Liturgy Pacific

Interfaith Panel on Israel

2012-02-26T09:38:00.000-08:00

Being in the Same Boat: Noah and the Christian People

2012-02-25T20:00:00.003-08:00

RCL Lent 1B

26 February 2012

Saint Faith’s Anglican Church

Vancouver BC

Focus text: Genesis 9.8-17 and the Baptismal Covenant

Some of you mayknow and others of you may not know that I have served as the co-chair of theVancouver Jewish-Christian Dialogue for almost ten years. Our Dialogue had its beginnings when theprovincial government announced its intention to hold a referendum on therights of aboriginal peoples in the province as these rights affected possiblesettlement of land claims.

The Jewishcommunity immediately recognized the danger of referenda on the rights ofminorities. Over the centuries Jews haveexperienced the potential negative outcomes of such political actions and theJewish community in Vancouver was not about to stand on the sidelines in thisinitiative of the provincial government. I was among the Christian clergy invited to attend an initial meetingand, as the story goes, I have been involved ever since.

Early on in ourDialogue we determined that we needed not only to look at social and politicalissues that affected our communities but that theological and spiritualquestions were also ones that we needed to discuss. It was in the course of preparing for onesuch session that I came across the Jewish teaching about the so-calledcovenant of Noah.

At the heart ofJewish theology is the concept of covenant. A covenant is a solemn agreement where two parties bind themselvestogether in an indissoluble relationship. If one party fails to live up to the terms of the agreement, then thereare consequences to be sure, but the covenant remains. After a period of time and a process ofreconciliation the covenant is renewed and the parties continue in theirrelationship.

In the firstfive books of the Hebrew Bible, sometimes called the Five Books of Moses or, inHebrew, the Torah, there are at least three covenants. The one that most of us are familiar with isthe covenant that God makes with the Hebrew people at Mount Sinai occasionallycalled the covenant of Moses. This is avery specific covenant with a small community of people. To this day this covenant shapes the lives ofour Jewish sisters and brothers, our neighbours and our companions in followingthe Holy One of Israel.

But before thecovenant with Moses God makes two other covenants. An older covenant than the covenant withMoses is God’s covenant with Abraham and Abraham’s descendants. From time to time our lectionary brings usstories of Abraham and Sarah as well as stories about their descendants, Isaacand Jacob. This covenant plays a majorrole in the spiritual theology of Jews, Christians and Muslims. It is a broader covenant than the covenantwith Moses, touching both the physical and spiritual descendants of this MiddleEastern patriarch.

Even older thanthe covenant with Abraham, however, is the covenant we hear God making withNoah today. This is not a covenantbetween God and the myriad descendants of a patriarch nor is it a covenantbetween God and one tribe descended from that patriarch. The covenant with Noah is a covenant madewith all living things: “Then God saidto Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me I am establishing my covenant withyou and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is withyou, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you,as many as came out of the ark.’” (Genesis 9.8-10)

This is theoriginal covenant made between God and all living creatures, a covenant thathas particular meaning in the Jewish theological tradition. Later generations of Jewish thinkers willponder this covenant with Noah and discern that there are seven laws in thiscovenant. Human beings are forbidden (i)to commit idolatry, (ii) to commit murder, (iii) to steal, (iv) to commitsexual immorality, (v) to blaspheme and (vi) to eat the flesh of living animalsand are required (vii) to establish courts of law. Any non-Jew who follows these laws will havea place in the world to come and be considered as righteous as any Jew who followsall the commandments of the law of Moses.

In some waysthis covenant with Noah is a precursor of the covenant you and I made at ourbaptism. Just as the covenant with Noahreaches out to all living creatures, so does the baptismal covenant reach outto include every human being who wishes to experience the embrace of God’sfaithful and steadfast love.

But ourbaptismal covenant also mirrors the covenant of Moses. Just as the covenant with Moses created apeople who were called to witness to the God of Noah, the God of Abraham and theGod of Moses, so too does the baptismal covenant create a people who are calledto witness to the God of Jesus of Nazareth whose life and teaching summonsevery human being into relationship with the God whom Jesus called ‘Abba’.

Lent is aseason during which all Christians are called to examine their lives and tore-commit themselves to the covenant that God made with each one of us at ourbaptism. Whether we were baptized as aninfant or a young child or as an adult, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit inbaptism and marked as Christ’s own for ever. If we were to return to our baptismal covenant after years of neglect,we would not be re-baptized. We would bere-integrated into the community of faith and given the opportunity torediscover our fundamental identity as the people of Christ and witnesses tothe resurrection.

In our currentAnglican baptismal practice we make use of a liturgical text first prepared forthe American Episcopal church in the 1970’s. Every time we baptize or celebrate a baptismal occasion in the Christianyear we renew our covenant. But thechief renewal of that covenant occurs at Easter when we celebrate the new lifemade known to us in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. That covenant has two parts: (i) a confession of faith in God using thefamiliar words of the Apostles’ Creed and (ii) five commitments that arise fromour confession of faith. It is about thefirst part, the confession of faith, that I want to offer some reflections aswe begin our Lenten journey.

To confess thatwe believe in God the Father is to confess our belief in a God who has apurpose for creation. It is not alwayseasy to believe this in a world such as ours where governments kill their owncitizens, where people die of preventable diseases and where the rich seem togrow richer and the poor poorer. But wedare to claim that God does have a purpose for this world and that creation wasnot an accident or the random result of unknown physical forces. This world and all the worlds, known andunknown, came into being because God loves. We may not be certain what that purpose is, but we can be certain thatGod knows and that this purpose will come in the fullness of time.

To confess thatwe believe in God the Son is to confess our belief in a God who gives us apattern for genuine maturity and humanity. In a society such as ours where advertising and the mass media offer usfalse patterns of genuine humanity, where young people are led to believe thatconformity to some one else’s idea of perfection is desirable and where thequiet courage of thousands of people throughout the world who work daily forjustice and peace is overshadowed by movie stars and so-called ‘reality show’participants, to believe in Jesus Christ as the model for what it means to be ahuman being has a hard time selling itself. But we dare to believe that true maturity and true humanity, when itshows itself, has the face of Christ.

To confess thatwe believe in God the Holy Spirit is to confess our belief in a God whocontinues to work to achieve God’s purposes for us and for all ofcreation. This is not always easy tobelieve when we face the challenges of our daily lives, especially when weexperience unexplained and unpredictable brokenness, tragedy and loss. But then a moment comes and a light shinesinto our darkness pointing us in an unexpected direction and we realize thatthe brokenness, the tragedy and the loss were not signs of God’s absence. Light shines in the darkness and the darknesscannot overcome it.

Today we gatherfor the first Sunday eucharist in Lent. We also gather after the service for our annual meeting to transact thebusiness of this community. While it istempting to see the eucharist and the annual vestry as separate and, perhaps, unrelatedevents, I hope that we will see them both as moments to renew our belief in theGod who created all things for a purpose, who provides us with a living modelfor whom we are called to become and who continues to work in us and for us inbringing all creation to its perfection. As people of the covenant made in baptism and in the life, death andresurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, I hope we will join Noah and Abraham andMoses and all their descendants in a life empowered by our hope that all God’schildren shall be free and the whole earth will live to praise God’s name. Amen.

Liturgical Ordo for Transfiguration Sunday

2012-02-14T15:27:00.001-08:00

Lastsunday after epiphany:

transfigurationsunday

19February 2012

The Gathering of the Community

ProcessionalHymn

‘Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness’ CommonPraise #397

IntroductoryResponses

Christ is the image of the invisible God,

the first-born of creation.

In him all thingsin heaven and on earth were created,

things visible andinvisible.

Christ is the head of the body, the church;

he is thebeginning, the first-born from the dead.

In Christ the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through Christwe are reconciled to God.

Hymnof Praise

Gloria in excelsis by Rupert Laing

Collect

Let us pray.

Holy God, mighty and immortal,

you are beyond ourknowing,

yet we see yourglory in the face of Jesus Christ,

whose compassion illuminesthe world.

Transform us intothe likeness of the love of Christ,

who renewed ourhumanity so that we may share in his divinity,

the same JesusChrist, our Lord,

who lives andreigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Word

FirstReading

2 Kings 2.1-12

ThePsalm

Psalm 50.1-6 in Songsfor the Holy One

SecondReading

2 Corinthians 4.3-6

TheGradual Hymn

‘We Have This Ministry’ Songs for a Gospel People #76

TheGospel

Mark 9.2-9

TheSermon

Bishop Michael Ingham

AnAffirmation of Faith

Do you believe and trust in God, the Holy One of Israel,

source of all being and life,

the one for whom and in whom we exist?

We believe andtrust in the Holy One of Israel.

Do you believe and trust in God, the Word incarnate,

who took our human nature,

died for us and rose again?

We believe andtrust in the Word incarnate.

Do you believe and trust in God, the Power of the MostHigh,

who gives life to the people of God

and makes Christ known in the world?

We believe andtrust in the Power of the Most High.

This is the faith of the church.

This is our faith.

We believe andtrust in one God,

Father, Son andHoly Spirit. Amen.

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions,Petitions and Thanksgivings

Confessionand Absolution

Let us remember before God our selfish ways,

the things we have done wrong,

the sorrows we have caused,

the love we have not shown.

Silence forreflection is kept.

Most merciful God,

forgive us our sinsagainst you

and against eachother.

Strengthen us toovercome our weaknesses,

that we may live inlove

as you would haveus live,

for the sake ofJesus Christ our Saviour

and in the bonds ofthe Holy Spirit. Amen.

May the God of love and power

forgive you and free you from your sins,

heal and strengthen you by the Spirit,

and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.

TheExchange of the Peace

May the peace of Christ be always with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Communion

TheOffertory Hymn

‘We Praise You, O God’ Common Praise #342

Prayerover the Gifts

God of Moses and Elijah,

receive all weoffer you this day

and reveal theglory and presence of your Spirit

alive in the worldtoday,

freeing us from alldoubts

and empowering usto be a transfigured people.

We ask this in thename of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thanksgivingat the Table

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to theLord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to giveour thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, gracious god,

creator of heaven and earth,

because in the mystery of the Word made flesh

you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts,

to give knowledge of salvation

in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now with angels and archangels

and the whole company of heaven,

we lift our voices

to proclaim the glory of your name.

Holy, holy, holyLord,

God of power andmight,

heaven and earth arefull of your glory.

Hosanna in thehighest.

Blessed is he whocomes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in thehighest.

Holy One, the beginning and the end, the giver of life:

Blessed are you for the birth of creation.

Blessed are you in the darkness and in the light.

Blessed are you for your promise to your people.

Blessed are you for the prophets’ hopes and dreams.

Blessed are you for Mary’s openness to your will.

Blessed are you for your Son, Jesus, the Word made flesh.

In the night in which he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;

broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take and eat; this is my body given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

and gave it for all to drink, saying:

This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness ofsin.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

[Therefore let] us proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will comeagain.

With this bread and cup we remember

your Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.

We remember our new birth in his death and resurrection.

We look with hope for his coming.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Holy God, we long for your Spirit.

Come among us. Blessthis meal.

May your Word take flesh in us.

Awaken your people. Fill us with your light.

Bring the gift of peace on earth.

Come, Holy Spirit.

All praise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel,

Word of God incarnate, Power of the Most High,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

TheLord’s Prayer (sung to BAS 918)

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,

Our Father inheaven,

hallowed be yourname,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as inheaven.

Give us today ourdaily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive thosewho sin against us.

Save us from thetime of trial,

and deliver us fromevil.

For the kingdom,the power,

and the glory areyours,

now and forever. Amen.

TheBreaking of the Bread

We break the bread of life,

and that life is the light of the world

God here among us,

light in the midstof us,

bring us to lightand life.

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

TheCommunion

CommunionHymn

‘You, Lord, Are Both Lamb and Shepherd’ CommonPraise #630

The Sending Forth of the Community

Prayerafter Communion

Holy God,

we see your gloryin the face of Jesus Christ.

May we who arepartakers of his table

reflect his life inword and deed,

that all the worldmay know

your power tochange and save.

We ask this in hisname. Amen.

Glory to God,

whose power,working in us,

can do infinitelymore

than we can ask orimagine.

Glory to God fromgeneration to generation,

in the Church andin Christ Jesus,

for ever andever. Amen.

Blessing

ClosingHymn

‘’Tis Good, Lord, to Be Here’ CommonPraise #167

Dismissal

Go forth to reveal Christ in the world.

Thanks be to God.

Notes

The Introductory Responses are based upon Colossians 1.15, 16,18, 19, 20.

The Collect is the Thematic Collect for the Last Sunday after Epiphanyin Revised Common Lectionary Prayers(2002), p. 72.

‘An Affirmation of Faith’ hasbeen adapted from ‘Authorized Affirmations of Faith 1’ in Common Worship (2000), p. 144.

The Confession is adapted from ‘Home Prayers’ in The Book of Alternative Services (1985),pp. 691-692, and the Absolution from CommonWorship (2000), p. 135.

The Prayer over the Gifts is adapted from the Intercessory Prayerfor the Last Sunday after Epiphany in RevisedCommon Lectionary Prayers (2002), p. 72.

The Thanksgiving at the Table is taken from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), p. 110 with the first Preface ofthe Incarnation from The Book ofAlternative Services (1985), p. 220.

Any liturgical elements not noted here are taken from ‘The HolyEucharist’ in The Book of AlternativeServices, p. 185 ff.

Blessed Are the Lowly and Faithful

2012-02-11T22:59:00.000-08:00

RCL Epiphany 6B

12 February 2012

Saint Faith’s Anglican Church

Vancouver BC

Focus text: 2 Kings5.1-14

OnThursday, the 1^st of December 1956, at 6.00 p.m. in the evening aforty-two-year-old woman who worked as a housekeeper and a seamstress boarded abus to go home. She took a seat mid-wayback and prepared for her trip home after a long day’s work.

At eachsubsequent stop the bus began to fill with more passengers. The bus driver finally stopped and rose fromhis seat. He approached the woman andthree other passengers and asked them to relinquish their seats and movefurther back into the bus. Although thethree other passengers complied, the housekeeper refused. She was arrested and charged with disorderlyconduct and violating a local ordinance. Within the week she was before a judge, convicted and fined $10 plus $4court costs, a considerable sum for a working person in the 1950’s whengasoline sold for about 20 cents a gallon.

The woman’sname was Rosa Parks and you may have already guessed that she was anAfrican-American woman living in the segregated South of the 1950’s and1960’s. Her refusal to move to the backof the bus was the catalyst for the civil rights movement in the United States. Within ten years the laws that kept African-Americansas second-class citizens for almost a century following the Civil War would beruled unconstitutional and new laws would guarantee the rights of every citizenof the United States regardless of their race.

AlthoughRosa Parks was not poor, she did represent the second tier in American society,both north and south. The citizens ofMontgomery, Alabama were not the only ones who considered her and any person ofcolour as social inferiors. Her decisionnot to relinquish her seat, however, was not part of some grant proteststrategy. Some years later she wouldtell her biographer:

People always say that I didn’tgive up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically, or no more tiredthan I usually was at the end of a working day. . . . No, the only tired I was,was tired of giving in. [Rosa Parks& James Haskins, Rosa Parks: My Story (1992), 116]

My ownfamily story is entwined with Rosa Parks’. My family, a northern family, owned slaves until 1800 or so. Mortimer Leggett, a kinsman of mine, was aUnion general who served with Sherman on his march through Georgia to thesea. My high school was the object ofcourt-ordered bussing during my Grade 12 year and the halls began to fill withAfrican-American and Hispanic-American students in 1970. I can honestly say that my life changed in1970 because of Mrs. Parks’ action fifteen years earlier when I was two and ahalf years old.

Threethousand years before Mrs. Parks’ experience on a bus in Montgomery a Syrian generalfell victim to a skin disease which had the potential to make him a socialpariah and to force him out of his privileged position. His eventual salvation came, not from therich and powerful of his time, but from his social inferiors and foreigners.

It was a young Hebrew slave who told her mistress aboutIsrael’s holy man, Elisha, whose healing gifts were known.
It was a Syrian wife who dared to challenge social mores totell her powerful husband that his healing might be in the hands of a foreign holyman.
It was an Israelite prophet who dared to chastise his ownmonarch for not trusting in God and ordered the monarch to send Naaman on tohim.
It was unnamed servants who convinced their haughty masterthat obedience to the simple directives of the Israelite holy man mightactually be in their master’s best interests.

Naaman’s story, you see, is not about the high and might; itis a story of the lowly and faithful who prove to be God’s agents.

It is alsoa story rooted in the ordinary rather than in the extraordinary. There are no divine fireworks in this story,no dramatic interventions from on high nor booming disembodied voices. All Elisha says is, “Go bathe in the river. It’s down the hill on your left. Mind the sheep.” God’s healing touch comes in the form of thewater of the Jordan, a small river, usually no more than waist-deep.

If thereare two things that I have learned in my life as a Christian, they arethese: (i) God tends to use unexpectedagents to achieve God’s purposes and (ii) God accomplished extraordinary thingsin the midst of ordinary life. No Syrianwould have ever predicted that their powerful hero, Naaman, would follow theadvice of a Hebrew slave, consult an Israelite holy man, bathe in the punyJordan and leave its waters healed. NoAmerican could have predicted that Rosa Park’s refusal to move to the back ofthe bus would set in motion events that would one day culminate in the electionof Barack Obama as President of the United States.

Whether werealize it or not, you and I are viewed by some to be among the powerful in oursociety. While we have our challenges,we have homes, are well-fed and clothed and are able to enjoy the freedoms andprivileges of life in Canada. Ourreligious tradition has played a significant role in shaping Canadian society,but this significant role has waned in recent decades.

But allaround us our voices calling from unexpected places and inviting us to exploreunfamiliar corners of our community.

In recent years we have seen an increasing number people whodo not enjoy what we enjoy. As they comethrough our doors during the week, their stories combine to raise questionsabout how we might better serve their needs and contribute to shaping solutionsto long-standing social problems.
The faces of our neighbourhood have changed and arechanging. We can either ignore them oridentify how we might more effectively share the good news of God in Christwith them.
In the past Anglican parishes in urban areas could conductthemselves as if they were independent franchises of a national firm. Our future, however, will most likely befound in rediscovering what Paul knew when he wrote to the Corinthians: “If one member suffers, all suffer togetherwith it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.” (1 Corinthians 12.26) As we listen to our Anglican neighbours, wemay hear ways to work together to show God’s love in the here and now.

I am alsosure that what we will hear will be a call to live out our faith in the eventsand places of our ordinary lives. It isin how we live our lives there that God will achieve extraordinary things.

Our quiet words of encouragement and comfort to a friend ora neighbour or a co-worker may well be the window through which God’s love willshine upon them and transform their lives.
Our stewardship of the assets entrusted to us may be thefoundation upon which new initiatives in ministry will be built here at SaintFaith’s.
The hospitality we offer to various neighbourhood groups mayfix us more firmly as a place of hope, welcome and wholeness for all.

A thousandyears after Naaman and some two thousand years before Rosa Parks, a young womanof no social status or political importance had a vision while awaiting hermarriage. God, the creator of all thatis, seen and unseen, could not achieve the divine purposes without thisordinary girl’s ‘yes’. Mary’s ‘yes’, the‘yes’ of a powerless, ordinary girl, is one of the reasons you and I are here. May her song become our song:

Our soul magnifies you, O Lord,

and our spirit rejoices in God our Saviour,

for you have looked with favour

on the lowliness of your servants.

Surely, from now on all generations will call us blessed;

for you, O Mighty One have done great things for us,

and holy in your name. Amen.

Light in Our Darkness

2012-02-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

Feast of the Presentation

5 February 2012

Saint Faith’s Anglican Church

Vancouver BC

Propers: Malachi 3.1-4; Psalm 84; Hebrews 2.11-14;Luke 2.22-40

Onthe 20^th of July 1969 the eyes of most of humanity were directedtowards the moon. Apollo 11 had dispatchedthe lunar excursion module to the surface of the moon and we all waited tolearn whether Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would be the first human beings toset foot on another celestial body. Manyof us will remember exactly where we were on that day or night. We may well remember Armstrong’s words whenhe stepped on the surface: “That’s onesmall step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Iwas sixteen that year and the landing occurred at around 8.00 p.m. MountainTime. I remember thinking that mygrandparents had all been born before the Wright brothers made their historicflight on the beach in North Carolina. In their lifetime humanity had moved from the age of steam into the ageof space as well as experienced the trauma of two world wars and theHolocaust. I do not remember whether Iever spoke of this to them.

NowI am fairly sure that most of us who remember the first landing on the moonprobably remember where we were on that day or night. I am absolutely sure that few if any of ushere today remember a perhaps more miraculous occurrence that happened the sameday that Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface.

Onthe 20^th of July 1969 Gaylord Perry, future Hall of Fame pitcher forthe San Francisco Giants, hit the first home run of his then ten-year-long career. Perry, like most baseball pitchers, was notknown for his hitting ability. In factAlvin Dark, Perry’s manager in 1963, said, ‘They’ll put a man on the moonbefore Gaylord will hit a home run.’ While there is some uncertainty as to the timing, whether the home runcame first or the lunar landing, the fact remains that the same day witnessedthese two events: a historic landingthat had been long planned and carefully executed, a home run that had neverbeen hoped-for but unexpected.

