| . ... ... ... |
| CHIMES Our Newsletter February 2012 |
| 667 Mount Road, Aston, PA 19014 610-459-2013 |
| Our Mission: To worship the Lord To serve the community To grow the church |
| Small Parish - Big Heart - Inclusive The little church you've been looking for! All are welcome! |
| Come and worship with us - all are welcome! |
| The CHIMES - February 2012 Calvary Episcopal Church, Rockdale For a PDF version of the Chimes, please click here. |
To contact us: Calvary Episcopal Church 667 Mount Road Aston, PA 19014 610-459-2013 OFFICE The Rev. Charles Messer, Rector Fr. Chuck: frbigman@gmail.com Website: mail@calvaryepiscopalrockdale.org Office: calvaryoffice1@verizon.net MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 452 Glen Riddle, PA 19037 |
For what it's worth, here's my two cents...
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Coming Events
Two Priests in a Bar - Thursday, February 2
Please join Fr. Chuck and Fr. Greg Wilson at Barnaby’s for
fellowship and conversation about faith in today’s world. The
discussion begins at 7:30 PM at Barnaby’s in Aston and meets on
the first Thursday of each month.
Please join Fr. Chuck and Fr. Greg Wilson at Barnaby’s for
fellowship and conversation about faith in today’s world. The
discussion begins at 7:30 PM at Barnaby’s in Aston and meets on
the first Thursday of each month.
Remember the Dr. Seuss story, Horton Hatches the Egg? Horton, a sweet natured
elephant, is persuaded by a lazy and irresponsible bird, Mayzie, to sit on her egg while
she takes a much needed ‘short’ break. Unbeknownst to Horton, this bird’s ‘short’
break is really a permanent relocation to Palm Beach. Meanwhile, the sight of an
elephant sitting on a bird’s nest on top of a tree makes quite a scene in the jungle.
Exposed to the elements, laughed at and ultimately abandoned by his friends; Horton
recites his mantra that we’ve come to know, “I meant what I said and I said what I
meant. An elephant is faithful one hundred percent.” Enduring pain, experiencing loss
and suffering, he is captured by hunters, placed in a traveling circus yet never
abandons the nest. However, despite these hardships and Mayzie’s clear intent not to
return, Horton refuses to leave the nest. Over and over he says, "I meant what I said
and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one hundred percent."
Marriage is very much like an elephant sitting on a bird’s nest on top of a tree.
Marriage is a bond sealed between two people who promise to be faithful one hundred
percent in one hundred percent of everything. Many of you know this through
experience. You know what it’s like to be rocked by heartbreak, hardship, suffering
and want to leave the nest. You know how hard it is to stay in the nest; yet your
relationship is sealed by a vow not a feeling, “I meant what I said and I said what I
meant. An elephant is faithful one hundred percent.”
I find it painfully melodramatic how Horton keeps his vow to Mayzie. To me the answer
is clear, that vow needs to go. Yet in the world of Dr. Seuss, we take away the lesson of
the story: a promise is a promise no matter what.
On the other hand, in real life things often don’t happen the way they do in stories. In
real life, our vows can become something we never planned to be and wind up in a
situation where keeping our vow imprisons us and possibly those around us.
In our marriage vows, couples enter into their life together with the intention of
permanence and shouldn't flee when things get rough. I also believe it's possible for
people to make mistakes or to change dramatically enough that the best thing for both
partners is to separate and make something new from their individual lives. Children,
of course, complicate this even further, and I don't pretend to know the answers or to
be able to judge when the partners of a marriage have or have not tried hard enough
to stay together. I know from my own experience.
The same sense of intentionality is expected when we renew our baptismal vows. It is
within the active promises that remind me that of who I am who I belong to. To continue
in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers; to
persevere in resisting evil and, whenever I fall into sin, to repent and return to the
Lord; to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ; to seek and
serve Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as myself; to strive for justice and
peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. (And you think
marriage vows are tough!) In this crazy world, I struggle, just like you, to know what it
really means to love my neighbor as myself. A greater difficulty is how we proclaim the
Good News of God in Christ to a culture who sees the Church as an institution of
exclusion and condemnation?
That’s why we need one another: to train self-centered birds who fly the coop when
things become inconvenient into faithful elephants who stick it out. We need each
other because we forget. Our care for one another is proof that we are sticking it out
because God is sticking it out with us. We may not live up to the expectations of
becoming a Horton, but ultimately it is God who is faithful.
