Here at the Abbey of the Genesee where I work by day, I look out at 1200 acres of farmland. Bros. Alberic and James work dilligently as our "farm brothers" to plant, care for, and harvest peas, sweet corn, and other crops that are a vital part of the community well being. Without farming, a significant source of revenue and the ability of the Abbey to survive would be threatened. When harvest time comes, the farm is buzzing with activity to bring in all the fruit of the labors that have preceded the harvest.
This past Sunday, our Gospel took us to the portion of Matthew where Jesus tells his disciples that the harvest is plentiful and ready, but there are too few laborers to go and bring in all that God has made ready in the land of the earth. It is a convicting message. Jesus is basically saying that he has made ready the harvest by doing his part. He has done the work of salvation at the cross. He has sent the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of men. People are ready to believe and be saved.
The problem is, we do not want to work the fields. Illegal immigration in America has taught us that Americans think they are below doing many manual labor jobs like picking the harvest on farms or cleaning hotel rooms. My thought today is, "Has this attitude infiltrated the church to the point that we are not willing to do the harvest work of the Church?"
American churches are more built on entertainment models than agricultural models. Do you think this has any correlation to the ability of the American churches to harvest what God has prepared?
Peace,
Fr. Kevin
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Hello from Phoenix, Arizona
Greetings from beautiful sunny Phoenix! The Abbey sent me here to a training conference. Kathie was able to come along with me, so we are taking in the sights.
Getting here was no joy. When we got on the Northwest flight out of Buffalo heading for Minneapolis, the air conditioning was broken on the plane. We were scheduled for a 6:55 p.m. departure. We sat on the ground for almost an hour with a cabin temp over 90 degrees. With babies crying and hot irritated people surprisingly "keeping their cool," we finally got on our way. We were scheduled to land in Minneapolis to connect with our flight to Phoenix at 9:15 p.m. We got to the gate at 8:45 p.m. and had to make a run for it from H terminal to G terminal. We were one of the last to board, but made it just in time--Praise the Lord!
A little over three hours later we were on the ground in Arizona where it was 95 degrees at 10:40 P.M. I got on the rental car shuttle and could not believe how far the rental car center is from SkyHarbor Airport!!! After picking Kathie up at Terminal 3 we headed off to Tempe Mission Palms Hotel where we are staying. It was 3:00 a.m. Buffalo time when we got into the room. The hotel is adjacent to Arizona State University and I can see the Sun Devils Stadium from my window.
On Wednesday we went to mass at St. Mary's Basilica. Then we visited Heard Museum. If you are ever in the area, it is a real neat place to visit and not too expensive at $10.00 each for adults.
Here are some local web cams right here in the South Mill area near ASU where we are staying. If anyone needs anything, feel free to call the church phone 716-548-4785. If you need personal care, Dn. Pittman is covering for me while we are away. We return Saturday and look forward to Sunday when we will be meeting Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew where he talks about having compassion on his people and looking at fields white unto harvest asking us to pray for laborers.
Peace,
Fr. kEVIN
Getting here was no joy. When we got on the Northwest flight out of Buffalo heading for Minneapolis, the air conditioning was broken on the plane. We were scheduled for a 6:55 p.m. departure. We sat on the ground for almost an hour with a cabin temp over 90 degrees. With babies crying and hot irritated people surprisingly "keeping their cool," we finally got on our way. We were scheduled to land in Minneapolis to connect with our flight to Phoenix at 9:15 p.m. We got to the gate at 8:45 p.m. and had to make a run for it from H terminal to G terminal. We were one of the last to board, but made it just in time--Praise the Lord!
A little over three hours later we were on the ground in Arizona where it was 95 degrees at 10:40 P.M. I got on the rental car shuttle and could not believe how far the rental car center is from SkyHarbor Airport!!! After picking Kathie up at Terminal 3 we headed off to Tempe Mission Palms Hotel where we are staying. It was 3:00 a.m. Buffalo time when we got into the room. The hotel is adjacent to Arizona State University and I can see the Sun Devils Stadium from my window.
