Christmas 1 Year A

Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7, John 1:1-18

Merry Christmas!

Today is the fourth day of Christmas, and I’m sorry to say that I did not bring any calling birds or french hens or turtle doves or partridge in a pear tree. No instead I bring to you a few words from the brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist... In this season of Christmas, “We are all called to be witnesses and to proclaim the good news of Jesus as we have received it, as we have heard and understood it, as we have experienced it in our own lives.”[1]

The season of Christmas is a special time when we, as the church, focus on proclaiming the good news of Jesus to the rest of the world. This season gives us space to really celebrate what God did for us when Jesus became human. God didn’t give us presents wrapped in pretty paper, but God gave us the greatest gift we could ever receive... Jesus. Our God became like us to know us better, and to give us a chance to know God better.

So how does today’s gospel fit into the season of Christmas? Well, have you ever heard two or three different people tell the same story?  Their stories usually end in the same place, but each person highlights different parts, the parts that they think are the most important or the most interesting.  Sometimes the differences in the same story can make it difficult for us to know what really happened, and other times the differences can help us to hear the entire story. 

Advent 4 Year A

Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25

Last week we heard the message of John the Baptist loud and clear. He was getting the path ready for the Messiah. He was baptizing with water but the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit. He brought people out of their comfort zone by taking them into the wilderness, to hear his call to repent and get ready. John’s ways of delivering this message were a bit on the dramatic side, but it got it got their attention and they listened. People listened so much so that they became his disciples, they thought that he might be the Messiah even though he said he was preparing them for someone else.

This week we have fast-forwarded a bit in the biblical narrative of John the Baptist.  As he awaits his trial before Herod and what could ultimately be his end John is wondering about Jesus, wondering if Jesus is the one whom he has been preparing the way for, wondering if his cousin could be the Messiah. John was wondering because Jesus did not exactly fit with the idea of the Messiah that the Israelite prophets of old had foretold. The Israelites thought that the Messiah would be more like King David, more of a soldier. They were hoping for a hero, a knight in shining armor who is destined for glory, as many of tales and myths contain.  They were hoping for someone who would ultimately overthrow their foreign occupiers and bring about a time of peace and a right relationship with God.

But that is not who Jesus is, yet it is exactly what Jesus did. Jesus did not come in grand fashion, speaking a big game, and flexing his power. He did not set out to tear down the yoke of oppression and degradation with the sword and the blood of others. No, instead he sought to reorder society according to God’s will and not the corruptible will of humans. Jesus proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God.  

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

I hope that you and your family are having a blessed Advent season. Please watch this video with your family this week.

Peace,

Lauren+

Advent 1 Year A

Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44

I want to start this morning with a simple prayer.  Jesus be born into my life.  I like this prayer, not only because is short, simple and easy to remember but it contains the essence of Advent.  Whenever we pray this prayer we are asking Jesus to dwell within us and be filled with his love so that we can then in turn be agents of his love in the world.  It is a fitting prayer for the season of Advent because for the next four weeks we will be preparing ourselves to remember Christ’s coming into this world. 

So often we get caught up in the lead up to Christmas that we lose sight of the importance and significance of these next four weeks.  We see ads for all sorts of Christmas goods, presents, trees, lights, food.  We focus so much on December 24th and 25th that these four weeks can go by in the blink of an eye.   We can spend little time thinking about what Advent means and why we take time in our liturgical year to acknowledge and celebrate this period of time.  Advent is more than just preparation for Jesus’ birth it is also a time of preparation for his second coming. 

Our Gospel today speaks to this time of preparation and expectancy. Now one might think that on the first Sunday of Advent we would recount Matthew’s opening chapters leading up to the nativity through the remaining weeks of Advent, but instead we get a story that comes from the end of the Gospel.  Think of this reading as the appetizer, the story to wet your whistle, to get us prepared for the birth of Jesus.  

