Bread for the Journey

A Quarterly Magazine of Messiah Episcopal Church

Volume 4, June 2019

Pentecost ~ Focus on Mission & Outreach

The Spirit is a-Movin’ ........................................ 2 A Pentecost Sonnet ........................................... 2 Mission and Them ............................................. 3 Of Ships and the Mission of the Church .................. 4 Haiti Partnership: Building Relationships, Growing in Faith ......................................... 5 The God of Mission .......................................... 7 Recommended Mission Reading ........................... 7 Reflections on Acts 2 ........................................ 8 Bishop Wilme’s Visit Photos ............................... 9 Mission and Outreach Overview ......................... 10

Missionary Spotlight......................................... 11 House Groups at Messiah .................................. 12 Worship and Music for Pentecost ........................ 12 Treasure in Earthen Vessels ................................ 14 Poetry ............................................ 2, 14, 15, 19 Book Review ................................................. 15 Creating an Individual Purpose Statement .............. 16 Thoughts on Prayer ......................................... 17 Building Ministry Teams ................................... 19 Recommended Episcopal Church Reading .............. 19 Hidden Treasure in the BCP and Hymnal ............... 20

IN THIS ISSUE

Youth Mission Team in Marvel, Arkansas. Photo by Paul Johnson

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There was once a pastor who decided to use a dramatic effect on Pentecost. So the day before, he took a large fan up into the balcony of the church, and plugged it in, and turned it toward the nave where the congregation would be sitting. The idea was that when the story of the first Pentecost was read, from the book of Acts, with the flames of fire and the rushing wind, an assistant would turn the fan on and everybody would feel the wind of the Holy Spirit. They even practiced it, and it seemed so great. Sunday morning came. The church was full of people wearing red. It was festive and joyful. The lector stood up to read. The assistant was waiting in the balcony. At the words about the mighty rushing wind, the fan sprang to life… and all chaos ensued. Bulletins were swept out of people’s hands. A few ladies’ hats went flying. And the pastor’s sermon, so carefully laid out on the lectern, flew apart and wafted throughout the church and through the open door, never to be seen again. People remembered that Pentecost for a long time. I like that story because it’s a reminder of the unpredictability of the Holy Spirit. It gives us a gentle nudge to not take ourselves so seriously — to let go of the notion that we have control over our lives, our plans, or God’s work in the world. The celebration of Pentecost is a reminder both that God cannot be contained or controlled, AND that God invites us — or even compels us — to participate in the exciting work God is already doing in the world. On that first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came in fire and wind, literally driving the disciples out into the street where their enthusiasm for Jesus burst from their lips in a chaos of languages, understood by everyone who was there. The disciples were filled with the Spirit’s power, to continue Jesus’s mission, in service to God’s dream of salvation for all. Being part of God’s mission in the world requires both equipping ourselves inwardly and getting outside of our church walls — going out into the streets, filled with the Spirit, to proclaim through word and deed the saving acts of God in Christ. We do it best when we remember that the Holy Spirit can’t be contained, and the work of God always includes an element of unpredictability. This issue of Bread for the Journey focuses on Mission and Outreach, and on our work within the church to equip ourselves to be part of God’s mission. Within these pages

you will find words and images from fourteen Messiah members, and my new favorite contemporary poet, Malcolm Guite. These voices lift up images of springtime and summer’s beauty. They help us to explore themes of Pentecost. They help us ponder our relationships and responsibilities to each other as members of the faith community. They challenge us to let go of notions of “us” and “them” when we think of outreach. They remind us to equip ourselves for ministry by tending to our own spiritual growth, through prayer and study and fellowship. They remind us that our Christian community extends around the globe, and that a ministry of walking together is more powerful than “doing for” others. I hope you will find food for your souls, and fodder for ongoing conversations about how we can discern and respond to the work of the Spirit, within the congregation, and outside of our walls.

THE SPIRIT IS A-MOVIN’ Lydia Huttar Brown

A PENTECOST SONNET

Malcolm Guite

Today we feel the wind beneath our wings

Today the hidden fountain flows and plays

Today the church draws breath at last and sings

As every flame becomes a Tongue of praise.

This is the feast of fire, air, and water

Poured out and breathed and kindled into earth.

The earth herself awakens to her maker

And is translated out of death to birth.

The right words come today in their right order

And every word spells freedom and release

Today the gospel crosses every border

All tongues are loosened by the Prince of Peace

Today the lost are found in His translation.

Whose mother-tongue is Love, in every nation.

From Sounding the Seasons: Seventy Sonnets for the Christian Year by Malcolm Guite. Used with permission

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Having been on a few youth mission trips, I know it can be awkward. It's awkward coming from across the country to interact with people you don't know. It's awkward trying to make small talk with people you've come to help, especially when both you and they know that's why you're there. It's awkward treating people like a project, or I should say trying not to treat people like a project, even though they're basically your project. I can also say from personal experience that it's awkward being the one to receive help from a mission trip.

My family lives in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul. Many would label that area “inner city,” with all the applicable connotations. For many years a free meal program called Loaves and Fishes operated out of a church basement on our block. Messiah used to volunteer at this site, but that was years before my family lived there. Lots of neighborhood kids and families would get the free meal, and it was known colloquially as "The Eating Church." One afternoon when our kids were little and playing with other little neighbors, we decided to join the rest of the kids and families eating the free meal. We waited in line and descended the steps to an old church gym where we were served a semi-nutritious meal on a school-lunch-style tray. The atmosphere was hot, and noisy, and awkward. The well-meaning folks who served us were either gruff and reserved, or overly friendly. Honestly, I think my wife Libby and I were both a little afraid that someone we knew would be volunteering and recognize us. Unlike us, the kids and families we came with were totally at home in this environment and we enjoyed our meal together. It turned out to be one of the best places to get to know our neighbors. We made a practice of attending The Eating Church once a week.

Going to The Eating Church was a great equalizer between us and our neighbors. We were all getting the free food. There was no helping/being-helped awkwardness. We'd ceased trying to be the benefactors. We were all in it together. Sure, those serving might make assumptions about us, but honestly a free meal once a week was a blessing for our cobbled-together family

income. There was also a simple and rare beauty in sharing weekly meals with a wide variety of neighbors: the type of thing that in most neighborhoods might happen only once a year at a block party.

Often in the summer, youth on mission trips from other areas of the country would help to distribute the free meal and try to befriend us who were eating. One fateful evening we were engaged in semi-awkward conversation

by a few youth who were on a Youth Works mission trip from South Dakota. Coincidentally, that very week Messiah's youth were on a mission trip to South Dakota. Our youth had travelled to where these youth were from

and were probably engaging in the same kind of service and conversation. We'd swapped youth, and for what? They could have stayed and served their local needs and we could have served in St. Paul. In all fairness, we have done local mission trips over the years, and traveling elsewhere can give a sense of other communities' challenges that differ from ours. The danger, though, in going to another place is increasing the sense of "us vs. them."

A wise friend in our congregation recently commented to me, "The thing about Christianity is that there is no 'us & them'. We're all them." In the Gospel, we realize that we're all in need. We all need God's free gift of grace in Jesus Christ. As Christians, we're all receiving the free meal at God's Eating Church, and that's our great equalizer. Participating in mission as the benefactors can give us the illusion of not being in need ourselves, especially if all our personal physical needs are met.

I'm not saying that helping others in mission is bad. (In fact, this article will likely be published while I'm leading a youth mission trip!) While we all are in need, our needs are diverse. I believe God wants us to help with others' needs, but also be aware of our own, and how God wants to meet our needs through others. For example, if we are helping with someone's physical needs, perhaps there's a spiritual poverty in us that they can address. After all, "has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?" (James 2:5 ESV) In this way, mission becomes a way to realize our interdependence, remove us from the illusion of self-sufficiency, and remind us of Jesus' free gift of himself for us.

The thing about Christianity is that there is no “us & them”. We're all them.

Photo from the website of The Guild of St. Margaret Soup

Kitchen at Grace Episcopal Church, Middletown New York

(www.stmargaretsoupkitchen.com). Used with permission

MISSION AND THEM Paul Johnson

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OF SHIPS AND THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH Lori Goetz

Messiah’s stained glass artist designed a stylized sailing ship on the west wall of our sanctuary above two panels depicting Saint Paul—a long panel showing an almost life-sized apostle gazing steadily at the viewer and a smaller panel (just below) showing Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. Together the images gesture toward the arc of Saul/Paul’s significance—the lower panel capturing the moment when he was apprehended by the risen Jesus (“He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”) and the middle panel proclaiming his new identity in Christ (emphasized by the artist placing the name “Paul” on the figure itself). Rising above these panels sits a beautiful ship running before a strong wind, sails billowing.

We’re put in mind, of course, of the expansion of the church, the Holy Spirit running before Paul as he embarked on missionary journeys throughout Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. Messiah’s stained glass “Ship” captures the dynamism of this venture—God’s mission unfolding amongst the Gentiles, carried on even in our midst! I’d like to reflect on the aptness of the emblem of the ship broadly for mission and more specifically for children’s ministry at Messiah.

Messiah’s stained glass “preaches” the Word of God vividly, announcing visually that the Gospel goes forth to the ends of the world. The ship here reminds us of the historical contours of that mission and urges us, by God’s grace, to continue it. In a letter to a community he both loves and encourages, the apostle to the Gentiles says of the mission, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that

is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NRSV).

Our commission too is to go into the world in the power of the Holy Spirit, to entreat others on behalf of Christ—“Be reconciled to God.” The rich complex of stained glass images on the west wall of our sanctuary—from the prone figure being reconciled to God at the bottom to the lovely sailboat at the top—points to this.

But the stained glass panel also reminds us that the Church itself is figured as a ship. From the Middle Ages to the present, churches have been adorned with images of ships—paintings of ships ornamenting walls, sculptures decorating archways and portals, stained glass illuminating interiors. Even the main seating area in early churches was called a nave, the Latin word for ship. The focus on ships harkens back to the world of the Bible, where, as Russell Moore reminds us, “the sea was the embodiment of chaos and disorder and peril. Those who sailed upon the water could harbor no illusions that they had control over the ocean, especially if they were battered back and forth by a suddenly emerging storm” (The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home). Medieval, Renaissance, and contemporary artists have thus used the ship as an emblem to convey truth about the nature of God’s Church: We may be tossed about on tumultuous waters, but the church carries us through to safety. Learn more at

www.historyofpainters.com/boat_symbolism.htm

It is this robust vision of the Church that we impart to children at Messiah—that the Church is a source of joy and strength for them. Saying that the Church carries them in safety, however, doesn’t mean neglecting the realities of sin and brokenness or pretending that children will somehow bypass hardship or suffering. Neither do we understand local churches to be comprised of flawless people. But we continue to point to the beauty of the Church because Christ is the head of the Church; children rest on His firm foundation. In Messiah’s own stained glass sailing ship we see a horizontal windowpane creating a cross with the vertical ship mast. In this cross the person and work of Christ is comprehended—Jesus as Rescuer, Redeemer, Savior, and Friend. It is His love that will form and train children. It is His love that will send them, too, into the world.

Detail of stained glass window, Messiah Episcopal Church

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There is Gabriel, the humble and godly man who not only works at several jobs and is the father of five beautiful children, but volunteers countless hours as lay leader at

Epiphanie parish. There is his 29 year-old son, Gariel, bright and creative, who has built toy cars and airplanes from scrap materials since he was a young boy and

wants to become an engineer. There is

Nancy, the dedicated first grade teacher who has been at Epiphanie for 25 years (Photo unavailable). There is Lenes, who is not only the bursar and 6th grade math teacher, but also president of the Vestry, and advisor to the youth group. He took a pay cut to come back and teach at Epiphanie, the school he attended as a boy. His greatest dream is to become an Anglican priest. Finally there is Rev Marie Carmel Chery, the present priest at Epiphanie, deeply spiritual, wise beyond her years and who has suffered persecution, even at the hands of some of her colleagues, for being a female priest in Haiti. These are the faces of some of our friends at Epiphanie parish in L’Acul, Haiti. L’Acul is a small coastal fishing village, located about 40 miles southwest of the national capital, Port-au-Prince, and 10 miles southwest of the coastal city of Léogâne. Léogâne is about 8 miles from the epicenter of the 2010 earthquake and thus, sustained the heaviest damage of any town or city.

Messiah’s partnership with Epiphanie began in 1995 when we gave money to complete the buildings for the only school in this rural village. Each September since then, we have held a scholarship drive to help fund teacher salaries. The remainder of the budget comes from other sources, including what parents are able to contribute toward tuition, and the cost of uniforms and books. Epiphanie began as a K-6 school, but as a result of the mandate from the Haitian government, 7th through 9th grades have been added over the

past few years, with parents agreeing to pay most of the tuition. The literacy rate in Haiti is only about 60%. There is poor provision for public education so most schools are run by the church or other Non-Governmental Agencies (NGOs). The Episcopal Church operates 254 schools, with more than 80,000 students from pre-school to university level. The Episcopal Church in Haiti (Eglise Episcopale d’Haiti) The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti was founded in 1861, almost sixty years after Haiti won its independence from France as the first independent black republic in 1804. On May 1, 1861, Father James Theodore Holly, an African American priest from New Haven Connecticut, set sail with 100 of his parishioners. According to Rev Holly, this emigration was “in response to an invitation to that effect addressed to the colored people of the United States by the President of Haiti.” Within a year of their arrival in Haiti, only 20 travelers remained, the rest having succumbed to malaria and typhoid or returned to the U.S. due to the many hardships. Rev Holly and the 20 remaining parishioners set about to establish the Episcopal Church in Haiti. In 1874, James Theodore Holly was ordained Bishop of the Anglican Orthodox Episcopal Church of Haiti. Today the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is the largest diocese in The Episcopal Church USA (TEC) with over 85,000 parishioners, 50 priests, 100 lay leaders, and 160 churches, missions and preaching stations. In the words of Bishop Holly in 1897: “The church in Haiti has organized a system of elementary schools in the rural districts as an indispensable auxiliary of her mission, which must be preliminary to any further extension of that work. Nine such schools are now in operation.” As referenced above, the Episcopal Church today operates over 200 schools, including the only school for disabled children in Haiti, the Episcopal University and Seminary, a community college, two vocational schools, one of two baccalaureate nursing schools in Haiti (located in Léogâne) and a music school with philharmonic orchestra. Here are more words from Bishop Holly:

HAITI PARTNERSHIP: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, GROWNING IN FAITH Suzanne Wiebusch

The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is the largest diocese in The Episcopal Church USA (TEC)

The LaPointe Family in Haiti. Gabriel LaPointe, center; his son, Gariel, on the left. Photo by Suzanne Wiebusch

Lenes; photo by John DesHarnais

The Rev. Marie Carmel Chery

Photo submitted

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“Healing the body as well as saving the soul was made the Gospel work of our Lord and his apostles. To supplement our Gospel preaching by the testimony of the healing art, five physicians, sons of our clergy, born in Haiti, have been trained and graduated.” Today the Episcopal Church operates three hospitals and fifteen health centers, as well as educating countless nurses in its nursing school. True to Bishop Holly’s vision, worship, education and healthcare remain the primary work of the Episcopal Church in Haiti. Bishop Jean-Zache Duracin retired in March 2019. Pere Kerwin Delicat was voted in as new Bishop in a highly contested election. However, in Dec 2018, presiding Bishop Michael Curry issued a statement saying he was postponing the ordination and consecration to an undetermined date because a majority of bishops with jurisdiction in the Episcopal Church have not consented to his ordination and consecration. As of this writing, a standing committee is in charge, with another bishop election pending. Messiah Episcopal Church Partnership History Messiah’s Haiti connections go back to the 1970s with the Sisters of St Margaret at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince. Initial trips involved work at Holy Trinity, St Vincent’s (the school for disabled children) and The Foyer Notre Dame (home for elder women). A highlight of our first trip in 1990 was meeting Father (Pere) Jean-Elie Charles, then priest in Montrois. When the formal Partnership with Epiphanie was established in 1995, it was one of 11 mission churches of St Croix parish in Léogâne, where Pere Elie was priest-in-charge. In 2000, Jean-Jacques Deravil was assigned priest of St Croix Parish and later administrator of Hospital St Croix. In Aug 2008, Pere Deravil was re-assigned and St Croix was split into 3 parishes. Pere Kerwin Delicat was put in charge of St Croix. Epiphanie became an independent parish with two additional preaching stations. Pere Pierre Auguste became priest-in charge and was the priest there at the time of earthquake. After the earthquake, many Epiphanie parishioners initially lived in tents. No one was killed. 75% of the Episcopal structures were destroyed or damaged by the earthquake. However, laity, clergy and bishops of the Episcopal Church rose up to meet extraordinary challenges in amazing and inspiring ways. Most of the schools re-opened within 3 months (including Epiphanie School), albeit in tents. When serving on a medical relief team in May 2010, four months after the earthquake, I distinctly remember worshipping

outside under a canopy at Epiphanie with Pere Auguste and parishioners. Though the buildings were essentially destroyed, Christ was alive and the Spirit mightily present as hymns and songs of praise were beautifully sung to a single guitar accompaniment and the liturgy was spoken in Kreyol. Epiphanie School was permanently rebuilt by Finn Church Aide in partnership with a Haitian construction company. It is equipped with hand washing stations, water closets with plumbing and solar powered electricity. Epiphanie Church has not yet been rebuilt. Worship takes place on the porch of the school building. In July 2016, Rev Marie Carmel Chery was assigned as full-time priest-in-charge of Epiphanie parish. Summary of Partnership Work Since 1990, 53 participants have made about 20 short-term trips to Haiti. Focus of the visits have been on relationship building, healing ministry teaching, catechesis training, work projects, leading Bible camps, donating musical instruments and sound equipment and medical relief work after the earthquake. There have also been several visits of Epiphanie priests and their families to Messiah, most recently Marie Carmel Chery in Oct 2017. Construction of a guesthouse in St Croix began in 2000, a Haitian project funded by Messiah. The first floor had been completed and housed the kindergarten and lunch room for St Croix School. The project was never completed due to damage suffered in the earthquake. Other projects included purchasing a goat, micro-loan projects, and renting of a sugar cane field, all of which have provided income for the parishioners and church. Fruits of the Partnership I often struggle with the sustainability of our efforts in Haiti. Regarding sending the scholarship money, I take comfort in the realization that most of these children in rural L’Acul would not attend school at all were it not for Epiphanie. Beyond that, Epiphanie has the highest rate of students passing the 6th grade exam among schools in the area. Epiphanie also has a dedicated group of teachers with excellent retention rate, including a least two who were former students at the school. We have also witnessed an increased ability of the community and parish to address urgent financial needs on their own. This includes fund raising for a new church building. On a philosophical level, the Epiphanie partnership has afforded a deeper understanding among Messiah members of the issues of poverty. For instance, the impetus for the

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start of the Frogtown Community was a direct result of one of the early trips to Haiti. However, the constant o f t h e H a i t i Partnership has been establishing personal rela tionships and connections. We have had priests come and go but our relationship continues to be with the people of Epiphanie parish. When travelling to Haiti, I am often asked what I am going to do. Often I find the answer is not in doing but in being, of supporting and walking alongside my Haitian brothers and sisters in the unity of the Spirit. Yen sel nou feb ansanm nou fo (Alone we are weak, together we are strong).

To that end, a team of six had hoped to travel in Haiti in March. However, political unrest with Level Four Security Alerts precluded that from happening. We are hopeful that trip will happen in either the fall or winter of this next year. Also, we are hopeful, that the headmaster of our school, Bruno Shiller, will be able to visit Messiah in the fall as part of a group of four Haitians from other Minnesota partnerships. Please pray that they can obtain visas to make this a reality. Regardless, we do anticipate another visit from our partner priest, Marie Carmel Chery, who already has a visa. Whenever, I travel to Haiti or correspond with partners or friends in Haiti I hear “do not forget us.” Thus, though it is not always possible to travel to Haiti, we can pray. I know not a Sunday goes by that I do not think of and pray for my Haitian brothers and sisters when I am worshipping at Messiah. Please pray for the fair election of a new bishop in Haiti and for political stability. In the words of our partner priest Carmel, pray that the Prince of Peace will reign in Haiti.

THE GOD OF MISSION God’s church falters from exhaustion because Christians erroneously think that God has given them a mission to perform in the world. Rather, the God of mission has given his church to the world. It is not the church of God that has a mission in the world, but the God of mission who has a church in the world. The church’s involvement in mission is its privileged participation in the actions of the triune God. From Beyond Duty: A Passion for Christ, a Heart for Mission by Tim Dearborn

I am often asked what I am going to do. Often I find the answer is not in doing but in being, of supporting and walking alongside my Haitian brothers and sisters in the unity of the Spirit.

RECOMMENDED READING ABOUT MISSION Lydia Huttar Brown

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder The true story of a Harvard-educated physician who finds his life’s calling among the poorest of the poor in Haiti. Beyond Duty: A Passion for Christ, a Heart for Mission by Tim A. Dearborn. God isn’t worried about the world, and we shouldn’t be worried either. God is already at work saving the world, and invites us to join God’s mission. Dearborn writes about finding joy in mission and outreach, by giving up “missional narcissism” and giving of ourselves out of love, not because we feel duty-bound. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission by David J. Bosch From the back cover: “Bosch examines the entire sweep of Christian tradition to show historically how five paradigms have encapsulated the Christian understanding of how God saves and what human beings should do in response…. Bosch then outlines the key characteristics of an emerging ‘postmodern’ paradigm dialectically linking salvation’s transcendent and immanent dimensions.”

