Diocese of Dallas Weekly News: 12/17

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BISHOP’S BLOG: CHRISTMAS ON MOLOKAI

What are saints for? They are first of all meant, often in their extremity, to challenge the domestication of our faith: in this they are in the line of John the Baptist. In the Hawaiian islands of 1873, to minister on Molokai, the colony of lepers, was a death sentence. And this was not all. That place of despair was subject to lawlessness, licentiousness, and cruelty. The head of the Jesuit order asked the assembled members if anyone was willing to serve there: every one raised his hand in the room. The one chosen was the short, bespectacled, intense priest named Damien.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS

Transfiguration is looking for artists to share their gifts for creative ways to honor the fourteen biblical Stations of the Cross for the 2016 Lenten Season.

YOUR PARISH MISSION STORY

Does your church have a hunger drive? Community Garden? Clothe the Poor? We are looking to highlight mission and outreach initiatives for parishes in the diocese. Please contact Kimberly Durnan, director of communications, at kdurnan@edod.org to share your church’s story.

CHRISTMAS FOR REFUGEES

A Christmas party is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dec. 18 at Gateway of Grace in Dallas. This is an opportunity to build relationships, share the joy of the Season with refugees and share the story of the good news of Christmas with them.

UNWRAPPING THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS

Watch video of EDOD Evangelist Carrie Boren Headington talk about the best gifts of Christmas.

TOOLBOX FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS

The Christian Formation Commission presents 2016 Toolbox for Christian Educators Saturday, January 23, 2016 8:30 a.m. – Noon at Church of the Transfiguration 14115 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, 75254.

THE REV. ERIN JEAN WARDE: HE GOES OUT THE WAY HE CAME IN

On Saturday, I had the privilege of attending an Advent Labyrinth walk at Transfiguration, where I learned a lot about labyrinth walking as well as the history of how we got ours. We listened to Dr. Mary Anne Reed, who worked with our rector emeritus Father Terry Roper to get the Chartres labyrinth, which lies immediately in front of the narthex in our church. The two of them, alongside spiritual director and parishioner Nancy Jagmin, offered reflections on the practice of walking a labyrinth and what it might mean for us.

BISHOP’S BALL

Bishop’s Ball, for 9th-12th graders offers safe, fun, Christian fellowship with food, dancing and music. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m., Jan. 23 at St. Matthew’s Cathedral.

AN ANECDOTE OF LOVE

Several members of Ascension and I have been involved with Rebecca, a mentally ill woman who first visited Ascension nearly 15 years ago. Our journey with Rebecca has been difficult at best. We have learned how to set boundaries, how to provide for her needs without enabling her, and how to demonstrate “tough love.” We have assisted her with food, social services and housing. We have laughed, cried and been fearful of her future. But Rebecca is a special member of Ascension and over the years she has taught us patience, tenacity, faithfulness and how to love unconditionally.

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Magnificat

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The Song of Mary (Canticle 3) is a regular part of the devotional life of the Church in the cycle of the Daily Office. This Sunday we hear it in context, sung by an expectant mother inspired with joy by the Spirit of God.

Mary’s song grows out of a sense of deep longing for God to stop hiding his face from his people. Israel has been occupied by a succession of foreign powers, the current one being Rome. They are mired in oppressive taxes, corruption, and an influx of pagan cults. And Mary has just received confirmation that God is raising up her unborn son to be Israel’s salvation and the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham so long ago.

We continue to sing Mary’s song as a celebration of all that God has done and is doing in Jesus. In him God is restoring the peoples of the earth and all creation to be radiant in God’s glory. Mary bore God’s salvation, and the Church continues to bear the healing presence of Jesus to a world in need.

In joyful expectation of Christmas,

Bob+

John the Prophet

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Caravaggio-Baptist-ToledoAs the people were filled with expectation, and all questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah… -Luke 3:15

John is featured in the Bible as the last of the prophets of the old covenants. He was called by God to usher in the era of the Messiah—and he spoke with such power and authority that many questioned whether he himself was the Messiah.

John was not God’s chosen King (the Messiah), and was zealous in his role of preparing the way for the Jesus. He spoke God’s truth frankly and honestly in the spirit of the prophets of old. His words were a challenge to those in authority, and a comfort to those seeking something more in life.

What John did was not easy, but his reputation grew as people understood his message to fill in the valleys and knock down the high places to make a way for the Lord’s coming.

When God’s truth cuts across the currents of culture it is not easy to stand firm in our convictions. Filled with God’s spirit, John spoke hard truths in trying times to prepare the people for God’s salvation. Blessed at our baptism, we too are filled with God’s spirit who will give us words to proclaim all the saving works of God in Jesus Christ.

May we always point people toward the salvation of our God.

Expectantly waiting for the coming of Christ,

Bob+

Picture: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Caravaggio-Baptist-Toledo.jpg by PiCo at English Wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons