It was a wonderful respite from modernity. For several days, our church website, and with it my church e-mail account, was down. I know it was inconvenient for several people. They called to tell me that they were unable to reach me or the church, or to ask for information they usually acquired from the church website. But for me it was quite refreshing to avoid daily about thirty or forty spam messages designed to make me feel better, or laugh, or convince me, or sell me something. And it was a blessing to escape the self-induced deception that I am so important that everyone on earth must have immediate access to my wisdom and expertise. Knowing that at least one of my electronic leashes was inoperative, I found that my life seemed to take on a more ordered and peaceful existence. I read more (the Book of Luke in one sitting! and a goodly portion of JB Bury's History of the Reformation in the England and Scotland.) I took walks in the woods with the terriers and Pat, the faithful old white hound. In a very real sense it was as if I went back in time. It wasn't that long ago that we did not have access to such instant communication, and then, it simply cost too much to send out so much to so many who already had more than they needed or wanted.
But now I am back, saddled with the conveniences that our world demands, and obviously employing them to enter the lives of others. But perhaps my forced hiatus from the world will help me to understand to a greater degree what is truly important. Just perhaps I will walk away from the opportunity to keep others on such a short leash and only push myself on them when I have something meaningful to say or ask. Just perhaps I will design my communications to to reach individuals who are interested in hearing from me instead of broadcasting them to be received involuntarily by those who really have no interest in what I have to say. I noticed on my blogspot dashboard the other day that there is now an option which allows readers to be notified by e-mail whenever I decide to be eloquent. Just perhaps I will find the self-control to refrain from adding that most egotistical of all buttons to this blog. Just perhaps.......
"The Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: And the Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. AMEN." taddled from The Book of Common Prayer
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Conference Videos Now Available
Many thanks to Anglican TV for posting the presentations from Mere Anglicanism 2012. The presentations may be viewed here: http://anglican.tv/category/tags/events/mere-anglicanism-2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Evangelism, True Repentance, and Obedience: A Formulae for Success
Rector’s Rambling- February 2012
Pictures from Charleston- Text Follows
Last month before Rebecca and I left for “Mere Anglicanism,” a friend asked where we were going for the conference. When I answered “Charleston,” he responded, “West Virginia?” I was puzzled and replied, “Why would anyone go to West Virginia in January?” But Charleston, South Carolina is another story. She is truly a beautiful city any time of year. Described by locals as that place where “two rivers meet to form the Atlantic Ocean,” I can understand why the locals love their home, and why so many have stayed here for so many generations.
But sightseeing was not my purpose in Charleston- renewal and revival were. The speakers and preachers were wonderful and included the Principal of Wycliffe Hall Oxford, the Lord Bishop of London, the Vice-Chancellor of Sewanee (my alma mater),the Bishop of Rochester, the Bishop of South Carolina, The Dean of Trinity School for Ministry, and the Archbishop of Jos Nigeria. The worship was magnificent. Evensong featured the Choir of St. Philip’s Charleston singing George Dyson’s Mag and Nunc and Parry’s “ I Was Glad.” Bishop Chartres challenged us to open our lives and our institutions to the leadership and infilling of the Holy Ghost, who was without doubt present in the service. The festival Eucharist featured the choir of St. Helena’s Beaufort, accompanied by the Charleston Brass. Archbishop Kwashi brought tears to our eyes with his godly exhortations to evangelism and Bishop Lawrence shone like Moses as he consecrated and delivered to us the Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. By the time the third of five Communion Hymns rang out the words “Rise Up, O Saints of God,” we all were on our feet, rejoicing in the power of God and filled with what Son-in-Law Matthew calls “South Carolina Happy.” God was in our midst, and the entire conference was transformative. The message was unified and simple.
1. From the time of Augustine and Cuthbert to the great reformers of the 16th, 18th, and 19th centuries, to today, men and women who answer the call of Jesus to turn from their former ways and follow God have been used to transform not only lives, but societies.
