Dear Friends

Having not qualified for today’s Boston marathon, Kathleen and I are departing on our own marathon, a cross country and back, long awaited, retirement road trip. It will be a chance to see family and friends, historical sites and parks, and, of course, the sights and sounds and smells and tastes of our country, “the land that we love”.

Thankful that family is close by to regularly check on our home, we will be gone for a few weeks, with no definite timelines, but heading to Florida first to see Kathleen’s 98-year-old mother. Then it will be up the east coast, including a stop for lunch or dinner at the Open Kitchen, in Charlotte, NC, the site of our first date 48 years ago. We plan to go to church at our National Cathedral in DC, and eventually reach Belfast, Maine, to see dear seminary friends, just an hour from Acadia National Park. Then, it is wandering back to California. I want to stop at Field of Dreams in Iowa. Kathleen wants to stop at Skeins of Yarn in South Dakota. We’ll figure it out.

We are so thankful to be able to do this now, recognizing there will be a day when we can’t. Having finished another wonderful retirement ministry at St. Andrew’s in Fullerton, we had to take advantage of this open window before my next job in June and July at St. George’s in Laguna Hills.

The Hetch Hetchy water bottle is a reminder of my marathon hike---7 days and 47 miles to help raise funds for Restore Hetch Hetchy. The Cross Country sweatshirt is a reminder that I used to be able to run several miles at a time! The green sweatshirt I am bringing was my dad’s, including the name tag sewn in when he was in skilled nursing at Plymouth Village. We will be traveling with him in our hearts, along with my dear mother and sisters, dear Christopher and Emily, remembering all the wonderful road trips, near and far, we enjoyed with them.

And now, following a family tradition of late starts, it’s off to our first stop. We missed the Coachella Festival, so it will be Hesperia, Barstow, or Needles CA, or Kingman AZ!

Thank you for your prayers as we embrace and/or dodge whatever weather may come. I’m sure Kathleen will be posting pictures along the way.

John 

 

Holding onto and spreading Hope

 Dear Friends

Sadly, all the understandable attention on "Individual 1" has pushed aside something we should not forget. Thanks to the students protesting in Nashville, for bringing our attention back to something that happened just 10 days ago.

It took me a moment to see that above the horrible headline banner announcing the latest mass shooting, there was a sign announcing Easter services at Covenant Presbyterian, Nashville. And then, looking more closely, I saw the police vehicle labeled “Rescue 1”.

I will let the juxtaposition of the headline and these two images speak for themselves---breaking news that is becoming normal, but also the hope we are about to celebrate on Sunday, hope we cling to, sometimes with shaking hands, even as hearts are breaking again.

Lord, be with all who continue to suffer for so many reasons, in so many places. Lord, help us hold onto and share our Easter faith with others, even in the most difficult times. Lord, make me an instrument of your Easter peace and healing and yes joy, after the long night gives way to the sun, and the Son rises again.

As we complete Holy Week, let me share this blessing I recently became aware of, by Father Potter Of Peckham:

A Holy Land Blessing

May the babe of Bethlehem bring you peace;

May the child of Nazareth bring you joy;

May the man of Galilee bring you strength;

May the Christ of Calvary bring you courage;

May the risen Jesus bring you hope;

And the ascended Christ, a foretaste of His glory. 

God bless you this Easter and always! 

John

Kathleen the Hero plus another tragedy

Below is what I sent in today for my weekly article for the St. Andrew's, Fullerton newsletter. It ended up being two articles as you will see. I hope more churches and denominations will join together with even louder voices to decry the unique epidemic of gun violence that grips America.
 

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry"  

Psalm 40:1

Dear Friends

Have you ever been stuck? Literally?

Last Saturday morning, Kathleen and I saw this squirrel in our backyard. We have often watched as he contorts himself in all kinds of positions to try and grab a snack at the birdfeeders. But after a few moments, we realized this time he was stuck.

While I was thinking about calling Animal Control, my smart and brave wife just picked up a broom, cautiously approached the feeder, extended her arm and with one, quick, strong upward jerk, set the squirrel free! The squirrel scampered to a nearby tree, climbed to the first branch and began licking a slightly bloody paw.

