UPDATE MARCH 27: ONLINE CHURCH SERVICES AND BUILDINGS CLOSURES
FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IN THIS TIME OF THE COVID - 19 PANDEMIC
*THE CHURCH BUILDING IS CURRENTLY CLOSED*
ALL IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICES ARE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
YOU CAN JOIN US ON ZOOM (OR BY PHONE) FOR:
· SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER SERVICE @ 10AM
· WEDNESDAY NOON DAY PRAYER SERVICE @12PM
For more info on joining us on Zoom (or by phone) for the services,
please email us @ stpetersbytheseak@gmail.com
*THE SEE HOUSE (BEHIND THE CHURCH) IS CLOSED*
If you need to talk with someone from the church,
Please call us at 747-3977, and leave a message with your contact info.
OR email us at stpetersbytheseak@gmail.com
We will get back to you as soon as possible
Rest
Be Still
Pray
stpeters-sitka.org
Church Services and See House Updates - March 23
FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IN THIS TIME OF THE COVID - 19 PANDEMIC
*ALL IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICES ARE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE*
YOU CAN JOIN US ON ZOOM FOR:
· SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER SERVICE @ 10AM
· WEDNESDAY NOON DAY PRAYER SERVICE @12PM
For more info on joining us on Zoom for the services,
please email us @ stpetersbytheseak@gmail.com
*THE SEE HOUSE IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE*
If you need to talk with someone from the church,
Please call us at 747-3977, and leave a message with your contact info.
OR email us at stpetersbytheseak@gmail.com
We will get back to you as soon as possible
The church will continue to be open daily
7am-7pm
Please know you are welcome to stop in -
to be still, to rest, to pray
stpeters-sitka.org
The Lord is my Shepherd
4 Lent/Year A
March 22, 2020
In this time of the COVID-19 Pandemic
You can listen to the audio recording of the sermon HERE
Today’s scriptures
1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
I don’t imagine that any of us sitting here this morning…had ever imagined that this season of Lent, would unfold in the way it has…Just a few short weeks ago, it seems,…the COVID 19 virus was effecting lives in China, and other countries…Yes…our hearts were going out to the people in those countries…our hearts were breaking for people enduring such uncertainty, chaos, and fear…But, the physical distance of these countries, in the beginning…felt so remote…It was happening somewhere else…not here…somehow…I still felt safe here…as if it would only happen somewhere else…and not so close to home…
I can’t even remember, right now, when the moment hit me, that what was happening somewhere else…was happening here too…
The events in the past few weeks have been changing in a blink of an eye…and it seems as if we are caught up in a whirlwind, in which we are being tossed every which way…a whirlwind of information being thrust upon us, at the same time another dose of loss and uncertainty being added into the mix, hour by hour…
Every day, we are being asked to do one more hard thing, after another…things we’ve never had to do before… making some very difficult decisions that we’ve never been faced with before…We are being asked to stay home, keep our distance from each other, don’t travel, don’t gather in groups, don’t meet in the church as we’ve always done, don’t send the kids to school or to the playground to be around other families, don’t visit anyone in the pioneers home, don’t visit the elderly, the vulnerable, those whose health is compromised, don’t travel to see your aging loved one in their care facility, because they aren’t allowing visitors, don’t travel to attend a long-planned wedding, don’t plan a wedding right now, don’t plan any kind of a celebration that would bring lots of people together, don’t worry, don’t panic, do not fear…
When we hear these words over and over again…don’t do this, don’t do that…it can be very difficult to do the very thing we are trying not to do…to not worry, to not be fearful, to not panic…
The opening stanza from a Thomas Merton prayer gives me a starting place to begin again, and to turn away from this fear that can take root very easily in our hearts, in a time of such uncertainty, with the many voices that are vying for our attention…and to turn once again to my faith, my beliefs, and my trust in God…that indeed we can believe, that in Jesus, we have a Shepherd…who will lead us and guide us, in all times, and in all places, and in all circumstances…
Listen to Thomas Merton’s words:
O Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going,
I do not see the road ahead of me,
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
We have always lived in times of uncertainty… there are things every day, that are out of our control…we are reminded of that every time someone we love dies, and we couldn’t do anything to stop it from happening, every time someone we love is diagnosed with cancer and there is no cure, every time someone we love becomes addicted to substances that take control of their lives, and we are left feeling helpless to help them….
