DEO+ on STX # 9
28th June 2009
(Eve of Saint Peter and Saint Paul)

Questions on the Way
We have finished our eight week teaching series slowly reading Beverly Tucker and William Swatos’ book, Questions on the Way (“A catechism based on The Book of Common Prayer”.) We began with 24 people and ended on the last session with 10 folks. I think it was a good educational experience and challenged some in the assumptions and past backgrounds. Wednesday evening 7:30pm. The next teaching series begins July 8th. Our book: The Shack by Wm. Paul Young, Winblown Media, New Bury Park; at the same time do some theological/biblical reflection. We meet for six or eight weeks at 6:30pm. The parish is hungry for teaching; they want to learn and grow in their faith. Saint Peter’s Church is willing to experience challenging new thinking; she is ready to stretch her spiritual assumptions and perceptions. Our next challenge may be responding to theological re-imaging!

Father’s Day
On June 21st, we honored a “Father of the Year” and enjoyed a brunch following the service. The men of the Church assembled in mass before the congregation and sang: Hymn #551 “Rise up O saints of God,” a moving and sweet statement
of faith and commitment. The “old version” (before revision) read: “Rise up O Men of God!”

St. Thomas Clergy Day with Bishop Ambrose
On Thursday, June 25th, we flew to St. Thomas on the Sea Plane for an all day clergy meeting with the Bishop and Diocesan clergy. The flight is an easy 20 minutes, an exciting take-off and landing. It’s fun to get off Island periodically.

Finders Keepers
Daily I walk on the beach; sometimes the sea washes up all kinds of “stuff.”
Especially after high winds the variety of over board treasures for the picking, if one wishes to haul the goodies back to the condo. Last week I found a nice St. Croix ball-cap; ocean stained but after a vigorous wash one would never know it was a junk hat! My neatest “find” has been a Portuguese green glass fishing marker-buoy. Beautiful.

More auto slogans:
Flying Object, Hollywood (Taxi), Keep on Dart’in, Seek It, Gentleness, Precious,
Houston, U Can Hate Me I Love U, Professional Grade, Mind Yo Business,
The Red Rose, No Snakes, THE Red Lion, Bountiful, Abundant, Other Mon.


Home visits to shut-ins
Accompanied by a visitation team of two or three lay persons and sometimes the Deacon, we deliver the Holy Communion to our chronically ill, blind, sick and shut-in folks. We sing the following song:
(LEVAS II #77) “Jesus is All The World To ME”
Jesus is all the world to me, My life, my joy, my all;
He is my strength from day to day, Without Him I would fall:
When I am sad, to him I go, No other one can cheer me so;
When I am sad He makes me glad, He’s my friend.

Jesus is all the world to me, My friend in trials sore;
I GO TO Him for blessings, and He gives them o’er;
He sends the sunshine and the rain,
He sends the harvest’s golden again;
Sunshine and rain, harvest of grain, He’s my friend.

Jesus is all the world to me, I want no better friend;
I trust Him now, I’ll trust Him when Life’s fleeting days shall end:
Beautiful life, with such a friend.
Beautiful life that has no end;
Eternal life, eternal joy, He’s my friend.

In the most depressing living conditions; in the saddest circumstances where some folks live and move and have their being; departing them after singing this song, lifts me; it rolls around in my head most of the afternoon. These homes are modest, with gentle prevailing breezes; dogs bark and chickens run free scratching the ground for food or roosters crow; the streets are dirt with ruts; there are no visible addresses. Most folks receive their mail in a Post Office Box or at a road collection neighborhood sub-station. These faithful Christians, many have serious medical conditions, most with diabetes; a few have partial amputations; some are blind. These folks usually listen to the Church service radio broadcast on the Sunday at 6pm. They know my voice and sing along with the hymns during worship. What a joy to visit these lovely shut-ins. Our team usually consists of the Deacon and a couple lay persons. We take the Church car riding together. I drive, they show me the way! The roads are terrible. Our folks know we are coming and expect us. They look forward to our visit. It’s a powerful ministry of pastoral care and sacramental contact with their Church as we together Most of these folks are elderly and very poor. Together, we experience the living presence of the Risen Lord in flesh and blood. Holy Communion!

Patronal Feast: The Eve of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
The Bishop came for the week-end on June 26th-28th; our parish banquet on Friday night was lively and filled with speeches, music and stories. On Saturday the Bishop met with the Vestry; on Sunday we moved the Mass one hour later so neighboring congregations could attend. Fellow clergy participated in the service, reading the lessons and assisting at the Altar. The Bishop preached and celebrated the Eucharist; but no candidates for Confirmation or Baptism were presented. In the past, for some reason unknown, the Liturgical Propers were taken from The Conversion of Peter (January 10th); but I changed the readings and Propers to the correct date: (January 29th for St. Peter and St. Paul). Thius is another typical interim challenge for “we have always done it this way.” Yet no one seemed to know “why?!” +Ambrose Gumbs seems to be pleased with our joint ministry as Priest and People. The Interim task is on track. We are making progress. The Church is becoming stable, a predictable homeostatic condition.

Front Door of “The Frame Up” hobby and craft store:
One half-block from St. Peter’s Church is my favorite “craft shop,” loaded with all sorts of fun stuff to build and construct, model kits, art supplies, glitter and glue. On the front door of The Frame Up shop, these words are painted on the door:
(340-///-???? telephone number)
“Most likely Hours
Monday to Saturday, 9:01am – 6:02pm
Sunday 1:03pm – 4:59pm
Open When Here
Closed, When Not here
If Open and Not here
Call the Police & Kindly
Leave a Donation.”
Why not place the same message on the Church door!? Easy hours. Tough sell.

Come see us Mon!
La Paz y Buen Camino!
DEO+