Episcopal Church of the Resurrection

Author: Ellen

Lenten Devotional, 2017

Episcopal Church of Wise County

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL 2017

On Ash Wednesday, Fr. Tony offered the homily you can read below. It is a wonderful reminder of why we celebrate Lent, and might give you some ideas about how to refresh your relationship with God during Lent. I have re-read it, along with the Gospel reading. It has helped me feel more committed to my Lenten practice, and maybe it will encourage you, as well.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Ash Wednesday is all about reminding us of our mortality; it doesn’t exactly put us in an upbeat mood. When we start the season of Lent, there’s no pussyfooting around – we go straight to the grave.

Which makes the Gospel lesson from Matthew that we read each year an interesting choice, because Jesus was most definitely not being morose when he said the words that we just heard – and it’s difficult to pick up on that when you’re supposed to be acting penitent.

This evening’s Gospel text is from the Sermon on the Mount – it covers several chapters in Matthew – and I think that Jesus is really having some good-natured fun with the overly-pious church people of his day. Here come the alms-givers with trumpets announcing their arrival! There are the pray-ers, making sure that everyone knows that they know the right way to pray! Here are the fasters – boy, do they look hungry!

As much as I love the Episcopal church and our liturgy and ritual, this passage of scripture is squarely pointed at people of our ilk. It’s a reminder that it’s very easy to get so caught up in our ritual that we begin to confuse religion with God. And that’s when we start to lose our focus on what Lent is all about.

That being said, there is nothing inherently wrong with the pieties which Jesus spoke about; Jesus is simply reminding us how to practice them so that they don’t create a barrier in our relationship with God. We’re not to do these things to glorify ourselves or to impress others; rather, the intention is to draw closer to God by engaging in practices which remind us of our relationship with God and our responsibility to each other.

So how does that look as we embark on our Lenten practice? Well, some of these pieties we practice as a matter of course – take, for instance, almsgiving. Our Mission of the Month for March – donating to the 4 Saints Food Pantry – is a perfect example, and the timing couldn’t be more appropriate. But Almsgiving doesn’t only mean donation of money or goods; donations of time and talents are also appropriate. Giving alms, especially in person, gets us closer to the need. It exposes us to a side of life that we usually don’t see. Need becomes a reality rather than just a statistic. And our ability to feel compassion is fed.

The second piety which Jesus mentioned is prayer. Lent is an ideal time to work on our prayer life; it’s a time for introspection and self-assessment, both of which are excellent reasons to improve our communications with God. Prayer – at its heart, removes us from the busyness of our lives and forces us (hopefully) to stop and listen to God. But – we have to listen – it’s not supposed to be a monologue. When we listen, we can find ourselves better understanding the generosity of God, and share in God’s recognition of who we are.

The third piety on Jesus’s list in fasting. Self-denial – it’s always the go-to piety for Lent; even as little children, we asked each other what we were giving up for Lent. Self-denial brings home the realization or our total dependence on God. It reminds us that we are not in control and points us toward the One who is.

The three pieties that Jesus calls out in Matthew’s gospel aren’t just about self-denial. Practice of each opens opportunities for us to develop new avenues in our relationship with God and with each other.

And now, I invite you to the observance of a Holy Lent. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

August – 2017

Women’s Storybook Project of Texas is a non-profit, interfaith program that connects children with their incarcerated mothers through literature.  Volunteers travel to Texas female prisons to record offenders as they read stories to their children.  The mothers also give short messages and the CDs and new books are then mailed to the children.  This gives them a chance to hear their mothers’ voices while the mothers are away.

It is a simple idea with a big impact!  The children are connecting with their mothers through listening and reading good children’s literature.  The mothers’ self-esteem increases because they know that they are doing something positive for their children.  Since participation in the program is earned by good behavior for 90 days, the behavior at the prisons has improved

One of the long-term goals of Women’s Storybook Project is to help decrease the rate of recidivism.  Connecting the children and mothers would prevent the mothers from returning to prison.  Another goal is to prevent incarceration of the children whose parents have been in prison.  This is a very high statistic.

