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What Love Demands

February 05, 2010

Posted by Wallace+

On Sunday, I preached about the hard question of "why?" that confronts us whenever evil occurs; evil like the earthquake that ravaged Haiti and has claimed over 200,000 lives to date. Why would an all-loving and all-powerful God allow suffering? We ask this question, though there really is no good explanation, not in this life, anyway. It is, of course, the love -- the Christ manifested in our response to the evil -- that matters. While we should (and will) question, the questions must never keep us from doing what love demands. (You can listen to the full sermon here.)

Your response to our appeal for funds to support Episcopal Relief & Development's work in Haiti was swift and generous. Now discussions are underway about a service trip to Haiti. As we think of what love demands, the question is not 'if' but 'when?' We are already seeking counsel from those agencies on the ground about when Haiti will be ready for the massive influx of unskilled volunteers that is to come. If you are interested in participating in this mission, which we expect will take place early next year, please speak with me or contact Bryan Appel at bappel@stpauls-episcopal.org.

As we continue to follow developments in Haiti, may God help us to keep our attention on the call to love, and may God guide us as we prepare the way for doing what that love -- Christ's love -- demands.

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St. Paul's News & Notes 

  1. Notice of Snow Cancellations & Delays
    On Saturday afternoon, St. Paul's clergy will make a determination about Sunday's schedule. We will notify you via email about any schedule changes; update the St. Paul's Web site and worship schedule on voicemail; and provide notice on Facebook and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/stpaulsrva), in that order. We also provide notice to local news stations of closures, but encourage you not rely on television exclusively as networks update those announcements on varying timetables.
  2. Just One Can...
    The amazing thing is that if each and every one of us gave one canned food item a month to the St. Paul's Food Pantry, we would be fully stocked year round. Beginning this month, we invite each and every member of the St. Paul's community, on the first Sunday of each month (starting this Sunday) to bring in one canned to the Sunday morning service. We will collect these cans during the Offertory as we give thanks for being able to give out of our abundance.
  3. Rector's Blog: Diocesan Council - Some Reflections
    Check out the Rector's blog for new posts, including some reflections on council, a prayer at the start of a new chapter, and more!

 

Mark Your Calendar

THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7 (Youth Sunday Postponed until March 21)
Worship Services at 7:45 am, 9:00 am & 11:15 am (until further notice)
10:15 am: Adult Forum on "Symbols in Christian Art"; Small Group Bible Study; and Children's Church School

* Weekdays @ 12:05 pm: Noonday Prayers & Communion in the Church

* February 9 @ 7:30 am: Reflection & Prayer Group in the Library

* February 10 @ 5 pm: Prayer Yoga in the Youth Center

* February 10 @ 6 pm: "Half the Sky" Small Group Book Discussion

* February 11 @ 9 am: Emmaus Walk-In Lunch in the Undercroft

* February 12 @ 6:30 pm: Moms' Dinner at the Home of Sue Bland

* February 14 @ 10 am: Mardi Gras Sunday Combined Worship Service

* February 14 @ 11:30 am: Mardi Gras Sunday Pancake Brunch 

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A WORD FROM GRACE STREET

A Word From Grace Street, Wallace's weekly theological reflection, is sent by email to all who are interested. Sign-up above or read them below.

SERMONS

To Bethlehem; to Bethlehem, we have come.

And, of course, this Christmas, tonight, and tomorrow, new memories are being made; a Carol sung, pure and exquisite; an old friend; warm, endearing words exchanged; a first Christmas for a new grandbaby; a candle lit, a face aglow, eyes agleam.

The Pointer’s Point

More than fifty times, in his published writings, Barth refers to the Grunewald image; and, indeed, usually, it is precisely in reference to John,  and John’s relation to the figure of Christ; as he points.
Barth (and Grunewald before him) understood John’s sole purpose to be to serve as a pointer to Christ, a reference to Christ, a witness to Christ.

Keep Alert, Awake, and Watchful

On any given day, there are those things that would get our attention; those things that would bring fresh perspective; those things would remind us of what is most important, what is most true. If, that is, if we but notice. We never know when those things, those experiences, those people might come. And so it has always been, so it has always been.

The Rule of 72

The Rule of 72, they call it.  It’s a rule of thumb to figure how long it’ll take to double your money. If you know you can get 5%, on your investment, then you divide 5 into 72 and that tells you: it’ll take roughly 14 and ½ years to double your money. That’s the Rule of 72. Now, sometimes an investor doesn’t want to wait 14 and a ½ years, or however long the Rule of 72 tells you that you have to wait and so increased risks are taken. And sometimes you win, and sometimes you loose.

Walk the Way of a Servant

We all want, in the words of St. Paul, to “lead a life worthy of God.” A life worthy of God. Un-like the lives of the false prophets, of Micah’s day, or the false teachers of Jesus’ day, the scribes and the Pharisees, teachers of the law. Their lives are un-worthy of God, we are told, in no uncertain terms. In their hypocrisy, they serve, not God, not God’s people, but themselves.

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