Theological Musings
Confirmation
The Healing Sacraments
When Jesus healed someone in the Gospels, he almost always included the forgiveness of sin with a commandment to go and sin no more. We shouldn't conclude that this means that our personal sin causes sickness- or worse that God punishes people by inflicting them with some illness. But, this does point to the holistic way that God sees us: the salvation and healing that God offers us is for both body and soul.
The Sacrament of Unction is a sacrament of healing in which a priest anoints a sick person with oil, and lays hands on them with the prayer of faith, asking God's healing grace and love to be present with the sick person. As late as the mid 20th century this sacrament was only given as one neared death, as part of last rites. But the liturgical renewal of the late 20th century saw the recovery of this sacrament to its biblical origins, in which any sick person could ask for healing grace through this sacrament at any time. It is important to remember that healing does not always mean cure. Yet, we believe that God's love is always transforming us and preparing us for life eternal.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation sometimes referred to as Confession, is a sacrament of healing for the soul. The earliest Christians saw sin as a sickness of the soul. The sacraments, particularly Baptism and the Holy Eucharist were seen as the medicine of immortality- the cure for sin. The Church has always believed that after baptism all of one's sins are forgiven. But the question arose, "what happens when one sins after baptism?" The Sacrament of Reconciliation evolved as a means of offering absolution of sin, and spiritual counsel for those who sinned after baptism. It is rooted in the power that Jesus gave the Apostles to forgive sins. When a priest is ordained, this authority is given to the priest.
There is a General Confession at every Mass, and the priest absolves the sins of the penitent then. We, as Anglicans, following the teachings of the Apostle Paul, also believe that one may confess their sins directly to God through Jesus Christ and obtain mercy and forgiveness. But sometimes, it is helpful to confess one's sins to a priest. This is helpful when one needs to hear the words of absolution when one needs or desires counsel and prayer, or when one's conscience needs to find relief. In the Episcopal Church, this sacrament is always available to anyone who needs it, but no one is ever forced or coerced into making a confession. Of course, one's confession remains under the stole of the priest, in total secrecy, and can never be revealed to another person (unless you confess that you are abusing a child, in which the Church requires the priest to report this to the authorities).
Confirmation
Are you interested in being Confirmed? If so please email Father Rob and let him know of your intention. There will be two confirmation classes offered: one for teens and one for adults. Information will be forthcoming, but we would like to compile of list of Confirmands as soon as possible.
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Prayer Requests
- Ed Miller, passed last week. Fr. Bruce said that during his last days he no longer had any shaking from his Huntington's Chorea. We ask prayers for the repose of his soul.
- Chris Semanchik, who is very ill. His wife Maryann visited our church last week and is asking for our prayers.
- Jane Linn's, granddaughter-in-law, Rachael, was diagnosed with breast cancer and will have radical surgery in February.
- Keep Mike, Christine Kellam's dad in your prayers.
- Mary Irwin is experiencing some health issues.
- Prayers for the repose of the soul of Margaret Perritt, who passed away while in Hospice Care. Margaret was Alison Evans' mother.
- Philip and Nancy
- Yvonne
Please send your prayer intentions to Philip at philip.muniz@gmail.com.
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Epiphany House Blessings
It is traditional to have homes blessed during the season of Epiphany. TYou may make an appointment with Father Rob to come to your house blessing at your home during the season of Epiphany. The season of Epiphany begins on January 7, and ends on Mardi Gras, March 1. The cycle of Christmas ends on the feast of the Presentation, also known as Candlemas. The greens will be removed from the church after the end of the 12 days of Christmastide, but the creche will remain throughout the season and will be removed after Candlemas (February 2).
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Jubilee Parish
A Jubilee parish is a parish committed to the social justice ministry of advocacy and service for the poor and oppressed. It is a network of parish and diocesan Jubilee Centers throughout the Episcopal Church. It was established by an act of the 1982 General Convention as “a ministry of joint discipleship in Christ with poor and oppressed people, wherever they are found, to meet basic human needs and to build a just society.” The term “Jubilee” means the fiftieth year. It is derived from Lv 25:10, which says that the fiftieth year shall be a jubilee: “you shall return, every one of you, to your property and every one of you to your family.”
