Resurrection

Dear friends,

At the Episcopal Parish Network conference I recently attended, one of the presenters was the senior warden of the Church of the Resurrection in Alexandria, Virginia.  She explained that after much prayer and discernment, she and her fellow parishioners decided to tear down the large, aging church facility they had outgrown and replace it with a much smaller worship space—located in the middle of a brand new complex of affordable housing units they would build on the church’s property. 
 
Today the Church of the Resurrection and the apartment complex share outdoor space.  Residents of the complex worship at the church, and parishioners are involved in a wide array of outreach ministries serving their new neighbors.  A tagline on the parish website says:  We are a community, a functional family, a home. 
 
The senior warden explained that the first worship service in the new space was held a few years ago on Easter Sunday.  Remembering that day, she got choked up.  She said simply, “We experienced resurrection.” 
 
In just a few days, we will gather together to celebrate resurrection: God raising Jesus Christ from death to life.  This is the central truth of our faith, the miraculous event that gives meaning to our lives—and to our deaths.  Despite—and in the midst of—all of the suffering in our world and in our lives, we celebrate resurrection.  We gather with joy to proclaim Alleluia, to hear the wondrous story once again, to praise God through word and song, to share the divine and simple meal that unites us to Jesus. 
 
As you prepare for our Easter celebration on April 9, I invite you to ponder the resurrections, large or small, that you have experienced in your own life.  And I look forward to celebrating with you the ultimate resurrection:  Jesus’ new life that gives us new life.
 
Blessings.  - Anne
 
PS.  As is customary here at St. Andrew’s, Easter offering envelopes will be available at both entrances to the church. You can also make your Easter offering online here. Please also bring your Mite Box offering for Episcopal Relief & Development and your flowers to help decorate our outdoor cross. 

Unveil the Shroud

On one of the shelves in my office I have one of those things that gives you different pictures depending on which angle it is viewed from.  In this case, lean a little to one side and it is a picture of the Shroud of Turin.  Lean a little to the other side and the face of Jesus emerges from the image imprinted on the Shroud.  The implication, of course, is that the Shroud of Turin is the shroud that covered Jesus in the tomb.  A neat special effect regardless of what one might think about the historical validity of Turin’s shroud.

The word “shroud” has been used specifically to refer to burial clothing since 1570, but more generally meaning “to hide from view, to conceal” since 1300.  The shroud is important for what it invites us to prayerfully contemplate during Lent, but the more important thing than the shroud itself is what is revealed when the shroud is lifted.  Lean a little to one side and you have one image.  Lean a little to the other and another image emerges.  In one direction is the shroud, in the other…the face of Jesus. 
 
As we come to Lent’s conclusion with Holy Week’s remembrances of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the foot washing of Maundy Thursday, and the agony of the crucifixion on Good Friday - all valuable, nay, essential, for our spiritual formation - the face of Jesus is revealed, not just in some artist’s rendering…but in us - real, alive, and deeply personal.  Now as our own Lenten shroud is about to be lifted to reveal the risen Christ beneath, we have only to decide which direction we want to lean: to keep the ecstatic joy of our Easter alleluias shrouded or in our care for those who so desperately need to receive God’s good news of the risen Christ, to lift the shroud and reveal the face of Jesus.
 
-Marc

Homeward Bound

In the quiet misty morning when the moon has gone to bed
When the sparrows stop their singing and the sky is clear and red
When the summer’s ceased its gleaming, when the corn is past its prime
When adventure’s lost its meaning I’ll be homeward bound in time
Bind me not to the pasture, chain me not to the plow
Set me free to find my calling and I’ll return to you somehow

If you find it's me you're missing, if you’re hoping I'll return
To your thoughts, I'’ll soon be listening and in the road, I'll stop and turn
Then the wind will set me racing as my journey nears its end
And the path I’ll be retracing when I’m homeward bound again
In the quiet misty morning when the moon has gone to bed
When the sparrows stop their singing I’ll be homeward bound again

Homeward Bound was written by Marta Keen Thompson around 1991, and it has become one of most performed contemporary choral works.  Finding one’s true calling in life often involves embarking upon a new phase of life’s journey, wanting to grow and change – but knowing you will return to those you love

This song is a illustration of the emotional pull towards home after leaving to seek one’s calling somewhere else in the world.  I would say that most us have “gone” somewhere during our life time, even if it was just college or possibly military service.  Quite frequently the song is performed when a group of soldiers return home.

