Are you happy?

"When it has any use of belief, our age presses religion into the service of power. The rest of the time, it banishes faith from any position of authority. Once the lifeblood of intimate, social, and civic life, the sacred makes its appearance now as a mere distraction -- whether embraced or condemned -- from the main event. Ignoring previous counsel and reflection from Aristotle to Freud, we embrace a gospel of personal happiness, defined as the unbridled pursuit of impulse. Yet, we remain profoundly unhappy."

-- The Triumph of the Therapeutic, from the introduction written by Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn.

Many thanks to The Rev. William Kevin Fisher of Grace in the Desert Episcopal Church, Las Vegas, Nevada for bringing this quote to my attention.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

P.S. Happy birthday to Molly, Greg, and Bill

A Fun Psalm

Spider having lunch at Honey Creek

August 29, 2007

O Lord, how manifold are your works!
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

Yonder is that great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number,
creatures both small and great.

There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan,
which you have made for the sport of it.

All of them look to you
to give them their food in due season.

You give it to them; thy gather it;
you open wide your hand,
and they are filled with good things.

[Psalm 104:25-29]

In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Epicopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

Reading Saint Mark Right Out Loud


On Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. we are studying the Gospel according to Saint Mark, which was the first such written account of the life and times of Jesus Christ.

Mark does not give us any preliminaries or birth narratives about who Jesus is. No -- Mark launches right out into the deep in the opening verse with "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." What could be more clear than that?

For the past two weeks we have been viewing a film in which actor Max McLean gives a stage performance of the entire Gospel According to Mark. It is dramatic and moving, and we followed along with him in our Bibles. Tonight we will shift gears and begin a discussion of the first four chapters of this Gospel.

I invite you to join us, and in preparation please read those first four chapters. For my personal preparation I am reading those chapters in various translations, and I am reading them in the ancient tradition. I am reading them right out loud.


In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Good and Very Good

The Confessions of St. Augustine

Chapter 28

The Good and the Very Good

(43) And you, O God, saw all the things that you had made, and behold, "they were very good." For we also see them, and behold, they are all very good. In each separate kind of your works, when you said that they should be made, and they were made, this one and that one, you saw that it is good. In seven places I have counted it written down that you saw that what you made is good. And this is the eighth, that you saw all the things that you made, and behold they are not only good, but even very good, as all existing together. For separately, they were only good, but all existing together they are both good and very good. . . .


In peace,
Linda+
The Rev Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

Walking a sacred path

Have you ever walked a labyrinth? For the next few days, perhaps through the end of this week, a labyrinth will be available in Stuart Hall at the Honey Creek Camp and Conference Center. To make certain that it is available when you wish to walk it, please call 912-265-9218.

The Labyrinth is an ancient meditation tool. In medieval times when pilgrims could not get to the Holy Land, the labyrinth became a substitute "pilgrimage" for them. Great cathedrals such as Chartre and Notre Dame in France had labyrinths built into the floor. Great churches such as King of Peace in Kingsland, Georgia, have labyrinths built into the floor.

The labyrinth pictured above is a hand-painted canvas. Please plan to walk it without shoes. It would be appropriate to walk it in a pair or socks or barefooted.

Never walked a labyrinth? Here is a simple suggestion: begin at the entrance and take your prayers all the way to the center and offer them to God. There are no barriers in the labyrinth. It is one continuous path. When you are finished praying in the center, walk back out the same way you came in, leaving your concerns in the hands of God, who knew you were going there before you did.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

This is the Lord's Day

Christus Rex in the Chapel of Our Saviour

at Honey Creek

at daylight today, August 26, 2007

This is the Lord's day,

day of God's own making,

day of creation, day of resurrection,

day of the Spirit,

sign of heaven's banquet,

day for rejoicing.

-- John E. Bowers (b. 1923)

from The Hymnal 1982, No. 51, verse 3

What follows is the progression of the sun today from dawn to its full rising. Enjoy!