Haveyou ever waited and waited for something to happen? Have you ever hoped in the depths of yourheart that you would witness an event that you knew would change the world asyou know it? Have you ever begun to losethat hope when the years pass and nothing has happened? I have waited and hoped. I have also experienced the twilight of thosehopes and the creeping despair that replaces the expectation.

Thinkof the prophet whom we know as Malachi. He and the people of Judah had returned to the land of their ancestorsand begun to rebuild after the catastrophe of the Babylonian exile. True, they were vassals of the Persianempire, but they enjoyed a certain autonomy. The Temple had been rebuilt, but the hoped-for restoration of God’sreign of justice and peace had not occurred. Injustice and economic oppression were widespread. Many among the people had begun to wonder iftheir hopes were in vain and God’s promises were empty. To them Malachi directed words of assurance;the day will come, Malachi says, when God’s reign will come among us. Wait.

Sothe people did wait. They waited forcenturies. They endured dynastic warsand foreign invasions. They witnessedthe restoration of an independent Judean state under the Maccabees and livedthrough its decline and incorporation into the Roman empire. But still they waited. From time to time there would be glimpses ofGod’s reign, like the beacon of light that occurs at night when a windowcurtain is opened for a brief moment and light shines into the darkness. But then darkness is restored.

Amongthose who waited were Simeon and Anna. Given their ages as described in Luke, these two elders had livedthrough the collapse of the Maccabean state and the ascendancy of Rome. As they worshipped in the Temple, they needonly glance to the north to see the towers of the Antonia, the fortress fromwhich the Romans kept a weather eye on the Temple precincts and itsworshippers. As they went about theirdaily business, they surely ran into the soldiers of the Tenth Legion whoseregimental insignia was a boar, a wild pig, an affront to the sensibilities ofthe Jewish people. I am certain thatthere were moments when either or both of them prayed, “How long, O Lord, howlong before you restore the fortunes of Zion?”

Thenthat day came, a day that they hoped to see, but perhaps had begun to doubtwould ever occur. A young couple whoseclothes identified them as poor and from the Galilee came into the Templebearing an infant. And Simeon and Annaknew in an instant what they were seeing: the fulfillment of their hopes, the embodiment of God’s promises toIsrael. Their joy was tempered byreality; Simeon’s words remind us that God’s good news to all of humanity isalways bad news to those who seek power and personal gain. But it is good news.

So,a light has come to reveal God to the Gentiles and for the glory of God’speople, Israel. But it sometimes feelsas if that light is fleeting and the darkness has overcome it. The twenty-first century has dawned and, tobe frank, does not seem to be any more enlightened than the centuries that havecome before it. Technology advances, butthe poor do not. People overturndictatorships only to have new forms of oppression replace the old ones. Stewardship of God’s creation is lauded, butconsumerism abounds. In place ofreligious faith we see fundamentalisms of the left and the right. “How long, O Lord, how long before yourestore the fortunes of Zion?”

Iremember the bishop who ordained me, Bishop Bill Frey of Colorado, onceattended a meeting of the committee planning the diocesan renewalconference. The members of the planningcommittee were committed to allowing the Holy Spirit to guide them and Billdiscovered, to his dismay, that there were a number of important aspects of theconference that had not been planned. Bill asked about these details only to have the chair respond, “We’redepending upon the spontaneity of the Spirit.” “Well,” Bill responded, “it’s been my experience that the spontaneity ofthe Spirit requires considerable preparation.”

Wedo not know when our hopes will be realized and God’s promises revealed. Despite all contemporary efforts to foretellwhen things will happen, it is my observation that God is extraordinarilyspontaneous. What is necessary tomaintain hope and to live expectantly for the realization of God’s purpose isthe discipline of waiting, an act of preparation for what is to come.

Andhow shall we wait? Malachi, Simeon andAnna show us how to wait, even in the darkest times.

We wait by participating in thelife of the community of faith as it cares for one another, celebrates thesacraments and deepens its understanding of the mystery of God.
We wait by being people ofreconciliation who seek to break down the sin which burdens ourselves andothers.
We wait by sharing with others thegood news that God has given to each one of us.
We wait by seeking out those whoare in any need or trouble and by working to overcome those obstacles whichhinder the glorious liberty promised to every human being.
We wait by working for justice andpeace at home and abroad.

But we wait. From time to time, just like a hoped-for butunexpected home runs, God’s promises come to pass in our lives and in the livesof those whom we love and for whom we care. From time to time, just like the arrival of a hope-for but unexpectedchild, we realize that God is indeed at work in our world and the darkness isnot really darkness but fertile ground awaiting the sprouting of seeds longplanted. And then, we may join Malachi,Simeon and Anna in their prayer of thanksgiving:

"Master, now you are dismissing yourservant in peace,

according to your word;

for my eyes have seen yoursalvation,

which you have prepared in thepresence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to theGentiles

and for glory to your peopleIsrael." (Luke 2.29-32)

Amen.

An Ordo for the Feast of the Presentation

2012-02-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

presentationof Jesus in the Temple

5 february2012

The Gatheringof the Community

Processional Hymn

‘Joyto the World’ Common Praise #154

Introductory Responses

Blessedbe the Lord, the God of Israel.

May all the earth be filled with theglory of God.

Lighthas sprung up for the righteous,

and joyful gladness for those whoare true-hearted.

Gloryto God in the highest,

and peace to God’s people on earth.

Hymn of Praise

Gloria in excelsis by Rupert Laing

Collect

Letus pray.

Blessedare you, O Lord our God,

for you have sent us your salvation.

Inspire us by your Holy Spirit

to recognize him who is the glory ofIsrael

and the light for all nations,

your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

TheProclamation of the Word

First Reading

Malachi3.1-4

The Psalm

‘HolyLovely Is Thy Dwelling Place’ Common Praise 3498

Second Reading

Hebrews2.14-18

The Gradual Hymn

‘Lord,Let Your Servant Go in Peace’ Common Praise #266

The Gospel

Luke2.22-40

The Sermon

An Affirmation of Faith

Doyou believe and trust in God, the Holy One of Israel,

sourceof all being and life,

theone for whom and in whom we exist?

We believe and trust in the HolyOne.

Doyou believe and trust in God, the Word incarnate,

whotook our human nature,

diedfor us and rose again?

We believe and trust in the Word.

Doyou believe and trust in God, the Power of the Most High,

whogives life to the people of God

andmakes Christ known in the world?

We believe and trust in the Power ofthe Most High.

Thisis the faith of the church.

This is our faith.

We believe and trust in one God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Prayersof the Community

Intercessions,Petitions and Thanksgivings

Confession andAbsolution

Letus remember before God our selfish ways,

thethings we have done wrong,

thesorrows we have caused,

thelove we have not shown.

Silence for reflection is kept.

Mostmerciful God,

forgive us our sins against you

and against each other.

Strengthen us to overcome ourweaknesses,

that we may live in love

as you would have us live,

for the sake of Jesus Christ ourSaviour

and in the bonds of the HolySpirit. Amen.

Maythe God of love and power

forgiveyou and free you from your sins,

healand strengthen you by the Spirit,

andraise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Exchange of thePeace

Maythe peace of Christ be always with you.

And also with you.

The HolyCommunion

The Offertory Hymn

‘Praiseto the Lord, the Almighty’ Common Praise #384 vv. 1-3, 6

Prayer over the Gifts

Creatorof light,

accept the joyful offering of yourChurch,

and grant that your Word may shinein us

as the light that lightens everynation.

We ask this in the name of the sameJesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thanksgiving at theTable

TheLord be with you.

And also with you.

Liftup your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Letus give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks andpraise.

Blessedare you, gracious God,

creatorof heaven and earth,

becausein the mystery of the Word made flesh

youhave caused a new light to shine in our hearts,

togive knowledge of salvation

inthe face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Nowwith angels and archangels

andthe whole company of heaven,

welift our voices

toproclaim the glory of your name.

Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of yourglory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the nameof the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

HolyOne, the beginning and the end, the giver of life:

Blessedare you for the birth of creation.

Blessedare you in the darkness and in the light.

Blessedare you for your promise to your people.

Blessedare you for the prophets’ hopes and dreams.

Blessedare you for Mary’s openness to your will.

Blessedare you for your Son, Jesus, the Word made flesh.

Inthe night in which he was betrayed,

ourLord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;

brokeit, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Takeand eat; this is my body given for you.

Dothis for the remembrance of me.

Again,after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

andgave it for all to drink, saying:

Thiscup is the new covenant in my blood,

shedfor you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.

Dothis for the remembrance of me.

[Thereforelet] us proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

Withthis bread and cup we remember

yourWord dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.

Weremember our new birth in his death and resurrection.

Welook with hope for his coming.

Come, Lord Jesus.

HolyGod, we long for your Spirit.

Comeamong us. Bless this meal.

Mayyour Word take flesh in us.

Awakenyour people. Fill us with your light.

Bringthe gift of peace on earth.

Come, Holy Spirit.

Allpraise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel,

Wordof God incarnate, Power of the Most High,

oneGod, now and for ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer (sungto BAS 918)

Asour Saviour taught us, let us pray,

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin againstus.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever. Amen.

The Breaking of theBread

Webreak the bread of life,

andthat life is the light of the world

God here among us,

light in the midst of us,

bring us to light and life.

Thegifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

The Communion

Communion Hymn

‘Godof All Being, Throned Afar’ Common Praise #490 (sung to #96)

The SendingForth of the Community

Blessing of the Candles

Letus give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks andpraise.

Blessedare you, God of steadfast love,

Yousent your Word to be the dawn of redemption and

toscatter the darkness of sin and despair from our path.

Wejoin your servants Anna and Simeon

ingiving thanks for the freedom Christ brings.

Maywe who offer these candles

becomevessels of his light

sothat all the world may glory in the splendour of your peace.

Blessedare you, O God,

whogives us light in our darkness. Amen.

The candles are distributed to themembers of the congregation. Thesecandles may be taken home and lit during the evening meal.

Prayer after Communion

Godfor whom we wait,

you fulfilled the hope of Simeon

and gladdened the heart of Anna,

who together welcomed the Messiah.

Complete in us your perfect will,

that we in Christ may share in yourreign of peace and justice;

for he is Lord for ever andever. Amen.

Gloryto God,

whose power, working in us,

can do infinitely more

than we can ask or imagine.

Glory to God from generation togeneration,

in the Church and in Christ Jesus,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Closing Hymn

‘OWorship the King’ Common Praise #380 vv. 1-2, 5-6

Dismissal

Goforth to reveal Christ in the world.

Thanks be to God.

Notes

TheIntroductory Responses are adapted from TheBook of Alternative Services (1985), p. 96.

‘An Affirmation of Faith’ has been adaptedfrom ‘Authorized Affirmations of Faith 1’ in Common Worship (2000), p. 144.

