Called, empowered and sent...

3rd Sunday after Pentecost/June 18, 2023

Psalm 100, Exodus 19:2-8a; Matthew 9:35-10:8

Opening Prayer: (A New Zealand Prayer Book)

Almighty God, by your grace alone we are accepted and called to your service; strengthen us by your Holy Spirit and empower our calling; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have you ever heard the saying, often spoken in jest, “be careful what you pray for”?

I thought about that as we listened to the beginning of today’s gospel reading.

Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. (The Message).

Jesus called them, empowered them, and sent them out to do the same works that he did.

He sent them out to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, and to cast out demons.

He sent them out to help fulfill God’s mission in the world… to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of the sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free…

We too are called, empowered, and sent out to do the same…to fulfill God’s Mission, Christ’s Mission in the world….

The Mission of Christ…is the Mission of the Church…

At our 2022 Diocesan Convention, Bishop Mark issued a call to the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska to re-commit ourselves to living a “Jesus-shaped life”, to making disciples who live the faith and hope of Jesus in such a way that they become an invitation to a new life that is consistent with His way of love. To help us do that, he called our attention to the “The Five Marks of Mission” that have been around since 1984…

Those 5 Marks of Mission, the Mission of Christ are:

1. Tell: To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom

2. Teach: To teach, baptize and nurture disciples

3. Tend: To respond to human need by loving service

4. Transform: To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation

5. Treasure: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth, and to be good stewards of all God’s gifts.

He adapted these 5 Marks of Mission with a more specific call to the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska for the coming year: Calling us to a time of renewal and growth in discipleship through the Five Marks of Mission.

We’ve just begun reviewing these again, since we shared our 2023 stewardship plan for St Peter’s earlier this year…

This morning in our announcement time and from your bulletin insert, we shared a little about the 3rd Mark of Mission: TEND.

You can see the many ways that the people of St Peter’s have been involved in outreach in the church and in the community. Yet there are so many other opportunities and ways for other folks to be involved in the various outreach ministries, too.

There are additional ways to be involved on a different level, by being engaged in the advocacy part of outreach programs and ministries…working with others to transform unjust structures of society that keep people trapped in cycles of poverty and substance misuse and homelessness and incarceration…and working with others to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation…especially for those who continue to be oppressed because of the color of their skin, culture, religion, and other reasons that strip people of their dignity and worth… 

Advocacy for the needs of those we are serving in our various outreach ministries and in other areas we may not yet be involved, is a key tenant of the 4th Mark of Mission: TRANSFORM… To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation…

This 4th Mark of Mission cannot be separated from our call to TEND, to respond to human needs, all around us, with love and compassion for one another, as Jesus so clearly taught us and showed us, and calls us and empowers us to go out and do the same…

In the next couple of weeks, you will hear more about the 4th Mark of Mission…

But, for today…I leave you with this…

Be careful what you pray for, meaning, be “care-filled” for what and whom you pray for, be intentional for what and whom you pray for: There’s always a need to pray for the well-being and needs of our neighbors. There’s always a need to pray for those who are supporting and serving the vulnerable in our communities. There’s always a need to pray for more loving and compassionate laborers to gladly answer Jesus’ call to join with others in loving and serving our neighbors in our communities, and throughout our world…

Jesus said: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”….to love and serve God and one another…

Closing prayer/Hymn: (LEVS) 126 – Here am I, send me

1        Hark! The voice of Jesus calling, Who will go and work today?

          Fields are ripe the harvest waiting, Who will bear the sheaves

         away?

      Loud and long the Master calleth,

       Rich reward He offers free;

       Who will answer, gladly saying,

      “Here am I, send me, send me.”

2        Let none hear you idly saying, There is nothing I can do;

          While the souls of some are dying, And the Master calls for you.

          Refrain

3        Take the task He gives you gladly, Let His work your pleasure be;

          Answer quickly when He calleth, “Here am I, send me, send me.”

          Refrain

 Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

Walking through this life together...

2nd Sunday after Pentecost/June 11, 2023

Hosea 5:15-6:6; Psalm 50:7-15; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Opening Prayer (adapted):  —Dr. Kathy Bozzuti-Jones

Loving God, Your merciful hand is at work all around us. Open our eyes and our hearts, we pray, to practice the virtue of steadfast love and mercy, wherever there is exclusion and division and a desire and need for healing. Help us to reach out and walk with one another in times of need and in times of thanksgiving. Help us to become more like You, a loving and merciful God. Amen

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is on the move…not as in hurrying from one place to another to get in as many visits, tasks, appointments with others…but he’s on the move…walking in the way of love …walking in a way that he hopes his disciples and those who are paying attention to Him…will catch on to this way of understanding what God desires of us, and for us…a way of life that seeks to unite us to God and one another, through a steadfast love and mercy, that can promote healing and unity for all of God’s people, and all of God’s creation…

I love how the reading unfolds today…and especially how the first sentence seems to set the pace for what it looks like to walk in the way of love with Jesus and each other…

The gospel begins… As Jesus was walking along…

And as Jesus is walking along…the story begins with the call of Matthew, to become one of his disciples…Matthew gets up from what he is doing, leaves behind his old life, and follows Jesus…Perhaps wondering…why is Jesus calling me to follow him and be one of his disciples? Me, Matthew, not the most favorable and trust-worthy person to encounter or be found interacting with…

Then they gathered for dinner and conversation with other tax collectors and outcasts or sinners as the Pharisees had labeled them…And as we heard in the reading…the Pharisees begin questioning why Jesus, this religious leader and his disciples are eating with such “people? – the tax collectors and the sinners…Jesus responds in this teachable moment with these words: Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’

 “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice”… (Hosea 6:6)

While Jesus was still speaking to the Pharisees, a leader of the synagogue came in to ask Jesus to come lay his hands on his daughter, who has just died, believing that Jesus’ touch could help her live. Jesus takes notice of him and his plea…And at his request, Jesus gets up and follows him, with his disciples.

