Sermon: Arise, Shine

Is it, “Jesus is coming, duck and cover,” or “here comes Jesus, alleluia, stand up and shout?”

1 Advent, November 29, 2009

Jeremiah 33:14-16, Psalm 25:1-9, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36
As we commence the season of Advent, we pray for grace to put on the armor of light. This is the season in which we mortals anticipate the last day, the end of life as we know it. What are we to make of these images? Armor is used as protection in battle. With whom are we in conflict? What is the nature of this light we are to wear as a shimmering coat of maille? Let us take the questions to the scriptures appointed.

Jeremiah recommends expectant preparation to Israel, anticipating the end of dispersion and exile. He foretells a coming age, when God’s promise to Judah and Jerusalem is fulfilled by a succession of upright rulers. The continuity of the social order will issue in a reign of peace and prosperity. When this new creation comes to pass, Jerusalem will be given a new name, called The Lord is Our Righteousness. This can mean, simultaneously and variously, the Lord has done right by us, it is God who has put us right, and we honor and obey God in upright living. A new and right relationship pertains, among God, the people, and their leadership, with the consequence that life tend towards its right unfolding. Mortal life is back on track and headed in the right direction, godward.

Sermon: The Bread of Fidelity

If we take Genesis seriously, we remember that God had a relationship with the flora and fauna before we were created. They have seniority in creation.

Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2009

Joel 2:21-27, Psalm 126, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Matthew 6:25-33
Reading ecology has changed my ways of seeing and hearing. I love the lessons for Thanksgiving. This year, we’re using a refined lectionary, and I’m hearing different dimensions of meaning. Of course, it’s always about what we call redemption, the restoration of creation and its community. Scripture tells us that is God’s hope for the world in Jesus.

At this time of year, harvest time, as we celebrate the plenitude of our lives, we are asked to take stock of our resources. What have we sown? What are we putting up into storerooms? What are we plowing under? Who’s invited? What’s served?

At This Church, Parishioners Wear Collars, Too

When a Los Angeles pastor decided his church needed a boost in membership, he did a little soul-searching and decided man’s best friend should be part of the fold. Read/listen to this NPR story!

Women’s Fall Retreat

An ancient African tale holds that before each child is born they are given their own special song. After the child’s birth, the community of family and village teach them their song. In times of crisis or distress in the life of a person, others sing that song to them to help them remember who they are.

We are God’s children and God sings our song to bring us back to who we are in times of uncertainty or confusion. Our song is heard in the events of everyday life, if we listen to our life with the awareness of how God communicates with us. Discernment in the experience of both natural and preternatural events can be learned. This retreat combined ancient spiritual practice, small groups, large groups, time for art/or journaling and laughter.

We met at the Presentation Center, Los Gatos: a lovely peaceful venue that used to be home to a community of nuns, the Sisters of the Presentation. While the program ran from late Friday afternoon to the end of Saturday afternoon, with accommodation and meals, a few women returned home for the Friday night. View slideshow.

Breaking Bread at Bede’s Dinner & Lecture Series

“Great Expectations:

The Washington Consensus, the Stock Market, and the Promise of Prosperity in the Developing World”

— Peter Blair Henry —

Stanford University Konosuke Matsushita
Professor of International Economics

Thursday, November 19th, 6:30pm in the Great Hall

Suggested Donation is $12.00 RSVP jwhall@stbedesmenlopark.org

Sermon: Twas Blind But Now

21 Pentecost, Proper 25, October 25, 2009

Let’s begin by looking at the premise of the collect for today. Then we’ll use it as a lens, to view the lessons. In it, the church prays for the action of grace to increase within and among us. We ask for spiritual growth, in the exercise of faith, hope, and love. Translate faith as trust. It’s not so much about tenets of belief as about the willingness to risk godly living. And translate charity as altruistic love, born of compassion. To make the translations helps us to understand what we are requesting.

Although these godly virtues are gifts, we are asking for their increase, not for their own merit, but as means to an end. We request their growth in us, so that we may obtain what God promises. The implication is that, somehow, their exercise effectively contributes to their fulfillment. As we grow in these graces, they assist our godly aim. It means that trust, hope, and love, besides being spiritual graces, are also spiritual powers.

Will Dickens In Memoriam

All Saints Day, 2009

Homily by The Rector

Life is an awesome gift, with its inherent and inescapable freedom and responsibility. No one can relieve us of the privilege and gravity of our lives. We can love each other, care for each other, offer guidance and support to each other. But each of us must make something of our lives, and we remain answerable for our choices. Life is an awesome gift.