Although more than one squirrel ventures into our yard, Kathleen and I are confident that our unstuck friend is okay and is the one shown in the second photo, staying on the ground, having learned a lesson. (We have put tape on the spot where he was stuck in case he forgets!)

In any case, psalm 40 continues with these words in verses two and three:

He lifted me out of the desolate pit, set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure…He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God…”

Psalm 118, verse 5, provides further good news;

“I called to the Lord in my distress; the Lord answered by setting me free.”

Thank God for first responders like Kathleen, who saved the squirrel. Thank God for the times we have been set free from whatever has had a strong grip on us, whatever has held us back, whatever has left us stuck.

See you on Sunday.

Fr. John

P.S. Shortly after finishing this blog, the news broke about this week’s mass shooting at a church school in Nashville. I cannot ignore that. America needs to be freed from gun violence. By the time you read this, we will know more than is known now. One of the parents I saw being interviewed, overwhelmed with emotion, said “there are no words.” The first lady, Jill Biden, also said, "I truly have no words." I have no words right now either, except the ones I have had to say over and over in the past: “Lord have mercy upon us.”

After the Passion Gospel this Sunday, we will be singing hymn #458. Because it may not be familiar to some, I am attaching this link so you can take time now to become familiar with the tune. On Sunday, you will find how appropriate the words are as we begin Holy Week, and now, after this shooting.

My Song Is Love Unknown - King's College, Cambridge

My Song Is Love Unknown - King's College, Cambridge

We will also be singing the more familiar “Passion Chorale” #168. That tune is also used for Hymn #669. Considering the horrible news from Nashville, hymn #669's words are also timely:

It begins “Commit thou all that grieves thee and fills thy heart with care…”

It ends with a verse calling us to hope:

Hope on, then, broken spirit, hope on, be not afraid

Fear not the griefs that plague thee, and keep thy heart dismayed

Thy God in his great mercy, will save thee, hold thee fast

And in his own time grant thee, the sun of joy at last.

 

Our hearts are dismayed again. But while working together to reduce gun violence, we must, even with trembling hands, hold onto hope.

 

 

 

Good surprises

 

Dear Friends

Occasionally, at the end of the day, Kathleen and I have fun taking turns naming specific, notable things that happened during the day, things which we were not expecting to happen on that day.

When we woke up two days ago, we didn’t know that we would go to bed imagining what it would be like to be grandparents, (although we’ve had a nice preview with our grand pups). But a few hours earlier, our son and daughter-in law came straight from a doctor’s appointment and shared with us a blurry sonagram picture and a tape recording of a healthy heartbeat. We knew this might happen someday. We didn’t know it would happen on this day. And so now we wait and pray for a new chapter in our lives to begin.

Some surprises that happen on any given day are not good. But when they are good, they can bring a special joy. One of the words I have latched on to in retirement is "surprise". Am I alert and aware and ready and willing to be surprised, on any given day, with good news?

Think back at the end of any day and have fun reviewing the good things that happened that you didn’t expect. Big or small, they are gifts from God.

John

 

 

 

Broken Record

Dear Friends

Five years ago today, February 14, 2018, I was imposing ashes on the foreheads of staff members at Corona Regional Medical Center, where I am a volunteer chaplain. It was the same day we were hearing about the mass shooting at Parkland. The convergence of Ash Wednesday, Valentine’s Day and a mass shooting, (now a regular event in our country), was hard to wrap my mind around.

America should be up in arms about this, but instead, America is awash in arms and ammunition. And, America is awash in apathy, as expressed in this recent letter to the editor I saw:

With more guns than people in this country and access easily available to anyone seeking weapons capable of mass killing, we have to accept the fact that gun violence is part of American culture. It is not going to be prevented by restrictive laws anywhere. We just have to learn to live with it---and perhaps to die randomly because of it.

Really? Is there nothing we can do or sacrifice for the common good? Episcopalians United Against Gun Violence and many other groups don’t think so. (Also known as Bishop's United Against Gun Violence).

If I sound like a broken record, so be it. The Michigan mass shooting is buried on page four of the LA Times this morning. If we see something and say nothing, it soon will not even be reported.