TheConfession is adapted from ‘Home Prayers’ in The Book of Alternative Services (1985), pp. 691-692, and theAbsolution from Common Worship(2000), p. 135.

The Prayerover the Gifts and the Prayer after Communion are adapted from The Book of Alternative Services (1985),pp. 401, 402.

TheThanksgiving at the Table is taken from EvangelicalLutheran Worship (2006), p. 110 with the Preface of the Incarnation from The Book of Alternative Services (1985),p. 220.

The Blessingof the Candles is adapted from the Thematic Prayer for the Presentation of theLord in Revised Common Lectionary Prayers(2002), p. 222.

Anyliturgical elements not noted here are taken from ‘The Holy Eucharist’ in The Book of Alternative Services, p. 185ff.

Matins for Epiphany

2012-01-25T15:38:00.000-08:00

morning prayerfor epiphany

From Epiphany until Presentation inclusive

IntroductoryResponses

Blessed are you, Son ofDavid;

born to rule,

you received gifts fromthe magi.

Blessed are you, Son ofMan;

baptized by John,

you saved us fromourselves.

Blessed are you,servant Lord;

teaching and preaching,healing and comforting,

you proclaimed God’sgracious reign.

Letheaven and earth shout their praise.

With all the voices ofheaven

we celebrate the comingof our Saviour.

Letheaven and earth shout their praise.

With all creatures onearth

we sing and dance athis birth.

Praiseand honour and glory to you, O Lord most high.

Morning Prayer continues with the Invitatory or the Psalm.

TheInvitatory

A Song of God’s Chosen One (Isaiah 11.1-4a, 6, 9)

There shall come fortha shoot from the stock of Jesse, *

and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

And the Spirit of theLord shall rest upon him, *

the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counseland might, *

the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge bywhat his eyes see, *

or decide by what his ears hear,

But with righteousnesshe shall judge the poor, *

and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

The wolf shall dwellwith the lamb, *

and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.

The calf and the lioncub together, *

with a little child to lead them.

They shall not hurt ordestroy in all my holy mountain, *

for the earth shall be full

of the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea.

Glory to God, Source ofall being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit:

as it was in thebeginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.

Glory to the Father,and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in thebeginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.

Morning Prayer continues with the Psalm.

ThePsalm

The Psalm of the Day or one of the following may be used.

Sundays in Epiphany Psalm 98

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song,

who has done marvellous things, *

whoseright hand and holy arm

haswon the victory for the Lord.

² The Lord has made known the victory; *

youhave openly shown your righteousness

inthe sight of the nations.

³ You remember your mercy andfaithfulness

to the house of Israel, *

andall the ends of the earth

haveseen your victory, O God.

⁴ Shout with joy to the Lord, all youlands; *

liftup your voice, rejoice and sing.

⁵ Sing to the Lord with the harp, *

withthe harp and the voice of song.

⁶ With trumpets and the sound of thehorn *

shoutwith joy before our sovereign, the Lord.

⁷ Let the sea make a noise and all thatis in it, *

thelands and those who dwell therein.

⁸ Let the rivers clap their hands, *

andlet the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,

whois coming to judge the earth.

⁹ In righteousness shall God judge theworld *

andthe peoples with equity.

Lord God, we see your righteous rule in all yourworks, and we join our voices with the song of your whole creation in praisingyou. Amen.

Mondays in Epiphany Psalm 2

¹ Why are the nations in an uproar? *

Whydo the peoples mutter empty threats?

² Why do the rulers of the earth rise up in revolt,

and the princes plot together, *

againstthe Lord and the Lord’s anointed?

³ “Let us break their yoke,” they say; *

“letus cast off their bonds from us.”

⁴ The one whose throne is in heaven is laughing; *

theLord has them in derision.

⁵ Then God speaks to them in wrath, *

andGod’s rage fills them with terror.

⁶ “I myself have set my anointed *

uponmy holy hill of Zion.”

⁷ Let me announce the decree of the Lord, *

whosaid to me, “You are my son;

thisday have I begotten you.

⁸ Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance *

andthe ends of the earth for your possession.

⁹ You shall crush them with an iron rod *

andshatter them like a piece of pottery.”

¹⁰ And now, you monarchs, be wise; *

bewarned, you rulers of the earth.

¹¹ Submit to the Lord with fear, *

andwith trembling bow before God;

¹² Lest God be angry and you perish;

for God’s wrath is quickly kindled. *

Happyare they all

whotake refuge in God!

Ruler of heaven and earth, show us the power ofyour saving love and bring us to share in your eternal reign of peace andjustice. Amen.

Tuesdays in Epiphany Psalm 78.1-7

¹ Hear my teaching, O my people; *

inclineyour ears to the words of my mouth.

² I will open my mouth in a parable; *

Iwill declare the mysteries of ancient times.

³ that which we have heard and known,

andwhat our ancestors have told us, *

wewill not hide from their children.

⁴ We will recount to generations to come

the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord,*

whohas done wonderful works.

⁵ The Lord gave a decree to Jacob

and established a law for Israel, *

commandingthem to teach their children;

⁶ that the generations to come mightknow,

and the children yet unborn; *

thatthey in their turn might tell it to their children;

⁷ so that they might put their trust inGod, *

norforget those mighty deeds,

butkeep the commandments;

God of pilgrims, strengthen our faith, wepray. Guide us through the uncertaintiesof our journey and hold before us the vision of your eternal reign of justiceand peace. Amen.

Wednesdays in Epiphany Psalm 111

¹ Hallelujah!

I will give thanks to the Lord with my wholeheart, *

inthe assembly of the upright, in the congregation.

² Great are the deeds of the Lord! *

Theyare studied by all who delight in them.

³ Your work is full of majesty andsplendour, *

andyour righteousness endures for ever.

⁴ You make your marvellous works to beremembered; *

you,Lord, are gracious and full compassion.

⁵ You give food to those who fear you; *

youare ever mindful of your covenant.

⁶ You have shown your people the powerof your works *

ingiving them the lands of the nations.

⁷ The works of your hands arefaithfulness and justice; *

allyour commandments are sure.

⁸ They stand fast for ever and ever, *

becausethey are done in truth and equity.

⁹ You send redemption to your people;

you commanded your covenant for ever; *

holyand awesome is your name.

¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginningof wisdom; *

thosewho act accordingly have a good understanding;

thepraise of the Lord endures for ever.

Generous and bountiful God, give us grace alwaysto thank you and share your gifts with others that the world may be filled withjoy. Amen.

Thursdays in Epiphany Psalm 29

¹Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, *

ascribeto the Lord glory and strength.

²Ascribe to the Lord the glory due God’s name; *

worshipthe Lord in the beauty of holiness.

³The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;

the God of glory thunders; *

theLord is upon the mighty waters.

⁴The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *

thevoice of the Lord is a voice of splendour.

⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *

theLord breaks the cedars of Lebanon,

⁶making Lebanon skip like a calf, *

andMount Hermon like a young wild ox.

⁷The voice of the Lord *

splits the flames of fire;

⁸the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *

theLord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe

and strips the forests bare. *

And in the temple of the Lord

allare crying, “Glory!”

¹⁰ The sits enthroned above the flood; *

theLord sits enthroned as sovereign for evermore.

¹¹ The Lord shall give strength to this people; *

theLord shall give this people the blessing of peace.

God of mystery and power, open our eyes to the flameof your love, and open our ears to the thunder of your justice, that we mayreceive your gifts of blessing and peace, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Fridays in Epiphany Psalm 57

¹ Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful,

for I have taken refuge in you; *

inthe shadow of your wings will I take refuge

untilthis time of trouble has gone by.

² I will call upon you, the Most HighGod, *

theGod who maintains my cause.

³ You will send from heaven and save me;

you will confound those who trample upon me; *

youwill send forth your love and your faithfulness.

⁴ I lie in the midst of lions thatdevour the people; *

theirteeth are spears and arrows,

theirtongue a sharp sword.

⁵ They have laid a net for my feet,

and I am bowed low; *

theyhave dug a pit before me,

buthave fallen into it themselves.

⁶ Exalt yourself above the heavens, OGod, *

andyour glory over all the earth.

⁷ My heart is firmly fixed, O God, myheart is fixed; *

Iwill sing and make melody.

⁸ Wake up, my spirit;

awake, lute and harp; *

Imyself will waken the dawn.

⁹ I will confess you among the peoples,O Lord; *

Iwill sing praise to you among the nations.

¹⁰ For your loving-kindness is greaterthan the heavens, *

andyour faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

¹¹ Exalt yourself above the heavens, OGod, *

andyour glory over all the earth.

God our help and strength, look with mercy on allwho are oppressed in mind, body or human dignity. Shield and protect them, and give them thatwholeness which is your will for all your children. Amen.

Saturdays in Epiphany Psalm 145.1-12

¹ I will exaltyou, O God my sovereign, *

andbless your name for ever and ever.

² Every day will I bless you *

andpraise your name for ever and ever.

³ Great are you,O Lord, and greatly to be praised; *

thereis no end to your greatness.

⁴ One generationshall praise your works to another *

andshall declare your power.

⁵ I will ponderthe glorious splendour of your majesty *

andall your marvellous works.

⁶ They shallspeak of the might of your wondrous acts, *

andI will tell of your greatness.

⁷ They shallpublish the remembrance of your great goodness; *

theyshall sing of your righteous deeds.

⁸ You, O Lord,are gracious and full of compassion, *

slowto anger and of great kindness.

⁹ You are lovingto everyone *

andyour compassion is over all your works.

¹⁰ All your workspraise you, O Lord, *

andyour faithful servants bless you.

¹¹ They make knownthe glory of your realm *

andspeak of your power;

¹² that thepeoples may know of your power *

andthe glorious splendour of your realm.

Almighty God, give us grace to know you more andmore, that knowing we may love and loving we may praise, that the whole worldmay hear your name and worship you. Amen.

TheReading

A Reading from a daily lectionary or one of the following may beused.

Sundays in Epiphany Exodus 3.1-6a

Moses waskeeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led hisflock beyond the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fireout of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was notconsumed. Then Moses said, “I must turnaside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burnedup.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to himout of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And hesaid, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Comeno closer! Removed the sandals from yourfeet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of yourfather, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid tolook at God.

Mondays in Epiphany Genesis 17.1-5

When Abramwas ninety-nine years old, the Lordappeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and beblameless. And I will make my covenantbetween me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said tohim, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but yourname shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude ofnations.”

Tuesdays in Epiphany Isaiah 41.17-20

When thepoor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched withthirst, I the Lord will answerthem, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, andfountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool ofwater, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and theolive; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together,so that all may see and know, all may consider and understand, that the hand ofthe Lord has done this, the HolyOne of Israel has created it.

Wednesdays in Epiphany Micah 4.6-7

In that day,says the Lord, I will assemble thelame and gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I haveafflicted. The lame I will make theremnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zionnow and forevermore.

Thursdays in Epiphany Ezekiel 16.59-60, 62-63

Yes, thussays the Lord God: I will deal with you as you have done, youwho have despised the oath, breaking the covenant; yet I will remember mycovenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish with you aneverlasting covenant. I will establishmy covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, in order that you may remember and be confounded, andnever open your mouth again because of your shame, when I forgive you all thatyou have done, says the Lord God.

Fridays in Epiphany Hosea 14.4-7

I will healtheir disloyalty; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned fromthem. I will be like the dew to Israel;he shall blossom like the lily, he shall strike root like the forests ofLebanon. His shoots shall spread out;his beauty shall be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like that ofLebanon. They shall again live beneathmy shadow, they shall flourish as a garden; they shall blossom like the vine,their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

Saturdays in Epiphany Leviticus 23.1-3

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the people of Israel and say tothem: These are the appointed festivalsof the Lord that you shallproclaim as holy convocations, my appointed festivals. Six days shall work be done; but the seventhday is a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work; itis a Sabbath to the Lordthroughout your settlements.

After a period of silent reflection one of the following is said.

The word of the Lord.

Thanksbe to God.

Here what the Spirit issaying to the church.

Thanksbe to God.

Holy Word, Holy Wisdom.

Thanksbe to God.

Morning Prayer continues with the Responsory or the Canticle.

TheResponsory

Out of Zion, perfect inits beauty, *

you, O God, revealyourself in glory.

Outof Zion, perfect in its beauty, *

you,O God, reveal yourself in glory.

You, O Lord, the God ofgods, have spoken;

you have called theearth from the rising of the sun to its setting. *

You,O God, reveal yourself in glory.

Let the heavens declarethe rightness of your cause,

for you yourself arejudge. *

You,O God, reveal yourself in glory.

Call upon me in the dayof trouble;

I will deliver you, andyou shall honour me.

You,O God, reveal yourself in glory.

Glory to the Father,and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. *

Outof Zion, perfect in its beauty,

you,O God, reveal yourself in glory.

Glory to God, Source ofall being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit. *

Outof Zion, perfect in its beauty,

you,O God, reveal yourself in glory.

Morning Prayer continues with the Canticle.

TheCanticle

A Song of Christ’s Appearing (1 Timothy 3.16; 6.16)

Christ Jesus wasrevealed in the flesh *

and vindicated in the spirit.

He was seen by angels *

and proclaimed among the nations.

Believed in throughoutthe world, *

he was taken up in glory.

This will be mademanifest at the proper time *

by the blessed and only Sovereign,

Who alone hasimmortality, *

and dwells in unapproachable light.

Glory to God, Source ofall being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit:

as it was in thebeginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.

Glory to the Father,and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in thebeginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.

Morning Prayer continues with the Affirmation of Faith or theLitany.

Affirmationof Faith

Either of the following may be said.

The Apostles’ Creed

Ibelieve in God, the Father almighty,

creatorof heaven and earth.

Ibelieve in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,

whowas conceived by the Holy Spirit,

bornof the virgin Mary,

sufferedunder Pontius Pilate,

wascrucified, died, and was buried;

hedescended to the dead.

Onthe third day he rose again;

heascended into heaven,

heis seated at the right hand of the Father,

andhe will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Ibelieve in the Holy Spirit,

theholy catholic church,

thecommunion of saints,

theforgiveness of sins,

theresurrection of the body,

andthe life everlasting. Amen.

Hear, O Israel

Hear,O Israel,

theLord our God, the Lord is one.

Lovethe Lord your God

withall your heart,

withall your soul,

withall your mind,

andwith all your strength.

Thisis the first and the great commandment.

Thesecond is like it:

Loveyour neighbour as yourself.

Thereis no commandment greater than these.

Morning Prayer continues with the Litany.

TheLitany

Let us pray to Christ,the Sun of Righteousness, saying, “Word made manifest, hear our prayer.”

For all who walk in thedarkness of violence and oppression, and for all who by their life andpreaching cast into that darkness the light of God’s peace and justice, Word made manifest, hear our prayer.

For all who carry onthe teaching of prophets and apostles, and for the full communion in life andworship of those who receive God’s word, Wordmade manifest, hear our prayer.

For all who have attheir disposal this world’s riches, and for all who call out to them, Word made manifest, hear our prayer.

For all who raise theireyes to the heavens looking for healing and deliverance, Word made manifest, hear our prayer.

For the rulers of theearth, and for every child that stands in need of their protection, Word made manifest, hear our prayer.

For all who throughdeath have passed into the full epiphany of God’s glory, Word made manifest, hear our prayer.

Free prayer may be offered and silence is kept. After the silence the Collect of the Day orone of the following collects may be said.

O God of light andpeace, whose glory, shining in the child of Bethlehem, still draws the nationsto yourself: dispel the darkness thatsurrounds our path, that we may come to kneel before Christ in true worship,offer him our hearts and souls, and return from his presence to live as he hastaught. Amen.

God of grace and glory,you call us with your voice of flame to be your people, faithful andcourageous. As your beloved Son embracedhis mission in the waters of baptism, inspire us with the fire of your Spiritto join in his transforming work. We askthis in the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever andever. Amen.

TheLord’s Prayer

Gathering our prayersand praises into one,

let us pray as ourSaviour taught us,

OurFather in heaven,

hallowedbe your name,

yourkingdom come,

yourwill be done,

onearth as in heaven.

Giveus today our daily bread.

Forgiveus our sins

aswe forgive those who sin against us.

Saveus from the time of trial,

anddeliver us from evil.

Forthe kingdom, the power,

andthe glory are yours,

nowand for ever. Amen.

Morning Prayer continues with the Dismissal.

TheDismissal

Let us bless the Lordmade manifest.

Thanksbe to God.

Then may be said.

May Christ, the Son ofGod, be manifest in us, that our lives may be a light to the world. Amen.

Liturgical Resources Used

The Psalms are taken from The Book of Alternative Services (c)1985 by The Anglican Church of Canada. They have been emended by the Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett forinclusive language and, when necessary, renumbered to conform to theversification of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

The Apostles’ Creed which originallyappeared in Praying Together (c) 1988by the English Language Liturgical Consultation, is taken from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (c) by TheEvangelical Lutheran Church in America.

News From Tel Aviv, Wednesday, 18 January 2012

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Dear Friends of Liturgy Pacific,

The past days have been quite intense and exhausting. As a result I have lagged in sending you any updates on my journey. What I plan to do now is to write a bit of travelogue without too many photos. My plan is to learn how to upload my photographs to Picasa and then, for those who request access, to send you the address.

Now I will let you in on what has been happening since we arrived in Jerusalem on Friday, 13 January 2012.

Vancouver Clergy on Mount of Olives

Saturday, 14 January 2012

In keeping with the spirit of Sabbath, we had a free morning. Most of us slept in until quite late and then were ready for our afternoon in Jerusalem. After lunch in a nearby hotel we travelled to the Mount of Olives for what must be described as one of the most beautiful views of the City on a crisp but clear day. From the Mount of Olives we could see the entire Old City and get a sense of the rugged travel that took place during the last week of Jesus' life as he traversed the hills and valleys between Jerusalem and Bethany where he is thought to have stayed with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. After spending time on the top of the Mount of Olives we began our walk down the hill to Gethsemane.

Gethsemane

The traditional site of Gethsemane, like all the non-Orthodox sites in the Holy Land, is under the custodianship of the Franciscan Order. Gethsemane is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, just over the left shoulder of Gary Gaudin (on the right) in the picture above. The walk down is quite steep, even with the benefit of a modern road and must have been quite difficult in the time of Jesus. When we entered the site, we were greeted with a lovely garden with many olive trees. The church itself is less than two hundred years old and includes in the sanctuary a stony area remembered as the place where Jesus prayed on that fateful night. I spent a few moments in prayer here and, in hindsight, found it one of the more peaceful Christian sites that we visited in Israel.

Bethsaida

Saint Anne's

From Gethsemane we hiked up the steep hill road that leads to the Lions Gate on the northeast side of the Old City. The walls that we presently see were erected by the Ottomans and do not date back to the time of Jesus. Once we entered the Old City, after a bit of a pause to catch our breaths, we went to Pools of Bethsaida, a site that can be considered as being the likely location of the healing miracles told of in the Gospels. While we were there we entered a church on the site dedicated to Saint Anne, traditionally named as the mother of Mary. The acoustics in the church are phenomenal. Our guide, Uri, told us of a tour of African-American Christians who, upon entering the church, burst in spontaneous song, filling the space with incredible music.

We left Saint Anne's and made our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is here that I experience the most inner conflict on our trip. At the Holy Sepulchre we met Hana Bendcowsky of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish Christian Relations. The Center is intended to facilitate the relationship between Jews and Christians and between the various Christian traditions in Jerusalem. She led us on a tour beginning on the roof of the Holy Sepulchre where a community of Ethiopian monks live, denied any other place to live or to worship in the confines of the holy place. We then moved to the square in front of the Holy Sepulchre itself. After a wonderful introduction, some of the group continued with Hana on a tour of the building while I undertook a spiritual journey into this, the most holy place in Christian history.

When one enters the door of the Holy Sepulchre, the first 'station' is the Stone of Unction. It is here that tradition commemorates the removal of Christ's body from the cross and the body's initial preparation for burial. It is also the place where my emotions overcame me and I wept. Regardless whether this site is or is not where this took place, it is the place where for Christians for almost two thousand years have prayed. I then turned to what is known as the 'Greek' Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion. Here too I wept. From Golgotha I walked around the church until I came to the Edicule where tradition locates the tomb of Christ. I joined the line-up and was waiting to enter, listening to the closing sounds of Vespers being sung by the Franciscan Friars in the chapel behind me. I was very close to entering when the two Armenian monks managing the line stopped us and hemmed us in with moveable metal fences.

At this point the foolishness of our Christian divisions assaulted me. An Armenian choir approached, chanting in beautiful a cappella, accompanied by a deacon with thurible. Their voices competed with the Franciscans until the Franciscans finished their vespers. The Armenians continued, joined by a presbyter emerging from the Edicule, chanting texts and blessing the choir --- not the pilgrims waiting to enter. As they finished, several of their cronies were allowed to enter the Edicule in advance of those who had been waiting. Finally, I and several of my colleagues from the inter-faith clergy were allowed to enter.

By this time I was crying, but from anger not devotion. As I bent down to enter the Chapel of the Angel, the antechamber to the tomb, I began to calm. Just as I reached a level of peace, a Russian monk entered and shouted at the Russian women who had preceded us into the Tomb, telling them to hurry up and finish. My peace was shattered, but I bent down and entered the second chapel where the Christian tradition states Jesus lay in death. I laid my hand on the stone and thought, "Father, forgive us for we know not what we do!" I left quickly and bought a candle from the Coptic chapel. My hope is that my candle might represent just one more prayer that we might be one as Christ is one with God.

From the Holy Sepulchre we walked the Via Dolorosa back to our bus, a 'way of the cross' lined by shops, narrow streets, covered markets and all the commercialism one might desire in an exotic place. I found myself thinking, "This might well have been the way it was. Shopkeepers saying to themselves, 'I wish those Romans would find a new route! This really is bad for business.'"

Havdallah at Emmaus

We boarded our bus and travelled just outside Jerusalem to Emmaus where there is a community of French Christians who have committed themselves to inter-faith engagement, the Community of the Beatitudes. This Community is a mixed community with consecrated brothers and sisters as well as married couples and individuals. Here we were joined by members of a nearby Reform congregation, Birkat Shalom, for Vespers, Havdallah (marking the end of Shabbat) and supper. I spent supper at table with Rabbi Bruce Kadden (a member of our group from Tacoma), three members of the Emmaus community and one member of Birkat Shalom discussing our lives, our faith and our hopes.

Then it was back to Jerusalem and bed in anticipation of our continued journey together.

Sunday, 15 January 2012

A small group of us went to the 8.00 a.m. celebration of the eucharist at Saint George's Anglican Cathedral in East Jerusalem: Rabbi Philip Bregman (Vancouver), Rabbi Edward Cohn (New Orleans), the Rev'd Gary Gaudin (Vancouver), the Rev'd David Sherwin (Ottawa), the Rev'd Susan Sauceda Sica (New Jersey) and I. We had a bit of an adventure trying to find Saint George's and were finally saved by the Dean of Bradford, the Very Rev'd Dr David Ison, who is in Jerusalem on sabbatical, who happened to be walking by as we wondered which direction in which to go! Dr Ison is studying the relationship between Christians and Muslims in the hopes of helping improve these relations in Bradford where there has been a significant immigration of Muslim families.

Canon Hosam Naoum presided at the eucharist, the congregation consisting mainly of visitors and non-Arabic residents of Jerusalem. It was a wonderful quiet celebration with Canon Naoum exhibiting a style of presidency I might call 'flexible formality' --- the interweaving of tradition with the reality of working with a congregation with a significant number of visitors.

Our return trip to the hotel was less eventful and, a short while later, we were on the bus heading for Yad Vashem, the newly renovated national memorial to the victims of the Shoah (the Holocaust). As a student of German literature and history this is a story I know too well and wish that I did not need to know. In 1976 I served as a chaperone for a group of high school students who travelled to Germany. One of our stops was Dachau, one of the first concentration camps. Ever since then I have been struck by the banality of the leaders of the Holocaust and by their insistence on documenting what they were doing. I agree with our guide, Uri, that to call these people 'monsters' is wrong. They were not 'monsters'; they were human beings. If we call them 'monsters', then we de-humanize them as if the darkness inside them was not something that is very much alive today and about which we need eternal vigilance.

From Yad Vashem we headed into the West Bank and Bethlehem. As we drove to Bethlehem we faced the political currents that can trouble relations between Christians and Jews in Canada and the United States. The security barrier is in evidence, cutting through neighbourhoods and impeding Palestinian access to Israel. Settlements that many deem illegal are very much in evidence, one of which is an aggressively large and modern high-rise complex that dominates the sky-line. Yet it has to be said that the incidence of violence and terrorist attacks have decreased along the demarcation line.

Church of the Nativity

Interior of the Church

The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is a tourist attraction of significant status and the relative peace has increased the number of Christians travelling to the church. Regulations required a change of driver, so Avi, our Israeli driver, was replaced by David, our Palestinian driver. Uri, our Israeli guide, was replaced by Isa ('Jesus'), our Palestinian guide. Here again the divisions between Christian are evident. The more recent Roman Catholic Church of Saint Catherine is adjacent to the Byzantine Church of the Holy Nativity and the two churches are connected. Nigerian Christians thronged to enter the grotto where Jesus is supposed to have been born, waiting an hour or more to spend a brief moment in this place. I was offered a chance to skip the line, a privilege due to the influence of a local dignitary, but Paul Schmidt saved me from this. Both he and I had discussed our feelings about this site and he reminded me that there were those for whom this site was truly significant. Why should we claim a privilege that those for whom this site had deep significance could not dream of?

Under Saint Catherine's there are some catacombs and caves, including one traditionally thought to be the residence of Jerome, the translator of the Vulgate.

From the church we made our way to Beit Jalla, a small village near to Bethlehem. There we spent more than an hour with Gershon Baskin, founder of the Israel Palestine Center for Research and Information, a public policy think tank established after the first intifada (1988). Baskin represents what is considered the left-wing of Israeli politics and has personally experienced the murder of a family member who was kidnapped by a Palestinian group. Baskin was involved in the negotiations that resulted in the release of the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, held captive by Hamas in Gaza for more than five years. One of the prisoners released in exchange for Shalit was the murderer of Baskin's family member. The evening was a significant encounter with the complexity of the political situation and the challenges of trying to find ways forward.

Monday, 16 January 2012

Early Monday morning we left Jerusalem and travelled east into the West Bank, then turned north to follow the Jordan River north into the Galilee. In the Judean wilderness we passed Bedouin encampments with flocks of sheep and camels, including one waiting patiently at the sign marking sea level for tourists who wanted a photograph.

Rabbi Yehuda (r) and Rabbi Weinberg

As we left the Judean wilderness, we turned off the highway to climb up Mount Gilboa for a visit to Ma'ale Gilboa Yeshiva located on a kibbutz on the summit of the mountain. Here we spent an hour with Rabbi Yehuda Gilad who is the head of this modern Orthodox yeshiva where young men study Torah in conjunction with completing their military obligations. Rabbi Gilad is a refreshing voice and I wish that he were in Vancouver. He is a firm believer in the importance of inter-faith dialogue and encourages his students to ask questions about the traditions. We had a very engaging discussion and many of our rabbinic colleagues expressed their interest in spending time with such a teacher.

Uri at Rachel's grave

Golan Heights

From the summit of Gilboa we descended back into the valley and journeyed north to the Sea of Galilee. The countryside is beautiful and lush with numerous farms and orchards. After lunch we visited a cemetery where a number of the earliest Zionists are buried. The site is wonderfully peaceful and Uri told us of the struggles of this early community and read from their poems. Uri invited us to spend some quiet time in reflection. As we were sitting quietly, I looked across the lake at the Golan Heights and realized how they loom over this valley. It is not difficult to consider how these heights have loomed large in Israeli security concerns and how the return of the heights is a continued matter of debate in international discussions. Since we had heard some poems, Uri had invited us to consider writing a poem. For the first time in many years I gave it a try and decided to compose a sparse poem of six lines: one word, two words, three words, three words, two words, one word.

Quiet

but then

the far hills

may seem calm

yet are

not.

Uri at 'Pete's Place'

Our visit to the cemetery was followed by a trip to a site called 'Peter's Primacy'. The Roman Catholics consider it the site where Jesus ate with the apostles following his resurrection. During that meal Jesus asked Peter three times whether Peter loved him. Our visit allowed the Christians to share with our Jewish colleagues the political implications of the title of this place --- to speak of Peter's primacy is to speak of the primacy of the See of Peter. Some of us started calling it 'Pete's Place' as a neutral alternative! Our next visit was, however, more significant.

Peter's House

Synagogue in Capernaum

Along the shores of the Sea is Capernaum, a town well known by Jesus and the home of Peter. Capernaum has within its confines a well-preserved synagogue from the fifth century CE as well as the remains of a home traditionally associated with the mother-in-law of Peter. This house has been remodelled again and again and is presently shielded by a large contemporary church. What I find significant is that this village may indicate that Jews and Christians lived in close proximity with no signs of hostility well into Byzantine times. The synagogue shows no signs of desecration nor of conversion to a church. The Insula Sacra (the Latin name for Peter's house) likewise shows no sign of anti-Christian activity.

Above Capernaum there is a site that is considered the Mount of the Beatitudes. We climbed the heights to catch the sun setting over the Sea. The grounds of the church are filled with lovely gardens and a peaceful aura. While we have no idea where the Sermon on the Mount was given, this would have been a truly beautiful place.

After our visit to this site we went to Kfar Blum, one of the earliest kibbutz settlements in the Galilee, to spend the night at their hotel. The kibbutzim have risen to the challenge of a commitment to corporate life in a capitalist environment. After dinner Uri gave an excellent presentation on the history of the military conflicts since the creation of the state of Israel.

Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Wading in Dan

Where Canadians here?

As the sun rose, we prepared for our last day together as a touring group. From Kfar Blum we travelled to Tel Dan, a nature park and archeological site. Tel Dan is watered by the River Dan with a number of quick flowing streams that feed into the river's strength. We hiked through the park and paused for several of our members to wade through a gentle pond before continuing on to the actual archeological site. Barbara Kadden, the wife of Bruce Kadden, had been a student working on the site years previously. As we were leaving the site, a couple of our members found what appears to be an inukshuk, perhaps left by an earlier Canadian visitor!

Our visit to the peaceful waters of the Dan ended as we began our climb into the Golan. Our first stop was to Tel Faher, one of the battles of the 1967 war. Here my camera battery died and I forgot that both my iPhone and iPad were camera ready. From Tel Faher we continued up into the Golan, passing Druze villages as well as the remains of an Ottoman fortress high on a hill. The fog descended upon the Golan and we were able to spend only a little time at Emek Ha Becha, the 'Valley of Tears', the site of a major tank battle between the Israelis and the Syrians during the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

We left the Golan and travelled to Beit She'arim one of the cities where the Sanhedrin found refuge after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

Then back to Tel Aviv and a final celebratory dinner. We parted to return to our own homes. The journey was over.

News from Jerusalem, Friday, 13 January 2012

2012-01-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

I apologize to those of you who have been following my trip to Israel for not having posted an entry in the last day or so. This has been a very full trip and there have been several nights when I have simply been too tired to write. I hope tonight to remedy this in part.

We began our aliyah, our ascent, to Jerusalem mid-morning on Friday the 13th. The sky was overcast, but as we ascended into the Judean hills the clouds opened and the rain began in great earnest. Although this rain was welcomed by many israelis, it presented a challenge to those of us who were about to spend the afternoon outside walking through the rain.

As we entered the outskirts of Jerusalem there was no grand vista. The steep hills and valleys simply began to be populated with homes and other buildings. Then there was a beautiful bridge supporting the brand new light rail system. All of a sudden, in the midst of an urban area, our bus stopped and we got out to find ourselves at the foot of the wall surrounding the Old City. Uri and Sebastian, our tour guides, hopped off to find some umbrellas and we were off into this city fraught with meaning for so many peoples and traditions.