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Ever since my mother introduced me to the Charismatic movement back in the mid 70’s I have loved the second chapter of Acts. The wind blowing through the upper room, the tongues of fire on each of the disciples, and their witness to the crowds in Jerusalem for the Jewish harvest festival. The disciples speaking in tongues that each hearer understood in their own language. The first Pentecost fills me with awe. It also makes me long for renewal and infilling of the Spirit in the church today. However, I feel a bit uneasy as I read the end of Chapter.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:44-47 (NIV)

While this is a beautiful picture of Christian community, I struggle with the idea of selling all my possessions and holding everything in common. I guess I have always been a bit stingy. Like Ananias and Sapphira I struggle with the concept of giving everything and trusting in God for everything. If I gave away everything wouldn’t I be failing to live responsibly? Wouldn’t I just become a burden on the rest of the community? And once I became a parent, didn’t I have a responsibility to provide for my children, to save for college, for retirement? The early disciples were expecting Jesus to come again soon, which may have made it a bit easier for them to give up everything. Surely, the dramatic events they experienced also gave them great faith in Jesus and in one another in their small community. Yet these factors don’t negate the importance of this passage in my life or in our community. It is much easier for me to give my time in service to God than to give up my stuff. I am not saying that I don’t tithe, but I am pretty fond of that other 90%. Thinking about giving everything reminds me of the scene at the temple treasury (Mark 12:41-44), when the widow gives her two small copper coins, all she had to live on. Hser Moo shared a story of her family’s trip from Mae La Refugee camp to Minnesota. The very long trip started with a bus ride to Bangkok and included

multiple flights. Speaking only Sgaw KaRen they had to change planes and spend time waiting in various airports. It was a very scary time for refugee families who had never traveled by plane before or seen the inside of an airport. In 2007 Hser Moo was 6 months pregnant when she and her husband Samuel made that trip with 7 children aged 15 months to 15 years old. At an airport where they had to switch planes, a stranger handed Hser Moo a $20 bill. The stranger pantomimed that Hser Moo should use it to buy some food for the kids. Samuel and Hser Moo had never even seen U.S. currency and had no idea what it was worth or how to navigate an airport food court. Hser Moo just held onto it and on their first Sunday in the U.S. she put the $20 bill in the offering at church. I am humbled by her generosity when she had so little. She trusted that she and her family would be provided for in this foreign land. She trusted that God would be faithful. Over the last twelve years I have learned a good deal from our KaRen brothers and sisters. I have sometimes wished they would hold onto more of what they have. I worry about how they will feed their children, pay their rent, and fix their cars. One of the first things I remember being told by a young KaRen man was, “When I can give someone something, that brings me honor.” It is important to be able to give something. It is important for us to appreciate the gifts of every member of the community. So, should we start a commune? Perhaps, but I am not yet ready to make that suggestion. What I think we need to do is to pay attention to the needs within our community as well as the needs of the world. Last month at the Outreach Committee meeting a few of us asked about support for some of the KaRen activities. We thought that it made sense to look at the Great Adventure Days bus as outreach. After all, many of our families invite friends and neighbors to participate in GAD and the outreach bus allows that participation. While there were other significant funding needs within KaRen ministries, we did not see how that fit under the title “Outreach”, since the KaRen are members of Messiah. It turns out as we reviewed an old charter of the committee that it was really the Outreach and Mission Committee. It covered more than just sending money to others. Outlined within the document were ways that members of the church could apply for support for short

REFLECTIONS ON ACTS 2 Judy DesHarnais

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term missions. Could this be applied to training for KaRen involved in the Andrews program? They are being trained to mentor others in evangelism, Christian education, liturgy and other areas. Do other needs of the KaRen community at Messiah fit into the mission of the Outreach and Mission Committee? The committee is updating the charter and prayerfully considering what this will look like in the future. What might it mean to share all things in common? In the last newsletter I shared about a group of KaRen in discernment for ministry in the church. We are very near the end of that phase and making plans to move into a training phase. This training will require paying instructors and tuition for courses. On average the cost of one year

taking courses from the ECMN School for Formation adds up to $1,800 per year for each student. While much less than seminary, it is prohibitively expensive for our group. Yet the importance of being able to receive pastoral care in your own language or hear Communion celebrated in your own language cannot be denied. There is a reason that each of the travelers on that first Pentecost heard the Gospel in their own language. While I could afford to pay for my training to the diaconate, did I have more right to be trained than the KaRen who are called to ordained ministry? If we as a congregation see that any of our members are called should we not assure they have the resources to undertake it? Is this an area where we should be sharing all things in common?

CELEBRATING OUR CONNECTION WITH THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN MYANMAR Lydia Huttar Brown and Judy DesHarnais

Bishop John Wilme, from the Toungoo Diocese of the Anglican Province of Myanmar, along with his wife, Elizabeth, visited St. Paul as part of a United States tour during the month of June. Bishop Wilme preached and celebrated Eucharist at Messiah on Pentecost Sunday, visited with Bishop Prior, and was able to visit many of our KaRen members in their homes.

Reunited after 25 years: Bishop Wilme visited Christian Rubio’s village in 1994 shortly after becoming bishop of Toungoo Diocese. She was a young girl and fighting kept the bishop from being able to return until after most of the villagers, including Christian fled. Pictured l-r: Elizabeth Wilme, Owen Rubio, Christian Rubio, John Wilme. Photo by Judy DesHarnais

Mya Htay with Bishop Wilme Photo by Judy DesHarnais

John and Elizabeth Wilme, with Christian Rubio and her extended family. Photo by Judy DesHarnais

Bishop Wilme blesses Hai Ku Thu Paw and Ser Htoo, and their newborn daughter Julena Htoo. Photo by Judy DesHarnais

Group photo at the home of Christian and Dari Rubio Photo by Hser Moo

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In addition to our missionaries and the Haiti School support, Messiah’s Missions and Outreach Ministries include local ministries of Food Shelf, Project Home, Urban Academy and Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. In the past, outreach was a part of the full Messiah budget. In 2018, that amount was reduced, and we instead asked for special missions offerings on the 5th Sundays of the month. Surprisingly, more money was received through these special offerings than we had previously budgeted for outreach. In the past, the missionaries have received the main part of the Outreach budget. In 2018, after we met our commitment to our missionaries, we had money left over. At our outreach committee meeting in April we allocated a one-time donation of $2,000 to the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. They were instrumental in building homes for the people of the 35W encampment when it was broken up last winter. It was covered on the news, about their program of building dwellings that will house the homeless and provide counseling programs for schooling and jobs. At the same meeting $1,000 was allocated for the Great Adventure Days bus. Haiti Support Missions and Outreach as a yearly budget item allocates $3,000 to support teacher salaries at the Epiphanie school in Haiti. An additional collection of money for the Epiphanie school is raised in September. Communities Organized For Haitian Engagement & Development (COFHED) is another Haiti ministry that is supported with a $1,000 donation. COFHED is run by Madeleine Avignon, Executive Director, and Nick Avignon, Director of Operations, who were at one time Messiah parishioners. Overseas Missionaries We send regular support to two individual missionaries and one family, all of whom are former Messiah members. See “Missionary Spotlight” on page ___ for information about our missionaries. Food Shelf Collection Food Shelf collection started in 2004 when we stepped away from Loaves and Fishes due to not having enough volunteers to sustain that ministry any longer. Our first food shelf was Sharing Korner, which was located in Frogtown. Frogtown is one of the poorest communities in St Paul, Minnesota. When that food shelf closed, we took