In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Prayer For the Good Use of Leisure

Coast Guard Beach on St. Simons Island, Georgia

Our Gospel reading for tomorrow is Luke 13:10-17 in which we read that Jesus gets criticized for healing on the Sabbath in the midst of Synagogue worship. Jesus was there teaching and when a crippled woman walked in, Jesus stopped what he was doing and healed her. It was time.

The Gospel says that this woman had "a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw he, he called her over and said, 'Woman, you are set free from your ailment.'" Jesus then laid his hands on her, and "immediately she stood up straight and began praising God."

I have wondered about the order of events in his passage. Did the woman come to the synagogue knowing Jesus was there, expecting to be healed? Whatever the order, the woman was healed and it was Sabbath, the day of rest set aside as holy to God. Jesus was using his holy day to do good.

Resting helps us to get the burdens off our backs so that we can stand up straight and praise God. Do you have a day of rest set aside as holy? God is very keen on that idea, and now health care providers have gotten on the bandwagon. The doctors think it is good for our blood pressure. Here is another instance in which The Book of Common Prayer does not let us down:

O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (page 825, prayer number 32)


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Is Prayer your life?

Fr. Louis "Thomas" Merton once gave a talk to a group of nuns, who we might think could write the book on prayer. It is comforting to know that everyone struggles to find ways to pray, even those who are, so to speak, "professional." Here in large part is the text of Merton’s talk:

The great thing is prayer. Prayer itself. If you want a life of prayer, the way to get it is by praying. We were indoctrinated so much into means and ends that we don’t realize that there is a different dimension in the life of prayer.

In technology you have this horizontal progress, where you must start at one point and move to another and then another.. But that is not the way to build a life of prayer. In prayer we discover what we already have. You start where you are and you deepen what you already have. And you realize that you are already there.

We already have everything, but we don’t know it, and we don’t experience it. Everything has been given to us in Christ. All we need is to experience what we already possess. The trouble is we aren’t taking time to do so.

If we really want prayer, we’ll have to give it time. We must slow down to a human tempo and we’ll begin to have time to listen. And as soon as we listen to what’s going on, things will begin to take shape by themselves.

What is keeping us back from living lives of prayer? Perhaps we don’t really want to pray. This is the thing we have to face. Before this we took it for granted that we were totally dedicated to this desire for prayer. Somebody else was stopping us.

It is a risky thing to pray, and the danger is that our very prayers get between God and us. The great thing in prayer is not to pray, but to go directly to God. . . . Forget yourself. Enter into the prayer of Jesus. Let him pray in you. By grace we are in Christ. Our relationship with God is that of Christ to the Father in the Holy Spirit. -- Fr. Louis Merton


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

"Deliver me, O Jesus"

Deliver me, O Jesus,

From the desire of being loved,

From the desire of being extolled,

From the desire of being honored,

From the desire of being praised,

From the desire of being preferred,

From the desire of being consulted,

From the desire of being approved,

From the desire of being popular,

From the fear of being humiliated,

From the fear of being despised,

From the fear of suffering rebukes,

From the fear of being forgotten,

From the fear of being wronged,

From the fear of being ridiculed,

From the fear of being suspected.

(Mother Teresa, Meditations From A Simple Path, page 28)


In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

Worship service this evening at 6:15 p.m.

If you live within driving distance of The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek, I hope you will consider attending our worship service this evening at 6:15. If you cannot attend that, perhaps you could get to our Bible study based on the Gospel according to Mark at 7:00 p.m.

We worship in a beautiful setting in a lovely glass and steel chapel just a few feet from a tidewater creek with a view of the marsh and Jekyll Island through the glass. Our chapel is almost fifty years old and has been prayed in by more than one generation. The ancient live oaks are dripping with moss, creating a quiet atmosphere all by themselves.

Last week we had a good turnout for our first worship service and Bible study. I hope those folks will return and bring a friend with them, and we hope to see you there too.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

"The last shall be first"

Tomorrow at our 6:15 p.m. service at The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek, the sermon will explore Jesus' parable found in Matthew 20:1-16, which begins: "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard."

