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Weekly news and inspiration from All Saints' Episcopal Church, Carmel-by-the-Sea
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Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost •August 11, 2013
All Saints’WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG
Hospitality is an important part of our parish culture. It is one of the first things that many visitors notice, and it is one of the reasons I chose All Saints’ as my parish home two years ago. Our hospitality is genuine because we truly care about the people we meet. We look for God in them. We want them to see God in us. Cookies and conversation are simply natural expressions of God’s love. And yet God’s hospitality is so much more.
God’s calling you to share in his kingdom does not mean ‘come live in my home.’ It means ‘come and help me build.’ Tear down walls. Make space for the people who don’t have space anywhere else. To inheriting the kingdom of God is just where the work begins.
The Weekly
Recommendation:
Maurice Dyer’s Blog By Robin Denney
Our missionary Maurice, is now settled in his placement in South Africa! He posts reflections and pictures weekly on his blog (http://mauricedyer.blogspot.com) called “How it’s Going.” As our missionary, Maurice serves as a connection between us, and the people of the community where he is working outside Grahamstown, South Africa. In order to be part of that connection, we not only give to him with our money and with our prayers, but we also remain a part of the connection by reading his posts, and posting responses or emailing him back as well! Even if you don’t know Maurice personally, he would love to hear your response to what he is up to. Through his posts he is sharing with us glimpses of the kingdom! If you haven’t had a chance to give to Maurice’s mission yet, you can send a check to All Saints’ with the memo: Maurice Dyer. You can email Maurice at: [email protected]
Scripture Lessons TodayGenesis 15:1-6 Psalm 33:12-22Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Luke 12:32-40
Scripture Lessons for Next WeekJeremiah 23:23-29Psalm 82Hebrews 11:29-12:2Luke 12:49-56
God’s Extraordinary Hospitality of Sharing the KingdomBy Louis Powell
All Saints’ • The Weekly
WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG
Piercing the DarknessBy Greg Troxell
No doubt you’ve heard of Hassidic Judaism. The individual is sometimes referred to as a chassid. There is an old story of a chassid lamplighter - a faith-filled, humble man who walked the streets carrying a flame at the end of a pole, who knew that the flame was not his and yet faithfully went on from lamp to lamp throughout the town and countryside to set them alight. He did not worry about what hid in the shadows, nor how far he must walk to fulfill his duty, nor who lived in the home and whether they were kind, grumpy or devout. The story reminds me of our present theme of hospitality and this week’s focus on sharing the kingdom.
In today’s Gospel reading we are commanded to “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning” - Luke 12:35a. How are we to go about this but by attending to the flame of faith in our soul, and live as servants of the Lord - hospitable, humble, devout, selfless and embracing, and serving stranger, friend and foe.
What lies beyond the letter of the law? What lies beyond the darkness? Do not fear. Carry forth your lamp and find out.
Highlighted Events and Meetings
AUGUST 13 Buildings and Grounds Meeting
AUGUST 18 Summer Choir Sings
AUGUST 20 Finance Committee Meeting
AUGUST 21 Friends of St. Benedict
AUGUST 23 I-HELP Dinner
AUGUST 28 Vestry Meeting
Working for the Kingdom By Robin Denney
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” God shares the Kingdom freely with us. It is not something that we must earn or deserve. But we don’t have to wait until we die to experience glimpses of the Kingdom. If we treasure the things of God, our heart will dwell in the Kingdom. If we work day by day to love God and love our neighbor, then we will be dwelling in the Kingdom here on earth. And we toil for the building and sharing of the Kingdom here on earth if we work to fulfill the promises we make at baptism: to participate in the church community, to repent whenever we fall into sin, to talk about our love of the Gospel and Jesus, to seek and serve Christ in all people, and to work for justice and peace on the earth and respect the dignity of every human being! It is a tall order, but we don’t have to do it perfectly, we just need to try day by day to be more and more the people that God is calling us to be.
