Episcopal Church 
of the Resurrection
1433 NW R.D. Mize Road
Blue Springs, Missouri 64015
(816) 228-4220
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Weekly E-mail
Saturday, October 10, 2020
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Blessing of the Animals at 10:00 am today
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IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT.
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Today, Saturday, October 10, the Church of the Resurrection will celebrate the Blessing of the Animals starting at 10:00 am in the church parking lot.
This event has a long tradition in our church and follows the actions of St. Francis of Assisi. Any pet is appropriate for blessings, from spiders to horses and all creatures in between. Even a child's "stuffed pet" is welcome for blessings. This celebration will also recognize the loss of a pet companion who is remembered and missed.
Please invite your friends and neighbors to come as well.
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Come to Church this Sunday
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2020
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Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Holy Eucharist Rite I at 8:00 am
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Brunswick Monogrammist. Parable of the Great Banquet, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville TN
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- Service in-person only (not broadcast)
Holy Eucharist Rite II at 10:30 am
Social distancing and masks required
Virtual Coffee Hour at Noon on Zoom
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Bonfire party and cookout October 17
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FINAL REGISTRATION.
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 Join fellow parishioners at the home of:
John and Joyce Biggs; 30404 Pink Hill Rd in Grain Valley
next Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 5:30 pm for an old fashioned bonfire with a picnic and cookout of hot dogs and s'mores. Hot drinks will also be available!
Please bring your own lawn chairs, flashlights and blankets to keep warm.
Please sign-up in Narthex or contact Janet Woodward to register at 816-564-4000.
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THE CHURCH AND POLITICS.
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Over the course of this month we will exercise our citizenship and vote in November (unless you have already done so). Especially during election years and when issues of social justice, the economy and now a pandemic there appears to be a lot at stake for the future. As your pastor and priest, I try to do my best to be a-political from the pulpit. As a priest issues of social justice and welfare are always part of Christ's message and the gospels. Some believe there is no room for any politics from our churches, and for the most part, many of us as clergy find the thin lines that can be drawn in each parish setting. My commendation to all of us in these coming weeks is to vote your conscience. I find myself asking the recurring question; What would Jesus Do? OR What would Jesus have us do? as we consider the issues and the candidates in our elections. This does not make it easier for me, but it does force me to wrestle with the issues and eventually allow me to make my discerning vote.
Dr. Stanley Hauerwas, PhD, is a modern day theologian and ethics professor. His works have caused the gullible minds of many seminarians to deeply engage the theology of the church in recognizing the dilemmas of theology and our particular cultures in society. His and others articles can be found at this website: (https://www.christiancentury.org/article/opinion/do-politics-belong-church)
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Monday Matters - RenewalWorks
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FROM REV. JAY SIDEBOTHAM +.
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St. Paul wrote: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)
Jesus said to his disciples:I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:11) Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God. - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy. - Rabindrath Tagore
A cloud of witnesses
I'm reading a book entitled "The Buddhist on Death Row: How One Man Found Light in the Darkest Place." In it, the author David Sheff tells the story of Jarvis Jay Masters, prisoner in San Quentin, death sentence looming. In confinement, Masters discovered the power of meditation, becoming a Buddhist. He said: "The death penalty saved my life. And gave me life...I never would have meditated. Never would have learned about Buddhism. Never. Never would have been interested." He described his ceremony of initiation as a Buddhist: "My old self died. The person who was desensitized, numb, dead. And from that death, it's like I became someone new. I'm becoming someone new." He went on to be of service to other inmates, finding ways to share what he had learned and somehow in that place, finding joy. The book causes me to consider, wonder, marvel at the witness of folks who discover joy in the darkest places.
It's the witness of Paul and Silas as described in Acts 16. Tossed into a first century prison (Let your imagination run wild on what that was like!), they spent the night singing hymns and praising God. It's the witness of Paul in his letter to the Philippians, which we've been reading on Sundays. In that letter, written from prison, every other word is joy or rejoice. What gives? It's the witness of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast we observed yesterday. Maybe you've participated in a blessing of the animals (Once I blessed a 5 foot iguana, which arrived in a snuggly on the chest of its owner who had come to church on the subway.) or quoted Francis' beautiful prayer about being an instrument of God's peace. But what was it about him that one of the memories persisting over the centuries has to do with his sense of joy, while taking on a life of poverty and enduring opposition from many sides? We're told he censured friars who went about with gloomy faces, exhorting them to cheerful demeanor. When thieves beat him up and threw him in a snowy ditch, he jumped out and joyfully sang praises to God. In a famous exchange with Brother Leo, he describes perfect joy: If we bear injuries with patience and joy, thinking of the sufferings of our Blessed Lord, which we would share out of love for him, write, O Brother Leo, that here, finally, is perfect joy. It's the witness of Nelson Mandela, 27 years in prison, who said: You may find that the cell is an ideal place to learn to know yourself, to search realistically and regularly the processes of your own mind and feelings. That kind of reflection allowed Mandela to combat forces of institutionalized racism, poverty and inequality. It's the witness of the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, good friends who laughed a lot, as recorded in "The Book of Joy," an account of conversations they had in a week together. Each of these men knew the worst that 20 th century politics could inflict. Though reflecting different religious traditions, they each exhibit joy. Part of that joy, that equanimity, that peace resulted from the fact that they each spent hours daily in prayer. It's the witness of Pope Francis whose first apostolic exhortation was entitled " The Joy of the Gospel." His first papal homily, on Palm Sunday 2013, began: "Here is the first word I wish to say to you: joy!" It's the witness of Jesus who told his disciples that he came to give them abundant life. On the night before he was arrested, tortured and executed, knowing full well what was coming, Jesus told his disciples that he came to give them joy that was complete. We are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses. They tell us, remind us, show us that joy can come in the darkest places. It comes with expressions of gratitude, quiet time, service, listening. We all know dark places, some more devastating or inexplicable than others. Maybe you're in one of those places this Monday. Maybe every Monday feels a bit like that. These witnesses remind us that we are not alone in facing darkness. They also let us know that valleys can be places where we glimpse a long, beautiful view that includes a path forward.
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In-person worship guidelines
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SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIRED.
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The logistics and requirements we must follow as we
 worship in church together are as follows:
- Upon entry, ushers will ask if you have any symptoms of illness including fever, chills, coughing and any history of recent illness. It is very important that you DO NOT attend church if you feel ill or know that you have been exposed to COVID or any other serious illness.
- Ushers will check your name against a directory roster and newcomers and visitors will be asked to provide their names and phone numbers upon entry. There will be no guest book or prayer sheet to sign.
- Masks will be required at all times while in the church building.
- Hand sanitizer, facial tissue and some masks will be provided.
- Seating will be in every other pew and social distancing at least 6 feet apart. Families may sit together. Additional seating is available in the undercroft where an overflow of congregates can watch lthe service broadcast live. The priest will go to the undercroft to offer communion to those gathered there.
- Congregational singing will not be allowed (but you may hum with your mask on!)
- There will be no hymnals in the pews for use.
- Those who have their own Books of Common Prayer or can access it on their electronic devices are encouraged to bring them to church for personal use.
- Prayer books will be provided and will be located in the back pews. After the service, prayer books should be placed in the big basket located in the narthex when leaving.
- Bulletins will not be recycled. Please take them home or deposit them in the trash.
- Communion of both kinds will be available in individual chalices and distributed by the priest. Please discard these used chalice packets in the trash when leaving.
- Thank you for your offering. Please leave your gift in the offering plate at the back of the nave.
- Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!!
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