2. As those same people forsook their sinful ways and conformed their lives to the clear teaching of Scripture, which is the example of our Lord, God used them, and he will use us, to bring the most obdurate sinners to personal confession, repentance, and moral transformation.
3. The cost of following Christ in this way is high, but the results are far-reaching, and ultimately eternal.
4. We who name Christ as Saviour are called to follow him in the knowledge that through us, through our hard work and sacrifice, God will transform the world and to bring all people to himself.
5. It is for this reason that he has called us and redeemed us by his blood.
As we move through the season of Epiphany and into Lent, I pray that we will always see our personal introspection and repentance in light of the call of Jesus Christ for us to evangelize others even as we have been evangelized. Our raison detre, our great purpose in life, is to glorify God by bringing all people to a saving knowledge of Jesus the Christ, who is God’s sole plan for our salvation. We can only do this effectively as we follow Jesus Christ in humility, acknowledging our sins, changing our ways, and working to conform our behaviour to the clear teachings of God’s Word, the Holy Bible. May He send his Holy Spirit upon us anew in the days to come that we might be faithful and obedient servants, bring our friends and neighbors to a saving experience with Jesus Christ, and in turn transform our society into a more just and righteous family, one filled with the hope of heaven.
To Christ- the True King!
Bill+
Pictures from Charleston- Text Follows
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| Archbishop Kwashi of Jos, Nigeria |
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| St. Philip's- The Mother Church of The Carolinas and the Carribean |
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Bishop Lawrence of South Carolina  |
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| The Great East Window: Ecce Agnus Dei |
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| Bishop Nazir-Ali of Rochester |
Last month before Rebecca and I left for “Mere Anglicanism,” a friend asked where we were going for the conference. When I answered “Charleston,” he responded, “West Virginia?” I was puzzled and replied, “Why would anyone go to West Virginia in January?” But Charleston, South Carolina is another story. She is truly a beautiful city any time of year. Described by locals as that place where “two rivers meet to form the Atlantic Ocean,” I can understand why the locals love their home, and why so many have stayed here for so many generations.
But sightseeing was not my purpose in Charleston- renewal and revival were. The speakers and preachers were wonderful and included the Principal of Wycliffe Hall Oxford, the Lord Bishop of London, the Vice-Chancellor of Sewanee (my alma mater),the Bishop of Rochester, the Bishop of South Carolina, The Dean of Trinity School for Ministry, and the Archbishop of Jos Nigeria. The worship was magnificent. Evensong featured the Choir of St. Philip’s Charleston singing George Dyson’s Mag and Nunc and Parry’s “ I Was Glad.” Bishop Chartres challenged us to open our lives and our institutions to the leadership and infilling of the Holy Ghost, who was without doubt present in the service. The festival Eucharist featured the choir of St. Helena’s Beaufort, accompanied by the Charleston Brass. Archbishop Kwashi brought tears to our eyes with his godly exhortations to evangelism and Bishop Lawrence shone like Moses as he consecrated and delivered to us the Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. By the time the third of five Communion Hymns rang out the words “Rise Up, O Saints of God,” we all were on our feet, rejoicing in the power of God and filled with what Son-in-Law Matthew calls “South Carolina Happy.” God was in our midst, and the entire conference was transformative. The message was unified and simple.
2. As those same people forsook their sinful ways and conformed their lives to the clear teaching of Scripture, which is the example of our Lord, God used them, and he will use us, to bring the most obdurate sinners to personal confession, repentance, and moral transformation.
3. The cost of following Christ in this way is high, but the results are far-reaching, and ultimately eternal.
4. We who name Christ as Saviour are called to follow him in the knowledge that through us, through our hard work and sacrifice, God will transform the world and to bring all people to himself.
