January 4, 2015 Epiphany

Epiphany 2014  

We will celebrate Epiphany on Sunday January 4.   It is a couple of days early because the real date of Epiphany is January 6.  Epiphany means “manifestation.”  Epiphany celebrates the revealing of the Incarnation to the entire world.  This is symbolized by the Star and the coming of the Magi.  It fulfills  the promises we’ve heard in Advent about how the renewal of Israel and Jerusalem would draw all people to her to receive God’s blessings.  Epiphany also shows the bestowal of the Incarnation to the Gentiles.  That is, the Christian faith is universal.  It is not confined to one specific people.  Of the two feasts of the Incarnation, Christmas and Epiphany, Epiphany is the oldest.  It was celebrated first by the Church in the East.  Christmas developed later in the West and began to be celebrated around 400 or so AD.  So things have evolved into something complete and comprehensive.  While the secular calendar sees the Christmas or “Holiday” season beginning on “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving and concluding either Christmas Day or New Years Day, the Church calendar has the four week preparation called Advent.  Christmas begins at Midnight Christmas Eve and runs 12 days concluding on Epiphany, January 6. 

Annual Epiphany Open House at the Rectory:  2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Help close out Christmas by joining for the Annual Epiphany Open House at the Rectory.  Bring something to share.  Fr. Bob will have a ham and rolls for sandwiches, along with spiced cider.  It’s a time to use up whatever Christmas treats may be left  and enjoy each other’s company.  Everyone is invited including children.  Just drop in that afternoon.

 This is a wonderful opportunity for those who are new to the parish to get to know one another better.  We hope that you will be able to come. 

Using those sources that make us a community of faith, we will be a support for one another in time of crisis and joy.

 This is one of the points in our Vision and Values Statement.  It is one of the key things that define life in a Christian Community.  It is something we might not think about much until a time of crisis arises.  That’s not a crisis in our own lives, but rather a crisis in the lives of people we are acquainted with who are not members of a Christian community of any sort, and then illness or death strikes, and we become aware of how alone they are. 

 One of the reasons for Christian Fellowship as in The Epiphany Open House, is building those relationships in good events that will help sustain us in the bad ones. 

 Several parishioners have experienced severe losses over the last few weeks.  Loved one have died after having struggled with long and debilitating illnesses.  

 Ben Boeman, father of Rebecca Woods died yesterday, December 30 after being debilitated by a severe brain injury due to a fall several months ago.   Rebecca has been serving as caregiver for both him and her mom. 

 Robert James, husband of Briony James died before Christmas after a several years long, complicated, debilitating, illness of diabetes and all the attendant complications. 

 Jim Smith, Georgie McAdams’ dad died the day after Christmas.  He had been in poor health for many years.  

 Rebecca, Georgie, and Briony engaged in the long and arduous task of caring for their loved ones, which as anyone who has done that knows, it is a never ending struggle with healthcare providers, insurance, care that falls through the cracks, agonizing worry, complicated decisions that no matter what you do, you always second guess and wonder if you should have/could have done more.  

 Georgie, Briony, and Rebecca extend their gratitude of all of the parishioners who have been supportive of them during this time.  They are grateful for your prayers, words of support, and offers to help.   In other words:   We will be a support to one another in times of crisis and joy.

CGS Level I Atrium

January 4, 2015

Epiphany

The Adoration of the Magi

 For this presentation, we use as reference the words of the prophet Isaiah 60:1-6 and the Gospel of Matthew 2:1-12.  I won’t print the full text here, but I encourage you to take a quiet moment and reflect on them when you get a chance.

 Since the beginning, a plan has existed in the mind of God to bring all humankind into the fullness of the life of God.  In the tradition of CGS, Jesus is the one through whom this plan of salvation is realized.  This plan unfolded slowly and carefully, discernible only to those who waited and watched attentively for signs of his coming.  The magi were such as these and embraced God’s gift of the fullness of life in God by “following the great light” that is offered to all the peoples of the earth.

 In Level I, our primary aim is to lift up the adoration of the magi and to reflect on the mysterious, symbolic gifts given to this child as an aid to pondering the mystery of Jesus’ identity and universal kingship.  We also see the opportunity to look at the response of the magi as a model for all who desire light and fullness of life in God.

 In a historical context, Raymond Brown’s “The New Jerome Biblical Commentary” shares his and his co-author’s supposition for as to who the magi might have been: “These were a caste of wise men, variously associated with interpretation of dreams, Zor(o)astrianism, astrology, and magic.  In later Christian tradition, they became kings under the influence of Ps 72:10; Isa 49:7; 60:10.   Their number settled at three, deduced from the three gifts (v 11).  Eventually they were named:  Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior in the Western church, and Caspar became black.  They were understood as representatives of the Gentile world in all its racial diversity who come to Christ, from the East: This could be Persia, East Syria, or Arabia. “(p 635)    

 “The list of gifts may have been inspired by Isa 60:6, 11, 13, which along with Ps 72:10-11 is implicitly cited …  In later tradition gold came to signify the kingship of Christ, incense his divinity, myrrh his redemptive suffering – or virtue, prayer, and suffering.” (pp 636) 

 Although this presentation is no less important than others in helping us come to know Jesus more, this story helps me to remember the first gift given is to us – the gift of the love of God.  And through the salvation of Jesus, we come to realize the fullness of life in God.  My response to the gift is not gold, frankincense or myrrh but overwhelming joy, gratitude . . . and returned love.    

 Ms. Georgie

 Music with the Angels

Jouyssance Concert:  Sunday, January 4, 4:00 p.m.

 Jouyssance will revisit favorites of the season by Spanish masters Victoria, Morales, and Guerro, plus rousing villancicos and sumptuous motets by Portuguese composers

$20.00 seniors, and SCEMS members/$15.00 students. 

For further information, or group sales, please call 213, 533-9922 or visit www.jouyssance.org

 The Financial Page

 Annual Giving for 2015

We are 3/4 the way through the Annual Giving Drive for 2015.  A large number of pledges have yet to come in.  Please make an Annual Giving Pledge for 2015 and send you pledge card in as soon as possible.

 Annual Giving for 2014  Completing the pledges

If you’ve not yet done so, please complete your 2014 Annual Giving Pledge as soon as possible.  This will enable our Treasurer Leigh Torgerson to close the parish books for the year.  We will send giving statements to all of you by the end of January. 

 Thank you to everyone who supports our parish through their financial contributions.  Everyone’s gift is both vital and necessary for our parish life.  We are deeply grateful to all of you.

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 Food For Thought

On the Food For Thought Table this Sunday some articles for post Christmas Reflection.

 1.  The Subtle Sensations of Faith.  This is an article by New York Times Columnist David Brooks, about what faith really feels like in the deep and subtle dimensions of our lives. 

 2.  From the Wall Street Journal, from the their “Houses of Worship Column,”  Science Increasingly Makes the Case for God.   The science of astronomy has only gotten more and more complex since the days of Carl Sagan and Cosmos, with “Billions and Billions,” of, well, everything.  Consequently there must be multitudes of intelligent life out there in a self creating universe without God.  Well,…. Things are not quite that simple, and new discoveries are causing some reassessment. 

 3.  From The New York Times,  Chinese Hit Back Against a Foreign Intrusion:  Christmas.   Christmas is catching in mainland China, much to the chagrin of the governing authorities.  Something about it’s universal nature and universal appeal.