God's generous love...there's always more to the story...

16 Pentecost/Year A

September 20, 2020

Philippians 1:21-30;  Psalm 145:1-8; Matthew 20:1-16

Another Sunday, another parable…

Parables seem to be Jesus’ favorite way of sharing the good news of God’s generosity…whether it be about God’s love, God’s compassion, God’s grace, God’s justice, or God’s mercy….

No matter how many ways Jesus strives to help his listeners understand God’s generous ways, though… as human beings, our ability to grasp this, often falls miserably short, and is so limited by the confines of our human understanding, and our constant desire, to force it to make logical sense in our minds…before we could believe such a thing…

We get so easily entangled and anxious about earthly things, while Jesus is striving to teach us about heavenly things…striving to encourage us to hold fast to those things that endure: the generosity of God’s Holy love…that keeps coming to us…moment by moment…day after day….

There is so much more for us to learn and grasp about the power of God’s generous love to transform and heal our divisions and our broken lives…

Whether we were alive 2,000 years ago to hear Jesus’ parables or if Jesus was sitting in front of you and I right now…Jesus’ words are meant to invite us to envision something more…. more to the story of our own lives, and those around us, and more to the story about God’s love and God’s love for his people, than what the human eye, and mind, and experience tells us, about what love really is and what love does….what is true and just…what is right, and what is wrong, what is fair, what is not fair….

Jesus’ parables invite us to open our eyes and ears…to listen for the ways we are being called to align our hearts and minds with this generous love of God, to envision a whole new world that is possible…when God’s people work together, as a people who love and honor and respect the dignity of every human being…

In an introduction to today’s gospel reading from Lesson Plans that Work, the writer has this to say, about today’s parable:

Today’s parable appears in the section of Matthew where those around Jesus are questioning him about everything. As Jesus continues his ministry and the disciples are witnessing his great works, they keep coming to him with questions about taxes, who is the greatest in Heaven, forgiveness, divorce, and how to inherit eternal life. The disciples are trying to figure out this new world that they are experiencing through Jesus’ miracles, parables, and teachings. 

Just prior to our gospel lesson today, the disciples have heard Jesus tell the rich young man that he must sell everything and give the money to the poor.  They begin to wonder, “We have left everything and followed you.  What then will we have?”  Meaning, we have left our homes and our families, we have left behind what we know and love to follow you…what will we get in return?

________________________________________________________________

What will we get in return, if we follow Jesus?

Something tells me, that Jesus’ answer won’t only be about what we will get in return for following him….but better yet…it will be more about what we will give to others, as a result of following him….

Therein, lies an invitation for each one of us to consider…

What would happen if we dared to leave everything behind like the disciples did…to follow Jesus…to learn and discover anew, how it could be that the last will be first, and the first will be last…what it would mean to walk and live our lives in the Way of Love, that Jesus has been teaching us and pointing us to in the parables….

What would happen, if we set aside time for a daily walk with Jesus, through spending time in prayer, with the scriptures, in silence, and reaching out to others who are hungry, afraid, or alone, or advocating for justice and equity for those whose voices are not being heard…

Would it lead us to new understandings about the impact of God’s love and presence in our lives, and in the lives of people among us, and in all of creation, entrusted to our care?

Would it inspire us to continue to learn more about each other, our neighbors and our enemies, so we could discover ways together, to envision a world, where loving one another, begins with respecting the dignity of every human being?

The only way to find out…is to take that first step, one day at a time, to be drenched in the generosity of God’s love, that keeps coming to us, moment by moment and day after day…

Let’s take a moment to listen to a few words from Stephanie Spellers, Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Evangelism, Reconciliation and Stewardship of Creation, who speaks about the generosity of God’s Holy love…

*Show the video of Transforming Through Love: More to the Story

(Stephanie Spellers) From The Work of the People

https://www.theworkofthepeople.com/more-to-the-story (free to view this one)

What does God say?

I think God says..

There’s more to the story, than the earthly narrative which often fills us with fear, anxiety, sorrow, and hopelessness… there’s more for us, yet to discover about God’s Holy love, and generous ways, that never cease…and how it is, that when we believe in and trust in this good news, it can help keep us grounded in hope, and in the love of God, and more focused on the heavenly things that endure, even as we ae placed among things that are passing  away…

Let us pray, that we may walk in the light of this Love, and learn to love others, and serve others, in a way that reveals the generosity of God’s love, God’s compassion, God’s grace, God’s vision of justice and God’s mercy…and let us pray, that it will show up, in every interaction we have with one another…whether its early in the morning, at 9am in the morning, at noon, at 3 in the afternoon, or at 5pm, when the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, in God’s mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. (BCP 833)

Rest in peace, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg….Thank you for living your life in a way that gave us glimpses of how the generosity of God’s love and God’s vision of justice can make an impact, and make a difference in the lives of so many people.  May she rest now, in the arms of the God who is love and the author of true justice. Shalom  (The Presiding Bishop Michael B Curry)

“May her memory be for blessing”

After sermon hymn: O Master, let me walk with thee – Hymn 660

O Master, let me walk with thee

in lowly paths of service free;

tell me thy secret; help me bear

the strain of toil, the fret of care.

Help me the slow of heart to move

by some clear, winning word of love;

teach me the wayward feet to stay,

and guide them in the homeward way.

Teach me thy patience; still with thee

in closer, dearer company,

in work that keeps faith sweet and strong,

in trust that triumphs over wrong,

in hope that sends a shining ray

far down the future’s broadening way,

in peace that only thou canst give,

with thee, O Master, let me live.

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

Imagine seeing the world as God sees it...

15 Pentecost/Year A/Sept 13, 2020

The Season of Creation

Genesis 50:15-21; Psalm 103:(1-7) 8-13; Matthew 18:21-35

This past week, I listened to part 1 (of a 2-part series) in a PODCAST featuring Bishop Rob Wright of Atlanta, and The Rev Barbara Brown Taylor, an author, and Episcopal Priest.  This week’s topic was about the changing ways we encounter and see God in the world.

