The devil distorting good intentions - Rector's Rambling for September 5, 2021

 With autumn upon us we are ready to begin our programming year. 

September gets us up and going with the return of a full choir.  We will begin Sunday School on September 12, as well as begin having nursery care during the 10 AM Service.  These things have been on hiatus since March of 2020, nearly 18 months ago.   It will be wonderful, God willing, to start to get back to ‘normal’ again with our worship and education for the children.

Other things that will be coming up to speed again include in-person gatherings of the Daughters of the King and Daughters of the British Empire. A luncheon to bid farewell to David Schafer, moving to the Midland area, is scheduled for September 19, and The St. Catherine’s Guild of the Episcopal Church Women will be hosting a Trash to Treasure sale September 25 and 26.

October brings us Homecoming Sunday on October 10, the beginning of the Alpha Course on October 12, and the Food Drive for Crossroads.

Before we know it we will be into November which brings us All Saints and All Souls, Fall Ingathering for Malawi,  and the return of the Thanksgiving Day Parade with  the Front Door Canteen and the Pancake Breakfast in the Undercroft.  Information on all these activities, and more, are found in this newsletter.

A positive  thing that has happened during all the Corona virus restrictions has been the expansion of broadcasting of our worship, and our daily Morning Meditation series.  In fact, on September 9th we will publish our 500th consecutive Morning Meditation.  Most days it receives about 100 views across the various platforms.  Sunday Services, Weekday Mass and Evening Prayer also have anywhere from 50 to 500 views either live or on replay.  We receive emails and phone calls from around the United States, Canada, and England thanking us for these video offerings.  The St. John’s YouTube channel itself now has over 2.5 million video views.

A negative thing that has happened during this Coronatide has been that many people have not returned back to public worship at St. John’s.  Some of that is because of the availability of the video worship.  But that is a poor substitute for being present, in person, to worship with others and to receive Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. 

But sadder still is that many have gotten ‘out of the habit’ of attending Church, I am afraid that the devil has used the best of intentions to keep each other healthy, and has turned it into fear, to  keep people away from receiving the Bread of Life and participating as a member of The Church . This absence can damage one’s faith in Christ.

I hope to see you in Church.