The Big Event: Christmas

For unto us a childe is borne

Christmas is an amazing concept. We spend four weeks, sometimes more before Christmas preparing for one day. In the secular world this preparation is frantic, even intense: there are cards to write and post, gifts to buy and post, parties to attend, parties to prepare – what does Aunt Agnes want? Will the cookies make it to Nana and Pappa?

In the Christian world, the four weeks of Advent is a time of preparation but the opposite, the time is to reflect, anticipate, to be kind in the midst of rushing and rudeness. To make time to be ready for the arrival of the baby, Jesus born of Mary.

It is a big event, the big kahuna, feasts of feasts. The reading for Christmas day, the prologue of John’s Gospel (John 1:1-14) I have heard it described as the most succinct cosmological description of God written. The Gospel writer describes God as the creator, the thought, the Word, the light in the darkness. God Is. God, I Am. God, the light in us, the breath in our lungs, the thoughts in our head.

God who became incarnate, took human form, in a squawking baby born in a stable, surrounded by farm animals. This is the great event we celebrate, we prepared for these four weeks; celebrating God the small child with straw in his hair who knows the roughness of Joseph’s beard and the scent of his mother Mary.

On Christmas Eve, the church was dark, one candle placed on the crèche. The flame of that one candle lit the torches, so the prologue of John read. From those torches the candles of the congregation were lit. Seeing the lights from all those candles in the darkened church I saw God’s light, in each person.

Immanuel, God with us, born Jesus son of Mary.

The big event worth all the preparation, worth all the waiting.

How cool is that!

Happy New Year!

-eric

PS: Cyprian's will host a screening of Amahl and the Night Visitors, the Menotti operetta about a young boy who meets three special men. Join us January 6 (Friday), 6pm at St Cyprian's!

Interfaith Celebration of Light

...for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Ex 22:21)

Monday night CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice), along with the Progressive Jewish Alliance and labor leaders met at Powell and Geary, on Union Square, for the Interfaith Celebration of Light. I joined the faith and labor leaders gathered to hear speakers from across the our communities, a performance artist, and representatives from several unions. We heard speakers demanding respect and dignity for those who work in our city, supporting public education, and our need to be the light of hope to the nameless and forgotten living mere blocks from Union Square. We sang freedom songs of Woody Guthrie. At the end of gathering we marched to the Hyatt in support of the hotel workers seeking a contract.

This is the charge I gave to our gathering of fifty plus before we marched to the hotel.

My sisters and brothers, we stand in the midst of the lights of Union Square, the bright and colorful lights of the shops, of the official Christmas tree and the soon to be lit official menorah. All these colorful blinking lights calling us to buy, to spend, to shop and forget the meaning of the lights of the season. These lights around us, remember they are artificial lights, generated by electric power plants. The candles in our hands, that in our hearts, are natural lights. What we have here, sisters and brothers, here in our hands, are the lights of righteousness, the lights of justice. Let us remember what God told Moses: ‘You shall not wrong the stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt’. Let us remind the powers and principalities who dictate to us that we all were strangers in the strange land; we hold our lights of righteousness in our hands.

This is prayer from the Native American prayerbook:

Creator God, maker of all things and all peoples, we walk now in a circle of love and power. Let us be like rays of light, like flowers bright with light, like a great tree mighty in the roots, mighty in the top, that reaches the sky where the leaves catch the light, and sing with that wind song of the circle. Let our life be like the rainbows whose colours teach us unity, Let us, Creator God, follow the great circle, the roundness of power, and be at one with the moon and the sun and the circling ripples of water., shining the lights of righteousness in our world. Amen

On this Feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ, we remember Emmanuel, God with Us, the savior born in the humble manger, whom in the flight to Egypt was a stranger in a strange land. May we all remember God’s light is in all of us and may we share that light of life to strangers amongst us, now and always, amen.

Merry Christmas! See you at Turk and Lyon!

-eric

as adapted from the Native American Prayerbook.

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awaiting the light

Our Advent series ‘Soon and Very Soon, Practicing Advent’ asked questions about the season before Christmas. This past Wednesday we discussed the different birth narratives of Jesus: the Gospel of Matthew and the story of the wise men, the Gospel of Luke and the story of being born in a manger in a barn. The Gospel of Mark, which begins with prophecy of Isaiah and the announcement by John the Baptist of Jesus’ coming, and the Gospel of John announcing the Word, the Light, and the Word made Flesh.

They are different stories, written for audiences of Jews and non-Jews drawn to the Gospel of Jesus. The listeners seek the interpretation that makes the most sense to them, that makes plausible of this impossibility: God takes human form, as a weak, vulnerable squawking babe in his mother’s arms.

Thus we await one more week

To see the light shineth in the darkness, which the darkness comprehended not (John 1:5).

Come on December 23^rd for the Pageant, December 24^th for the Candlelight Service, or December 25^th as St Cyprian’s community gathers and remembers the birth of Jesus.

never looked back

Why I give - by Jennifer Wolfe

After a life of mostly not going to church, I began attending about five years ago on the first Sunday in Lent. I didn’t know much about the practices of the Episcopal church, but I had a friend who attended and tagged along one day (I also thought highly of it after the appointment of Gene Robinson). My husband and I had often discussed how we should go about getting that weekly spiritual structure that we both thought would help us better maintain our equanimity in the face of life’s annoyances. Every year, around New Year’s Day, we would have a similar conversation—“We should go to the Zen Center.” “Maybe we should check out the Baha’I temple.” But the months would go by and we just wouldn’t make it happen. And, one day, I just decided to try church.

I’ve never looked back.

In the context of a community, I had my spiritual center reset, contemplated things larger than myself, and resolved to be a better person. Whatever else is going on in my life, it never occurs to me to not be there on a Sunday morning because I have “something else to do.” What could be more important than coming together with a community of like- and not-like-minded people to reset my spiritual center, contemplate the larger questions of life, and resolve to be a better person? I really value the conversations that happen here every week.

That ultimately is why I give—because what I get out of coming to St. Cyprian’s is a gift I could never live up to, a debt I could never repay. I want those doors to be open and this place to be available for every person who needs that gift.

An Ordination

‘As deacon in the church, you are to study the Holy Scriptures, to seek nourishment from them, and to model your life upon them. You are to make Christ and his redemptive love known, by your word and example, to those among whom you live, and work, and worship. You are to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world… At all times, your life and teaching are to show Christ’s people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself.’ Ordination of a Deacon, Book of Common Prayer page 543.