In the interview, The Rev Barbara Brown Taylor offered this perspective about Jesus…“In my view, Jesus changed lives because he was able to change the way people imagined their lives. He dared them to imagine the stranger as neighbor, the child as teacher, the enemy as mirror, the deity as loving father. He helped them imagine lepers, women, and Roman centurions as exemplars of faith. He asked them to imagine that the most important person at the table was the waiter, and that the end of the line was the place to be. At the moment, I cannot think of a single story he told that was not intended to change the way his listeners imagined the world.”–The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor

Think about that, every time you prepare to read or listen to the Gospels… At the moment, I cannot think of a single story he told that was not intended to change the way his listeners imagined the world.”

I like to think of her words as a “sneak peak” or a “spoiler alert” for us, every time we get ready to read the scriptures -  telling us that Jesus is about to change the way we imagine our lives and the world around us….We are given a head start, to prepare ourselves to hear the Good News about God’s love, that Jesus is about to proclaim…

I think she’s telling us, to get ready, pay attention, open your eyes, open your ears….look and listen…Jesus is about to show us all something, we’ve never imagined before…and as crazy as some of it may sound…and as counter-cultural as it most of it may sound….when we dare to see the world, and act in the world, in the way Jesus is asking us to imagine…there will be no place we go, that we will not encounter the love and mercy of God, at work in us, in the people among us, and in all of the created world that surrounds us.

And when we see the people and the created world, through the eyes of God…we can imagine a world, in which conflicts, addressed with love, and forgiveness and mercy can lead to healing and reconciliation, among all God’s people and all of God’s creation…

And as the Presiding Bishop Michael Curry likes to remind us often…..paying attention to Jesus, changes lives…following in the Way of Love that Jesus has taught us, and shown us, taking his teachings seriously, letting his Spirit take the lead in our lives, will help us to transform our world, “from the nightmare it often is, into the dream that God intends.”

The world we are living in right now, often feels like a nightmare, at times…there’s a heavy, unforgiving weight, resting upon the backs and shoulders of so many people right now, who lie awake every night, worrying that this nightmare will never end…the nightmare of people suffering from illness, the nightmare of lives and properties destroyed by fires, and hurricanes…and the nightmare of never-ending conflict… Conflicts about the way to address the pandemic, conflicts about addressing racism and discrimination in our society, conflicts about religion, conflicts about politics, conflicts about climate change…the list could go on…

Last week Jesus was asking us to change the way we imagined dealing with conflicts… Jesus spoke about how to lovingly, and respectfully deal with conflict in our lives, by putting God’s love, himself, in the center of all our prayers, conversations, and conflicts…not just once, but as many times, and in a variety of ways that we can….and to never give up, in working towards healing and reconciliation with our neighbors, with our enemies, those who have sinned against us, or those we have wronged…

This week, he offers a little more about what it means to lovingly and respectfully deal with conflict in our lives when he addresses Peter’s question about how many times to forgive someone…

 Jesus shares a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves…..

In the parable, Jesus calls attention to the need for patience, compassion and mercy when struggling with forgiving others… the same patience, compassion, and mercy that we often forget, that we, ourselves, have received more than once…

And we are reminded again this week, when addressing forgiveness, in the midst of conflict, it’s not a one-time thing; it’s a continuing process of learning what it means to forgive and be forgiven; it’s a continuing process of being changed in a way that helps us to forgive others as Jesus has taught us to forgive, and it’s a continuing process of learning to see the world and its people through the eyes of God, so that we can do the work we are being called to do, in bringing about healing and reconciliation among all God’s people, and all of creation.

Jesus challenges us, especially in times of conflict…to see the world and its people through God’s eyes…to imagine what the dream of God looks like…here on earth….and to walk and speak and live in a way that works towards bringing that dream to realization…

When we learn to see the people and the created world, through the eyes of God…we can imagine a world, in which conflicts, addressed with love, and forgiveness and mercy can indeed lead to healing and reconciliation, among all God’s people…and all of God’s creation…

IN the gospels, Jesus’ intention is always to change how we imagine the world…from the nightmare it often is, into the dream God intends...(Presiding Bishop Michael Curry)

Think about that, every time you prepare to read or listen to the Gospels… As the Rev Barbara Brown Taylor reminds us, I cannot think of a single story Jesus told that was not intended to change the way his listeners imagined the world.”

May I offer up something for you to try out this week?

Set aside some time this week to be still and re-read the gospel passages from the past 2 weeks… Matthew 18:15-35…

Listen for the ways Jesus is changing how you view your own life, and the lives of those around you, in these difficult times, we find ourselves in…

What are some ways Jesus is challenging you to change the way you deal with conflicts and forgiveness for yourself, those in your small social circle…as well as those in the wider community?

And set aside some time this week, too, to just walk and wander….outside, or in the places that reside in your heart and mind….imagine yourself looking at the world, through God’s eyes…encountering God, and the world God sees, by paying loving attention to everything God has created and called good…everything…the people, the waters, the trees, the grass, the flowers, the mountains, the animals, the birds, the bees, the butterflies, the bears, the eagles, the ravens, the fish… the sky, the stars….

All of this…is part of the dream of God…that we would see the world through God’s eyes, and love one another, and care for one another, and all of creation…

Today and every day, we are invited to see the world through God’s eyes…and to be grateful…

Look and Be Grateful story by Tomie dePaola (2015)

Open your eyes…and look.

Open your eyes…and see,

And say THANK YOU…for TODAY is TODAY.

Be GRATEFUL,

For everything you see.

Have GRATITUDE.

TODAY is TODAY,

And it is a GIFT.

So, Be GRATEFUL.

After sermon music reflection time: How Great thou art (2 verses) - sung by Ali Hosford

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

A time to keep silence...and a time to speak up...

14 Pentecost/Year A/September 6, 2020

Psalm 119:33-40; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18: 15-20

I don’t think there is anyone sitting here today….who has not been witness to the many arguments and conflicts taking place in our country these days…whether you watch the news on TV, or on your computers or Iphones, or whether you read the newspaper, and daily tweets that come across your twitter feed…

Arguments and conflicts seem to be escalating everywhere…

Conflicts about the way to address the pandemic, conflicts about addressing racism and discrimination in our society, conflicts about religion, conflicts about politics, conflicts about climate change…the list could go on…

Conflicts have always been present…in our families, in our churches, in our communities…And as long as we are alive, and interacting with others in this world…we will never be completely free from conflict…

But, that doesn’t mean we need to give in to the picture of what we are seeing now, in the ways many people are dealing with conflict…with such hatred and disregard for the dignity of other human beings…There are voices coming from all different directions, talking and yelling over one another…with people rarely calling for a time-out to just pause, to be still…to truly listen to one another…and to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit of God, who created us by his love, who can help us listen deeply to one another, and who can lead us and guide us in all the ways we can reach out and learn to love one another…and all of creation…

Conflicts need not be thought of as something to run from….Conflict and disagreements can help each of us learn new things…about ourselves, and about our neighbors…and can be used as a pathway towards healing and reconciliation….

