Credo: The Universal Church

“What matters more is that we are Christians.”

— Fr. Bill

The early Church gave us three generally recognized statements of the Christian faith that have become part of our treasured inheritance - the Apostles’ Creed, the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, and the Quicunque Vult. You can find them in your Book of Common Prayer on pages 53-54, 358-359, and 864-865 respectively. These are fairly concise summaries of the main points of the faith and they provide a useful starting point and study guide for those interested in examining more deeply the traditional understandings of the faith during the season of Lent. That we call these the creeds of the church comes from the first line of these statements in their Latin form, namely “Credo in Deum” or “I believe in God.” By “believe in” the creed is not suggesting head knowledge like “I believe the Earth is round” but heart knowledge more like “I put my trust in” such as “I trust that there was a man named Jesus who was God incarnate” or “I have confidence in there being only one God.” The saying of the creed is the expressing of our assent to those statements, our heartfelt conviction that they are true, and our commitment to living our lives according to the truths expressed by those statements. That is much more than saying that either they express factual statements which can be proven or falsified or that they are mere opinions.

Fr. Bill Breedlove

While there are probably several phrases in the creeds that cause folks to pause, such as “born of the Virgin Mary,” for Episcopalians and those coming to our church from churches that do not regularly recite the creed, it may be the statements about the Church that are also puzzling. For example, in the Nicene Creed regularly recited during the Celebration of Holy Eucharist, we say “We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.” I have known people who have stumbled over the word catholic, thinking it was a reference to the Roman Catholic Church and leading to questions about whether the church they were in was Protestant or Roman Catholic. So what are we saying? In part we are saying that we are members of the body of Christ which we call the church. In the Greek text of the New Testament, the word for church is ekklesia meaning those who have been called out, separated from the ways of the world, and brought into a new community with Christ as our head. By saying we believe in one church, we are saying that while we see many denominations and we see ongoing fragmentation and division, we are still part of one body. We are Episcopalians and our neighbors at Oak Forest are Methodists, but what matters more is not our peculiar Episcopal or their peculiar Methodist ways. What matters more is that we are Christians. By saying we are members of a catholic church, we are simply saying that the one church is universal, existing across all space and time. That is what the original Greek word katholikos translated catholic means. To be catholic is to be broad. To say that we are members of a catholic church does not mean we prefer a high solemn mass to a charismatic prayer meeting, but rather that both of those and other expressions of the faith are valid and helpful in their contexts for conveying the Gospel message that is always the same. It is sometimes not easy to explain what it means to be Episcopalian. I am occasionally asked, “Are Episcopalians Catholic or Protestant?” My answer is that as people who embrace and follow the historic creeds of the church we are both, or that is what I believe.

Grace and peace,

Fr Bill+ 

Sanctification

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” ”

— Leviticus 19:1-2

Holiness is an expectation that God has for all people, not just some people. It is an expectation for the young and the more seasoned, for those new to the faith and those well-versed, for the laity as well as the clergy. One of our church words for holy is sanctified and for the process of becoming holy we speak of our sanctification. Both sanctified and sanctification have the sense of something or someone being singled out and set apart from what is not holy and from what is not of the character of God. If we take seriously that God expects from us that we become and remain set apart, that we become holy people, then we should take time out to reflect on our personal state of holiness and for intentional holiness work. Holiness does not just happen but develops through practices such as fasting and prayer, the reading and meditation on scripture, confession and penance, practicing virtues, pilgrimage and spiritual journeying, and through the intentional study of God, among other means. Setting aside time for this intentional holiness work may be harder for some than for others, but it is something that all should do. The Bishop of Kansas would say to his clergy gathered during Holy Week that he knew this was a very busy time, but that was all the more reason for them to gather. I recall that in seminary, required spiritual retreats would seem to come at the most busy time of the semester when papers were due and exams would follow. I have come to realize the wisdom in what at the time seemed like such bad timing. Greater spiritual growth often comes through sacrifice.

As we begin the new year, I am thinking about what holiness work I need to do and what holiness work we all need. Throughout the year, I will have several opportunities to go on retreat with my fellow clergy and I will also be going abroad this summer on a mission trip. Those times away from the parish and to foreign lands have been for me good places for deeper prayer and reflection. I encourage each of you to reflect on your own holiness by answering a simple question: How close do I feel to God? And then ask yourself a follow up question: What am I doing or should I do to draw closer to God? I am interested in hearing your answers and helping you in your process of sanctification, so do share your thoughts with me. The women of the parish are reminded that we have a women’s retreat coming at the end of February. Registration will close at the end of January. Please see the Adult Formation bulletin board or me for more information. For some, this may be what is needed to begin or further their process of sanctification. Being holy is for everyone, so let’s all work in 2016 on being holy people.

