Monthly Archives: September 2019

Be an angel!

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Proper 21C-19 (& St. Michael and All Angels)
September 29, 2019

Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 The word of the Lord came to me.
Psalm 91 God’s faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
1Timothy 6:6-19 So that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
Luke 16:19-31 If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.

O God of St. Michael and All Angels, 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.

Although today is the 16th Sunday after Pentecost in what the Church calls “ordinary time,” today is also the date appointed for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, which, technically will be observed in the wider Church tomorrow since this year it falls on a Sunday. And the Jewish New Year begins this evening marking the beginning of the Days of Awe. So I want to say that this is no ordinary time. I want today to be a day to celebrate the whole company of heaven, giving thanks for the ministries of angels. Perhaps you’ve heard Jane Siberry’s beautiful folk song, “Calling All Angels.” It’s a song for us. The refrain goes, “calling all angels, calling all angels – walk me through this one, don’t leave me alone. We’re trying, we’re hoping, we’re hurting, we’re loving, we’re crying, we’re calling, ‘cause we’re not sure how this goes.”

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A Suspiciously Good Day

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My initial description after my first day at common art was that I’d had a “suspiciously” good day. That is, I had such an interesting and fun time, it seemed a bit too good to be true for my first day at an internship. Wasn’t I supposed to be filling papers or organizing supplies? Instead I was instantly immersed in a community of interesting individuals, all of which with a unique perspective and many of which eager to share their art with me. Time flew by as I connected with members of the clergy, staff, and community; admittedly, I had a difficult time pulling myself out of any one conversation. I returned to Emmanuel Church three more times, once for common art and twice for BostonWarm and I’m happy to report my suspicions have disappeared; I am thankful to be at an internship that is both “too good” and true.

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A Giant Squander

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Proper 20C
September 22, 2019

Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 The summer is ended and we are not saved.
1 Timothy 2:1-7 First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone.
Luke 16:1-13 You cannot serve God and wealth.

O God of love, 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.

Well, Happy Unjust Steward Day everyone! I am so glad that you are here to help us celebrate! Is it possible that Jesus was really telling a story encouraging dishonesty and injustice? Did anyone hear the Gospel reading this morning and think, “wait a minute, what?” Or are any of us who could be considered wealthy thinking, “uh-oh”? Are any of you hoping that I will pull a Greek translation trick out of this boxy pulpit? Alas, not today. As Jeremiah tells us, the summer is ended and we are not saved. Vulnerable people are not being properly cared for. As our planet continues to heat up, it’s the people who are the poorest who suffer the most. Is there no balm in Gilead? This anguished question in Jeremiah is the voice of God. God knows there is balm and God does not have enough tears for the disaster that is looming because the people with resources are spreading dis-ease instead of balm.
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Introducing Amanda Ludeking

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This year, Emmanuel is pleased to welcome Amanda Ludeking. Here’s what she has to say by way of introduction.

My first experience with theater and the arts was in the fifth grade, when a theater company came to my school to help us put on a play about recycling. I don’t remember the show’s title or even my role, but I plainly remember the excitement that came with rehearsing, the friendly cooperation when painting the set, and the exhilaration of performing alongside my friends. Nearly twenty years later, upon realizing that all of the aspects I loved so much about such performances could be utilized as a form of therapy, I was nothing short of thrilled: here was a concrete way in which my animated demeanor and flair for the dramatics could actually help others. I decided to pursue my M.A. in mental health counseling (more specifically, drama therapy—a form of art therapy) at Lesley University, a program which gave me the opportunity to intern with the BostonWarm and common art programs at Emmanuel Church.

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Come to the party!

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Proper 19C
September 15, 2019

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28 Skilled in doing evil but do not know how to do good.
1 Timothy 1:12-17 But I received mercy.
Luke 15:1-10 This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.

O God of mercy, 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.

Oh I have so much I want to say to you this morning about the ancient scriptures we’ve heard just now: Jeremiah, Psalm 14, 1 Timothy, the Gospel of Luke, and we haven’t even heard Psalm 42 yet – that will come after communion. Our oldest reading today is about 3000 years old, and the newest is about 1900 years old, give or take. Old. They tell us that in ancient times there were foolish people who said in their hearts, “There is no God.” By the way, this is not a critique of individual philosophical or theoretical atheism; this is an ethical critique of a people who did not think it mattered how the most vulnerable in society were treated: widows, orphans, and aliens. In ancient times people thought that prosperity and power and security and status were all that mattered; they were corrupt and committed abominable acts. In ancient times, there were people who profaned what was sacred, who pursued others in order to oppress them, who engaged in violence, who cheated and mistreated people, who were serving wealth instead of fidelity to love. In ancient times, people who believed that doing justice and loving kindness and walking with humility were not the ones in power very often. Maybe not ever. The staying power that these ancient texts have, the wisdom that they contain, is staggering to me.

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It’s true.

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Proper 18C
September 8, 2019

Jeremiah 18:1-11  Then I will change my mind.
Philemon 1-21  Though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love.
Luke 14:25-33 So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

O God of Love, 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.

So how about those readings? We have a vision of God as a vengeful potter, angry and manipulative, devising punishing plans; a story of a runaway slave being sent back to his owner; and an admonition about being fit to follow Jesus only if one hates family and life itself and is willing to give up all one’s possessions. That’s the line that strikes fear in Episcopal congregations everywhere.

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