2 Timothy – St. John's Episcopal Church, Suffolk, VA https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org Serving our community since 1642 Sun, 20 Oct 2019 19:14:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/cropped-Door-for-website-55x55.jpg2 Timothy – St. John's Episcopal Church, Suffolk, VAhttps://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org 32 32 116451644 Returning to center for change – reflection and sermon from 10/20/19https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2019/10/20/returning-to-center-for-change-reflection-and-sermon-from-10-20-19/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2019/10/20/returning-to-center-for-change-reflection-and-sermon-from-10-20-19/#respond Sun, 20 Oct 2019 19:10:37 +0000 http://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=1599 Good day on a damp and blustery Sunday in Chuckatuck. We are feeling the impacts of the ex-Tropical Storm Nestor but have been spared much of the worst impacts from the storm. We were welcomed to a newly cleared church yard as a bunch of hearty souls headed out yesterday and cleaned up the chestnuts, downed branches, pine straw near the sanctuary, and the tall weeds near the pond. Too bad it was such a grey day; we couldn’t get out and enjoy the grounds.

In worship today we continued our journey in the prophet Jeremiah and Paul’s second letter to Timothy. These two portions of scripture have been shading our conversation during worship over the past weeks. Jeremiah told Israel that God was creating a new covenant with them, not one that had to be taught (because it was outside them) but one that was built on Israel’s connection with God in creation – they would know what to do because it was part of their being. Paul reminds Timothy (and us) that scripture is inspired (animated) by God and the Holy Spirit to lead us in the work we do in the world. Our work is to be evangelists (bearers of the good news of God in Christ) with persistence and patience. God’s success is not based on our charisma, rather on God’s presence in who we are. Our job is to return to our foundation and tell the good news – nothing more; nothing less.

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Jeremiah 31:27-34; Psalm 119:97-104; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8

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