Next, as Jesus, and his disciples are walking along…

They encounter a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years, someone considered by society as unclean, untouchable..…she prayed simply to touch his cloak, believing she would be made well by doing this…Jesus takes notice of her…acknowledges her reaching out to him, and affirms that her faith has made her well…

Today’s journey continues…as Jesus, and his disciples are walking along…

They finally arrive at the home of the leader of the synagogue who had asked Jesus to come lay his hands on his daughter, who has just died, believing that Jesus’ touch could help her live. We are told that there was a lot of commotion going on in the house when they arrived. Jesus sent the flute players and the crowds outside…telling them that the girl was sleeping, not dead. And they all laughed at him. But the story continues with yet another healing when Jesus reaches out to take the girl’s hand, and she gets up…

As we look back on all the encounters Jesus and his disciples had along the way while they were walking with each other…

I wonder if Matthew’s hope for a new purpose and sense of dignity and worth was restored when he answered Jesus’ invitation and call to follow him?

I wonder if the woman who suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years, had her hope re-ignited for a life she had yet to imagine would ever be possible…

I wonder if the father and the daughter, and all who thought she was dead… had their hope awakened to see how healing and new life is possible…in ways that we may never fully comprehend…

I wonder if you can think of all those times, you have given a glimpse of hope to someone by simply noticing them, acknowledging them and their worth and dignity…

I wonder if you can think of some people along the way who have given you a glimpse of hope through their steadfast love and mercy…

That’s all God desires of us and for us…is that we walk through this life together, with steadfast love and mercy with God and one another…

I wonder where Jesus and his disciples, and you and I, will journey to next…as we walk through this life together….

Here’s a closing thought that I wrote on a recent retreat when we were given the word “Journey” to reflect on…

I am walking along…with Jesus, with you, with all the gifts of creation, eager and willing to show us signs of hope…

I am on a journey to discover this hope in myself and share it with others…and I hope you will join me on this journey, too…so that you and I and all of creation can live and flourish in love and hope and peace and unity in this life…and in the life yet to come…

Closing prayer/Hymn: (LEVS) 93 - Give thanks to the Lord

          Give thanks to the Lord for He is so good, His mercy endures forever.

1        To Him alone who does mighty wonders,

          Who by His understanding made the heavens.

          Refrain

2        He made the sun to govern the daytime,

          The moon and stars to govern o’er the nighttime.

          Refrain

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

Go forth into the world for God…and for all of God’s beloved children…

1st Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday/June 4, 2023

Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 8; Matthew 28:16-20

Opening Prayer: written Rev. Dr. Libby Grammer

God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity,

We know that in self-giving love,

Your very nature teaches us how to love one another.

Father and Creator, Son and Redeemer, Spirit and Advocate,

We call upon you to teach us this hour.

Teach us to pray. Teach us to love.

Teach us to be one, as you are one. Amen.

This past Thursday, June 1st, we not only began a new month on our 2023 personal calendars, but as we gather here today, we are also turning the page on the  

2022-2023 church calendar or liturgical calendar as it is sometimes called…Today, in Year A of our liturgical calendar, we begin the longest season of our church year that will take us all the way through to the 1st Sunday in Advent on Dec 3rd…

On that Sunday, our new church year, Year B will begin, and we will continue to cycle through a series of scripture readings, as appointed for each Sunday and Holy Days, according to the Revised Common Lectionary…as we have been doing this year…Scripture readings that teach us about God as: Father and Creator, Son and Redeemer, and Spirit and Advocate.

Scripture readings…that help us to see and experience God’s love and presence all around us…from the beginning of Creation through the end of the ages…

Scripture readings, that remind us of the Good News of God’s Redeeming love made known to us, in the life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ…

Scripture readings, that remind us of the gift of the Holy Spirit and Advocate that was poured out for ALL of us to open our eyes and ears and hearts and minds to be transformed by the love of God, made known to us in Jesus…and then sent out into the world…wherever we are… to share this love which has the power to transform people’s lives, uniting us in love and community with one another.

We follow this cycle of scripture readings on Sundays for three years…years A, B, C…covering varied old and new testament readings, psalms, and gospel readings….and then we start over at Year A…and begin again…

As I thought about that this week in relation to today’s special observance on the church calendar, Trinity Sunday. …I was struck, anew, by our denomination’s use of this lectionary format (and other denominations that follow the revised common lectionary)…I realized I have never thought too much about the fact that we followed a “3-year” cycle of readings and repeat the year cycle over and over again…

I knew we followed a three -year cycle…but it got me wondering and appreciating more this special day on the church calendar…

What I’m appreciating about today, as we recognize God in Three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is how we pause and set aside this day, every year, as we end a season and begin a new season in the church year…the longest season in the church year yet to come…

We set aside this day to name and summarize what we have learned together in the hearing of scriptures so far in our lives and summarize what we have come to believe about God: as Father and Creator, Son and Redeemer, Spirit and Advocate…

And we can use that same summary of what we have come to believe to stand firmly upon that foundation of faith, to help us look to the future with a confidence of hope, and peace, and joy and love for all God’s people…and for what is possible for all God’s people…when we abide in God’s love, when we acknowledge the redeeming love of Jesus Christ, and when we go out into the world, being strengthened and empowered by the Holy Spirit and Advocate, to share this life-giving, life-restoring, life-fulfilling love of God that has the power to transform people’s lives, uniting us in love and community with one another.