The parable goes on to tell of laborers who were hired at various times of the day until finally some laborers were hired at five o'clock in the afternoon. At the end of the work day, they all received the same wage. Those who were hired "early in the morning" were clearly annoyed. How would you feel?

Take a look at this parable and be thinking about how you would respond if you were hired first. What if you were hired later in the day? Or even at 5:00 p.m. What would you expect to receive?



In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/

Is writing good for your soul?

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)

Are you one of those persons who loves to write, or would you rather keep your thoughts to yourself? Bernard of Clairvaux, who helped to revive the monastic movement in his day, wrote this to Ailred, the abbot of the monastery at Rievaulx:

To Ailred of Rievaulx: The greatest virtue of the saints is humility, but a humility which is real because it is discreet. True humility has nothing to do with deceit; the sacrilege of disobedience destroys it.

I have asked your brotherly love; more, I have ordered you; more, I have commanded you in the name of God, to write me a little something to help those who are entangled in grievances and who are following the narrow way of self-indulgence.
I do not condemn or reprove you for excusing yourself, but I accuse you of obstinacy. It was humility to excuse yourself. But is it humility to disobey? . . .

But you claim that it would be too heavy a burden for your girlish shoulders to carry and that it would be wiser not to take it on, than to fall down under the weight when you have undertaken it. What I command is, indeed, heavy. It is difficult. It is impossible. But that gives you no excuse. I persist in my view. I repeat my command. What will you do? . . .

And so I order you in the name of Jesus Christ and in the spirit of our God, that whatever thoughts about the excellence of love, its fruits, its ordering, have come to you in your daily meditations, you will not put off writing them down, so that we can see as in a mirror what love is and how sweet it is to possess; and how great an oppression there is in greed, which is its opposite; and that outward affliction does not diminish that sweetness of love as some think, but rather increases it; and lastly, with what discretion it should be exercised. Indeed, to spare your modesty, let this letter be copied at the beginning of the book, so that whatever may displease the reader in The Mirror of Love (for that is the title I give it) may be blamed not upon you who obey, but upon me, who forced you to write it against your will.

Farewell in Christ, beloved brother.

(Bernard of Clairvaux, Selected Works, 287-288)


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

"he sustains the orphan and widow"

Our Psalm for today at Morning Prayer is Psalm 146:

Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth,
for there is no help in them.

When they breathe their last, they return to earth,
and in that day their thoughts perish.

Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!
whose hope is in the Lord their God;

Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;
who keeps his promise for ever;

Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,
and food to those who hunger.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.

The Lord shall reign for ever,
Your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!

In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

Jesus the Realist

In our Gospel reading for tomorrow, Jesus warns that if we follow him we can have trouble at home, and Jesus knows we have to live at home. Jesus says:

Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:

father against son and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against
mother-in-law.

At various times and places it has been, and still is, dangerous to be a Christian. Families have been torn apart by divided loyalties. Take the case of Perpetua, a third-century martyr. She was a twenty-two-year-old married woman. Here is what Wikipedia says about her, and it reflects all other historical writings I know about Perpetua and her friends:

By order of Septimius Severus (193–211), all imperial subjects were forbidden under severe penalties to become Christians or Jews. Only recent converts were affected. In consequence of this decree, these five catechumens at Carthage were seized and cast into prison. After their arrest, but before being led away to prison, all five were baptized.

According to her "Acts," the terrors of imprisonment were increased for Perpetua by anxiety for her young child, not yet weaned. Two

deacons succeeded in gaining admittance by bribing the jailer, and Perpetua's mother brought in her arms the little son, whom Perpetua was permitted to nurse and retain in prison with her, "and straightway I became well and was lightened of my labour and care for the child; and suddenly the prison was made a palace for me."