Along with the victims and injured, some clinging to life, let us also pray for the traumatized in Michigan and every place this keeps happening.

John

P.S. I'm sending this early today, so as not to overshadow Valentine's Day, still to be celebrated, and the biblical promise that "nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 

 

Oops! Watch what you eat.

 Dear Friends

The world is now counting down hours to this year’s Puppy Bowl XIX! It will be aired tomorrow, Feb. 12^th, 11 am PST, on Animal Planet. It will be Team Ruff vs. Team Fluff. Only puppies between 12 and 21 weeks can compete and there are height and weight limitations. Puppies must show they are well socialized with people and other puppies, and they must have had their full range of vaccinations. All this according to Google.

It seems, therefore, that this is the time to make a public confession. Recently, (Kathleen was out of town) I saw some cookies in the pantry, wondering why they were on the bottom shelf and not with the other cookies. After eating five of them (they were delicious) I realized they were not for me but for one of my grandpups named Sirius!! I quickly read the label of ingredients, made sure we had 7-up in the fridge, and waited, hoping this would not require any urgent care.

I am happy to say that I am fine---no side or after effects, except all the stop signs I come to say SPOT.  In the future, I will be sure and read more carefully what packages say. In other words, I will paws before eating! 

I will certainly avoid another package in our pantry which says “Temptations, Rocky Lobster flavor, crunchy outside, soft inside, under 2 calories per treat” and then, in fine print, “treats for cats”. I would only eat them if it was for a good claws.

John

 

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40th Anniversary of Ordination

 Dear Friends

Forty years ago today, Feb. 5^th, 1983, I was ordained a priest at St. Michael’s, Anaheim. The picture above was taken this morning at St. Andrew’s, Fullerton, where fellow ordinand on that day, Greg Larkin, joined me to celebrate. In the picture below, right after the service in 1983, Greg, Eric Brechner (who died a few years ago) and I are with Bishop Rusack, who ordained us. Below that, Kathleen and my father putting on my chasuble during the service. I’m somewhere underneath! 

Needless to say, I am thankful for all those who guided me to my ordination day and who have supported me during 40 years of ministry as a priest. First among them are my father and Kathleen, but so many others including Christopher, Emily, my sisters, parishioners and colleagues.

In the sermon I emphasize that we are all ministers. Through our baptism, we are called and set apart by God for ministry. We all have a part and a place and a way to be instruments of God’s love, and to make Good News real for people, by following and living the teachings of Christ.

May God continue to bless our ministries, each and every one.

John

P.S. Sometimes we are led to what we are supposed to be doing by being in a place we shouldn’t be. If I had had a cell phone, I would have called the bishop from Foremost Dairies after just a few hours on the first day of my job. I was monitoring a milk line and did something or didn’t do something, and suddenly the crates of milk coming down the line started crashing and milk was splashing all over the place. A few weeks later, I thought I had securely backed up and connected a truck into giant trailer tank. But when I put the truck in drive, and pressed the pedal, the trailer tank crashed to the ground.

I thought to myself, "maybe I should try something else".

Below is an abbreviated version of he sermon I preached today. I tried to attach it, for those interested in opening it, but was unsuccessful.

    Forty years ago today, February 5^th, 1983, I, along with Eric Brechner and Greg Larkin, were ordained priests by Bishop Robert Rusack. The service was held at St. Michael’s, Anaheim, where I had grown up.               

     But something else happened on this day, just a bit earlier---426 years ago to be exact. Here is an historical snapshot: The introduction of Christianity in Japan in the 16^th century---first by the Jesuits under Francis Xavier, and then by the Franciscans---has left records of heroism and self-sacrifice.  It has been estimated that by the end of that century, there were about 300,000 baptized believers in Japan.

    Unfortunately, these initial successes were compromised by rivalries among the religious orders and the interplay of colonial politics. Finally, the government became alarmed at what they regarded as a cloak for subversive activity by foreigners, and Christianity was made illegal. To show they were serious, 26 Christians---six Franciscan friars and twenty of their converts, were publicly crucified at Nagasaki, on Feb. 5^th, 1597. For the next 250 years, any Japanese found to be practicing Christianity were subject to the death penalty.