So, yes…I appreciate that we have this special day to pause and reflect on the summary of our faith…which we also recite together most every week, in the words of the Nicene Creed…

But, if you are anything like me…I need daily reminders, monthly reminders, yearly reminders to help me “keep the faith”…at times…

So, 3-year cycles of readings, daily readings, all the seasons of the church year, special days set apart…I look forward to them all…

And I want others to have this same opportunity for their hopes and spirits to be lifted up, too when they may feel like there is no hope or chance of any new possibilities or a future worth looking forward to…

That’s where each one of us can make a difference in the lives of others…

We are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism, and named as Christ’s own…forever.

Through the power and grace, strength, encouragement, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, each one of us is called to share our gifts, and this love and hope we have come to believe in God: as Father and Creator, Son and Redeemer, Spirit and Advocate…

As a church body, as a community of faith, as the people of God…we are called to join our hearts and hands together…to go forth into the world for God…and for all of God’s beloved children…

  (written by The Rev Julie Platson)

Closing prayer/Hymn - Go forth for God (RENEW - #291)

1        Go forth for God; go to the world in peace;

          be of good courage, armed with heavenly grace,

          in God’s good Spirit daily to increase,

          till in his kingdom we behold his face.

2        Go forth for God; go to the world in love;

          strengthen the faint, give courage to the weak;

          help the afflicted; richly from above

          his love supplies the grace and power we seek.

3        Go forth for God; go to the world in strength;

          hold fast the good, be urgent for the right;

          render to no one evil; Christ at length

          shall overcome all darkness with his light.

4        Go forth for God; go to the world in joy,

          to serve God’s people every day and hour,

          and serving Christ, our every gift employ,

          rejoicing in the Holy Spirit’s power.

The Day of Pentecost

The Day of Pentecost/Year A/May 28, 2023

Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:25-35, 37; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13; John 20:19-23

Opening prayer: (Common Prayer for Children and Families)

When Pentecost Day arrived, a fierce wind filled the entire house and they saw flames of fire alighting on each disciple. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages.

 (Acts 2:1-4, adapted)

Let us pray: Creator of speech and silence, Holy Spirit of water, fire, and wind, we give you thanks for all the languages of the earth; fill our souls and the Church with your holy flame and bless our tongues to tell the world of the love that unites us all. Amen.

Today is the day we celebrate the coming of the promised gift of the Holy Spirit…The Day of Pentecost…

*From Day 5 of a Thy Kingdom Come reflection that I read this past week, Bishop Mike Royal General Secretary, Churches Together in England) gives us a little background info about Pentecost…

*(As Christians we know Pentecost as the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Church, but 2000 years ago it was known as the Jewish festival celebrating the ingathering of the first fruits of harvest. It was a festival that attracted people from all over the known world to Jerusalem: a beautiful movement of unity in diversity – displaying God’s great abundance in the diversity of peoples, languages, food, and cultures. It is on that day, on those gathered people that the Holy Spirit was poured out, so all may hear of Jesus.)

It was on that day and today as we celebrate the Day of Pentecost…that we are reminded of the gift of the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, which has been poured out for ALL of us, to open our eyes and ears and hearts and minds to be transformed by the love of God, made known to us in Jesus…and then sent out into the world…wherever we are… to share this love which has the power to unite us all…

Here's the thing… “this love” made known to us, through Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit…is a love that can be understood by everyone, through everyone, and for everyone…

It’s a love that comes to life and understanding in ourselves and others, when we invite the Holy Spirit to guide our words and actions…a love and understanding between each other….no matter race, culture, language, or any of the diverse beliefs you might think separate us from God or one another…

It’s a love that you, equipped and inspired through the gift of the Holy Spirit, are called to share in ways, that only you authentically and uniquely can…

It’s a love that gives food to the hungry…it’s a love that provides shelter for the houseless, it’s a love that offers safe space for the abused, it’s a love that reminds others of their worth and dignity, it’s a love that cares for all of creation, it’s a love that works with others to find solutions to bring an end to gun violence and all forms of violence in our communities, it’s a love that encourages someone to begin again, it’s a love that thanks others for their gifts of generosity and service for the benefit of others, it’s a compassionate and active love that gives voice and hands and feet to the prayers of all God’s beloved children…

On this Day of Pentecost, we are equipped with all we need, to go out into the world, to share the love of God, made known to us through Jesus, and by the gift and inspiration of the Holy Spirit…

On this Day of Pentecost, let us pray once again, to receive anew in our hearts, the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God, poured out for all of us…so all may hear of Jesus’ love which has the power to unite us all…

Rev Julie Platson

***IMAGE CREDIT - James He Qi - www.heqiart.com

Closing prayer/Hymn: (VF) 59 - Breath of God, life-bearing wind

1       Breath of God, life-bearing wind,

          waking matter into birth,

          planting promise, prompting hope:

          with your life renew the earth.

2       Breath of God, word-bearing wind,

          truth—revealer, prophet’s speech,

          guide to vistas of the mind:

          let your word excite and teach.

