Fifth Sunday after Pentecost • June 23, 2013

All Saints’WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG

Healed in the Power of the SpiritBy The Rev. Rick Matters

Both Elijah (in First Kings) and the madman (in Luke) are hounded by death. Elijah was hiding because of the death sentence issued by Queen Jezebel. The madman made his home among the dead.

Luke’s vivid and dramatic picture of a crazed naked man living in the caves and sleeping among skeletons can serve as a frightening modernistic painting of humankind’s orientation toward death. This orientation toward death is woven through history, and is just as present today. Our orientation to death stimulates that fascination with violence I spoke about last week.

Whereas Elijah encountered God in the sound of sheer silence, the madman encountered God in Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus did not simply exorcise demons, he reoriented this individual toward “the life that really is life” (1 Timothy 6:6-19). God’s healing in the power of the Spirit is nothing less than a total reorientation toward life.

The Weekly

Recommended Reading: A Matter of Life and Death, by John V. TaylorBy The Rev. Rick Matters

Last week I read another book by John Taylor, the former bishop of Winchester, and today I ordered this one. So I recommend it sight unseen, because the author is insightful, and because the book is composed of five Oxford addresses on the topic of my sermon: embracing life in the power of the Holy Spirit. The publisher writes, “Christians must come alive to the realities of the gospel, through the awareness which is the Holy Spirit’s gift. They must reject everything that is dead and life-destroying, and in mutual interchange and joyful response awaken to the life whose source is the dynamic, living God.” I will read this book soon, so feel free to contact me with comments or questions.

Scripture Lessons Today1 Kings 19:1-15aPsalm 42Galatians 3:23-29Luke 8:26-39

Scripture Lessons for Next Week1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 Psalm 77:1-2,11-20 Galatians 5:1, 13-25 Luke 9:51-62

Healed in the Power of the Spirit

All Saints’ • The Weekly

WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG

Healing RelationshipsBy The Rev. Rick Matters

The conclusion of today’s Gospel story always surprises me, because it feels like the townsfolk reject Jesus, and Jesus rejects the healed person. However, this story actually speaks of the positive impact of Jesus on our relationships.

As we turn away from the world’s orientation to death and accept the life with which God is embracing us, our relationships deepen. Jesus meets us where we are and invites us into a deeper healing relationship with God, but he never coerces us. When the townspeople were overcome with fear, Jesus did not try to change them, but respected their demand that he leave. As the formerly crazy person sat at the feet of Jesus with love and gratitude in his heart, Jesus told him to return home and re-establish relationships with family and friends.

To whom might Jesus be sending you home? How might the healing power of the Spirit enrich your relationships?

Highlighted Events and Meetings

JUNE 28 I-Help Dinner at All Saints’

JUNE 26 Vestry Meeting

JUNE 29 Friends of St. Patrick’s, Haiti

JULY 1 Salon des Artistes

JULY 4-5 INDEPENDENCE DAY Church Office is closed

JULY 6-12 Middle School Sierra Service Project

JULY 13 Pastoral Training Sessions

JULY 9 Building and Grounds meeting

JULY 13-19 Sr. High Sierra Service Project

JULY 15-19 Bach to the Future, Session I

JULY 16 Finance meeting

JULY 17 Foundation Trust Fund meeting

JULY 22-26 Bach to the Future, Session II

JULY 26 I-Help Dinner at All Saints’

From Loneliness to Sweet Solitude By The Rev. Rick Matters

The madman in today’s gospel lesson was alone and imprisoned by that separation from God which Paul called sin and death. This madman literally slept with the bones of the dead. In his state of waking death he experienced alienation, which some socialists identify as a phenomenon descriptive of our era.

His encounter with Jesus freed this tomb-dweller from his alienation. By exorcising the demons, Jesus brought him back to his true self and enabled him to return home. Returning home extended this person’s healing, permitting him to re-establish relationships with family and friends. It also meant that his new experience of being alone was not a matter of alienation or even of loneliness, but was transformed into solitude. Solitude is being by oneself in the presence of God.

In the same manner, Jesus Christ keeps us connected to the source of life. The Holy Spirit heals our loneliness by changing it into life-giving solitude. Thanks be to God!

All Saints’ • The Weekly

WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG

This Bible study is based on a synoptic and chronological study of the four Gospels. Together we will study and learn from the Jesus’ life and ministry and learn more about being disciples.

