Hello,
I attended a debt justice webinar last night and watched a video as part of it. It is an investigative look at “nature conservation” in poorer countries according to the rules of richer countries…It’s fascinating if you’d like to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx4OHfA5_Ec
Another free webinar you may be interested in is next Tuesday, Oct.21, at 4pm, offered by APLM. Its about Making Discipleshttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/81425496006?pwd=dBodFGRjngykQefbwocJJbRDiCJEKm.1 This conversation will invite participants to consider the increasing need for baptismal formation, a formation that focuses on becoming a disciple of Jesus within his movement, the Body of Christ – something a bit different than becoming a member of a religious society enclosed on itself. The Rev. Ruth Meyers, APLM Council member and former chair of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, and the Rev. Charles Martin, APLM Council member and Associate Rector at St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas, will lead this discussion – with ample time for conversation and questions.
Coming Soon:
Saturday, October 25th, at 9:30am (until 4:30pm) at St. Luke’s Cathedral: Part One of the Pastoral Visitation Workshop. For those of you with bad hips, knees, and/or backs, there will be plenty of opportunity for stretches and moving about. Again, please let me know if you plan to attend so that I can feed you. If it’s possible (and beneficial), we’ll find some way of live streaming and/or recording so that people who can’t get to St. Luke’s can attend remotely. Stay tuned…
In November:
Saturday, November 1st, 4pm at Holy Trinity, SSM: All Saints’ Day Evening Prayer followed by fellowship.
Free Webinar – offered by APLM (Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission): Preparing for Matthew led by Agnes Choi. This should be a great resource for preachers. I’ll give you more detail when the event is closer.
Saturday, November 15th at St. Luke’s Cathedral: Part Two of the Pastoral Visitation Workshop. I’ll provide more detail when it’s closer to the time.
Saturday, November 29, 11am-3pm at Holy Trinity, SSM: Snowflake Tea & Seasonal Market, just $12 and, yes, we’ll have those fancy sandwiches (among other food items).
A Liturgical Note For You: This is continued from last week…
Blessing People
People believe that to be blessed means to receive something from God. That’s sort of true but not in the way you might think. Have you ever wondered how we could possibly bless God? We say it in our liturgies quite often but what do we mean by that? The Hebrew word for blessing (barak) means “to kneel”. That seems a strange connection, doesn’t it? Well, it’s what the Hebrew people did on their knees that is the root of the meaning. They adored God on their knees (among other prayer postures since standing actually is the more prevalent prayer posture). So, to bless is to adore. We adore God (we bless God) – Yes, we certainly do. Now you know what receiving blessings from God means then, don’t you? God adores us. “Blessed are the poor”…Adored by God are the poor! It’s very enlightening – and inspiring – when you know what to be blessed truly means.
In love, God lavishes gifts upon us but it would be a mistake to think that meant material things. Money doesn’t buy happiness, right? The most famous Jewish blessing is known as “Aaron’s blessing”: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). This was God’s instruction to Moses and to Aaron on how to pass along God’s blessing (adoration) to the Hebrew people. An important part of the blessing is not actually the blessing itself but, rather, God’s explanation of the blessing. God says, “So they [Aaron and his sons] shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them (Numbers 6:27). Putting God’s name on the Israelites was the exact same thing as putting God’s presence on the Israelites. The blessing was the way in which to be given God’s presence to carry with you. It’s powerful stuff, this blessing! It is a connection with God, asking God for protection, kindness, guidance, and peace – and all because God was actually with you. Wow…so, God adores us and is always with us. This is something we know but did we connect it to being blessed by God? Now you know.
Perhaps this makes you wonder, then, what to be cursed means. If being blessed means to be adored by God and have God’s presence, the logical answer would be that to be cursed would mean the opposite, right? Yes, absolutely right. To be cursed doesn’t mean that bad things will happen to you just like being blessed doesn’t mean you’ll be showered with material goods. The Hebrew word that we translate as “curse” means to think of something/someone as insignificant, a trifling.
So, I’m hoping you’re getting the idea that this is all about relationship. To be blessed is to be adored by God, in relationship with God. To be cursed is to be without God, thought of as trivial, not in relationship with God. Which one we are – blessed or cursed – is always our choice. God is always ready to love (bless) all those who turn to him.
For Your Devotions:
Thursday, October 23rd is the memorial of James of Jerusalem. There are a few by the name of James in the New Testament. This one is the brother of Jesus. Despite his earlier misgivings about Jesus’ ministry, James became hugely important to the young Christian Church and was martyred in about 62 AD for confessing his faith in Jesus as the Messiah. He was thrown off one of the parapets of the Temple and then stoned to finish the job. His martyrdom made it into historical accounts other than the Bible! For more information, check out p.314: https://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/ForAlltheSaints.pdf
In the joy of Christ,
Susan
Deanery of Algoma 