This Week's Announcements
July 20, 2020
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Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, 'Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
Matthew 13:24-30
The example from our Lord and Savior in the Parable of the Wheat and Tares points out that weeds will always grow in the same soil along with the good crops. Now I'm going to put up a visual. Jesus knew about wheat and he knew about tares. Tares is a type of weed called darnel or "bastard wheat."
Darnel looks like wheat when it is young. You can hardly tell the difference between a young stalk of wheat and a stalk of the darnel plant. It's not until they mature [change image] that the two can be properly identified and differentiated. You can't tell the difference until the crops grow to a certain point, and that's when you can separate them and get rid of the weeds.
What Jesus is trying to say in this parable is that good and evil coexist side-by-side. Good things and bad things, good people and bad people are often good buddies. Good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people. That's a hard reality to accept, but it's the truth. Good and bad coexist side-by-side and there is nothing we can do about it, because that's how life works. We often can't even tell the difference at first. Sometimes things that we think are good for us turn out to be not so good. Sometimes we get deceived. Sometimes the thing we rejected or the person we let out of our lives or the choice that we didn't take was the one that would have put us in a different place than where we are right now. We can't always tell the difference between the wheat and the weeds until the plants mature. We have to live with it for a bit to discern the good from the bad. We don't know how the choices we make in life will really turn out at the time we make them. We can speculate. We can make a logical, well-researched and thought out decision, but we won't know how it will turn out until it actually does. Often it's not anything like what we had anticipated.
When a bad event occurs in our lives, it can also be an opportunity to for us to find the positive in the midst of a negative. The incident surrounding the death of George Floyd has rocked our nation. We are furious about the brutality that we have seen at the hands of those whose job it is to protect us. That woke many people up. The people of our nation have been energized to call for a change. People are coming together from across racial, ethnic, and economic lines to make a difference and change the narrative. If the bad incident hadn't happened, we might still have our heads buried in the sand. COVID-19 has brought the entire world to a halt, but it has caused us to see the shortcomings of our health system at delivering adequate health care to anybody who needs it. Hopefully this will result in changes that will result in everyone being able to access our world-class medical technology. We were quarantined in our homes, but that brought families closer together and helped us connect with each other in new and innovative ways.
As we heard Paul say in his letter to the Romans, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved." All we can do is hope. All we can do is ask God to guide us along the right path and to give us the strength, fortitude, and endurance when we come up against the weeds of life to find the wheat.
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Reflections on This Week's Lectionary
Collect for Proper 11
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion, we beseech thee, upon our infirmities, and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, mercifully give us for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
No commentary is available.
No commentary is available.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul is writing to a community he had not founded and never visited. Yet, somehow, he seems to recognize their struggles, offer them wisdom, and proclaim to them a message of salvation for all. Paul's letter was prompted by tensions that had arisen between Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus in Rome. The issues they disagree over, Paul says, are things of the flesh, while the values they share in common are of the Spirit. In his letter, Paul urges them to put aside their differences and to come together as one in Christ. He does this by recognizing all of them as children of God, all crying out to their Father - Abba. Paul extends his imagery of parenthood to all of God's creation, which has "been groaning in labor pains until now" and is giving birth in them to the "first fruits" of this new creation in Jesus Christ. This new multi-ethnic community, this new kind of family of Jews and Gentiles together, confounds and upends the social status quo that maintains division between competing factions. Paul tells them that their community is, instead, the seed of reconciliation and hope for the liberation and salvation of all God's children.
Tension and divisiveness are rampant in our world today. Sometimes, it seems impossible that people with different opinions or beliefs could ever come together. As Christians, we are called to something greater, beyond politics, beyond race, and beyond cultural identity, to work for reconciliation and love for all God's children.
- Where do you find hope for reconciliation and love today?
In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples with the parable of the weeds among the wheat and then, very clearly, explains exactly what he means by it. There is no need for us to guess what Jesus is talking about here, nor is there any way to soften his message or avoid the harsh judgment it contains. At the end of days, those who find themselves numbered among the weeds will be thrown into "the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Jesus is speaking in cosmic terms about God's purposes and the very real presence of evil in the world. It is the "enemy" who plants the weeds among the wheat. For a time, the good wheat and the evil weeds will live and thrive together in this world, until the coming of God's reign.