But we must take time to be with one another, with our neighbors, and our enemies…to be quiet and still with one another, to listen to one another…as Henri Nouwen reminds us, by paying full attention to others and welcoming them into our very beings.

In our gospel reading today, Jesus is talking about how to lovingly, and respectfully deal with conflict in our lives, by putting God’s love, himself, in the center of all our prayers, conversations, and conflicts…not just once, but as many times, and in a variety of ways that we can….to never give up, in working towards healing and reconciliation with our neighbors and those who have sinned against us, or those we have wronged… And in our reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans….we are reminded…that the core of lovingly and respectfully dealing with conflict with each other, is through truly learning to love our neighbors, as ourselves…as Jesus has taught us and shown us…

And we can’t even begin to do that…unless we pause, to be still in the presence of the Holy One, and to just be with each other, be silent with one another… until, as Bishop Steven Charleston tells us… the only thing left is no sound at all other than the sound of our heart beating: the common sound we call life.

No more hatred, no more fear, no more anger….just a moment of silence to be connected to the source of all life, the source of all understanding, the source of all love, that helps us see and love our neighbor, as God sees them, and knows them…

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to keep silence, and a time to speak…Ecclesiastes 3: 1 & 7b

A time to speak up, and work tirelessly in seeking justice and peace among all people, and a time to speak up, to ensure that the dignity of every human being is honored and respected, as a beloved child of God…

And there is a time to rest from our labors…

There is a time to keep silence…to be quiet and still…in the presence of God, and with one another, and with all of creation…

Book: Quiet by Tomie dePaola – CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO RECORDING OF REV JULIE READING THE STORY OUTSIDE 

“My, oh my,” the grandfather said. “Everything is in such a hurry.

“The birds are flying so fast.”

“And our dog is rushing after the ball,” said the girl.

“I see a frog jumping high, into the pond,” said the boy.

“And a dragonfly zooming over the water.”

“Even the trees are waving their leaves.”

“Busy as busy can be.”

“Let’s not be so busy. Why don’t we sit here, you next to me.

“The birds are just like us. Taking a rest, singing their song.”

“Our dog is tired. I think he is dreaming.”

“The frog is sitting and blinking.”

“The dragonfly has stopped beating its wings.”

“Let us be quiet, like all our friends. Quiet and still.”

“I can think, when I’m quiet.”

“I can see, when I’m still.”

To be quiet and still is a special thing.

END OF BOOK

Take time to rest and be still…

Connect once again to the source of all life,

A God who breathes through all creation: A God who is Love, eternal Love.

Let us pray: God is love – H379 – Ali Hosford sing

God is Love, let heaven adore him;

God is Love, let earth rejoice;

let creation sing before him

and exalt him with one voice.

God who laid the earth’s foundation,

God who spread the heaven above,

God who breathes through all creation:

God is Love, eternal Love.

God is Love; and Love enfolds us,

all the world in one embrace:

with unfailing grasp God holds us,

every child of every race.

And when human hearts are breaking

under sorrow’s iron rod,

then we find that selfsame aching

deep within the heart of God.

God is Love, let heaven adore him;

God is Love, let earth rejoice;

let creation sing before him

and exalt him with one voice.

God who laid the earth’s foundation,

God who spread the heaven above,

God who breathes through all creation:

God is Love, eternal Love.

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

Keys and genuine love

13 Pentecost/Year A/August 30, 2020

Psalm 26: 1-8; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16: 21-28

Do you ever just stop and marvel on just how fast things change at times? My first thoughts make me think of infants, and young children…I think about how they change, rapidly, and seemingly,  overnight…and next thing you know they are graduating high school or getting married, before you even have a chance to blink your eyes again…I think about the seasons of the year….winter sometimes seems to drag on, and we think it will never end…but then we wake up one morning…and somehow there’s a full spread of flowers popping up everywhere…Then summer arrives….and there are more flowers, more outdoor time, and longer days….but, seemingly overnight… the leaves are falling off the trees, the days are growing shorter and cooler…and thoughts of winter begin to dance around in our heads again…

Wow! Where did the time go…? How is it possible, that we have not been in the church building for services since March 15? How is it possible, that since we were last in the church building…we’ve endured so many things since then….so many rapid changes in our personal lives, our communal lives, and in the seasons of the created world….we’ve been living through some times of great joy and some times of great unrest: a time of a pandemic, earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, and a time of escalated violence present across the world….we’ve lived through the end of a snowy and icy winter, we celebrated Holy Week, Easter, the season of spring, the Day of Pentecost, the long season of summer, which is coming to an end; and here we are today, embarking on a new beginning for schools and the season of autumn that is just around the corner…

How fast everything changes…

Peter reminds us of that in today’s reading.

It was just last week, that Jesus was praising Peter for his bold faith and answer that he believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus told Peter he was giving him the keys of the kingdom of heaven….and we too were encouraged to take a bold stand, as Peter did and to step out with that same faith and hope, and open up our hands to receive the keys of the kingdom of God, that Jesus is eager to place in our hands too…the keys of the kingdom that would assist us in opening our hearts and minds to love God and our neighbors….with a genuine love…a love that transcends all times and seasons of our lives…

But, how fast things changed just moments later… when Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

Peter didn’t want to hear anything about that. That’s not what he had in mind, when he said he believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God….that’s not what he had in mind when he committed himself to following Jesus....Peter seemed to default to the limits of his human imagination and neglected to stay focused on the divine love, and way of love, that Jesus was seeking to graft in his heart, and in the hearts of others who were following him and learning from him.

It was as if Peter misplaced the keys of the kingdom that Jesus had just placed in Peter’s hands just moments ago. It was as if he had forgotten everything Jesus had taught him before. It was as if he lost everything, when he lost those keys…and maybe that’s what Jesus was saying… For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

Those keys of the kingdom again this week, are a very relatable image for me.

