Episkopoi

We are a people called Episcopalians because we are a church led by bishops. In Biblical Greek, they are called the Episkopoi. We are a church that believes bishops are not merely a good, yet possibly dispensable, way to organize our church, but that bishops are essential to being the church. This was the opinion of the ancient church as read in this statement from Saint Ignatius of Antioch, d, 108 AD, who wrote “Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be.” The church is the community gathered around the bishop who stands in the line of bishops tracing their episcopal office back to the apostles who were anointed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Many consider Pentecost as the birth of the church.

That Pentecost moment is remembered in the attire worn by a bishop, in particular the mitre, the hat a bishop wears that is shaped like the flame of a candle. It is a reminder that the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles to empower them for doing the ministry of God’s Kingdom on earth. That same Pentecost Spirit has been handed on from bishop to bishop since those early days by the laying on of hands. On April 7, Bishop José will bring that Spirit to Good Shepherd. It is the same Spirit that hovered over the chaos at the beginning of creation. It is the same Spirit that anointed and fortified Jesus for his ministry. It is the same Spirit that Jesus breathed upon his disciples to give them peace and courage. It is the same Spirit of God that breathed life into the first humans, that brought dry bones back to life, and still does.

Bishop José will be with us on April 7 to lay hands upon those being confirmed, received, and who are reaffirming their confirmation vows. The presence of the Spirit in these saints will be affirmed and strengthened. And as my former Bishop Ed Salmon once encouraged me, when the bishop comes we will ask him to be the bishop who brings the holy fire of God. We have a gracious plenty of saints among us who are tired, suffering, or needing a renewal of their spirits. I have asked Bishop José to bless all who would come forward for a blessing and he will do that for us. Prepare yourselves. As we were coming out of our Covid restrictions and could gather as the clergy of the diocese, Bishop José called us forth one-by-one for a blessing. It was powerful and it was needed.

If possible, please join us on April 7 at 10:00 AM for Bishop José’s visitation and come receive a blessing from our chief pastor and the one who carries the fire of the Holy Spirit to bless, to heal, and give new life.

Come Holy Spirit,
Fr. Bill+

Bearing Fruit

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24

Not long ago I started again to garden. A friend sent me a hydroponic growing system for Christmas and some heirloom seeds. It is a compact unit with twelve circular spaces for holding seed bearing cones. Inside the unit is water mixed with a small measured amount of plant food, parts A and B. Above the unit is an extendable lid with multicolored lights that produce the light spectrum optimal for growth. A small motor circulates the water to keep it aerated. A combination of seeds, cones, water, plant food, and light has produced many greens. With such success, I added a second unit and have begun to transfer young plants from the hydroponic units to my outdoor garden.

Another part of my new adventures in gardening was to build a couple 8'x4' raised bed boxes. My friend who started me on hydroponics came from her home in St Louis and helped me plant some seedlings from her garden. I had filled those boxes with a combination of rich materials including cow exhaust, mushroom compost, and ash from my substantial burn pile. Wow, did those plants produce. With help.

Jesus says, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain.” So true. But if put into the ground, it bears much fruit. True as well. My black cherry tomatoes, the ones that fell to the ground instead of being harvested, produced more volunteer plants than I had originally planted. But they only did so with help. Seeds need help to die and bear fruit. They need fertile soil. They need water and sun. They often need support and protection from disease and pests and natural elements.

And so it is with you and me. No one dies to self without the loving support and reassurance of others that they are loved for who they are and not only for what they can do. No one bears much fruit without help from others who are to them the rich soil that feeds them, the water and the sun that replenish them, the sturdy stakes that support and protect them.

As we move into March and the planting season, and as we follow Jesus to Jerusalem, let us be mindful that our fruit-bearing depends on each other, that some need us to help them bear fruit by providing them with loving support and encouragement. Jesus does his part going to the cross. It is an act done in love and by love, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and with the assurance of his father’s love for him. It is his father’s love that brings him back from the dead. The fruit his death and resurrection bears is a group effort. As it is for God, so it is for us.

Grace and peace,
Fr. Bill+

Ash Wednesday

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

As if to save us from our new year’s resolutions, the season of Lent is again upon us and so then is another chance at a new start. To mark the beginning of this season of self-examination, confession, and amendment of life, we are reminded on Ash Wednesday of our createdness and pointed to our groundedness. And we are reminded that God hates nothing that God has created, even things that are of the dust of the earth. Rather, God desires that all who have fallen away be reconciled to God by an awareness, a recalling, and confession of where they have gone astray, by a sincere change of heart, and by a true change of life.

