Our texts this week, Amos 7:7-17 and Luke 10:25-37 are looking at the same issue from opposite ends of the telescope. Amos’s fierce prophetic voice challenges us to see the ways in which we fail God and fail neighbor, and his sweeping condemnation of the practices and habits of his day (many of which match our own) remind us how we become part of a hurtful system that we can be reluctant to change. Jesus’ counter question to the lawyer—who was the neighbor—the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan—challenges us to think about our every day interactions with the people we meet face to face. Both point to the many ways we sidestep being love.

I came across the excerpt from Christian Wiman. Wiman was raised in a fundamentalist community, and then left church and religion completely. His return to church and God (not the same thing!) has been reluctant but firm. He notes here how even devotion to God and cultivating spirituality can become an escape from the very difficult work of loving others. I’ve emphasized the line that convicted me…see what you think, and then think about what you do, and about how you do it. How we together might help each other see the “fatal complacency” that makes it so hard to match the neighborliness of the Good Samaritan?

Jen+

P.S. I highly recommend Wiman’s interview with Krista Tippett, which you can access here. https://onbeing.org/programs/christian-wiman-how-does-one-remember-god-jan2018/

The unedited version is worth the extra 30 mins of conversation. I download all of these podcasts for my long drives, or ironing, or just listening…

One day when I had gone to a little chapel near my office at lunchtime and was once more praying while wondering how and why and to whom I prayed, a man came in and eased into the pew directly across the aisle from me. As we were the only two people there, his choice of where to sit seemed odd, and irritating. Within a couple of minutes, all thought of God was gone into the man’s constant movements and his elaborate sighs, and when I finally rose in exasperation, he stood immediately to face me. He had the sandblasted look of long poverty, the skeletal clarity of long addiction, and that vaguely aggressive abasement that truly tests the nature of one’s charity. Very cunning, I noted, failing the test even as I opened my wallet: to stake out this little chapel, to prey upon the praying! For days then it nagged at me – not him, but it, the situation – which, I finally realized, was precisely the problem: how easily a fatal complacency seeps into even those acts we undertake as disciplines, and how comfortable we become with our own intellectual and spiritual discomfort. Wondering how and why and to whom I prayed? I felt almost as if God had been telling me, as if Christ were telling me (in church no less): get off your mystified ass and do something.

-Christian Wiman
My Bright Abyss

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. NOTE: Rev. Jen will be out of the office July 18 – July 31.

Sunday Morning In-Person Worship Service, July 17 led by The 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. NOTE: This is a new ID number as of April 4, 2022 so be sure to enter the new information!

Click here for the service booklet for July 17.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR BOB HAYMAKER SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2:00 – 5:00 P.M.

Robert “Bob” Haymaker peacefully passed away after a short illness on July 3, 2022 at home in his beloved woods surrounded by family and cats. So closes a chapter on a life filled with joy, playfulness, curiosity, service, and a generous love for others and God’s creation.

For many years, Bob was especially active at St. Andrews where he served as an acolyte and eucharistic minister—and on Sundays enthusiastically rang the bell to start the service. He loved his church family and the hymns that lifted his spirits (and often inspired post-service whistling). You are all treasured in his heart.

A celebration of Bob’s life is planned at St. Andrews in the Parish Hall on Saturday, July 23 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. A short Military Honors Ceremony will occur here at 2:00 p.m.

To honor Bob’s legacy, plant a native tree or some wildflowers, read a book to a child, pick up some trash on the side of the road, and wonder at the beauty of God’s creation all around us. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob’s name can be made to the the Oubache Land Conservancy, St. Andrew’s Church, or the Putnam County Library, all of which Bob was proud to contribute to throughout his life.

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

We will continue our Bible study on Tuesdays, reading and discussing the Gospel passage that is assigned for the following Sunday. The Gospel passage for Sunday, August 7 is Luke 12:32-40; it will be our text for the August 2 Bible study. You can always find the week’s Bible readings at lectionarypage.net/YearC_RCL. For the Season Pentecost 2022, we are in Year C, and we will use Track One readings. Hope to see you there! NOTE: There will be no bible studies on July 19 and July 26.

We have heard that the daily reflections and scripture readings provided during Lent were appreciated. The meditations are written by persons from Saint Andrew’s, 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