Grace and peace,

Fr Bill+ 

One Body in Christ

“There is one Body and one Spirit;
There is one hope in God’s call to us;
One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism;
One God and Father of all. ”

It may be in our baptismal liturgy that we are most reminded that we are one body in Christ. And it may be in that same liturgy that we are most reminded of our particular Episcopal ecclesiology; that is, our way of being church. There is one body. When we look at the Diocese of Western North Carolina of which we are part, we see that we at Good Shepherd are part of one body spread across twenty eight counties, gathered in sixty three worshiping communities and six summer chapels. We own two conference centers; one at Lake Logan and another at Valle Crucis. The body also contains the Deerfield Retirement Community and Christ School. Though in many locations, we are one body guided by one Spirit under one God and Father. Bishop Taylor reminded us of this oneness at the recently concluded 94th Annual Convention of our diocese. The context of his comments was the diocesan budget and giving to the mission of The Episcopal Church, that body of one hundred and nine dioceses spread across several nations and continents. He reminded us that the thirteen percent of the diocesan budget designated to the National Church for 2016 was not something given to “them.” We are “them.” There is one body and one Spirit.

With that in mind, here is some of the good news from our 2016 diocesan budget. Pledged income is up $52,000 and total income is up $80,000. Total income for the diocese is projected at around $1.7 million. Our children and youth, those from Murphy to Gastonia, from Boone to Saluda, will benefit from a $10,000 increase in funding to Camp Henry. Our Campus and Youth Ministries combined will receive over $230,000 in 2016. We will spend over $54,000 on Justice and Outreach with $30,000 committed to New Mission Initiatives. In other funding, Kairos West, a community organizing initiative in West Asheville will receive $20,000 while our ministries for Congregational Vitality and Support for Small Parishes will receive $44,000 and $40,000 respectively. Church of the Advocate, part of our ministry to the homeless will receive over $21,000 in 2016. Lastly, I note that our Hispanic Mission will be funded at almost $200,000 which is an increase of $65,000 and now supports two full-time priests serving the growing Latino/a population in our diocese. As you can see, we are dedicated to supporting both the future of the church and those less fortunate while also supporting new mission initiatives. All of this is our work. There is one body and one Spirit and we support the mission of our diocese by a 10% pledge of our income. This is not money we could have used for ourselves but money that is being used for ourselves.

The same spirit of oneness should be the spirit found in our giving to Good Shepherd. Our budget includes expenses for personnel and administrative costs, buildings and utilities and supplies, the mortgage and insurance, and funds our many ministries including outreach and children, healing and pastoral care, adult formation and parish life, worship and music, and more. This budget belongs to all of us, serves all of us, and requires contributions from all of us.

Grace and peace,
Fr Bill+

An Invitation to Serve

From the Catechism of the Book of Common Prayer, page 855.

Q. What is the ministry of the laity?

A. The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.

Fr. Bill Breedlove

Very soon, members of the vestry nominating committee will begin the work of establishing a slate of candidates for election to the vestry. Episcopalians value lay leadership and consider the service of lay members to be at least as of equal importance to that of the clergy. One could fairly say that lay leadership is more important since most church leadership is provided by the laity. As Episcopalians we believe that everyone has been gifted to serve in the mission of God in the world and part of that service is to take our places in the governance of the church. Serving on the vestry is one of the most important and sacred ways that a lay person can represent Christ and his Church. If you were to ask recent past members of the vestry and those currently serving as vestry members about their experiences, I think you would hear them say that the ministry of a vestry person is firstly a spiritual and formative experience, a chance to grow in fellowship with others, and then that it is about the administration of church business.

While not all churches can claim this, we are blessed to have a healthy and vital vestry to go along with a healthy and vital parish. Now is a great time to serve. I invite all members of the parish to prayerfully consider standing for election to the vestry. I know that not all those who stand for election will be elected but your faithfulness in making yourself available is appreciated by the whole church and is a great witness to your willingness to be a servant to the servants of God. Please contact members of our vestry senior class - Deanna Dubose, Chuck Van Gorder, and Elmer Wilson - to let them know you would like to stand for election.

Grace and peace to all,

Fr Bill

Spiritual DNA

“In the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

— Acts 5:38-39

In the Book of Acts, we find a lawyer Gamaliel speaking to the Temple elite, telling them to take no action against the apostles and their nascent faith community. Gamaliel reminds them that, as has been the case of the many leaders and movements that came before the Jesus movement, if this new movement is not of God it will die. I would add that if a community does not remain in God’s purposes it will also die.

Every faith community has a genesis moment in which its “spiritual DNA” is created and its foundational character and purpose are established. God is up to something new when a faith community first gathers and takes root, working his will in and through the lives of his people in a particular place. Reflection upon that genesis moment and the subsequent development of a church are important matters for church leaders and church members. Remaining true to or deviating from its spiritual DNA may explain much about whether a particular church thrives or fails to thrive.  

Good Shepherd is no different in this matter. Its genesis moment was the coming together of Clay County residents who had been traveling to Murphy for Sunday services and their friends. It was founded by a mixed group of Episcopalians and their non-episcopal spouses who found comfort, support, and welcome in their small Clay County gathering. Initially meeting in each other’s homes, they planted in Clay County a faith community whose spiritual DNA is encoded for showing welcome and hospitality to all seeking to belong regardless of prior religious affiliation. This faith community will continue to thrive if we continue to embrace and continue to live into the full implications of our spiritual DNA.  We must not take for granted that we are and will remain welcoming, but we must be intentional in looking for and greeting those among us who are new, those who are visiting, and those in the community who have not yet found us. We must widen the circle of those who feel at home among us. May God continue to give us the opportunity, the will, and the courage to accomplish his purposes for this church.

In Christ’s service,

Fr Bill+ 

Stewardship

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. ”

— Luke 12:48

Over the years I have heard many things said about stewardship and the practice of stewardship described in various ways. Most often, I have heard stewardship being brought out of the closet and dusted off for the annual giving campaign. It is time once again for people to re-up their pledge to the parish so out comes the idea of stewardship to make an appearance in sermons, parish announcements, newsletters, letters from annual pledge drive committees and so forth. During that season of stewardship, we often hear about something called a tithe and perhaps that the Biblical standard is a 10% tithe. Is that 10% of the gross or net, of earned income or all assets? I let all that wash over me without wondering if anything I knew about stewardship was correct.

Most fundamentally, stewardship is how we respond at all times to God’s gracious gift of all we have. Yes, those gifts include our money and our time and our talents. But that is not everything. It also includes the people in our lives, our relationships, our own being, the things in the world around us, and all else we can imagine. Stewardship is about embracing all that God has given as unmerited gift and then responding to that deep understanding with the greatest degree of gratitude possible. As gifts given, as unmerited gifts given, we are challenged to use those gifts in response to God’s love for us. A grateful person, one who embraces the fact that all they have is the product of God’s grace, is one who gives freely and generously, not calculating percentages or the difference between gross and net income, nor thinking solely in terms of time, talent, and treasure. Knowing that God is the source of our gifts, and trusting that God both has provided and will provide again, should be sufficient to overcome fears that if we are generous in giving we will not have enough for our own needs. The truth is that when our hands are tightly closed around the gifts we have received we can neither share those gifts as they were meant to be shared nor can we receive the more that God is always pouring out upon God’s people and all of creation.

We are a parish that has been given much and with grateful hearts gives generously to support this church and its many, many ministries. The words of scripture tell us that having been entrusted with much, much more will be asked of us. I invite all members of this parish to reflect in this post-Pentecost season of growth on the gifts they have been given and how they express their gratitude for those gifts. Developing an attitude of gratitude and increasing our generosity now will prepare us for the time when much more will be asked of us.

With gratitude for the gift of you,

Fr Bill+ 

Engage, Share, Create

“The bold engagement is happening, the blessings are being shared, and folks are finding their way to Good Shepherd.”