If you, are like me, at times…losing our keys or misplacing our keys, happens more often that we would like to admit. They seem to go missing at the most inconvenient times…times we already stressing and running about frantically about other things…And its not a good feeling, when this happens. Every insecurity that we’ve ever experienced in our lifetime, seems to bubble to the surface. We are anxious, worried, fearful, distressed, angry, because we’ve lost these keys…we put every ounce of our energy into finding these keys that we need to get us where we need to go. Nothing else seems to matter…except to find those keys.

In our scriptures today, we are reminded about the importance of keys…not our car keys, but the keys of the kingdom of genuine love…and that’s good news to ponder today..

These keys of the kingdom, that have been placed in our hands are important…they do matter…If we have misplaced them or lost them… we are going to be scattered and distracted and overwhelmed…until we find them…we are to keep searching, to keep looking for them…until they are back in our hands…Our souls will not be at rest…until they are back in our hands…

These keys of the kingdom are needed to assist us in navigating these times of great uncertainty, and rapidly changing seasons, we are living in now….These keys of the kingdom are crucial to help us find our way, to help us find a balance and a connection between the divine things and the human things in this world…

We can do this by making time in our daily lives, to connect with the divine things, in times of prayer, quiet, scripture reading, walks in nature, listening to sacred music, sacred words and poetry…listening to words and inspirations that lead us to align ourselves with Jesus and God’s genuine love…and invite us to take up our cross and follow Jesus…in a way of life, that is the key to opening our hearts and minds to love God and our neighbors….with a genuine love…a love that transcends all times and seasons of our lives…

I invite you this week….to set aside some time, to pray and reflect further on the scripture reading we heard today from the letter of Paul to the Romans 12:9-21…

Reflect on some of these key markers of what genuine love looks like, sounds like and acts like….as followers of Jesus….think about all the different ways this love is expanded upon in this reading…and how you could connect these divine words to your human surroundings…and think about the endless possibilities for healing and reconciliation among all God’s people, if we use these keys of the kingdom of genuine love that are place in our hands now…what difference would we see in our lives, and the lives of others around us?

Listen…In all times, and in all seasons, listen closely for the voice of the divine…who is calling your name, and inviting your response…

(hold up set of keys, shake them)

Jesus has found your keys and wants to give them back to you…

Let us pray: Where he leads me I will follow (LEVS #144

1          I can hear my Savior calling,

            “Take thy cross and follow, follow me.”

            Where He leads me I will follow,

            I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

2          I’ll go with Him through the garden,

            I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way

            Refrain

3          I’ll go with Him through the judgement,

            I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

            Refrain

4          He will give me grace and glory,

            And go with me, with me all the way.

            Refrain

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

Scripture Walk in the Park - August 26 2020

Scripture Walk in the Park

A short walk through the park, enjoying nature, and reflecting on scriptures,  poems and other readings which speak about our beautiful creation.

1 Opening prayer: (New Zealand Prayer Book)

God of unchangeable power, when you fashioned the world the morning stars sang together and the host of heaven shouted for joy; open our eyes to the wonders of creation and teach us to see all things for good, to the honor of your glorious name. Amen.

Walk….

2  The Edge of a Season  (©Carolyn  Servid)
These days
when fog steals in off the ocean
to slip in and out of trees,
when mountains appear and disappear
like ghosts of some lost presence
and glassy water laps easily
at rocky shores,
these intermittent days of calm and silence
take us gently to the edge of a season
and catch us shifting uneasily, stepping back
to embrace remnants of summer light,
lingering spirits that play
in soft hues with this evening,
this balancing,
this slipping of time
past the persistence of a heart's fullness
that had us believing
we could have it all,
it would never end.

Walk….

3  A Prayer  (To serve Christ in all creation)

O God, the leaves of the trees of your kingdom spring from the water of life and bring the healing of the nations. Heal us and heal the earth, until the earth is as full of the knowledge of you as the waters cover the sea, and a canopy of breathing, cooling green once more mantles this fragile planet, bringing healing, and life, and peace. [Isa. 11:9, Rev. 22:1-2]

Walk…

4 To Be Like a Tree  (Carrie Newcomer)

See how the trees
Reach up and outward
As if their entire existence
Were an elegant gesture of prayer

See how they welcome the breath of spirit,
In all its visible and invisible forms.
See how the roots reach downward and out,
Embracing the physical,
The body and bones
Of its soul of earth and stone,
Allowing half its life to be sheltered
in the most quiet and secret places.

Oh, if I could be more like a tree on this Sunday morning,
To feel the breath of invisible spirit
Touch me as tenderly as a kiss on the forehead.
If I could courageously and confidently
Dig down into the dark
Where the ground water runs deep,
Where shelter and sanctuary
Can be had and held.

Ah, to be like a tree
With all its bent and unbent places,
A whole and holy thing
From its topmost twigs
To the deepest taproot
To all the good and graceful
Spaces between.

Walk…

5 When I feel the holiness (Mary Oliver)

Angels are wonderful but they are so, well, aloof.
It’s what I sense in the mud and the roots of the trees, or the well, or the barn, or the rock with its citron map of lichen that halts my feet and makes my eyes flare, feeling the presence of some spirit, some small god, who abides there.

If I were a perfect person, I would be bowing continuously.
I’m not, though I pause wherever I feel this holiness, which is why I’m so often late coming back from wherever I went.             Forgive me.

Walk….

6 Heaven’s Holy waters  (Steven Charleston)

When you feel discouraged, when you have a mind full of worries, the elders say to remember the lesson of the summer rain. The skies may be dark, there may be no sun, no light, and the earth can be so dry it is cracked open and broken, but those same dark skies bring the rain, falling all around, with life in every drop, a healing touch from heaven, a new beginning of hope for those who receive it. It is raining today where I live, drops of new life falling on barren land, falling from dark skies, one by one, starting slowly then coming more quickly, hope in the midst of worry, healing flowing from every direction. Remember the lesson of the summer rain. Do not be afraid, but anointed once more, by heaven's holy waters, falling so freely, falling for you, and for every heart that is broken.

Walk….

7   Psalm 72 (hymn 616 – paraphrase of psalm 72)

He shall come down like showers

upon the fruitful earth,

and love, joy, hope, like flowers,

spring in his path to birth:

before him on the mountains

shall peace, the herald, go;

and righteousness in fountains

from hill to valley flow.