5. It is for this reason that he has called us and redeemed us by his blood.
As we move through the season of Epiphany and into Lent, I pray that we will always see our personal introspection and repentance in light of the call of Jesus Christ for us to evangelize others even as we have been evangelized. Our raison detre, our great purpose in life, is to glorify God by bringing all people to a saving knowledge of Jesus the Christ, who is God’s sole plan for our salvation. We can only do this effectively as we follow Jesus Christ in humility, acknowledging our sins, changing our ways, and working to conform our behaviour to the clear teachings of God’s Word, the Holy Bible. May He send his Holy Spirit upon us anew in the days to come that we might be faithful and obedient servants, bring our friends and neighbors to a saving experience with Jesus Christ, and in turn transform our society into a more just and righteous family, one filled with the hope of heaven.
To Christ- the True King!
Bill+
Friday, January 13, 2012
Rector's Report 2011- St. John's Lancaster
The numbers look good this year at St. John’s. Eleven Baptisms, a good list of confirmations receptions and transfers, a strong pledge base and small surplus going into December, and an Average Sunday Attendance (there is the real number for any church) of 110, up 15 from last year. But cautious thanksgiving, not jubilant self-congratulation is in order. After all, we have buried some very active members and seen good friends and members of our parish move away. And our ASA is significantly skewed by the fact that Christmas fell on a Sunday this year and the fact that we had excellent attendance at both Christmas Eve services, which count toward Sunday attendance. All the same, good things are happening at St. John’s. We offer three Communion Services each week in our Church, all of which are well attended. Two regular Bible studies are joined by a strong EFM program to provide Christian Education opportunities for our members. We have a regular presence for Prayer and Communion distribution in two nursing homes. We offer weekly lay led evening prayer at the church and also at the chapel at Pickering House, the home of our local tri-county hospice program. We have a regular presence in the county jail, the transitions center, and in SEPTA- the tri-county jail in Nelsonville (Bill McCleery, assisted by Chuck Canter even baptized two men there this year!) We have had good participation serving meals to the poor in Jackson and Hocking counties, and the support of our parish for the local Lutheran Social Services food pantry continues. We continue to support missions ranging from Haiti to Liberia to East Asia and beyond, and youth work in Pennslyvania. We support work among single mothers in our own community and provided hats and mittens to needy children in our own public schools. Our building is used by AA and Alanon, Fairhope Hospice, the Lancaster Festival Art Walk, and a group of local elementary school cheerleaders regularly. Special needs students from Lancaster High School come to our church every week during the school year for on-site job training experience. All of these things and more are supported by all of the administrative and service structures such as altar guild, choir, office volunteers, and the like that make up the daily labour of the people of God at St. John’s. We support the ministries of the Episcopal church directly through Episcopal Community Services Foundation, Support for the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem on Good Friday, support for the Dohn's- medical missionnaries in the Dominican Republic, and direct giving to two Episcopal Seminaries at Nashotah House and in Ambridge PA. This year, we saw one of our own families, the Canters, graduate from the House and accept a church appointment in the Episcopal diocese of San Diego. We have been pleased to support the Good Earth Farm and Common Friars, our relatively new Episcopal Monastery in Athens. Our own Emily Crawford served as a summer intern there during her break from Washington and Lee. .We also pay our diocesan Mission Share fully and on time this and every year. These are a few of the highlights of who we are and what we do here at St. John’s, and there are many more things we do to serve God and our fellows here and around the world. Thank you all for your generous support and service.
2011 has also seen some big changes about how we do business at St. John’s and in the look of the Church. First for the capital projects: We have new roofs on both buildings which should serve us for years to come. A major masonry project was conducted on the west end of the church which included the rebuilding of both towers. Many thanks to Glenn Newman, a long-time friend of this parish for doing the work. He saved us substantial amounts of money with his patient and careful workmanship. Thanks also to Martin Taylor, our good neighbor, who cooperated with us and Fairfield Federal to stabilize and reconstruct the wall that marks our property line. Last year, our vestry decided to adopt a plan of “Common Ministry” or increased lay involvement in the running of the church. A significant component of that plan was the replacing of our Church secretary with volunteer workers. It has been a learning process, but the transition has been made successfully, thanks to the hard work of Tom Hammer, Schyler Crawford, and all of our office volunteers. We hit a milestone in 2011 when our treasurer, Lowell Stallsmith, celebrated his twenty fifth year in that position. Thanks Lowell for a job well done. We continued to get to know each other better thanks to the monthly fellowship breakfasts organized by Mark and Mary Alice Perrine and their crews. Suzie Cork and the folks at Shaw’s continued to conduct the popular cooking classes which have brought joy to so many and raised a considerable sum for our parish. Many thanks are also in order to the Fairfield Anglican Fellowship, an independent mission support agency and registered 501c3 for their continued substantial support of our mission through the payment of utilities and support for individual projects of our parish and their support of the Common Friars in Athens. Thanks to all who support St. John’s by their labor, their giving of money and time and prayer, and by living the gospel every day. We are truly blessed, and if 2011 is any indicator of who we are, I anticipate a great 2012 here on behalf of the kingdom of God.