Uri inside the Jaffa Gate

We entered by the Jaffa Gate on the western side of the city wall. Here Uri sketched out the plan for the day with a backdrop of Ottoman towers, large groups of tourists passing in front and behind him and avoiding the traffic that seemed to treat sidewalks as legitimate places to park! As we walked into the Old City, we saw a symbol of an approach to Jewish-Christian relations that many of us would like to set behind us --- Christ Church, the first foundation of the Christian Mission to the Jews, an effort on the part of Anglicans to convert Jews to Christianity. Uri led us on a trip through the maze that is the Old City. How he could keep track of the turns and routes was a mystery to me, but he brought us out onto a rooftop from which we could gain a vista of the Old City and the Temple Mount.

Damaged mosaic (r) and burnt beam (l)

From our roof top perch we walked down to Hurva Square, one of the central squares in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City where we had a quick lunch. From Hurva Square Uri led us to the Herodian Mansions Museum. Here we saw the archeological remains of the homes of the Temple elite with a poignant reminder of the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. In one of the homes there is a mosaic damaged by fire as well as the charred remains of roof beam that has been dated to the precise time of the destruction of the Temple. That event, so important to the development of contemporary Judaism, was also formative for the early Christian community as we were faced with the re-structuring of a Christian community without its heart in Jerusalem.

Western Wall (r) under the Dome

Western Walkway

From the Herodian Mansions we made our way to the Western Wall and the Jerusalem Archeological Park where the significance of this city became more embodied for all of us on this trip. We made our way down to the south of the Temple Mount where an archeological park has been established around the southern end of the Western Wall and the length of the Southern Wall. Here in the park we walked, wet and cold, over to the Western Walkway, an area of the Temple Mount most assuredly known by Jesus and the first community of disciples. This walkway was one of the means of gaining access to the Temple and the surface of the walkway bears the scars of the destruction of the Temple as huge stones fell down upon the walkway. The people in the left portion of the picture are taking shelter in small alcoves which would have been small businesses in the time of Jesus and the early Christian community prior to the destruction of the Temple.

From the Western Walkway we made our way up to the Western Wall where we all took a handful of prayers prepared by the parishioners of one of participants, Susan, the vicar of an Episcopal church in New Jersey. In the cold rain I took my share of the prayers to the Wall and placed them into the joints of the wall and offered my prayers. The first was the Summary of the Law, familiar to Anglicans:

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God,

the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

with all your mind,

with all your strength and

with all your soul.

This is the first commandment.

The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.

I then added the petition that

Lord, have mercy upon us,

and write both these your laws in our hearts,

we beseech you.

I then asked our God to accept these prayers and to answer them as may be best for us and for those for whom we pray. Then the Lord's Prayer and the eucharistic doxology from The Book of Alternative Services:

Glory to God,

whose power working in us

can do infinitely more than we ask or imagine.

Glory to God

from generation to generation

in the church and

in Christ Jesus

now and for ever. Amen.

Then I made a quick trip to find the warmth and dryness of our bus!

After a very warm shower and a change of clothes I joined my group for the Shabbat evening services at Kol HaNashemah, a Reform congregation near our hotel. Before the service we were greeted by a member of the congregation who asked us two questions that are of pertinence to Christians as well: How do we reach out to those in the 20's and 30's? How can our liturgy be more alive?

Following worship we returned to the hotel for Shabbat dinner with Rabbi Ron Kronish, Director of the Inter-Faith Religious Coordinating Council in Israel, a group that is working to bring together young Israelis and Palestinians in programmes that help develop their skills in dialogue. Five young people joined us and shared their experiences in the programmes offered by the Council. One young Palestinian participant expressed the depth of his feelings which proved to be a challenge to at least one of our Jewish colleagues, precipitating a lengthy conversation later in the evening.

Exhausted I left before the conclusion of dinner for bed!

News from Jaffa, Friday, 13 January 2012

2012-01-14T01:38:00.000-08:00

Uri in the Jaffa Port

Tel Aviv from Jaffa

Friday the 13th began in Jaffa, the older city south of Tel Aviv --- older by about four thousand years! The city was long a port on the Mediterranean coast in modern times before being eclipsed by deeper water ports to the south and north. Today the city has a significant Arab population as well as many newer immigrants to Israel from places like Ethiopia and the Sudan. As a consequence the city has all the challenges of any city in the world: areas of significant wealth and significant poverty.

House of Simon the Tanner

Like many cities Jaffa is filled with contrasts. The central area around the ancient port has small homes on small streets inaccessible to motorized traffic. Among the homes in this area is a home, owned by an Armenian family, that is the supposed home of Simon the Tanner with whom Peter is said to have stayed on several occasions.

View to the South from Central Square

Above the port is the old central square with wonderful views to the north and to the south. The square is dominated by St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, built on the site of an older Byzantine church upon whose foundations the Crusaders built fortifications. The present church dates from 1903, but its interior is quite baroque in its architecture and art.

Jaffa has a thriving artists' colony so the central square has several pieces of public art. My favourite is the Zodiac Fountain, built upon the foundations of an ancient fountain dating at least two thousand years earlier. Although I am not a fan of astrology, I did delight in the Taurus fountainhead.

Taurus the Bull

From Jaffa we boarded the bus for our ascent to Jerusalem some 60 kilometres to the east. More on our first day in Jerusalem later.

News from Tel Aviv, Thursday, 12 January 2012

2012-01-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

Independence Hall in Tel Aviv

Gutman Mosaics in the Peace Tower

This has been a very full day for the Interfaith Clergy group. We left our hotel at 8.00 a.m. to make a short trip over to the Peace Tower where there are some wonderful mosaics including work by Nahum Gutman depicting four stages in the development of the city of Tel Aviv. Then we walked over to Independence Hall where the State of Israel was declared on 14 May 1948. Unlike similar sites in the United States and Canada, Israel's Independence Hall exudes the laid-back atmosphere of Israel where style and lack of style seem to go hand in hand.

Philip & Richard at Caesarea

From Independence Hall we drove for about an hour north to Caesarea Maritima, the Roman provincial headquarters during the Roman occupation/administration of Palestine. The city was built by Herod on the shores of the Mediterranean and include other remains of the various periods of the city's history from the Roman imperial period to the Ottoman era. Caesarea is also the location of Peter's famous visit to Cornelius, the Roman centurion, whose acceptance of Jesus would contribute to the early debate about how and whether Gentiles could be integrated into the nascent Christian movement.

We then travelled northeast to one of Israel's research and development centres in Yokne'am where we were given an introduction to the work of a medical technology firm, Given Imaging. Given's work has the potential to make endoscopic examinations more easily and comfortably available by means of a pill-sized camera that broadcasts its transit of the gastrointestinal system to a small belt-pack wore by the patient. With the debates in Canada regarding how to deliver healthcare to an aging population, this company's work has considerable promise.

From Yokne'am we travelled in deteriorating weather conditions to Mount Carmel. At the summit of Mount Carmel is a Carmelite monastery from which it is possible to get a panoramic view of a vast part of Israel --- if it is not pouring with rain!

Rabbi Edgar Nof

We then travelled to the village of Usfiya, a Druze village in the Carmel hills. The Druze, a group which split from Islam in the eleventh century and maintaining secrecy regarding many of its religious views, has a long history of participating in the creation of modern Israel. We were greeted by Rabbi Edgar Nof from Or Kodesh, a Reform congregation in Haifa, who has been very active in bringing together Jews, Christians and Muslims for mutual study and action. Mr Mansour, a member of the Druze community, gave us a brief overview of the Druze community. All this food for the mind was followed by a wonderful meal prepared by our hostess who, like so many women in our common Jewish and Christian history, have offered so much but whose names have not been recorded!

Tomorrow we travel to Jerusalem.

News from Tel Aviv on Wednesday, 11 January 2012

2012-01-11T11:27:00.000-08:00

Stormy weather in Tel Aviv

Despite all the expectations of a sunny Mediterranean trip, Tel Aviv has been living through a blustery band of rainy and windy weather coming in from the sea. We were fortunate that the rain held off in the morning as we were walking from our first hotel, the Grand Beach, to the hotel of our tour, the Carleton. But once we dropped off our luggage and set forth on a walking tour of Tel Aviv with Philip Bregman, the weather became quite like Vancouver in the winter!

We walked south along the shore towards Jaffa. In the distance we could see Saint Peter's Roman Catholic Church built on the ruins of a twelfth-century Crusader fortification. All along the way the pigeons were sure signs of changing weather; they were crouched low, heads pointed to the south southwest from where the wind was blowing.

Gary and Philip pastry tasting

We turned into the city and walked over to the Carmel Market where outdoor stalls sold everything from food to clothing. We picked up some of the best pastries I have ever tasted, including a honey-soaked pastry that I am glad I have only found here --- if found in Vancouver, my cardiologist would certainly be on my case as I put on the kilos.

Colonial building in Tel Aviv

From the Carmel Market we walked the streets of Tel Aviv getting a feel for this city. It is a fascinating blend of cultures. My own observation is that it is a fine example of what might be understood as a pan-Mediterranean culture whether European or Middle Eastern. Everywhere one turns there are images of Israel's present and its past as well as its complex ethnic mix.

Shawarma on sidewalk

Upon our return to the hotel, well-fed, a bit wet and not a little bit tired, we were the beneficiaries of Philip's chutzpah. When we checked in earlier in the morning, we asked about wireless access and were told that this would cost US $22 per day. Since none of us were willing to pay such an amount, we were all resigned to a period of 'radio silence'. Philip, however, mentioned to the manager that every other hotel he visits in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have free wireless. The result was that we were greeted upon our return with an invitation to use the hotel's VIP lounge where the wireless is free and a small but tasty buffet is on offer from 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.! Hence I was able to post my blog from our first day and today's blog as well.

In the evening we had the first session of our group. We are spread over the North American continent: Vancouver, Ottawa, the Chicago area, the Newark area, eastern Texas, Louisiana and New York. Ours is the first inter-faith tour sponsored by the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the blanket organization for the Reform movement in North America.

Modern Menora at Bauhaus Center

Tomorrow is a long day, beginning in Tel Aviv, then travelling north to Mount Carmel where we will have an opportunity to meet with a Druze community and learn about this little-known religious community. More in tomorrow's blog!

News from Tel Aviv on Tuesday, 10 January 2012

2012-01-11T05:55:00.000-08:00

Paul, Richard & Gary in Vancouver

It has been a verylong day that began on Monday the 9^th of January at the VancouverAirport. Dr Gary Gaudin, Pastor PaulSchmidt and I began our journey to Israel with an 11.00 a.m. flight toCalgary. Paul and I experienced a coupleof snags in checking in, but there were rapidly sorted out by a very helpfulAir Canada agent named Cindy --- the rumours of the death of customer serviceare greatly exaggerated!