Walk

8 Closing Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving (season of creation)

Lord, how lovely it is to be your guest.

Breeze full of scents; mountains reaching to the skies; waters like a boundless mirror, reflecting the sun’s golden rays and the scudding clouds.

All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing depths of tenderness. Birds and beasts of the forest bear the imprint of your love.

What sort of praises can we give you? We have never heard the song of the cherubim, a joy reserved for the spirits above. But we know the praises that nature sings to you.

We have beheld how silently in the moonlight the whole earth offers you prayer.

We have seen how the rising sun rejoices in you, heard how the song of the birds is a chorus of praise to you.

We have heard the mysterious mutterings of the forests about you, and the winds singing your praise as they stir the waters.

We have understood how the choirs of stars proclaim your glory, as they move for ever in the depths of infinite space.

You have brought us into life as if into an enchanted paradise.

We can live very well on your earth.

It is a pleasure to be your guest.

Glory to you for the feast-day of life.

Glory to you for the joy of dawn’s awakening and the quiet rest of evening.

Glory to you for the new life each day brings.

Glory to you, O God, from age to age. Amen.

Walking throughout the rest of the week:

As we move towards the edge of the summer season, remember the gifts of creation,

discovered in this sacred place, we call our island home..

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

611 Lincoln St/P.O. Box 1130  Sitka, AK

stpeters-sitka.org

The keys to the kingdom of heaven are in your hands now

12 Pentecost/Year A/August 23, 2020

Back to school Sunday & Uncommon Music Festival Guests

Psalm 138; Isaiah 51:1-6; Matthew 16: 13-20 

The keys to the kingdom of heaven are in your hands now

It’s back to school time, all over the country now…And with this time of year, it is natural to have lots of questions…questions marked with perhaps fear and anxiety, but also questions full of hope and excitement….

Parents may be asking…what kind of school supplies their child will need? What will the bus schedule be like? Will their kids be able to keep up with schoolwork this year? Who will be their child’s teacher?  Will their child have friends and be a good friend to other kids?

Kids may be wondering, too….who their teacher will be… Who will ride the bus with them? Will school be too hard or too easy this year? Will any of their friends be in their class? Will they make new friends this year?

Teachers might be asking themselves if they have all the supplies they need for their classroom…Does the classroom look and feel like a place of welcome for the students and parents? Will the kids come ready and eager to learn? Will they be able to make a difference in the lives of the children entrusted to their care and teaching this year?

So many more questions….That is certain.

So many more unanswered questions….That is certain.

Especially, as we are set to begin a new school year…in the midst of a pandemic…A pandemic that changed the end of school lessons and plans last spring, and is changing the landscape of what school is going to look like this year…in many ways…

So many questions…with so many uncertain answers…or clear direction…yet choices, decisions are needing to be made every day…

The good news, in the midst of so many uncertainties…is that we need not believe that we have to navigate these ever-changing, difficult decision making times, alone…we are not left to wrestle with life’s questions – big and small…alone…

God is with us always…and Jesus, came among us, to live as one of us…to reveal to us…the certainty of God’s love, living in us, and among us, uniting us to God, and one another, here on earth…and as we envision in heaven…

In today’s gospel…It is Peter who affirms this good news for us when he tells Jesus, that he believes…that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. It is Jesus who affirms this good news for us, in his response to Peter….

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Jesus, came among us, as the living God…and placed the keys of the kingdom of heaven, in Peter’s hands…and is eager to place them in ours too…

Keys of the kingdom of heaven…that will open the doors and windows of our hearts and our minds… to follow the light of Jesus, and the way of love that Jesus taught and showed others throughout his lifetime…and as we learn today, and every time, in the hearing of the scriptures…

Keys of the kingdom of heaven, that help us to love one another, and reach out to one another, to offer companionship, compassion, friendship, kindness, encouragement, and joy-filled moments with one another…

Keys of the kingdom of heaven, that help us to seek justice and peace, among all people…and to seek Christ, in all persons, respecting the dignity of every human being…

Keys of the kingdom of heaven…that will assist us with all the questions, and unanswered questions, in our daily lives, and the choices and decisions we are faced with every day…

Throughout our entire lives, there will always be questions….many unanswered questions…

But that shouldn’t discourage us to stop asking questions, to stop seeking answers, to stop learning new things, or to give up hope…that the answers will ever come…ot that the dream of God’s beloved community will ever be realized…

I invite you today, to imagine Jesus, standing in front of you, asking you, Who do you say that I am?

Will we be as bold as Peter with our answer? “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

I pray that you will take a bold stand, and step out in faith and with a hope…that affirms this good news today….and open up your hands to receive this gift of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that Jesus is eager to place in your hands….

And whether you are starting school soon, or starting something new, or just beginning a new day…. Give thanks to God with your whole heart for this gift, and use this gift, use these keys to open up your heart, to let God’s light shine in you…all around you…and wherever you go…

***Video of St Peter’s children/This Little light of Mine/Kathi Jones/Piano

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

*The Blessing at the end of the service… August 23

A Back to School Prayer (by Kimberly Knowle-Zeller)

Bless the school year ahead –

fill it with compassion for those making difficult decisions,

comfort to parents wondering how to manage home, work, and school,

and strength to teachers navigating new ways of learning.

Bless the school year ahead –

reminding us to see our neighbors as ourselves

and Christ in all that we meet.

Bless the school year ahead –

remembering that God always goes before us

and claims us as beloved children of God.

Bless the school year ahead –

trusting your grace in our lives

and hope for what is to come.

Be with us this year.

grant us your wisdom, Lord,

that we continue to seek it,

and look for signs of your love all around us. 

Scripture Walk in the Park

Scripture Walk in the Park

Reflecting on scriptures/prayers as we walk with God in nature

1 - Opening Prayer:  For Joy in God's Creation

O heavenly Father, who has filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your  Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Walk….

  2 – For the Conservation of Natural Resources
Almighty God, in giving us dominion over things on earth, you made us fellow workers in your creation: Give us wisdom and reverence so to use the resources of nature, that no one may suffer from our abuse of them, and that generations yet to come may continue to praise you for your bounty; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Walk….

