e-piphanies

Notes at the Beginning of Advent

Advent (from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming") is the period of expectant waiting and hopeful preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus.  It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences four Sundays before December 25. The Latin word adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, a reference to the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the age. Christians believe that the season of Advent is a reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians for the second coming of Christ.

The theme of readings and teachings during Advent prepares us for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. The lectionary prescribes special readings for each of the four Sundays in Advent. The lectionary followed by the Episcopal Church and many of our ecumenical partners is on a three-year cycle and features a different gospel for each of the three years.  In Year A, the primary gospel is Matthew, in Year B, the primary gospel is Mark, and in Year C, the primary gospel is Luke.  The beginning of a new liturgical year is a good time to begin a study of the primary gospel for that year.  For example, Year C begins on the First Sunday of Advent 2009, so Luke is the gospel we will emphasize.

Our Church uses colors throughout the year to express the mood of particular seasons and events.  in Western Christianity, the traditional liturgical color for Advent is purple or violet.  On the 3rd Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, rose may be used instead, similar to the rose used on Laetare Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Lent. However, in some churches, blue is the liturgical color for Advent, a custom traced to the usage of medieval Sarum Rite in England. This color is often referred to as "Sarum blue." The modern use of blue during Advent arises from reflection on the emphasis of Advent as a season of preparation that anticipates both the birth of the Messiah and the consummation of history in his Second Coming. Since this anticipation is characterized by hope, in contrast to the repentance we observe in Lent, blue, with its mood of hopefulness, seems more fitting than purple, with its mood of solemnity and somberness. 

Worshipers at Trinity during Advent will be greeted by blue hangings and vestments and by the blue candles in the Advent Wreath.  They will also notice that we no longer refer to Sundays in Advent - like the Sundays in Lent - but instead to Sundays of Advent.  Sundays are always feast days so, during seasons of fasting, they are referred to as being in but not of the season.  Since the penitential emphasis of Advent has been superseded by an emphasis on hopefulness and expectation, there is no need to suggest that the Sundays are distinct from the mood of other days of the season.

What I Like Most About the Episcopal Church

I was recently asked what aspects of the Episcopal Church I value and find life-giving and what about it calls me deeper into my relationship with God.  I'd like to share my answer with you.

The Episcopal Church fosters communities of followers of Jesus Christ where “all sorts and conditions of people” are welcome and no one is an outcast.  Those communities encourage each person to be transformed by openness to the wonder and mystery of God’s hand at work in the universe in which we live.  Our corporate worship and sacramental life give us sustenance for the spiritual journey and for service to the world.  By promoting the dynamic relationship of scripture, tradition, and reason, the Episcopal Church provides a broad “middle way” that allows diversity, resists dogmatic certainty, and encourages thoughtful conversation about what God is calling us to be and do.  Our oneness and our mission are not grounded in uniformity of belief, but in gathering for a feast at the invitation of the One who is the Way, Truth, and Life we seek.

Because of our roots in The Church of England, The Episcopal Church is also an Anglican Church.  As Anglicans, our descent from the Early Church is as direct as that of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.  At the same time, we share a common heritage with Reformed churches.  There are many desirable aspects of this “middle way” and three of them are especially important in my own journey to find and be found by God.

The Book of Common Prayer – The Book of Common Prayer is unique to our Anglican heritage and central to our structure and practice. The Book of Common Prayer provides a framework for our common life by providing central instructions in the Christian faith, requirements for our liturgical and sacramental life, and guidance for living as Anglican Christians.  Certainly, we have canons that govern many aspects of our corporate life.  But our unity is grounded not in polity but in common prayer.  The Church forms and shapes us individually as Christians and the prayer book provides the necessary cohesiveness that preserves corporate faith and order.

