Holy Spirit – St. John's Episcopal Church, Suffolk, VA https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org Serving our community since 1642 Sun, 23 May 2021 19:06:19 +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.jpgHoly Spirit – St. John's Episcopal Church, Suffolk, VAhttps://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org 32 32 116451644 Without the Spirit we are only dry bones – reflection and sermon from 5/23/2021https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/05/23/without-the-spirit-we-are-only-dry-bones-reflection-and-sermon-from-5-23-2021/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/05/23/without-the-spirit-we-are-only-dry-bones-reflection-and-sermon-from-5-23-2021/#respond Sun, 23 May 2021 19:06:14 +0000 https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=2418 Come Holy Spirit, come. Many warm greetings on the feast of the Pentecost in Chuckatuck as May draws to a close. Alas, for the second year we were unable to have a picnic as has been our tradition for as long as I can remember. We are beginning our transition from full-COVID worship to a semblance of normalcy – relaxations have been given, singing will begin shortly, and we will celebrate our independence from our chapel on Independence Day. A few things to do to get the sanctuary ready (plaster, paint, and cleaning) but there is expectation in the air.

On Pentecost Sunday we were told more than once that this is the day we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit on the believers after Jesus’ resurrection. We also remember the Holy Spirit provides us comfort and wholeness in the struggles of life. Our Psalmist this morning recounts the feelings the Israelites felt when they couldn’t see God’s presence, yet they also remembered the power that came to them through God’s spirit. Our lesson from Acts was the detailed recounting of the coming of the Holy Spirit on “all those people” who were in Jerusalem. And that everyone was able to hear the message of salvation in their own language. The reading from the gospel of John reconnects us to God through both Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Our sermon today was focused on the reading from Ezekiel and his view of the valley of the dry bones. Ezekiel reminds us and those who come after us that God, through the Spirit, is able to do what God chooses. We will see God’s power if we believe and trust the same Spirit. Our growth is not in the things we have but the Spirit-given life we live.

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 104:25-35, 37; Acts 2:1-21; John 1526-27; 16:4b-15

Video of today’s worship: https://youtu.be/oQ3J2X3S7wU

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]]> https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/05/23/without-the-spirit-we-are-only-dry-bones-reflection-and-sermon-from-5-23-2021/feed/ 0 2418 How will the Spirit lead us in our Lenten fasting and sacrifice – reflection and sermon from Ash Wednesdayhttps://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/02/17/how-will-the-spirit-lead-us-in-our-lenten-fasting-and-sacrifice-reflection-and-sermon-from-ash-wednesday/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/02/17/how-will-the-spirit-lead-us-in-our-lenten-fasting-and-sacrifice-reflection-and-sermon-from-ash-wednesday/#respond Wed, 17 Feb 2021 19:16:17 +0000 https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=2301 May you be blessed at the beginning of your Lenten journey as we celebrate Ash Wednesday with the imposition of ashes, the litany of penitence, and the Eucharist. This Lenten season feels a little anticlimactic – we began our Coronatide journey during Lent last year and continue now, almost a full year later. Yet, we are invited to not simply mourn the past year but to spend time looking for God’s presence in places and ways we are unfamiliar with. Our Lenten journey is one that invites us to spend time fasting and offering sacrifices, praying for contrition, and keeping our minds on the things that separate us from God. May your Lenten journey be holy and empowering to prepare you for your future.

Our lessons today carried the themes of fasting, mourning, and weeping. But not simply to rest in those places but to use those practices as a means to return to the Lord. The lessons remind us that mourning is not the end – being restored to God’s presence is what our journey should provide. We are also invited in scripture to make ourselves and our practices sacred – focused on God and our relationship with God. One reason we offer sacrifices and partake in fasting is to open our eyes to the Holy Spirit. Maybe, that’s the principle we need to focus on this year.

How will you allow the Holy Spirit to lead you during your Lenten journey? I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 103; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6 , 16-21

Video of worship: https://youtu.be/ecuYO3Wh-uU

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]]> https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/02/17/how-will-the-spirit-lead-us-in-our-lenten-fasting-and-sacrifice-reflection-and-sermon-from-ash-wednesday/feed/ 0 2301 Doing greater things because of the Holy Spirit – reflection and sermon for Pentecost 2019https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2019/06/09/doing-greater-things-because-of-the-holy-spirit-reflection-and-sermon-for-pentecost-2019/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2019/06/09/doing-greater-things-because-of-the-holy-spirit-reflection-and-sermon-for-pentecost-2019/#respond Sun, 09 Jun 2019 19:56:28 +0000 http://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=1430 Blessing to you on the Feast of the Pentecost. It’s been 50 days since Easter (not counting Sundays) and we celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit all those years ago. We celebrated inside for the first time in my tenure at St. John’s (at least in my recollection). Every year from 2011 through this year we’ve been able to worship outside and have our potluck luncheon as a picnic. Alas, the weather just wouldn’t behave and we made for higher and drier ground. But that didn’t change the celebratory nature of our Sunday – as we hope you had a celebratory Sunday too.

