Rev. Valerie's Reveille

For those of you who are fans of English literature or arcane feasts of the Church, you may be aware of the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, which is celebrated on September 29 th .  As the feast of the birth of Jesus has been truncated over the years from “Christ’s Mass” to “Christmas”, so too has this holy day become known as “Michaelmas.”  In a Christendom society, it would have been understood one was talking about the end of September when referring to Michaelmas.  While this feast is not well known nowadays, angels certainly are as they continue to capture the imaginations of believers and skeptics as being powerful forces in the world today or just modern-day versions of fairies.   The primary role of angels is to be messengers from God.  As it is very intimidating to have an angel show up with such a message, almost all interactions with angels start with the angel announcing, “Do not be afraid.”  At least the angels are aware that it is hu...

In God’s great (and concise!) directions of how to live a faithful life – also known as the 10 Commandments - the Episcopal Church understands the first 4 commandments to be how to love God and the other six of how we are to love our neighbor.  (I find it interesting we need more direction on how to love each other, but I digress).  The first thing we are instructed to do for our neighbors is to “honor your father and mother.”  While in some ways this seems obvious, we also have to think about a culture that needed everyone to contribute in order to have the resources necessary to live.  This included (perhaps) getting water, tending livestock, hunting, gathering and a multitude of other jobs just to eat and have some where to live. The only real health care was what one’s family provided.  What we might consider a simple injury or infection might have been fatal.  Caring for someone not contributing was a drain on resources and caused extra work. From...

As the wardens and I were brainstorming about a theme for this year, I was struck by the interconnectedness of all we do at church.  If you host Coffee Hour, you are offering hospitality and fellowship.  If you are involved in the Women’s Link, there are components of Christian formation, outreach and fellowship.  Any of the “jobs” involved in worship (Altar Guild, Acolytes, Ushers, Greeters, Chalicers, Choir, Lectors to name a few) contribute to evangelism, formation and hospitality.  All our actions and interactions are weaved into each other, just like fabric. I must admit that when I started thinking about this, the catchy jingle that the Cotton Growers Association came up with years about (“The look, the feel of cotton – the fabric of our lives”), was running through my head ad nauseum.  But it also got me thinking about how the metaphor of fabric is helpful on our journey of faith.  Fabric is sturdiest when it is tightly woven together in a repea...

I will admit some apprehension about using “family” language when talking about Church.  In most families, you are either born or married into a structure that has a defined hierarchy of power and control.  Certain people are given titles to identify their positions of authority (there is a reason I choose not to use the title “Mother”).  Some family dynamics can create unhealthy relationships (co-dependence, enabling, even abuse). However, (before you think I came from a really dysfunctional family!) all of this can be redeemed if we choose to use family language in Church when we think about it as ADOPTION.  In his letter to the Romans, Paul says, “You have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” (8...