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. That means (as the video reminded us) family, football, and a lot of food. Thanksgiving is also the time where we make a special effort to share what we are thankful for in our lives. Last week Reverend Licia and I shared some of the things we are grateful for in our ministries at All Saints and this week we would like to ask you to do the same...

What are you thankful for at All Saints'? What event or program or group at All Saints' allows you to use your gifts and talents to glorify God? What do you love about being part of this community?

I know that we can't hear your responses as you are reading this, but chances are your answers to these questions have some similarities with one another. We are thankful for our friends at All Saints', we are thankful for a church that allows us to get to know God, we are thankful for the programs for ourselves and all of the members of our families.

All of the things that we are thankful for at All Saints' are only possible because of the people who have been or are members of this community. It is through our financial pledging and giving that we are able to support all of the programs that makes All Saints'...well, All Saints'. This Sunday is Commitment Sunday, which is when our annual pledge campaign formally comes to an end (though we welcome pledges at any time!). If your family has not turned in a pledge form yet, please do so this Sunday by placing it in the offering plate. All of our pledges matter, whether big or small, to the work of God here at All Saints'.

Thank you,

The Reverends (Lauren & Licia)

Free Liturgical Resources

Episcopalians rejoice!

Church Publishing and the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music have just released Enriching Our Worship (series of liturgical books) for free as PDF downloads.

Enriching Our Worship 1: Morning and Evening Prayer, the Great Litany, and the Holy Eucharist

Enriching Our Worship 2: Ministry with the Sick or Dying; Burial of a Child

Enriching Our Worship 3: Burial Rites for Adults, together with a Rite for the Burial of a Child

Enriching Our Worship 4: The Renewal of Ministry and the Welcoming of a New Rector or Other Pastor

Enriching Our Worship 5: Liturgies and Prayers Related to Childbearing, Childbirth, and Loss

After clicking the links above, scroll down to the description section for the link to start downloading the PDF.

These newly released PDF resources join the already available Book of Common Prayer and Liturgical Resources 1: I Will Bless You and You Will be a Blessing, resources for the Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant in a Same-Sex Relationship.

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

For the past few weeks, we have been talking a lot about the importance of pledging and stewardship around All Saints'. What we hear about it in church is mostly about financial giving, which is hard for children to understand when they aren't financially responsible for most of the things in their lives. With that being said, Reverend Licia and I have been trying to support you in talking with your children about stewardship through our reflections in this e-news. A few weeks ago, Father Reed reminded the children in children's chapel about tithing their Halloween candy, and I am here to ask you to do the same.

 

I know that candy is not the same as money, but candy is something that most children love so giving some of it to the church will help them better relate to the pledge conversations they are hearing in church. I know that many of you have already brought in your candy pledge, but just in case you haven't please consider bringing it this week. We are asking that each child participate in our pledge season by donating 10 pieces of candy from Halloween. If you have an older child or teen who know about percentages, ask them to consider tithing their candy. This would mean that if they collected 120 pieces of candy, they would give 10% which is 12 pieces to the church.

This is the last Sunday that there will be baskets in the narthex for collecting the candy. All candy will be donated to children who could not go trick-or-treating!

Peace,

Lauren+ 

All Saints Day for Kids

Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Luke 6:20-31

Today is a special day in the church. Why do you think today is a special day? (allow kids to answer)

          Today we celebrate all of the saints that have come before us. Today is our church and school’s patronal feast, which is a fancy way of saying that it’s the day to celebrate who we are named for.

          And because today is so special our service is a little different. So far this fall the clergy have been wearing green vestments, but today we are wearing white to show that we are rejoicing. We are also rejoicing today because we have baptisms and people receiving communion for the first time.

          When we celebrate baptisms we are adding new members to our Christian family. Most of you were baptized when you were little babies too, so it’s hard to remember your own baptism; when we baptize these children in a few minutes make sure to pay close attention so that you get the full experience.

          Now that we know what we are celebrating and how we are celebrating, let’s look a little deeper into what it means to be a saint.