We must be reminded that God is indeed in our lives, in our homes, our marriages, and
in what we do. God provides what we need when we need it. We must remind
ourselves about that - and often! Each time someone is baptized, we renew our vows.
When a couple is married, we also renew our vows. Life gets in the way and we soon
forget. This is why we are always reminding ourselves who we are and who we belong
to.
On February 12 twelve couples will renew their wedding vows during the 10:30
morning worship service. They will recommit themselves to each other; to love and
cherish until death do they part. They will, like an elephant sitting on a bird’s nest in a
tree, repeat again what they vowed before, “I meant what I said and I said what I meant.
A spouse is faithful one hundred percent.”
Do you remember how the story, Horton Hatches an Egg ends? The traveling circus
ends up visiting near Mayzie's new Palm Beach condo; she returns to the circus once
the egg is due to hatch, and demands its return without offering any reward for Horton.
However, when the egg hatches, the creature that emerges is an "elephant-bird" cross
between Horton and Mayzie. Horton and the baby are returned happily to the jungle,
rewarding Horton for his persistence.
Who know’s what will come from your nest?
Your brother,
chuck
elephant, is persuaded by a lazy and irresponsible bird, Mayzie, to sit on her egg while
she takes a much needed ‘short’ break. Unbeknownst to Horton, this bird’s ‘short’
break is really a permanent relocation to Palm Beach. Meanwhile, the sight of an
elephant sitting on a bird’s nest on top of a tree makes quite a scene in the jungle.
Exposed to the elements, laughed at and ultimately abandoned by his friends; Horton
recites his mantra that we’ve come to know, “I meant what I said and I said what I
meant. An elephant is faithful one hundred percent.” Enduring pain, experiencing loss
and suffering, he is captured by hunters, placed in a traveling circus yet never
abandons the nest. However, despite these hardships and Mayzie’s clear intent not to
return, Horton refuses to leave the nest. Over and over he says, "I meant what I said
and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one hundred percent."
Marriage is very much like an elephant sitting on a bird’s nest on top of a tree.
Marriage is a bond sealed between two people who promise to be faithful one hundred
percent in one hundred percent of everything. Many of you know this through
experience. You know what it’s like to be rocked by heartbreak, hardship, suffering
and want to leave the nest. You know how hard it is to stay in the nest; yet your
relationship is sealed by a vow not a feeling, “I meant what I said and I said what I
meant. An elephant is faithful one hundred percent.”
I find it painfully melodramatic how Horton keeps his vow to Mayzie. To me the answer
is clear, that vow needs to go. Yet in the world of Dr. Seuss, we take away the lesson of
the story: a promise is a promise no matter what.
On the other hand, in real life things often don’t happen the way they do in stories. In
real life, our vows can become something we never planned to be and wind up in a
situation where keeping our vow imprisons us and possibly those around us.
In our marriage vows, couples enter into their life together with the intention of
permanence and shouldn't flee when things get rough. I also believe it's possible for
people to make mistakes or to change dramatically enough that the best thing for both
partners is to separate and make something new from their individual lives. Children,
of course, complicate this even further, and I don't pretend to know the answers or to
be able to judge when the partners of a marriage have or have not tried hard enough
to stay together. I know from my own experience.
The same sense of intentionality is expected when we renew our baptismal vows. It is
within the active promises that remind me that of who I am who I belong to. To continue
in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers; to
persevere in resisting evil and, whenever I fall into sin, to repent and return to the
Lord; to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ; to seek and
serve Christ in all persons, loving my neighbor as myself; to strive for justice and
peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. (And you think
marriage vows are tough!) In this crazy world, I struggle, just like you, to know what it
really means to love my neighbor as myself. A greater difficulty is how we proclaim the
Good News of God in Christ to a culture who sees the Church as an institution of
exclusion and condemnation?
That’s why we need one another: to train self-centered birds who fly the coop when
things become inconvenient into faithful elephants who stick it out. We need each
other because we forget. Our care for one another is proof that we are sticking it out
because God is sticking it out with us. We may not live up to the expectations of
becoming a Horton, but ultimately it is God who is faithful.
We must be reminded that God is indeed in our lives, in our homes, our marriages, and
in what we do. God provides what we need when we need it. We must remind
ourselves about that - and often! Each time someone is baptized, we renew our vows.
When a couple is married, we also renew our vows. Life gets in the way and we soon
forget. This is why we are always reminding ourselves who we are and who we belong
to.
On February 12 twelve couples will renew their wedding vows during the 10:30
morning worship service. They will recommit themselves to each other; to love and
cherish until death do they part. They will, like an elephant sitting on a bird’s nest in a
tree, repeat again what they vowed before, “I meant what I said and I said what I meant.