    At last, the ban was lifted in 1859, and as new Christian missionaries entered Japan, they found several secret Christian communities still surviving, still keeping the faith, without, and here’s what I’m getting to, without priests.

     What a day to be ordained a priest!

      I remember a seminary professor saying to us seniors that we should learn how to sort socks at Macy’s, (located a few blocks from our seminary in New York City), which was his humorous way of reminding us to always have a back-up plan in case we couldn’t find a job in the church!

      Despite many changes in the past 40 years, the church still needs priests. But today I want to highlight the increasing role of lay ministry in the church, which will become even more important going forward.

      Lest we think that lay ministry is something new, I want to tell you about a book my dad wrote called “Lay Ministry on the Frontier.”

     It is about the founder of St. Michael’s, Anaheim, Susan LaFaucherie, who also, between 1840 and 1888, helped found congregations in Trenton, Baltimore, Chicago and Tucson.  I’m proud to share these words from a review of the book when it was published in 1985: “Canon Saville has done a great service to a generation of Episcopalians who have been brought up believing that lay ministry began with the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The book reminds us that the gospel is truly preached only as long as there a just a few Susan’s among us”, and then quoting English Reformation historian Stephen Neil,“the tireless, devoted, and courageous people who are willing to work out their saintliness in the home, the bank, the factory, the dock, the field". And, I would add, the church.

     It is worth reviewing a couple of questions and answers from the 1979 Prayer Book’s Outline of Faith:

     “Who are the ministers of the church?” “The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests and deacons.” (Notice who is mentioned first! Lay persons, 99% of the members!)

     “What is the ministry of the laity?”  “The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and, to take their place in the life, worship and governance of the Church.” Last week, we recognized many lay leaders doing just that. On this anniversary of Greg and my ordination as priests, let me emphasize that baptism is our common call to do ministry. We’re all ministers.

     In my instruction to baptism candidates, I always looked them in the eye, including infants, and said:

Today, you’re being adopted into God’s family (Gal. 4:4-7)

Today, you’re being drafted into God’s army (Eph 6:10-20)

Today, you’re being grafted into the vine (John 15:4-5)

Today you’re being admitted into the hospital for sinners (Mark 2:15-17)

Today you’re being elected to the communion of saints (2 Peter 1:10)

Today, you’re being “ordained” for ministry. (Romans 12:3-8)

     And you thought you were just being baptized!

    In Romans 12:4-6, Paul describes our common call to ministry: “We have many parts in the one body; and all these parts have different functions. In the same way, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body. So, we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace God has given us.”

     And then listen to his words in Romans 6:3: “Do you not know that all who have been baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” And further, Paul’s words to the Galatians, words from a reading appointed for the Feast of the Martyrs of Japan: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Your baptism and confirmation dates are also, we might say, your “ordination” dates!

     Lay ministry is becoming even more important, and needed, as the church navigates its way into the future. Seminaries, including our own Bloy House, are no longer just preparing people to become deacons and priests; they are preparing people for all kinds of ministry. Once we had Lay Readers; today we have Lay Eucharistic Ministers.  And training for Lay Preachers is emerging everywhere.

    Along with Greg, fellow priest’s kid, (Eric died a few years ago) I am thankful for 40 years of priesthood. But today, I am also thankful the church is more intentionally recognizing we are all ministers of the gospel, all in this together, with Christ’s love and example leading the way.

    Let me close with words that can be prayed from two hymns. They have tune names with special meaning for Greg and me. The gospel hymn tune was “Chelsea Square”, the location of our General Seminary in Manhattan.  The presentation hymn tune is named, surprise, “General Seminary”.

Put forth, O God, thy Spirit's might, and bid thy church increase;

In breadth and length in depth and height, her unity and peace.

Let what apostles learned of thee be ours from age to age,

Their steadfast faith, our unity, their peace our heritage.

 

Where-fore with my utmost art, I will sing thee;

And the cream of all my heart I will bring thee…

Seven whole days, not one in seven I will praise thee…

E’en eternity’s too short to extol thee.

Amen.