Our approach to reading and interpreting the Holy Bible – Avoiding biblical literalism and affirming the necessity of looking at scripture through the lenses of reason and tradition are hallmarks of our Anglican heritage.  We read and interpret the Bible for ourselves, but within the context of a gracious and redemptive community where our interpretations are tested and refined using this approach.  This helps us avoid not only error but also the narrow judgmentalism and pharisaism that has driven many away from life in Christ.  Our approach to scripture helps us explore both ancient truth and God’s unfolding self disclosure in our own place and time.

The possibility of following a spiritual path within an organized church – I find myself in company with many souls in this emerging era who are seeking to be a part of a diverse, inclusive, authentic community of believers with whom they can approach spiritual concerns, wrestle with doubt, live with mystery, and cope with ambiguity.  People are not looking so much for answers as for others with whom they can explore their own stories at the intersection with the story of humanity and with the ancient story of faith in God.  The openness of the Episcopal Church to questions, fresh revelations, and ancient teachings is inviting to me and will be inviting to the emerging generation of people on their spiritual journeys.

It's not a perfect church.  But it has a lot to commend it for anyone looking for an open minded, inclusive, non dogmatic approach to being a Christian.

Advent Balance

The following message was first published on November 29, 2007.

     It’s Advent.  Advent is hard to observe in our culture, isn’t it?

     The Church tells us it is a period of preparation for the Feast of the Incarnation, Christmas.  Our faith tradition encourages us to make it a reflective time during which we identify with those who waited long centuries for the appearing of God’s anointed one.  The liturgy for the Sundays and weekdays in Advent direct our attention to the wonderful gift that has come to us in Emmanuel and the promise that he will come again at the end to establish his victorious reign over all things.

     Yet, here we are again with all those sights and sounds and smells that tell us it is time to be the world’s most accomplished consumers.  Our culture encourages us to believe that the things we need and the things our loved ones need to make their lives complete can be bought for a price, and quite possibly must be acquired if life is to be worth living.  The liturgy of advertising and shopping mall directs our attention to the near frenzy involved in getting there while supplies last.

    I’m not really suggesting that we should not buy gifts or support our local merchants who work so hard and rely so heavily on sales at this season.  I enjoy going to the mall and listening to the music in the stores.  I like to shop for presents and believe it is a good thing to be thoughtful and generous with others as God in Christ has been thoughtful and generous with us in offering us his very life.

     What I am suggesting is that the spiritual dimension of the season can easily be overshadowed.  We need to find a balance and the Church can help.  Go to the mall, after you’ve gone to church.  Buy gifts, after you’ve left your gift at the Altar.  Spend time shopping for the perfect gift, after you’ve spent time in communion with the most perfect gift, Christ the Savior.  Have a wonderful, peaceful, and blessed Christmas!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

"O Little Town of Bethlehem"

The Rt. Rev. Philips Brooks (1835-1839)

The Episcopal Church: Here to Help

Members of Episcopal congregations on Galveston Island are returning to their homes, helping their neighbors, gathering for fellowship, and worshiping together. Teams of Episcopalians from the Diocese of Texas and across the nation are heading here to help us resurrect our lives.

Grace Church and St. Augustine of Hippo Church are worshiping at their facilities, although there is damage to be addressed.  St. Vincent's Episcopal House is providing assistance and has opened its medical clinic.  The preschool area was inundated and cannot open until remediation and repairs are completed.

Trinity Church is worshiping at St. George's Church in Texas City this Sunday and will move to the William Temple Episcopal Center next Sunday.  Trinity's parish office is temporarily located in the rector's home, 3017 Avenue O.  Phone and mail is being forwarded to that location.  

Wireless internet access and telephone service are available on the verandah at the rector's house.  There are coolers full of beverages and friendly faces.  It's a respite for those who are attempting to find their way through the complicated process of filing claims and filing with FEMA, interviewing contractors and waiting on permits.

The presence of our Episcopal community is a reminder of the presence and compassion of God Incarnate in the midst of our loss, our hurt, and our sorrow.  As we say in the ancient prayer, Ubi Caritas, "Where true charity and love dwell, God himself is there."

