Christmas Message 2012

Christmas Message 2012

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined. Isaiah 9:2

These words were spoken long ago to people living in anxiety, fear, and despair, people feeling bereft of security, safety, and any sense of God’s presence. We hear them early on Christmas, forgetting that they were first spoken hundreds of years before the birth we celebrate. Human beings across this planet still yearn to know that a more gracious and divine reality is active and evident in our lives.

The birth we celebrate is meant for this world mired in darkness and fear, yet it also becomes easier to discover in a tiny voice crying in protest over being cold and wet and hungry. We hear that cry in the midst of war’s ravages in Congo and Afghanistan, in the rubble of hurricane and earthquake, in the demeaning of chronic poverty, behind prison bars. That flickering of hope surges as the world turns to investigate this surprising new life, one heart at a time. The light grows as hearts catch fire with the same light that illumines the stars, pulsing hope and new life, even out of black holes.

Those who search in dark and despair, in dank dungeon and deep devastation, will find divine light given for the world. Light that will not be put out, so long as any creature remains to receive it, until and beyond the end of time. The darkness will never put it out.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:5

Go and look – and discover the love of God poured into our world in human form. Hope reigns abroad, in the cosmos and in human hearts. And rejoice, for a child of the light is born in our midst!

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

General Convention 2012

New Book

The new book is released. 

A profound reminder of our role in the larger frame of God s dream for a restored and reconciled world.

In the Christian tradition, believers are called to do more than sit around and pray. Throughout the Gospel and throughout history people of faith have been quite literally booted out into the world to bring God s love to everybody, not just a selected few. That s the meaning of mission from the Latin missio, it means simply to send out. Understood in this sense, mission is at the heart of a faithful life.

Katharine Jefferts Schori s new book explores the meaning of mission in the context of contemporary life. It is organized around the Anglican Communion s Five Marks of Mission: proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God; teach, baptize, and nurture new believers; respond to human need with loving service; transform unjust structures of society; and care for the earth.

Jefferts Schori emphasizes the ecumenical networks that work to send God s love out into the world. As she insists, mission is not inwardly focused, but reaches out to the whole of creation.

Washington National Cathedral 2012

On April 29, 2012, she was celebrant and preacher at Washington National Cathedral, which is the "seat" of the Presiding Bishop. She also spoke at a service celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of USA on the same day. She is a former Girl Scout, so am I. Wish I could have been there for both services but this is the next best thing, online video archives:
http://www.nationalcathedral.org/exec/cathedral/mediaPlayer?MediaID=MED-5LMKQ-D9000F&EventID=CAL-5HI4U-UV000C

Shalom again..

This post is way overdue. Life gets in the way of blogging..In November 2011, I got to meet Bishop Katharine again. Just a month before, my parish  celebrated its 150th anniversary and I would have loved for her to preside, but 2 other parishes in  my diocese were having 200th anniversaries around the same time, so they got "dibs" on her, so to speak. No fear, I was just thrilled she was in my diocese. And  many thanks go to my rector who gave me a heads up about where she was going to be. If it weren't for him, I would have missed an opportunity. So on a Sunday in November she was Celebrant at St. Peters Church in the colonial Olde City Philadelphia area, and I went to the church as a  visitor. I wasn't the only visitor. I met someone while in line for the powder room who had traveled over an hour to come see her. The day, well, it was just lovely.The sermon was about feeding the sheep. She led us all  in the renewal of our baptismal vows and it was a beautiful thing, in her fiery red vestments, splashing us with water made holy. It so happens that in this time  period, I was leading a book forum in my parish with her "Heartbeat of God" book. When it came time for the exit line greeting, I said "Shalom!" I shook her hand, those hands...her hands are so big, you know? Here, I made sure she was told about my book forum and she said she was honored, as she tilted her head put her hand to her chest. No, I didn't tell her about this blog. Time was kind of limited as there was a big line behind me. Besides, I didn't want to sound like a nut! Just how do you go about saying, "Oh by the way, I have a blog dedicated to you!" and not look a little, eh, askew?? But what I did do this time is that I had a good camera ready. She was so patient about the photo.I got a good pic. It is cherished in a frame. And I'm wearing my sand dollar cross in the picture. I am so thankful for this moment.

Easter Message 2012