Interestingly, this Sunday seems a little harder than last to gather thoughts in worship. The reading from Acts told about the coming of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the believers all those years ago. We also heard Paul and the psalmist talk about those who are led by the spirit are children of God. But the focus of the sermon for today was found in John’s gospel – trying to answer the request offered by Philip – to see God. We are reminded that the nature of being a believer is founded on the truth of Jesus and God being intimately related; and that through the disciples we become intimately related to Jesus and God. That is the true story of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:25-35, 37; Romans 8:14-17; John 14:8-17, 25-27

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]]> https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2019/06/09/doing-greater-things-because-of-the-holy-spirit-reflection-and-sermon-for-pentecost-2019/feed/ 0 1430 The Holy Spirit leads us – reflection, sermon, and video link for January 7, 2018https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2018/01/07/the-holy-spirit-leads-us-reflection-sermon-and-video-link-for-january-7-2018/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2018/01/07/the-holy-spirit-leads-us-reflection-sermon-and-video-link-for-january-7-2018/#comments Sun, 07 Jan 2018 20:58:08 +0000 http://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=748 Good afternoon friends and welcome to 2018 in the midst of the first snow of the year. I hope you have been safe and warm as the Arctic weather has blown through Southside Virginia. The conditions were dicey enough that we felt it more prudent to cancel worship and be safe. The roads were okay to the vicinity of the Church but there was plenty of snowpack preventing access to the property and to the Sanctuary. I tried something new this morning that didn’t work as well as I wanted but it worked – I led Morning Prayer and offered most of the sermon I had planned for this morning via Facebook Live. That’s only helpful if you are on Facebook but I’m still working on bringing alternative worship at St. John’s to the 21st Century.

The readings supported the premise of the Baptism of Jesus – the theme of the first Sunday after the Epiphany. Many of the lessons today were familiar: “In the beginning…” from Genesis and “John baptized Jesus… and the Holy Spirit descended…” in Mark. The familiar lessons can lead us away from part of God’s greater story – in today’s readings the story of the Holy Spirit. We recognize the Holy Spirit is present and has been present from the very beginning. The work we celebrate through the Holy Spirit is the perception of God’s call to move from where we are to a place closer to God. Please listen and think about where God and the Holy Spirit are leading you.

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11

Listen at: https://chirb.it/CHnm4r



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]]> https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2018/01/07/the-holy-spirit-leads-us-reflection-sermon-and-video-link-for-january-7-2018/feed/ 1 748 Bible discussion for Oct. 23 – Joel 2:23-32; God’s Response, Promise, and Spirit Poured Outhttps://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2016/10/17/bible-discussion-for-oct-23-joel-223-32-gods-response-promise-and-spirit-poured-out/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2016/10/17/bible-discussion-for-oct-23-joel-223-32-gods-response-promise-and-spirit-poured-out/#respond Mon, 17 Oct 2016 19:21:13 +0000 http://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=119 Oct 23 – 23 Pentecost
Joel 2:23-32
God’s Response and Promise
God’s Spirit Poured Out

Background: The Book of Joel is the second book in the Masoretic book of the Twelve Prophets. Joel (meaning the Lord [יהוה] is God in Hebrew) is a prophet, most likely in post-exilic Israel. The book spans not only the classic prophetic works but also speaks of the apocalypse through the use of liturgy. Joel introduces the theme of restoration following the attack of the “army (of locust)” by יהוה’s hand. Joel opens the door to the theme of the Lords’ day in later works.

Theme: This passage marks the transition from God’s demand for Israel’s Lament ceremony into God’s oracles of restoration for Israel. This passage is the first and second series of oracles of restoration pronounced by God through Joel for “all the people” to hear so they may believe in God’s promise.

Questions to Ponder:
* Please read Joel 2:23-32. Read verses 18-22 for context.
* Describe the setting for this passage: when it was written, who was leading the country, what the social status is, what the religious culture of the nation is, etc.
* What do you think of the translation of Joel’s name? How might that translation have an impact on the text and its interpretation?
* Who do you think Joel is? Consider what difference it might make considering it is difficult to know the exact date of composition for the book.
* What do you think Joel’s function/job/position was in Israel?
* Why do you think God demanded a lament from Israel earlier in this book? For what reason might Israel lament?
* It appears that God has sent locust to destroy the crops of Israel and to make the land destitute – at least for a while. Why might God exact judgment on Israel in this manner? Do you think God’s judgment and punishment is consistent with God’s nature and Israel’s standing as God’s chosen people?
* What is God promising when God responds to Israel’s lament in this section?
* Many proclaim this as an image of the end times or apocalyptic literature. Do you think Joel is pointing to the end times or is there something more at work in this passage?
* What imagery does the wind/spirit mentioned in verse 28 evoke? How might that imagery attempt to connect this passage to the greater body of text in the Old Testament/Hebrew scripture?
* What shame do you think God is speaking about in verses 26 and 27?
* In verses 28 and 29 it appears that God’s spirit is “poured out on all people”, at least in the words of the prophet. Do you think that all people receive or are given the Holy Spirit/spirit of God?
* If receipt of the Holy Spirit is unconditional, what implication might that have on the nature of Christianity and the invocation of the Holy Spirit in Baptism?
* What do you think the good news/gospel message is in this passage that we can convey to our community?

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