Dear Friends:

Trinity Sunday is a chance for a dive into challenging and deep ideas. What I always find is that understanding the doctrine of the Trinity—let alone explaining it—will have a very limited success. Several years ago, I laughed at this irreverent review of Trinity-analogies-dismissed-as-heresies sent by a friend, and I watch it every year at this season to both amuse and also to remind me of the challenge of talking about the Trinity. You might enjoy it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQLfgaUoQCw&ab_channel=LutheranSatire

On Sunday I spoke of our human limitations in describing the full interaction and persons of the Trinity in part because we are embedded in time, finite and mortal, with all our categories of understanding and experience dependent on time-language and time-ideas. Our limitations in knowing the Holy One-in-Three are just hinted at by the two kinds of time found in the New Testament that may be invisible to our English-reading eyes: “time” in the New Testament is usually kronos (time that is chronological and linear, that you can count, that unfolds by day, year, century), but sometimes kairos (time that is the ripe moment, the time-out-of-time, the moments where time stands still). Throughout our lives we have experiences and inbreakings of the Holy One-in-Three in different kinds of time, encountering God in kronos time in the Sunday after Sunday experience that forms community and gives basic nurture throughout our lives; we also know God in kairos time, the pivotal moments that may be around rare, transformative events. The doctrine of the Trinity reminds us that we are ever in the presence of the Holy One-in-Three, coming to know the Holy One in different ways at different moments of our lives. We know the Holy as God the Creator in our engagement with creation and inklings of vast expanses of time that are all flowing into the river of eternity. We know the Holy in the in the Word made flesh who in a life span of 33 years showed us in very human ways what abundant love and radical inclusion look like on the ground—literally on the ground. And we know the Holy in inspiration and encounter in the breath of creation that is the breath and spirit we encounter in our lives.

As the Holy is made known to us in our mortal existence in time, the fourth dimension, come to the Holy is also made known to us in space, the third dimension. There is the same abundance and diversity of encounter of God in space as in time. As I walked across the street to the office today I thought about tonight’s Celebration of New Ministry and how small and ordinary actions—weeds pulled; refreshments prepared; the usual preparations for the Eucharist that we celebrated every Sunday; beloved music practiced, played and sung—are the stuff of a beautiful, stirring, and holy event. And you will see in the service tonight that ordinary things—oil, bread, wine, keys—will be given as the stuff of ministry ranging from tending the physical plant of the church, to formation for youth, to outreach in the community, to celebrating the presence and grace of the Holy One in worship.

Although we may get tongue-tied (or wade into heresies!) trying to explain the Trinity, we can abide in a deeper knowing that the interaction, engagement, relationship, and presence of the Holy One-in-Three may be encountered in the extraordinary, in the paraordinary, and most certainly in the ordinary.

I am so glad that on June 13^th we officially start our time together at St Andrew’s, knowing that we will build—with the everyday, and with the spectacular, in workaday and in red-letter days—as we learn to discern the call of the God in our shared lives and ministry here in Greencastle.

Peace be upon you,

Jen+

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

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: No Drop-In hours on June 29 and July 6.

Sunday Morning In-Person Worship Service, June 19 led by The Rev. Jen 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 June 19.

A Message from Reverend Jen

It is hard to find enough words when my heart is so full. I am grateful for the Celebration of New Ministry, knowing how the St. Andrew’s community came together to make it beautiful, holy, and heartfelt in weeks of preparation and in the joy and excitement of the day. Thank you for calling me to St. Andrew’s, and thank you for such a warm and spirit-rich celebration and installment.

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, June 26 is Luke 9:51-62; it will be our text for the June 21 Bible study. You can always find the week’s Bible readings at lectionarypage.net/YearC_RCL. For the Season after 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 study on Tuesday, June 28.

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: