The Episcopal Church
of the Resurrection
1433 NW R.D. Mize Road, Blue Springs, MO
Weekly e-mail
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, October 17, 2021

Holy Eucharist Rite I at 8:00 am
Holy Eucharist Rite II at 10:30 am


Server Schedule (Please check website for updates)


Giving thanks for the life of
Jodie Kavanaugh
SERVICES THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15

Paula Jo "Jodie" Kavanaugh, 73, of Independence, passed away surrounded by her loved ones on Wednesday, September 29.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 5:00 pm on Friday, October 15, 2021 at Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. The family will receive friends from 3:00 pm until the time of service at the church.

In Lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions to the Alzheimer's Association: 9370 Olive Blvd. St. Louis MO. 63732 or https://act.alz.org/donate

Jodie was born April 13, 1948 in Kansas City, MO, daughter of Willard C. and Betty L. (Hollingsworth) Arnold. She was a Call Center Supervisor for MGE for over 20 years. She loved spending time with her family. She was a dedicated and loving wife, mother and Mimi.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Sandra Arnold. Jodie is survived by her husband of more than 52 years, Robert Keith Kavanaugh, of the home; daughter, D'Ann Lynn (Kriss) Mills of Raymore, MO; son, Brandon Keith Kavanaugh (Jaime) of Lenexa, KS; eight grandchildren: Alexa Courtney, Tyler Courtney, Michael Kavanaugh, McKenzie Kavanaugh, Zachary Kavanaugh, Lakyn Kavanaugh, Jordan Walla and Brennan Walla; two great grandchildren: Maple Wren Kavanaugh and Alaia Jo Walton; brother, Dr. Willard Arnold of Sitka, KY; sister, Janeece Buckner (John) of Independence, MO.

Arrangements: Royer Funeral Home, Grain Valley. Cllck here to read the obituary.


May Jodie's soul and the souls of all the faithful departed Rest in Peace and may light perpetual shine upon them.
Bonfire and Cookout at the Biggs
THIS SATURDAY AT 5:30 PM

Join us this Saturday, October 16, at 5:30 pm for the annual Biggs' Bonfire and Cookout at the home of:John and Joyce Biggs; 30404 Pink Hill Rd in Grain Valley

We'll be serving hot dogs and s'mores. Hot drinks will also be available! 

Please bring your own lawn chairs, flashlights and blankets to keep warm.
From Father David +
A MESSAGE FROM JAY SIDEBOTHAM WITH RENEWAL WORKS

Matthew 18:23-34
Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

Lord have mercy
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. -Matthew 5:7

When Shakespeare wrote that the quality of mercy is not strained, it’s apparent he never got stuck in traffic. When I’m driving, and find myself in the wrong lane, I seek the mercy of other drivers to let me in. It is sometimes forthcoming, sometimes not. I'm grateful when I receive mercy. Yet when I’m in the correct lane, and some clueless bozo tries to squeeze into my lane, I only grudgingly let them in, usually with some thoughts about their ineptitude as a driver.

So today we talk about receiving and offering mercy, strained or not. There’s probably no better way to explain this beatitude then to share the parable Jesus told about a man who received mercy and then failed to show mercy to someone else. (That story is included above.) It suggests a dynamic implicit in the Lord’s prayer, which is basically that our asking for forgiveness is somehow related to our willingness to offer forgiveness. Our demonstration of mercy is connected to our receiving mercy.

So how might we grow in our capacity to be merciful, when often that goes against our instincts? As far as I’m concerned, showing mercy can at times take some work. It can call for intention. As I thought about that kind of intention, a few thoughts came to mind, triggered by Jesus’ parable, thoughts about what it takes to be merciful.

First, remember a time when you have been shown mercy. What did that feel like? Was it something you felt you deserved, or did it simply come to you as an act of grace, showered down on us to continue to channel Shakespeare? If it came to you as grace, as gift, how did that feel? Was it a joy or were you like Javert in Les Miserables who couldn’t bear that he was in a position where he was dependent on someone showing him mercy. He took it as an indication of weakness. He literally could not live with this view of the universe.

Second, if you find yourself being asked to show mercy to someone who has somehow done you wrong, take a deep breath and put yourself in the place of that person, the one asking for mercy. What is going on with them? What causes them to act as they did? Maybe that involves a conversation about the offending act. Maybe that calls for nothing more or less than prayer for that person. That can often be a way to get to mercy.