Could it be a reflection of one’s life?  Could it be a reminder of the second coming of Christ?  Could it be God walking with us regardless of what is happening in our lives?  Could it be we have strayed and want to return home?  Could it mean that there might be another home for us to look forward to?   May we always be homeward bound somewhere.

Bill Wilds

Seed sowing

“What is the kingdom of God like? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds made nests in its branches.” - Luke 13: 18-19.

A few years ago I was feeling industrious and started a garden from scratch. That’s right, I didn’t go to Anderson’s in May and spend too much money on the pre-grown, lush tomato plants. I actually planted seeds in February, in dozens of tiny containers, and put them under lamps in our spare bedroom. I imagine if any of you are gardeners, you’ve already started a similar process.
 
Although I didn’t plant a garden from seed this year, I’m still basking in the springtime marvel of tiny seeds coming to life, of seemingly dormant, winter trees bursting into bloom. It’s a living, visual reminder of God’s promise in our own lives. The metaphorical “seeds” that you’re planting may seem to be coming to nothing when, one day, you walk by that spare bedroom and see a plethora of tiny buds popping up from the dirt.
 
If you’re a little impatient, like me, you may be tempted to think the friendly gestures you’re making to your new neighbor are having no effect, or that the lessons you plan for children’s chapel are quickly forgotten. It’s easy to fall prey to such cynicism, or to look to fill your life with things that promise quick results. God reminds us, through the wonder of His creation coming alive in Spring, that God keeps His promises to those who are faithful. Suddenly you realize that your formerly aloof neighbor is now your friend, and that the children you thought weren’t paying attention articulate their faith in ways more profound than you ever envisioned.
 
May your life in this Lenten season be filled with springtime awe, and even more hope-full, faith-filled seed-sowing.
 
Ginny Chilton

Vestry News

Dear friends,

One of the many privileges of serving as your rector is the opportunity to work with the faithful vestry members you elect.  Year in and year out, you have wisely chosen leaders who care deeply about God, about St. Andrew’s, and about our community and who are committed to working collaboratively together.  This year’s vestry is no exception.
 
Our February vestry retreat consisted of a Friday night session at a local restaurant, where the recently retired class of vestry leadership joined current vestry members for dinner.  Retired members shared insights and advice, and afterward we did some team-building exercises.  Saturday morning we met in the sanctuary for  spiritual retreat time.  We read Bible passages telling of the ways God calls spiritual leaders, provides us with companions in our ministries, and equips us with spiritual gifts.  We talked about how those stories resonate in our lives and our work here at St. Andrew’s, and then we celebrated Holy Eucharist together.  On Saturday afternoon we conducted our annual Mutual Ministry Review, an assessment of how we are doing as the parish leadership team and where we can make improvements.  Based on the Mutual Ministry Review, we then set three specific goals for our work together in 2023.  Below, I’m sharing the three overarching vestry goals for 2023; and also three collects that members wrote together during our retreat. 
 
Please continue to hold each individual vestry member and our shared ministry in your prayers.  And please mark your calendars now for the next quarterly congregational meeting, on Sunday, March 12 immediately following the 10:30 service.  The agenda will include updates on our finances and our building, among other things. 
 
Please join me in giving thanks for our dedicated vestry members. 
 
Every blessing.  –Anne

Collects written by 2023 vestry

Holy and eternal God, we ask that you help us remain available to your presence so that we may manifest your goodness as we work to build your kingdom in our own hearts, in our church family, in our communities, and in our world. We pray this through Jesus Christ, the living son, Amen.
 
O God who IS, who led Moses out of Egypt, you call us and equip us with a variety of gifts.  May we use them for the common good to serve St. Andrew’s, our communities, the world, and you.  Through your empowering Spirit, we pray.  Amen. 
 
Father Almighty, we ask for your nurture and guidance so that we may lift the burden of others and further love, peace, and respect for all people.  Through Jesus’s teachings, we pray.  Amen.
 
2023 Vestry goals

1. Continue to nurture children and young families by creating/supporting ministries such as Vacation Bible School, Children’s Chapel, and Intergenerational Dinner Events
2. , including announcements, articles, quarterly parish meetings, and a ministries fair.enhanced/increased communicationDeepen parishioner awareness and understanding of parish ministries and vestry responsibilities through
3. Serve as wise and careful stewards by increasing vestry knowledge of and engagement with parish finances through careful monitoring of revenues/expenses, especially in our liaison areas; by actively monitoring the work of the Sacred Direction task force; and by making an informed decision about the best use of our building for the future of St. Andrew’s.