Holy Week at St. Stephen's

 

The week of March 27

 Monday, March 27

Fr. Jamie’s day off

 

Wednesday, March 29

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant

Amy Phillips, preacher

Deacon John, assisting

No incense will be offered at this mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

 

Friday, March 31

6:00 p.m. – Stations of the Cross

 

Sunday, April 2

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist – Palm Sunday

Fr. Jamie, celebrant, preacher

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, organist

Coffee Hour

 

Upcoming Events:

March 31 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

April 16 – Vestry meeting

 

Words of Wisdom:        

Be the reason someone feels welcomed, seen, heard, valued, loved, and supported.

Dan Rice's sermon for March 22

 Joseph Teaches us Three Simple Things

A 2023 Lenten Sermon by Dan Rice

Text: Matthew 1:18-25

During Lent each of the preachers focuses on a particular saint. The focus of my

sermon tonight is St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and the adoptive father of Jesus.

The story in the Gospel of Matthew about the conception of Jesus is first and

foremost a theological narrative about the divine origins of Jesus but it gives us a

rare glimpse into the character of Joseph. There is very little in the Gospels about

this central person in the life of Jesus, Mary’s husband and, if we take this

narrative literally, the adoptive father of Jesus.

Joseph is described as “faithful to the law,” in other words a devout Jew. When he

discovered that Mary was pregnant, he considered divorcing her, which meant

ending their betrothal or engagement. One translation reads, “he decided to

dismiss her quietly.” I am not sure how that would have worked out in a small

community. But Joseph’s reaction was a very human response.

After Joseph has decided to end the relationship, an angel appears to Joseph in a

dream and tells him that Mary’s pregnancy is a mystery and a part of God’s plan

and that he should keep his pledge to Mary, which he does. It is interesting that an

angel comes to both Mary and Joseph to explain to them the role they are being

asked to play in God’s plan to fulfill the scriptures through the birth of Jesus.

Both Mary and Joseph accept the invitation to take on these important roles as the

parents of this special child, Jesus.

There is much more that may be said about all of this but tonight I want to focus on

what Joseph teaches us about the role of a parent. In fact, I am suggesting that

Joseph’s role as a parent is a metaphor for what it means to be a follower of Jesus,

a Christian.

In Joseph we learn three essential aspects of being a parent and, more broadly,

what it means to aspire to be a Christian.

1. You don’t have to be a biological parent to be a parent and a good parent.

(repeat)

The Gospel of Matthew makes it clear that Joseph was not the biological parent of

Jesus but he was a real parent of Jesus, his human father. In our time, “blended

families” are commonplace. Parents who have been previously married come

together with their children to form a new “blended family.” The children in these

families often have four parents and, if all goes well, are loved by both their

biological and their new parents.

Same sex couples may adopt children when only one parent or neither parent may

be a biological parent. Yet, they love their children and are both parents.

More broadly, as Christians we are prepared to take others into our family network

accepting them as family members. We call this a “family of choice.”

As Christians we embrace “radical hospitality,” as Jamie reminds us often in his

sermons. We willingly and happily welcome people who come as strangers into

our church family, caring for them and surrounding them with love and support

when they are in distress or need. And they reciprocate when we are in despair, ill,

and alone.

I learned about this kind of “radical hospitality” growing up in a Methodist

Parsonage. I remember there was often an extra face at our family dinner table

during the holidays.

There was the young man with a disability who worked on the garbage truck in our

parish in Newcastle, Wyoming.

And there was the family with several children who lived in our basement for a

few weeks while the father earned enough to travel on to their destination.

There was the “out and proud” young gay man in the parish in Denver.

And the older African American cowboy in our parish in Sheridan, Wyoming.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to love people who aren’t our kin, who are

outside our clan, who are not of our race, nationality, even our religion.