A vision assured her of her approaching martyrdom: Perpetua saw herself treading on a dragon's head and ascending a perilous bronze ladder leading to green meadows, where a flock of sheep was grazing. According to the "Acta," a few days later Perpetua's father, hearing that the trial of the imprisoned Christians would soon take place, again visited their dungeon and besought her not to bring this disgrace on their name; but Perpetua remained steadfast. The next day the trial of the six confessors took place, before the Procurator Hilarianus. All six resolutely confessed their Christian faith. Perpetua's father, carrying her child in his arms, approached her again and attempted, for the last time, to induce her to apostatize; the procurator also remonstrated with her, but in vain. She refused to sacrifice to the gods for the safety of the emperor. The procurator thereupon had the father removed by force; in the process he was struck with a whip.

So, if there is someone in your household who does not want you to profess your Chrstian faith, what would you do?


In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of our Savior at Honey Creek

http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/

http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/

Boy Scouts -- "Be Prepared"

King of Peace Boy Scout Troop 226 - Campout

It helps that the pastor of King of Peace Episcopal Church, which is our "Mother Church" is an Eagle Scout. That's how I know that Boy Scout troops are a great way for a church to reach out into a community and to provide meaningful activities for boys all the way through their teen years. King of Peace started a troop some time ago and it has flourished.

I have been in meetings with Jim Bryant, District Executive, and Michael J. Hartigan, III, Scout Executive and CEO of the Okefenokee Area Council of Boy Scouts of America. They have informed me that there is no Boy Scout troop in our northeastern corner of Camden County, and I see this as a great opportunity for our church to lead the way in gathering Boy Scout or Cub Scout troops.

On Tuesday, September 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Honey Creek, our church will sponsor an organizational meeting of parents and other interested persons who would like to become scout leaders. Jim Bryant will be here to speak with us. If you are interested in this or if your sons would like to be in scouting, please call the church office at 912-267-0333. Leaders will undergo training.

If we find there is interest and we are able to form a leadership team, we will accompany Jim Bryant to Woodbine Elementary school two weeks later on a recruiting trip. But we must have leaders from Our Savior at Honey Creek in order for that to happen.

Does this sound good to you?


In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

The Episcopal Church Welcomes You

Last evening at 6:15 we began the great adventure of gathering to see if we want to be a community of faith together. There were twenty-eight of us.


Our beautiful stoneware communion set was made by artist and potter, Debbie Craig of Saint Simons Island.

Pictured here are Katherine Adams, our Pianist, Pastor Linda, Deacon Marty Meischke, and Patrick McCain. Photos by Bill Newnam, our treasurer. We hope that you can join us next Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. and see if the Episcopal Church could be your spiritual home.

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

This evening at 6:15 p.m.

How many times have you attended the very first worship service of an Episcopal Church? For me, the answer is zero. Tonight, God willing, all that will change. If you would like to get in on the ground floor of this brand new Episcopal Church, here is your chance: join me this evening for the first Wednesday worship service of The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek today, August 15, at 6:15 p.m.

On the first Wednesday of each month we will plan to have dinner in the dining hall at Honey Creek following the service. We can visit and get to know each other. The other three Wednesdays we will have a Bible study at 7:00 p.m. and will begin by studying the Gospel according to Mark.

We will begin with Wednesdays in hopes of growing in numbers and in grace as we approach the "Launch Date" of this church which is set for Sunday, November 4 at 10:00 a.m.

In the meantime, I hope to see you this evening.


In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
912-267-0333
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

Ready, Set . . .

Tomorrow is the day I have been waiting for, as we prepare to begin mid-week services at The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek at 6:15 p.m. As is customary in the Episcopal Church, we will celebrate the Feast Day of the saint whose name appears on the calendar for that day. In this case it is that of Mary the Virgin, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

If we were having a service today, which we are not, we would be celebrating the Feast Day of Jonathan Myrick Daniels, who never got to graduate from his seminary - the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He never got to do the things I am doing because he did not live long enough to get ordained Priest. Instead, here is what happened:

"He returned to seminary and asked leave to work in Selma [Alabama] where he would be sponsored by the Episcopal Society for Cultural and Racial Unity. Conviction of his calling was deepened at Evening Prayer during the singing of the Magnificat: 'He hath put down the mighty from thir seat and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things.' He knew he had to go to Selma. The Virgin's song was to grow more and more dear to him in the weeks ahead.