Somehow, we have allowed ourselves to falsely believe that we did have control over every aspect of our lives and the lives of those whom we love….and that we were solely responsible for everything that happened, good and bad, in our lives and the lives of others…we have forgotten that we belong to God, and to each other…
That’s why when we find ourselves in the midst of this never-ending wave of uncertainties, and new hard things being thrust upon us, daily…we find ourselves fearful, we find ourselves feeling unequipped to cope and deal with so many of these things that are not in our control right now.
And, as unsettling as it may feel right now…this is the time…to let go…to let go of the need to try and control every moment of what is happening now…and let God back in - to walk with you, to comfort you, and support you in this time of uncertainty…
Believe in God… Believe, that in Jesus, we have a Shepherd…who will lead us and guide us, in all times, and in all places, and in all circumstances…Believe, that in Jesus...we have a voice that is calling us to lie down in green pastures…rest our souls for a time…a voice that is inviting us and leading us to still waters…
Yes, we live in the world…we have to follow the laws, the mandates, the voices of science and the experts who know best on how to give us strong evidenced-based and accurate guidance on how to deal with this current pandemic.
But, we are not just people of the world…we have a spirit and a heart and a body that belongs to God, and we are always in God’s care…we are always being held in the palm of God’s hands…
The last stanza in the same Thomas Merton prayer I quoted a few moments ago…assures us of that….
Therefore I will trust You always
Though I may seem to be lost
And in the shadow of death.
I will not fear,
For You are ever with me,
And You will never leave me
To make my journey alone.
The Lord is my Shepherd…
Hymn after sermon: The Lord is my shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want,
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want,
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil,
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil,
For you are with me, You will comfort me
For you are with me, You will comfort me,
Comfort me.
Surely goodness and mercy, shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever
Forever Forever Forever Forever
Singers: Elin Manahan Thomas and the choir of St. David's Catherdral, Wales Music: Howard Goodall
Rev Julie Platson, Rector
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church
Sitka, Alaska
Important worship service notice - St Peter's
FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IN THIS TIME OF THE COVID - 19 PANDEMIC
*ALL IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICES ARE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE*
YOU CAN JOIN US ON ZOOM FOR:
· SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER SERVICE @ 10AM
· WEDNESDAY NOON DAY PRAYER SERVICE @12PM
For more info on joining us on Zoom for the services, please go to our website
(stpeters-sitka.org – church happenings)
or email us @ stpetersbytheseak@gmail.com
The church will continue to be open daily
7am-7pm
Please know you are welcome to stop in -
to be still, to rest, to pray
stpeters-sitka.org
A LITANY AMIDST THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK
A LITANY AMIDST THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK
Written by the Rev Michael B.E. Kurth
God the Father,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.
Most merciful God, we come to you in this time of anxiety and uncertainty surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19. As the sorrows of our heart and mind increase, we beseech you to save us from all trouble and fear. Cast away all works of darkness. Be our rock, a castle to keep us safe. For the Lord is our stronghold and sure defense, and he will be our Savior.
For all who have died: receive them into the arms of your mercy, grant them eternal peace, and surround those who mourn with your healing grace.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For those directly infected with the virus: help them recover in good health and restore them in body, mind and spirit. Lord, hear our prayer.
For those at high risk of infection, especially the elderly, those with underlying illnesses, the marginalized, and the poor: keep them healthy and free from all sickness. Lord, hear our prayer.
For those in quarantine, the shut-in, and the infirmed: help them find peace, keep them in good health, and renew their mind and spirit. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all hospitals, doctors, nurses, and staff: protect them as they minister to the sick, relieve all stress, and provide the resources and space to meet the needs of all the infirmed. Lord, hear our prayer.
For first responders: guard them from all harm, and grant them strength and courage as they respond to all calls for help. Lord, hear our prayer.
For service industry workers and those forced to work as their community shuts down: keep them healthy, bestow the resources to best care for themselves and their families, and assure them in times of financial and medical anxiety. Lord, hear our prayer.