I received some inspiring news that I want to share with those who may not have heard. On a recent Tuesday evening, nineteen young women from Hayesville High met with a group of our women to launch a new ministry to young women. They shared a meal, talked about ideas for the group, and are meeting again. That same week, a similar number of younger folks gathered on a Friday evening with the leaders of our Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Council for food, games, fun, and movies. You may have seen the banner for this young people’s event out on the driveway. My heart is full of gratitude and thanksgiving for all those who helped make these two events happen. The next day, Saturday, I came to church and found a hearty bunch of parishioners working toward completing our playground and then dressing up our grounds. I have heard that the public has noticed our playground. That same day, thirty four women attended an informative talk given by Dr. Bud Edmondson on Women’s Heart Health. There were a number of visitors to Good Shepherd in that audience. And then, the next day, Sunday! Whoever has been inviting friends and sharing the good news about Good Shepherd, keep it up. If you have been sitting near the back at the 10:45 service, I think you have seen what I have seen: lots of new faces, families, and children. Friends, the nursery is full! Thank you, Cheryl and nursery volunteers. You are making an impact. 

Good things are happening and continue to happen at Good Shepherd. Please join me in giving thanks to God for these many blessings. Believe me, there are more to share. Your vestry has provided for us a vision for our parish to boldly engage the world, to share the blessings we have received, and to create something of Heaven on Earth in our community. The bold engagement is happening, the blessings are being shared, and folks are finding their way to Good Shepherd. Be sure to welcome them by introducing yourself to those whom you do not know and making it a practice to say hello to them when you see them. When we visited a small church in Wisconsin near where I was in seminary, a man named Mark greeted us at a campfire cookout that followed church that day. The next time we attended, there was Mark making it a point to greet us by name. Mark was not a greeter or an usher. He just did what I hope all of us would do in recognizing new people and greeting them by name, making it a point to let them know that they recognized and known. Let us all be good shepherds of these folks that God is leading to Good Shepherd. 

In gratitude and thanksgiving for all of you,

Fr Bill+ 

Believing and Seeing

“God willing, we will boldly engage the world, sharing our many blessings, and in that create heaven on Earth one person at a time.”

Since at least the Enlightenment, Western culture has been dominated by a world view based in reason, empirical evidence, and the scientific method. That world view has brought tremendous material advance for many people and potential material gains for many more. Deserts have been turned into gardens, the food supply vastly increased, diseases have been subdued and overall life expectancy extended to the frontiers of our physical makeup. I was trained into that community, even if as merely a social scientist. My colleagues in the physical sciences would remind me on occasion that what they did was the real, hard science. Regardless, I shared with them a basic set of premises that included the essential idea “seeing is believing.” We have perhaps all been trained in that same elementary scientific principle that what is is what can be observed in some way. We are unlikely to be shocked when someone asks to “see the evidence” or says “show me the data.” The basic idea is simple. Seeing precedes believing, with the often unstated assumption that seeing is a neutral act. A quick review in your mind of Jesus’ ministry may remind you that folks in his day also asked for evidence. “Give us a sign” is the way they may have put the question.

There is, however, another approach. Some call it post-modern in order to say that it has superseded, or comes after, the modern scientific worldview that came before. But what is post-modern is actually something that existed in the early church. In the writings of St Anslem of Canterbury from the 11th century AD we find the notion of “fides quaerens intellectum” meaning “faith seeking understanding” and much before him in the 5th century writings of St Augustine of Hippo “crede, ut intelligas” meaning “believe so that you may understand.” In either case, the idea is that believing, a reasoned faith commitment, precedes and guides understanding. In contrast to modernism, the seeing and what is seen, and the reality that comes into being depends on a vision shaped by faith and faith commitments. Stated simply, “believing is seeing” and what you will come to see depends on the vision that you in faith believe you are called to create. This is no mere wishful thinking, but rather calls for actions that are believed helpful for bringing that vision into reality.

I am pleased that your vestry has crafted a vision statement for Good Shepherd. It is a statement of faith in the possibility that with God’s help we can and should make the world a better place and realize something of heaven on Earth. It is a statement that captures the faith and values of this parish and dares dream of a brighter future for all people who are drawn to, participate in, and are sent our from this shining city on a hill. This vision for Good Shepherd works alongside our Strategic Plan goals and gives that plan a foundational statement. You will see that vision statement appearing soon in different places as an encouragement and reminder. God willing, we will boldly engage the world, sharing our many blessings, and in that create heaven on Earth one person at a time. This is a high and lofty vision. Imagine what would happen if we reached it.

Grace and peace and vision be with you,

Fr Bill+ 

Sacraments and Healing

““Even if we do not fully understand the sacrament, grace has been promised to us through reception of the sacrament.””