Will Dickens’ departure from us is a grievous loss. We are still shocked and stunned. We had no indication that he was in distress. As often as the questions return, we will never know what he was feeling or exactly what happened. Neither will we know if there might have been anything any of us might have done differently that might have changed the outcome. We must let the questions go as readily as they come.

What we do know and can say is that Will was a joy and delight to us. His life, besides being a gift to him, was also a gift to us. While we wish we could have had him with us longer, we are grateful for the time he was with us. We thank heaven for his indelible selfhood, for his boisterous company, for his signature grin.

Life is not easy, nor is it altogether benign. Terrible things happen. Sorrow abounds. Despair is a ready resort. Evil is real. We bear the collective load of human error all the time. It can get us down.

Documentary Film

Nuclear Tipping Point

followed by discussion with

The Honorable George Shultz

Thursday, November 5th, 4-6pm at St. Bede’s

Nuclear Tipping Point was produced by the Nuclear Security Project to raise awareness about nuclear threats and to help build support for the urgent actions needed to reduce nuclear dangers.
The 50-minute documentary film features former Secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of Defense Bill Perry and former Senator Sam Nunn as they share the personal experiences that led them to write two Wall Street Journal op-eds in support of a world free of nuclear weapons and the steps needed to get there. Their efforts have reframed the global debate on nuclear issues and, according to the New York Times, have “sent waves through the global policy establishment.”
The film is introduced by General Colin Powell, narrated by actor Michael Douglas and includes interviews with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
For more information about the Nuclear Security Project, please visit
Nuclear_Security_Project_Home.htm

Arts at St. Bede’s presents

Requiem Mass in the Octave of All Souls

Choirs of St. Bede’s & Christ Church, Portola Valley

Presented at Christ Church, Portola Valley

Directed by Jane McDougle and Matthew Burt

Friday, November 6th,  7:30pm

John Rutter’s, Requiem (1985) is a beautiful, contemporary setting of the ancient texts for choir, soloists, and a small band of instruments. All are welcome at this lovely service, and will be invited to submit names of those to be remembered. Free will offering.

Choral Evensong for the First Sunday of Advent
St. Bede’s Choir with Jane McDougle and Rani Fischer
Sunday, November 29th, 5pm

Marking the turn of the church’s year into the rich and complex season of Advent is a wonderful opportunity for celebration in words and music. Focussing our attention on the witness of the prophets to the forthcoming birth of the Messiah, our Evensong will include things both ancient and modern. Christmas is coming: join with us in remembering the journey of the light from the darkness. The music will be from the Renaissance, with the choir’s Introit will be “Rorate coeli” by Jacobus Handl, the Magnificat and the Nunc Dimittis from Orlando Gibbons’ Short Service, and the anthem will be “Veni Domine” by Spanish composer Juan Esquivel.
Free will offering

Post your own video question to John Mather: 2006 Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics.

“If You Wish to Make an Apple Pie From Scratch…”

“…You must first invent the universe.”

Here’s Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking, prophets of our own time, in song.

Sermon: Your Money Or Your Life!

Do you remember the old westerns on TV, when the highwayman would ride out of the brush to waylay the stagecoach? He’d point his six shooter at the driver and threaten, “Your money or your life!” He probably wanted only the money. What he really meant was, “if you don’t give me the money, I may have to shoot you to get it.” In a way, Jesus is answering the young man who waylays him with the same question, although meant differently. He’s posing real options. “In a forced choice, which is more important to you, your wealth or your life?” We’ll come back to that question.

Amen, Bow-wow

Still thinking of St. Francis Day and our Blessing of the Animals, Gracie Stewart–St. Bede’s Sunday School teacher and mother of four kids and one dog–just sent along this link to a video, entitled “God and Dog.”

It’s sweet, some might say syrupy. And the part of me that was raised on David Letterman and came of age with The Simpsons has difficulty surrendering to its sincerity. But that’s my problem. In fact, I think it’s good for me–almost a kind of spiritual discipline–for me to set aside my over-developed sense of irony and embrace this video for what it is. So here you go. Who knew something like this could inspire such soul-searching?

Annual Fall Women’s Retreat

Presentation Center, Los Gatos, November 13 -14, 2009, facilitated by the Rev. Eileen Lindeman.

