Dear Friends,
January 17 is the feast day of Antony of Egypt, a fourth century hermit and founder of an early monastic community. Following the death of his parents, Antony and his younger sister inherited a large estate. One day during worship he heard the gospel reading about the rich man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responds, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21) For the rich man, this exhortation feels impossible. Mark tells us he “went away grieving, for he had many possessions.” (Mark 10:22)
Antony had the opposite reaction. According to the brief biography in Lesser Feasts and Fasts, the lectionary for the commemoration of saints in The Episcopal Church, Antony gave his land to villagers, sold most of his possessions, and gave the proceeds to the poor. Later, reflecting on Jesus’ teaching not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 5:34), he sold his remaining possessions, placed his sister in a “house of virgins,” and became a solitary ascetic. [Side note: House of virgins?! I wonder what the sister’s choice would have been if she’d had the freedom to choose.]
Antony is not the only person in the history of the church to take so literally the invitation of Jesus to sell all possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. St. Francis of Assisi comes to mind as another example. Most Christians — which is to say almost all of us — have not and will not live up to this standard. We will not sell all we own, nor do we think, based on our actions, that Jesus actually expects us to do so.
My take on this? Jesus’ primary concern in Mark 10 is not wealth but our relationship with our possessions. Reading about Antony’s life brings to mind my mother, not because she freely gave up her possessions but because she did the opposite. In the last years of her life she did not have much. But what she had, she held onto as if her life depended on it. Her assisted living apartment was cluttered with boxes, bags and overflowing drawers. Every corner and nook had something in it. Every cabinet was full. She didn’t even know what was in most of the boxes.
My intention is not to be critical. My mother didn’t hold onto things to be selfish or to ensure her own financial security. Her possessions had little real monetary value. She held onto things as a way of managing her anxiety and insecurity. Keeping everything — and stopping my attempts to sort through the stuff — was her way of asserting some control in a life that she otherwise experienced as out of her control. Sadly, her attempts to control only left her more anxious. She worried every day about her inability to sort through the clutter that surrounded her, but she had no energy or real desire to do anything about it. In a way, her possessions possessed her more than she possessed them.
We do not need to follow Antony’s example in order to respond faithfully to the invitation Jesus offers the rich man. We might instead ask ourselves some questions. Do my possessions liberate me to live a life of abundance? Or do they bind me to a life of scarcity? Do my possessions inspire and equip me to share generously? Or do they create anxiety which pushes me to hold and hoard for myself?
Most importantly, where is my treasure? Answering this question will tell us if we are ready to say yes to Jesus. As he said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
Your Friend in Christ,
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UPCOMING EVENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS |
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Sunday, January 22, 10 a.m. service*
Bishop Jennifer will visit St. Paul’s on Sunday, preaching and confirming St. Paul's confirmands at the 10 a.m. service. Plan to stay after the 10 a.m. service and join us in the Parish Hall for an all-parish reception. *Please note, there will be services at 7:45 and 10 a.m. only; there will be no 9 or 11:15 a.m. service on Sunday.
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MEET OUR VESTRY SLATE
St. Paul’s Vestry is pleased to announce the four candidates on this year’s slate: Irma Boyett, Janie Frazier, George Slenski and John Thorpe. View applications for each candidate below. Additional nominations for the Vestry Class of 2026 will be accepted now through Sunday, January 22. Voting for Vestry, Diocesan Delegates and to approve the 2022 Annual Meeting minutes will open on Thursday, January 26.
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ST. RICHARD'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL "PAR-TEA"
Saturday, January 21, 9:30-11 a.m., Paddington "Par-Tea"
St. Richard's School is now enrolling for the 2023-24 school year. Families are invited to a "Par-Tea" to enjoy some great fun while getting to know the St. Richard's community. Children ages 2 1/2-6 are welcome to bring their "best bear" and to enjoy a memorable morning including crafts, a trip to the "vet," pictures at the "Paddington Station," a "Par-Tea" and more activities planned for this age group. Click here to learn more about this event and RSVP below:
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ADULT GODLY PLAY SESSION
Saturday, January 21, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Room 211 (second floor, Parish Center)
Are you curious as to what Godly Play is all about? This is the Montessori-based curriculum St. Paul’s uses for Sunday School (ages 3-11). Did you know that some churches use this curriculum for ages 3-100!? Enjoy a Godly Play session for adults only. Anyone is welcome and encouraged to join, no strings attached! However, if you are considering becoming a volunteer or storyteller next program year, please join us. RSVP below. Questions, email Laurie Pierce.