Third, consider whether the offense that calls you to show mercy is something that you actually need to work on in yourself. Maybe I’m the only one who has experienced this, but sometimes when I get worked up about something somebody has done, when something really irritates me about another person, I find after a bit of reflection, or perhaps some feedback from folks I trust, that I’m guilty of the very thing that makes me want to withhold mercy. Funny how that works. Sort of funny.

The bottom line: we all need to have mercy shown us. So if we want to know mercy, we need to show mercy. While I believe that is true, I also find it kind of annoying. Which is where the work comes in. If you do nothing else to try to live into this beatitude, think about the wideness of God’s mercy, wider than the sea. Celebrate the love of God broader than the measure of our minds. Ask God to help in that process, which may well be why in the liturgy we repeat, again and again: Lord have mercy. -Jay Sidebotham

PLEASE WEAR YOUR NAME TAG

Help us remember who you are and make it easier for folks to identify you! Please wear your name tags, located next to the hallway windows in the narthex. Five reasons to wear a nametag:

  1. Few people know everybody in the church. 
  2. Leaders need help with names.
  3. Nametags invite conversation. 
  4. Knowing names makes fellowship more personal.
  5. Nametags save embarrassment.


TRAVELING TO BLESS MY SON'S MARRIAGE

Following services on October 17, Debbie and I will travel to California for me to bless the wedding of our son Christopher J. Lynch to Anahis Georgosian. This will be a special time and a long-awaited ceremony for us. 

The Rev. Dr. Don Compier, Dean of the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry, will be serving as celebrant at one service only on October 24. Fr. Don is a wonderful person who has experienced a wide and varied ministry. I know you will welcome him receive him well! I am very grateful to Fr. Compier for sharing his time with Resurrection while I am gone! Fr, David+


A CONVERSATION WITH BISHOP BRUCE

The recording of the Zoom meeting held at 3 pm on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, with The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce, Nominee for Bishop Provisional of West Missouri can be viewed by pressing the play button below.
CLOTHING FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
BRING WINTER CLOTHING TO CHURCH THIS SUNDAY

Kansas City will be welcoming approximately 550 Afghan refugees in the coming days. While Della Lamb and Jewish Vocational Services are the 'front door' for refugees, there is another non-profit organization called KC for Refugees (www.kcforrefugees.weebly.com) that works to provide clothing, household goods, housing, ESL, cultural mentoring and job placement for Afghan refugees.
 
St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church, 16808 Holmes Road, Belton, MO is partnering with KC for Refugees and has committed 1,000 square feet of storage area to distribute clothing, furniture, etc. for the next two years.

Please bring your contributions to church this Sunday or drop off winter coats, gloves, and hats directly at St. Mary Magdalene on Saturday, October 16 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Also, please bring extra wire hangers to church so we can hang the coats!
Upcoming important events
MARK YOUR CALENDAR

10/13 Wednesday: 7:00 PM Vestry
10/16 Saturday: 10:00 AM Daughters of the King
5:30 PM Bonfire at the Biggs (sign-up in narthex)
10/19 Tuesday: 1:00 PM Book Club
10/21 Thursday: LunchBunch @ Colonial Kitchen Colonial Gardens
10/30 Saturday: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Trunk or Treat
Bible Study on Wednesdays at 1:00 pm
STUDYING THE BOOK OF GENESIS

Please join us every Wednesday afternoon for Bible Study from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. Our focus is the book of Genesis and includes a program guide called “Engaging God’s Word”. All are welcome to attend any and all sessions..
In-person worship
SAFETY FIRST

Welcome back to in-person worship. Safety prevails with considerations for wearing masks, using hand sanitizer and washing hands. We encourage everyone get a vaccination and ask you take appropriate precautions if you are not. 

With the rise of the Delta Variant we request everyone wear a mask.

Attendance pages are on the table in the narthex. Please check-off your names on the attendance spreadsheet since we are still following pandemic guidelines. it is important we have accurate documentation should an exposure be identified. 

Communion will be served in the traditional manner with bread from the priest and wine from the chalice for those who desire to do so. The “hour-glass” packet of bread and wine will still be readily available for any one still not ready for the common cup. To indicate how you would like to receive communion please use your hands in the following manner:

• Palms up to receive bread as in the traditional manner
• Palms down to receive “gluten free” bread
• With your fingers chose the “hour glass” with bread and wine
• Cross your chest with your arms to receive a blessing only

Receiving communion of ONE kind (bread or wine) represents FULL communion in the Episcopal tradition. Intinction (dipping the wafer in the chalice) is NOT preferred as it raises concerns for cross-contamination.