For those experiencing financial loss and uncertainty of resources: have mercy on them, alleviate any fear, and provide for them daily bread and wage. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the leaders of this nation and the world: help them make sound and safe decisions to best secure the future of our planet. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all schools, students, teachers, administrators and school staff: as schools remain open, keep them healthy and in good spirit to learn; as schools close, feed those who will go hungry without guaranteed meals and shelter all students have no place to live. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all scientists and those working to find a cure: inspire them towards your truth, and help them discover and disseminate a vaccine and cure. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all media and journalists: protect them from all harm in their reporting, and move them to be a vector of truth and certainty, and never fear or panic. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all places of worship: embolden them to be beacons of hope and love, and help us to gather however and wherever we can – be it in person or online – to give you praise. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the leaders of our church: help them minister to their flock; fortify them to be faithful pastors, to persevere in prayer, and to build up the family of God in new and creative ways. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the young: spare them from harm and fear, and keep them a joyful sign of your love and light. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all parents: build in them strength and fortitude for the time ahead, and give them the words and witness to be wise counselors and compassionate caregivers. Lord, hear our prayer.
For calm amidst the storm: as the waves toss our boat and we wonder “do you not care?”, remind us to not be afraid, that with you all things are possible, and that even the wind and sea obey you. Lord, hear our prayer.
Stir up in us a spirit of compassion and tenacity for the time ahead. Amen.
Move us to check-in with loved ones at high risk of infection and those in quarantine. Amen.
Ease our fear and anxiety, that we may share our resources rather than hoard them, and extend a helping hand to those in need. Amen.
Inspire us to share the Good News of your love and hope. Amen.
All this we ask through your son Jesus Christ our Lord: healer of the sick, ruler of the tempestuous sea, and Savior of the world. Amen.
Officiant: Lord, have mercy.
People: Christ, have mercy.
ALL: Lord, have mercy.
March 2020
earthandaltarmag.com
Bishop requesting all to do daily Noon Day Prayer
From the Bishop:
Effective immediately I am asking all Episcopalians in the Diocese of Alaska to join together in saying the Service for Noonday (Page 103 Book of Common Prayer). This will be an opportunity for solidarity in prayer across the Diocese. Our common and intentional prayer will bind us together and unite those who are in quarantine alone, those who are working at home, those who are caring for the most vulnerable, all of us living in wonder in these times of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
And I ask your specific prayer intentions for the welfare of others and gratitude for our manifold blessings.
Please pause and join in prayer at noon every day for the coming weeks. It will take no more than 10 minutes.
The Order of Service for Noonday can be found here: Noon Day service - Book of Common Prayer (pg 103)
God is in the midst of all of this…
3 Lent Year A/ March 15 2020
Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42
Still us, God,
so we might listen to You speaking to us,
knowing us, seeing us, loving us. (Rev. Karla and posted on RevGalBlogPals)
Moment of silence…
Still us, God,
so we might listen to You speaking to us,
knowing us, seeing us, loving us. (Rev. Karla and posted on RevGalBlogPals)
I’m wondering if anyone is struggling this past week to find some moments of stillness…to listen for the ways God is speaking to us, knowing us, seeing us, loving us…
I know I have.
Yes…I’m still taking time for prayer and devotional readings and self-care everyday…but that time of stilling my mind and my heart, has been especially challenging this week…to really allow myself to be “still” so I might listen to God speaking to me, knowing me, seeing me, loving me.
We are in the midst of some scary and troubling times of unknowing and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 virus. There are thousands of voices scrambling to get our attention, telling us what to do or not to do…what to believe or not to believe…We are in a constant state of alert with recommendations evolving by the hour.
This is all on top of other stresses and worries that people are facing already, even before the virus entered into the mix. There are still children going hungry every day, there are still caregivers struggling to care for loved ones, young and old, there are still those struggling with addictions one day at a time, there are still those worrying about a recent health diagnosis, there are still those grieving the death of loved ones, there are still those struggling to find jobs and pay bills, those who are currently being laid off from their jobs, there are still people struggling with loneliness and isolation….
But, do you know what good news is found in all of this today, that we all need to be reminded of?
God is in the midst of all of this…God has always been with us. God will be with us for the long journey ahead….
IN our reading from Exodus today…the people are in need of this reminder…the people are hungry and thirsty and tired and struggling and overwhelmed and wondering… “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Moses listens to the Lord speaking to him, he knows that God sees them, and hears the people’s cries and loves them…for the Lord instructs Moses to Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.”
They paused for a moment, and were given some water to drink…the people received the life-giving cup of water…that only the Lord can give…they were reminded, in the moment of refreshment…
God is in the midst of all of this…God has always been with us. God will be with us for the long journey ahead….
It is in turning our hearts to our faith in God that we remember that indeed God is in the midst of this, has always been, and will always be…
Paul’s letter to the Romans give us more re-assuring words to help us keep our faith in God in these times of testing our ability to endure our times of trial…
Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Setting aside time for stillness, the Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s love for us…reminds us that we are not forgotten and that we are seen and heard…The Holy Spirit reminds us to remain in hope… she reminds us to believe and trust that…
God is in the midst of all of this…God has always been with us. God will be with us for the long journey ahead….
In our gospel reading today…we are witness to a conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well. It is a lengthy conversation that begins with Jesus, tired out by his recent journey, sitting by Jacob’s well, when a Samaritan woman comes to draw water, and Jesus says to her, “Give me a drink.” She is taken back for moment, that Jesus would be talking to her or asking her for anything.
The other thing that jumped out at me in this passage, was that Jesus seemed to be so completely present to her…it was such a personal conversation and interaction that was taking place…the kind of conversation that if you were a part of, you would be reminded that you weren’t as alone as you might have thought you were….Jesus had something to offer in this moment to the woman…who perhaps hadn’t even noticed just how thirsty she was…thirsty to know that she was indeed seen, heard and loved by someone….It is Jesus who reminds her…“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.”
We will all need this living water, that Jesus gives us…to endure these trying times of uncertainty and unknowing… not just in the midst of this coronavirus wilderness journey….but for all our ups and downs and struggles and worries throughout our lifetime…
Taking time, to stop, to be still, to be in conversation with each other, to be in conversation with Jesus, to drink of His live-giving waters…reminds us that even now, and especially now….God is speaking to us, God knows us, God sees us, God loves us…
Some may look around at all the chaos that seems to be happening in the world and in our communities and wonder,
“Is the Lord among us or not?”
In faith and with the hope of God’s love poured out for us in the life-giving waters of Jesus Christ, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit that has been poured into our hearts…. we can answer affirmatively with a hope that does not disappoint us… “Yes!” Yes…the Lord is among us.
Yes…God is in the midst of all of this…God has always been with us. God will be with us for the long journey ahead….
Still us, God,
so we might listen to You speaking to us,
knowing us, seeing us, loving us
Instrumental Hymn…Be still my soul
Rev Julie Platson, Rector
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church
Sitka, Alaska
St Peter's by the Sea Friday March 13 update
March 13
“All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.” Julian of Norwich
The weekend announcements email will be sent out later today...
Clergy are meeting through a "Zoom" online meeting with Bishop Mark this morning...and will have an update on how the church(es) are being called to respond in this time of the Coronavirus Pandemic...
Bishop Mark, the Episcopal Church, myself...are constantly being updated and relying on info from the CDC, WHO, our local and state agencies to inform our decisions that effect us locally...
For now:
*If you are sick, please stay close to home. (contact me, or have a friend or family let us know, if you have any needs) 747-3977 (church phone)...623-7561 (Julie's cell)
*Wash hands, repeat, wash hands, repeat, wash hands
*Stay calm....
“All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.” Julian of Norwich
Questions, questions, questions
2 Lent Year A
March 8, 2020
Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17
Questions, questions, questions…we all have them…throughout our entire lives…
But, children, especially are well-known for their curiosity, their minds full of wonderings and questions that are sometimes endless…
Children can ask some pretty deep questions:
“Why do we have to be born young and grow old, why can’t we be born old and get young?” (@KellyRocks)
Sitting in a restaurant, a young child asks his Father, “Why are we here, Daddy?”
“Well, we’re here to have lunch!”
“No, no. Why are we here ON THIS EARTH?” (/u/kateysomething)
Children never seem to tire in wanting to know who, what, when, where, why…morning, noon, and night…especially nighttime… when they should be closing their eyes to finally get some rest…And for the most part, they trust in the answers that we adults give them…even when we just answer with…I wonder about that too… I wonder, too how these things could be….
My oldest son and I had a ritual every evening before turning out the light for sleep…I would be sitting on his bed, letting him know that the time had come to turn out the light…and that’s when the questions would begin…What are we doing tomorrow? What time will we have dinner? What will we have for breakfast the next day? Where will we go on Saturday? Will grandma and grandpa come to my birthday party (that was still 5 months away!)?