Starting: June 5, 2013When: Wednesday morningsTime: 10:30 – 11:45 a.m. Wherea: All Saints’ Church in Grant Hall

To learn more plese contact Greg Troxell, gtroxell65@gmail.com.

Healed, We RespondBy Robin Denney

In the Gospel story today the man who is healed from demon possession wants to remain with Jesus. He has had the experience of drawing close to God and being made new, and his initial response is to cling to Jesus, not wanting to lose what he has gained. But Jesus sends him out into the world to tell all that has been done for him. The man is sent out as a missionary. And why would Jesus chose this man, this unclean Gentile madman to be his missionary? Who better is there to preach the good news of Jesus’ healing and forgiveness! We too are called not to a comfortable life, sitting side by side with Jesus in the boat, learning from him for our own personal fulfillment. No, we are called to recognize our brokenness, receive the healing of Jesus, and carry that healing out into the world!

Healing PrejudiceBy Robin Denney

Jesus saw no boundaries. He reached out and touched the people who his society said were untouchable. The demoniac in the Gospel story today was insane, living among the dead, and a Gentile: all lines Jesus should never have crossed. Jesus’ love knows no bounds of race, gender, class, economic status, age, or language. And yet we fall woefully short of the example that Jesus sets for us. We judge people by what we see or hear, but we make an extra effort for people we consider worthy of our attention. If we say we are not prejudiced, we lie to ourselves. It is only in accepting our prejudices that we can work, through prayer and action, to live into our baptismal promise to “respect the dignity of every human being.” As Paul puts it, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Tech Camp is one of the All Saints’ Day School Fun in the Sun summer programs that provides children in grades Kindergarten through eigth a wide range of activities and experiences that emphasize fresh air and using their two hands to create things. Sports and games, performing arts, and music are complemented by learning adventures and arts and crafts, including painting and sewing. To learn more visit: http://asds.org/summer

Summer Services at Santa LuciaSunday, July 7, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. Mother Cynthia will begin summer services at Santa Lucia Chapel.

AnnouncementsSaturday: St. Patrick’s, Haiti—You are welcome to participate in our mission outreach to St. Patrick’s. We meet this Saturday, June 29, at 10:00 a.m. in the library. The meeting includes a potluck barbecue lunch. Please contact Rosemary Smith at hesmith21@comcast.net or 625-7622 to RSVP.

Healthy Saints hike—Join Mother Cynthia for a hike at Big Sur’s Limekiln State Park on Thursday, July 11. We’ll assemble at the Santa Lucia campground at 9:00 a.m. and drive south to Limekiln, which features three beautiful and easy hiking trails. The hike will finish around noon, and can be followed by lunch at The Maiden, a pub near Santa Lucia. Please RSVP to Mother Cynthia at cms614@me.com.

The updated 2013 church directory is now available. Please stop by during regular office hours to obtain a copy.

National Episcopal Cursillo Conference 2013—Register by July 14 at a reduced rate for the annual conference, held this year in Chicago, October 24–27. More information is available at http://www.nationalepiscopalcursillo.org/how_to_register.htm.

Food Pantry—We need cans of soup and ramen noodles in individual packs. We gave out 40 bags of food in May, and Epiphany distributed 475! Thanks to all for your continued help with this ministry.

Interfaith Outreach of Carmel’s Joining Hands Benefit Shop is in need of volunteers to work a few hours a week. To learn more about Joining Hands, talk to Sofia Osborne or Nancy Jones after church, or contact Sofia at 620-2147 or osbornesofia@gmail.com. All Saints’ is a founding member of IOC.

Counter needed—Counters are those who each week count all the monies received by the church and deposit the receipts in our bank account. To be a counter, you need to be available on Mondays from about 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. so that you can do the counting in company with our bookkeeper, Lin Sponsler. No computer skills are needed or used—Lin takes care of that. There are presently three counters: Nan Walker, Warren Bartle, and Mike Raggett. Please contact Mike at 831-620-0638 if you would be willing to join the team. Thanks!

Sunday handout deadline—To be included in next Sunday’s handout, your announcement must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday. Contact Andrea Matters at andreamatters@gmail.com or 624-3090.

All Saints’Episcopal Parish

Ninth and DoloresPO Box 1296Carmel, CA 93921Phone: 831-624-3883Fax: 831-624-1459www.allsaintscarmel.org