From the Desk of the Priest in Charge

Dear Friends in Christ,
On November 19, I will be leading a seminar for the diocese of Delaware's Parish Life Day. When I agreed to do this, it was in a weak moment. As the time grows nearer I am having a great deal of angst. I am to lead a discussion on what we do with our resources. One of my friends told me all I had to do is know what someone's net worth is. He then proceeded to lead me through his own assets and liabilities. It is simple. Take what you have against what you owe and that is your net worth. He came up with a seven figure number which was quite remarkable.

Having finished I asked, in my naivete, what he thought the net worth of his darling granddaughter might be. He said that she was different and that there was no worth that could be put on her. I am not sure he got my point but the truth of the matter is that a person's net worth is not measured in dollars and cents but in the love which is bestowed upon them. For you and me our net worth is not what we own but in the love which is bestowed upon us. Ultimately our net worth is not in the things we have but that He finds us worthy of His love. So worthy to Him that He sent His Son into the world to save us. Read in your bible John chapter 3 verse 16.

In Christ,

GJK

Good Shepherd welcomes transitional Deacon

Good Shepherd welcomes transitional Deacon
As we began the program year at Good Shepherd, we were thrilled to learn that Gary Taylor would be joining us through the fall serving as a transitional Deacon. Gary is the Chaplain at St. Anne’s School in Middletown and will be ordained into the priesthood in January 2012. Below is a letter from Gary.
It is my blessing and privilege to serve among you this fall as a Deacon in the Episcopal Church. It is part of the process of becoming a Priest in our church to first be ordained as a "transitional" deacon and to serve in that capacity for no fewer than six months before being ordained a second time, this time to the priesthood. In some diocese, some people choose to be ordained as "vocational" deacons, otherwise known as "permanent" deacons. As the name implies, they do not go on to the priesthood but rather serve as deacons for their entire career in the ministry.
All deacons are first and foremost servants of Christ, and even those who go on to become priests never move past that professed vocation. This servanthood is symbolized by the collar we wear and the stole or "yoke" we don for services. The word "
diakonos" which appears 30 times in the bible and is usually translated as "deacon" is really the Greek word for "servant." The New Testament gives examples of both "appointed" servants elected by the church to specific tasks and of "unelected" servants who served the Lord in a general sense in a local church. Thus, seen one way we are all deacons in that we are all servants of Christ; indeed in our Baptismal Covenant we pledge to "Seek and serve Christ in all persons." (BCP p. 305). Seen another way, those of us ordained as deacons make an additional public vow beyond baptism to "look for Christ in all others, being ready to help and serve those in need" and to "pattern my life in accordance with the teachings of Christ so that I may be a wholesome example to all people." (BCP p. 544).
At my ordination my bishop charged me to " make Christ and his redemptive love known, by word and example, to those among whom you live, and work, and worship... to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world ... [and] to assist the bishop and priests in public worship and in the ministration of God's Word and Sacraments" At all times, my "life and teaching are to show Christ's people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself." A tall order indeed! And one that I cannot begin to do without God's direct assistance - as well as the lveo and support of all of you, which have felt already so palpably at Good Shepherd!
Thank you for your very warm welcome. I look forward to getting to know each of you and to discovering the depths of God's love for us together.
In Christ,
Deacon Gary

Bishop's visit this Sunday

Join us this Sunday for the Bishop's visit and live music Sunday featuring our awesome music team led by the wonderful Denise LoCastro. Click on the link below to check out one of the songs they will be performing.
http://youtu.be/ivesRYcIPsQ

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
Dear Friends in Christ,
Since I retired in June of 2000, I have served in many congregations. Most of them were in what the leaders of our national church call a "survival mode." This means that all the activities and energies of the people are focused on insuring that they survive as a church. They are characterized by attitudes of need for more people so we can have more workers and more pledges. The emphasis is on what the church needs and not on ministry to those around them.
Some of the congregations I have served are in a "missionary mode." They have seen that the call of Jesus is not to survive but to bring more people to Him for feeding. This week marks the anniversary of my first year as your pastor. You have achieved some amazing things. First among them is the flexibility to move from St. Nicolas to our present location. We shared the anxiety of the move to a strange and certainly "different" venue. This has worked well. Having our own space has, I feel, has enhanced the sense of community. Personally, this has been a very different experience for me. Being a part of a growing young congregation has literally rejuvenated me. I feel that you are now in a "missionary mode" ready to bring Christ to the world around you.
Let us continually remember the statement we make at the beginning of service every Sunday:
Good Shepherd Episcopal Church invites you to help build a new inclusive community in Glasgow, to worship and celebrate God, to apply the Bible in relevant ways, to experience the strong tradition of the Episcopal Church, brightening lives, nourishing souls, connecting us to God.
Peace,
GJK