We may not be comfortable with judgmental parables like this one, but Jesus has an important lesson for us here about how to make choices in our lives. The seeds are sown either by Jesus or by the devil. The difference between them is their point of origin, out of whose hand they are planted. We may want to check our motivations to be certain about who plants us in the world and exactly what we are growing into. Jesus is urging us to join the company of "good seeds," the children of the kingdom, to help to build God's kingdom and make it fruitful.
- In our work to build the kingdom of God, how might some of the seeds we sow become wheat and others weeds?
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Take our Survey!
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We are conducting a short survey inquiring about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals and families and having to be away physically from our beloved community.
Click here to take the survey.
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Except for the mother of Jesus, few women are more honored in the Bible than Mary Magdalene. Yet she could well be the patron of the slandered, since there has been a persistent legend in the Church that she is the unnamed sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus in Luke 7:36-50.
Most Scripture scholars today point out that there is no scriptural basis for confusing the two women. Mary Magdalene, that is, "of Magdala," was the one from whom Christ cast out "seven demons" (Luke 8:2)-an indication at the worst, of extreme demonic possession or possibly, severe illness.
Writing in the
New Catholic Commentary
, Father Wilfrid J. Harrington, O.P., says that "seven demons" "does not mean that Mary had lived an immoral life-a conclusion reached only by means of a mistaken identification with the anonymous woman of Luke 7:36." In the
Jerome Biblical Commentary,
Father Edward Mally, SJ, agrees that she "is not...the same as the sinner of Luke 7:37, despite the later Western romantic tradition about her."
Mary Magdalene was one of the many "who were assisting them [Jesus and the Twelve] out of their means." She was one of those who stood by the cross of Jesus with his mother. And, of all the "official" witnesses who might have been chosen for the first awareness of the Resurrection, she was the one to whom that privilege was given. She is known as the "Apostle to the Apostles."
She is the patron saint of contemplative life, converts, glove makers, hairdressers, penitent sinners, people ridiculed for their piety, perfumeries, pharmacists, sexual temptation, tanners, and women.
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St. James the Apostle
July 25
This James is the brother of John the Evangelist. The two were called by Jesus as they worked with their father in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had already called another pair of brothers from a similar occupation: Peter and Andrew. "He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him" (Mark 1:19-20).
James was one of the favored three who had the privilege of witnessing the Transfiguration, the raising to life of the daughter of Jairus, and the agony in Gethsemani. Two incidents in the Gospels describe the temperament of this man and his brother. Saint Matthew tells that their mother came-Mark says it was the brothers themselves-to ask that they have the seats of honor in the kingdom. "Jesus said in reply, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?' They said to him, 'We can'" (Matthew 20:22). Jesus then told them they would indeed drink the cup and share his baptism of pain and death, but that sitting at his right hand or left was not his to give-it "is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father" (Matthew 20:23b). It remained to be seen how long it would take to realize the implications of their confident "We can!"
The other disciples became indignant at the ambition of James and John. Then Jesus taught them all the lesson of humble service: The purpose of authority is to serve. They are not to impose their will on others, or lord it over them. This is the position of Jesus himself. He was the servant of all; the service imposed on him was the supreme sacrifice of his own life. On another occasion, James and John gave evidence that the nickname Jesus gave them-"sons of thunder"-was an apt one. The Samaritans would not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to hated Jerusalem. "When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, 'Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?' Jesus turned and rebuked them..." (Luke 9:54-55).
James was apparently the first of the apostles to be martyred. "About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also" (Acts 12:1-3a).
This James, sometimes called James the Greater, is not to be confused with James the Lesser or with the author of the
Letter of James
and the leader of the Jerusalem community. St. James the Greater is the patron saint of Chile, laborers, Nicaragua, rheumatism, and Spain.
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Events this Week
(Proper 11)
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic,
all public worship and other activities are suspended
until further notice.
Services can be viewed live at the times indicated,
or
on our website within 24 hours after at:
7:30 PM - Parish Virtual Get-together and Check-in Session
(Interactive via Zoom)
Wednesday, July 22
(St. Mary Magdalene)
7:00 PM - Low Mass
Click here to view live on YouTube
9:30 AM - Morning Prayer, Rite 1
(Interactive via Zoom)
Saturday, July 25
(St. James the Apostle)
12:00 PM - Online Giving Tutorial via Zoom
Sunday, July 26
(Eighth Sunday after Pentecost)
8:00 AM - Morning Prayer (Rite 1)
(In-person, in the Nave. This will not be live streamed.)