3 – For Agriculture 

Almighty God, we thank you for making the earth fruitful, so that it might produce what is needed for life: Bless those who work in the fields; give us seasonable weather; and grant that we may all share the fruits for the earth, rejoicing in your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Walk….

4 – For the Right Use of God's Gifts
Almighty God, whose loving hand has given us all that we possess: Grant us grace that we may honor you with our substance, and, remembering the account which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Walk…

5 – For the Harvest of Lands and Waters

O gracious Father, who opens your hands and fills all things living with plenteousness: Bless the lands and waters, and multiply the harvests of the world; let your Spirit go forth, that it may renew the face of the earth; show your loving-kindness, that our land may give her increase; and save us from selfish use of what you give, that men and women everywhere may give you thanks; through Christ  our Lord. Amen.

Walk…

6 – For the Beauty of the Earth
We give you thanks, most gracious God, for the beauty of earth and sky and sea; for the richness of mountains, plains, and rivers; for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts, and pray that we may safeguard them for our posterity. Grant that we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation, to the honor and glory of your Name, now and for ever. Amen.

Walk….

7 -  A Litany of Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to God our Father for all his gifts so
freely bestowed upon us.

For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and
sky and sea.  We thank you, Lord.

For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women,
revealing the image of Christ,   We thank you, Lord.

For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and
our friends,  We thank you, Lord.

For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,
We thank you, Lord.

For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play,
We thank you, Lord.

For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering
and faithful in adversity,  We thank you, Lord.

For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,
We thank you, Lord.

For the communion of saints, in all times and places,
We thank you, Lord.

Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and
promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord;
To him be praise and glory, with you, O Father, and the
Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Walk….

8 –  For the Future of the Human Race
O God our heavenly Father, you have blessed us and given us dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in making provision for its future in accordance with your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Walk…

9– For Knowledge of God's Creation
Almighty and everlasting God, you made the universe with all its marvelous order, its atoms, worlds, and galaxies, and the infinite complexity of living creatures: Grant that, as we probe the mysteries of your creation, we may come to know you more truly, and more surely fulfill our role in your eternal purpose; in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Walk…

10 - Closing Prayer: For the Good Use of Leisure
O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Walking throughout the rest of the week:

Choose a few of these collects and prayers to include in your prayer time throughout the week…

(all prayers & Litany of Thanksgiving are from the Book of Common Prayer)

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

611 Lincoln St/P.O. Box 1130  Sitka, AK

stpeters-sitka.org

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior

11 Pentecost/Year A

August 16, 2020

Isaiah 56:1,6-8; Psalm 67; Matthew 15: 21-28

Opening Prayer: Lift Every Voice and Sing II - #139 Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior

1          Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry;

While on others thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

            Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;

            While on others thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

2          Let me at thy throne of mercy Find a sweet relief;

    Kneeling there in deep contrition, Help my unbelief.

     Refrain

3          Trusting only in thy merit, Would I seek thy face;

            Heal my wounded, broken spirit, Save me by thy grace.

Refrain

4          Thou the spring of all my comfort, More than life to me,

            Whom have I on earth beside thee? Whom in heav’n but thee?

Refrain

*Play the hymn recording…

In today’s gospel reading…I don’t think it’s too hard to imagine, hearing the words of this hymn, flowing from the lips of the Canaanite woman…

Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry;

While on others thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

I don’t think it’s too difficult to notice in today’s gospel, that the Canaanite woman was probably used to being passed by…passed by and ignored by many….she was a woman, she was of the wrong class and culture and lived in the wrong part of town…

Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;

While on others thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

It even seemed, at first, as if Jesus, was about to pass her by…

She cried out to him…“Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all.

The disciples were even urging Jesus to send her away…and dismiss her…

But she knelt before him, and prayed with all her heart and soul and body and mind… perhaps with a tinge a doubt, but with a persistence of faith and hope, that he would not pass her by…

Saying to Jesus, “Lord, help me.”

Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;

While on others thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

Jesus answered her, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

 Did you hear that? Did you listen closely to what the woman was saying?

Something happened in that moment, in that exchange of words between Jesus and the Canaanite woman…something happened….that changed the direction of what would happen next…

Jesus heard another part of the story that perhaps he hadn’t heard before….a new story that had not been told….or I should say…a story that had not been listened to…a story spoken by a woman, whose words and worth, and social status, most likely meant nothing to those in the room…at the time… a perspective and a voice that had been silenced for too long, missing from the conversations,  because of the powerful religious and government forces who controlled every aspect of life.

But what Jesus said next…most likely surprised the disciples…who were sure they were doing all the right and holy things, following the religious laws of the days….

Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

His words, and his next steps affirmed that her faith and persistence in living out her faith….was seen and heard…I hear you….God hears your prayers too…your hopes…your desires…your needs…your story matters…your prayers matter, your life matters…you too are a beloved child of God…Great is your faith!

It was a moment that revealed a new way of understanding the wideness of God’s love and mercy…a love that does not pass anyone by…a love people can trust in, and believe in, especially when the people of this world seem to be passing them by…ignoring their cries for help, their cries for healing, their cries to be loved and respected for who they are….

In the dream of God’s beloved community…in the kingdom of heaven here on earth…there are no “others”….all are beloved children of God…all are called upon by God, blessed by God,  looked upon with love and compassion and mercy and grace upon grace….

No one… should ever have to worry…that God is only calling on others…or to have to pray, that God would not pass them by…

But they do worry…we worry at times…but thank you, God…that none of us, need to worry…that God would every desire to pass us by…Jesus reminds us of that…Jesus…assures us of that…and as followers of Jesus…we are called to bring that same hope and assurance to those we share this great big world with…to those, whose nightly prayers still persist, with hope and great faith…that they will be seen and heard…that someday…all people will truly be free to live a life, in the fullness of God’s love, and joy and peace…

This gospel story hits close to home today…It’s not just a story from the scriptures, about something that happened thousands of years ago.