"Jailed on August 14 for joining a picket line, Jonathan and his companions were unexpectedly released. Aware that they were in danger, four of them walked to a small store. As sixteen-year-old Ruby Sales reached the top step of the entrance, a man with a gun appeared, cursing her. Jonathan pulled her to one side to shield her from the unexpected threats. As a result, he was killed by a blast from the 12-gauge gun.

"The letters and papers Jonathan left bear eloquent witness to the profound effect Selma had upon him. He writes, 'The doctrine of the creeds, the enacted faith of the sacraments, were the essential preconditions of the experience itself. The faith with which I went to Selma has not changed: it has grown. . . . I began to know in my bones and sinews that I had been truly baptized into the Lord's death and resurrection... with them, the black men and white men, with all life, in him whose Name is above all the names that the races and nations shout. ... We are indelibly and unspeakably one." (Lesser Feasts and Fasts, page 334)

He was twenty-six years old.


In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
(912) 267-0333

Three More Days --

When you see this sign, please turn left.

This Wednesday evening, August 15, at 6:15 p.m. we will begin having mid-week services at The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek. For exact directions to the church building, please see our web site at http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/ and click on "directions" at the top of the page.

If you have any questions about directions or about the church, please call the church office at 912-267-0333.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

"Be still, then . . ."

"Though its waters rage and foam"

Sunset at Mexico Beach, Florida

December 2005 (Linda+)

One of the Psalms for Evening Prayer today is Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
and though the mountains be toppled into
the depths of the sea;

Though its waters rage and foam,
and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her;
she shall not be overthrown;
God shall help her at the break of day.

The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken;
God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Come now and look upon the works of the Lord,
what awesome things he has done on earth.

It is he who makes war to cease in all the world;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
and burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, then, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth."

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

"Where your treasure is . . ."

In coastal Georgia we often hear of pirates in days gone by and we wonder where they might have buried their treasures, which we strongly suspect were ill-gotten. But if we think more about those treasures we realize that those persons often risked or lost their lives to keep such things. Was it worth it?

Our Gospel for tomorrow (Luke 12:32-40) talks about treasures, but cautions us not to get so attached to them that they would cost us our lives.

Treasures are actually neutral, which is why we have the saying, "one person's trash is another person's treasure." The emotion we attach to an object really gives it its value, bringing into being the law of supply and demand and the practice of charging whatever the market can bear.

Jesus' eternal wisdom to us is this: don't get attached. Treasures are so easy to lose. God wants to give us real treasures - the Kingdom of God -- which cannot be quantified. Here is a portion of the Gospel for tomorrow:

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.



In peace,

Linda+
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

God Bless the Teachers

School is so completely back in session that it seems as though there was never a summer break. Even though I don't teach school or have children in school, there is something exciting about school being in session. I think it is the energy of the children or the energy of the teachers or maybe a combination of both.

Maybe my joy comes in knowing that people are being challenged to stretch and grow beyond where they are now both physically and mentally, and that's a good thing. Part of my joy is simply that the new school year is new and that even so, some things never change. Two plus two still equals four.

"O Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities, that they may be lively centers for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." (The Book of Common Prayer, p. 824)


In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blotspot.com/

These are a few of my favorite words

Grace. Peace. God. Faithfulness. Trust. Happiness. Joy. Jesus. Holy. Spirit. These are a few of my favorite words. If you like word association games, these words might evoke a whole world of other words for you. Or even if you don't play word association in your mind, there are certain words that bring about a sense of calm for you. Think for a moment what those words might be. Words that sincerely encourage others seem to have a life of their own.

Words are powerful, which is why advertisers choose their words very carefully. A lot of advertising comes to us in the imperative: "Drink Coca-Cola" is a good example. "Just do it" say the Nike sport clothing ads. Do we feel compelled to respond in the affirmative? The advertisers would love that.