Lunch in Calgary

After an uneventful flight to Calgary Paul, Gary and Ipaused for lunch forgetting that ourflight to Frankfurt would have bring with it at least one if not two meals onboard. Although the food was great, allthree of us experienced some of the typical challenges to air travel these days--- a row mate who insists on putting his elbow into your side, a child whoseems unfamiliar with the concept of ‘no’ and the same child who by kicking theseat in front of him shakes the row with the third of our party! By the time we arrived in Frankfurt some of theallure of international travel was wearing thin.

Our flight was sent to a gate at one end of Terminal 1 andour Tel Aviv flight was located at the other end of the Terminal. We all began to think that there was no suchgate as Gate C13, but it did finally appear. There we went through a second security screening procedure. Paul’s luggage lost a strap in that processand my CPAP (continuous positive airflow pump), used by those of us who sufferfrom sleep apnea, generated a lot of interest and an additional swipe to makesure it was not masquerading as something else.

The flight to Tel Aviv was wonderful in comparison to theFrankfurt leg. I’m convinced that theAirbus and Boeing engineers have different measurements regarding economyseating, Boeing having the more generous dimensions. It wasn’t a full flight so all three of uswere able to have a short nap.

Gary & Paul at Tel Aviv Airport

Our landing in Tel Aviv was delayed by birds. It seems that the flight landing ahead of usexperienced several bird strikes, so we circled around while the ground crewchased the unwelcome avian denizens away from the runway. We passed quickly through passport control,picked up our baggage and were greeted by Rabbi Philip Bregman, our Vancouvercolleague who had travelled to Israel earlier. Tel Aviv is very much a Mediterranean cityand could easily pass as any European city on the Mediterranean coast if itweren’t for the Hebrew and Arabic road signs. We were treated to sunshine and comfortable temperatures.

After a short restand shower we went off to dinner with Rabbi Bregman and Cathy Bregman. We were joined by the Bregmans’ two daughtersand two of their daughters’ friends. Wehad a lively and helpful conversation about the challenges of life incontemporary Israel, especially the difficulties in integrating numerous immigrantgroups into Israeli society. All fouryoung people were open and frank in talking about the strengths and theweaknesses of Israel.

Roman Mosaics in Tel Aviv Airport

Tomorrow evening our programme begins officially, but moreon that tomorrow.

This Is Not Tame Water!

2012-01-07T14:36:00.001-08:00

The Baptism of Christ

8 January 2012

Saint Faith’s AnglicanChurch

Vancouver BC

Saint Alban’s AnglicanChurch

Burnaby BC

Twice in my life I have come closeto drowning. The first time was when Iwas in grade nine. A friend and I hadgone to the local high school pool and were playing around on the deck. I fell into the deep end and could not reachthe side or the ladder. It was only myfriend’s long arms, reaching into the water, that pulled me to safety.

The second time was on a white-water rafting tripon the Yampa and Green Rivers in northwestern Colorado when I was in gradeeleven. I was in a small raft with threeother Scouts and a guide. When we hitthe rapids, a cargo box swung free of its tie-downs and struck the guide on theside of the head and stunned him. Sinceour guide was at the tiller and the only one who had a clear view of the rapidsahead, we immediately fell into the power of the current and were swept intothe most dangerous part of the river. Iremember us being overwhelmed by a powerful wave and driven under. I remember thinking, ‘So, this isdeath.’ But the current that drove usunder also drove us back to the surface and eventually we were able to make theriver bank. Our friends who had alreadymade the run had been watching us from a high point nearby and quickly came toour assistance.

These two episodes in my life taught me theimportance of skills and knowledge. After the first close call I improved my swimming skills considerablyand achieved my Scouting badges in swimming and life-saving. The second close call taught me theimportance of knowing how rivers work and how to navigate their currentssafely. I did my homework and my secondwhite-water rafting trip, some years later, had less drama but no less excitementand joy.

Frederick Buechner, the American writer andtheologian, likes to point out that Christianity makes use of symbols that candeath as well as life. Bread is anessential part of life, but overeating can contribute to premature aging and death. Wine can be a source of joy and fellowship,but we all know the dangers of over-drinking and addiction. Water is a necessity for life on this planet,but all of us are aware of water’s shadow side: floods, tsunamis and rot.

So here we are on this first Sunday after Epiphanycelebrating the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by John. John’s use of baptism emerged from the Jewishtradition of mikvah, the ritualbathing that cleansed a person from anything that might inhibit her or him fromparticipating in the religious life of the community. Its origins are practical, but soon Jewsattributed a spiritual dimension to the practice.

What John adds to the picture is this washing as asign of the coming kingdom of God. Although, in English, John’s message is translated as ‘repent’, theGreek word, metanoia, has a morecomplex meaning. Metanoia means ‘changing one’s mind’ or ‘changing one’sperspective’. One way of translatingJohn’s message would be this: ‘Changethe way you look at the world. Look atthe world as God sees it, for that world is coming soon.’

My friends, when we celebrate the baptism ofJesus, we remember that we have been plunged into waters of the mission thatGod began in the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. These are not quiet or placid waters; theyhave strong currents and hidden obstacles that can overturn our rafts. It is for this reason that our Anglicantradition has always emphasized the life-long nature of growing into faithrather than a moment here or an experience there. If you and I want to navigate these waters ofGod’s mission, then we need to develop our skills and our knowledge.

Developing our skills and ourknowledge is not easy because it demands that we consciously devote ourselvesto this task. Our society has become socomplex that many people have simply given up trying to understanding politicsor economics or social policy, but navigating the baptismal waters of missionrequires ‘all hands on deck’. This meansa personal commitment to prayer, study and action on the part of every one whobears the cross of Christ on her or his forehead.

This is vital during a time whenmature Christian faith is being pressed by fundamentalisms born of religiousand non-religious movements insociety. The future of communities suchas Saint Faith’s and Saint Alban’s will not be decided by diocesan programmesor big-box religious hype. Our futurewill be shaped by people like you and me who are able to share our faith withour neighbours, a faith that has room for questions and those who ask them, afaith that works for justice locally as well as globally, a faith that honoursdiversity because God loves infinite variety.

But this future will not happenunless you and I develop those skills and knowledge that will make more ableministers of God in Christ. It is goodto hear the Scriptures proclaimed on Sunday and hear a sermon, but it isperhaps better to commit to reading and studying the Scriptures in the company ofothers or a good study guide. It is goodto participate in the prayers of the people, but it is perhaps better to learnmore about prayer and to set aside time each day to listen for God. It is good to pledge a portion of ourfinancial resources to the ministry of the parish and diocese, but it isperhaps better to pledge a portion of our time and the use of our skills toinitiatives and programmes, whether church-related or not, that work for thecommon good of our neighbourhoods and communities.

So, my friends, welcome to theriver! Just as Jesus embarked on hispublic mission after his baptism by John in the Jordan, so too have we beensent on a public mission after our own encounter with the living God in thewaters of baptism. We’re going to needeach other’s skills and knowledge to navigate these waters so that we canaccomplish the mission we’ve been given: to do justice, to manifest God’s steadfast love for us and for allcreation, to walk humbly as God’s beloved.

This is the mission that began when the Spirithovered over the waters of creation. This is the mission that continued when the Spirit descended upon Jesusin the waters of the Jordan. This is themission that continues when the Spirit descends upon those who enter the watersof baptism. Thanks be to God.

The Naming of Jesus: A Reflection

2012-01-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

When I look at one of the banners that we post over the door of Saint Faith's, I see an excellent and brief description of what it means to be a mature human being: 'Open hearts, open hands, open minds'. This phrase speaks of the important balance and integration of our feelings, our actions and our intellect. A person who relies on only one of these dimensions can become unbalanced and may, almost inevitably, find herself or himself in unhappy situations or burnt out or devoid of empathy and human feeling.

From time to time I have voiced my criticism of one such extreme: an over-reliance upon feelings, something that we can call 'romanticism'. Romantics, for example, tend to see love primarily as a feeling, while a more mature view understands love to involve our 'doing' and our 'thinking' as well.

Although I tend to be quite critical of romanticism, I have to admit that I am not immune to its allure. This surrender to feelings reveals itself in various ways, one of which can be seen in the names that Paula and I gave to our children.

We named our oldest David Michael: David after David, the patron saint of the Welsh people, and Michael after Michael the Archangel whose feast day comes a few days after David's birthday. We named our daughter Anna Frances: Anna after Anna, the prophet who greeted the infant Jesus and Mary and Joseph in the Temple, and Frances after Francis of Assisi whose feast day comes a few days before her birthday. My romanticism reveals itself most visibly in our youngest, Owen Thomas: Owen after Owain Glyn Dwr, the last true Welsh Prince of Wales, and Thomas the apostle upon whose feast day, the 21st of December, I was ordained to the presbyterate in 1981.

For me our three children carry their Welsh and Christian heritage into the next generation. From their mother they carry on, in Spanish tradition, a double-barrelled family name, 'Porter Leggett'. For our children, feelings have trumped any other consideration.

But for Mary and Joseph the naming of their child was more about action than feelings or intellect. Theirs was a difficult time and the name given to their child had political overtones.

The name 'Jesus' comes via the Greek language from the Hebrew 'Yeshua'. This Hebrew name means 'The Lord God saves' or 'the Lord God has saved' or 'the Lord God will save' or all three at the same time. It is the same name as Joshua, the young protege of Moses, who led the Israelites in the successful settlement of the land of Canaan. It is a name that congers up memories of a time of Israel's ascendancy and God's sovereignty over any earthly rulers --- not exactly the kind of memories that are likely to be welcomed by the Roman and Herodian authorities or to endear this child to them.

To celebrate the 'Naming' of Jesus is not about commemorating an event in the life of the child Jesus. It is about claiming an identity, a name if you will, that is ours through our choice to follow the way of Jesus.

By following the way of Jesus we have embarked on a pilgrimage that requires much of us. We have chosen to open our hearts not just to God but to our neighbours and those in any need or trouble, to feel their sorrow as our sorrow, their hunger as our hunger, their homelessness as our homelessness. We have chosen to open our hands not just to serve God but to serve our neighbours, to work in the here and now to make the kingdom of God present, even if only for brief moments. We have chosen to open our minds to the wisdom of God and of our neighbours, to discern how the mystery of God continues to revel itself in our world.

All this we feel and do and think because of our name: the followers of the way of Jesus, the way of the God who has saved, who is saving and who will save. With all respect to Shakespeare, a rose by any other name would not smell as sweet. A name is more than a sound; it is an identity with a history and a future.

As we begin yet one more year of ministry in this place, may we continue to be true to the identity we assumed at our baptism. Let our hearts, our hands and our minds be open to God's call to us in Jesus, son of Mary, son of Joseph, son of God, for his name is our name, his mission our mission and his future our future. Amen.