The idea for WSP originated in 1993 with a program founded by Lutheran Social Services in Chicago.  Judith Dullnig was inspired by friends in Louisville, KY who had a similar program.  After about a year of research, connecting with a social worker within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, finding volunteers and searching for funding, Storybook Project began within the outreach program at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church of Austin, TX.  Five volunteers carried four tape recorders, 25 new books, cassette tapes, and padded mailers to the Hilltop facility in Gatesville, TX in 2003.  The Gatesville area has six female prisons and has the largest number of female offenders in one area in the entire country.

Our congregation decided to donate to this important project for our August Mission of the Month.  Pictured below is Susan Hunter who organized this month’s mission and made sure the books were delivered to the volunteers.  Just a sampling of books is shown in these pictures…you can see a box in the pew behind which contained many more books.

 

July – 2017

Wise Hope Shelter and Crises Center has received donations several times from our congregation and we have been told repeatedly how much everything is appreciated.

We were informed that paper products are needed regularly as they are used on a daily basis.  Our July Mission of the Month was to provide the shelter with as many paper products as we could.  As you can see from the pictures, we did an outstanding job.  The pictures show a lot of the items we gathered.  Also, Angie Whitley in pictured carrying some product into the church.

June – 2017

Wise County has residents who are in need of assistance with food during the month.   Along with W.A.R.M., Wise County now has a mobile food bank that comes once a month (third Saturday) to provide food and some other necessities for those in need.

As our June Mission of the month we provide cases of water to be distributed as needed.  Below is a picture of Bruce Outland.

May Mission of the Month – 2017

Yay!  Summertime.  All kids love summer–no school, sleep late, play with friends–fun times!  Right?  Yes; that’s right for many children, but some have to leave their homes due to domestic violence or sexual abuse.

The Wise Hope Shelter and Crisis Center was our May Mission of the Month.   A call was made to the shelter asking what our focus should be because we wanted to concentrate on collecting what they needed most.  We were told they would appreciate whatever we wanted to donate; however, the one thing the shelter does not buy is snack foods of any kind.  Because school would be out and children would be with their mothers at the shelter, they wouldn’t have any kind of snack food.  Also, they would welcome 100% fruit juice in small bottles or cans and flip flops for the women because they are not allowed to go barefoot at the shelter.

We had such a good time shopping for snacks.   We also bought a lot of juice, flip flops, and some paper products, and filled up the back of an SUV.   Someone even bought bubbles for the kids to play with while at the shelter.  As one woman put it, “What kid doesn’t like bubbles?”  Here are several pictures of the goodies we collected.

           

If you know of anyone who needs to leave a dangerous situation, below is the shelter’s information:

Wise Hope Shelter & Crisis Center

24 Hour Crisis Hotline – 940-626-4855

P.O. Box 569 • 608 North Business 81-287 • Decatur, TX 76234

Tel: 940-626-4855  • Fax: 940-626-4117

April Mission of the Month – 2017

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth supports the refugee families in North Texas and we, as a congregation, agreed to collect items needed during the month of April.  We gathered gently used or new sheets and comforters, new towels, wash cloths, clothes hangers, small trash cans, toothbrush holders, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap and soap dishes–basically anything for the bathroom or bedroom.  The refugees fleeing from peril come here with nothing and have to start from scratch.  It is our hope that we have made a difference.  

Below is a picture of the things we gathered:

                                         
                                          Jill McClendon, The Rev. Anthony Hiatt, Julie Lundy-Booker

March Mission of the Month – 2017

March was a very busy month for us.  Beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 1, we partnered with our friends from United Methodist Church, Decatur, and offered Ashes-to-Go for those wishing to receive them before work.  We had quite a few folks drive or walk up to receive their ashes.  Below are pictures of some of the “customers.”  Also, a call was received from Wise Health System asking if someone would come to the hospital to impose ashes for patients and staff wishing to receive.  It was a wonderful beginning of the Lenten Season.