— Fr. Bill Breedlove

Episcopalians are sacramental people. That is, our spirituality is one that involves the regular and frequent use of the sacraments of the church as a central and necessary aspect of our lives as the people of God. Our word sacrament comes from the Latin sacramentum which itself is a translation of the Greek word musterion meaning “mystery, something hidden, not obvious to understanding.” The Book of Common Prayer defines a sacrament as an “outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.” Stated otherwise, sacraments are physical representations, signifiers, and the means by which God’s grace is given with certainty to God’s people. As musterion, “the what is happening and how does that work” of a sacrament may not be obvious or understood, but it is our faith that Christ gave us the sacraments as a pledge of his love for us. Even if we do not fully understand the sacrament, grace has been promised to us through reception of the sacrament. Their efficacy does not rest on our understanding or much else about us, but in the love, promise, and faithfulness of God. 

Many people are familiar with the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both involve the use of physical things that signify the granting of God’s grace upon the recipient. The water of baptism signifies being united with Christ in his baptism, his burial and his resurrection. The sign of the cross with chrism oil on the forehead of the newly baptized signifies spiritual regeneration and new life in Christ as a member of God’s household. But more than simply signifying some change, sacraments bring about the change to which they point. Baptism is a healing sacrament in that our sins are forgiven, we are united with Christ, and our spirits are regenerated. Renewing our Baptismal vow is a way of reclaiming that blessing and recommitting our lives to that life in Christ. In the Lord’s Supper, bread and wine become for us in our prayer of Thanksgiving those things Jesus offered to his disciples on the night before he died for us. They are physical means by which we are assured that the love of God, the forgiveness of sins, and strengthening are given to us. In the Rite I prayer, we give thanks for the “innumerable benefits” given through receiving the body of Christ, for the forgiveness of sins and “all other benefits of his passion.” Our faith and Eucharist prayer say that whatever it is that you need from your loving Father in heaven, you are given in the Eucharist: forgiveness of sin, strengthening of faith, the grace to work reconciliation with another person, the healing of your body or mind or spirit, or some other benefit from God who seeks to give all good things to his children.

A lesser known sacrament, but one especially related to healing the sick is that of unction. You can find the liturgy for unction in the Prayer Book under the heading Ministration to the Sick. That liturgy includes the confession of sins because sin can be an impediment to healing, and then the laying on of hands and the anointing of the sick person with holy oil. The words spoken by the person who anoints may be very few such as those stated in the Prayer Book, “I anoint you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” It is our faith in God’s love, our faith in the effectiveness of confession, our faith in the sacraments, and God’s faithfulness, not the wordiness of our prayer, that matter. 

We are sacramental people. Come in faith and receive the sacraments as means of healing. They are God’s gifts to the church for the regular and frequent use by God’s children.

Grace and peace,

Fr Bill+ 

Reconciliation

“The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.”

Our Prayer Book catechism answers the question “What is the mission of the Church” with the bold reply “The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” That mission of the Church is lived out in many ways in our parish including worship, Christian formation experiences, our community life, and outreach, among others. In worship, we recall who we are as the people of God, we confess where we have fallen short in our relationship with God and others, as a sign of being reconciled we pass the peace, and then as reconciled people we gather as one around the Lord’s table. In our Christian formation experience, we learn more about and draw closer to God. Our life together in community is a way of expressing and growing our unity. Our outreach to others is a way of showing our gratitude for our being reconciled and to offer that same grace of reconciliation to others.

While this is the ongoing mission of the Church, the season of Lent has traditionally been a time where reconciliation is given special emphasis. It is a season of the Church year that begins on Ash Wednesday with a reading from the Gospel according to Matthew. We hear Jesus speaking about the pious practices of almsgiving, prayer and fasting that the reading suggests he assumes people are doing. Done in the proper spirit, these practices are seen by our Father in heaven and result in a store of heavenly treasure, the greatest being eternal relationship with God. Jesus recognized in his day that so much of what people should have been doing to seek unity with God was instead directed to gain the praise of others and the treasures in this world. The reading directs us examine our lives - our almsgiving, our prayer life, all the various things which we have come to enjoy too much and from which we might need to fast - to make amendment of life where necessary, and in some cases to seek reconciliation with God through the Rite of Reconciliation beginning on page 447 in the Prayer Book.

The Episcopal view on private confession with a priest is that “all may, some should, none must.” This is something I will be doing for myself and I invite all who feel called to make their confession to take advantage of that Rite this Lent. I have scheduled Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week, 10:00 am-Noon to hear private confessions. If you have not made your confession before, I am happy to talk with you about your preparation.

In Christ’s service,

Fr Bill+