our food donations to the Franciscan Brothers of Peace located on Syndicate Street not far from where the Sharing Korner had been located. When our generosity overwhelmed them, we started taking our donations to the Salvation Army Eastside Food Shelf. They are a much larger food shelf, and we have not felt a neighborhood connection with them. Our food donations have dropped considerably from sometimes over 100 lbs of food per month to 25 lbs or less in recent months. Due to the drop in contributions, this ministry is now on haiatus. At the same time, we are aware of needs within the Messiah community for help with food and basic household needs. A suggestion has been made that a replacement for food shelf donations could be an in-house cabinet filled with products not provided by SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) or WIC (Woman Infants Children). These programs allow only purchase of food items. Our in-house cabinet will be stocked with items such as cleaning products, feminine products, toilet paper, etc donated by parishioners. Parishioners may take what they need, no strings attached. The vestry has reviewed and approved this change, from food shelf donations to having an in-house cabinet for our parishioners in need. Urban Academy Urban Academy is located on Montreal Avenue just west of Snelling. It is a Charter School within the St. Paul public school system. Urban Academy has a 70% KaRen enrollment, including children from our congregation. Many of its students qualify to receive free breakfast and lunch. For the last several years Messiah has been collecting school supplies and uniforms. The first collection was three years ago, when a KaRen family moved to St Paul and their children needed school uniforms. The second year we collected uniforms, backpacks and school supplies as part of our Great Adventure Days. We have also added collecting food for Spring Break, providing healthy snacks for the children over their school vacation. The Food Shelf and Urban Academy do not receive money from the Missions & Outreach budget, or from the 5th Sunday special offerings, but rely solely on direct contributions from the members of Messiah.

Continued on page 19

MISSION AND OUTREACH

MESSIAH’S MISSION AND OUTREACH: SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW Susan Heil

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THE IVERSONS WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS, ETHIOPIA Messiah members Andy and Kimber Iverson live in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with their children, Amani, Caleb, and Malina. In partnership with Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Episcopal Church of Sudan, they provide computer and other technical support for local teams who are doing Bible translation and literacy in their own languages. The innovative use of technology is a key piece in accomplishing Wycliffe’s mission. Computers are now central to nearly all translation and literacy work. It has been said that in the past, computers aided translation and literacy work, but now, computers enable translation and literacy work. On-site technical assistance is critical. To this end, Andy is the IT Director for East Africa. Andy’s role is three-fold, including translation and linguistic software consulting, supporting computers and other technical hardware, and mentoring local technical support staff. Kimber works on curriculum development, teacher training, and English language learning with the translators and other staff. http://desertblooms.net/

EMBER LIDDIARD YOUTH FOR CHRIST, BOTSWANA Emily Liddiard, a youth leader at Messiah for almost 4 years, works with youth in Botswana with Youth for Christ. She leads the Botswana ministry in the capital, Gaborone, by training volunteers, leading clubs and assemblies in schools, establishing a mentoring program, coordinating camps and outreaches, and serving on the committee of an interdenominational youth prayer and worship movement. Other ministry includes one-on-one mentoring, hospital visits, leading worship, mobilizing prayer, and coordinating shows on national radio about different youth-related topics, i.e. to encourage abstinence amongst youth as part of the fight against AIDS. https://yfci.org/staff/ember-liddiard/

LIZ FLEMING WORLD OUTREACH MINISTRIES, HAITI Messiah member Liz Fleming began serving in Argentina in 2007 with LifeWind International. In 2010, she transferred to Haiti, where her diverse experiences both as a physician and youth minister come in handy as she trains nationals in holistic, sustainable ministry using the Community Health Evangelism (CHE) model. The goal is to see individuals transformed by Christ who then work for the transformation of their communities: disease prevention, elimination of family violence and abuse, microenterprise training to supplement incomes, and discipleship groups and church planting. Liz trains churches, non-government organizations, and mission agencies and then follows alongside the teams as they implement C HE. https://worldoutreach.org/cc/donations.html?fCode=398

MISSIONARY SPOTLIGHT by Imad Libbus

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Breathe on me Breath of God, fill me with life anew,

That I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do.

(Hymnal 1982, #508; Words: Edwin Hatch)

I often describe the dynamic of worship (especially the corporate variety) using the metaphor of an ocean wave, with its two compelling forces, one drawing us into the depths of God’s saving and healing love (baptism comes to mind) and the second pouring us out by sharing that same love with all we encounter. I find this metaphor to be a simple and dynamic picture of what worship and life in Christ can be. It is an inexorable flow going on all the time that we are invited to step into and find our way of being. For me, it also helps to provide a vision that promotes healthy and vibrant worship. I find this dynamic reflected in both Messiah’s mission and vision as well as Messiah’s Music Ministry statement, listed below.

Messiah’s mission and vision: We are a growing community committed to the worship of God, the lordship of Jesus Christ, and renewal through the Holy Spirit. Our vision: to bring people together from every generation and many nations to worship Jesus Christ and take his healing into the world.

Mission statement for Messiah’s Music Ministry: Messiah’s Music Ministry is called by God and led by the Spirit to facilitate Christ-centered worship through sacramental music that renews and strengthens God’s people to go forth into the world.

Pentecost focuses us on the sending part of this dynamic, but obviously, both sending and renewal are always important. And because of the wonderfully rich shape of our liturgy we have opportunities each week to sing music that helps us gather in God’s presence as a community, listen to Holy Scripture, share a common meal/be fed by Christ, and be sent forth. The following ancient chant (translated in the 20th century), while focusing on the Holy Spirit, reflects much of the fullness our 4-fold pattern of weekly worship offers: Gathering as a community/inviting God’s presence

(verse 1) Hearing God’s Word (verses 2 & 3) Receiving and sharing God’s gifts (life, love, healing,

holy communion, verses 2, 3, 4, 5) Being sent (in unity & peace to the world, praising

the triune God, verses 4, 5, 6)

WORSHIP AND MUSIC FOR PENTECOST

Jeff Kidder

I started attending Messiah Episcopal Church on the recommendation of my neighbors. The KaRen people who are part of the congregation, the music, the adult education opportunities and the house group have kept me coming back. Although I was confirmed in an Episcopal Church, I had not found a regular church in Minnesota. About a month after I started attending Messiah, I started participating in a house group. The people in the house group have different life experiences, but what we have in common is the desire to get closer to God and to love and care about our families, friends and neighbors. The house group has read several great books, including. Falling Upward: a Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr, and Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. We have read from the Bible (usually the following Sunday’s lectionary readings) and have had thoughtful conversations about our faith, what we are grateful for and our spiritual and prayer needs. I am very grateful to be able to participate in a house group to know those my house group because I feel the connection to God through them.

HOUSE GROUPS AT MESSIAH Barb Gunther

One of Messiah’s House Groups. Photo: by Cynthia Davey

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1. O Holy Spirit, by whose breath life rises vibrant out of death; come to create, renew, inspire; come, kindle in our hearts your fire.