All Saints Day

Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Luke 6:20-31

          Today is a special day in the church. Today we celebrate all of the saints that have come before us. Today is our church and school’s patronal feast, which is a formal and fancy way of saying that it’s the day to celebrate who we are named for.

          So, what is a saint?  Is it a person’s words that makes him or her a saint? Or is it their actions in the world? Or maybe is it the way they lived their lives?  Are saints only those who have lived and died or do they walk among us?

          There aren’t exact answers to each these questions. Some religions have official ways that someone becomes a saint and others believe that saints are people who we should try to be like. Around here, we hear about specific saints often in our midweek services of Eucharist and evening prayer. Some of the people we celebrate as saints became saints because they taught others about their faith, some because they took care of others, and still others because they died for their faith.

          In the Episcopal Church we celebrate a specific saint almost everyday, but today we celebrate all saints, those known by name or deed and those unknown, those who have come before us, or who live among us. Yes you heard me right, saints are not just great figures that lived long ago, there are saints that have been and continue to be a part of our community here at All Saints.

Proper 25 Year C

Joel 2:23-32, Psalm 65, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14

          The parable we just heard is related to the parable we heard last week, in fact it’s almost as if they are one large parable that the lectionary has cut in two. Last week, the parable was about a woman who continually asked for justice and was eventually given it. Jesus says that God responds quicker to our needs than the judge did for this woman. My sermon revolved around prayer. This week, the parable is about two men who pray and show their faith very differently.

          Today’s parable seems much clearer than most of the parables that Jesus tells. The point of this story is so clear it’s hard to miss: Don’t think too highly of yourself like this Pharisee; rather, be like the tax collector. Or, to make it even simpler, we can boil the point of this parable down to two words: “be humble.”

But here’s the thing: whenever a parable seems this clear and simple, we need to look deeper. Because Luke is the master of reversals. From Mary’s song at the beginning of the Gospel to the words Jesus utters to the crowd and thief at the cross, things never stay as they are for long Luke’s gospel. So let’s take a closer look at these two characters.

     

Proper 24 Year C

Jeremiah 31:27-34, Luke 18:1-8

          Jesus often teaches through parables.  Sometimes he provides a clear explanation of what he is saying, and other times he is cryptic. Today’s gospel has a combination of the two.  On one hand, Jesus explains how God responds quickly to his chosen ones – to us.  On the other, Jesus ends with the phrase “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

          What is that about? Is Jesus suggesting that the disciples might lose their faith?  Or is Jesus stressing the importance of prayer, which is what Luke says this parable is about in the first place? Perhaps – it is a mixture of both.  In order to not lose faith, or better yet, to grow in faith one must pray...and pray often.

  

          In our society, we have some pretty odd ideas about how prayer works, and about how God is supposed to answer our prayers. One way some people pray is sort of like using a Magic 8-ball, only instead of asking a yes or no question and turning the 8-ball over for the answer, you ask a question and then flip open the Bible to a random page and stick your finger down on a random verse, and that’s supposed to be your answer. While this can be sort of fun, it’s a poor substitute for the full and rich relationship with God that comes through persistent prayer.

True prayer is a continual conversation with God, and is a skill that is developed over a long period of time. It takes effort.  It takes persistence.

Proper 23 Year C

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, Psalm 66:1-11, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19

We are in need of some thanksgiving.

Take a look around. There is plenty of cause to be worried: too much unemployment and underemployment; a government shut-down and its collateral damage on working men and women who have no control; there is armed conflict in Syria and too many other places in the world; there is so much suffering occurring in all corners of the world. And this list doesn’t even touch on the challenges that we each have within our families and in our daily lives.

“Looking at these dimension of our life, you might wonder why I call for thanksgiving. Wouldn’t lament be more appropriate? Or a cry for justice? Or the call to action? Certainly these are also possibilities and have their time and place. But just now, and given today’s gospel, I am reminded that of all of our responses to events, blessed or challenging, great or small, one of the most powerful, and often overlooked, is that of thanksgiving.”[1]  

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

Parents are the first and best Christian formation leaders for their children, and I highly recommend using devotional books to help such as the two described below.

