A community reshaping itself to be
fit for God's purpose
Thursday, May 7, 2020
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Spring-Time Reflections
in a Time of Pandemic
We crave comfortable gods. Comfortable gods are those shaped in our own image. This week at Morning Devotions we have been reading from Exodus. On Tuesday we revisited the story of the Golden Calf. We chuckled as Aaron – facing down his brother Moses’ wrath – bleats out:
it wasn’t my fault Moses – I just threw the gold into the fire and out came a golden Calf.
It seems refusal in a leader to take responsibility is as old as the hills.
Moses had gone up onto the mountain and he’d been away forty days and forty nights. The Israelites felt abandoned by Moses who had left them to commune with his God, not theirs. Have you ever noticed that in these early chapters of the Exodus, God is referred to not as our god, but as a god of great men - in this instance, Moses’ god? Moses and God were good, and the people felt left out.
So, they did what human beings have always done, they made their own god; a god who would not leave them but would always be there when and where they needed; right there in their midst and not up the top of some mountain. You see, not much changes, we are still worshiping our familiar gods – gods who reassure us, comfort us, protect us because they are accessible and predictable; gods who comfort our fear and reward our self-interests.
The golden calf of materialism has been destroyed before our eyes in a matter of weeks. We are bereft – abandoned to our fears and defenseless against the unpredictability of the universe. Our expectation of God as an insurance policy against things going wrong has been ground to fine dust like Moses ground the Golden Calf down into fine dust – to be scattered on the winds of chance and change.
Amidst its carnage and real human suffering, we will in time come to be thankful for the disruptions of the pandemic. Maybe this was the only way God – the real God – the one not made in our image and created to serve our needs – could warn us that our hell-bent need to consume has taken us to the crest of a biological, economic, and ecological cliff. Maybe this is God’s way of saying:
hey people, look up and pay attention, you’re about to go over the cliff edge!
We lift our gaze and, as if for the first time, begin to take a good hard look at the world – societal as well as natural, human as well as ecological. We see that we have created a world of myriad lies and cultural myths that deny the reality of daily injustice and devastation of ecological destruction.
In the week we read from Exodus we also read from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. He's writing to the small house churches in central Anatolia. The Thessalonians in becoming followers of the risen Lord had turned away from their comfortable gods to become a people inspired and empowered to live a new kind of life and to work for a new kind of vision, i.e. live the new life of the resurrection. In doing so they became the change in the world they longed to see. Let us also be such people!
Mark+
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May Breakfast - DIY Version
As you know, we will not be gathering together for May Breakfast this year. However, we are not going to let that stop us from enjoying all that good food - we will just have a DIY version! In the spirit of our May Breakfast, you might want to set up a Zoom meeting with a group of friends to enjoy the camaraderie of a shared event.
We have gathered a collection of recipes, some you may be familiar with, and some that might be additions to our usual menu. A link to the recipes and photos will be coming soon in a separate e-News email.
This breakfast has traditionally supported the
Epiphany Soup Kitchen
and the
Episcopal Conference Center.
Donations are gratefully appreciated! Click
here
or mail a check to St. Martin's Church at 50 Orchard Ave, Providence 02906. Please note "May Breakfast" in the memo portion of your check.
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You're Invited to KidZoom!
KidZone has moved online, thanks to the generous efforts of Tim, Marie and Arthur Edgar, who host virtual Home Church for children and families on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. This week KidZoom will have its first Lego lesson, so gather your building materials (you don't need to use Legos; you can use anything you like to build or create with - modeling clay, markers and paper, etc.) and be ready to learn, pray and create!
We hope you will join the fun! Contact
Tim
for a Zoom-vite.
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Donations for the Thrifty Goose Thrift Shop
The Thrifty Goose is now accepting donations of clean, current spring and summer clothing and accessories. Unfortunately we are still limited in how much we can take in and are unable to take other types of donations at this time. Questions? Please contact
Brigit.
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Food Bank Fundraiser
The coronavirus pandemic has forced many fundraising events to be cancelled so Frank Pellegrino, an active cyclist and member of St. Martin's, has initiated his own fundraiser for the RI Community Food Bank.
His goal is to raise $1,000 ($5 per mile) biking a minimum of 200 miles in the month of May. If you'd like to sponsor Frank, please
click here
. Donations go directly to the RI Community Food Bank.
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Day by Day Meditation Booklet
If you would like a copy of Forward Movement’s
Day by Day
meditation booklet for May, June and July, email
Susan Esposito
and one will be mailed to you. Please be sure to provide your current address.