Santa Lucia Mission is seeking materials to build a multi-use shed that will serve to hold food for the homeless and hungry, as well as sacramental supplies, and some camp supplies. Please review the list and make your tax deductible donation of goods or money. To view the list visit our website http://www.allsaintscarmel.org/2013/08/outreach-in-big-sur/ or email Mother Cynthia [email protected].
All Saints’ • The Weekly
WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG
A Hospitable NationBy Greg Troxell
The Statue of Liberty sits on Liberty Island in the middle of New York Harbor, a colossal neoclassical sculpture. Have we, however, now dismissed the inscription?
As early as 994 A.D. the island was inhabited and was treasured by the Native Americans as a rich source of shellfish. It wasn’t until 1609 that Europeans began colonizing and dominating its shores naming it one of the “Oyster Islands”. For over one hundred and sixty years it traded hands through both battles and purchases. It was in 1865 that Edouard de Laboulaye, a French political intellectual and authority on the U.S. Constitution, proposed to commission a gift honoring America as a nation that grants freedom and extends a hospitable welcome. Finally on October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled and “From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome.”
We are blessed to live in such a nation. The dream of immigrants cast an ethos as grand as the Lady herself, and as the union was formed, our values, united in God’s unfailing love, gave us courage to open our shores and our hearts to unveil a hospitable nation.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. - Psalm 33:22
“It’s Greek to me”By Greg Troxell
To understand the New Testament concept of hospitality, I urge you to explore the Greek word xenos translated as foreigner, stranger, sojourner and guest. Explore as well as the ancient Greek concept of hospitality expressed in the word xenia. These concepts confront what we now call xenophobia.
In the reading from Hebrews today, we read about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who lived in tents as strangers in a foreign land and lived by faith and longed, not for their homeland, but for a better country—a heavenly one.
How then shall we be as the Church? Dare we be focused on the earthly acquisition of treasures and domination? That’s Greek to me. No, instead we should focus upon the kingdom of heaven, the purposes of God and live our lives as agents of God’s grace and hospitality delivering the salvific message of faith, hope and love to those strangers we meet and friends who are yet different than ourselves.
AnnouncementsTuesday: Healthy Saints hike— Join your friends this Tuesday, August 13, from 9:00 a.m. to noon to hike at Glen Devon Ranch. Spaces are limited, so sign up soon with Mother Cynthia at [email protected].
Tuesday: The All Saints’ book club will meet Tuesday, August 13, at 6:00 p.m. in the library. For more information, contact Kathy Nielsen at [email protected].
Wednesday: Bible study from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Grant Hall.
Thursday: Last call for unclaimed lost & found items—Several earrings, jackets, wrist watches, and eyeglasses have been found on church property over the past year, and will be disposed of this Thursday, August 15, if not claimed before then.
Saturday: Episcopal Church Women This Saturday, August 17, the diocesan ECW presents Our Gifts & Joy from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s, Salinas. For more information, contact Diane Lovelace at 408-263-8945 or [email protected].
Women’s Retreat: Building a Sacred Space—Join Mother Cynthia on Saturday, August 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at our Santa Lucia campground. The $15 registration includes snacks and presentations; bring a bag lunch. RSVP to Mother Cynthia at [email protected].
Summer Choir is open to anyone who might like to sing, but cannot commit to full choir membership. The anthems are easy and fun, and you’ll sit in the congregation and come up just to sing the anthem. Rehearsals begin at 10:00 a.m. in the music room, before each 10:30 a.m. service in August. All are welcome!
Ministry of hospitality—You’re invited to open your home to a participant at the September 27-29 Festival of Christian Spirituality. All meals will be provided at the festival. If you have a spare room and would like to participate in this ministry, please contact Father Rick or the parish office.
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 [email protected] or 624-3090.
All Saints’Episcopal Parish
Ninth and DoloresPO Box 1296Carmel, CA 93921Phone: 831-624-3883Fax: 831-624-1459www.allsaintscarmel.org