3       Breath of God, fire-bearing wind,

          source of power, love, and light,

          melting fears and joining tongues:

          with your fire our hearts ignite.

4       Breath of God, song-bearing wind,

          stirring wonder to rejoice,

          yearning’s echo, grace’s dance:

          let your song give our prayers voice.

Prayer...in word and action...

7 Easter/Year A/May 21, 2023

Acts 1:6-14; Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36; John 17:1-11

Opening prayer: Spirit of Glory, Spirit of God, bless us with a word of life this day to restore, support and strengthen us as we seek to be one with you. Amen.  (Feasting on the Word: Worship Companion)

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is praying…. He prays for himself, he prays for the disciples, he prays for all those who will come to know the love of God in Jesus Christ themselves through the testimony of this love through others… He knows his earthly mission is coming to completion and that it is time for him to leave this world…and he wants his disciples and all those who come after him, to know that they will never be left alone…

Jesus prayed for his disciples because he knew that his disciples had to live in the world now without him, and that they would be tempted and discouraged by so many things throughout their lives…He knew that up to this time, it had been him who had kept them together, but now that he was about to leave them he wanted them to understand, that they would need God’s help to stay together, so they could support one another and continue in the work of building up God’s kingdom of love, here on earth as in heaven, as was made known to them through Jesus… He knew that if his disciples came together as one, just as he was one with the God, that they would be much stronger together than they would be all alone in this world. So, he prayed, with all of his heart, and asked God to protect them and to help them to become one, just as he and God were one.

Jesus’ prayer for his disciples at this hour, I think, is one of the most beautiful and moving scriptures in the bible…Perhaps, because it captures the power of praying for one another, and on behalf of one another…in way that unites us as one family, and binds us together in love, through Christ’s love…

At St Peter’s, we come together in community every week to praise God with our voices and our songs, to listen to the Word of God in the hearing of the scriptures…to be reconciled to God and each other through Jesus Christ in the breaking of bread, and in our prayers. Through our prayers, and in the breaking of bread together, in the name of Jesus Christ, we become one as Jesus has prayed for us, “Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”

Jesus has set an example for his followers by teaching them and showing them throughout his life, that prayer has the power to inspire actions that transform lives by bringing people together, inspire actions that promote healing in families and communities, inspire actions that strengthen, support, comfort, and restore hope, in places where people are longing for it…And most importantly…prayer reminds us and those we pray for, that we are never alone…

Since 2016, the Church of England has promoted a focused time of prayer for others, during the 11-day period from Ascension Day (this past Thursday) through the day of Pentecost (next Sunday).

***Intro from the: THY KINGDOM COME PRAYER JOURNAL 2023:

Thy Kingdom Come is a worldwide prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost. Since its launch by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in 2016, Christians from 172 countries and over 100 denominations have taken part in praying for friends and family to come to faith in Jesus Christ. These days have always been full of expectation and anticipation. As the Lord Jesus ascended, He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to enable the disciples to be witnesses. As they waited for the promise to

be fulfilled they devoted themselves constantly to prayer (Acts 1:14). So, the renewed call across the church is to set these days apart to pray, and each individual to pray for 5 people to come to know the love and peace of Jesus Christ.

Thy Kingdom Come always focuses on praying for people to know the love of God in Jesus Christ for themselves. However, this year, (they) are also encouraging people to consider taking a step further, to go the extra mile, to love and serve the needs of those you are praying for or others who are in need- ‘Living the Kingdom.’

In this prayer journal: Each day there is a passage from the Bible, a short reflection, a time to pause and pray, and a ‘Living the Kingdom’ action. There is also space each day for your own notes.

Even though this seasonal prayer movement began this past Thursday…you can still begin today…and continue through next Sunday – The Day of Pentecost…when we celebrate the coming of the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.

I’ll send out the link to the prayer journal that you can read online…and I have a few hard copies here today…

Thy Kingdom Come - General info and resources can be found HERE

Prayer journal below

I do hope that you will choose 5 people to pray for this week…and set aside some time of prayer and reflection and take on some “Living the Kingdom” actions… so that all will come to know the love of God in Jesus Christ for themselves. So that they may encounter God’s love and experience God’s blessings…through your testimony of love, in prayer and action…

Closing prayer/Hymn: (VF) 120 - O God, we praise your holy name

O God, we praise your holy name, as one in Christ we stand.

You’ve made us (siblings) through your son with kin in every land.

Anoint us now with your own grace that we might ready be to touch the world with gentleness as through Christ’s eyes we see.

Oh, God, in joy we lift our song, your words we will proclaim, until the love we share today throughout the world shall reign. Amen.

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, Sitka, Alaska

Love is the way...

6 Easter/Year A/May 14, 2023

Acts 17:22-31; Psalm 66:7-18; John 14:15-21

Collect of the Day: (A New Zealand Prayer Book)

Eternal God, light of the minds that know you, joy of the hearts that love you, strength of the wills that serve you; grant us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may gladly serve you, now and always. Amen.

Our gospel reading today, picks up where we left off last week…in chapter 14 of the gospel of John. Last Sunday, today, and next week’s gospel reading are all part of a section of the gospel of John, often referred to as Jesus’ farewell discourse…the section of the gospel of John, (chapters 14-17) where Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure from this world. He’s trying to offer assurance for the days ahead when he will no longer be with them. He’s trying to comfort them, in the midst of their grief and confusion. And he’s reminding them once again…that love is the way, that love never ends…and that love will always be there to lead them and guide them to finding peace and solace and healing and strength to go on, from the center of their hearts where he will abide in them, and they will abide in him. 