There are important voices and perspectives that have not been listened to for many, many years…the voices of our siblings who have been crying out for justice and equity and respect for the dignity of every human being, for far too long…

In this time of the pandemic…it has been increasingly evident…that these cries have been there are along….and the cries seem to be getting louder…maybe because much of our lives have become quieter in many ways…and we are just now noticing them…and listening to them…in a new way…

We tell ourselves we’ve already heard the stories, we’ve listened long enough…we’re ready to move on…there aren’t any issues anymore…

But the social and political unrest in our country right now is revealing something different…. As a society, we have not always been listening well…we have not been listening deeply to the cries of our siblings, whose stories keep being pushed aside…we have not always been listening with an open mind and an open heart…in a way, that has moved us to a new way of loving our neighbors…and living with our neighbors, as it moved Jesus, in today’s gospel reading…

Yet the noise level and the conversations that are popping up everywhere right now…are also signs of Good news and hope, that people are indeed striving to listen in new ways! There are many who are intentionally gathering to listen and learn new ways of being with one another…there are people working together to help feed the hungry and shelter the homeless, there are those who are working closely with women and children seeking safety, there are those reaching out through social media to lead people to circles of support for substance abuse and mental health needs…

There are many others, working behind the scenes, who go unnoticed everyday….who are striving to help others know, through their words and their actions…that their cries are being heard…their voices are being heard… their prayers, their hopes…their desires… are being heard now…They are being assured that their story matters…their prayers matter, their lives matter…and that they, too are a beloved child of God.

So, in these days of a mix of quiet and noisy, and the mix of many different voices crying out….let’s all strive to listen more deeply to one another, and learn to love one another more fully, and in ways that leads us to new actions, that lift up and respect the dignity of every human being…actions that will lead to the day…when no one… would ever have to worry or pray, that God would not pass them by…

May God be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of his countenance and come to us. May God give us his blessing… (psalm 67)     All of us…

Rev. Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place….

9 Pentecost/Year A/August 2, 2020

Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-21; Isaiah 55:1-5; Matthew 14: 13-21

Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place….

I wonder how many of us are longing to do just that?... right now…  to just step away from the news of how the Covid-19 pandemic is continuing to cause great suffering among people of all walks of life; to just step away for a few moments from the reports of violence and unrest…that has left no community untouched….

As we scan our local and national news feeds…and look around in our various communities where we live…we are being reminded daily…that there is so much suffering and so many hurting people among us,  who are grieving, longing for things to change… longing for relief for themselves and their family members…longing for comfort…for love…for mercy…longing for equity….for justice…longing for compassion….for peace…in the midst of so much uncertainty…

Jesus gets it…we are not alone in this.

Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place…just after he received the news of John (the Baptist) death. He withdrew for a moment, to be alone with the God of abundant love and compassion….The One who hears every cry, who hears every longing for an end to such grief…and acts upon it, even now… with a love and compassion that feeds and nourishes one’s soul…with a love and compassion that has no limits… in bringing healing and a peace that surpasses all of our understanding….in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in…

When Jesus, emerges from this moment alone with God, and looks out at the crowds who had followed him, as soon as they heard Jesus was nearby, we are told Jesus had compassion for them.

I imagine that Jesus’ heart was breaking with compassion for the crowds gathered…for he could see them now, through the heart of God’s abundant love and compassion that was a healing balm for his soul…he could see they were longing for something, he could see that they were searching for answers to questions that maybe they weren’t even sure what they were…they were hungry for something…they were hurting…they were longing for some measure of hope and peace…in the midst of so much uncertainty that was present in their daily lives…

And it was in the actions of what happened next, ..after Jesus saw them, and had compassion on them…that they were provided a measure of hope and peace….Not just because Jesus saw them…but that he helped the disciples to see them and act with compassion and love too…

When the disciples complained that evening to Jesus, and wanted to send the crowds away for them to fend for themselves, Jesus reminded them of their neighbors they were called to love and care for, and said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

But, but, but…the disciples say. We don’t have enough…only five loaves and two fish, that we can see around here…no way that would be enough to feed the thousands who are gathered here today…

Jesus tells them…to bring him what they have…and he tells the crowds to sit down…

After all this frantic worrying by the disciples, Jesus invites everyone to sit down…to sit down together….to just begin…by acknowledging one another, being present to one another…seeing one another, as God sees all of us…

Then Jesus prays, and the disciples and all who were gathered, were empowered to feed one another, care for one another, love one another….

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, (Jesus) he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.

All were filled that day with a measure of hope and peace, through love and compassion for one another, through a love and compassion, grounded in the love of God, that fed and nourished souls in a time of great need, and in a time of so much uncertainty…

These days, reaching out to love and care for one another, can feel overwhelming. We can barely keep our own emotions in check these days. Perhaps it’s a good time to ask ourselves – what our spiritual diet is looking like these days? Are we taking time to feed and nourish our souls...so that we can be strengthened, ourselves and to be able to reach out in love to others?

Jesus reminds us, in today’s gospel…that we are not called to do any of this alone….we are called to navigate all the suffering, the beauty and the joys of this world together….and with the love and the presence of a gracious God in the midst of all we seek to be and to do…

We are all a broken people, at times, and we are all in need of a love and compassion, that begins and ends with God….that begins with time away, by ourselves to a deserted place, a time of prayer and stillness,  to connect with a gracious God of abundant love and compassion….the one who feeds and nourishes our souls…

It is from that place of prayer, that our hearts, and our minds are refreshed, and encouraged, once again, to not only care for ourselves, with the blessing of God’s love and compassion,  but to look up and around to our neighbors, who we share this world with…and offer that same blessing of God’s love and compassion to them, through our words and in our actions…on behalf of the whole human family…

For today: Be filled with a measure of hope and peace.

Pray with God and with one another.

Love and serve one another with compassion.

Bless one another.

Do this again tomorrow, and the next day…and all the days after that…

Be filled with a measure of hope and peace.

Pray with God and with one another.

Love and serve one another with compassion.

Bless one another.

Hymn after the sermon: (LEVSII) - #146 Break Thou the Bread of Life

Rev Julie Platson, Rector

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

The kingdom of heaven is like...

8 Pentecost/Year A

July 26, 2020

Psalm 105:1-11, 45b; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33,44-52

Let’s begin with a moment of silence….as we get ready to listen and wonder along with the voices who will share their reflections and insights on what the kingdom of heaven is like…in Jesus’ parables today…

Be silent, be still, aware; for there in your own heart the Spirit is at prayer; Listen and learn, Open and find, Heart-wisdom, Christ.

