August 30, The 14th Sunday after Pentecost
Anglican Rosary: Saturday, August 29, 9:00 a.m
The Anglican Rosary devotional group meets Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. in the Church. Everyone is welcome.
Parents and Children Barbecue Sunday August 30, 4:30 p.m.
We’ll do our second of two Annual Parent and Children Barbecues at the Rectory on Sunday August 30. We usually do two, one at the end of school and the other right before school begins again. Parents and children are invited to the Rectory for fun and food.
Emmaus Road: Summer Movies.
This coming Monday, August 31 7:00 p.m. Emmaus Road has it’s last movie for the summer with the viewing of Brother Where Art Thou? We had so much fun with Fargo that we thought another Cohen Brothers film would be good. It will provoke some deep reflection. Everyone is welcome. After this we’ll take a break before meeting to decide where we go next.
Coffee Hour Sign Up for July and August
We need a volunteer for Sunday August 23 7:45 a.m.
And for Sunday August 30, 7:45 & 10:15 a.m.
The Coffee Hour Sign Up for September and October will be on table outside Church on Sunday.
Cranking Up for the Fall
We will soon resume our normal activities as Summer gives way to the Fall
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
The Atriums will open on Sunday, September 13.
Level 4
The young people now aged out of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd will begin meeting again with Fr. Bob between the services to learn about being acolytes, exploring the human qualities that make for a virtuous life, and continuing to work through the books of the that library we call the Bible. Sunday September 13
Santa Maria Barbecue: Saturday September 26.
The Sign Up Sheet will be outside Church this Sunday.
Combined Service to Start the Fall: Sunday September 27
We’ll combine the 7:45 and 10:15 services into one Liturgy at 9:30. It will be followed by a brunch in the Parish Hall. We will also use the occasion to say good by (temporarily) to Jim Goltz and Eileen Wakiji who will be going to Japan for a year. Jim will be teaching at a university there.
CGS Level II
August 30, 2015
Season After Pentecost
The True Vine III
Found Coin and Found Sheep
Last time, we explored what we need to do to stay on the vine (John 15). In the Level II atrium, we compare stories of the Found Sheep (Luke 15:4-7) and Found Coin (Luke 15:8-9) with what we now know of the True Vine and reflect on their meaning.
We begin with reviewing the prior two presentations on the True Vine. We also review presentations given in Level I about the Good Shepherd and the Found Sheep. The children understand a sheep can be lost the following ways: 1) not listening to the shepherd’s voice; 2) not remaining in his love. But the shepherd goes out, and searches for his lost sheep. He only stops looking when he finds it. What do the scriptures say when the shepherd finds it? He rejoices and brings it home where it will remain in his love.
How is this parable similar to the True Vine? What does it tell us about God? When we do not follow God’s voice, we are separated. When we are lost or wander away, we are sought after. In the True Vine, branches are not “lost” per se but pruned. God wants us to remain in his love; we belong to God. In the atrium, we talk about the Church using the word “sin” as turning away from God. We also talk about the sap of the vine being blocked when we turn away from God, when we don’t remain in Him.
What of the lost coin parable? A woman has lost her coin. What does she do? How interesting this parable transcends the ages. Fast forward to today, when one or more of our most valued possessions (keys, or an heirloom) is lost, inevitably we tear apart the home until it is or they are found. When we find it, do we rejoice? Of course! as there was with the woman who found her coin. She runs tells her friends.
Two items are lost, what is the difference between the two stories? The coin doesn’t know it is lost; the sheep may know it is lost. Even though we don’t know we are lost, God is still looking for us. We now have three images of God’s immense love for us. What can we do not to get lost? Listen to the word of God; stay in community.
All of the above is discussed as to what the children remember of the parables they have been given. Now, a candle is lit and Luke 15:4-9 is read. There is time for personal response or reflection on this work.
God loves us unconditionally. The mercy of God extends to those unaware of their need. Through reconciliation we are restored to a right relationship with God and others, not only removing the sin but also opening us up to God’s abundant love. Whenever we stray or are lost whether we know it or not, God is doing everything possible to bring us back to remain with Him.
Ms. Georgie
Food For Thought
On the Food For Thought Table this weekend some articles about assisted suicide and how we make choices. We like to think that we all make choices on the basis of rational self interest. This idea has guided economic theory for a long time. However, the new field of Behavioral Economics has shown that, no we really don’t make choices that way especially in an area where you think we would.
So, when things are first presented, we may think they make sense because they are impelled and guided by what at first appears to be a sober rationality. But a little closer look at the complexity of human motivation reveals problems. Putting all four articles together will help round out our thinking.
1. From The Wall Street Journal, A Doctor Assisted Disaster for Medicine. A doctor from Oregon looks at the downsides of Oregon’s Assisted Suicide Law, and some unforeseen and unintended consequences.
2. From The New Republic, How to Think About Your Right to Die. This articles raises the question is the category of “rights” the right way to think about this issue?
3. From The New York Times, The Big Decisions. Columnist David Brooks looks at the deeper sources of human decision making.
4. From The New York Times Book Review, The Road Not Taken, a review of a new book about Robert Frost’s most famous poem.