This past Saturday, sometime soon after two p.m., I stood with five other soon to be deacons and listened to our ordinal, the examination of the candidates. I have read through the ordinal many, many times before then and told myself ‘yes I agree, yes, maybe, hmm, let me get back to you on that.’ And yet… when Bishop Marc Andrus read those words, in micro seconds I heard them, thought about them, prayed over them and answered ‘Yes!’ As I knelt before him, he placed his hands on my head I felt the warmth and the breath of the generations of saints who preceded me answering the call to serve God’s people. Like John Wesley at his conversion, my heart was ‘strangely warmed’ at that moment, and I knew all was right.

As Deacon I’ll continue doing the work of the Church, talking to people at Half-Time, at Lucky and on Divisidero Street, making connections, listening to stories and building community inside and outside the walls of St Cyprian’s. There is much work to continue, with the kitchen, community center, greening the corner. My thanks, thanks, thanks to the Cyprian’s community for supporting me and making me so welcome, I am blessed to serve here

Speaking about building community: our NOPA neighborhood holiday party is Friday, come on by and share some holiday cheer AND listen to music galore! On December 17 Nutcracker for Two Guitars is another concert for the Advent season. Of course Christmas is coming, be a participant also for our Christmas Pageant 5pm December 23 (no rehearsal, just show up!) and our Christmas services December 24, 8pm and December 25, 10.10am.

Come on down to Turk and Lyon, we’re happening this month. Come feel the warmth.

Peace to all,

- eric

a cheerful giver

Why I Give
by Robyn Amos

As I prepared to speak about stewardship this passage from 2 Corinthians resonated when I heard it read at the recent Deanery Meeting. “ He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity which through us will produce thanksgiving to God...Each one must do as he has made up his mind… for God loves a cheerful giver.”

I chuckled to myself as I reflected on the words oft heard “God loves a cheerful giver.” I knew I was not always this person. I considered how weak economy, the soaring inflation and the feelings of despair have made parsimony the new generosity. How many times have I chanted the current mantra “the cost of food is so high;” “there are no jobs for mature workers;” “just trying to hold my head above water;” “Give? Are you serious? ”

Yet, I instantly thought about my community at St. Cyprian’s and the truth of the scripture was clear. I thought of the dozens of members, neighbors, friends old and new that have been stewards of the community these last few years. I remembered the feel of the dirt in my hands and the stretching muscles in my back as Lyon and Turk were beautified with plants. The pungent smell of fresh paint assailed my nose when I entered church after the Gays for Good painted. My taste buds tingled for days the epic meal grown, prepared and consumed by our friends and family at the Community Meal just three weeks ago. Those were real-time experiences of cheerful giving.

St. Cyprian’s embodies those words. St. Cyprian’s has become a place of hope and possibilities as we have opened our door to our community and responded. We have become not only cheerful givers but gracious receivers. Our doors open wide as the community flows in with paint, mushrooms, bluegrass music, plants and joy. Giving includes sharing all of your wealth including your time, talents, songs, and strengths.

I give because I love my church and love our flourishing community. The scripture is clear, the evidence is apparent; Generosity is not just in dollars but in heart and mind. I give so that my church is served whether I am present or not. I give because others have and still do. I share whatever I resources I have: time, ideas, dollars, or elbow grease. Consider your own talents and means. Become as I have a cheerful giver.

advent and thanks-giving

Advent: anticipating the big event

During Advent I have the sense of something big about to happen. I remember Christmas as a child had that special sense, the building anticipation. There were the presents i awaited, of course; i cared deeply about diving into the box grapefruit sent to our snow covered home in Vermont. for me there was a specialness to Christmas beyond the need for bright shiny objects, the knowledge that Christmas was a big deal, the important event that wrapped up the year.

Reading the portion of Isaiah for this week (Is 40:1-11) we hear the prophet the promise the weary people of God in exile, that the ‘valley lifted up, the mountain made low, the uneven made level and the rough places a plain’, is the promise that the trials of today will fade and become the promise of tomorrow. That promise is the arrival of Immanuel, God with us. God who will breathe the same air we breath and whose baby feet feel the same cold earth under our feet. God who’s teaching will guide us, God who whose God who will ‘gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in her bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.’

When God lives amongst us that is the big event. Waiting and watching for the big event is Advent, that’s why the hymns mention the promise of God’s coming. It’s like waiting for the ruby grapefruit to arrive in the midst of the dark Vermont winter; it’s coming, I know it’s coming, it will be good. That’s the anticipation the arrival of Immanuel, the promise that God is coming at the big event.
Come to Turk and Lyon and join us, we’ll sing Advent hymns and wait for the big event together.

Thanks – Giving: post thanksgiving thoughts

It’s a week after the feast of turkey, vegetables, and pies; of the taste of cranberries and bearing witness to the 49er’s slipping past Baltimore. Some of us hit the malls before the clock struck midnite that same day, or on Friday just prior to dawn, or at 00:01am on CyberMonday for the online deals. We are thankful we survived the hordes and shoves and quick clicks online for deals on more bright and shiny purchased for Christmas presents. Thanksgiving feasts and Christmas shopping weekend feel are synonymous with Thanksgiving. I’m tired from the weekend, and I was not particularly thankful after shoving my way around.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. –Thornton Wilder

I like what Wilder says. Facing down the crowd on Union Square Macy’s, or the full parking lot and shoulder-to-shoulder scrum at Serramonte Mall did not make me feel particularly alive; instead I was exhausted. Changing attitude I thought of those moment that made me alive of the smiles of my family at dinner, sharing a power bar with a fellow at stop light, the coffee - conversation - fellowship after services on Sunday at Cyprian’s. These are my treasures, and I want to share my time, talent and treasure in thanks - giving.

Giving thanks by sharing what I have to that which I’m blessed to receive. That is my thanks-giving; that is why I made my pledge today, that is why I support the work of St Cyprian’s. Please join me in thanks - giving for the mission of Cyprian’s.