On Wednesday we went to mass at St. Mary's Basilica. Then we visited Heard Museum. If you are ever in the area, it is a real neat place to visit and not too expensive at $10.00 each for adults.
Here are some local web cams right here in the South Mill area near ASU where we are staying. If anyone needs anything, feel free to call the church phone 716-548-4785. If you need personal care, Dn. Pittman is covering for me while we are away. We return Saturday and look forward to Sunday when we will be meeting Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew where he talks about having compassion on his people and looking at fields white unto harvest asking us to pray for laborers.
Peace,
Fr. kEVIN
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday Morning Afterglow 6/9/2008
OK--I was finally asked "What is an afterglow?" In Exodus 33, we discover the prayer of Moses for God to show Him his glory. Many years later, Moses and Elijah, along with Peter, James, and John would see the glory God in the Transfiguration. 1450 years BC, Moses got a "sneek peek" at the revelation of glory. What Moses was privileged to see was the afterglow of the glory of God passing by. He could not see the direct glory of God and live.
18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."
SUNDAY IN REVIEW
This past Sunday was an unseasonably hot day for early June in western New York with temps in the mid-90s. Praise God the weather did not hinder the people of God from coming to worship. The Gospel for the day was from Matthew where Jesus was challenged by the Pharisees for keeping company with tax collectors and sinners after calling Matthew to follow him. It is the sick that need the physician; the righteous do not need to be called for repentance but the sinner.
The key lesson we all need to learn is that the fellowship we enjoy as God's people should not cause us to lose contact with those who need to know Jesus. Jesus met Matthew in the business world, and took people from church (disciples) to hang out with Matthew and his friends who were not yet believers.
This week, think about how you can find people like Matthew and his friends to hang out with. Jesus calls us to go into all the world with the Gospel. The best way to do this is to be the good news yourself! People need good news--they need you.
Peace+
Fr. Kevin
18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."
SUNDAY IN REVIEW
This past Sunday was an unseasonably hot day for early June in western New York with temps in the mid-90s. Praise God the weather did not hinder the people of God from coming to worship. The Gospel for the day was from Matthew where Jesus was challenged by the Pharisees for keeping company with tax collectors and sinners after calling Matthew to follow him. It is the sick that need the physician; the righteous do not need to be called for repentance but the sinner.
The key lesson we all need to learn is that the fellowship we enjoy as God's people should not cause us to lose contact with those who need to know Jesus. Jesus met Matthew in the business world, and took people from church (disciples) to hang out with Matthew and his friends who were not yet believers.
This week, think about how you can find people like Matthew and his friends to hang out with. Jesus calls us to go into all the world with the Gospel. The best way to do this is to be the good news yourself! People need good news--they need you.
Peace+
Fr. Kevin
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Monday Morning Afterglow 6/2/2008
Our Sunday services on 6/1/08 definitely were filled with the Lord's presence. While attendance went from a weekly high since Easter to a weekly low since Easter in the space of one week, there was a special sense of family Sunday, especially in the fellowship coffee time after church.
My sermon was on the Gospel reading for the day in Matthew 7--Not all who say to me Lord, lord... and building life on the rock or the sand. I spoke about being ready to weather life's storms, and carefully presented Jesus' teaching on building the foundation of our life on the Rock or the Sand. Life in 2008 is pretty stormy, so I made sure I preached a clear message of salvation and presented four kinds of faith relationships to Jesus that can end up with one being numbered among those who say "Lord, lord" and then hear "Depart from me I never knew you." If you would like a text copy of the message, email me.
On another note, we may have to curtail our Sunday school class before church due to ACC needs for us to not be in the building while their church is letting out. I am awating word from the Pastor, and this item is on our next parish council meeting agenda as well. I will keep everyone posted. We could do the class immediately after church till 2:00.
