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"The word is very near you"
One of my deficiencies as a preacher is that I have largely neglected St. Paul's epistles in favor of preaching on the Gospel story, or a story from the Hebrew Scriptures. (Sorry about that!) Paul's discourses are more in the nature of instruction and argument than they are stories about people. Frankly, I prefer stories about people, which open up the thoughts and emotions of human beings trying to live good lives and find meaning. And of course Jesus is the most fascinating guy who ever lived, and I never tire of pondering his words and deeds.
But I chose a passage from Paul's letters to his church in Rome this Sunday, to challenge myself (and you) to find its deep meaning. Paul declares that God's word is near us, even in us, when we can confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in his resurrection from the dead. So what does that mean?
For me, this means that we see in Jesus the nature and purpose of God, and we embrace that for our own lives. We decide to make love the highest value in our words and decisions, and when we get off track, we turn back. Furthermore, when given the choice between death and life, we resolutely choose life (Deuteronomy 30). Or, in the words of the Nicene Creed, "We look for the resurrection of the dead." For me, that means seeking fullness of life for myself and for others around me. That life comes through compassion, healing, and forgiveness, and renewal. It's not necessarily physical life; it's often mental, emotional, and spiritual healing and renewal.
I would go further and say that it's not about believing the right doctrines and dogmas about Jesus (virgin birth, physical resurrection, etc.). It's about trusting that Jesus shows us God's nature, and deciding to follow.
Today's move in the Way of Love (Bishop Curry's practices for Christian living) is "Learn." St. Paul is a teacher; he wants desperately for his hearers to learn, understand, and choose to follow the Way that Paul has found in Jesus. Our Gospel story today, Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, is also a teaching moment. Life presents choices. Decisions must be made, and then we live with them. JBM
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 "The Way of Love"
Starting Ash Wednesday, I shall preach using themes from our presiding bishop's initiative, The Way of Love. This is a straight-forward rule of life for Christians, and especially for us Episcopalians. It includes 7 moves we can put into practice in our lives in simple ways:
Turn - Learn - Pray - Worship - Bless - Go - Rest
On Ash Wednesday, we'll start with turning.
What turns your head? What makes you want to go in a new direction...follow a new path? I remember when our first child arrived, and I turned radically: from concerns for self, to care and love for this new little life entrusted to our care. It's not that I had been on a bad path before, but I had been more self-centered. Children don't permit that! They demand our attention and our best efforts...and we gladly give all that we have.
Sometimes I wish God's invitation were that demanding! It seemed just that urgent when Jesus called his disciples from their fishing nets and their tax booths. They turned and followed. But God's invitation to us is much more subtle, and we are easily distracted by the world - its bright lights, constant noise, and incessant worries. The call of God doesn't seem as urgent as a baby's cry or a dirty diaper. That's why we need to put in place practices in life to bring us back - every day - to that place of God-centered peace.
For more information about these preaching themes, Lenten resources, and messages from Bishop Mariann Budde, please click
here. You can also pick up "Living Well Through Lent 2019" a seasonal resource from Living Compass available in Founder's Hall.
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We regret that there will be no meeting of the St. Dunstan's Soul Sisters in March. Ordinarily scheduled for the Second Saturday of each month, we will resume meeting on Saturday, April 13. If you have any questions, please contact Sue Carroll.
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Christian Formation for Children and Youth ...
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Youth Ministry
March Youth Night
6:00 p.m. Dinner
6:30-7:30 p.m. Program for youth in grades 5-12
Wednesday, March 13 at Redeemer
Wednesday, March 27 at St. Dunstan's
We are now meeting on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays.
Our conversations in March will continue to explore our humanity as baptized followers of Christ. How can teenagers love God, and love neighbors in today's competitive world? Come for dinner and stay for games, community building, and conversation. Please click
here to sign up.
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Redhot & Blue @ St. Dunstan's ...
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Yale's Redhot & Blue @ St. Dunstan's
Friday, March 15, 2019 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Fresh off tours in San Francisco, Seattle, and China, Redhot & Blue, Yale University's oldest all-gender a cappella group, is coming to the Bethesda this coming March! With a unique focus on jazz music and a commitment to musical excellence, Redhot promises a night of smooth listening for all interested. Come to hear the group's original arrangements of the Gershwin's "Summertime", the Beatles' "Blackbird", and our own take
on Beyonce's "Halo", among others!
90 minutes of performance (and a 10-minute intermission) will be followed by a half-hour Q&A, where audience members are invited to ask the group about its music, its tours, or its members' lives at Yale College.
Tickets: $16 online, $20 at door.
Refreshments available for purchase at intermission.
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Bishop Budde @ St. Dunstan's ...
Bishop Budde Comes to St. Dunstan's! Sunday, March 24
Please be sure to come to church when our Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde makes her visitation to St. Dunstan's on Sunday, March 24, at both regular services. This happens only once every couple of years.
Between the services at 9:45 a.m. we'll have refreshments and a conversation with the Bishop about the future of the Church - St. Dunstan's in particular, our Diocese of Washington, and the wider Church beyond us.
Service Schedule
9:00 a.m. Family Service with children's message by Bp. Budde
9:45 a.m. Bishop's Forum
10:45 a.m. Eucharist with sermon by Bp. Budde
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Parish Notice ...
Walk-in Funds Needed
Consider giving a small donation to our Walk-in fund. Any amount is helpful. All donations can be put in the collection basket, given to Jeff, or brought to the church office.
Eucharistic Bread Bakers
Are you baker? Are you looking for an easy volunteer opportunity? Then we need you! We are currently recruiting volunteers to bake bread for Eucharist. For more information, contact
Jeff .
Kim Matthews
Parish Administrator
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Rector Search News
Below is a list of the members of the Rector Search Committee. If at any time your have questions or concerns, please reach out to one of the members of the committee or its chair, Chuck Cash. You can email us at
[email protected].
Chuck Cash, Chair; Donna Alvarez; Fred Bentley; Clint Chamberlin;
Lynn Adduci Leonard; Sue Newman; John Wyss
Committee Chair
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Hopes and Prayers on our Journey ...
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 I
n Need of Healing:
Curt Shively
,
husband of Susan Burkhalter
,
in nursing care
Ken Farnsworth
, at home in Westwood Towers
David Keegan
, friend of Tom and Rosemarie Barrett, fighting cancer
Pam Plaisance
, fighting cancer, cousin of Sue von
Ray Bridson
, friend of the MacKnights, fighting cancer
DJ Crane
, family friend of Trudy Surut, fighting cancer
Jessie McCardell,
at Sunrise on Connecticut Avenue
Nancy Hay,
ill at home
Joan (Penny) Denny
, ill
Daphne Cox,
ill
Warren Green
, ill, son in law of Trudy Surut
Recently Departed: Lois Spear
As we seek a new rector, we pray: Lord Christ, we ask that you surround us with your love during this time of transition and renewal at St. Dunstan's. Let us view this moment of change as an invitation to build upon that which has been given to us so generously by our founders. May we possess an open heart to all the possibilities that lie ahead. We hope these months of preparation will further unite us as one faith community, and that we will continue to cherish the strengths and gifts of one another. May we find new leaders who will unite us in our mission and shared values. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
We pray for St. Dunstan's Missionaries,
Cameron and Roberto Vivanco, who serve in Quito, Ecuador, and the parish of Buen Pastor.
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer, please complete our prayer request form by clicking
here.
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