Come Holy Ghost.... - Rector's Rambling for May 28, 2023

     I had the opportunity in seminary to get to know the then Archbishop of Canterbury’s special advisor on evangelism, Bishop Michael Marshall.  When consecrated, he was the youngest bishop in England, who then subsequently spent some time in the United States at the Anglican Institute before returning to England to serve under the Archbishop.  He was adjunct faculty at Nashotah House and came to lecture us periodically.

One of the lectures that has stuck with me was when he spoke about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and in particular how we often begin to exercise them without realizing it.  In fact, Bishop Marshall said, it is other people who begin to recognize how these gifts are being made manifest through our faithfulness and desire to serve.

He harkened this observation back to the day of Pentecost itself.  The disciples, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, would not have seen or recognized at first in themselves what was going on, but they would recognize it in others.  As the bishop described the scene in his proper English accent, “excuse me love, but you seem to have a bit of flame up on your head.”

We should certainly be praying and asking God to make manifest in us the gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord (as we have been praying for in our Novena the last nine days).  And we should also pray that we may begin to manifest the fruits of the Spirit as well: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.  (Some ancient translations of Galatians 5:22–23 break down “temperance” into self-control, modesty and chastity, which are all aspects of it).

The world wants to reject much of this, or try to redefine the terms into its distorted own image, but God’s plan for us is to live in these gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.  It often takes a loving word from a fellow member of the church for us to realize that these things are in fact beginning to be made manifest in us even if we don’t see it.  And we should press on in faith and hope, relying on God’s grace, to continue to grow in all these attributes.

It is only by His most gracious favor that the world will be changed.  And it starts with our cooperation with Him!  Let us joyfully accept the Gift of new life with Jesus, and share it by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

Outreach Sunday @ St. John's - Rector's Rambling for May 7, 2023

     We welcome our guests joining us today for our Outreach Sunday.  This a great day for our parish and I am so glad so many are here to be a part of it.

As a part of the prayerful discernment about the lease of our parking lot for development, we became acutely aware that with this opportunity to have income because of the land purchased for us by Henry Porter Baldwin in 1858, we needed to share with other ministries happening here in Detroit. 

This year our ministry partners are

Beds 4 Kids, which provides bedding and mattresses for poor children, hiring developmentally disabled adults to build them. 

Cass Community Services,  which  provides food, free medical care, shelter, housing, job training and skill training for developmentally disabled adults.  The grant is to build a children’s library at Fox Family Center shelter.

 Crossroads, a social service agency of the Episcopal Church.  The grant is for funding for ID and Birth Certificate services, enabling stable housing, employment and children’s school enrollment.  This is a $40,000 a year ministry.

Ellis House, support street outreach, clothing, hygiene items, food, blankets, etc., and two shelters for trafficking victims.

Georgia Street Community Coop,  providing fresh produce from their community garden, clothes and coat closet, library and computer lab, and school supplies.

Keep Growing Detroit,  community gardening by Eastern Market

Noah Project at Central Methodist Church, supporting client research desk for housing, personal health and wellness, a place to receive mail, hygiene and welcome home kits for newly housed clients and lunch served 4 days a week.

Vista Maria, supporting victims of human trafficking.

And we also welcome Dr. Garwood Anderson, Dean of Nashotah House Theological Seminary as our guest preacher

 

Tiger Baseball Outing Sunday - Rector's Rambling for April 30, 2023

     Welcome to our Tigers Baseball Outing Sunday.  It’s a wonderful day for us here at St. John’s, as we celebrate America’s pastime, and welcome our guests to join us for the festivities. 

Comerica Park opened in April of 2000, and it made an immediate impact on St. John’s.  The new stadium location meant increased parking revenue for St. John’s.  When I interviewed to be rector here in November 2000, I was stunned to see how close Comerica Park was to St. John’s, and the change in the neighborhood because of it.  I had worshipped here for Christmas Eve, 1992, while I was a seminarian at Nashotah House (my parents lived in Michigan at the time).  To say that things were a bit rough and ragged in this part of town might be an understatement.  On that Christmas Eve in 1992, I never would have imagined that 8 years later I would be interviewing to be the rector.

Now here we are 23 years later gathering once again to worship, and to head over to the Tigers game.  In 2001 I threw out a first pitch, and in 2002 I led the 7th inning stretch in Take me out the ballgame.  I am much happier to have the choir be ‘front and center’ for the National Anthem instead.

In addition to the added excitement of Tiger baseball, we have witnessed the  opening of Ford Field in 2003, and Little Caesar’s Arena in 2017, plus all the new housing and commercial buildings recently built - what a great neighborhood we have surrounding us.

Of course, thanks be to God that what has not changed is the Faith that St. John’s has received and proclaims from the pulpit, in our liturgy, and our outstanding music.  And I am glad so many people are joining us today.