July 25, 2008

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

From July 16 to August 3, the bishops in the Anglican Communion from around the world are meeting at the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury, England. This meeting convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury is intended to draw the Church together in faith and to equip the bishops for their ministry. The challenge to the bishops is the challenge that Jesus gives in today's Gospel: to share from the Church's treasure of tradition and faith "what is new and what is old."

THEME FOR THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells several short parables which illustrate ways that God is active in our world: a mustard seed that becomes a tree, yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened, a treasure hidden in a field, a merchant in search of fine pearls, and a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind. Jesus encourages his followers to draw on past tradition and to present it in contemporary terms.

In the Collect, we pray: "O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

The reading from Genesis is the story of Jacob's marriage to Laban's daughters Leah and Rachel: "Then Jacob said to Laban, 'Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.' So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, 'What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?' Laban said, 'This is not done in our country -- giving the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.' Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife." (Genesis 29:15-28)

Psalm 105 is a song of thanksgiving: "Give thanks to the LORD and call upon his Name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him, and speak of all his marvelous works. Glory in his holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice."

In the epistle to the Romans, Paul describes how the Spirit of God inspires his inner life: "The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose ... Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:26-39)

In the Gospel passage from Matthew, Jesus tells several parables: "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 ... 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. 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. 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. 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." Jesus challenges his followers to share the treasure of their faith and tradition: "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." (Matthew 13:31-33,44-52)

The Church is challenged to share the rich heritage of our ancient tradition in ways that speak to contemporary society. Our worship service is indeed ancient — dating to the Last Supper which Jesus celebrated with his disciples 2,000 years ago. Yet our worship is strikingly contemporary, expressing our faith in prayers that speak to our concerns and needs today. Please join us for worship this Saturday at 5 pm, Sunday at 10:30 am, and Sunday at 6 pm.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

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Worship Services for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, July 26-27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, at 5:00 pm - Preacher: Ms. AnneMarie Ellis
Sunday, July 27, at 10:30 am - Preacher: Ms. AnneMarie Ellis
Sunday, July 27, at 6:00 pm - Preacher: Ms. AnneMarie Ellis

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LAMBETH CONFERENCE
For ongoing coverage of the Lambeth Conference, go to:
www.episcopalchurch.org (click on "Lambeth Conference Coverage" under "Highlights")
www.anglicancommunion.org (see "Lambeth Daily" at bottom of home page)

EVENTS at All Saints Parish

• For a schedule of worship services, please click here.
• For information about the Faith Formation Discussion Group that meets on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm, please click here.
• For information about the Beacon Street Fellowship and their website and blog for those in their 20s and 30s, please click here.
• To see the current issue of Saints Alive, our newsletter, please click here.

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