We receive on our forehead ashes in the form of the cross as a sign of our mortality and as a sign of our desire for a change of heart and life. We hear “remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” These ashes are a visible confession of what we can often deny - that we are mortal and are not ultimately in control of life though we might live in ways that seem to deny both. These ashes are also a confession of what we often cannot receive - that we indeed are mortal, made of mere dust, fragile and easily broken like a clay pot, and yet the potter loves and cherishes us. We may find it hard to accept that in spite of what we have done and what we have failed to do - our pride, anger, hypocrisy, our greed and envy, and our indifference to the problems of others, and yet God loves us. We may find it hard to accept that God loves us when we do not love ourselves.

It does seem an odd practice that on a day that calls for humility we put such a conspicuous mark on our foreheads and then do not hide in our homes but rather go about life much as we normally would. Hopefully, you will see many of your friends and neighbors and others at Ingles, Walmart, at lunch and at dinner, and elsewhere with these ash crosses. Hopefully you will see their cross, but what you are not likely to see is the cross on your own forehead. I think that is as it should be because the things we confess this day are things we often hide from ourselves. They are things we do not see nor want to see. It takes a measure of humility to confess our humanity in its failing and belovedness and to see and receive a confession from others as fellow mortals, fragile and easily broken, yet loved beyond measure.

“Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Not a curse, but a promise that when our mortal days are over the one who created us will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves and will bring us home.

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Epiphany

“We three Kings of Oil and Tar, tried to smoke a rubber cigar. It was loaded and exploded, now we are seeing stars”.

For some, this may bring back memories of childhood, their own or of children and grandchildren who sang this or a related irreverent version of the old Christmas hymn about the Epiphany. When we remember the Epiphany what else may come to mind is children in their parents’ bathrobes. Apparently, shepherds and magi shopped at JC Penny, or at least those appearing in Epiphany pageants. These should be sweet and treasured memories of how we celebrated and still celebrate the revelation to the world that the child born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph is the King of the Jews, Lord of Lords, and Son of God.

There a couple lesser known and practiced traditions that you might try this year to enhance your experience of the Epiphany. One is to mark the top of your home’s front door with the following:
20+C+B+M+24

20 and 24 represent the year. C+B+M refer to the Latin phrase Christus Mansionem Benedicat meaning “May Christ bless this house.” Alternatively, the letters CBM are said the stand for the three magi whose names are Caspar, Melchoir, and Balthazar. You may add the following prayers from the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services.:

The Blessing of a Home at Epiphany
V. God shall watch over your going out and your coming in.
R. From this time forth for ever more.

People may mark the doorway with symbols in chalk blessed with this prayer:
Loving God, bless this chalk which you have created, that it may be helpful to your people; and grant that through the invocation of your most Holy Name that we who use it in faith to write upon the door of our home the names of your holy ones Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for all who dwell in or visit our home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God of and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Light of the nations and the Glory of your people, bless (N & N) who dwell in this house. May it be for them a place of peace and health, that they may rejoice in the gifts and graces you have bestowed upon them and dedicate their talents for the good of those for whom your Christ came and gave his life, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

A second tradition is to bless candles on or near February 2 which is the Feast Day of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple. As a remembering of Jesus as the Light of the World and the light that dispels the darkness, you are invited to bring candles from home to be blessed and carried out. These become the Light of Christ visibly carried out into the world and into our homes. We will bless our church candles and your candles on Sunday, February 4.

The Light of Christ lead you like a star at night and scatter the darkness before your path,
Fr. Bill+

Christmas

“Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.”

As I am writing this before Thanksgiving Day, I am mindful of church tradition. We follow seasons in church tradition. Advent follows the long season of Pentecost. Only after observing Advent do we get to the short twelve day season of Christmas. Traditionally, the season of Christmas ends with the Epiphany on January 6. That is the day when the Magi arrive bearing gifts for the child king of the Jews.

When I was in seminary, I got the frowny face from the purists because I put up Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving Day. I took them down after Christmas day because my daughter has a birthday on New Years Eve. So much for adhering strictly to the twelve days of Christmas. I imagine that you have your own reasons for when to begin and how to celebrate Christmas, and I do believe there is grace in that.

Some express that grace by extending the Christmas season to the Sunday after the Epiphany. That Sunday is the day we remember the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by his older cousin John. It is the day when we remember that God proclaims Jesus as his beloved son and Jesus, the beloved son, associates himself with us. It is the day when we hear that the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus. There is much of our opening prayer in that setting. The church has designated that day as one especially proper for baptism. As Jesus associates himself with us, we in turn give ourselves to God. There is a sort of giving and receiving in that which is appropriate in the Christmas season.

