The Weekly 07/21/13

All Saints’

The Weekly WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost • July 21, 2013

Welcoming Others in the Power of the Spirit

By The Rev. Rick Matters Everyone has to eat, and even Jesus took time to feed the crowds when they had no food. So Martha’s effort to feed her many guests was commendable (Luke 10:38-42). Jesus did not chide Martha for offering hospitality, but for being distracted.

Martha’s complaining demonstrates that she lost touch with the Word of life present in her home. Mary was feeding on that Word, while Martha lost touch with the purpose of her busyness. Jesus admonished Martha to offer her hospitality in honor of the living Word.

Our intention makes all the difference. Every time we worship we are Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus. When Mary finally stood, no doubt she helped her sister, but her cooking and serving were motivated by her love for Jesus.

If she became distracted, she could remember at whose feet she sits. In this way all that we do glorifies Christ, and our welcoming of others becomes the sacrament of Christ in the world.

Scripture Lessons Today Genesis 18:1-10a Psalm 15 Colossians 1:15-28 Luke 10:38-42

Scripture Lessons for Next Week Genesis 18:20-32 Psalm 138 Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19) Luke 11:1-13

Recommendation:

Hospitality of God

By Robin Denney

Hospitality of God, by Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves and Rt. Rev. Michael Perham.

This book is by our very own Bishop Mary and Bishop Michael from Gloucester. It starts with a wonderful account of our three-way partnership between our own diocese, the Diocese of Gloucester in the UK, and the Diocese of Western Tanganyika in Tanzania. This triad relationship is a wonderful expression of welcome in the power of the Spirit. Our dioceses are divided by such big issues as the ordination of women to be priests or bishops, as well as the ordination of partnered homosexuals, yet despite seemingly insurmountable division, we have formed deep bonds of friendship and love. The book goes on to chronicle a pilgrimage two of the bishops took to visit emerging churches. It is a wonderful picture of the hospitality of God expressed through both our partnership and the experiments of the emerging church.

All Saints’ • The Weekly

At Home within One’s Self

By Greg Troxell

The key to being hospitable is to be at home with one’s self, and extend the grace we have received to others.

Life always seems to get filled with stress. Something happens which draws a great amount of our attention, and drains our emotional energy and attentiveness to others and other matters.

As our society grows more and more complex, finding true peace becomes more elusive.

I find that the way out of this malaise is through personal spiritual exercise and radical realignment of my mind to Biblical principles. This often results in a reformation within myself; letting go of hurt, fears and questions that I’ve held onto now too long to be of use.

If you’d like to become more hospitable, learn to be at peace within yourself. Receive more of God’s grace, forgiveness and abundant love, Then let the abundance flow out from you to all those you meet and welcome into your home or place of work.

An Altered Perspective

By Greg Troxell

It is important to nurture and attend your own soul, but you will never find peace by being self-consumed and only worrying about your own desires, needs and wants.

When you’ve received so much grace and love, it is much easier to genuinely care about other people. It doesn’t take much to brighten up another person’s day. Just taking time to listen, appreciate, or smile can help touch the soul of another. When you help or listen to other people, it causes one to stop focusing on his or her own problems. One’s perspective is altered and often the sense of stress and feelings that can overwhelm a person simply dissipate in proportion to such compassion.

This is one difference between Mary and Martha. Here at church, in your place of work, refreshment, and in your home may you always be able to consider the needs of others and share the grace which you have received, abundantly.

Highlighted Events and Meetings JULY 22

Class: In the Power of the Spirit

JULY 22

Strategic Planning Meeting

JULY 22-26

Bach to the Future, Session II

JULY 24

Vestry Meeting

JULY 25

CCT Board Meeting

JULY 26

I-Help Dinner at All Saints’

JULY 29AUGUST 4

All Saints’ Camp out at Santa Lucia

AUGUST 3

All Saints’ Annual Picnic at Santa Lucia

AUGUST 13

Buildings and Grounds Meeting

This Bible study is based on a synoptic and chronological study of the four Gospels.

Together we will study and learn from the Jesus’ life and ministry and learn more about being disciples.

Starting: When: Time: Wherea:

June 5, 2013 Wednesday mornings 10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

All Saints’ Church in Grant Hall

To learn more plese contact Greg Troxell, gtroxell65@gmail.com.