Happy Advent. See you about the corner of Turk and Lyon.
-eric

A Grace Filled Parking Ticket

As one addicted to my gasoline motor I routinely face the challenges of bringing my automobile into San Francisco. Driving through the traffic of the streets, my hybrid suffers the ignominy of dents, scratches, and the occasional flat tire, as well as dodging the Dept of Parking and Traffic’s Traffic Control Officers: TCO’s, meter persons, and their ticket writing capabilities. In a residential zone, every two hours I make the dance of moving my auto around the block for a new parking spot and avoiding the sixty-five dollar ticket.

One morning Doe and I worked in the sacristy. An advantage of that spot is the view of Turk Street, helpful when keeping track of the TCO’s. This particular day I lost track of time and suggested we move our cars, because it’s probably been over two hours.

Once outside we saw one car was ticketed and the other car was next in line; TCO parked in front. We approached the officer and talked with her, explained that we were working at the church and we came out as fast as we could to move our cars. The officer asked, ‘What Church?’ and our reply St Cyprian, on the corner here, surprised her. She didn’t know there was a church on Turk and Lyon. When Cyps was pointed out the officer smiled and said ‘I attend Love Chapel, and have a great pastor, and isn’t it great to know there are other believers here.’ I suggested we join in prayer and Doe led us then and there, the TCO and parking scofflaws, offering thanksgiving for blue skies, good health, and fellowship on the street corner. Community made on the streets of the Western Addition.

Such a moment of grace and shared witness happened on Turk and Lyon, I am thankful to witness and participate in that moment. I look toward the day I share witness as openly as the TCO: ‘I attend St Cyprian’s and have a great community. Come visit us.’ We’re not a secret, we have a great comunity, let the word out!

See you about Turk and Lyon

-Eric

St. Cyprian's Seminarian on Occupy

These past few months I have been involved in the current Occupy protests in San Francisco and in Oakland. What started out as a small protest at Wall Street has turned into a global phenomenon with tens of thousands of people protesting in Canada, Chile, England, Indonesia, and countless of other solidarity protests from people in China, Spain, Greece, Taiwan, Korea, etc. What's been happening in the Bay Area, and in New York, is that people have begun to look at the situation around them and they have come to realized that they no longer live in a country that is putting value into cultivating healthy and happy human beings. The society around them is no longer seeing Christ within the other.

One of the main reasons for my participating in Occupy San Francisco is because I fully believe that when Christ told us to love our neighbor as ourselves that he truly meant it. He meant for us to put personal welfare and justice above all else. Above profit, greed, and malice. When Christ spoke of the Kingdom of God, and that the Kingdom of God has come near, he was speaking of a world where we no longer allowed injustice to permeate our lives. Christ spoke of a world in which God demanded justice for the oppressed, the poor, and the marginalized. Christ gave us the example to live by: that God demanded that we seek out justice, but that we need to make God's command for a just world and turn that commandment and transfix it into the flesh by actively participating in our society and try to make it better through our actions.

The Occupy protests in San Francisco and Oakland are a reminder that we need to be vested in our communities and that we need to work together as a community of people in order to make God's Kingdom of justice and mercy a reality. A reality that is greater than corporate greed and a profit driven economy.

by Jack Stephens
jack.m.stephens@gmail.com

Saints and Sermon for All Saints Day

Saints before us, old St Cyprian’s on Sutter and Lyon

Thinking about the Saints, St John, and the Love Commandment

You may recall my expressing how much I relish in the realm of the saints. I had a Roman Catholic school background that included the saints of the church everywhere: pictures in the classrooms, feast day masses during school as well as the coveted days off. My throat was blessed in the name of St Blaise, St Francis’ statue in my room in high school, and a St Christopher medallion in the glove-box of my Volvo 142s. When I became an Episcopalian I was pleased to learn the Saints of the Church followed me across the Thames and their numbers grew; my understanding of who were the saints expanded beyond requirements of miracles performed to include the faithful people who lived into the challenge of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, to be like Jesus.

While praying over the readings for All Saints Day the image which returned to my mind was the saints gathered in glory – the martyrs, workers, evangelists; children, women, men – strengthened in faith to do the hard work of following the way of Jesus. He asks us to live into an upside down word of ending the divisive existence and instead live as part of a community strengthened by mutual love for each other as well as love of God. In our world today we can easily be alone, isolated, in our home, on crowded #5 bus, in hospital or at work; alone in the crowd. To be followers of Jesus is to come together in common worship and mutual support. ‘I am the vine and you are the branches…’ (Jn 15:5) is our model, ‘Love one another as I have loved you (Jn 15:12) our commandment. We are connected to each other. To follow in the way of Jesus, to do live like Christ is the calling of the saints.

Eat Share Pray 16 November

Come join us on Weds Night for a light supper, conversation and prayer. On November 16 we’ll continue our conversation about ‘Radical Jesus’.

We will take Nov 23 off for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Join us again on Nov 30 for Eat Share Pray – the Advent Edition.

see you around and about,

eric

Sermon for 6 November 2011

Feast of All Saints (Transferred)

Revelation 7:9-17

Psalm 34

1 John 3:1:7

Matthew 5:1-12

Happy All Saints Day! On the feast of All Saints, which we celebrate today, we might ask the question What is a saint? Per the Dictionary of the Episcopal Church:

Saint: a holy person, a faithful Christian, one who shares life in Christ.

Shares the life of Christ. What is that? Are we speaking changing water into wine? Cleansing lepers? Healing the blind with a touch? Suffering, on the cross?

Yes, some of that – healing the sick, though not so much the wine. Suffering - yes, and we need help knowing how. We do have a guide on how to share in the life of Jesus Christ.

Here is a hint: a new commandment we received – from the Gospel of John

‘That you love one another, as I have loved you.’ Jn 13:34.

Simple words, seems like a simple commandment. But the followers of Jesus it is more than that, it is a rule of life. To be one with God is to hold each other as close as we hold onto God,

Share in the life of Christ. Love one another as I have loved you.

In the early church the faithful gathered in homes to read scripture, sing hymns, pray together, shared their lives and their work. The deacons went out to share their lives with the homebound, the widows and orphans and ensure the poor given succor. These house churches were centers of following in the way of Jesus. Because the early followers shared their faith in Christ Jesus, worshiping God not the Emperor / God of Rome they became enemies of Rome, it meant many of the faithful suffered terribly, even death, during waves of persecutions in the first four centuries of the Imperial rule.