2. You are the seeker's sure resource, of burning love and living source, Protector in the midst of strife, Thou giver and the Lord of Life.

3. In you God's energy is shown, to us your varied gifts made known. Teach us to speak, teach us to hear; Yours is the tongue and yours the ear.

4. Flood our dull senses with your light; in mutual love our hearts unite. Your power the whole creation fills; confirm our weak, uncertain wills.

5. From inner strife grant us release; turn nations to the ways of peace. To fuller life your people bring that as one body we may sing:

6. Praise to the Father, Christ, his Word, and to the Spirit: God the Lord, to whom all honor glory be both now and for eternity.

Words: att. Rabanus Maurus, 776-856; tr. John W. Grant (b.1919), alt.; Music: Veni Creator Spiritus, plainsong, Mode 8, Hymnal 1982 #502)

Music can so often help to remind us of God’s loving and empowering presence and rally our hearts and minds to serve with courage and passion. It can stir our hearts to faith and devotion, as in the hymns Come down, O love divine, Hymnal 1982 #516, and Consuming Fire, by M. Redman. It can lead us to Jesus and convict us of our sin – both actions and inaction, as in Come Holy Spirit Come, (Words: Joseph Hart, 1759; Music: Hiram Ring, 2004) and The Summons/Will you come and follow me, John Bell. It can set us free, as we sing O Holy Spirit, root of life… you free us by your living Word, by Hidegaard of Bingen. Music can call us to action and send us to serve -- God of Justice, by Tim Hughes.

Many of you will perhaps have hymns and songs come to mind that have moved you in the directions listed above.

Returning to the second part of our wave metaphor, there are certainly many hymns with explicit and well-developed themes of being sent by the Holy Spirit’s power. And I have found it helpful to think of our weekly closing hymn as a “sending” hymn, to underscore this dynamic. As much

as possible, we choose hymns for this place in the liturgy which, along with the dismissal so enthusiastically delivered by our deacon Judy, help lead us out to “go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” (BCP, p. 366).*

God of Justice, Savior to all came to rescue the weak and the poor, chose to serve and not be served. Jesus, you have called us, freely we've received, now freely we will give.

We must go, live to feed the hungry, stand beside the broken, Stepping forward, keep us from just singing, move us into action, we must go. Fill us up and send us out.

Hymn text by Tim Hughes

May we have the grace and courage to risk immersing ourselves in God’s amazing love and respond with trust and action to allow the Holy Spirit to move us, guide us into what may be exciting and unknown territory as we reach out to serve. But we are never alone as Jesus promised to never leave us and to send “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, (to) teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. (John 14, 25-27)

Send us with fire to go love the world. (from “Sending” by Charlie Hall, Stuart Townend and Nathan Nockel)

*Here is a list of some additional songs and hymns which focus on the person of the Holy Spirit and being sent into the world to serve. We will likely use many of these during this next season. Christ for the world we sing (Hymnal 1982 #537) Filled with the Spirit’s power (John Raphael Peacy, 1896-1971;

Tune: Birmingham) Forth in thy name (Charles Wesley; Tune: Truro) Go forth for God (Hymnal 1982 #347) Holy Spirit Ever Living (Hymnal 1982 #511) Jesus we have heard your Spirit (Words: Martin E. Leckebusch,

1999; Ode to joy) Lord, send out your Spirit (text: based on Ps. 104; Music: Jeanne

Cotter) Mission’s Flame (Matt Redman) O Breath of Life (Elizabeth A. P. Head, d.1936; Spiritus Vitae,

Mary J. Hammond, d. 1964) People of God (Michael Gungor) Pour out your Spirit, Lord (Tom Lane) Rise up ye saints of God (Hymnal 1982 #551) Send us your Spirit (Marty Haugen) Tell out my soul (Hymnal 1982 #438)

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“We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 Twice in Corinthians chapter 4 Paul proclaims “...Therefore we do not lose heart…” But how does one not lose heart if one thinks that one’s earthen vessel is cracked and broken beyond repair? Can the power of God shine through? Can there be any delight? In a moment the pottery dish slipped from my fingers, dashed to the floor and shattered into pieces. Another beloved dish, cracked and weakened over time, breaks apart from too much pressure placed upon it when stored underneath another dish. Memories of beloved people and events flooded my mind as I looked at the broken pieces of the long-loved gifts of pottery. Too precious to throw away, not sure of what to do, the pieces of each dish were carefully put away in a drawer and left to lie there broken, yet loved. What happens to a life that is broken by harmful choices, attacks by others, unfortunate circumstances or health that is compromised either physically or mentally? How does one’s life reflect the glory of the treasure of knowing Christ when one’s life is in pieces? This past year I have been surprised by the beauty of kintsugi pottery from Japan. Lovely pottery which had broken had been carefully repaired with gold lacquer. The cracks are highlighted rather than hidden. Beautiful seams of gold running through the dish giving the piece a new unique appearance of, dare I say it, more beauty than it originally possessed. Could this be true of a life as well? Could a life be mended into something different and of greater beauty? Could one embrace the flawed, imperfect, wounded, broken pieces of life and have a new beauty shine through it? Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, spoke with Krista Tippett of the On Being Project. “We don’t know what to do with our own weakness except hide it or pretend it doesn’t exist. So how can we welcome fully the weakness

of another if we haven’t welcomed our own weakness?” I didn’t know what to do with the broken pieces of the treasured pottery put away in the drawer until I discovered the kintsugi repair process. One of my dear sons is planning on repairing my pottery this summer. It will be a delight to have these two dishes restored and reflecting beauty in a new way.

Can we welcome one another as we are? Can we tenderly care for each other and have a part in the repair work of each other’s lives? For our lives, with pieces broken and maybe even lying shattered for a long time, can through the loving-kindness and the power of God, have a new unique beauty reflecting the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. What a delight!

TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS Karen Carr

THE CALL Cynthia Davey There are waves of possibility in the green-lit swell of the surf, in the white-edged call of water on rocks, gulls on the wind, in the turn of my face to the spray.

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I’d guess that many people reading these pages know Karl Barth, at least as a name. They know that he was Swiss, and that he pronounced his name without the “h.” They may know that he gets called a Systematic Theologian, though he rejected the term, insisting that the living Word of God cannot be reduced to a “system.” Many people know that he wrote the 1934 Barman Declaration that led the Protestant churches in Europe to take a stand against National Socialism. Many people have read at least part of his most famous book, Epistle to the Romans, first published in 1918. Many people (properly) associate him with a “reformed” theology which he offered in response to “liberal” theology, two slippery terms that set off alarm bells in the minds of many. I myself knew most of this, but only recently did I stumble upon his book, Dogmatics in Outline, a 150-page summary of his multi-volume Church Dogmatics, completed in 1967, the year before he died. The shorter book is basically a transcript of a series of lectures he gave in 1946, without a prepared text, in a bombed-out German church. I don’t do multi-volume sets of theology, but I figured I should be able to handle a 150- page summary, especially since it was produced by the author himself. I can report that I have—in my fashion-- done this, and that it has been a great read. It has also been a timely one, given our parish’s commitment to reading Dwight Zscheile’s People of the Way as a tool for thinking about Messiah’s identity as we prepare to enter a new phase of our ministry. Barth’s strategy is simple. He proceeds through the Nicene Creed article by article, from God, to Son, to Spirit, to church. With a tone that is at once magisterial and conversational, he develops his thesis that “God is not