Today I want to offer a few of my favorite words which ask for no response, but which leave me feeling good every time: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 1:2)


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/

One Week From Today

Christus Rex in chapel at Honey Creek

photo by The Rev. Frank Logue

I am aware that today is the Feast Day of St. Dominic, born in approximately 1170 in Spain. I am also aware that Dominic started the Order of Preachers, many of whom were also teachers, one of which was Thomas Aquinas.

But in this blog I want to call attention to the fact that one week from today we will hold our first service of Holy Communion as The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek. We will begin at 6:15 p.m. in the Chapel and follow that with a 7:00 p.m. study of a portion of the Gospel according to Mark.

Although I am not a Dominican, I do plan to preach at the Wednesday night services, and on Sundays when the time comes. I usually preach about two things: I usually preach about the Gospel, and I usually preach about ten to twelve minutes. The Gospel for next Wednesday, August 15 is Luke 1:46-55 if you would like to be studying that on your own before you come to the service.

I do like the Dominicans, though. They are keen on learning, preaching, and teaching. They even give their monks permission to set their own schedule to some extent. They say, "In the cells, moreover, they can write, read, pray, sleep, and even stay awake at night, if they desire, on account of study."

I hope to see you next Wednesday night at 6:15 p.m. If you need directions to Honey Creek, please go to the website www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org and click on "directions" at the top of the front page.


In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

So much to do, so little time

John Mason Neale, Priest

1818-1866

Have you ever sung this Christmas carol? Then you have sung an original composition of John Mason Neale.

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today;
ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
now ye hear of endless bliss; Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath opened heaven's door, and we are blest for evermore.
Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
now ye need not fear the grave: Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all to gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!

That is just one of 45 pieces with John Mason Neale's name on it in the Episcopal Hymnal. Neale translated ancient hymns from Greek and Latin, many of which are included in that number of 45. He was especially fond of the works of Ambrose of Milan, the fourth century bishop who baptized Augustine of Hippo whose autobiographical Confessions is still in print. Neale compiled hymnals and wrote a church history as well as a four-volume commentary on the Psalms.

In addition to his other scholarly and priestly duties, Neale established the Camden Society, which held out for great architecture in churches. He was also the founder of the Sisterhood of St. Margaret which worked for the education of girls and the care of the sick. Though never in good health, he accomplished much in his short time on earth. Neale died on August 6, 1866, but we celebrate his feast day on August 7 because August 6 is the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

No Greater Love

Here is a news item I just copied from Reuters. I find that it is so in line with Jesus' commandment that we love one another, as outlined in John's Gospel (15:12-13): "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Mia Farrow has offered her freedom in exchange for that of a respected Darfur rebel figure, virtually imprisoned for more than 13 months, in a letter to Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) Humanitarian Coordinator Suleiman Jamous has been confined to a U.N. hospital in Kordofan, neighboring Darfur, since the United Nations moved him there without permission last year.

He needs a stomach biopsy which cannot be performed there.

Khartoum said if he left he would be arrested, but has said it is open to talks on his release. "Before his seizure, Mr. Jamous played a crucial role in bringing the SLA to the negotiating table and in seeking reconciliation between its divided rival factions," Farrow said in the letter dated August 5.

"I am therefore offering to take Mr. Jamous's place, to exchange my freedom for his in the knowledge of his importance to the civilians of Darfur and in the conviction that he will apply his energies toward creating the just and lasting peace that the Sudanese people deserve and hope for."

Farrow, who was once married to Frank Sinatra, is a goodwill ambassador to the U.N. children's agency UNICEF and has visited Darfur twice. She has 15 children, 11 of them adopted.

International experts estimate 200,000 have died and 2.5 million been driven from their homes in more than four years of fighting in Sudan's remote west.
Since an AU-mediated peace deal signed last year by only one of three rebel negotiating factions, the movements have split into more than a dozen factions.
U.N. Darfur envoy Jan Eliasson and his African Union counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim said they had asked for Jamous's release to help with the peace process they are leading. This weekend they brought key commanders and factions together to thrash out a common position ahead of renewed peace talks.

But the large SLA-Unity faction had said they would not participate if Jamous was not freed and allowed to attend.