Staying true to the faith was important to John of our epistle. As the early followers struggled with dissent he encouraged them to hold on as Christ followers. He wrote to in this letter it the community remain faithful:

See what love the father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. (1 Jn 3:1)

Children of God. Faithful to God. Living the New Commandment, following the way of Jesus and we will be pure with him.

Love for one another brings us together, the gift from God which sets us apart. Love for one another brings us the strength to live out the love commandment in the world, who share the life of Christ, live the way of Jesus.

Two stories of the saints called together to live the way of Jesus.

In the 1790’s St George’s Church was build in Philadelphia by black and white hands, hands united in worship of God. But one Sunday during worship, the ushers insisted the black Christians leave the church floor and move to the slave gallery upstairs, segregating the worship space. Abasalom Jones and Richard Allen lead the black worshipers out of St George’s. They formed the Free African Society, lead worship there, and Jones founded African Episcopal Church of St Thomas. It’s the mother church of Black Episcopalians.

In the late 1850’s emancipated Blacks in Washington DC came together to build a parish where they could worship freely. During the Civil War they wanted to raise funds for their church and Sunday school. The saints of St Augustine’s RC parish sent two of their members, Gabriel and Marie Coakley, to approach Marie’s employers Mr and Mrs Lincoln for permission to hold a bake sale on their lawn. The Lincoln’s happily gave permission and the bake sale was held July 4 on the White House Lawn. St Augustine’s is the mother church of Black Roman Catholic’s in Washington DC

Two churches, St Thomas. St Augustine. Two congregations founded where the faithful could worship God and follow the way of Jesus outside of the persecutions of the world, and in their Church. They are not alone: Buen Samaritano, Our Savior, True Sunshine, Christ Church; these, and other churches established by the saints before us to make that community of love, following the Way of Jesus.

My sisters and brothers, when hear the Beatitudes, do not hear them as ‘blessed are poor, blessed are the meek….’ These aren’t words mumbled for the shy, throwaway verbs and sounds without meaning, they are words Jesus gave us for courage to live as followers in his way. Listen to them spoken boldly, like this,

BEHOLD! Blessed are the poor…

BEHOLD! Blessed are they who hunger for justice…

BEHOLD! Blessed are the persecuted for righteousness sake…

BEHOLD!

Let me tell another story. A church is founded in San Francisco where Episcopalians, told to find someplace ‘you’d be more comfortable,’ a place they could worship freely. A church whose founders and their children had a vision, left their original home on Sutter Street and moved up the hill to Turk and Lyon, raising money with bake sales and bbq’s and green stamps and hard work, whose Christian love inspired them to build Saint Cyprian’s. This house of God that turns to the world outside and invites them in – see what we are doing. See the concerts, the Village Project, the 12 step programs, the kitchen that feeds us and the simply sandwiches. These saints before us, their names on the walls around us, who built the community in this church and the saints among us that make St Cyprian’s the church that with us still.

The love God gives us, that makes us one with God which the world does not know. That’s the community of saints we belong to, where love is revealed and continues to build this community of love, on Eddy and Divis, on Turk and Lyon, on the corners of the Western Addition and Panhandle, goes forth in love to Occupy at the Fed, to feed the homeless on Division St and be the sick at General Hospital and across San Francisco…

To the Saints before us, the Saints among us, and the Saints yet to come:

BEHOLD! Today is the feast of ALL SAINTS! Blessed are The Holy People of God, faithful Christians, living their lives, sharing the life of Christ!

When God’s presence is revealed among us, we will know we are followers of Christ Jesus and will sing:

‘The saints of God, are folks like us, that we want to be them too’!

-sermon by Eric Metoyer

We are who shows up

Today, at St. Cyprian's before we handed out our 2012 Pledge Cards, our Junior Warden, Jarie Bolander spoke about why he generously supports the work of St. Cyprian's. In the weeks that follow different members of the congregation and wider community will share their passion about why they pledge. If you would like a pledge card digitally, send an email to: turkandlyon@gmail.com

Community is important to me. It’s through community that society strengthens, grows and thrives. Without strong communities, our society will spiral into chaos.

All of us belong to many communities. These communities form a tapestry of who we are and who we want to be. One of my communities is St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church.

I must admit that faith makes me a little uncomfortable. My rational, engineering mind wants equations, proofs and some sort of logic to the world. It’s a daily struggle to rationalize these thoughts and feelings. That’s why it’s important for me to seek out people who share in my struggle.

Showing Up Counts
My first interaction with St. Cyprian’s came about via a block party where Pastor Will and Pastor Susanna presided over a “blessing of the bikes.” In San Francisco, it’s rare for clergy to show up to a community event even though there is a church on every corner (well, at least it feels like that).

Will and Susanna showing up made a big impression on me and the community. So much of community work is showing up. By showing up, you show you care.

Showing up is what builds bonds between people that are so vital when conflicts or opportunities arise. Now, St. Cyprian’s members show up to almost all of NOPNA’s events. By showing up, they maintain and strengthen the ties to the neighborhood they have called home for over 50 years.

Faith, Action and Community
A groups manta should represent what it stands for, what it wants to achieve and how it operates. St. Cyprian’s mantra of Faith, Action and Community does just that.

By having a grounding in faith, St. Cyprian’s shows that it stands for Peace, Love and Justice.
By taking action, St. Cyprian’s demonstrates that being involved is how great things are achieved.

By building community, St. Cyprian’s becomes part of the community. All of these ideas resonate with me because doing is far better than talking, engagement trumps isolation and faith builds hope.

A Simple Yet Powerful Offer
The bike blessing was my first impression of St. Cyprian’s but my journey to the St. Cyprian’s started with a simple offer – if you ever need a priest, just give me a call. This simple offer of help, support, fellowship and friendship made a profound impact on my life.
Life is complex. You never know when events in your life will build up to a point where all seems lost, despair sets in and greater meaning is hard to find. Just such an event happened to me and my family.

Being There
Lung cancer is a horrible disease that has the stigma of being a smokers only cancer. That’s not the case at all. Over 15% of lung cancer patients are non-smokers and that number rises every year.

Lung cancer is hard to catch and even harder to treat. By the time you know you have it, it’s almost too late. That’s what happened to my mother-in-law, Margit.

Margit’s sudden diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer shocked our family. How can someone in good health all of a sudden get cancer? Worst than that, how come it went undetected? Why is this happening to us?