An ancient African tale holds that before each child is born, he or she is given his or her own special song.  After the child’s birth, the community of family and village teach them their song. In times of crisis or distress in the life of a person, others sing that song to them to help them remember who they are.

We are God’s children and God sings our song to bring us back to who we are in times of uncertainty or confusion.  Our song is heard in the events of everyday life, if we listen to our life with the awareness of how God communicates with us. Discernment in the experience of both natural and preternatural events can be learned.

This retreat will combine ancient spiritual practice, small and large groups, time for art/journaling and laughter. Join us!

We will meet at the Presentation Center, Los Gatos: a lovely peaceful venue that used to be home to a community of nuns, the Sisters of the Presentation.  While the program will from from late Friday afternoon to the end of Sunday afternoon, with accommodation and meals, it will also be possible to return home for the Friday night.

Tell us you’re planning to come! To reserve your space, payment needs to be in by October 15.

Costs are: $65 (no accomodation), $120 (shared accomodation), and $140 (single accomodation – limited availability).

The Rev. Eileen Lindeman is an experienced spiritual director, chaplain, and parish priest. She has a Masters in Christian Spirituality and an active spiritual direction practice. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, the Rev. Lindeman was Associate Rector of Christ Church, Coronado for ten years. She was named Chaplain of the Year for Episcopal Community Services-San Diego (1997) and Chaplain of the Year for Sharp Hospital System San Diego (1998). Eileen was ECW Chaplain for seven years, chaplain of the Companions of the Holy Cross and a teacher and chaplain for the Bishop’s School, La Jolla.

Eileen has an extensive background in human services and was the coordinator of placements in field education for Yale Divinity School. In 1994 she was honored by Nebraska Governor Ben Nelson for her work as an advocate for children with developmental disabilities. She is the author of the book Respite Care, published by the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Eileen is married to the Rev. Mitch Lindeman, rector of Christ Church Portola Valley. The Lindemans have three children, one dog and four parrots.

This is Your Brain… On God

For some time, neuroscientists have been interested in the effect of regular religious practice on the brain, and we’ve discussed some of this research at St. Bede’s in the past. But now a new study is making some rather specific claims. An article in Wired magazine explains:

In a study published Monday in Public Library of Science ONE, Grafman’s team used an MRI to measure the brains areas in 40 people of varying degrees of religious belief.

People who reported an intimate experience of God, engaged in religious behavior or feared God, tended to have larger-than-average brain regions devoted to empathy, symbolic communication and emotional regulation. The research wasn’t trying to measure some kind of small “God-spot,” but looked instead at broader patterns within the brains of self-reported religious people.

“Empathy, symbolic communication and emotional regulation…” That about sums it up. The scientists who conducted the study go on to hypothesize that religious practice may have played an important role in our evolution into such highly socialized creatures.

Blog… Blog like the wind!

If you scroll down you’ll see that we’re trying to blog more starting today. So check out today’s posts below and check back daily for more posts on religious topics and on upcoming happenings at St. Bede’s.

And don’t forget to post a comment when the Spirit so moves you!

Playing God with the Word of God

This is hard to believe, but it’s true. Something called the “Conservative Bible Project” has been created with the expressed interest in producing a translation of the Bible that “satisfies the following guidelines”:

Framework against Liberal Bias: providing a strong framework that enables a thought-for-thought translation without corruption by liberal bias.

Not Emasculated: avoiding unisex, “gender inclusive” language, and other modern emasculation of Christianity…

Utilize Powerful Conservative Terms: using powerful new conservative terms as they develop; defective translations use the word “comrade” three times as often as “volunteer”; similarly, updating words which have a change in meaning, such as “word”, “peace”, and “miracle.”

Accept the Logic of Hell: applying logic with its full force and effect, as in not denying or downplaying the very real existence of Hell or the Devil.

Express Free Market Parables; explaining the numerous economic parables with their full free-market meaning.

Exclude Later-Inserted Liberal Passages: excluding the later-inserted liberal passages that are not authentic, such as the adulteress story…

Prefer Conciseness over Liberal Wordiness: preferring conciseness to the liberal style of high word-to-substance ratio; avoid compound negatives and unnecessary ambiguities.

Breathtaking, is it not? This reminds me of the Episcopalian ethicist William Stringfellow and his reflections on how no one seems capable of truly listening anymore–either to their neighbor or to the word of God.

