Well did you do it, did you set your New Year’s Resolutions? Every year I go into it with the best of intentions that are usually focused on myself:

• I need to lose weight.
• I need to get more sleep.
• I need to exercise more.
• I need to read more books.
• I need to drink less Mt. Dew. (My wife is very passionate about this one.)

It would be great if I did all of these things and I really want to live a healthier life, but is it what I really should be thinking about? Are these the changes that will really make 2023 a great year for me, for my community? I doubt it. I need to think more broadly. Here are my revised resolutions: 

• Accept people where and how they currently are.
• Be kind with no expectations.
• Get rid of grudges.
• Appreciate the life that I have been blessed with.
• Maybe still drink less Mt. Dew. (My wife would be really happy about this.)

If I can keep these resolutions for even the first couple of months of the year, the usual length of time I maintain my resolutions, then maybe I can help just a little in making 2023 a great year for myself and my community. Happy New Year to you all!

Brian Cox

Bible Study, Salvation, and Holy Week

Dear Friends,

I wanted to alert you that our Tuesday Bible Study, which meets at 4:30 p.m. each week in Hamilton Hall, will be exploring some texts and questions that may be of particular interest to you.

Bible Study: WHO IS SAVED?

One of the vexing and perplexing questions for Christians (and many others) of our time is the question of salvation. While the Episcopal Church is remarkably varied and fluid in our ideas about God, Jesus, and salvation, the overarching teaching we share is that Jesus’ work was to proclaim God’s saving love to and for all, even those who seemed to outside of the charmed or blessed circle. As my bishop from Southern Ohio, Tom Breidenthal, said in response to a question from a parishioner who wondered who is saved, the general proclamation is that hell is empty.

You may be surprised at this, as you will have heard other teachings from other Christians 🙂. To explore this question:

• Beginning on January 31 we’ll start with a deep dive into John 3:16, which has been shorthand for some groups to claim Christian and salvational exclusivity
• We will then read Rob Bell, Love Wins (Harper One, 2011) and discuss the book as well as responses to the book.
• Following this, we will read S. Lewis, The Great Divorce (available in many different printings and dates), which is Lewis’s rendering of what hell is—and isn’t.

You are invited to join our group—but if you are interested in the topic and cannot meet Tuesday afternoons, we can form a second study group, even by Zoom in the evenings.

Lenten reading: HOW DID THE STORY OF SALVATION UNFOLD IN HOLY WEEK?

For Lent, we will switch gears and read a book that utterly transformed my experience of Lent and especially of Holy Week. We will read The Last Week by Marcus Borg and John Crossan (HarperCollins, 2006), which uses the Gospels to map out Holy Week day by day, noting what happened to the disciples, Jesus, and the others who were participants in the Passion narrative. During Holy Week, we will recall the unfolding of these events. I urge you to read this book during Lent—and if possible to join our Tuesday group—for conversation. And as will our exploration of teachings of salvation, if you are interested in the topic and cannot meet Tuesday afternoons, we can form a second study group, even by Zoom in the evening.

There is so much richness that can deepen our faith and our commitments—even (or perhaps especially) as we raise questions about what happened and what it all means. I’m looking forward to difficult, wonderful, and ultimately life-giving questions.

Peace,

Jen+

Rev. Jen has set her office drop-in day as Wednesday of each week from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for anyone who would like to stop in and visit. You are always invited to make an appointment for a time convenient for you. Also, she has chosen Mondays as her Sabbath day. NOTE: No office hours the afternoon of January 11 due to on-site visit from Church Building Collaborative Partnership.

Sunday Morning In-Person Worship Service, January 15, led by Rev. Dr. Jennifer Oldstone-Moore, 10:15 a.m.

You can connect to the service via Zoom. Click on this link to connect. If you have not used Zoom before, you will be prompted to download Zoom, go ahead and do that. When you enter the meeting you should be able to see and hear others and others can see and hear you. If you come in a little late, please listen for a moment before speaking. In order to see everyone, go to Gallery view (upper right on PCs and upper left for Macintosh). When we get started everyone except the speaker will be muted. If you are reading or playing music, please be sure to unmute yourself.

If you are connecting via telephone dial 301-715-8592 and when prompted enter the Meeting ID: 858 0497 0006 and press #, then enter the password: pray and press # again.

Click here for the service booklet for January 15.

TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY – 4:30 P.M. IN HAMILTON HALL

Bible Study will be held on Tuesday, January 17. The reading for January 17 is Matthew 4:12-23. You can find the week’s readings at lectionarypage.net.

2023 WALL CALENDARS

Please let the office know if any of you are interested in 2023 wall calendars that show the season and the holy days. If there is interest, we will order what is needed.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The youth are up to some fun. Join them by being an occasional volunteer! Once you have completed your Safe Church training, all you have to do is show up – Macie and Jen+ have everything prepared. The youth come into the sanctuary for the Peace.

COMMUNION AT THE WATERS

Once a month Sunday services have resumed at The Waters. The next service will be this Sunday, February 12 at 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. If you’d like to help with this ministry in any way, please contact Rev. Jen or Renee. All are welcome to attend!

ON-GOING COVID PROTOCOL

We continue to respond to both our county’s current CDC designation and to the current variant. Masking is optional. Those who serve bread and wine will mask so that anyone who comes to the altar can feel secure. Decisions on COVID policy have moved from the Reconvening Committee to Rev. Jen and the Wardens.

We have heard that the daily reflections and scripture readings provided during Lent were appreciated. The meditations are written by persons from Gobin UMC and Beech Grove UMC. They will be in the newsletter each week and go from Wednesday to Tuesday, except for Sunday. Whether you enjoy these every day or as the Spirit moves you, may this resource continue to bring you spiritual food for the journey. Blessings!

Click here to view the readings and accompanying links.

Your prayers are asked for:

I would like to discuss our returning to communion by wine via the common cup.

Background: The Diocese of Indianapolis has stated that we may return to full communion (both bread and wine), but that receiving the wine can be by common cup only. Several parishioners have had questions about this. Here’s what I’d like you to know at this point.

• The Vestry voted and approved our new COVID guidelines recommended by the Regathering Committee.
• We might use the words “full communion” to indicate that we are finally back to both bread and wine, but it has ALWAYS been true that taking either one is a complete communion. You do not need both to fully commune.
• The choice is yours, Eucharist by Eucharist. You can decide to let the cup pass because you have a cold; if you are worried about others you can pass; you can wait until we return to intinction. Just cross your arms over your chest—or just shake your head and quietly demur.

Yours in health, restoration, liturgical engagement, and literature review,

Rev. Jen