  

   

Five-Minute Bible Devotions for Children

By Pamela Kennedy, Illustrations by Amy Wummer

These spiral-bound, beautifully illustrated books of devotional stories for children are perfect for a short bedtime story or family devotion. The two books, Stories from the New Testament and Stories from the Old Testament feature devotions with a re-telling of a Bible story, a prayer, and a short Bible verse. The best features of these books are paragraphs at the end of each story that challenge children to examine and practice their faith in their schools, neighborhoods, and with friends and families. Questions at the end of each story gently ease children into discussions of the concepts presented in the story.

Peace,

Lauren+

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

 Crunch, crunch, crunch... I can't see... Amen... I'm hungry... Wahhhh!

These are just some of the things that we hear from little ones when they are in "big church," we hear them in Children's Chapel too, but they don't seem as noticeable in the pew packed with children. Sometimes their questions or comments are adorable and other times they seem extremely loud and out of place. Well I am here to tell you that most people in the pews find it adorable and love hearing your children in church. In fact, your children are much quieter and less distracting than you think.

A few weeks ago an article appeared on Huffington Post Religion entitled "Dear Parents with Young Children in Church." When I first read the title, I admit that I was a bit nervous about what the article might contain. I am happy to report that this writer echoes what I have written above and talks about the importance of children in church. If you haven't read this article already, please do by following this link http://huff.to/1ec4MmM. As the article says, "please know that your family -- with all of its noise, struggle, commotion, and joy -- are not simply tolerated, you are a vital part of the community gathered in worship."

Peace,

Lauren+

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

 Serve Christ Maybe?

There are so many ways to serve at church as families and as individuals! I hope that this video (set to the hit song, "Call Me Maybe") will inspire you and your children to think about how you can serve in church. Here are some suggestions...

Serve as a family on the hospitality team! The hospitality does things like passing out bulletins and greeting people as they come into church. 

If you are in 4th grade or above, you can be an acolyte (like the amazing teens in the video)!

If you are in 3rd grade or below, there is a place for you to serve in Children's Chapel! Each week someone is needed to carry the cross, read the prayers, and help with the collection. Make sure to check in with the MC for the day when you get to church and ask if they need help.

And lastly parents, if you are interested in being a Children's Chapel MC, let me know and I will get you into the mix.

I hope that in this new program year, you will each find a way to serve that is fulfilling! If you want to talk about it more, please do not hesitate to contact me or Rev. Licia.

Peace,

Lauren+

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

Teamwork . . . it sounds easy enough, right? Work as a team. Wanting to work in teams is not something that comes natural to everyone. Some people work best when they work alone. While this may be true for some, there is a reason for the age old saying "two heads are better than one". Even Jesus sent his disciples out in teams of two.

Former ASEDS student, Andrew Gallagher (at left) and his fellow team of rowing crew at a recent event for National Trials.

So why do I mention this? The first reason is because with the new school year, comes new friends and new required groups for your children. Working in a group is a huge part of school, no matter how old your child is. Daily students work in groups to learn how to problem solve and to learn how to work with others. As you know working together usually makes the workload a little lighter as well. Sometimes your children will love the groups they are assigned to, and as you already know, sometimes they will not. When they complain about a group try to remind them that working as a team is so important that even Jesus asked his disciples to do it. The second reason I mention this is because this weekend we will be having our dodge ball Pre-Game Game to help us learn how to work as a team so that we can be ready for the diocesan tournament in a few weeks. If you are 11 years old or older, please come play in the Pre-Game Game on Saturday, if you are younger come to cheer on the players!

Peace,

Lauren+

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

Can you believe it is time to go back to school already?! I feel like I have just gotten into my summer routine and now it's time to get back to my normal routine. I imagine that in each of your homes there is a high level of excitement, mixed with a bit of anxiety, about the new school year. Some of your children are starting school for the first time which brings its own bag of mixed emotions. In this time of change I'd like to offer you a devotional resource that youth and older children can use on their own, and younger children can use with their parents. The devotion is found at  

www.d365.org.