one idea among ideas.” God is THE idea, the “wholly other.” We are not drawn “naturally” to any meaningful understanding to God. We understand God only through what he has chosen to reveal to us, most notably through his son as revealed in scripture. We do not arrive at God by reasoning from any rational or cultural premises, for to do so would make an idol of those premises. God is his own premise. Barth’s assumptions are drawn primarily from Calvin, a name that sets off alarm bells in many minds, though Marilynne Robinson—when she is not writing magnificent novels—has worked very hard to make that name less frightening. As I read these 150 pages, I found myself thinking—to speak in very broad terms—that the Roman tradition emphasizes God as he can be made consistent with reason, while contemporary spirituality emphasizes the Spirit as it can be made consistent with culture. Barth emphasizes the Son, who can be made consistent only with God. And, as I listen to the music at Messiah and listen to what is proclaimed in the teaching and manifested in the lives I see here, it seems to me I hear a great deal that resonates with Barth’s assumptions. And—at a stretch—with Zscheile’s People of the Way. I would suggest (without insisting) that Zscheile is offering us a vision of a church so caught up with the staggering novelty and majesty of God’s revelation in Christ, that cultural differences are a cause for celebration, not division. Diversity in and of itself can become an idol, but diversity caught up in the Unity of Christ with God and the Spirit is what Barth proclaims, and what the early church experienced, and what I feast on every Sunday at Messiah.

NORTH SPRING Poem and photo by Cynthia Davey Spring comes last and tenderest to these Northern woods with scattered seedlings of light in whispered hints of green, drifting awake on a white-petal dream that holds what has been and opens to begin again.

BOOK REVIEW: DOGMATICS IN OUTLINE BY KARL BARTH (1946) George Slanger

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While preparing to attend the clergy conference this year each attendee was asked to develop a purpose statement. What follows is a little background on what we were asked to do, my own short purpose statement, along with some thoughts about why this purpose resonates for me and some links to help you write your own purpose statement. I found this exercise rewarding and I encourage the reader to spend some time working on your own purpose statement. The Rt. Rev. Rob Wright, Bishop of Atlanta, was the presenter at the ECMN Clergy Conference for the second year running. A short bio can be found at https://www.episcopalatlanta.org/Diocese/Bishops/Bishop-Rob-Wright/. On our homework assignment we were provided a link to the talks he had given at the 2018 ECMN clergy conference (see the link within: https://episcopalmn.org/Purpose%20Statement%20Worksheet%20.pdf.) Since I had missed the previous clergy conference I listened to his talks before attempting to write my own purpose statement. During the 2018 conference The Rt. Rev. Wright had asked some folks to share their own purpose and when they did, he asked why that was important to them, and when they answered he asked why again. At some point what came out was a deep and very individual motivation. Often there were tears as people spoke of a deep need or brokenness that drove their purpose and their ministry. I don’t know that these individuals had ever made these deep connections before. While listening to these interchanges felt profound, I wanted to avoid doing the deep dive of discovery in front of all the other clergy. So, I decided to do my homework. First, I wrote an initial purpose statement. I then modified it to cover everything I thought was important. Realizing my all-encompassing paragraph length sentence did not

meet the intent of the assignment, I refined my statement by separating out the explanatory notes and making my purpose statement more concise. I asked myself the questions provided in the worksheet.

1. Does your purpose sentence tap into your ‘deep reservoir of moral energy’?

2. Is it specific enough to tap into your deepest reservoir of energy?

3. Is it elastic enough to drive your ministry in various kinds of situations and contexts?

Writing a concise purpose statement helped me see that so much of what I am busy doing actually connects with my purpose. It also gives me some clarity on what things I should stop doing. In fact, I was so excited about my purpose I actually volunteered to share it at the conference. And then I volunteered to share it in this newsletter. So here it is:

“My purpose is

to connect together members of the body of Christ by abiding with

the refugee, the foreigner, and the disenfranchised, listening to their stories and seeking opportunities

to build bridges of love and understanding between them and all other members of the body of Christ.

What does this look like for me? I seek to encourage each person to serve as she/he is called. I work to identify ways to be fully inclusive and to bring about God’s beloved community. I do this through preaching, teaching, and encouraging, but principally by abiding with the diverse people of God. My energy goes up when I am sitting on the floor in the midst of refugees and listening to their stories. My enthusiasm rises when I share those stories with people who may never sit on the floor. I was overcome with joy when a group of Karen decided to take part in discerning their call to ministry.

CREATING AN INDIVIDUAL PURPOSE STATEMENT: LESSONS FROM ECMN CLERGY CONFERENCE Judy DesHarnais

“My purpose is to practice and inspire the leadership of Jesus.

On days when I choose to practice and inspire that, my energy is up rather than down. I’m doing me for the benefit of the whole.

If you can get down to where that energy really is for you and spend more time in your purpose, what would your vocation look like? I think that one of the reasons we’re burning out is because we’re doing all the great generalist stuff.

The church needs us to occupy our purpose more frequently. It’s not just self-care – it’s system care.

The Beloved Community needs you and me to riff on our purpose.” The Rt. Rev. Rob Wright.

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With whom do you pray? Our Bible has a significant amount of very helpful information on prayer. Prior to the instruction from Jesus in the 6th chapter of Matthew (verse 9) where we are told the phrases to use, we have some other guidance. Beginning at verse 5 of chapter 6, we are told to pray in our “private room”. We are reminded that our Lord “knows the things you need before you ask him.” With that preamble, we are given the script that we refer to as The Lord’s Prayer. I am not qualified to give a detailed description of its meaning. We are all aware of some variations in translation, with some saying debts, some sins, some trespasses. I would like to point out that in both verse 12 of chapter 6, and in 14-15, we are encouraged and clearly told to forgive others as a condition to being forgiven ourselves. What else can we determine from our reading? In the 5th chapter of James, we hear some very sound advice. In J.B. Phillips paraphrase, he states that “Tremendous power is made available through a good man’s earnest prayer.” Also, this chapter points repeatedly to the parallel result in healing and forgiveness of sins. So we are told to confess our sins to each other and then pray. Think about that for a minute!

When we are overwhelmed with a crisis what should we do? In our house group we always spend time praying. Several years ago, one of our group wrote down our requests and finally, he stopped. When we asked Peter why he stopped he stated all of our requests were answered -- some sooner, some later, some as we had prayed, sometimes with a better result. If you belong to a house group, you could probably give an AMEN to that testimony. If you are not a member of a house group, and you need/want prayer, please consider our prayer net, or the healing team. You can pray with the whole group or with specific members. Of course, many will share their needs and pray with our clergy, and that is excellent. Utilize the healing team members if you have a Sunday request or, if that seems too intimidating, fill out a purple card found in the pew and put it in the collection plate. If something comes up during the week, call or email the church office to have your request submitted to the prayer net. Our healing team will gladly visit you in the hospital or in your home. We will visit you in the pre-op area as well. It is a real privilege to let the Holy Spirit direct our prayers for your needs. We take no credit for any healing that occurs as it is not our will but God’s will that prevails. Amen and Amen.

