CHURCH IN THE PARK - JUNE 28th, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
SUMMER SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
WELCOME TO ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
LEWISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
Summer Worship Schedule
June, July & August
Sunday 9:00 AM Holy Eucharist
BREAK BREAD TOGETHER
COMMUNITY DINNER
All Are Welcome!!!
Thursday, July 23rd at 5:30 PM
Thursday, August 25th at 5:30 PM
Monday, May 4, 2009
EASTER 4B - One Flock, One Shepherd
“I AM”
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“I AM . . . the bread of life.”
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“I AM . . . the light of the world.”
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“I AM . . . the resurrection and the life.”
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“I AM . . . the way, the truth and the life.”
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“I AM . . . the true vine.”
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“I AM . . . the good shepherd.”
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The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John was the last of the four Gospels of the canon to be written. Modern Biblical scholars debate the actual date of its writing, some saying it was not as long after Matthew, Mark and Luke as previously thought. “I AM . . . the bread of life.”
✠
“I AM . . . the light of the world.”
✠
“I AM . . . the resurrection and the life.”
✠
“I AM . . . the way, the truth and the life.”
✠
“I AM . . . the true vine.”
✠
“I AM . . . the good shepherd.”
✠
✠
As a narrative of the ministry and message of Jesus Christ, it shares certain content and characteristics with the three synoptics. Whether it was because John had the benefit of having the three earlier Gospels to consider, or that he simply had more time to observe, first hand, the impact of the teachings of Jesus in the earliest years of Christianity, the fact remains that the Gospel of John stands alone both in it’s language and it’s theology.
✠
John’s theology is a theology of life. He bears testimony not only to Jesus, but also to the possibility of life through Him. Moreover, John’s gospel speaks of life through Jesus Christ in all its fullness.
✠
In today’s gospel Jesus says: “I AM the good shepherd”. It is one of several stories that contain the “I AM” statement. It is a statement that echoes the great “I AM” of God when God made himself known to Moses on Mount Sinai as reported in the Book of Exodus. Perhaps the most dramatic of the “I am” statements in this Gospel came when the Guards came into the garden of Kidron. Jesus asked: “Whom are you looking for? To which they answered: “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus replied simply “I AM”.
✠
The stories John chooses to tell each make clear that Jesus is concerned about the physical dimension of human existence as well as its spiritual possibilities. In each story we are given further insight into Jesus’ messages, often in the form of analogy. The spiritual message is conveyed through stories of human behavior with which we can all identify. Jesus teaches us what a good shepherd does by telling us what a good shepherd doesn’t do. The hired hand sees the wolf and thinking only of his own life, runs away, abandoning the sheep, and causing them to scatter, because he does not care for them. Then, in this reading, Jesus again says, “I AM the good shepherd”.
✠
There are shepherds and there are sheep. There are sheep and there are shepherds. Jesus points out that he is BOTH. “I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”
✠
Jesus, who takes on our human nature and lives and dies as one of us: Jesus, who is our good shepherd, IS the lamb of God. Both shepherds KNOW their sheep. Then Jesus, in the shepherd’s voice, tells us that: He has “other sheep that do not belong to this fold”, and that they too, must be brought along, and that they will listen to the shepherds voice. Then, as Jesus says: “there will be one flock, one shepherd."
✠
We too are being called by our Good Shepherd to be both sheep and shepherds. We are being called as shepherds to bring the “others along” so that they may also hear the Good Shepherds voice, and become part of the flock, which is the one Body of Christ. Then, “there will be one flock, one shepherd."
✠
We are all called to be shepherds. As such, we may not be called to “lay down our lives”, literally, all there are some among us, for whom their call indeed, may require them to be ready to lay down their lives: Soldiers, fire fighters, police officers, civil rights activists and just about anyone who dares to speak out against the “mainstream”, to name a few. Each of us must discern our own call as a shepherd. For some of us it might be as parents, community volunteers, serving on a vestry, chairing a committee, pledging to the stewardship drive, listening to a troubled friend or neighbor, visiting the sick or the act of smiling at a stranger. Make no mistake, we are all being called to shepherd to one another, to minister to the aged and infirm, care for the widowed and orphans, tend the sick, soothe the suffering, clothe the needy, feed the hungry, and to open our lives and hearts to love the oppressed and outcast. And to do so with full knowledge of Christ’s love for each of as a child of God, understanding and love: God’s love for us and our love for God.
✠
Love is who we are not simply what we do. We are justified by our faith and not by our works alone. All good works must be done through our faith in God’s love. This is consistent with our Anglican Theology. If we truly have faith we will live a Holy life of faith and love. And it is through that faith and love that good works will naturally flow.
✠
To be the shepherds we are all called to be, we must care for our sheep with the love that we are through our faith in God.