Others extend the grace of Christmas even further. There is an old tradition of marking the end of the Christmas season on February 2 with the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. If you count up those days from Christmas to and including February 2 you get a whole forty days of Christmas. Now, that seems to me more like a Christmas celebration than a mere twelve days, though I wonder what becomes of the classic Christmas carol The Twelve Days of Christmas. “On the fortieth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...”

Whatever your practice, let us all be mindful of the reason for the season. It is grace. That God loves us, all of us, those awake and those asleep, and showed that love by becoming one of us and giving himself to us - the ultimate and endless gift. Through that gift we become adopted children of God with the hope of being renewed daily by the Holy Spirit. To me, that sounds like Christmas daily, year round, and always.

Merry Christmas,
Fr. Bill+

Stewardship

Jesus said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. Matthew 22:21-22

Dear Friends of Christ,

• Jesus asks us to identify and give to God from what is God’s. Since the founding of this parish in 1955, the saints of Good Shepherd have responded generously to the call to give in support the ministries and mission of God’s church and the diocese with their gifts of time, talent and treasure. In recent years, we have faithfully responded to our needs by installing an elevator, replacing a roof, windows, AC units, freezer and refrigerator, and by upgrading lighting and audio and video systems. We have responded to community needs by paying off the mortgage and moving mortgage payments to outreach.

  We will accomplish these outreach goals this year:

• $16,000 given to our outreach partners

• $15,000 given to support ministries addressing shelter insecurities

• $36,000 given to the diocese to support other mission and outreach efforts

• $24,000 given to support our college scholarship program

• as well as help Clay and Towns County students receive basic dental care from a generous gift.

We also cannot forget our giving to God through our Holy Smokers ministry, our Thursday morning and Tuesday evening ministry to young people, our prayer shawl ministry, Meals for Friends, Healing Prayer Ministry, Choir and all those ministries that bless our Sunday worship.

Generous giving from the things of God is what we do at Good Shepherd. Thank you for your generous gift of time, talent and treasure in 2024.

Grace and peace,
Fr. Bill+

Always Exodus

Say therefore to the Israelites, “I am the Lord, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgement. I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.”

God speaks to Moses a message of encouragement and hope. God bookends these words with God’s authority to make these things happen. “I am the Lord,” God says. If you want assurance that these things will come true, assurance that God can make this happen and it will happen, then consider who is speaking. “I am the Lord.” As they say, “take it to the bank,” because this is as certain as the sun rising tomorrow.

And what does God promise? God promises freedom from burdens and delivery from all that enslaves them. God promises them a new identity, that of being God’s free people rather than slaves. The promise is an exodus from all that has given them and us a false sense of self, from all that holds them and us captive, and in that exodus all will know the character of God. God is in the exodus business. Wherever the people of God have been enslaved, by whatever has enslaved them, God’s judgment will be against those enslaving forces and for those held captive. While this text is from the book Exodus and is given in the context of the exodus of the Hebrew people it is a message for all people and all time. It is a message about a God who claims us as God’s own and whose heart and desire is to call us into an exodus from all that captures us and holds us in a false sense of identity, from all that oppresses us and keeps us from the freedom of living as God’s own people. This text may serve as a point of reflection for us to think about who we are in God’s eyes and what might be holding us and others captive. It is also a chance for us to reflection upon who God is in our eyes. God’s promise is to pass judgment on all those things within and without that burden, oppress, and enslave all people. That is a message of hope and an encouragement to not give up but to call upon God to come quickly and show us that “I am the Lord, the God of exodus.”

Grace and peace, Fr. Bill+

Thank You

Thank you so much for the generous gift of my recently completed sabbatical. I so appreciate the care Reverend Beverly gave the parish during my time away and Pastor Delmer’s preaching assistance. Thank you, good and faithful reverends. I am also grateful to your lay leadership for helping mind the store, especially your wardens Mike Campbell and Harry Baughn, and your excellent staff.

I began my time away by taking three courses related to church life and administration. One course was on conflict mediation and two concerned managing transitions. I learned a few things, had confirmed many more things I already knew, but importantly what these courses told me is that Good Shepherd is an exceptionally healthy and happy church community. My fellow course participants came from a variety of denominations and generally were working in churches rife with problems. That we work, play, and worship so well together is not the norm. That is something for us to give thanks for and be to careful stewards of. God has blessed Good Shepherd to be a welcoming, gracious, and forgiving community. I am grateful for that and for all of you who make that your way of being part of our community.

Following these weeks of study, it was time to wander. I went to Kansas to see friends and preach at my former parish. The jokes were, of course, just the very best. There I ran into a young adult couple who were members of the youth group during my tenure that ended ten years ago. They invited me to officiate their wedding which I did in early August in Washington, D.C. It is an example of seeds planted years earlier and the influence we have on people that we may not realize. It confirms that young people are watching us and what we say and do matters.