Peace,
Fr. Kevin
My sermon was on the Gospel reading for the day in Matthew 7--Not all who say to me Lord, lord... and building life on the rock or the sand. I spoke about being ready to weather life's storms, and carefully presented Jesus' teaching on building the foundation of our life on the Rock or the Sand. Life in 2008 is pretty stormy, so I made sure I preached a clear message of salvation and presented four kinds of faith relationships to Jesus that can end up with one being numbered among those who say "Lord, lord" and then hear "Depart from me I never knew you." If you would like a text copy of the message, email me.
On another note, we may have to curtail our Sunday school class before church due to ACC needs for us to not be in the building while their church is letting out. I am awating word from the Pastor, and this item is on our next parish council meeting agenda as well. I will keep everyone posted. We could do the class immediately after church till 2:00.
Peace,
Fr. Kevin
Monday, May 26, 2008
Monday Afterglow 5/26/2008
Yesterday was Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) Sunday in the Charismatic Episcopal Church. We had a blessed day together and a great attendance--highest since Easter when we had 63 gather for worship. Everyone gave me my Happy Birthday blessing yesterday and we feasted on some great cake after I could not blow out all the candles--a sure sign of aging :)
In previous Memorial Day weekend Sundays, St. Patrick's became somewhat of a ghost town, so I think the high gas prices kept most of us in town and I am glad we all used that opportunity to praise God together.
Corpus Christi is a day set aside to pay special attention to the Eucharist. Communion, the Eucharist (thanksgiving) , Mass (Latin for table), the Lord's Supper, Lord's Table--all names for the same celebration--is supposed to be the unity of the Church but often is what divides. This Wikipedia article does a pretty good job of describing all the different views the Church has on this subject. It is worth the read.
Our CEC view in the above article would be the High Church Anglo-Catholic mystery view of real presence. My personal view is best expressed in the poem by John Donne mentioned in the Wiki article:
ACC Bookstore and Parking, Prayer
Everyone should visit the Amherst Community Church bookstore when you get a chance for some neat items for sale there! Also, pop in early sometime and worship with ACC! Lastly, Pastor Thomas has asked us to avoid parking in the gated section of the lot closest to Main St. as he would like to lock that up when he leaves while we are still in worship.
Fr. Kevin
In previous Memorial Day weekend Sundays, St. Patrick's became somewhat of a ghost town, so I think the high gas prices kept most of us in town and I am glad we all used that opportunity to praise God together.
Corpus Christi is a day set aside to pay special attention to the Eucharist. Communion, the Eucharist (thanksgiving) , Mass (Latin for table), the Lord's Supper, Lord's Table--all names for the same celebration--is supposed to be the unity of the Church but often is what divides. This Wikipedia article does a pretty good job of describing all the different views the Church has on this subject. It is worth the read.
Our CEC view in the above article would be the High Church Anglo-Catholic mystery view of real presence. My personal view is best expressed in the poem by John Donne mentioned in the Wiki article:
- He was the Word that spake it;
He took the bread and brake it; - and what that Word did make it;
I do believe and take it.
ACC Bookstore and Parking, Prayer
Everyone should visit the Amherst Community Church bookstore when you get a chance for some neat items for sale there! Also, pop in early sometime and worship with ACC! Lastly, Pastor Thomas has asked us to avoid parking in the gated section of the lot closest to Main St. as he would like to lock that up when he leaves while we are still in worship.
- Please pray this week for Amanda whose boyfriend Dylan passed away last week at the age of 32.
- Pray for Sharon Pittman to be cancer free.
- Pray for te upcoming CEC International Convocation in Orlando.
- Pray for Fr. Kevin's business trip to Phoenix the second week of June to go well.
- Pray for the businesses and organizations where our church family are employed to be blessed by God during this economic contraction.
- Pray for God to be glorified through our church and for Jesus to build his Church in our midst.
Fr. Kevin
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