reverendjaneausten

Sermon: Ordination to the Priesthood of Duane Andre Smith St. Thomas Episcopal Church August 19, 2009 This is a joyful occasion tonight as our Diocese and shared communities gather together in Beattyville to celebrate Duane’s Ordination to the Priesthood. It is also a joyful occasion because Duane is the very first priest to be ordained to the Small Church Ministry Consortium (or the SCMC) as a whole unit. When I was ordained at St, Mark’s in Hazard, it was to serve as the Small Church Missioner, but we were still developing the concept of the team that serves our smallest churches now. Duane’s ministry is the prototype of the future as our Diocese seeks to provide pastoral care and a sacramental life for all of its churches. It is not insignificant that Duane has selected people from each of the small churches in the Consortium to be participants in this service. His calling to this special ministry is both passionate and certain. In fact, when I first read the Gospel passage sele...

Sermon: Easter 4 St. Mark’s May 3, 2009 I think today that I want to preach on the bad shepherd—or at least the hired hand. I want to rail against that hired hand, the one who is not the shepherd and who does not own the sheep, the one who sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—so that the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. Of course, we all remember that I am the Border Collie and --I’m just sayin’---I am in full nipping-the-heels mode this week. You see, this week, I have had several dear friends who were fired; the reasons were financial of course, but they were treated like criminals after decades of loyal service to their employer. They were told to shut down their computers and leave immediately without speaking to anyone, most especially not to those that they supervised and mentored. Those still working for this company are horrified and angry and devastated. They are also living i...

The Lessons assigned to St. George: Revelation 12: 7-12 Michael Defeats the Dragon 7 And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, 8but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming, ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah,* for the accuser of our comrades* has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death. 12Rejoice then, you heavens and those who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, ...

Erik and Case worked all weekend on a great project which made an awesome difference in our house. You can see it here: http://picasaweb.google.com/EWil83/RemodelCopy?authkey=Gv1sRgCPT1yOzMjtan7AE&feat=email#

I have been thinking a lot about Facebook. I love being able to keep up with my very busy seminary friends. I miss them very much and love to know what is going on in their lives without bothering them. It helps me miss our friendships a bit less. But it is not a real relationship, and for me I am thinking the drawbacks are more obvious. For one thing, communication is reduced to an elementary-aged emotionalism. People get mad if you post things about them (and sometimes they should? What were you thinking?) Feelings are hurt if a friend request is sent and not answered. How do you "un-befriend" someone if you have second thoughts? How can you slip online to check on your friends and yet not LOOK like you are online so that when people who are really acquaintances (How did Facebook send to people I did not check on the list?) jump into your screen wanting to chat? Some I love chatting with but I am too low tech to choose! And of course, sometimes it is just the timing and my ...

Yes, the small slippers were a joke from Granny Lee!