                                 

      The Rev. Anthony Hiatt                                  The Rev. Brian Bosworth                       Felicity Hollister, Jill McClendon, Fr. Hiatt, (in back)  Phil                                                                                                                                                                                              McClendon, Marquis Whitley

During March we focused on two different missions.  The Wise County Health Fair was held at the Decatur Civic Center on March 25.  In support of the Health Fair and Carter Blood Care, members thought that donating blood would be a good mission.  So between 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. several of us donated.

If you wish to donate at any time please call Carter Blood Care (817) 412-5370

                        Angie Whitley and Fr. Tony Hiatt                                                Ellen Whitley                                                                 Jeromy Trask

We also supported 4Saints Food Pantry in Fort Worth.

4 Saints Episcopal Food Pantry is a new Episcopal food bank at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, located in the Meadowbrook neighborhood of east Fort Worth, a food desert. The pantry board has members from the Fort Worth East Deanery, which includes St Stephen’s, St Martin-in-the-Fields, St Luke’s, and St Alban’s. Annabelle Sauer, a Girl Scout from Troop 3012, also serves on the board. Through Sauer’s efforts, 4 Saints Food Pantry received a $500 grant from a local utility company.

Our congregation gathered items throughout the month; below are a few pictures of items collected.

                                                                                                                                          Items donated                                                                    Angie Whitley, Jill McClendon, Sarah Walker, and Clydie Walker

February Mission of the Month – 2017

We set aside February to focus on one of our own.  Fred Dery was diagnosed with colon cancer.  What is so amazing is that if he didn’t have the insurance he had, he would never have gotten the colonoscopy which found the cancer. Because it was found early, the mass was removed successfully and no chemo was needed.  Friends and family organized a fundraiser to help the family while Fred was not able to work.

It is our hope that everyone gets a routine colonoscopy as often as your doctor feels is necessary.

                          Above is the flier and a few pictures of those who came out to have a good meal and bid on items donated for auction.

   

 

Reconciliation

Reconciliation:  to reconcile; to make friendly again; to settle differences; to bring harmony; to make content

Read:  2 Corinthians 5:17-20 New International Version (NIV)

Lent or Advent is a great time for Confession because both seasons are times for preparation and self examination.

Those of us in the Episcopal Church don’t think much about Reconciliation (or Confession).   But, Confession is indeed available to us as one of the Sacraments of the church.  The Reconciliation of a Penitent is on page 447 – Forms I & II, of the Book of Common Prayer.

I would like to share with you my very first Confession around age 45 or 46.  I didn’t even know how to go about it.  I was working for my church as their secretary–so the priest was not only my boss, but my spiritual advisor and friend.

He told me to pray about my Confession and to write down anything that preyed on my mind…things I had done in the past, if I had any ill feelings, unforgiven acts, etc.  He told me to work on the list for a week or so and when I was satisfied that it was complete, I would then make my appointment for Confession.

My time was set and as the hour grew closer, I began to tremble.  The priest had a chair setting diagonally in front of the railing facing the altar so I could still see his face from my kneeling position behind the railing, but he could not see me.  We began the service and when the part that says that I have sinned and to list them, I took out my two-pages and read them off.  My voice was shaky as each sin was stated.  When I was through the priest talked with me about some of them and gave me advice as to how I may grow in the experience.  He also gave me two or three psalms to read after he left and to think about the list, rereading it.

The really moving and very emotional part was when he told me after rereading my list, I was to tear it up and place it on the altar as I left because I was forgiven.  When I tore up those pieces of paper a heavy weight was lifted from me.  It was one of the most moving services I have ever attended.

I asked him how he could feel the same about people after he hears their confessions.  He said, “No one sin is greater than another.  Sin is sin and sin removes US from God’s presence.  God doesn’t remove Himself from us.”  Then he said that God has a special way of making priests forget about what they have heard–like He wipes it from their minds.  I thought that was cool.

Nothing that is worthwhile is ever easy and Confession is worthwhile.  If you have ever entertained the thought of making a Confession, believe me, you will not be sorry for doing so.