Faith @ Fifth and Juliana

SAINTS ALL !

This Sunday, we will remember our blessed dead. Not only the blessed saints of the church universal but those saints in our time who have touched us with care and molded us with so much love. By their teaching and example, they made us into very special Christians who yet mourn for them.

Mourning means to face the fact, as Christians, that death is not simply a process of nature but is the last enemy to be destroyed, Mourning means for us to realize…..to make real…..the fact of physical death. Mourning also means for us to realize…..to make real…..that there is only one thing worse; that being spiritually dead Jesus teaches us not to be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather we should be afraid of God who can destroy both body and soul. He never does not do that by intent. God is love.

Sometimes even God is misunderstood by all of us. Take, for example, the saints. Look what we have done to ordinary people like ourselves….people with failures and foibles like any one of us, and sometimes even worse. St. Paul was a narrow-minded man who despised Christians. St. Peter was an impetuous hothead who, in a fit of anger, sliced off the ear of a Roman soldier. Yet, each of these, and many more with doubtful credentials, are elevated and portrayed in stained glass as the saints of the church. They are men and women through whom God has spoken and acted in extraordinary ways to bring about His divine purpose.

We never misunderstand God more than when we see saints elevated to a pedestal of their own and out of the reach of ordinary people like us. While we are surprised when we read in the Bible that God calls people like us to be saints, that is the way God is. One does not have to be perfect to be a saint.

There is an old story of the child whose Sunday School teacher asked in class, “What is a saint?” All the little one could think of was the stained glass windows in the church. So he stammered, “I guess a saint is someone who the light shines through in the window.” Not a bad definition. Moreover, properly understood, that is what God expects from all of us.

May God bless all those wonderful people we will remember on Sunday! Like us, they are imperfect….....but they have been made perfect in the sight of God.

God Bless.

Jack+

Last week, Scott Ramsay, Elizabeth (and Olivia), Lynette and I were guests of Old Man Rivers (http://www.oldmanrivers.org) on their anniversary of ten years continuous service to the homeless of Parkersburg. Their efforts have been expanded to provide warm clothes, school supplies and a friendly smile for everyone they may meet.

Trinity, through its outreach efforts along with our ECW has done so very much to enable them to continue their work. You might be interested to learn that there is no salary paid either Old Man Rivers or his wife, Miss Pat! What they do comes from the love of Jesus Christ that lives in their hearts.

Represented at the dinner were over 200 volunteers who gave, and continue to give, their time to this vital work. Below is a summary of what has happened in their service to our community during the past twelve months.

Meals Served…….14,348.00

Food Pantry Distribution…….$28,265.00

Clothing Pantry…….$20,160.00

Household/Medical items…….$18,993,00

Meals provided to homeless/disadvantaged on
weekends only…….325 each weekend

Miss Pat’s Back-to-School Kid’s Day…….319 children were served
with underwear, outerwear, new shoes (if needed) and
school supplies for the first semester…..$8,600.00.

This means a total of $90,366.00 has been provided from in-kind gifts or cash just that period. This is a success story of which we are a part!

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We are also intimately involved with Faith Link. I have great hopes that these two groups will be included in our line-item budget for next year.

This Sunday’s sermon will be throughout the 10:30 service, where we will have an instructed Eucharist. I will explain the actions which are taking place as Fr. Jack celebrates. It is a good lesson for Episcopalians young and old and is designed to help us better understand what we are doing each Sunday as we obey Christ’s words -”Do this in remembrance of me.” All Saint’s Sunday is a fitting day to have this Instructed Eucharist, as it reminds us that as we receive communion we take part in the Communion of Saints.

On Saturday, Nov. 3rd, there will be an hour long Acolyte meeting beginning at 10 a.m. All new and continuing acolytes are asked to attend.

Thanks go to Betty and Paul Nicholson for opening their home to Supper Club for the October gathering. Everyone had a great time, according to reports, and all are looking forward to the next meeting, Friday, November 16th. Marion and Charlie Culbertson will host the gathering. Everyone is welcome...there is no agenda, just the joy of being together. Plan to come. Newcomers are especially welcome. Simply let Marion know, at 489-9681, what dish you will bring to pass (and if you need directions). Expect to enjoy a happy time with your fellow parishioners!

- Betsy Smith Murray

Last summer a red-faced parishioner came in with a tablecloth. It had been hanging in her closet for three years! She had completely forgotten about it. At last count, 43 tablecloths, in all sizes and colors, are missing. They are somewhere! If you have ever been so kind as to launder cloths, please check! Were they left at the cleaners? In a drawer, on a shelf, at the bottom of the laundry basket? Check every nook and cranny. They are somewhere! Cloths may be returned in a plain brown wrapper. No questions asked! -Lynette

My Dear Church Family:

I certainly want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, cards and many acts of kindness. Your thoughtfulness and kindness have been overwhelming and I appreciate your calling and love.

My humble thanks,

LaVerne Marshall