If you have a special heart of compassion and concern for the poor and oppressed and want to work for a more just church and society, perhaps God is calling you to be a member of our newly formed Jubilee Commission. We will be prayerfully discerning over the next several months what God is asking us to do in service of the poor in our county, in our state, our nation, and the world. Please speak with Father Rob if you are interested in this important work.
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Upcoming Dates
March 2nd - Ash Wednesday
March 13th - 9 - 2 p.m. American Red Cross Blood Donations in the Undercroft.
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St. Martin's Save A Life
Blood Drive
March 13th, 2022 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Were you planning on giving something up for Lent? How about some of your blood to save a life? The American Red Cross is in DESPERATE need of blood donations, and we are stepping up to help them. Come to church and save a life. The best gift is one that comes from your heart (get it?!)
You must make an appointment at
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OUTREACH
Valentine Delivery
Cards and/or cookies were mailed to several special members of St. Martin's in celebration of St. Valentine's Day.
The Outreach Committee will begin collecting personal care items for the Jail Chaplaincy beginning Feb. 12th. A container will be in the narthex until Sunday, Feb. 27th. Thank you for all your book donations.
We also received a request for help from HOME. The Presbyterian Church in Pluckemin will not be hosting families in 2022 so we will not be providing coverage at that church. However, we will deliver meals to the agency on three Mondays this year. Below is an email I received directly from HOME. If you volunteer to help HOME, please contact them directly but let me know you have done so. Thank you.
Lend a hand at HOME
HOME of Somerset County (Formerly IHN) is looking for volunteers to help with our Emergency Shelter program. Due to the pandemic, the congregational rotation hosting schedule has been closed and our families have been staying at a local hotel. We are planning to re-open the shelter component of the program the first week of April 2022 and we are in need of volunteers.
Dinner shift hosts are needed at 5:00 pm (until 7:00 pm) to set up for the meal and to welcome our families. Our evening (hospitality) shift is generally from 7:00-10:00pm and the overnight hours are 10:00pm-6:00am (8:00am on Sat. & Sun). For more information please contact Director of Volunteer Services, Karen Donohue, 908-704-1920 / karen@homescnj.org https://homescnj.org
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Lenten Book Study
All are welcome. This year we will be learning about and discussing six women from the Old Testament in five sessions. They include Jephthah’s daughter, the Shunammite woman, Esther, Judith, and Naomi and Ruth. Some will be familiar and some probably will not. All have a story to tell and things to teach us about their time and place, their beliefs and spirituality, and their relationship with God and their people.
We will be using the book “Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter”, by the Reverend Lindsay Hardin Freeman (ISBN 978-088028-391-5), It is available online, in both hardcopy and electronic format, from a variety of vendors, including Amazon. This is the same book we used for the 2018 Woman in the Bible program.
Meetings will take place each Monday during Lent beginning on March 7 and continuing on March 14, 21, 28, and April 4 at 7:00 pm. We will be meeting at the home of Juanita Hawkins
90 Vandeveer Drive
Basking Ridge, New Jersey
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Stolen Checks
Here is something that you can do if you think one or more of your checks have been stolen:
First, definitely report this to your bank. If your checks were cashed, the bank should be able to help you recover the funds. Either way, they should be made aware this happened.
Second, our warden, Larry Ottenstroer, has reported this to the Bridgewater Police, and they have assigned a case number. However, since you, as an individual are the actual crime victim, not (technically) the church, it would be most helpful for you to make your own police report.
Larry spoke with Officer Grasso, and the case number assigned is 22024050. You can reference that number so they will group our cases together.
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Summer Mission Opportunity
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in New Providence is sponsoring a work mission trip in the summer and inviting all parishes in our convocation to participate. It is a trip similar to an ASP trip, where those who participate will be working on light construction projects to improve the lives of the poor in Connellsville, PA.
The trip is open to anyone in 8th grade and older. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to do a mission trip together. The cost is $450-$650 per person.
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Diocesan Convention 2022
The diocesean convention is scheduled for March. Information will be forthcoming regarding whether it will be in person, via zoom, or hybrid. Participating in the diocesan convention is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other Episcopalians in our diocese and to see the inner workings of the church. Because the Episcopal Church values the voice and discernment of all the people of God, the diocesan convention allows delegates from various parishes to participate in prayerfully discerning God's desires for the church in this place.
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