strength and the wisdom to shoulder the responsibility of being your stewards, called to be caretakers of all the abundance of life.

May we live with the love of Christ in our hears, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in our mouths, so that

we may be your hands and feet wherever we go. Amen.

Stewardship 1 A View with Different Eyes

Saturday, October 01, 2011

8:35 PM

My Aunt was in the hospital. Five days later she was septic and family members were called. One of the gifts of this unfortunate situation was the hospital Chaplin. She seemed to find me or perhaps I was waiting to be found. There was no denial, no avoidance, but space and time being with. Being with in prayer, in silence, in proximity. One remark struck and reminded me of how lucky we are even struggling with the anxiety of loss and in a fearful fight for life. That is, that this disease (and so many others) is a disease of a wealthy country. From Nigeria-our Chaplin, looking at the patients in the hospital, we had so many gifts and even in illness lived with abundance.

This Blog is about gifts, abundance, giving, scarcity, and Stewardship in the complex world in which we live, love, and work. We intend to explore Stewardship and you are invited to participate.