In today’s gospel reading, love comes up a lot, as it most always does when Jesus is engaged in some important conversations and teachings with his disciples. The reading begins with Jesus saying to them: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jesus goes a little deeper and further with his teaching about the commandment to love one another as he has loved them, by assuring his followers that even though he would be leaving them, they would not be left orphaned or comfortless, or without any reminders of this love that he has given them and shown them while he was with them. He promises them that another Advocate, the Holy Spirit, will be sent to them, to be with them forever and remind them of this love. And that they will recognize and know this Spirit of truth, because this Love abides with them, and will be in them.

The gospel reading today ends where it began with the reminder to keep the commandments that Jesus taught them: “They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

In the gospel of John, do you ever feel like Jesus is talking in circles? Another episcopal priest posed that question during an online mini-retreat I attended recently.

And it was specifically referring to today’s short gospel passage…as Jesus seems to circle around in his message about love and his commandments to love one another, as he has loved us…reminding them, as he always does…that love is the way…and that his love will always be a breath away…

As I took time to reflect more on that question…the image of a labyrinth came to mind… 

***Talk about Labyrinths/share handouts…

So, perhaps Jesus isn’t talking in circles, afterall…but in a way that invites us and leads us to prayerfully walk with him and follow him in a way of love, that leads us back to the place in the center of our hearts, where another Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth…will remind us of the love and light of Christ that abides in us, and will be with us always… reminding us around and around…that love is the way, that love never ends…and that love will always be there to lead us and guide us to finding peace and solace and healing and strength to go on, from the center of our hearts where God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit abide in us, and we will abide in them. Amen.

Rev Julie Platson, St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, Sitka, AK

HYMN RECORDING: Libera - Love Shine a Light

Closing prayer/Hymn: Love shine a light (words and music by Kimberley Rew)

Love shine a light in every corner of my heart

Let the love light carry, let the love light carry

Light up the magic in every little part

Let our love shine a light in every corner of our hearts

Love shine a light in every corner of my dreams

Let the love light carry, let the love light carry

Like the mighty river, flowing from the stream

Let our love shine a light in every corner of my dreams

And we're all gonna shine a light together

All shine a light to light the way

Brothers and sisters, in every little part

Let our love shine a light in every corner of our hearts

Love shine a light in every corner of the world

Let the love light carry, let the love light carry

Light up the magic, for every boy and girl

Let our love shine a light in every corner of the world

And we're all gonna shine a light together

All shine a light to light the way

Brothers and sisters, in every little part

Let our love shine a light, in every corner of our hearts

And we're all gonna shine a light together

All shine a light to light the way

Brothers and sisters, in every little part

Let our love shine a light in every corner of our hearts

You do know the way...

5 Easter/Year A/May 7, 2023

Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; John 14:1-14

Collect of the Day: (A New Zealand Prayer Book)

Eternal God, your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life for all creation; grant us grace to walk in his way, to rejoice in his truth, and to share his risen life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The gospel reading for today is another very familiar one…especially the first few verses (vs 1-4) that offer Jesus’ words of comfort and assurance in the midst of uncertainty and loss…the ones we often hear at funeral and memorial services…“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.  And you know the way to the place where I am going.”

It’s also a familiar one, in a not so comforting way for some listeners who don’t identify themselves as Christians…because vs 6 in John 14: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” is often preached in a way that seems to exclude people who have other religious beliefs and faith practices…

Let’s take a look at the wider context of this scripture passage: John 14:1-7…and consider anew what the living Word of God, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is saying to us today…

Just prior to this gospel passage, beginning in chapter 13: before the Festival of the Passover, Jesus and his disciples were gathered together for the last supper. Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father.

Jesus washes the feet of those gathered, and gives them a new commandment to love one another, just as Jesus has loved them and shown them.

Jesus knew that he would be betrayed and denied by his closest friends, and he said this to those who were with him.

He knew that his closest followers were feeling disoriented, confused, unsettled by what Jesus was talking about that evening.

That’s when Jesus’ words of comfort and assurance (in vs 1-4) …come into the context of today’s story…right in the midst of his closest friends feeling ungrounded and unsure of what to believe now…

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.”

What comes next in vs 5…is a question for Jesus from Thomas, who was obviously confused and baffled by what Jesus was talking about …Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

Jesus answers him, in vs 6…“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We often tend to think Jesus’ answer ends there with vs 6...and vs 6 is often the verse taken out of context to exclude others…but Jesus’ response to Thomas’ question continues through vs 7…

If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” … (You do know the way)

Let me share that again, vs 5-7…all together…

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

(You do know the way)

This is important to note…Jesus is responding to a question that Thomas is asking him…Jesus is not commenting on other religious beliefs and faith practices…

He is speaking to Thomas and to all of us, who are asking this same question…How can we know the way? He’s speaking to those of us who have many questions, those of us who are striving to know God, see God, love God, and figure out how to love one another now, especially in times of such uncertainty and unknowing, and as we try to figure out how to love those we don’t always agree with…

He’s speaking to those of us who are longing for signs of hope all around us, in the midst of personal losses perhaps, or as we look ahead to the future with apprehension and worry about how to move through this time of our lives wherever we fall on the spectrum of the ages and concerns of the times…

Thomas has been following Jesus for some time now, and perhaps many of us can say the same… but he is worried, he is afraid, just as we are sometimes no matter how strong of a faith foundation, we believe we have… Thomas wants to understand what Jesus means when he tells them they already know the way…

And so does Phillip and the others…

Jesus reminds them: (You do know the way)…

Jesus reminds them that in their relationship with him in the past years, walking alongside of him as he prayed with them, opened up the scriptures for their understanding, broke bread together, witnessed his miracles and healing of many people, they have already seen many signs of God’s love and presence in their midst…they know the way that Jesus is talking about…the way of love, God’s love, as revealed to us in Jesus, a love and a way of life, that has the power to heal and transforms people’s lives…

They know the way…they have spent their past and present time with Jesus…and now Jesus wants them and us to trust and know that our worries and our fears and our futures are all in God’s hands too…

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.”