In times of great stress and uncertainty, seeking out comfort becomes a priority. We struggle to make sense of events that seem like someone else’s problem. That’s why it’s important to show up and be there for people before, during and after life changing events. Building those relationships enhances our lives and makes it much easier to connect and stay connected.
Margit surcummed to cancer 9 months after her diagnosis. The months that followed were a time of great sorrow, reflection and anger. St. Cyprian’s was there to ease our grief, offer comfort and help us remember the joy of Margit’s life.

Who Do You Show Up For?
We all live busy lives. From kids, work, social commitments to digital distractions, it seems that life just keeps on accelerating. Even though we are becoming more “connected”, we seem to lose connection.

Real connections with our friends, our community and our families seems less and less even as the digital divide shortens. That’s why it’s more important than ever to show up and be there for people. That’s why I show up for St. Cyprian’s and our community.

So, give it a try. Show up. Be present in your community. Share in the joys, struggles, sadness and debate that our lives throw at us. Rejoice in the fact that people care, want to get to know you and will be there when needed. It does not matter if you are an Atheist, Christian, Muslim, Buddist, Jewish or Hindu, all are welcome at the table of fellowship to build a community that thrives.

We Can’t Do it Without You
We would appreciate your support in our objectives to strive for Peace, Love and Justice, be there for those in need and strengthen our community bonds. We have already done a tremendous amount (a short list is presented below) and have plans to do more :

• Attracted the Noe Valley Music Series
• Supported the Village Project two years in a row
• Green-scaped the corner of Turk and Lyon
• Provided support for those that mourned loss in our community
• Hosted several community meetings and events
• Fixed our Tower, which will strengthen our foundation at Turk and Lyon.

St. Cyprian’s is rooted in faith but built on community. We don’t want to provide for the community – we want to partner with it. If you share our vision of a better world, one community at a time, then help us by sharing your talents, your time or your treasure. Every little bit helps and every little bit makes us all stronger. Or better yet, show up. We would love to see you.

About the Author:
Jarie has lived in NOPNA with his Wife Margaret and dog Harold for over 6 years. He is the President of NOPNA and the Jr. Warden at St. Cyprian's. When not volunteering, he works on DNA sequencing machines in the Biotech Industry.

All Saints Day at St. Cyprian’s

On Nov 6 St Cyprian’s will celebrate All Saints Day. In the calendar of the church this is the day we remember the saints who precede us. In the history of the church this day was established to remember the martyrs of the church during the persecutions, then expanded to include the remembrance of the saints of the church who don’t have feast days. Who are the saints? Faith filled people; some performed miracles, some became martyrs, some were missionaries, others translated the Bible, became lay preachers, or led the struggle for civil rights for all peoples. They all led lives which were encouraged and strengthened by their faith; so much so that their work inspire us to this day. In the epistle to the Hebrews we read:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Come join us on Nov 6 as we remember the saints in our lives, the ‘cloud of witnesses’ who built our church, made it grow, and guide us then and now onto the right path and run the race. Email the name of the saints who inspired you to eric_metoyerATmac.com and we will read their name in the prayers of the people.
Blessed Saint Cyprian, pray for us!

See you about the church.
-eric

Our Seminarian Jack shares his story...

Hello everyone. For my first blog post on the St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church blog I figured I would announce my presence on the blog, why I will be blogging, and tell you all a little bit about myself.

I’m a third generation, born and raised, San Franciscan who comes from a family of Irish and Guatemalan immigrants. Growing up, mostly, in the fog shrouded southwestern corner of the city called the Sunset District I was raised by my mother, a nurse, and father, a laborer for the San Francisco Parks & Recs Department.

Both of my parents, and both grandfathers, were members of unions and were involved in working class politics and organizing within their respective unions. I myself became a janitor in San Rafael for four years and then began working as a truck loader for UPS where I also became the union representative of my shift back in the Summer of 2007.

I have also been actively organizing in the Filipino American community (of which I grew up on the boarders of in southern San Francisco) for many years now with the US chapter of an alliance called Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and have been going back and forth between the US and the Philippines for the past three years; organizing with unions, youth and students, and peasant organizations.

For my blog posts, which I will write a couple of times a month, I want to focus on the intersection of community and national politics with theology while also keeping an eye on class analysis and the way theological reflection can help shape, and better, the struggle for the betterment of the working class in the US and abroad.

I look forward to my time at St. Cyprian’s and to future blog posts and would love to get some feedback from any of my readers. See you soon (on the Web).

Who is God?

Hello All,
‘Eat Share Pray’ is our Wednesday night series discussing our faith and where faith intersects with our lives today. This week I’ll share comments from our group about who is God, to us, today:

God is as close as the breath we take
God is strength
God is
God is love
God the liberator
God is beyond definition or description
God offers us the second chance, always
God the almighty, creator of heaven and earth
God is a noun and a verb

Who is God in your life?

Come join us next week, 19 October, when we will discuss the Sacraments followed by a screening of the film ‘Traces of the Trade’ 26 October. Wednesday, 6.30 pm. Come share a simple meal and share your faith with us.

Sunday, 30 October, the Bishop of California, the Right Reverend Marc H Andrus, will visit St Cyprian’s at 10.10am. Do come and celebrate the institution of our vicar, the Reverend Will Scott, baptisms, confirmations, and celebrate the ministry and life of our parish St Cyprian’s!

See you around at Turk and Lyon!
Peace
-eric

The Catechism & Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth

Hello Friends,
Eat, Share, Pray is our weekly dinner and conversations about our faith. This past Wednesday we talked about the Outline of Faith, or Catechism.

What is the Catechism? It is the written instruction of our faith and what we believe, organized in a question and answer format. It provides the teachings of the church regarding of humanity, nature of the God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, what is scripture, etc. In the early church requiring up to two years of preparation prior to baptism. In our Anglican tradition, the catechism ‘is a point of departure for discussion’ of our belief and practice. The Catechism is found on pp 843 – 862 in the Book of Common Prayer and online at http://anglicansonline.org/basics/catechism.html .

Our dinnertime discussion circled around themes of trust, good and evil, hope, God and faith. We talked directly about how these words of instruction are relevant in our life today. In a world where violence is on our corners, where disparity of wealth grows and poverty abounds, where common decency seems in short supply, where is God? What can the Catechism teach us that is relevant anything today?