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MEN'S TUESDAY STUDY GROUP
The group is now studying the book Learning to Walk in the Dark. Author Barbara Brown Taylor hopes to provide a way to find spirituality in those times when we don’t have all the answers. Taylor asks us to put aside our fears and anxieties and to explore all that God has to teach us “in the dark.” All are invited to join the conversation, regardless of reading the book. Questions, email Larry Johnson.
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MEN'S CIRCLE COUNCIL AND FELLOWSHIP MEETING
Thursday, January 26, 7-8:15 p.m., Youth Lounge (first floor, Parish Center)
Join with men transforming men through Christian spirituality, based on contemplative practices as taught by Fr. Richard Rohr. Plan to meet on the fourth Thursday of each month to focus on the wisdom traditions of forgiveness and radical inclusivity. Email George Slenski (or tel. 937.241.5556) with interest or questions.
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REQUIEM FOR THE ADRIFT AND SHATTERED PREMIERE
Sunday, January 29, 4 p.m., Sanctuary
Join us for the world premiere of pianist Clare Longendyke’s new multimedia work featuring pieces for solo piano by Rex Isenberg, Emily Koh, Reinaldo Moya and Nkeiru Okoye alongside a new film by Deonna Weatherly and Weatherhouse Company. Admission is free. The program was made possible in part by a grant from St. Paul’s Faith, Justice & the Arts initiative. Learn more here.
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ST. PAUL'S YOUTH GROUP ICE SKATING
Youth 6-12th grade (and friends) are welcome to join at St. Paul's for dinner together at 5:30 and then proceed to Holliday Park. Parents, please plan to pick up youth at Holliday Park promptly at 8 p.m.! There are a limited number of spots for the outing - please RSVP to Laurie Pierce.
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ST. PAUL'S ANNUAL MEETING
Sunday, February 5, 10:15-11:45 a.m., Parish Hall
All adults and youth are encouraged to attend the St. Paul's Annual Meeting after the 9 a.m. service and participate in conversation with our Rector, leadership and fellow parishioners. Youth (6-12th grade) are invited to join us during the meeting (Youth Lounge will be closed). Childcare will be available for ages infant-5 (in the nursery) and ages kindergarten-5th grade in the Lilly Room. There will be no 11:15 a.m. service offered that day.
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LUNCH & LEARN
Wednesday, February 8, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Parish Hall
Have you ever been to a natural history museum and seen dinosaur bones? Have you ever wondered where they were collected, or who they rightfully belong to? Hannah Hensel will share her research in geoscience policy, which explores the federal policies that inform fossil collection on Native American lands. See her recent article on the topic here. The cost of lunch is $5. Please RSVP to Tana Hunnicutt no later than Friday, February 3.
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ADULT FAITH FORUM :: FJA Grant Recipient, Angela Brown
Sunday, March 5, 10:15-11 a.m., Parish Hall
World-renowned soprano and Grammy Award winning artist, Angela Brown, will present her vision for the upcoming interfaith prayer service, “A Plea for Healing.” This free community service is built around prayers offered by diverse faith, civic and arts leaders, and citizens of all ages, races, traditions and perspectives. Brown’s hope is that the gathering will transform beyond one prayer service to a rallying cry for cooperative, impactful action throughout Indianapolis. “A Plea for Healing” was funded by a $25K grant from St. Paul’s Faith, Justice & the Arts initiative in Fall 2021. All are encouraged to attend the service at St. Paul’s on Tuesday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. Click here for details.
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