Faithfully,
Bill+
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Life As Stewardship
I love living in the country for many reasons, but perhaps my greatest joy comes from the opportunity it affords me to give back something to the land.
After the onset of winter last week, the last couple of days have been unseasonably warm. As the weather inched into the upper 50's, I decided to clean the horse stalls and chicken house. The scrapings totalled between twelve and fifteen wheelbarrows full of muck and soiled bedding, all of which made a very nice dressing for the raspberry canes. Today after church, I took the dogs and walked down into the woods to check the game runs. There was a significant amount of fresh deer sign from last night and early this morning, but pretty much all of the animals had moved on by the time we arrived. The squirrels seemed well fed on the fall's ample supply of black walnuts, and cuttings littered the ground at several locations. I re-stacked some brush piles, which should help the rabbits and squirrel to find some relief from the hawks and owls. While the springs have never recovered from the Corps of Engineers' last "improvement" to the watershed, I was able to get far enough into the wet areas to make some plans for restoration in the coming months. The recent losses of Ash and Elm trees in our area have cleared up some nice plots where I hope to plant Shag-bark Hickory in late February or early March, just before I plant the first peas and potatoes.
Husbandry is a lot like the Christian life. We start with wonderful opportunities fraught with serious limitations, and we apply a combination of love and reason to make something better than what was there when we began. By God's grace and through many mistakes, improvement is measured in the long term and seldom appears either quickly or easily. Then at the end of it all, we go on to our reward and leave the legacy to someone else, just as we received it from those who preceded us. What a blessing it is to know that we make a difference, even if only for a little while.
After the onset of winter last week, the last couple of days have been unseasonably warm. As the weather inched into the upper 50's, I decided to clean the horse stalls and chicken house. The scrapings totalled between twelve and fifteen wheelbarrows full of muck and soiled bedding, all of which made a very nice dressing for the raspberry canes. Today after church, I took the dogs and walked down into the woods to check the game runs. There was a significant amount of fresh deer sign from last night and early this morning, but pretty much all of the animals had moved on by the time we arrived. The squirrels seemed well fed on the fall's ample supply of black walnuts, and cuttings littered the ground at several locations. I re-stacked some brush piles, which should help the rabbits and squirrel to find some relief from the hawks and owls. While the springs have never recovered from the Corps of Engineers' last "improvement" to the watershed, I was able to get far enough into the wet areas to make some plans for restoration in the coming months. The recent losses of Ash and Elm trees in our area have cleared up some nice plots where I hope to plant Shag-bark Hickory in late February or early March, just before I plant the first peas and potatoes.
Husbandry is a lot like the Christian life. We start with wonderful opportunities fraught with serious limitations, and we apply a combination of love and reason to make something better than what was there when we began. By God's grace and through many mistakes, improvement is measured in the long term and seldom appears either quickly or easily. Then at the end of it all, we go on to our reward and leave the legacy to someone else, just as we received it from those who preceded us. What a blessing it is to know that we make a difference, even if only for a little while.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Mid-winter Musings
Fairfield County is now firmly in the grips of winter. The truck thermometer read 22 degrees Fahrenheit when I did my chores this morning at the barn. A light dusting of snow covers the ground, and the horses are very glad to be out of their stalls now that the ground is frozen (they tear up too much pasture when things are muddy and therefore have to stay in the barn until the ground is frozen.) Just last weekend, Tristan, Chuck, Leo the fat Labrador and I were shooting pheasants in fifty degree weather at Federal Valley. We bagged six birds, missed two embarrassingly easy shots, and watched one beautiful cock bird glide into the treeline when Leo got excited and galumphed out of range. It was a good day with lunch at the local ma and pop restaurant, Cardhu, and Dominicanas. The slower pace of mid-winter life in the countryside always calls me to consider those things that are truly important, and this year is no departure from that rule.
