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to March 2002 Articles
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
3100 Murfreesboro Pike
PO Box 741
Antioch, Tennessee 37011
615-361-4100
The Right Reverend Bertram Herlong Bishop of TennesseeThe Reverend Battle Beasley Rector
Debbie Colvin Senior Warden
Greg Hall Junior Warden
Karen Seufert Treasurer
Cindy Page Clerk of the Vestry
The Reverend Battle Beasley
Dear People of God,
Here we are in the midst of Lent, fast approaching Holy Week and the Feast of the Resurrection. On Ash Wednesday I began speaking of our journey in this season as individuals and as community towards the healing power of Easter. So what do we expect or believe about prayers for healing?
First, we believe that healing is God’s activity and that we are invited to participate in God’s activity for ourselves and for others. We believe that all are in need of healing for Body Mind and Spirit, at various times and for any number of reasons. We believe that it is a core aspect or function of the Church to offer prayers for healing. When we come forward to have hands laid on us and to be anointed with oil [oil that has been blessed for healing] we are participating in a ritual that is not merely commended to us by scripture, but one that has been practiced by people of faith for thousands of years. We believe in the power of prayer to effect change in us and in the world. Prayer too is first God’s activity in us, second it is our participation with God.
The effects of prayer, like the effects of healing, may not be obvious at first and yet we trust that as we offer and present ourselves to be available to God, that God will work in and through us to accomplish that which is God’s will for us and for all creation.
As you all know we offer healing services in the 3rd Sunday of each month and in addition during Lent on Wednesday evening March 6th &13th our worship will be a service of healing taken from our Book of Occasional Services.
So how has your Time with God been? Have you given yourself the gift of simply Being, being with God? If not, do not be discouraged. Today is a new day, treat yourself to five or ten minutes alone to rest in God. Later in this newsletter you will read about Sandy Winters’ time with God. I hope her words will encourage you on your journey. I hope that you will avail yourselves of this form of prayer, this act of worship and I pray that in doing so you will find yourselves given comfort and know the power of God’s love for you. Peace Battle+
Cast All Your Votes For Dancing
I know the voice of depression
Still calls to you.
I know those habits that can ruin your life
Still send their invitations.
But you are with the Friend now
And look so much stronger.
You can stay that way
And even bloom!
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter.
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear,
From the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.
Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins
That may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days
Like a broken man
Behind a farting camel.
You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him,
What actions of yours bring freedom
And Love.
Whenever you say God's name, dear pilgrim,
My ears wish my head was missing
So they could finally kiss each other
And applaud all your nourishing wisdom!
O keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter
And from the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.
Now, sweet one,
Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!
from I Heard God Laughing, Renderings of Hafiz, Penguin USA, copyright 1996
My Commitment To God
On the Vestry retreat in January, we all agreed to commit to a Rule of Life. As my Rule of Life, I chose to follow the Day by Day and commit 30 minutes every morning to reading the bible and being with God.
In January, I started because I wanted to honor my commitment to the Vestry. Then I started looking forward to getting up and having my private time with God and myself. Now I do it for me!
Sometimes I read and I don't understand anything but I just keep reading, and then I may read the next passage, and all of a sudden this bright light clicks on, " Oh, Duh! that's what it means." Sometimes I get so excited about a thought, or an idea that I have received, that I just have to share my excitement with a coworker, and family and friends. That's why I'm writing to you to share my Journey seeking God in you, myself and all creation.
I love you, St. Marks.
Sandy Winters
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World Sabbath Celebration:
Praying against religious hatred
The Living Church, 24 February 2002] From Sikhs to Baptists, 400 religious leaders and followers gathered at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on January 26 to celebrate the third annual World Sabbath celebration. The special service was initiated by two Episcopal priests from the Diocese, the Revd Rod Reinhart and the Revd Ed Mullins, three years ago.
"The mission of the World Sabbath is to call people of all faiths together to pray for an end to religious hatred, persecution, terrorism, war, and to commit themselves to work for justice, equality and peace among all religions, races, nations and tribes of the world," explained Fr Reinhart.
"We were called together first because of a profound concern for Africa, Asia and the third world. Countries like Sudan, Bosnia and suchlike. This year we are calling people together to pray because we understand what it is to be victimized by religious hatred and war." In light of the September 11 attacks he said, "We now know much more intimately what it is to be victimized by religious hatred." [Matthew Davies]
Take a moment to think back — way back— when you knew
about God before anyone ever told you.
Remember when you knew instinctively that there was more out there than meets
the senses. Remember when you felt God's presence all around you, and you
accepted it without having to understand it? God just was!
This is what Godly Play is all about. It is about giving children a place to bring their inborn spiritual relationship with God into community. It is about letting them touch and see concrete materials that help to tell the stories of us, the children of God, and God's relationship with us.
When you come into the classroom, you will not see the children all doing the same thing at the same time. You will see different age groups experiencing the parables, or the stories about the infancy of Jesus, or the artifacts that are part of the church's worship. You will see the children working independently to experience the wonders of their faith with the adult as a mentor, not as a teacher.
The purpose of Godly Play is to tell, using only the words and actions that are necessary, the most important details of God's story. Then step back and watch...watch as the children and their holy Teacher interact as the children respond to the stories. Watch...as after the lessons about the Altar and the Last Supper, four-year-old Maryn setsup the items of the Last Supper on the small classroom altar. Watch...as three-year-old Connor works with the Chasuble lesson materials and sings the song about the "Colors of the Church Year". Watch...as five-year-old Jordyn draws a rainbow, after the lesson about Noah and the Flood, and when asked will tell you that the rainbow is the sign of the promise God made to never again send a flood to destroy the world. Watch...as seven-year-old Lucas makes crosses out of construction paper, saying that it reminds him that Jesus died for us. And watch...as eleven-year-old Andie writes and draws her responses to the lesson about Daniel in the Lion's Den in her prayer journal.
The Godly Play classroom is for everyone. For the children, it is a supportive and nurturing space to encounter the wonders of God on a personal level. For adults, it is a space where we can go back to that first, inborn relationship with God and experience once again the wonders of our faith. Please feel free to join us, to experience the classroom, to watch the children at work forging a community with each other and a relationship with God. Peace. Gretchen
In Gratitude
Kimberly and Mark Tantaris would like to like to express their sincere thanks and appreciation to the members of St. Mark's who were so kind and supportive at this time in their lives.
Second Harvest
Reminder! NO Glass containers will be accepted for Second Harvest Food Bank!
St Mark’s Family Cookbook
Sandy Winters & Pam Carr-Brannon would like to compile a cookbook of St. Marks Best Recipes. We will be collecting recipes for several months, then hope to have the publication ready in time for Christmas 2002. We need input in the form of recipes from everyone and anyone who would like to help with the detail work please contact either of us. What great gifts!
Armed Forces Committees
The Office of the Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces has provided items to send to members of congregations serving in the Armed Forces both domestically and Overseas. These items are:
A Prayer Book for the Armed Forces
Episcopal Church Service Cross and;
the Episcopal Service Person Identification Card
Please submit names
to Fr. Battle of persons currently serving whom you would like to receive the items mentioned.It’s a Plot!
We are planning to offer plots for gardening this spring and summer. If you or anyone you know would like to play in the dirt, please call the church office.