All Saints’ Twleve Commuication Channels Help Spread the Word and Stay Informed 1. The Weekly 2. All Saints’ seasonal magazine 3. Church bulletin boards 4. Word of mouth and personal invitations 5. All Saints’ Website 6. Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, G+ 7. Newspaper and radio advertising 8. Carmel Chamber e-blast 9. Direct mail, postcards, and letters 10. Lamppost banners 11. All Saints’ Welcome center 12. Parish-wide e-mail www.allsaintscarmel.org

WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG

All Saints’ • The Weekly

The Spirit Welcomes Powerfully

By The Rev. Rick Matters

The narrative of Mary and Martha is a richly textured story with many layers of meaning. Among other things, it speaks powerfully about Jesus’s welcome for all people, regardless of common divisions like gender or race.

The Temple at the time of Jesus included an outer Court of the Gentiles, beyond which only Jews could go. Just inside the Temple was a large Court of the Women, so named because woman could go no further. Only men could enter the inner courts of the Temple. Women could look over a balcony to glimpse the ceremonies inside the Inner Court.

Jesus’ declaration that Mary chose the better part joyfully radicalizes the role of women. It asserts their place at his feet, rather than removed from the assembly of men. By declaring that this place of honor would not be taken from her, Jesus sets our course of welcoming all others in the power of God’s Spirit.

Welcoming God

By Robin Denney

Mary and Martha both welcome Jesus. Martha busies herself with the material tasks of welcoming him, while Mary welcomes his teaching with her attentiveness. While Jesus clearly states that Mary’s path is better, this does not mean that we should disregard the material all together. Elsewhere in the Gospel Jesus showed concern for the material by feeding the hungry, by saying “the laborer deserves payment”, and when he himself had no place to rest. What we can learn from Mary and Martha is that the material finds it’s meaning in the context of the spiritual. One way that the Church welcomes God into our lives is through worship. As the Church we can show up Sunday and go through the motions, but unless we commit ourselves to be changed by our faith, to live out that faith the rest of the week, then our worship is meaningless. It is in the context of our love of and relationship with God and each other that the material motions of our faith find their meaning, and God is truly welcomed into our midst.

WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG

Announcements Parish picnic at Santa Lucia—The annual picnic in Big Sur will be held this year on Saturday, August 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Games and activities will complement the potluck lunch at noon, with a barbecued main dish provided.

Healthy Saints hike—Join your friends on Tuesday, August 13, from 9:00 a.m. to noon as we hike at Glen Devon Ranch.

Spaces are limited, so sign up soon with Mother Cynthia at thevicarofbigsur@ gmail.com.

The annual parish campout will be held at our Santa Lucia campground from Monday, July 29 (1:00 p.m.) to Monday, August 5 (1:00 p.m.), with the parish picnic on Saturday and the regular Sunday Eucharist offered at 11:00 a.m.

Sign up now with Izzi Shillinglaw (3737570) to camp for the full week or just overnight. You’re also welcome to come for the day for planned events, or just to enjoy the redwoods and Big Sur River.

Women’s Retreat: Building a Sacred Space—Join Mother Cynthia, vicar of Santa Lucia Mission, on Saturday, August 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at our Santa Lucia campground. The $15 registration includes snacks and presentations; bring a bag lunch. RSVP to Mother Cynthia at thevicarofbigsur@ gmail.com.

Episcopal Church Women—On Saturday, August 17, the diocesan ECW presents Our Gifts & Joy from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s, Salinas. For more information, contact Diane Lovelace at 408-263-8945 or DiLovelace@aol.com.

All Saints’ Episcopal Parish Ninth and Dolores PO Box 1296 Carmel, CA 93921 Phone: 831-624-3883 Fax: 831-624-1459 www.allsaintscarmel.org

Ministry of hospitality—You’re invited to open your home to a participant at the September 27-29 Festival of Christian Spirituality. All meals will be provided at the festival. If you have a spare room and would like to participate in this ministry, please contact Father Rick or the parish office.

Wednesday: Bible study from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Grant Hall.

Lost & Found—Several earrings, jackets, wrist watches and eyeglasses have been found on church property over the past year. You are encouraged to recover them in the parish office soon, because they will be disposed of on Aug 15, 2013, if not claimed by then.

Sunday handout deadline—To be included in next Sunday’s handout, your announcement must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday. Contact Andrea Matters at andreamatters@gmail.com or 624-3090.