As we leave the worship service today… we can step out in confidence that we do know the way…and we are invited and encouraged to step out in faith, one day at a time, to walk in the way of love that proclaims not only with our lips, but in our lives that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life for all creation. May the Eternal God grant us grace to walk in his way, to rejoice in his truth, and to share his risen life.

Rev Julie Platson, St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, Sitka, AK

Closing prayer/Hymn: (WLP) 793

1        Here, O Lord, your servants gather, hand we link with hand;

          Looking toward our Savior’s cross, joined in love we stand.

          As we seek the realm of God, we unite to pray:

          Jesus Savior, guide our steps, for you are the Way.

2        Many are the tongues we speak, scattered are the lands,

          yet our hearts are one in God, one in love’s demands.

          E’en in darkness hope appears, calling age and youth:

          Jesus, teacher, dwell with us, for you are the Truth.

3        Nature’s secrets open wide, changes never cease.

          Where, oh where, can weary soul, find the source of peace?

          Unto all those sore distressed, torn by endless strife:

          Jesus, healer, bring your balm, for you are the Life.

4        Grant, O God, an age renewed, filled with deathless love;

          help us as we work and pray, send us from above

          truth and courage, faith and power, needed in our strife:

          Jesus, (the risen One) , be our Way, be our Truth, our Life.

**IMAGE: The Sun -- Edvard Munch, Munch Museum, Oslo, Norway

4 Easter sermon...Good Shepherd Sunday

4 Easter: Good Shepherd Sunday @ St Philip’s Episcopal Church, Wrangell, Alaska

April 30, 2023

Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; John 10:1-10

Collect of the Day: O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice, we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I love Sundays that offer us scriptures like we heard today…ones that are full of familiarity and images that ultimately stir up some good thoughts, and meaningful memories. Psalm 23 is probably well-known to most of us sitting here this morning…And we probably have a favorite version that we go to whenever we want to pray with the words of psalm 23…

As comforting and reassuring as familiarity can be, it can also work against us at times. Sometimes, when we hear something over and over again, we start to hear what is being said, but then realize we heard it before, and then we stop listening, our brain goes on to something else.

That can present a real challenge when it comes to the reading of scripture, and how it can shape us and guide us throughout our lives. We do want to become familiar with the scriptures, but we need our understanding of them to go deeper, than “just words”. We need to spend time with them in ways that will open our hearts, minds, and spirits to wonder aloud and discern the voice of the Lord speaking to us now…and to hear the voice of the Lord, anew, every time we listen to or meditate on the scriptures…

The Episcopal Church teachings generally invite us to approach the reading of the scriptures as the “living word of God”. That is to say, that they still speak to us today, just as they did to those during the biblical times of the scripture writings. They are not just a collection of stories about something that happened long ago, for us to respond with… “oh, that’s a nice story…or, those people sure knew how to get into trouble, they sure were stubborn, they never seemed to have faith in God, no matter how many times he rescued them and blessed them beyond measure…”

The scriptures are the living and breathing words spoken for all people, for all times…which means God is still speaking to us in a very personal way right now…He is calling us each by name…and inviting us now…and throughout our lives, to trust him and follow him where-ever he leads us…

We are reminded that we are called by name, at the time of our baptisms and our renewal of our baptismal covenant throughout the years…

That is where we begin a lifetime relationship with our shepherd…The Lord IS my shepherd…The Lord knows us and calls each one of us by name…

Our vision of Jesus as the good shepherd who leads us and guides us, obviously changes throughout the years. As a very young child, we probably got caught up in the cute sheep and the cotton ball projects, and maybe even memorized a few lines from the psalm; perhaps as we grew into our teenage years, the good shepherd was someone to support us through the confusing times often associated with those changing, disorienting years of adolescence….As we began our adult lives, perhaps Jesus as our good shepherd took on the form of a shepherd who watched over our families…As one moves towards the last years of their earthly life, perhaps we once again, find new layers of meaning added to who Jesus, the good shepherd is for us… one we associate with abundant and unconditional love…and an ever-flowing stream of mercy and compassion and comfort and goodness…One, as we look back over lives, has never given up on us, and continues to call us each by name, even now…

The Lord IS my shepherd.

What does that mean to you today?

What do you believe about the One we call the good shepherd?

What do we, as the body of Christ, believe about Jesus, as the One we call the good shepherd?

And…how is the good shepherd calling you, and us, as the body of Christ, to live now?

In all the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, the twists and turns, and in all the uncertainties that will surely come up in our daily lives….it is good to know and to trust that:

Jesus Christ IS our shepherd, He IS Risen. He IS the good shepherd who calls each one of us by name …and is inviting us today…to trust him and follow him where-ever he leads us…to green pastures, beside still waters, to a place where our souls are revived, on a walk through the valley of the shadow of death where we will know without a doubt, that the Lord is present with us…In his presence, our hearts will be full and overflowing…and the shepherd will lead us home to dwell in the loving embrace of God, and with those who have gone on before us…forever.