The Episcopal Community on Galveston Island is resiliant.  We are watching over one another in love and welcoming those God is sending to us.  Among our people we are witnessing countless acts of  mutual self-giving that make our hearts glad.

Our message is one of hope - The Episcopal Church: Here to Help.

Martin Luther King's Last Sunday Sermon

Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution

In case you find yourself drifting into a sentimental state of contentment by hearing another reading of Dr. King's great "I Have a Dream" speech, try reading or listening to his last Sunday sermon, delivered in an Episcopal Cathedral four days before his assassination.

Click the following link to read and/or hear the sermon, "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution," delivered by The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Washington Cathedral on March 31, 1968.

Dr. King's Last Sunday Sermon

It expresses the depth and breadth of Dr. King's message, including but moving beyond racism, and prophetically calling America and the world to accountability.  Let us take this sermon to heart, examine our conscience, and ask ourselves, "where do we go from here?"

Stone carving of Dr. King in the Pulpit of Washington National Cathedral

The Episcopal Church Welcomes You to Galveston Island!

The Episcopal Church is alive and well on Galveston Island, near Texas. And, the Episcopal Community of Galveston is preparing to welcome fellow Episcopalians from the Diocese of Texas to their 159th Council, February 15 & 16, 2008 at the Moody Gardens Convention Center.

This impressive video by Matthew Stanford and the kids of St. Vincent’s Episcopal House in Galveston celebrates the life of the Episcopal Church on this small island that has a big role in the history of Texas and of the diocese.  Thanks to Episcopal Church and the Visual Arts for a grant to make this video possible!

149 years ago, the diocese met on this island to elect the first Bishop of Texas, The Right Reverend Alexander Gregg of Cheraw, South Carolina.  After Bishop Gregg was consecrated, he and his family moved to Texas, arriving in Galveston.  His first acts as Bishop  of Texas, on Sunday, December 11, 1859, were on this island.  The Altar of St. Augustine’s Church, which will be used at the opening worship service of this year’s Council, is the Altar at which Bishop Gregg celebrated his first Eucharist in Texas.  The pulpit of Trinity Church, which will be moved to the site of the service on Friday night, is a memorial to Bishop Gregg.

The witness of the Episcopal Church on Galveston Island for the reign of Christ continues today through the ministries of three congregations and two diocesan missions.  The Episcopal Church Welcomes You!

December Ember Days

In the Episcopal Church, we observe Ember Days four times a year primarily by offering prayers for the ministry.  Those who are preparing for Holy Orders in this Church customarily write "Ember Day Letters" to their bishops.

The name for the observance may come from the Anglo-Saxon ymb-ren - a circuit or revolution; something that recurs. Or, it may come from the German quatember, a corruption of the Latin quatuor tempora - "Four Times."

The observances are always on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of the weeks following St. Lucy's Day (December 13), The First Sunday in Lent, Pentecost, and Holy Cross Day (September 14).  These times are almost equidistant in the circuit of the year.  Prior to Christianity, they appear to have originally been times of prayer and fasting originally related to the agricultural cycle.  Some believed that the weather on each of the three days predicted the weather in each of the following three months.  Excellent articles about Ember Days may be found on Episcopal Cafe and Wikipedia.

In any event, we are invited to pray at this time for those to be ordained, for the choice of fit persons for the ministry, and for all christians in their vocation.  The prayers which follow are from The Book of Common Prayer and are especially appropriate for use on Ember Days.

I. For those to be ordained

Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, in your divine providence you have appointed various orders in your Church: Give your grace, we humbly pray, to all who are [now] called to any office and ministry for your people; and so fill them with the truth of your doctrine and clothe them with holiness of life, that they may faithfully serve before you, to the glory of your great Name and for the benefit of your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

II. For the choice of fit persons for the ministry

O God, you led your holy apostles to ordain ministers in every place: Grant that your Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may choose suitable persons for the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and may uphold them in their work for the extension of your kingdom; through him who is the Shpeherd and Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

III. For all Christians in their vocation

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.