A spouse is faithful one hundred percent.”
Do you remember how the story, Horton Hatches an Egg ends? The traveling circus
ends up visiting near Mayzie's new Palm Beach condo; she returns to the circus once
the egg is due to hatch, and demands its return without offering any reward for Horton.
However, when the egg hatches, the creature that emerges is an "elephant-bird" cross
between Horton and Mayzie. Horton and the baby are returned happily to the jungle,
rewarding Horton for his persistence.
Who know’s what will come from your nest?
Your brother,
chuck
Whine & Cheese - Monday, February 13
The monthly meeting of the women’s support group will be
gathering at Judi Wale’s house on Monday, February 13 from
7-9 PM. All are welcome. If you can, a snack to share would be
appreciated. For more information call Judi at 610-306-3119.
The monthly meeting of the women’s support group will be
gathering at Judi Wale’s house on Monday, February 13 from
7-9 PM. All are welcome. If you can, a snack to share would be
appreciated. For more information call Judi at 610-306-3119.
B3LI3V3 Youth Group - Sunday, February 19
The Youth Group of Calvary, St. James, and St. Johns will be
meeting on Sunday, February 19 at 4:30 PM at St. James in
Aston. All youth in grades 6 - 12 are welcome to attend this
gathering filled with food, fun, and fellowship.
The Youth Group of Calvary, St. James, and St. Johns will be
meeting on Sunday, February 19 at 4:30 PM at St. James in
Aston. All youth in grades 6 - 12 are welcome to attend this
gathering filled with food, fun, and fellowship.
Ash Wednesday - Wednesday, February 22
Lent begins on Wednesday, February 22. There are two
services: Noon and 7 PM. The noon service will be at
Calvary. The 7 PM service is a combined service with St.
James at St. James.
Lent begins on Wednesday, February 22. There are two
services: Noon and 7 PM. The noon service will be at
Calvary. The 7 PM service is a combined service with St.
James at St. James.
Lenten Program 0 Wednesday, February 29
St. James and Calvary will again be holding its Lenten
program beginning on Wednesday, February 29 at. St.
James. The weekly meetings will alternate between Calvary
and St. James. The program will start with a covered dish
dinner followed by discussion and an informal Eucharist.
Join us as we explore how faith intersects our day to day
lives.
St. James and Calvary will again be holding its Lenten
program beginning on Wednesday, February 29 at. St.
James. The weekly meetings will alternate between Calvary
and St. James. The program will start with a covered dish
dinner followed by discussion and an informal Eucharist.
Join us as we explore how faith intersects our day to day
lives.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no
pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than
to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into
sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, ‘My vow was a
mistake.’ Much dreaming and many words are meaningless.
Therefore fear God.
Ecclesiastes 5: 4-7
pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than
to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into
sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, ‘My vow was a
mistake.’ Much dreaming and many words are meaningless.
Therefore fear God.
Ecclesiastes 5: 4-7
Pancake Supper - Tuesday, February 21
Squeeze the last bit of Alleluia at the all you can eat
Pancake Supper Tuesday February 21. The feast starts at
5PM until the last flipped pancake at 7:45. The cost is $7 for
5 and up, no more than $20 per family.
Squeeze the last bit of Alleluia at the all you can eat
Pancake Supper Tuesday February 21. The feast starts at
5PM until the last flipped pancake at 7:45. The cost is $7 for
5 and up, no more than $20 per family.
The St. Elizabeth Guild - Monday, March 5
The next regular meeting which will be Monday, March 5
at 7 PM. All women of the church are invited to the
meeting. Everyone’s support is needed as the Guild
works toward its goal of helping with the repaving of
the church’s driveways and parking lots.
The next regular meeting which will be Monday, March 5
at 7 PM. All women of the church are invited to the
meeting. Everyone’s support is needed as the Guild
works toward its goal of helping with the repaving of
the church’s driveways and parking lots.
Spaghetti Dinner - Saturday, March 17
The St. Elizabeth Guild’s annual Spaghetti Dinner will be
on Saturday, March 17 from 4-7 PM. The cost is $10 for
adults and $5 for children 6-12. Take-outs are available.
For more information call Date at 610-566-4866.
The St. Elizabeth Guild’s annual Spaghetti Dinner will be
on Saturday, March 17 from 4-7 PM. The cost is $10 for
adults and $5 for children 6-12. Take-outs are available.
For more information call Date at 610-566-4866.
