Parish News and Upcoming Events

Rector’s Rambling- January 2012

As I sit down to write my first Rector’s Rambling of the new year, It doesn’t feel much like winter. The weather has been in the low fifties, and the rain has cancelled my pheasant hunt with Bill Young and Sadie the Retriever. The horses are a bit cranky about being in through the rains, and I must say that I’d much rather have them out eating grass than standing inside eating hay and oats. But that is December in Ohio. On the flip side of the coin, there is much for which I am thankful as the new year opens. Having Tristan home for Christmas is something I will never take for granted. I suppose Oxford, Ohio has as much potential for accident as anywhere in the world, but it is very unlikely that anyone there is shooting at my son and his friends. I am still rejoicing at Matthew’s ordination in “the California.” The short opportunity to share in his joy, and to see Ashley and the girls refreshed my soul.

 We had a wonderful visit with Bishop Price.  He has been a faithful and long time frind of our parish, and he will officially retire as our Suffragan Bishop with the coming of the new year.  Our's was his last official visit in the Diocese before his retirement. It was good to see so many brothers and sisters officially affiliate with our parish, and the reception in the undercroft was wonderful. This coming Sunday, we will baptize yet another daughter of Eve into Christ’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I have been very gratified by the response to the “Essential 100 Bible Reading Plan” http://e100challenge.com   I do believe with all my heart that if the people of God here or anywhere can increase their Bible literacy, spiritual renewal will follow. The Word of God is indeed sharper than a two edged sword, just as the Bible tells us. To read and study the Bible prayerfully, and with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, is to open ourselves to know the very character of God, revealed in Jesus Christ who said “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”

In January, I will be traveling again to Charleston for the “Mere Anglicanism” Conference www.mereanglicanism.com . Believe it or not, the topics and speakers are really quite exciting for a traditionalist priest, and I am looking forward to the trip to hear:

The Rev'd Dr. Richard Turnbull, Principal, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Anglicanism In Full Flower: The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
The Rt. Rev'd Richard Chartes, Bishop of London
Missionary Visionary: Bishop Henry Compton
Dr. John McCardell, Vice Chancellor, the University of the South
Anglicanism on Fire in South Carolina: The Great Beaufort Revival of 1831
The Rt. Rev'd Michal Nazir-Ali
Amnesia and Anamnesis: How we lost our way
The Rt. Rev'd Mark J. Lawrence, Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina
A More Excellent Way: Shaping the Future of Anglicanism
The Very Rev'd Dr. Justyn Terry, Dean, Trinity School for Ministry
Recovering the Christian Mind: Educating the Anglican Ministry Today
The Most Rev'd Benjamin Kwashi, Diocese of Jos
Recovering a Dynamic Anglican Missiology
I do appreciate the good people of St. John’s making continuing education a part of my package, and hope that the challenge and refreshment I find at St. Philip’s Charleston will invigorate my ministry among you.

On the fifth of January, the clergy of the Hocking Valley Deanery will be meeting with Canon Anne Reed, the Diocesan Staff Member Bishop Breidenthal has appointed to help us develop and implement strategies for creative ministry. We will be discussing how we might cooperate in mission along the route 33/ Hocking River corridor, and especially how we might work together to insure that our brothers and sisters in some of the small churches and preaching stations of our Deanery might have Holy Communion more regularly. In addition to our established missions and parishes, we have sacramental, preaching, and teaching missions in jails, prisons, and retirement homes all up and down the river. I believe God is doing great things in our midst, and hopefully we will strengthen our existing ministries and discern new ways that God might call us to proclaim the Good News to all people.

This Ramble has been more newsy than inspirational, but I hope it will help us all as we seek to discern what God would have us to do in this coming year. Resolutions can be very good things, and I hope that a greater awareness of the opportunities around us might help us to open our hearts to the leading of the Holy Spirit as we seek to live for God in the months to come.

Faithfully,

Bill+