Personal Message from our Presiding Bishop, Francis

Lenten Message 2022

How Can I Be Helpful?

Dear friends,

Since Lent is meant to be a time of renewal, let’s focus on the heart of it all during this time.

Teresa of Avila

Some people are just good at picking out the stages or phases of how things unfold in life. Elizabeth Kubler Ross for instance opened up our minds to what a person consciously goes through in a natural death. Psychologist Bruce Tuckman described stages small groups go through: forming, storming, norming, and performing. These outlines are quite helpful in giving us a language for what we are experiencing. Well, Teresa of Avila in the 16^th Century came up with 7 different phases of going from not experiencing God at all to finally experiencing that we are completely one with God. It is so helpful to have language for these different phases because it helps us understand the journey we are on; some phases we may have already experienced, yet still it is good to know what is ahead. According to James Finley, Teresa says at the end of her work, The Interior Castle, “for such a person who has come to this phase of complete union with God, there is only one question left: How can I be helpful?” That’s where it's all heading. 

Luke Chapter 4

Notice the pattern: Jesus is bathed in the love of God at his baptism. At his first homily in a synagogue afterwards he says he’s here to be helpful for the poor, the blind, the captives, and the oppressed. Notice the reproducing of the pattern in others: after Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law (i.e., showing her the love of God), she gets out of bed and figures out how to be helpful. 

Reflection

One way to think about these phases, Finley suggests, is to see them as having an effect on us even before we get to the last phase—sort of pulling us into the future. Every time we “give a cup of cold water” to someone we are participating in the future, we are experiencing life in glory. We should savor it. Maybe we could try to be more aware of what we are doing. Pay attention to what happens in you, in them. What is it like—in glory? Were your and/or their defenses down? Was the flow between you up? What is it like in glory? Does the presence of God imbue this moment? Did a divine nudge bring about this simple act of being helpful? 

Naomi Shihab Nye

The following is an excerpt from a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye, entitled “Red Brocade.”

The Arabs used to say,

When a stranger appears at your door,

feed him for three days

before asking who he is,

where he’s come from,

where he’s headed.

That way, he’ll have strength

enough to answer.

Or, by then you’ll be

such good friends

you don’t care.

Let’s go back to that.

She goes on to explain that a common excuse for not “going back to that” is that I have other things I have to do, things that are my “purpose in the world.” As if being helpful is not our purpose in the world. This truth is not meant to disorder our lives, but to remind us of the primacy of place of “How can I be helpful?”

Our Polish Cousins

Would you like to be inspired? When Russia started invading Ukraine, our Polish ECC cousins immediately began setting ups hospitality centers in the areas of Poland where they are located so that those fleeing war would have a place to get food and drink and clothes and other essentials for survival. They are living this message we are talking about, even during horrific times. 

Matthew Chapter 10

⁴⁰ ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.’ 

Just as Abraham and Sarah came to see that they were helpful to angels when they entertained strangers; Jesus reminds us that there is a divine presence that is woven into the helpfulness of offering just a glass of cold water to someone. It’s why you reached for the glass in the first place. Lent is a time of renewal. Let’s go back to that. Maybe Easter will be like that moment was for Peter’s mother-in-law: experiencing love, waking up from “my fever,” and figuring out how to be helpful. (Spoiler alert: at our synod this year, we’ll be developing this theme more.”)

Your brother,

+Francis

Praying for peace, health and well-being through challenging times

+Mary Detweiller, member

+Dick Life, member

+Paul Wagner, brother of Co-Pastor Rev.Jane

+Joel, friend of Brad Rouse

+Dave Burgoon of TLC

+Dave Skinner- friend of Sharon Friedman

+Linda Browell - member

+Gale -beginning chemo. Uncle of Gaston Lopez, member

+Harry, 11 year canine companion to Gray La Fond.

+Yvonne Keefe - member

+Michael Juranek - friend of David and Mary Lou Devlin  

+Everly Parks - friend to Lynne and Jim Barnes, members.

+Rosemary - Fr Michael's mother

+Suzanne King - member

+Joanne Gallagher - member

________________

A blessed and peaceful repose of souls for those who've passed and comfort for the friends and families.

+Gloria Farrell, aunt of Co-Pastor Jane

+Tom Froehlich, brother of Ann Russell, member

+Howard, brother of Joan Crawford, ECC Deacon

+Verna Bodig, member

+

Kathie Reiten, mother of Pastor Rick.

+Mary Lynn Eyestone, sister of Joan Chapman Smith, member

+Jerry Foxhoven, uncle of Bill Smith, member

+Craig Starbird, brother-in-law of Mary Lyons, member



+Fr. Denny Dempsey - and in gratitude for his spiritual presence in my life - Gaston Lopez

+Leo Six – Father of Michael Six, member

+Dolores Orsi - mother of member

Jared Orsi