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Knitting Ministry
The Knitting Ministry has been in touch through Zoom in the weeks since the stay-at-home order was given. We continue to knit prayer shawls in our own time, and will deliver them when the current guidelines are relaxed and we can make the arrangements. In the meantime, we hope you will let us know of any requests for prayer shawls you may have. You can email
Natasha Lofgren
or
Jill Scott
, or leave us a message with the church office. Let us know the name of the person you would like a prayer shawl for and a brief comment so that we can remember that person in our prayers.
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St. Martin’s Hands:
A Pastoral and Practical Ministry in a Time of Pandemic
St. Martin’s Hands is a ministry with both a pastoral and practical approach to strengthening our parish community as we journey together. St. Martin’s Hands provides compassionate presence for parishioners through phone calls, letter writing, and prayer, and also works to address the everyday needs of any parishioner who could use practical assistance during this time of social distancing.
If you feel you would benefit from the services of St. Martin’s Hands, please reach out via email, phone call or text to
Linda Griggs
,
Cathy Bodner
at 401-272-6610, or
Elizabeth Welshman at 401-688-7037. And if you'd like to bring your time and talent to support this new ministry we would love to hear from you.
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We're "Sew" Busy - Join Us!
If you sew and would like to help make face masks as part of the St. Martin's Hands ministry, there are several resources available via YouTube, including some that require no sewing! Visit
this link
from Deaconess and scroll down for step by step instructions and a video, or
this link
from the RI Commerce website for no-stitch masks. If you are in need of a mask, or can offer to make some, please contact
Cathy Bodner
at 401-272-6610, or
Elizabeth Welshman
at 401-688-7037.
Legal Assistance Available
At this time, you or a family member may find yourself in need of
Durable Power of Attorney
or a
Health Care Proxy
. Attorney
Jude Kostas would be glad to assist you. Feel free to
send Jude an email.
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Healing Prayers
Even though we are not able to meet together at church, it doesn't mean we need to be secluded from one another. The Healing Prayers team is committed to continuing in ministry to those of you who would like prayers at this time.
Healing Prayers will be offered for the week of May 10 through May 16 by Jeana Whittredge. She can be reached by phone at 401-313-3033.
May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding
guard your hearts and minds.
Philippians 4:7
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Sunday Morning
11 am - 12 pm
Weekday Services
9 am Tuesday - Friday
5:30 pm Tuesday, Wednesday
5:30 pm Thursday
Weekly Prayer List
- Those affected by the Covid-19 virus:
- Those who are ill or are in quarantine
- Those who have lost family members or friends to the illness
- The residents of group homes and nursing homes, including Hallworth House (the Diocesan-sponsored nursing home), Bethany Home, and Evergreen House Health Center
- Everyone who is affected by the economic fallout of the virus
- Those who are working hard to care for us and provide for us in this time of crisis:
- First responders, nurses, doctors, and health care aids on the front lines in hospitals, nursing homes, and group homes
- Scientists and lab technicians who are trying to find a treatment or vaccine for Covid-19
- Store clerks, stockers, pharmacists, truck drivers, delivery people, custodians
- Those who have birthdays this week: Arthur Edgar, Kenneth Washburn, The Reverend Lawrence H. Bradner, Linda Pope, Liza McCahan, and Waylan Tucker
- Those commended to us: Angela, Eidan, Melissa, Chris, Donna, Jeremiah, Scarlett, Lisa, Virginia, Don, Justin, Eliza, Don, Michol, Mimi, Annette, Douglas, Jean, Carla, Carol, Isabel, Jerry, Patrick, Oliver, Pam, Theresa, Paula, Shirley, David, Ursula, Michael, Sam, Joe, Morgan, Murielle, Charlie, Truls, Jill, Christine, Katie, Beth, Linda, Tom, Adam, Chris, Martha, Jean, Timmans, Isabel, Alicja, Neal, Patrick, Jennifer, Mark, Cynthia, Cheryl, Robin, Mariette, Isabella, Sarah, Ada, Harry, Marvin, Emeline, Gail, Sheila, Cathie, Denny, Pat, Aldo, Madeline, Paula, and Vince
- We pray for Caroline Patten Walker (Pat) Knowles, wife of Jonathan (Jock) Knowles, who died on Wednesday, May 6
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St. Martin's Church | 50 Orchard Ave | Providence, RI |02906
(401) 751-2141
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