11:00 AM - Said Mass (Rite 1) from the Rectory
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Reopening
- New York City is currently in Phase 3 of the state reopening plan. During Phase 3, churches are allowed only 25% of maximum capacity, with appropriate distancing and safety protocols. That means we will be limited to a maximum of fifty (50) persons at one time, including clergy and acolytes.
- At the present time, there is no information about the restart of the Mass in Spanish, which is a ministry of the All Saints/Todos los Santos Lutheran Community. Please contact Pastor Leticia Alanis for more information and current services.
Sunday Services
- 8:00 AM - Said Morning Prayer, Rite 1 (not live streamed)
- The church will be open for individuals to pray and light candles.
- Father Whitmire will be available after Morning Prayer for blessings, prayers, and other pastoral needs.
- The church will close for the day once it has been cleaned.
- 11:00 AM - Said Mass, live streamed from the Rectory.
Weekday Services
All other weekday masses and other activities will continue to be live streamed or conducted via Zoom for the present time.
Safety Protocols during Phases B & C
- The narthex door will be the only point of entry and the bell tower door will be the only point of exit.
- Persons requiring an accessible entrance must identify themselves at the narthex door, and will be escorted through the bell tower door.
- In the event of an emergency, the nearest exit that is safe must be used.
- Face masks will be required to enter the building and must be worn while inside the building.
- Everyone attending will be expected to come with their own masks, but a limited supply of masks will be available if you don't.
- A warden will be taking your temperature & information for the purpose of contact tracing. We appreciate your understanding in providing the information asked of you.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be placed at stations in the narthex and at the back of the church. All must sanitize upon entry into the nave as directed. You may bring your own personal hand sanitizer.
- There will be a box for you to leave offerings as you enter the nave. The collection plate will not be passed around.
- One side of the church will be designated for individuals, and one side for families.
- All available seats will be marked with a blue "X".
- On the individual side, pews will alternate between two persons at each end or one person in the middle.
- On the family side, every other pew will be marked for seating. No one may sit in non-designated spaces.
- Hymnals and Prayer books have been removed from the pews.
- Bulletins will be placed in each designated seat. Everything necessary to participate will be included.
- Bulletins must be taken home or thrown into the designated box for recycling.
- There will be no congregational singing. (Not even humming with the organist, sorry!)
- Social distancing of six feet must be maintained at all times, except among members of the same family or household.
- Only one person may be in the restrooms at one time, except young children with one parent. Only one person at a time may wait inside the outer sacristy area for an available restroom.
- After Morning Prayer, the nave will be closed to persons entering. The nave and restrooms will be wiped down and disinfected.
- There will be no coffee hour and no distribution of take-home bags. No food or drink of any kind is to be brought to the church for distribution or sharing.
- The church will provide bottled water, but you may carry your own bottled water.
- Hanging out on the lawn outside will be permitted, but masks must be worn and a distance of six feet must still be maintained between persons and/or family units. Again, NO food or drink is to be shared or distributed.
- Persons will not be allowed in the Parish Hall until further notice.
Click here for further information located on our website.
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Connect with Your All Saints Family
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Parish Get-together and Check-in
Live via Zoom
Tuesday Evening
7:30 - 9 PM
Come as you are, have a cup of tea or coffee, have your dinner.
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Morning Prayer, Rite 1
Live via Zoom
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Online Giving Tutorial
Live via Zoom
Saturday, July 25
12:00 PM
Father Whitmire will be offering a live tutorial on how to make contributions online. Questions are welcome and encouraged.
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Two ways to connect to Zoom:
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1. By video or web cam on your computer or smartphone,
so we can see and hear each other.
2. By phone, so we can hear you and you can hear us!
Join in by phone by dialing: (646) 876-9923
and entering the ID: 944 457 4066 #
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Prayer Corner
As a church family, we pray for each other and our needs, and share in celebrating our joys. Please pray for those on our parish prayer lists. You may click on the links below to download the lists.
Those with immediate concerns.
Those who request our prayers on an ongoing basis.
Pray for the souls of the faithful departed.
May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
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Mid-year statements for 2020 have been mailed.
If you made contributions but have not received a statement,
please contact the church office by
e-mail or phone.
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Even if you can't be here on Sunday morning,
your weekly support is still needed.
Mail in your envelopes, or learn how easy it is to do online.
Read below!
Due to safety restrictions, the collection plate will not be passed at Morning Prayer on Sunday. Please place your offerings in the box located at the back of the nave. If you will not be joining us in person, please follow the links below to submit pledges and other contributions online, or mail in your pledge envelopes to the church. For the month of June, we received a total of $12,435 from pledge payments that were mailed in or submitted online.
Pledges and other contributions to the General Operating Fund can be made through the church management website (called OnRealm) or by using the "Donate" page on the church website. Contributions may be made by e-check (preferred) or by credit/debit card, and are automatically credited to your church record within one or two business days.
Click here
to be directed to OnRealm to sign in, or register and create a password. If you have any questions or trouble signing in, please send us an
e-mail
or call the church for assistance.
Read the section below for information about our "Donate" page.
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Make contributions using our "Donate" page.
Donations to All Saints can be made online. The web page has been updated, so you can pay your pledge contributions and make donations of items for worship (e.g., bread, wine, candles, flowers, etc...), and mass dedications by clicking on the appropriate button and following the instructions on the page.
Donations to General Operations will take you directly to the donation window. Select from the menu (e.g. Envelope Pledges, Ascension, Birthday Gift, Improvement & Maintenance), then select the amount and frequency.
Contributions for worship items, flowers, and mass dedications is a two-step process. First fill out the form indicating what you are donating, the event you are commemorating, and when you would like an acknowledgement of the donation to appear in the bulletin. You must click submit first, and that information will be sent to the church office. After you submit, you will be redirected to a donation window where you can make your payment. If you didn't sign in already, there is a link in the top-right corner so you can do so.
Members of All Saints: Sign into your church record first, so that your contribution will be properly recorded. A sign-in link is in the top-right corner of the donation window.
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We're looking for volunteers!
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Looking for Teachers!
- Do you like to teach?
- Do you have experience teaching?
- Are you interested in education for all ages?
The time has come to revitalize our educational programming here at All Saints. This will include:
- Sunday School / Christian education for all ages
- Confirmation / Adult Baptism Classes
- Vacation Bible School (Summer 2020)
We need to identify persons who are interested in working in this area of ministry. If you are one such person, please speak to Fr. Whitmire, one of the wardens, or somebody on the vestry.
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- Do you care about All Saints' future?
- Are you thankful for God's abundance?
Consider a Legacy Gift!
For more information, please speak to Fr. Whitmire.
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- Would you like to commemorate a birthday or anniversary?
- Would you like to offer a memorial on behalf of a loved one?
- Would you like to simply thank God for his amazing blessings in your life?
Consider donating a vase of flowers, making a contribution toward the bread and wine we use at mass, or contributing toward the cost of the candles we light at the altar, the Blessed
Sacrament candle beside the tabernacle, or the candles in the Shrine of Our
Lady of Walsingham. The breakdown of donations is as follows:
$10 (each)
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Bread, wine, Blessed Sacrament Candle, Shrine candles
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$30
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One vase of flowers for the High Altar, Shrine, or in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe (OLG)
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$75
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Three vases of flowers for the High Altar
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$100
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Full church (three vases of flowers at the High Altar, one vase in
the Shrine, and one vase in front of OLG)
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Donations can be made online through our "Donation" Page, or may be mailed to the church. The funds are given to the Altar
Guild for the purchase of these items.
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LIVING OUT OUR MISSION
Articles, photos, and videos about how All Saints is living out its mission.
The mission of All Saints Church is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord by our participation in the Eucharist, our fellowship in oneness and diversity, by respect for each other, and through outreach into the community.
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If you have an interesting story, photo, or video that features an example of living out All Saints' mission, please e-mail it to Fr. Whitmire by 6 PM on Sunday.
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Parish Hall Renovation Update
Completion of the construction project is on hold until the church building is reopened.
Your prayers and patience are greatly appreciated
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Need to update your personal or family information?
Go to your record on the church management website (OnRealm) or download the Demographic Information Form, which you may attach to an e-mail and send it back to the church.
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