Listening is a rare happening among human beings. You cannot listen to the word another is speaking if you are preoccupied with your appearance, or with impressing the other, or are trying to decide what you are going to say when the other stops talking, or are debating about whether what is being said is true or relevant or agreeable. Such matters have their place, but only after listening to the word as the word is being uttered. Listening is a primitive act of love in which a person gives himself to another’s word, making himself accessible and vulnerable to that word.

For the Love of Animals

On Sunday, the same day we at St. Bede’s celebrated St. Francis of Assisi and blessed animals out in our court-yard, Andrew Sullivan wrote a funny and touching reflection about his pet beagle, Dusty. Click here for the complete post. Here’s a taste:

…Then there was the time when two friends came to visit… They came by first and dropped their bag off and we went out to dinner. No one told me that in the bag were two large boxes of Godiva chocolates. They left the bag on the floor.

I came back early (can’t remember why now). When I walked in the entire loft was an explosion of wrappers, ribbons, little bits of silver foil, ripped shards of boxes, in every corner of the room. In the middle of it, lay Dusty, bloated to almost twice her size, with a grin of ecstatic pleasure and satisfaction and chocolate smeared all over her face… I rushed her outside and waited for the puke. No luck. I took her in to phone the animal hospital. And then it started.

It was a beagle Linda Blair – with viscous chocolate liquid projectile vomiting everywhere in sight. I went to grab her to get her outside. She decided this was a game. So yours truly spent the next ten minutes chasing a projectile chocolate vomiting beagle around my loft until every single item of furniture, every rug, and the bed was covered in what felt and looked like chocolate mucus. My low point was actually slipping in some and careening headfirst into a pile of still-warm, and very slippery chocolate goo. That’s when my guests returned, to find their secret busted. But all they could do was laugh at me until they near-collapsed.

Sermon: Youth Group Preaches on St. Francis Day

Are animals as important to God as human beings? St. Francis seemed to think so. He seemed to think that every piece of God’s creation was important and should be treated as sacred, beloved of God.

Francis treated sick and homeless people as his equals. There is a story of Francis giving away his coat to a very sick man on the side of a road and then giving the man a hug.

Francis treated animals as though they were his equals. There is a story of a mule, seeking shelter from the cold, wandering into the old house where Francis and the first Franciscan brothers were staying. Rather than kick out the mule, Francis told the brothers it was time for them to leave and find a new home, that their house now belonged to that mule.

A couple of Fridays ago, our Youth Group got together here to play games and eat pizza. In preparation for this service, we also took some time to reflect on the question of whether animals are as important to God as human beings, asking ourselves: Is an animal’s life as important as the life of a human being?

What do you think?

It’s a hard question. And as you can probably imagine, one in which not everyone can agree. The Youth Group kids do not all agree, as you’ll see.

Sermon: Becoming a Warrior for Peace

What is it about boys and guns?

It is a good question and very hard to answer. And of course we could broaden the question to ask: “What is it about boys and swords and rockets and missiles and bombs and fists and teeth?” And we could broaden it further to ask: “What is it about people—boys and girls and men and women—and the warrior impulse, the feeling that the use of force can be and often is heroic and good?

Here’s the way I’ve often answered that question: I cannot fully explain why little boys are enthralled by guns and other warrior implements. But many boys just are enthralled by guns and many girls are as well. Indeed I would argue that most people possess a love of war somewhere inside.

I grew up in the hippy-dippy Jimmy Carter seventies and my mom tried to keep all manner of toy guns and swords and soldiers and so forth away from me and my brother. But it was no use—since we could turn virtually anything, including, of course, our fingers, into imaginary guns.

One friend of mine, similarly deprived by his peace-loving parents of toy guns, used to use his cat as an imaginary sawed-off shotgun. And he would pick up the back-legs of his tall, skinny, weimaraner-like dog and imagine the dog was a Gatling gun.

As I got older, I grew to love playing tackle football. My mother officially forbade me from playing—in particular, she never allowed me to join an organized tackle football team where I might wear padding and a helmet. But I played tackle football every chance I got anyway, with friends, wherever we might find a bit of grass, and without helmets and without pads.

One of the greatest thrills of my adolescence was the feeling I got from tackling a good friend during a good game of tackle football—timing it just right and feeling his body crumple under my body.

As the psychologist Carl Jung argued, there is a warrior in all of us…

[Click below for the complete sermon.]