These are good questions; bad behaviour and evil existed in the world since Cain slew Abel. What are the answers? I suggest we ponder, and pray over what God means to each of us, over our call to action as Christian people and our response as the Christian community in our world. Our answers will vary, and will bring more questions. For myself I believe our Christian hope that harmony and peace will be in the world, I believe my faith in God feeds me like manna in the desert and I pray that we find our answers and strength by following in the ways of Jesus.

Eat, Share, Pray, our dinnertime conversations about faith continue this month:
Oct 12 Who is God is in my life?
Oct 19 Sacraments, let’s talk about them
Oct 26 ‘Traces of the Trade’ will be screened with discussion following.

I want to mention Rev Fred Shuttlesworth, pastor, civil rights leader, citizen, went home to Jesus this Wednesday past. Rev Shuttlesworth fought racial discrimination his whole life; he survived his house dynamited, was beaten senseless trying to integrate high schools, and in the facing the dogs and fire hoses of Birmingham he was in the front lines. Rev Shuttlesworth worked with Dr King and the Southern Christian Leadership conference challenging racism not only in Alabama but also in Cincinnati where he moved in . In remembering Rev Shuttlesworth I also recall his comments against the passage of LGBT equality laws in Cincinnati; that he didn’t equate gay rights with civil rights is personally troubling for me. How complex the human character, he had those views yet he worked with Bayard Rustin , a gay man, and others in founding the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and in the struggling for civil rights. As a seminarian I read about Shuttlesworth and Rustin, their Christian work for civil rights inspired me to preach about God and Social Justice in the same breath. I am a beneficiary of their work fifty plus years ago for which I say ‘Thank you.’ A complex, brave, and faith filled man; God rest your soul, Rev Shuttlesworth, may light perpetual shine upon you.

See you out and about,
-eric

Doing the right thing

Last Sunday I preached about the parable of the two sons. The short form is this: Father tells one son 'Work in the vineyard,' and the first son says 'Yes, I will.' Father tells the second son 'Work in the vineyard,' and his reply is 'I will not!' The first son never works in the vineyard; the second son regrets his response and works in the vineyard. Who is right? Who did the right thing? Let's break this down more:

a) The first son replied with respect, he didn't backtalk, he respected the authority of his father. I think of times when my son said 'Yes' and didn't do his chore, or when I said 'Yes' and didn't do my chores, or some of them. Saying 'Yes' is a reply that shows respect to the requester. Not living up to my obligation does not show respect, but that shows sometimes talk is cheap.
b) The second son 'I will not' does not show his father respect, I'd say it was rude. As a father, I'd notice that tone of voice quite quickly and might not have a gentle, Christian response to it. However, the son who says 'NO' is the son who went out and did the work anyway, he changed his mind and did the right thing.
The hard part about parables is the answer is not as easy as it looks. If there was option 'c', the son who says 'YES' and does the work; we'd all have our answer and go home happy. But the parables don't work that way; there is the twist to the story.

The twist is metanoia, a Greek term meaning 'change the way' or 'change the course.' In my younger years I spent time on boats and with boaters. On a boat when you move the tiller or turn the helm the boat makes the turn, gradually. The course changes but not immediately, it may take a bit for the turn to happen. It may not seem like it, but it does.

That changing the course, metanoia, is what Jesus teaches in the parable. The people who say 'yes, yes', make the proper motions and gestures, they look like they're doing the right thing. At the end of the day they didn't do the work, they didn't change. The people who said 'NO', but later changed their ways; metanoia, changed their course in life - those are the people who heard and reacted to Jesus' message. The Gospel passage speaks of prostitutes and tax collectors, the society outcasts, as the ones who followed Jesus because of metanoia. As the person in the fancy long black robe on Sunday (like a temple elder), telling the story and preaching, I have to think hard: which son am I? Am I changing my course?

This week let us consider the invitation Jesus makes to change course as we live in our world today.

Peace and blessings this week. See you about church.

From Eric Metoyer, St. Cyprian's Intern

Sharing our stories

St. Cyprian's Oral History Project:
The story of a community and a neighborhood


We all have stories to tell. Your stories and the stories of the people around you are unique and valuable treasures for your family, and for your community. These stories, these oral histories, open up new views of the past, by turning history inside out: history is not only to be found in dates and key events, but also in the memories of people who witnessed or lived through them.

The history of St. Cyprian's is a fascinating collection of stories of community and neighborhood: from its origins in the early 1870s, when a group of Black Episcopalians gathered together to form a new church; to the completion of the Panama Canal, when West Indian laborers from that project, born and raised in the Church of England, began migrating to California; to the completion of the building on the corner of Turk and Lyon Streets, marked by its first service in 1960; though the enormous changes of the 60's and 70s, and the decades that followed.

We'd like to know who you are, how you came to join St. Cyprian's, and what changes you have experienced and seen in the church, the neighborhood, and in San Francisco. How long have you been part of St. Cyprian? How many family generations are connected with St. Cyprian's? How many family members have attended St. Cyprian's (former and current)?

Through St. Cyprian's Oral History Project, our goal is to discover and preserve unwritten histories, large and small; to engage with the past through specific and personal experience, and by doing so, understand in a deeper and more resonant way, who we are.

On scheduled Sundays throughout the coming year, we invite you to share your stories with us, directly following the service. We will also reach out to elders in the community, through visits to their homes. We welcome your ideas, advice, support, and help.

Rebecca Nestle (rebeccanestle@gmail.com)

& Doe Yates (doedeartoo@sbcglobal.net)

About Rebecca Nestle:
Rebecca is a Bay Area native and has lived in the Western Addition since 1991. She was trained as a theatre stage manager, and has worked as a production manager and producer for many years, most recently at American Conservatory Theater and at Grace Cathedral, where she produced The Forum with Alan Jones for two seasons.

About Doe Yates:
Doe was born in Edwards, MS & in 1959, she moved to San Francisco to attend the Louise Salinger Academy of Fashion and graduated with a credential in Dress Design, Pattern Making, Fashion and Modeling. Doe remained in San Francisco and ultimately was confirmed to the Episcopal Church in 1962 at Grace Cathedral by The Rt. Rev. James A. Pike, Bishop of California. She was employed in various departments of the U.S. Federal Government until retirement in 2009. Doe’s hobby is gardening. She grows a sustainable garden on her patio. Vegetables include are Mustard, Turnip, Collard, Cabbage, Broccoli, Green Beans, Artichokes, Carrots and Tomatoes. Fruit trees include Lemon, Orange and Tangerine. She grows enough to eat, some to freeze and some to share.