✠
And as Jesus has taught us, by His word and by His example: a shepherds love is not running away from the wolves, it’s staying to save the sheep. The sheep that must be brought along so that they will listen to the shepherds voice. Then, as Jesus says: “there will be one flock, one shepherd."
✠
The Good Shepherd is risen!
✠
He who laid down His life for His sheep, who died for His flock: He is risen.
✠
Alleluia.
A sermon preached by The Rev. Lisa K. Schoonmaker on May 3rd, 2009 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Lewistown, Pennsylvania
As a narrative of the ministry and message of Jesus Christ, it shares certain content and characteristics with the three synoptics. Whether it was because John had the benefit of having the three earlier Gospels to consider, or that he simply had more time to observe, first hand, the impact of the teachings of Jesus in the earliest years of Christianity, the fact remains that the Gospel of John stands alone both in it’s language and it’s theology.
✠
John’s theology is a theology of life. He bears testimony not only to Jesus, but also to the possibility of life through Him. Moreover, John’s gospel speaks of life through Jesus Christ in all its fullness.
✠
In today’s gospel Jesus says: “I AM the good shepherd”. It is one of several stories that contain the “I AM” statement. It is a statement that echoes the great “I AM” of God when God made himself known to Moses on Mount Sinai as reported in the Book of Exodus. Perhaps the most dramatic of the “I am” statements in this Gospel came when the Guards came into the garden of Kidron. Jesus asked: “Whom are you looking for? To which they answered: “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus replied simply “I AM”.
✠
The stories John chooses to tell each make clear that Jesus is concerned about the physical dimension of human existence as well as its spiritual possibilities. In each story we are given further insight into Jesus’ messages, often in the form of analogy. The spiritual message is conveyed through stories of human behavior with which we can all identify. Jesus teaches us what a good shepherd does by telling us what a good shepherd doesn’t do. The hired hand sees the wolf and thinking only of his own life, runs away, abandoning the sheep, and causing them to scatter, because he does not care for them. Then, in this reading, Jesus again says, “I AM the good shepherd”.
✠
There are shepherds and there are sheep. There are sheep and there are shepherds. Jesus points out that he is BOTH. “I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”
✠
Jesus, who takes on our human nature and lives and dies as one of us: Jesus, who is our good shepherd, IS the lamb of God. Both shepherds KNOW their sheep. Then Jesus, in the shepherd’s voice, tells us that: He has “other sheep that do not belong to this fold”, and that they too, must be brought along, and that they will listen to the shepherds voice. Then, as Jesus says: “there will be one flock, one shepherd."
✠
We too are being called by our Good Shepherd to be both sheep and shepherds. We are being called as shepherds to bring the “others along” so that they may also hear the Good Shepherds voice, and become part of the flock, which is the one Body of Christ. Then, “there will be one flock, one shepherd."
✠
We are all called to be shepherds. As such, we may not be called to “lay down our lives”, literally, all there are some among us, for whom their call indeed, may require them to be ready to lay down their lives: Soldiers, fire fighters, police officers, civil rights activists and just about anyone who dares to speak out against the “mainstream”, to name a few. Each of us must discern our own call as a shepherd. For some of us it might be as parents, community volunteers, serving on a vestry, chairing a committee, pledging to the stewardship drive, listening to a troubled friend or neighbor, visiting the sick or the act of smiling at a stranger. Make no mistake, we are all being called to shepherd to one another, to minister to the aged and infirm, care for the widowed and orphans, tend the sick, soothe the suffering, clothe the needy, feed the hungry, and to open our lives and hearts to love the oppressed and outcast. And to do so with full knowledge of Christ’s love for each of as a child of God, understanding and love: God’s love for us and our love for God.
✠
Love is who we are not simply what we do. We are justified by our faith and not by our works alone. All good works must be done through our faith in God’s love. This is consistent with our Anglican Theology. If we truly have faith we will live a Holy life of faith and love. And it is through that faith and love that good works will naturally flow.
✠
To be the shepherds we are all called to be, we must care for our sheep with the love that we are through our faith in God.
✠
And as Jesus has taught us, by His word and by His example: a shepherds love is not running away from the wolves, it’s staying to save the sheep. The sheep that must be brought along so that they will listen to the shepherds voice. Then, as Jesus says: “there will be one flock, one shepherd."
✠
The Good Shepherd is risen!
✠
He who laid down His life for His sheep, who died for His flock: He is risen.
✠
Alleluia.
A sermon preached by The Rev. Lisa K. Schoonmaker on May 3rd, 2009 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Lewistown, Pennsylvania
Playing For Change: Song Around the World "Stand By Me"
This is what we ALL need. Watch, listen and don't miss the love.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
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