The talks in Tanzania will end on Monday.

In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/

Glimpses of Glory

Today is the Feast Day of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. In the original event Jesus was revealed for who he truly is, and for a second time in his life a voice came from heaven saying, "this is my Son, the Beloved." The event was so shocking that the disciples Peter, James and John could not even speak of it immediately thereafter. I think that is when they really knew that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like all sudden realizations, it took a while to sink in.

It all started, I think, with Jesus' attempt to explain to his disciples that he was going to die. His "time had come" as Jesus would say. The Gospels would have us understand that the disciples did not always get the gist of what Jesus was saying, and sometimes they had to be shown in no uncertain way. Jesus had an "inner circle" in Peter and the two sons of Zebedee the fisherman. They seemed to be at Jesus' elbow every time he turned around, so it is natural that they would accompany Jesus to the holy mountain.

Luke's account of the Transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:28-36) tells us that when Jesus was revealed he was speaking with Moses and Elijah about his "departure" or in the Greek text, his "exodus" which would soon take place at Jerusalem. It is no wonder that years later St. Peter would write,

"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.' We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain." (2 Peter 16-18)

Only Jesus gets transfigured, but in God's grace we can know that we are also God's beloved. If we have that realization we too will get a glimpse of God's glory.


In peace,

Linda +

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/

The Lord is King

"He has made the whole world so sure
that it cannot be moved." (Ps. 93:2)
Rock outcroppings on the Cumberland Plateau
Sewanee, TN

Our Psalm at Morning Prayer today is Psalm 93:

The Lord is King;
he has put on splendid apparel;
the Lord has put on his apparel
and girded himself with strength.

He has made the whole world so sure
that it cannot be moved;

Ever since the world began,
your throne has been established;
you are from everlasting.

The waters have lifted up, O Lord,
the waters have lifted up their voice
the waters have lifted up their pounding waves.

Mightier than the sound of many waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea,
mightier is the Lord who dwells on high.

Your testimonies are very sure
and holiness adorns your house, O Lord,
for ever and for evermore.

In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Espiscopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/

What to do with a bumper crop?

Bales of freshly harvested cotton

each of which could fit in a tractor-trailer

Colquitt County, Georgia, 2006

Photo by Linda McCloud+

Our Gospel reading for tomorrow (Luke 12:13-21) goes like this:

Someone in the crowd said to him [Jesus], "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."

Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, "What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops" Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."

Among other things in this text we discover that two people had not made a will. Apparently the man who came to Jesus asking for legal assistance was the victim of his father's neglect to make a will. And then the unsuspecting farmer who was about to die was thinking only of himself and had to be asked, "And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?"

On page 445 of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, we find this at the end of the section “Thanksgiving for a Child”:

The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well-being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable users.

I have now discharged one of my obligations to you, and trust me on this one -- your heirs do not want you to die without a will. But the best legacy we can leave to our heirs is that we were rich toward God. If we are rich toward God we will have peace in our own hearts. If we start there, good things will flow out of our lives like living waters on a parched land. Who could leave behind a better legacy than that?


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

Poised and ready for take-off

Wood storks in flight

Honey Creek - February 2007

We have been waiting all these months, and now The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek is about ready to begin with Wednesday services. Here is the text of a newsletter that is going to all interested parties whose addresses I have:

On Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at 6:15 p.m., we will hold our first mid-week service of Holy Communion at the chapel at Honey Creek. Immediately following that service, we will begin a Bible study on the Gospel of St. Mark. Our first Sunday service is scheduled for November 4 at 10:00 a.m.

New Members/Inquirers’ Class will begin on Sunday, September 9 at 3:00 p.m. in the Chapel. We will explore the church year, some church history, and generally discuss the question: "Why do Episcopalians do that?" From time to time we will have an "instructed Eucharist" which will explain a lot.

The opportunity for Charter Membership will remain open until Sunday, November 25, 2007. That is Christ the King Sunday, which will be the Feast Day of our church. Please be thinking about whether you want to be in on the ground floor of this brand new Episcopal Church. If you are interested in this or in the New Members’ class, please see Pastor McCloud after a service or call the church office at 912-267-0333.