Why do I care about this? As an army brat I don’t have a strong sense of belonging anywhere or with anyone. Welcoming the outsider connects with my deep need to belong. I connect strongly with the idea that we are in the world but not of the world, that our true home is in heaven. I also feel very connected to the Bible entreaties to remember that we were once strangers in a foreign land. Having lived in Germany as a kid and in Benin, Africa as a young adult I have been at a loss for language, I have been in the minority, at times a minority of one. And yet I was not seen as less than, rather I was considered special for my uniqueness. I want to welcome the uniqueness in others and love them as beloved individuals made in the image of God.

Is my purpose elastic enough to drive my ministry if my situation changed? My purpose finds great opportunities working with and among the KaRen at Messiah. However, it also connects with working with our Haiti partners. I could also see my purpose being relevant in racial reconciliation both within and outside the church. Developing a purpose statement was not easy for me, it took a bit of time, but in the end, I found that having a written purpose statement felt really good. So now it is your turn, go to https://episcopalmn.org/Purpose%20Statement%20Worksheet%20.pdf and get started.

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER Dick Guiton

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More than “Getting a Job Done” Your work is leadership and oversight – don’t be a lone ranger “doer”. This is rooted in the concept of Christian community, and in our understanding of the Trinity. The Trinity is a Community within God. Three persons in One unity of Being. The church reflects and embodies that spiritual community. We are not individuals unrelated to one another – we are complementary cells of a living organism. Because we aren’t a business or community institution, but instead are THE BODY OF CHRIST, how we do things is just as important as what we accomplish. We model collaborative leadership; we create “cells” of community for the work of the church Have a sense of the whole – how does your area fit with the big picture? Learn about other ministry areas at vestry meetings This may require changing our community culture: Not just about getting work done, but about creating community and using the gifts present in the members.

Getting Started Gather a core team. Begin with those who have offered. Invite others you talk to – be enthusiastic One-on-one personal invitation. Be clear and realistic. Term limits: at least annually, let each person decide whether to stay with the group or not. Nobody should feel they have a life (or death) sentence. Set a date and advertise the meeting. Get it on the parish calendar.

Building the Team Create shared vision for your ministry area. This may take a long time. Keep at it. Learn, talk, BRAINSTORM.

Map your assets as a team. Work from “Asset based” assessment, not “needs based.”

Moving Forward Finances: Know how much money you have in the budget and how it’s designated. Keep track of your spending. Regular budgeted things don’t have to come to vestry for approval. Meet regularly. Every month or 2, minimum. Meet even if you’re not sure you have very much to do. (This isn’t to make busy work or fill your life with meetings — this is for building community.) At your meetings: Pray, laugh, tell stories. Learn. Keep group members up to date on vestry directions; talk about what’s going on the church. Talk about how your area overlaps and helps or needs help from another area. Pray for the whole church

Communicate Keep written notes. Who is there, what did you talk about, what questions do you have, what recommendations for other groups, what is your action plan until the next meeting? These notes will be the basis for your monthly report to vestry. Send a monthly report to vestry. Consider writing an occasional a “This week on the Journey” update for the parish. Invite people to meetings and events. Send new info to the webmaster.

Have Fun If you aren’t enjoying yourself, maybe you’re in the wrong area. Working in your area, with others, should expand your vision of what your area entails. It should also increase your enthusiasm for this ministry and draw you to want to share it with more people.

BUILDING MINISTRY TEAMS: LEADERSHIP THAT BUILDS THE CHURCH NOTES FOR VESTRY LIAISONS AND OTHER CHURCH LEADERS

Lydia Huttar Brown

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continued from page 10 Project Home Each year, during the month of June, Messiah has the privilege of serving the wider community by opening our Undercroft and downstairs rooms to homeless families for temporary shelter through Project Home. Working with dozens of other area faith communities in Ramsey County, Project Home provides 40 beds of emergency shelter each night in two locations for children and their parents. Messiah houses up to 20 people, for the entire month of June. Our coordinators are Suzanne Gappa and Becky Schauer, who manage dozens of Messiah volunteers. The volunteers serve as evening hosts, overnight hosts, set-up and move-in crews, take down crew, Sunday breakfast cooks, and telephone coordinators. They and others also participate by donating toys, personal care items, and food. Our youth are among those who lead evening activities for our guests.

The Agile Church: Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age by Dwight J. Zscheile Picking up where his book People of the Way left off, Zscheile encourages the church to become lighter on its feet, in order to respond to the work of the Spirit in a rapidly changing world. Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs & Practices by Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe Two Episcopal priests guide us through the Book of Common Prayer, the liturgical year, the sacraments, and much more. Everything you were wondering about regarding the Episcopal Church, explained in simple, concise terms. Dancing With God: Anglican Christianity and the Practice of Hope by Jay Emerson Johnson. Johnson says that Anglican theology is not about “getting things right” but about considering our creeds, liturgies, and texts as invitations to “dance with the God of abundant life. Praying Shapes Believing: A Theological Commentary on the Book of Common Prayer by Leonel L. Mitchell “The church is first and foremost a worshiping community. It is the syntaxis, the gathering together of the people of God for corporate worship, which is the heart and soul of the church’s life.” Thus begins Mitchell’s classic (if a book only 34 years old can be a classic) commentary on the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Mitchell explores the way our liturgy both expresses and shapes our theology, with explanations of the history and development of the Eucharistic liturgy, the church calendar, the daily office, and Holy Baptism.

RECOMMENDED READING ABOUT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Lydia Huttar Brown

SHORELINE DAWNING Poem and Photo by Cynthia Davey Into the colors of morning into the pinks and the greys over the endless waters over the waves upon waves An osprey shrieks her lone high clarion call to unity piercing the space that divides this moment from eternity Where the shoreline of my soul colored with pinks and greys meets wave upon endless wave of grace upon endless grace

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Messiah Episcopal Church 1631 Ford Parkway St. Paul MN 55116

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HIDDEN TREASURE

A Hymn for Mission Lord, you give the great commission: “Heal the sick and preach the word.” Lest the Church neglect its mission and the Gospel go unheard, help us witness to your purpose with renewed integrity; with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry. Lord, you call us to your service: “In my name baptize and teach.” That the world may trust your promise, life abundant meant for each, give us all new fervor, draw us closer in community; with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry. Lord, you make the common holy: “This my body, this my blood.” Let your priests, for earth’s true glory, daily lift life heavenward, asking that the world around us share your children’s liberty; with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry. Lord, you show us love’s true measure: “Father, what they do, forgive.” Yet we hoard as private treasure all that you so freely give. May your care and mercy lead us to a just society; with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry. Lord, you bless with words assuring: “I am with you to the end.” Faith and hope and love restoring, may we serve as you intend, and, amid the cares that claim us, hold in mind eternity; with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry. Hymn text by Bishop Jeffery Rowthorn (b. 1934) Hymnal 1982 #528

Prayers for Mission Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to yourself: We praise and bless you for those whom you have sent in the power of the Spirit to preach the Gospel to all nations. We thank you that in all parts of the earth a community of love has been gathered together by their prayers and labors, and that in every place your servants call upon your Name; for the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours for ever. Amen. BCP p. 838 O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCP p. 100

Detail of stained glass window, Messiah Episcopal Church