I invite you to take some time in the coming weeks, to sit down with someone and share with one another, your favorite version of psalm 23 and some of your most meaningful memories associated with the beloved psalm… I encourage you to spend time in the coming days with your favorite version of psalm 23, and explore some new versions (spoken and musical settings)…use it as a daily prayer…morning and evening…listen for the voice of the Lord…calling your name… trust him and follow him…for he knows the way that leads to a hope-filled, love-filled, joy-filled, peace-filled abundant life…for everyone!

Rev Julie Platson

Closing prayer/Hymn: (LEVS II) 104 - The Lord is my Shepherd

1        The Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall I know;

                    I feed in green pastures, safe-folded I rest;

          He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow,

                    Restores me when wand’ring, redeems when oppressed.

2        Through the valley and shadow my death though I stray,

                    Since thou art my guardian, no evil I fear;

          Thy rod shall defend me, thy staff be my stay;

                    No harm can befall, with my comforter near.

3        In the midst of affliction my table is spread;

                    With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o’er;

          With perfume and oil thou anointest my head;

                    O what shall I ask of thy providence more?

4        Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God,

                    Still follow my steps till I meet Thee above;

          I seek by the path which my ancestors trod,

                    Through the land of their sojourn, thy kingdom of love.

 ****Image: Kelly Latimore Icon

Celebrating God's Creation

3 Easter: Celebrating God’s Creation - April 23, 2023

Isaiah 42:5-8a, 10-12; Psalm 96:1-11; Luke 24:13-35

Hymn/Prayer: Open our Eyes (#229 – Purple Praise Chorus Book)

Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch Him, and say that we love Him. Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen, open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus. Amen.

The account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is still unfolding for us in today’s gospel reading…We continue to hear the stories about the disciples’ encounters with Jesus in the early hours and days after it was discovered that the tomb was empty…and the news is spreading that Jesus was not there in the tomb where they laid him three days earlier…There’s been reports of seeing him in the garden, on the run to tell others what the angel of the Lord told them, in the house where the disciples were huddled together in fear, and in the house where Thomas would come to believe…

Today’s encounter takes place on the road to Emmaus…Cleopas and another companion were talking about all the things that had happened in the past few days…trying to make sense of what happened to Jesus…processing out loud with one another the grief, the confusion, the sorrow, the shock and disbelief…the emptiness of not knowing where Jesus was…but maybe…maybe their conversation was sprinkled with a spark of joy, too…maybe, they might have hoped and believed, even for a brief moment, in the midst of their sorrow…that Jesus really did rise from the dead three days later…just as he said he would!

And imagine their bewilderment when this stranger appears to them, while walking along the road…listens to them as they pour out all of their sorrows about what had happened in the last few days…and then, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

And imagine their gratitude, when Jesus accepted their invitation to come stay with them, because it was almost evening, and the day was almost over…

Imagine their wonderment, when Jesus was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Imagine their joy, at that moment, when their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Remembering…that feeling of their hearts burning within while Jesus was talking to them on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to them…

Imagine the indescribable joy, that came alive in them, when thinking back for a moment and remembering, all that Jesus had said to them…and being witness to the truth of the hope and the joy and the love proclaimed to them in the resurrection of Jesus, right there…having seen him themselves…having heard him with their own ears…

Imagine the joy and the hope that was ignited in them, once again…a hope and joy too wonderful not to go and share with the others! “The Lord has risen indeed!” Alleluia!

There is no better season in the year than the season of spring and the season of Easter…to remind us of this resurrection good news and to proclaim the hope and joy that can be sparked to life again in us, in such small and beautiful moments, when our eyes and ears and hearts and minds are open to the sacred life among us…

I love coming to the See House every day to see what new flowers are popping up…I love the walk into town every day, to see what’s popping up in the gardens around town…I love walking through totem park or looking out at Crescent harbor to hear and see the eagles perched up high…I love looking out my office window to search for the whales and the sea lions passing through…I love listening for the birdsongs that come to life this time of year…I see and hear signs of resurrection joy and hope all around me…on my daily walks…

And I want my grandchildren, your grandchildren, all children, and all generations to come…to be able to be enjoy this beautiful world that God has created out of love…I want them to be able to look all around them, on their daily walks, and see and hear signs of resurrection joy and hope in their surroundings…

And to ensure that…it’s up to each one of us today, to consider our daily actions that impact the created world we are called to treasure and respect and use its resources rightly in the service of others, and to God’s honor and glory…

And I want my grandchildren, your grandchildren, children of all ages, living among us now, and all generations to come, to experience the indescribable joy of being witness to the truth of the hope and the joy and the love that is proclaimed and revealed to us, in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ…

I’m sure you know that there are many among us these days who are longing to hear some resurrection good news, longing to hear and see signs of resurrection hope and joy and love….

So, don’t wait…the time is now to share the good news!

“The Lord has risen indeed!” Alleluia!

Hymn after sermon: Go out with Joy (#229 – Purple Praise Chorus Book)

Go out with joy and be led forth in peace, the mountains and the hills shall break forth singing. Go out with joy and be led forth in peace, the mountains and the hills shall break forth singing. And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands, the Lord our God shall be praised. And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands, the Word of the Lord shall be forever. (Amen)

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

How should we live now?