We invite you to make your spiritual home at The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek. We would be delighted if you would choose to worship with us during this season after Pentecost. When we worship in an Episcopal Church, it is as though we are dropping in on a conversation already in progress – a conversation between God and human beings which began long before we were born and which will go on long after we are gone. There might be some things in the conversation that you do not at once understand. Please attend at least five services and let them wash over you. Our Episcopal tradition is a rich tradition in which many people have found the nourishment for a lifetime of Christian living.

This church has been in the dream stage for several months, and you have probably been seeing the signs along Dover Bluff Road since February of this year. We wanted to give everyone an opportunity to get accustomed to the idea that a new church is about to form, and we also wanted to give the newer residents of the Dover Bluff area a chance to get moved in.

We will begin by getting to know each other in a Wednesday night setting before we start having our Sunday services in November. In this way newcomers can try the church on for size, so to speak, and also engage in a lively Bible study. On the first Wednesday of each month we will have a fellowship meal instead of the Bible study. In this way we can get acquainted and build on each other’s enthusiasm. We can begin to look around in our home neighborhoods and invite others who might be interested in this adventure of starting a brand new Episcopal Church. Our worship style will be traditional in the best sense of that word.

We are blessed by having Katherine Adams to provide music for the worship services. Katherine is majoring in piano performance at Jacksonville University. She is a lifelong Episcopalian who is at home in The Hymnal 1982, which will be our standard hymnal for all Wednesday and Sunday services.

As we grow, it would be good for us to branch out in our worship experiences with an occasional Monday night Taize` service. This is a very quiet, prayerful service in which there is no Holy Communion. We would sing music from the ecumenical Taize` community in France. Do you play a guitar, flute, oboe, or Celtic harp? If so, we could use all those instruments at such a service.

Are you a book lover? Let’s start a Book Lovers’ Anonymous group that would meet monthly at Honey Creek. We could begin by reading Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

Take Care of Yourself

Are you a caregiver? If you are a caregiver, guard your own health. That is the warning from insurance companies and others in the know. You might find some timely tips on this topic at http://caresharenetwork.blogspot.com/

Two factors are at work against each other. The Baby Boom generation and the parents of that generation are living longer; and the children of those generations are fewer and have moved further away. This often puts the person closest to the situation in the position of giving all the care for those who need assistance, or of hiring someone else to do so.

The strain can show, and the experts tell us: "Take care of yourself. Don't neglect yourself." This is the kind of advice that we can ignore at first. Many of us have a tendency to think that we are like the Energizer Bunny. But as my dear old Dad used to say, "Linda, the human body can only take so much." To which I would reply, "Oh, Dad, it can take more than that." The truth is, Dad was right. We all need to take care of ourselves regardless of whether our lives are intertwined with the care of another person.

Taking care of ourselves means not only eating properly and getting the right amount of rest and exercise. It also means taking care of ourselves spiritually, especially in light of the issues involved in caring for an aging parent, for in the end this brings us face to face with our own mortality.

Look with mercy, O God our Father, on all whose increasing years bring them weakness, distress, or isolation. Provide for them homes of dignity and peace; give them understanding helpers, and the willingness to accept help; and, as their strength diminishes, increase their faith and their assurance of your love. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [Book of Common Prayer, p. 830]


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/

Joseph of Arimathea

Today is the feast day of Joseph of Arimathea. St. Mark's gospel (15:42-46) says:

When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.

Matthew's gospel (27:57-60) adds the detail that the tomb was the property of Joseph. He says, "So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock." Luke and John mention that Nicodemus assisted with the burial.

Medieval tradition has it that Joseph went to England with the chalice (the "holy grail") from which Jesus drank on the night in which he was betrayed and that Joseph started a church in Glastonbury. From a distance of this many years, we have no proof of that, but we can celebrate Joseph's courage and devotion to our Lord Jesus because he, along with Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night, had the good grace to give Jesus a decent burial.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/