If you follow Facebook, you may know that I went to Vienna as part of my sabbatical. Vienna is an historically significant city for many reasons. I knew it mainly for the scientific and philosophical work done there in the early twentieth century. Music, of course, is significant to its history and culture with Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Schubert and others associated with the city. Vienna was also the capital of the Habsburg Empire. The Habsburg were a dynasty lasting more than six hundred years that reached across Europe and even to Mexico. The last king of France, Louis XVI, married the Habsburg we know as Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte married a Habsburg as well to unite the French and Austrian Empires. And then there was the history of the repeatedly poor treatment of the Jewish community. I mention these few things because I did not go to Vienna with them on my mind. Finding them was a kind of joyful serendipity that I enjoy so much. The fruit of not over planning, of just wandering and finding the unexpected delight of thirteenth century frescoes because you turned right instead of left.

I am glad to be back and to continue on this walk we are doing together. I am hopeful that we remain a special community of welcome, grace, and forgiveness, that we remain open to possibilities, and that we find delight in the unexpected.

With gratitude, grace and peace be yours,
Fr. Bill

Dear Good Shepherds

This fall we will be joining other Episcopal churches in the diocese and nationally to participate in the Episcopal Spiritual Life Inventory. This comprehensive survey of spiritual life can help provide valuable information on where we are as a faith community and insight into where the Holy Spirit is now leading us in mission and ministry. The inventory was created by RenewalWorks, an Episcopal organization charged with advancing spiritual growth, and is intended to be thought provoking for your own faith journey.

I ask that all adult members of Good Shepherd plan to participate when this survey becomes available in late September. For those who can, we prefer you complete your survey online. Others may wish to complete a paper survey. Regardless, we want every adult member to participate and to be assured that your responses are confidential.

A small group of parish members will meet following the close of the survey to consider what the data collected say about where we are and where we are going in mission and ministry. Please know that I am grateful to them and to all of you for participating in this important work. It has been more than ten years since the last time we did such a parish assessment. The work we will do together this September will become a valuable guide to setting a course for the parish over the next decade.

You will hear more about this initiative when I return from sabbatical in mid-August. For those who want more information now, please look at the RenewalWorks website https://renewalworks.org/

Grace and peace,
Fr. Bill+

Sabbatical

“The Diocese of Western North Carolina encourages priests to take sabbaticals for the renewal and refreshment of the priest and the benefit of the parish.” - Sabbatical Policy, Diocese Western North Carolina web page retrieved 4/17/2023

Greetings Friends,

Every five years, clergy and their parishes are encouraged to take a break from their ongoing work. The break is intended for both of them to rest and in that rest to find refreshment and renewal for their work beyond. It has been almost five years since our last break and much has happened since then. I am so appreciative of how your lay leadership and your determined participation carried us through a pandemic. Unlike many other faith communities, we weathered the storm and are now seeing a growth in membership. Thank you and thanks be to God. The state of the parish is strong. Now there is the need for a chance to catch our breath and to prepare ourselves for the postpandemic future. I will be going on sabbatical in early June and the timing seems just right for both me and the parish.

My sabbatical will begin Monday, June 5 and I will be back in the office on Monday, August 14. During my time away, I will take three online courses that focus on managing relationships and congregational change. I am hopeful that I will learn some new skills and refresh some old ones that will be useful on my return. I am also taking time for travel, visiting friends, play and rest. In July, I will be in Vienna, Austria and plan to take day trips to some of the surrounding cities.

I am grateful that the Rev. Beverly Braine has agreed to be your sabbatical replacement clergy. If you have been with us on Sundays when she has led worship, you know she is a fine worship leader and preacher. Rev. Braine will also continue our Wednesday noon services and provide pastoral care as needed. I did emphasize to her that sabbatical is a time for the parish also to rest and not to think that she is expected to lead many extra activities as your clergy. I know she has a couple or more special things she would like to do and she has my full support and trust. Please embrace her and show her all the love and support you are known for as she does her best to love and support you. The Rev. Dr. Delmer Chilton will also make occasional appearances. Along with your clergy, your wardens Dr. Mike Campbell and the Hon. Harry Baughn will help shepherd the parish. I leave you in many very experienced and wise hands.

My time away is meant to be a time when we unplug from each other and I do not hear from the church. God forbid, but should some significant crisis or loss occur, your leaders will let me know. As always, I will hold you in my prayers whether I am near or far away. Enjoy your sabbatical and get your rest. Adventure and play, and I will see you again midAugust.

Grace and peace, Fr. Bill+