Hello everyone! I hope that this finds you well. My name is Evey and I am one of the three interns from the Lesley Graduate Expressive Therapies Program at Emmanuel this year. I feel very honored and privileged to have the opportunity to become part of this community. I am looking forward to getting to know you better! My three clinical assignments are programs that you help make happen: Common Art, Café Emmanuel, and Pam Werntz’s Art & Spirituality prison ministry program. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: October 2013
A Bold and Generous Return
Proper 23C, October 13, 2013; The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
2 Timothy 2:8-15 The word of God is not chained.
Luke 17:11-19 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they?”
2 Timothy 2:8-15 The word of God is not chained.
Luke 17:11-19 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they?”
O God of sacred story, grant us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.
This sermon is going to include a list-making exercise. So you might want to have a pen or pencil ready – or your notes page on your smart phone will do also. If we were a parish that had a sign with this week’s sermon title listed out front, I’d call this sermon, “In Defense of the Other Nine.” Ten lepers yelled out to Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priests. He didn’t say “okay, I do have mercy.” He didn’t say “great is your faith.” He didn’t say, “not my job,” but he also didn’t touch them – there’s nothing to suggest that he even got near them. They kept their distance, the story says. They shouted out asking for mercy. He said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests,” he says. “Go on.” Continue reading
Founding of This Blog
While our rector Pamela Werntz traveled on her 2013 sabbatical, we also had opportunities to explore Spirituality and the Arts at Emmanuel (thanks to the generosity of the Lilly Foundation). A collaboration with Lesley University’s Expressive Arts Therapy program seemed like a perfect means of enriching the church’s mission for using the arts as vehicle for healing and spiritual growth. On April 7, 2013, faculty from Lesley joined us for the service and offered a stimulating presentation about their program and ideas for working with Emmanuel.
In order to build upon this exciting beginning, a group of Lesley University faculty met with representatives from Emmanuel to discuss our future collaborations. Between these two meetings, the bombings at The Boston Marathon resulted in feelings of pain, loss, fear, and anger. The group decided its first event should involve the healing power of creativity in addressing these wounds, so we called it “When Words Are Not Enough.” When Our first intern arrived that Fall, we chose the name to Musings from the Margins for a blog to record their thoughts about their experiences at Emmanuel.
The Rev. Susan Ackley, our Sabbatical Priest/Artist-in-Residence, and participants in “Words Are Not Enough” carry prayer flags down Newbury Street to the Boston Marathon bombing memorial site in Copley Square.
Tuning
Proper 22C, October 6, 2013; The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz
Lamentations 1:1-6 Her priests groan, her young girls grieve, and her lot is bitter….nobody goes to church any more.
2 Timothy 1:1-11 I am reminded of …a faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice…rekindle the gift of God that is within you.
Luke 17:5-10 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
O God of all, grant us the strength, the wisdom, and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may and cost what it will.
I have some show and tell for you today. While my helpers are passing out mustard seeds, I want to say something about the cantata placement today. This cantata was written to bracket the sermon. So we are offering it today as Bach intended. Thanks to everyone who made the complicated logistics work. I love that phrase “as Bach intended.” It’s not completely as Bach intended though – because Bach also intended that the pitch be higher, the lights be dimmer, the preacher to be a man and for the sermon to last for at least 45 minutes (which sounds like some good nap time)! I don’t think you’re going to have time for a nap this morning. Continue reading