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Our Journey
May 29, 2011 Easter Season
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The Season of Easter
In this weeks readings from the Acts of the Apostles Paul shows us a very effective way of taking the Good News out into the world. I like to think of it as Adaptive Evangelism.
All of us are Disciples of Christ and we must witness to the world. Like Paul, our witness must be respectful of the view of others but we cannot water down our own Christian beliefs. Adaptive Evangelism is a way for us to affirm our Baptismal Covenant in new and creative ways by providing thoughtful and decisive witness.
We should not approach our job as Evangelists with the assumption that we already know the minds and hearts of others. We must listen deeply, pay attention to the details of what people are saying, provide spiritual hospitality, and to identify theological and evangelical possibilities that will help others come to the one truth.
Our job is to find a way to enter the world of another in order to speak our truth honestly, respectfully, and effectively. We can only enter that world if we look for the openings through which we can connect.
Fr. Bob+
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Acts 17:22-31
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
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| This weekend we set aside time to remember all who have served our country and those who currently serve. We especially remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to help ensure our personal freedoms and way of life found in so few places around the world. Please tell all who have served and all who are still serving in our Armed Forces thank you for a job well done.
Please pray with me for those who have fallen and those who are currently serving:
Lord God, Heavenly Father we give thanks for the country you have given us. We are eternally grateful for all the blessings which you have bestowed upon us. We remember today those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in their duty to country. So many have given themselves to resist the evil of their day to help make this world a safer and better place. We ask that you watch over all who are currently serving especially those deployed to the troubled regions of the world. Be their comfort and refuge during danger. Keep them safe from enemy and accident. Bring them home safely to their families and loved ones. These things we ask in your name. Amen
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The Evangelist E-Newsletter
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Our E-Newsletter, “The Evangelist” will contain timely information on events and happenings around St. Luke’s and St. Joseph’s. To receive the E-Newsletter, please send an email to the Church office at stlukes@stlnj.com and request to be put on our E-Newsletter list. The newsletter will only be sent to those who request it and we do this so we do not impose our newsletter on anyone who may not want to receive it.
The E-Newsletter will be published as information, pictures, articles, and other content arrives from our congregation, and church and diocese events and activities. Please send your articles and other information in electronic form to stlukes@stlnj.com. Paper copies and faxes are strongly discouraged and may not make it into the E-Newsletter in a timely fashion.
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Our first annual Parish Picnic was held at the ranch of Sara and Joe Lewis. We began with an outdoor Sunday Eucharist at 11:00 am followed by a picnic lunch. We had about 48 people attending and it was a beautiful day. Thanks to our hosts Joe and Sara Lewis for a wonderful setting. Joe cooked up a ton of brisket, pork and chicken. I really don’t think anything was left and believe me there was a lot of great things to eat. We will do this again next year for sure.
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The Daughters of the King (DOK) held their organizational meeting on Wednesday April 27th in St. Luke’s Parish Hall. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Daughters of the King please contact Tamara Clothier or Paula Miller.
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