Monday night, Kathy Heim (our organist) conspired with me to offer evensong at the church. It is a fitting service for the countryside in mid-winter. After the sentences and confession, we proceeded directly to Phos hilaron by Robert Bridges and Louis Bourgeois, The lessons from the Feast of the Circumcision were answered by Crotch's Mag and Whitneys's paraphrase of the Nunc set to Orlando Gibbons' Song 1. There was enough plainsong, simplified Anglican chant, and incense for even me, but the most amazing thing about this lovely service was its spontaneity. I was in the throes of laryngitis, and so was unable to sing or read my accustomed parts. Kathy chanted, Ivan led the canticles, Frankie and Ann read the lessons, Ivan and Kathy offered thoughts on the lessons, Paul led the state and church prayers, Ivan offered those prayers requested by members of our congregation, and I merely received the gift of worship from my friends. I was helpless in a sense, but through my friends, I met God. The liturgy was truly the work of the people here at Saint John's, and the experience got me thinking about what might be.
Imagine a place where the Holy Communion was the basis of our life together. What would it be like for the ancient devotional societies of the church to cooperate in prayer with the more functional modern mission agencies which labour in our parish? Could it be possible that evangelical commitment to study God's Word might be blended with the devotional practices of the church catholic such as confession and stations? Could the personal devotional practices of the modern west be coupled with fasting and the disciplines of another age and another part of the world? And could God, would God, work through such a mix to send his people out in the power of the Holy Spirit to 'preach good tidings unto the meek, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.' (Isaiah lxi. I)?
These are the sorts of things I think about in mid-winter. Perhaps in the days to come, God will unite our hearts to see such a miraculous fulfillment of the prophesies of Isaiah.
Monday night, Kathy Heim (our organist) conspired with me to offer evensong at the church. It is a fitting service for the countryside in mid-winter. After the sentences and confession, we proceeded directly to Phos hilaron by Robert Bridges and Louis Bourgeois, The lessons from the Feast of the Circumcision were answered by Crotch's Mag and Whitneys's paraphrase of the Nunc set to Orlando Gibbons' Song 1. There was enough plainsong, simplified Anglican chant, and incense for even me, but the most amazing thing about this lovely service was its spontaneity. I was in the throes of laryngitis, and so was unable to sing or read my accustomed parts. Kathy chanted, Ivan led the canticles, Frankie and Ann read the lessons, Ivan and Kathy offered thoughts on the lessons, Paul led the state and church prayers, Ivan offered those prayers requested by members of our congregation, and I merely received the gift of worship from my friends. I was helpless in a sense, but through my friends, I met God. The liturgy was truly the work of the people here at Saint John's, and the experience got me thinking about what might be.
Imagine a place where the Holy Communion was the basis of our life together. What would it be like for the ancient devotional societies of the church to cooperate in prayer with the more functional modern mission agencies which labour in our parish? Could it be possible that evangelical commitment to study God's Word might be blended with the devotional practices of the church catholic such as confession and stations? Could the personal devotional practices of the modern west be coupled with fasting and the disciplines of another age and another part of the world? And could God, would God, work through such a mix to send his people out in the power of the Holy Spirit to 'preach good tidings unto the meek, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.' (Isaiah lxi. I)?
These are the sorts of things I think about in mid-winter. Perhaps in the days to come, God will unite our hearts to see such a miraculous fulfillment of the prophesies of Isaiah.
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