~ posted on the Malling Abbey website.  http://www.mallingabbey.org/index.htm

SILENCE

I love today’s gospel lesson you are about to hear…I love how the parables, have a way of drawing us into the wonder and mystery of what the kingdom of heaven, what the kingdom of God is all about…I love how the parables, through the help of the Holy Spirit in us, has the power to help us listen and learn, search for meaning and purpose, look for the marvels God has done….and is doing, still…I just love…that we can take the time today, to imagine together…what the kingdom of heaven is like…and to encourage one another to see that the kingdom of God….God himself, is right here in the midst of our everyday lives, and most especially to be reminded that there is nothing, in this world…pandemics, violence, death, oppression by others, nothing…that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So, let’s begin…and listen with the “ears of our hearts” to what these parables are saying to us today…

GLENDA

Jesus put before the crowds another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

KIT

Many years ago, I gave a message on this gospel at the family service. It seemed right to use a visual aid, so I brought a bottle of mustard seeds and asked one of the children to give everyone a few seeds. Did you know mustard seeds on the floor are like little ball bearings?

I don’t remember what I said that day, but I do remember the children in the pews, some of them so small they would swing with the bell pull as they rang the bell. And I remember feeling a sense of hope and wonder at the potential in front of me. Those children are adults now, with degrees and careers, homes and businesses, some with children of their own.

When Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven, he didn’t describe halos and wings, or puffy clouds and choirs. No, he spoke of things of the earth – of hard work and planting, dirt and seeds, shrubs, and trees sheltering birds. Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as what we can see and hear and touch, right here and now.  I realize the feeling of hope and wonder I felt all those years ago was the recognition of the kingdom of heaven as it really is - right here on earth, in the children who have now grown, who are spreading out their branches and nurturing children and all of Creation as they continue to build and renew the kingdom of heaven.

And I feel more hope and wonder when I see all the potential as the new ‘mustard seeds’ grow up, learning to love God’s creation and starting to spread their own branches as they find their ways to build and renew the kingdom of heaven. Right here. Right now.

GLENDA

(Jesus) told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

Kevin Keating/professional bread baker in NYC (read by Julie)

To me the key thing I find amazing is how yeast (in that time it would've been leaven/levain/sourdough starter) is just a collection of tiny microorganisms that through the work of reproduction and fermentation manage to cause the dough (in this case three measures of flour is the equivalent of over 50 pounds, which means a total dough weight of over 100 pounds!) …

This tiny collection of microorganisms, through the work of reproduction and fermentation, would manage to cause the dough to double, even triple in size AND, most importantly, they are responsible for transforming the flour into something that can nourish our bodies - without that process we can't easily digest flour nor absorb its nutrients into our bodies. So it's the work of these tiny single-celled organisms all working in tandem that all of the nutrition and flavor and aroma and pleasure (and relatedly, the cultures and communities built on top) of bread is made available to us.

(JULIE’s words – How amazing it is to think about all God’s people working in tandem so that the fullness of God’s love, joy and pleasure would be experienced by everyone..)

GLENDA

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

KATHRYN

I walk around the path that meanders through my side yard as I ponder this parable of Jesus’ - about a treasure hidden in a field. A treasure so valued that it is worth giving up all else to obtain it. That is what the Kingdom of God is like, he tells the crowd.

My side yard, has many hidden treasures, like the little volunteer holly bush I found growing, hidden among the berry bushes.

If we think of the Kingdom of God as treasure, what do we do to obtain it? Do we, with joy, sell all we have like the man in the parable? Visions of St. Francis walking around buck naked come to mind. Oh, my! But God knows what is necessary for us to live in this world and looks on the heart not the outside of a person, right?

So, what is it for us to “sell all that we have”? Is the Kingdom even something to be obtained? Or is it more something to live in to?  And not keep hidden but rather to cultivate? We all find the Kingdom of God in our own field when we seek it. And we find it far greater than we can imagine. Yes! It is worth putting first in our lives. No! It is not easy, don’t expect easy, but do expect joy and transformation.

GLENDA

Jesus said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

NANCY JO

“Pearls are formed inside the shell of certain mollusks as a defense mechanism against a potentially threatening irritant.” (wikipedia)

How irritated are we with our fellow human beings with all the unrest and pandemic concerns? 

Are we actively listening and learning to what troubles those different from us?

Are we the “merchant”, the one with all the capital and privilege?

Can the “pearls” represent our faithfulness and discipleship to love our God and love our neighbor?

Today, I am wearing several pearl necklaces and earrings.

Notice there are different colors - blue, pink, yellow and white. 

This reminds me of our human race that we are all different colors, shapes and sizes from different parts of the world; strung together we become beautiful pearls.

GLENDA

Jesus said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.  So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

JULIE

The kingdom of heaven, is like a net that spans wider and deeper, than our human minds can comprehend… When God tosses his net of love out into the sea of people everywhere…this net of love, gathers in everyone together… every color, culture, shape, size, friends, enemies… into the embrace and arms of God’s love….It is in this place of love, and with God, that all have the potential to grow in love and compassion for one another…to recognize how our lives are interconnected and dependent upon one another, and to see that even in the midst of so many differences and divisions, and uncertainties, the love of God is in the midst of all our lives, and can transform hearts and minds in ways and at a time, not always known to us… but only to God. That’s all we need to know….we are not called to be the judge of who is in or who is out. In God’s kingdom. In God’s eyes…everyone is worthy…everyone is valued…everyone is loved.

GLENDA

Jesus said, “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

JULIE

I invite and encourage you this week….to set aside time daily…to pray…to seek a deeper understanding of God’s kingdom of love…and to contemplate more on what the kingdom of heaven might look like for you, and through the eyes and lives of others….call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance, to help you listen and learn, search for meaning and purpose, and to look for the marvels God has done….and is doing, still.

Hymn after the sermon (H) 635  - If Th but trust in God to guide thee Ali/solo

If thou but trust in God to guide thee, and hope in him through all thy ways,

he’ll give thee strength whate’er betide thee, and bear thee through the evil days.

Who trusts in God’s unchanging love builds on a rock that nought can move.

Sing, pray, and keep his ways unswerving; so do thine own part faithfully,

and trust his word, though undeserving; thou yet shalt find it true for thee;

God never yet forsook in need the soul that trusted him indeed.

Shared Gospel/Sermon today by:

The Rev Dn Glenda Quintana, The Rev Dn Kathryn Snelling, Kit Mellema

Nancy Jo Bleier, Kevin Keating, The Rev Julie Platson