Everyday throughout the year a devotion can be found on this website, with special devotional series during advent, lent, and back to school time. These simple and short devotions are geared to help our youth and children see and feel Jesus in their every day lives. Please check out www.d365.org and take a look around, after you feel comfortable with it, please share it with your teens and children.

Peace,

Lauren+

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

Summer is here!

Last week Reverend Licia shared one of her favorite summertime activities, reading lots of fun books! I loved her idea so I'm going to share my favorite summertime activity with you all too... SUMMER CAMP!  

When I was a teenager I had the opportunity to go to Chapel Rock for summer camp and I had a blast. The mix of making new friends, spirit filled learning time, outdoor activities, great food, worship, and campfires made each of my camp experiences unforgettable. I wholeheartedly recommend sending your children or teens to camp so that they too can have unforgettable experiences and make friends around the entire Diocese.  

To get more information about the programs being offered this summer please visit http://chapelrock.net/camps.htm. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about camp or if you need a campership to help your child or teen be able to attend camp.

If you have a 3rd-6th grader interested in going to camp for the first time, I recommend signing them up for the June 30-July 6 program, because that is when I will be there serving as chaplain.

Peace,

Lauren +

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

Lots of fun stuff is happening this Sunday!

We are get to have ice cream sundaes in the morning, wear red, and celebrate the day of Pentecost. The sundaes are an All Saints’ tradition, but wearing red to celebrate the day of Pentecost is a much larger tradition. Pentecost is all about the Holy Spirit, and is also known as the birthday of the church. We wear red on the day of Pentecost because red is the color that represents the Holy Spirit. Check out the video below for a fun and lively explanation of Pentecost and why we celebrate it. This video is made by a Roman Catholic organization, but it everything it shares is true for us as well, so the one time it refers to Catholics just know it could say Episcopalians too.

Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Peace,

Lauren+

P.S.

We are celebrating all those who have worked with your children in Sunday School, Children’s Chapel, Youth Group, and Confirmation this Sunday at the 9am service and at Sundaes on Sunday. I hope you all will be able to be there to share your thanks with them!

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

I hate that senseless violence occurs daily in our world. I wish it were not so, but here I am writing to you all in the wake of another national tragedy. In times like these it is difficult to know what to say to our children when they ask why you are upset while watching the news or why something like this would happen. I don't know exactly what you should tell your children, but I do have a few articles that I suggest you read to help you prepare to talk with your children about the events in Boston, or to help you follow up on conversations you have already had.  

   

The first was shared with me by Rev. Licia, and provides advice on how to speak with children of all ages (toddlers through teenagers). http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2013/04/talk-children-marathon-bombs 

   

The second is from Sesame Street Workshop, and provides advice on how to help your whole family cope with frightening events.  http://www.sesameworkshop.org/our-blog/2013/04/16/more-tragic-times-helping-families-cope/ 

   

The third is from the Fred Rogers Company, and provides advice on how to talk with children when they see tragic events in the news. http://fci.org/new-site/par-tragic-events.html 

   

As always Fr. Reed, Rev. Licia, and I are available to talk with you or your family if you would like; just let us know.

Peace,

Lauren+

Easter 3 Year C

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20), Psalm 30, Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19

The gospel story that we heard last week from John’s gospel had a very strong sense of finality to it. In case you don’t remember, it ended with this line “These signs are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”1 What a great ending! It really felt like the entire gospel was tied up with a pretty bow.

But wait there’s more!