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
Dear Friends in Christ,
One of my early daily rituals (besides reading the bible) is the taking of several pills. Some are for high blood pressure, some for the thinning of blood and some for health, like vitamins. My doctors have assured me that these medications will allow me to live a longer and more healthy life. For these medical miracles I am most grateful. One of the more interesting early church leaders is Saint Ignatius who was the third bishop of Antioch. Known as one of the "apostolic fathers," Ignatius was a student of Saint John the Apostle and Saint Paul. He, with others, led the Christian church into the second century. His most famous teaching reflects the importance of the Holy Communion in the early church. He refers to the receiving of the wafer and the wine as the "medicine of immortality".
Our lesson from Matthew this week is the story of the feeding of the 5000. This miracle is when Jesus fed 5000 people with just a few loaves of bread and some fish. This miracle is the only one which appears in all four gospels. Those in the early church would have recognized this as a remembrance of the service we share each Sunday. This week I would like you to consider that the medications you take for your body are important but not nearly as important as the "medicine of immortality" which God offers to you and those you love. If you knew of a medicine that would heal a disease you would share it with those you love. Share as well the medicine of immortality with those you love.
Peace,
GJK

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
Dear Friends in Christ,
At the vestry planning retreat at the end of June, the vestry discussed several items of significance for the coming program year. We are planning great things in an effort to meet the spiritual needs of the Good Shepherd congregation and the greater Glasgow community.
First and foremost, members of the vestry and diocese are busy with the task of finding a permanent full-time priest. While I have enjoyed my temporary interruption in my retirement, it is time for Good Shepherd to have a full-time priest to help you achieve your goals. Second, it was also decided that we will add a "said" 8 a.m. worship service on Sundays, beginning in September. There are no plans for music or power point at this service. We will use the Book of Common Prayer. Our attendance has been growing steadily. We are averaging almost 10% more than last year at this time. Moreover, on many Sundays the pews are quite full. While this may seem good in reality all studies for church growth indicate that when more than 75% of available seats are filled a church will cease to grow. When I was at St. Barnabas Church before my retirement we grew 300% and added two services. It seems wise for us to try an additional service at 8 a.m. If it proves to be impractical we can adjust, nothing we do is set in stone. The point is we must try and do new things in order to satisfy everyone’s spiritual needs. The vestry also agreed to attempt to develop a service for "special needs" families. We are in contact with congregations which have been successful in establishing this ministry. Jesus taught us to spread the good news and St. Paul has advised us to be all things to all people. These ministries are in response to their challenges.
Peace,
GJK
P.S. Please, remember that I or someone covering for me will visit people in the hospital. It does require a phone call to 302-584-6783.

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
Dear Friends in Christ,
This week the lesson tells the story of the beginning of the Hebrew nation through the patriarch Jacob. It is really very sordid.
Jacob with the help of his mother, Rebecca, steals the inheritance of his brother Esau as well as the blessing of Isaac for Esau.
The founding of the Hebrew people gets off to a rocky start.
Jacob flees his home to escape the wrath of his brother. The inclusion of this event in the book of Genesis seems to give credibility to the whole of the account of the Hebrew beginnings. One would think that such a sordid story would be excluded by later editors of the bible
Attend Sunday to get a fuller interpretation of this event.
Peace,
GJK

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE Dear Friends in Christ,
The lessons from the Old Testament are leading us through the early history of the Hebrew people. This period in their history is known as the age of the Patriarchs. These are the founding fathers of the Hebrew nation.
The three patriarchs are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Last week we learned something about the first patriarch, Abraham. This week's lesson is the story of Isaac finding his wife.
While these readings may seem too old to be relevant for us today, the reverse is actually the case. Many of the problems in the Middle East today stem from the developing Arab and Hebrew people.
This week we will read how Isaac chose his wife very carefully so as to preserve the integrity of the Hebrew worship. Please read along with us in preparation for this journey to the present.
Please make note of the fact that the Monday bible study will be on Wednesday night due to the 4th of July holiday. Also please note that healing prayers are still being offered after the service. Peace,
GJK

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
Dear Friends in Christ,
In the letter of Paul to the church in Rome, he writes that "the wages of sin are death." This letter was written almost 2000 years ago. What it means is that there has been no pay increase for us sinners for a long time. Any other group would have organized for a pay raise. Obviously the pay for a sinner is so total that there can be no increase.
Paul gives us more than wages to consider, however. He tells us that without working for it, God has given us a gift. Without working for it, God has given us eternal life. The meaning of this is that no matter how hard we try we cannot earn our way into heaven. God has given us this gift of eternal life. This is what the word "grace" means --a gift which is not earned but given freely.
Peace,
GJK
P.S. Thanks to everyone who came out for the annual meeting. Congratulations to those members who were elected to serve on the vestry and as convention delegates. We also thank those members who finished their term of service on the vestry.

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE Dear Friends in Christ,
This coming Sunday is the feast of the Holy Trinity. It follows the Pentecost and reminds us that God has revealed Himself in three ways. Sometimes these different ways are referred to as "persons." A familiar hymn has the words, "God in three persons, blessed trinity."
The three persons of the One God are:
God the Father Creator of heaven and earth God the Son Redeemer of the world God the Holy Spirit who makes us Holy
We as people have different personal traits and functions. For example I am a man, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a brother. The list is almost endless. The point is that it is still me. St. Patrick uses the image of a three leaf clover to describe the relationship of God's persons. How do you envision this idea of the Trinity?
Peace,
GJK
P. S. I wanted to say thank you to the Pentecost picnic organizers and the music crew for a wonderful day at Glasgow Park this past Sunday. Don’t forget, this Sunday is Good Shepherd’s annual meeting immediately after the worship service. A final note, please keep the vestry in your prayers on Saturday, June 25 as they hold their annual retreat.

Dear friends in Christ,

A few years ago, the Reverend Jimmy Bakker was again in the news. His first wife has divorced him and since has died. He now lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his second wife. He is now 71 years old. How well I remember his downfall. Financial mismanagement, improper relations with both men and women. He is the man who used contributions from members of his church to buy an air-conditioned house for his dog. He was truly a scoundrel. The papers said that he was "disgraced." Saying he was disgraced is quite a thing. I looked up the "dis" in the dictionary learning that it can mean either "opposite" or "depraved." In a flash many words race through my mind--disable, discontent, disarm, dissatisfaction, disinter. They mean no longer content, without fire arms, unhappy, dig up a body. You can probably add some of your own.

I want you, however to concentrate on "disgrace."

What a horrible thought --without grace. To be opposite of grace or deprived of grace is to condemn a person to be separated from God. Jimmy Bakker did many terrible things for which he was degraded in public, divorced by his wife, and sentenced to prison. But to say that he has been deprived of grace is quite another thing.

Grace is God's unconditional gift to us. Grace is also God's gift of His Son to save the world, a gift we did not earn. To say someone has been "disgraced" may describe the horrendous acts but it DOES NOT describe the person. No one is separated from God's love.

The Bible tells us of the thief on the cross who asks for and receives God's forgiveness. Paul tells us that nothing can separate us from the grace of God. It seems to me better to say that Jimmy Bakker did many disgraceful things but not that he is disgraced. We are not separated from God's grace in the eyes of God. Moreover, some words the "dis" words of contend, able, inter and arms can be reversed by self discipline. Martin Luther writes “God's grace abides still."

Grace and truth come from the Lord and He does not disgrace us.

Thanks be to God.

Dear Friends in Christ,

This weekend Carolyn and I went to our safe deposit box to review some papers. While going through the box we found several savings bonds which we had purchased for our grandsons. We know that they will be pleased with this "windfall".

Moreover, we learned that since they had gone beyond ten years they had accumulated interest beyond their face value. For our grandsons a bonus added to a surprise. We are happily sending them the gift they did not even know they had.

For many people outside the Christian church gifts are waiting from their heavenly Father. It is for us the members who know where the treasure of Christ lies to take it out of the darkness into the light.

Have you shared God's gift with friends and family?

Peace, GJK