Tuesday, December 27, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 RECTOR'S PEN
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Led by the Holy Spirit,
St. John's mission is to inspire people to grow into the heart and mind of Christ by engaging together in worshiping, serving, and spiritual formation.

 
 
 
 
 

Christmas
 
 
 
 

This week’s column reflects on our Christmas Eve services.

Essayist and poet Wendell Berry wrote that when despair for the world grows in him and he wakes in the night at the least sound he goes and lies down in the grass by a pond and rests in the waiting grace and peace of wild things. You can hear Berry read his lovely poem, “The Peace of Wild Things”, at: http://www.onbeing.org/program/ellen-davis-and-wendell-berry-the-poetry-of-creatures/extra/the-peace-of-wild-things-by]

Nature is a touchstone for Berry as it is for me, a place where he and I return again and again to be reminded of who we are and what really matters. Nature is a touchstone for many people, a place where they go to recalibrate. I believe church is such a place as well, and as I reflect on our Christmas Eve services one of the things that caught my attention and the attention of others was this: many of the faces we saw at our four services are those of people we do not know.

Researchers tell us that Americans tend to over-report their religiosity [1]; in other words, people might identify themselves as Episcopalian or Methodist or Lutheran (for example) but only actually attend church a few times a year. In our denomination as well as others, jokes abound about “Christmas and Easter Christians” and for clergy there is always a moment of panic when you encounter a face you feel you ought to know but don’t really know since you haven’t seen that face since the last major feast day.

Some of these C&E’ers have felt wounded, judged or rejected by people in a church. Others cite insanely busy family lives, or a marriage where one spouse enjoys church and the other does not as reasons for staying away. Add to that the secular chaos of the holidays (preparing and serving big meals, televised football games, opening presents, travel, family photos, and so on) and it’s a wonder anybody shows up for church on Christmas Eve (or Christmas morning) at all.

But they do, because church, I believe, is a touchstone for more people than we can know. Roughly 1,500 people flocked to our four Christmas Eve services and one Christmas morning service to be reminded of who they are and what really matters. They came to encounter waiting grace and peace so that they might be re-calibrated.
From behind the scenes I can tell you what pressure there is on scores of devoted people at St John’s to “get it right”—to offer worship experiences that are uplifting, mystical, engaging, thought provoking, and beautiful; that bring honor and glory to the Holy One who chooses out of love to come and dwell among us as one of us.

And so this week I want to acknowledge (in no particular order) the tremendous work and dedication of all the staff and volunteers who made this year’s touchstone possible:

  • The Wednesday Bible Study group who folded worship bulletins, and our office volunteers;
  • The children who comprised the St John’s String Orchestra and the St John’s Choristers, and the parents who made it possible for them to participate;
  • Our terrific ushers, lectors, and intercessors;
  • Our terrific acolytes, and their parents who make their participation possible;
  • Our vergers, who bring all the pieces together into a cohesive whole;
  • The St John’s Altar Guild;
  • Margo Krimmel, guest harpist, and our four guest brass instrumentalists: Reid Lasley, Jackson McLellan, Jamey Morgan, and Chloe Morgan;
  • The St John’s Choir and guest vocalists;
  • Our organists, Tony Lee, David Vogel, and Lydia Morrongiello;
  • The parishioners who donated flowers to decorate the church;
  • Our music staff, Tom Morgan and Lia Bendix;
  • Our faith formation director, Pam White;
  • Our office staff Heather Dudok and Diane Wells;
  • Our welcome shepherd, Jessica Burnett;
  • Our caretaker Ebrahim Asadishad;
  • The St John’s vestry who took roles acting out the Nativity Story;
  • Our deacons, who volunteered their time:  Jan Dewlen and Lorine Williams; and our transitional deacon Amy Lythgoe;
  • Our affiliate clergy, who volunteered their time: James Williams, Barbara Dumke, and Will Reller;
  • And my esteemed colleagues: Ted Howard and Ben Newland.

Thank you all. You offered peace and made a nest for waiting grace to take flight in the hearts of 1,500 worshipers who made the time to come this weekend to greet the infant Holy One. You are a gift and a blessing to them as you are to me.



 
 
 
 
Have a blessed week! ~Pastor Susan + 
 
 
 
 
 
1419 Pine Street, Boulder, CO 80302
303-442-5246  |  
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