2 Easter/Year A – April 16, 2023

Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16; John 20:19-31

Last Sunday, Easter Sunday, was a joyous occasion, celebrating the feast day of recalling Jesus’ resurrection from the dead….and it was an extra-joyful day, because we celebrated the baptisms of Elias and Annalise. At this service, and at other times throughout the year, we join with those about to be baptized, those who are committing themselves to Christ, and we renew our own baptismal vows.

What I love most about these opportunities to renew our baptismal vows, is that even in the midst of personally struggling with questions and doubts at times about our faith and beliefs, as Thomas and many of the early followers of Jesus did, it allows us to publicly and communally reaffirm and strengthen our commitment, together, to follow the risen Christ, and to reignite our call as baptized Christians, to show forth in our lives, what we profess by our faith…

We don’t get baptized because we know it all, or understand it all…in fact, part of the prayer spoken right after the person is baptized says this: Give them an inquiring and discerning heart ….Our baptisms are just the beginning of a life-time commitment, individually and in community with others, to ask questions, to wonder aloud, what it is that we mean when we say “we believe”, and to discern together, how it is that we should live now… as followers of Jesus in the way of love… … as followers of Jesus who come to believe, despite all our doubts and questions at times, that Jesus is indeed the One who came among us to reconcile us to one another, so that ALL may have life…and have it abundantly…

Let’s listen to this short excerpt from the new Church’s Teaching Series, volume 9, Ethics after Easter, written by Stephen Holmgren, that speaks a bit about baptism and the questions that come up throughout our lifetime…

***The Walk from the Font

On an autumn Sunday in Memphis, a young woman in her thirties enters a large Episcopal church in an older neighborhood. The greeters do not recognize her and they ask if she is a visitor.

In the process of introducing her to others later at the coffee hour, the greeters learn more about her. After years of inactivity, she is looking for a church home, a place to come to maturity in the faith that is just beginning to take root again in her life. She identifies one question that she says sums up all of her questions: “What should I believe now?” The young woman is encouraged to join an adult group that is exploring this very question on a year-round basis, a class in adult Christian formation. When she attends their next meeting, she discerns that other newcomers share her question. In turn, the explorations of the group have had an impact on the entire congregation, prompting other adult members in the parish to ask a related question, with an ancient answer: “What do we believe?”

About sixth months go by, during which she attends worship, reflects on her participation in the parish community, and prays and studies with the formation group. The young woman now feels that she is ready to reembrace publicly the faith once claimed on her behalf in a baptism shortly after her birth. She goes with a group of fellow parishioners down to the beautiful cathedral for the Ascension Day Service. Gathered there are many candidates for baptism, reaffirmation of baptismal vows, and confirmation.

On several occasions in the preceding months, she has talked with others in her group about the responsibilities that her new act of public affirmation might bring. Yet the focus of attention has been upon the basic matters of Christian belief and worship. They have been questions like these: Who was Jesus? Who is Jesus? What does the doctrine of the Trinity really mean? Why do we celebrate the eucharist every Sunday?

Now after her reaffirmation of her baptismal vows, she finds that her focus is shifting to another question: “How should I live now?” With the other candidates from her parish who were baptized or confirmed, she begins to explore the implications of her baptism for everyday life.

 The group discovers once again that they are not alone in asking this question. The members of the congregation around them are prompted to ask themselves, “How should we live now?”

________________________________________________________________________________________

Having just celebrated the Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter Day, and having just renewed our baptismal vows last weekend, I invite you during this 50 day season of Easter to spend time with these questions:

“What do I believe?” here in now in 2023…

“What do we believe?” here and now in 2023…

“How should I live now?” here and now in 2023…

“How should we live now?” here and now in 2023…

And if you are looking to take a deeper dive with these questions, with a focus on Creation Care, I encourage you to consider reading the book, The Creation Care Bible Challenge: A 50 Day Bible Challenge…

The book includes 50 creation care themed daily scriptures, reflections, questions for discussions, journaling, and a closing prayer to help ground us, inspire us, and strengthen us to discern our call as baptized Christians, individually and communally, with tangible ways to love and respect and cherish and care for all of God’s beloved creation…

The Monday book group on zoom, will be taking time each week to discuss some of the reflections, and there are copies here in the church for you to use, or you can get the book on your kindle… You might want to do a personal reading/reflection of it on your own…or maybe find a partner to discuss it with; or set aside time to talk with someone about what you read the past week… at a coffee hour on a Sunday, or at another time and place during the week….

During this 50 day season of Easter…. spend some time in silence and contemplation… ask questions, lots of questions, wonder aloud, and discern together:

“What do I believe?”

“What do we believe?”

“How should I live now?”

“How should we live now?”

And then go! Go out into the world as followers in the way of love that Jesus has shown us…and go forth as the people of God committed to show forth in our lives, what we profess by our faith…

Let us pray: O God, Give us an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works. Amen. (BCP 308)

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska

Prayer/Hymn at conclusion of sermon: Joyful, joyful (H) 376

1        Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love;

          hearts unfold like flowers before thee,

          praising thee, their sun above.

          Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;

          drive the dark of doubt away;

          giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.

2        All thy works with joy surround thee,

          earth and heaven reflect thy rays,

          stars and angels sing around thee, center of unbroken praise.

          Field and forest, vale and mountain,

          blooming meadow, flashing sea,

          chanting bird and flowing fountain, call us to rejoice in thee.

3        Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest,

          well-spring of the joy of living, ocean-depth of happy rest!

          Thou our Father, Christ our Brother: all who live in love are thine;

          teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.