“Our gospel story continues like a play when the curtain comes down and an actor steps out on the front of the stage to deliver an epilogue, a postscript to the drama that has unfolded before us. There seems to be some fear that we might have not gotten the meaning of all that we saw and heard, and so, one more unforgettable story is offered.”2

Our gospel text today starts with some of the disciples fishing at the Sea of Tiberias. This sea may sound familiar to you because it is the same sea by which Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to feed a crowd of more than 5000 people. The disciples fished all night, but did not catch anything. Then Jesus enters the story, but they do not realize that it is him. After some discussion, Jesus tells the disciples to cast their net on the right side of the boat and they catch a multitude of fish. It is in this moment that Peter realizes that the man who told them where to fish is Jesus. I imagine that when Peter saw the net full, so full that it was about to burst, that he had a flashback to the day where Jesus fed so many people with just a few loaves and fish.

Reflections for Family Ministry e-news

I am so happy that our inaugural North Central Family 5K is finally here! This Saturday (April 13) morning volunteers will being setting up at 5am, registration for the runners will be at 6:30am, and the race starts at 8am. It will be an early morning for all involved, but it is sure to be lots of fun.  

Some of you have asked why All Saints' decided to have a race, so I am going to share the why with you. We decided to have a race because we wanted to do something that would be fun for all ages, old and very young alike, and help us to connect more with the wider community. Having a race allows those of us who are regular attendees at All Saints' to get to know one another outside of the pews and it also allows us an opportunity to meet people from around North Central Phoenix.

The race also allows us to raise funds for both Family Ministries and our partner parish and school St. Paul's in Haiti. For All Saints' additional funds for Family Ministries means that we can try new and exciting programs to engage our children, youth, and families. For St. Paul's the additional funds means they can finish building the walls and roof for their school so that different grades can have their own classrooms. In short the North Central Family 5K is a friend-raiser and a fundraiser that we hope will become a loved tradition.

It's not too late to volunteer or register for the North Central Family 5K! If you would like to volunteer show up and see where help is needed. If you would like to register for the race please go to www.ncf5k.org or you can register in person on the morning of the race.

Looking forward to seeing you bright and early on Saturday!

Peace,

Lauren+

Easter 2 Year C

Acts 5:27-32, Psalm 150, Revelation 1:4-8, John 20:19-31

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.

You cannot actually see wind. You can feel it on your skin. You can hear it through cracks in the door. You can smell things from far away that the wind moves towards you. You can see plants sway and bend in its mighty force...but you cannot actually see wind.

Believing without seeing.

There are many things in and about the world that we believe in though we cannot see them. We believe in the property of gravity and other forces of creation, though we cannot see the pressure of gravity at work. We believe in love, though we have no way to measure it, but we feel it burn intensely within us.  Some of us believe that there are monsters in the closet or under the bed, though no one has ever actually seen a monster.

Believing without seeing.

We come to believe in all sorts of things we cannot see through our personal experiences and through experiences shared with us by others. This is especially true when we are young and are still exploring the multitude of experiences within God’s creation.

Good Friday Year C

Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Psalm 22, Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1-19:42

Darkness is closing in.  Death is near.  He senses it.  He knows it is almost over.  The heat of the desert sun is sucking the moisture out of everything that is exposed to the bright rays of light.  The weight of his body has put a tremendous amount of stress on his bones.  As he tries to hold himself up to catch a breath of air, unimaginable pain runs through his body pulsing from his wounds, especially his feet as he tries to hold up his body.  Every breath is a challenge.  He has lost a fair amount of blood and sweat on his journey to Golgotha and while hanging on the cross for many hours.  His mouth is dry, lips chapped, head hanging, little strength left. Finally he proclaims “it is finished” and gave up his spirit.[1]

To say that today is a difficult day for Christians would be an understatement. Today we hear about the final hours of Jesus’ earthly life. The final hours that were full of torture and sacrifice. Those final hours that he endured for you and for me.

It is very tempting for us to shy away from the difficulty of today, especially while we listen to the scripture readings. We are tempted to gloss over the suffering of Jesus, the absence of most of the disciples, and the death of Jesus. We are tempted to ignore these facts and jump to the amazingness of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter. We are tempted, but we cannot give into that temptation. This is something that I struggle with every year, so I am saying this as much to myself as I am to all of you... today we must sit in this space which is visually bare and scripturally painful before we can enjoy the days that are to come.