Meet Eric Metoyer

Eric Metoyer is serving at St. Cyprian's this fall, he is a candidate for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Diocese of California.

Eric recently received the Masters of Divinity Degree from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, focussing his studies on Liturgy and Parish Administration. He was a Clinical Pastoral Education intern at San Francisco General Hospital this past spring and served two years as Field Education seminarian at Holy Cross Episcopal Church, Castro Valley.

Eric feels a strong call to parish ministry. He says: 'The parish is the cornerstone of Christian Life in our community. We are called to worship together, and, are called to be active members of the community around us. I look forward to participating in the life
and work of the St Cyprian's community.'

Eric serves the diocese as chairman of the Afro-Anglican Commission, co-chair of the Racial Reconciliation Task Force (investigating African American Slavery in the Diocese) and member of the Multi Cultural Commissions Roundtable. He is a candidate for Holy Orders, sponsored by St Mary the Virgin parish, San Francisco. He is also active as a corporator of Lyndon Institute, Lyndon, Vermont, and Synergy School, San Francisco.

Eric was raised in New England. He attended high school in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom and graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts. He lived in Boston prior to moving to San Francisco. Before he entered ministry Eric worked in construction management for small and large engineering firms.

Eric lives in South San Francisco with his wife and son. In his spare time he is a model railroader, reads histories,and follows the fortunes of Cal Football.

Below Eric shares a bit about his first week with us at St. Cyprian's:

It has been a wonderful first week at St Cyprian’s on the corner of Turk and Lyon. I’ve toured our church from basement kitchen to choir loft above and met members over the telephone and at worship. When I sat and prayed I saw the streaming the blue, purple and red of the stained glass come into the sanctuary, I felt right in the presence of God. ‘Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands, lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing,’ wrote the psalmist. I sense the saints who preceded us inside these walls joining us in song and worship
Come to Turk and Lyon: come for the singing, come in for community, come for the worship. Visit St Cyprian’s! You know where we are, we’d love to have you here.
See you on Sunday! Peace, Eric

September-October 2011 Newsletter

Thanks to Editor/Designer Jennifer Wolfe & Contributing Writer Michael Helquist, we share with you the St. Cyprian's Newsletter, Living Times.

Open publication - Free publishing - More action

Dreamland

A few vignettes...

A seeming lifetime ago (i.e. before the kid), when I had an art practice, I met a sculptor who rented a corner in the same sprawling studio complex I was in. In talking about what we did outside of the studio (the place some people call “real life”), he said he worked in a hospital. Oh, doing what? “Oh, uh, I’m a doctor.”

More recently, I met someone who in the so-what-do-you-do conversation said she worked for a biotech company—her job title had a rather important ring to it. “But really,” she added, “I’m a massage therapist.” Soon after, she quit that important-sounding job to start her bodywork business, and next thing I know she’s living the happy life doing vipassana meditation, teaching fitness classes, and going on roller-blading odysseys. And she recently slept in a tree. On purpose.

This past spring, I went to a fundraiser at the AWESOME Chile Pies and Ice Cream (please go to this place and eat their food!) put on by St. Cyprian's member Michael Helquist, who had been selected as District 5’s Person of the Month by supervisor Ross Mirkarimi. Michael, a freelance writer and prolific blogger, is a force of nature with big dreams—grounded in good planning—for making his Western Addition (OK, NOPA, North of the Panhandle...) community a more beautiful and more livable place. He generously used the occasion of his award to gather his considerable network and raise funds to install planters that now beautify the sidewalk edging St. Cyprian's.

Speaking of Cyp's, our priest, Reverend Will Scott, left his comfortable position as an associate pastor at Grace Cathedral to work harder for less money because he saw the life-giving possibilities of a revitalized spiritual home at the corner of Turk and Lyon.

The Bay Area can be insufferably smug sometimes, but these stories and many more like them remind me that I am happy to live and raise my son in a place where so many people want to live in a way that is true to their higher selves and have the courage to define themselves accordingly. I like to bask in their glow!

Our family in other parts of the country think we're suckers for living in a place where it seems we'll never afford a house, but to my mind, that's a poor measure for quality of life. Give me a town of dreamers any day. —Jennifer Wolfe

Remembering, Celebrating, & sharing the story of Ruth Maloof

Yesterday, the congregation of St. Cyprian's & numerous friends and family gathered to celebrate the life of Ruth Maloof. Each of her six children shared inspiring stories of Ma Ruth's unique journey. If a screenwriter out there is looking for inspiration, you should talk to this family! Below are the words I shared, after the gospel text.

John 14:1-6

14‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe* in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?* 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4And you know the way to the place where I am going.’* 5Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ 6Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.



In the portion of John’s gospel chosen by the family for today’s service, Jesus is speaking with the community of his disciples whose hearts are troubled having realized that their teacher is about to get in some serious trouble, with the religious and political authorities and ultimately they are going to kill him. Jesus, in what I imagine wasn’t unlike our beloved Ruth Maloof’s confident, persistent, determined style, gives those disciples a serious talking to --- “don’t get me wrong,” Jesus says, you’re coming too & we’ve got some work to do. We can get to Detroit by way of Arkansas --- you know the way.



All the stories I’ve been privileged to hear about Ruth Maloof from her children, friends, and fellow congregation members at St. Cyprian’s speak of her as a woman of tremendous energy, enthusiasm, deep wisdom & courage. She was not someone who took no for an answer --- she must have found early in life that source of peace that passes all understanding --- that wonder working power of the Spirit deep within her, that makes ways out of no way, lunch cooked on the engine of a car, bon appetite, no room in the algebra classroom for her son, no worries she’s brought a chair for him. Trying to help a young person get a decent education, she’s on it. Wedding in Tanzania, her bags are packed.



That kind of confidence, that kind of clarity, that graceful persistence is a gift of the Spirit. I regret that I didn’t know her as the person who starts dancing at a party when music hasn’t even started playing yet, or the person that would entertain a friend or sister for hours on the phone with stories from her travels around the world or recognized on the street as someone who helped ensure a child got the best education possible. But even from her bed at Marin Hospital or Laguna Honda, that powerful energy came through --- this was a person to be reckoned with. Her quiet dignity --- and the swirls of energy from her family nearby and far away --- the way people’s eyes in this congregation would open up a bit bigger at the mentioning of her name --- the joy I felt pointing out her image on the wall of Ella Hill Hutch Community Center on a walk around the Western Addition with our summer intern a few months ago.