I allowed quite a bit of time for his questions every night…I felt like it was important to spend this time just listening and honoring his questions…and at the same time, building a relationship with him, based on trust….offering him assurance…that even in times of not having all the answers…he could still trust…that I was listening…and that I was there with him… and that I indeed loved him and cared about him…
I think there’s something to be said about night-time and questions…for children of all ages…but especially us adults….think about yourself for a moment…How many nights, do you lay your head down on the pillow, to finally rest after a long day…and in a matter of seconds or minutes…you are wide awake…your brain is fully awake and processing everything that happened in the past day, the past few months, the past year….while simultaneously thinking about the present moment, tomorrow, next month…later next fall….Our brains are an amazing thing…too amazing at times…
But do you know what is even more amazing?…God’s love for us….a love so amazing and so wonderful…that God gave his only Son, Jesus, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life…. A love so amazing and so wonderful…that it has the power to save us in times of trials and temptations, to give us hope, to give us peace of mind and heart, in times of uncertainty, in times of suffering, in times of unknowing, in times of question, after question after question… How can these things be?
I wonder if the questions seem to arise more in the night-time, because we finally rest from the busyness of doing things, whether it’s caring for loved ones at home, attending to the needs of one’s children, running all around attending to everything that needs to be done during the daylight hours…thinking it’s all on us…to do it all…
I wonder if the questions seem to arise more in the evening because it’s dark, or because we are fearful of something, or we’re anxious about many things, or because it’s quiet, or that we find ourselves feeling alone for a moment… and in that moment of quiet and stillness, an inner longing and hope swells up in us, telling us that there has got to be something more to this life than running around all day, in a state of worry, concern, and fear…there has got to be more than what we think we already know…and allow ourselves to believe..
And in the mind of Nicodemus, in today’s gospel story…there had to be more to know about this person Jesus….who he had witnessed performing miracles…there had to be more to know about this person Jesus, than he had heard in his teachings to the crowds.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a Jewish scholar, who was very knowledgeable on matters of Jewish law and religion, came to Jesus by night…with a seeker’s heart…as a child of God, curious and wondering…
Maybe he came at night, because that’s when his busyness of the day was over…and Jesus’ busyness of the day was over…
But he came, at night… And in those hours of the night with Jesus…there were questions that came up for Nicodemus…and answers that Jesus provided….that boggled Nicodemus’ mind….but seemed to be opening Nicodemus’ heart (and mind) a bit more as time went on…and with every question and with every answer Jesus gave: “How can anyone be born again after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
The short answer, here…Love…God’s love…
A love so amazing and so wonderful…that God gave his only Son, Jesus, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life…. A love so amazing and so wonderful…that it has the power to save us in times of trials and temptations, to give us hope, to give us peace of mind and heart, in times of uncertainty, in times of suffering, in times of unknowing, in times of question, after question after question…How can these things be?
I like to imagine Nicodemus coming to Jesus by night…as a young child again…allowing himself to ask questions through the heart of a child…a heart full of curiosity and wonder…allowing himself to grow closer in understanding the mystery of God and His love for his beloved children of all ages….
I wonder if we might try that? Instead of lying awake at night worrying and thinking we have to answer all of life’s difficult questions all by ourselves…we go to talk with Jesus with a seeker’s heart, as a child of God, curious and wondering….
But, not only at night time…but, in the morning, the day time…today, tomorrow, and the next day….go to Him, by spending time with Him, getting to know more…about earthly things and heavenly things…physical things and spiritual things…getting to know more about God’s love…God’s dream for the world, for you, for me, for our neighbors…
Do this, by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word, spend time in prayer, time in silence, time in worship and sabbath-keeping…
Do this, by building loving relationships with one another, built upon the love of God that has been so graciously poured out for each one of us…
A love so amazing and so wonderful…that God gave his only Son, Jesus, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life…. A love so amazing and so wonderful…that it has the power to save us in times of trials and temptations, to give us hope, to give us peace of mind and heart, in times of uncertainty, in times of suffering, in times of unknowing, in times of question, after question after question…How can these things be?
Let us pray: (Hymn: Lord of all hopefulness)
Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm, whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm: be there at our sleeping and give us, we pray, your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day. Amen. (Vs 4)
Rev. Julie Platson, Rector
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, Sitka, Alaska
***Preached at St Philip’s, Wrangell, AK***