Jesus’ says to the disciples --- “in my father’s house there are many dwelling places” --- some scholars suggest that the greek for dwelling places, Monai is best translated as temporary resting place for a traveler, as in the caravans of old traveling across great distances, one group would often travel ahead to make sure there is adequate water and shelter for the whole contingency. Jesus goes ahead of the disciples through suffering and death to make room for them and us --- to ensure that we have what we need to find rest on our life’s journey. Ma’ Ruth in her life worked hard to make sure there was adequate provision for everyone, especially the opportunity to get a good education --- and now she’s dancing with the great provider --- creating space for all of us to find refreshment, and peace – and even if it’s a bit crowded up there --- “don’t get me wrong” we know she’ll make sure there’s a spot for all God’s children.



Thank you Ruth Maloof for helping all of us find the way --- for your persistence, courage and faith, for sharing your life and light. May we each be inspired to live our lives so fully, and audaciously. AMEN

Well folks, this is it: the last post of my summer fellowship here at St. Cyprian's. Those eight weeks went by quickly, didn't they?

I wrote a short reflection on my time here for the Beatitudes Society, and it seemed like a fitting way to close out my posts on this blog. Here it is...

"My experience as a summer fellow at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church has been incredibly formative. The last eight weeks, I have learned about myself, my call, nonprofit work, the greater Church, the city of San Francisco, public transportation, social justice, community organizing, data entry, networking, public speaking, how to cook for 50 people and how to give a sermon to only a few. It has been more valuable than I could ever have imagined.

Before I began my fellowship, I felt called to some sort of academic professorship in a secular university. I still envision that as my career, but my fellowship in this church has changed me – and my call – and now I know I need to have a working relationship with my church. I plan to seek candidacy through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to work as a commissioned associate in ministry, a formal role in the Lutheran church. I would not be taking this route were it not for this fellowship!

I also have a clearer understanding of the work that needs to be done in progressive Christianity, and better yet, an understanding that the work is hard. There are a million small things that can be done, and few of them are as easy as sending an email or making a statement. Sometimes the work is uncomfortable, and frequently the groundwork falls apart. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important, because it is.

I have gained so much from the conversations I have had with the other Bay Area fellows. Their thoughtful introspection has helped me better understand my own work, and hearing about their roles at their sites – and within the Church in general – has inspired me to work harder and have a wider frame of reference. Because of them, I can see that in my own leadership development, I will greatly benefit from regular interaction with a committee of my peers, be it formal or informal.

Thank you so much for this experience. It has been one of the best summers ever."

Kelsey's Sunday Sermon

My grandfather was born in Oxford, Nebraska in 1926. He was the youngest of four children born to August and Kate Schleusener. They were a farm family in the Nebraska tradition: they grew crops. (And that’s all they did, which is a strange thing to comprehend for me, a child of the Twitter generation.) They got up early, tended the crops all day long, ate dinner as a family and went to bed. There’s an old joke that the only time farm families stopped working was for church on Sunday and Nebraska football games. Now, Grandpa grew up to be the most amazing man I have ever known – he was the president of a university, he developed technology that changed the face of atmospheric science, he’s in the Hall of Fame in two states. He’s still my greatest mentor, but for the purpose of this sermon, I want to think about him as a kid, before I knew him.

Grandpa’s father, my great-grandfather August, developed some kind of senility when Grandpa was still young. Today we’d probably know exactly what was happening to August and we’d know how to treat him, but when Grandpa was young and medicine wasn’t so advanced, there was no treatment. At the same time that August was declining, Grandpa’s older brother Dennis went to war. That meant that Grandpa, at a very young age, was left to run the family farm.

I can’t imagine what that must have been like – to absorb all of the duties of both his father and his older brother, practically overnight, as a teenager, when your ability to cope with change of that magnitude isn’t even close to developed. But he did it.

There are so many stories I could tell from that period in Grandpa’s life, but one is my favorite. I heard a lot of stories about Grandpa growing up – in fact, I always knew I had really screwed up when Dad would tell me a story about how Grandpa did it better when he was my age. Like all farm kids, the Schleuseners lived for the county fair. The year that Grandpa absorbed the farm, there was a race at the fair: you had to run the length of a football field, drink a whole Coke, and run back, and the first person back won…some kind of prize. Somehow Grandpa knew this race was going to happen and he wanted to win it. So he set up a racecourse. He measured the length of the field. He set up a glass of water at the end of the field, since they were too poor to afford Coke for him to practice with. Every day, after he was done with all of the farm chores, he ran the length of the course and drank the glass of water and ran back. This went on every day for a whole summer leading up to the fair, and of course, as you’re probably expecting, when the fair rolled around, Grandpa ran the race and he won it.

The parables in the Gospel of Matthew today are really challenging and even a little offensive at first light. Frankly I just don’t get it. The Jesus who says, “The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” – this is not the Jesus that I know and love. There’s something more there, and I can’t put my finger on it. When I read this text to Andrew, my fiancé, he said, “When Jesus says stuff like that, I just say, What Jesus?”

Here’s what I do know: Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven like a treasure, like a pearl of great value for which people will sacrifice so much. Ultimately, it’s not about the treasure, the pearl, or those who search. This parable is about the joy of the kingdom of heaven. These parables stress the great value of the kingdom and the necessity of taking the opportunity to gain it. And I don’t think they’re instructions about what people should do to gain it. I think they’re a story about what one person would do. I was on the track team in high school – I ran a few races when I was a teenager. I wanted to do well, and I practiced every day, but I cannot imagine wanting to win a race as badly as Grandpa wanted to win the race at the fair. But when I think about this story, I can taste it. I can feel how important it was, how amazing that must have been for him. That’s what Jesus is trying to describe for us. If a person is willing – is excited – to give up everything they have for something…can’t you just taste how amazing that thing must be? It makes me excited to think about it. The Kingdom of Heaven must be so much greater than we could possibly imagine. It’s so great that we will all be excited to move on from this, what we know, to what will be. And to be honest, I’m really glad that we don’t have to win a race to gain it. J