That is the point of the parable of the good Samaritan. It would be as if we,

progressive Christians, were traveling and saw someone lying in the ditch, beaten,

robbed and unconscious. And as we approached, we discovered it was Marjory

Taylor Green. Our first reaction, at least mine, would be to speed on, leaving her

there. She would be the last person I would want to help. But I hope my

realization would be, I must stop and help. At least call an ambulance and wait

until medical help arrived. Cover her with a blanket or coat. Or get her into the

car and take her to the nearest hospital.

The Samaritans were the outcasts in Jesus’ time, the “others” who were beyond

any obligation or sense of responsibility. Jesus’ point was clear, our love of others

must go beyond our kin, our kind, to include even those we consider the most

undesirable.

2.  The second lesson we learn from Joseph is sometimes we have to tell people

what they don’t want to hear.  

We do not have an example in the NT of Joseph doing this, but if he truly loved

Jesus as a child, he had to learn that a caring parent sometimes has to tell one’s

children what they don’t want to hear.  When Jesus was a toddler, Joseph had to

tell him that he couldn’t play with Joseph’s sharp carpentry tools for fear Jesus

might hurt himself.

I find that one of the most difficult moments in being a parent or a good and loyal

friend is when I know I must tell someone what they don’t want to hear. The

loving thing to do is to tell them what they need to hear in that moment. And I

confess that I am not the most skilled at this task. I would rather delay, hope the

moment passes, the situation improves on its own, which some times it does but

not always.

There are times when if we really love someone, we are called to tell them what

they don’t want to hear. We can do it with care, and tact, with love but with

enough clarity to speak the truth. This is easier said than done, especially done

well.

This is also a lesson for the Church if it is to be faithful to the Gospel.  Sometimes

we have to proclaim a message people don’t want to hear. As a community

sometimes we fail in our effort to be faithful in following Jesus. We have blind

spots, we allow our comfort, our culture, our prejudices to stop us short of doing

what we are called to do out of Christian love.

And speaking the truth should not be the burden of just the Priest or Pastor. Each

of us has the duty to call our community to account when we have missed the

opportunity to be a witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ.

3. The third and final lesson we learn from Joseph is that, as Christians, our love is

unconditional.  This is the positive, affirmative and affirming way of the Christian

faith.  Our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry preaches this truth better than anyone I

have ever heard preach it and I have heard some pretty powerful preachers. Bishop

Curry sums up the Gospel in four simple words, “The Way of Love.”

Until preparing this sermon, I never thought of this aspect of Joseph’s love for the

adult Jesus.   Joseph disappears from the Gospel narrative before Jesus is

crucified.  Some Bible commentators speculate that Joseph may have died when

Jesus was a young adult. If that was the case, it tells us that Jesus suffered the loss

of his father. Many of us know the grief that comes with the loss of a parent.

But if Joseph was alive during that time his heart was breaking because he couldn’t

save Jesus from suffering and even death.   This is one of the most painful lessons

of life.  Sometimes we can’t save the people we love.

You won’t be surprised to hear that Senator George McGovern was and is one of

my heroes. He and his wife Eleanor’s third child out of five was a daughter.  Her

name was Theresa. Theresa struggled with alcoholism much of her life. George

and Eleanor never gave up hope that Terry, as her family and friends knew her,

would recover.

On a wintery day in December of 1994, Terry’s frozen body was found in a

snowbank in Madison, Wisconsin where she was living at the time. Terry was 45

years old, divorced and the parent of two children. Terry was living alone and the

day she died, she had picked up the key to a new apartment her father had rented

for her. The key was found in her pocket.

Losing a child is a devastating loss.

Our love as Christians is unconditional but sometimes we can’t save those we love.

But we never stop loving them.

Karl Barth, also one of my heroes, was a German theologian who fled to

Switzerland when the Nazis took over the German Lutheran Church. He wrote

many scholarly books and is best known for his 14 volume Church Dogmatics

which took 30 years to complete.

Once in an interview he was asked “How would you sum up your life’s work, Dr.

Barth?  He replied without hesitation, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible

tells me so.”

It’s that simple—and that complex.

This Lenten season we are called to rededicate our lives to the example of Joseph,

the human parent of Jesus, to follow the way of love.

God knows the world needs it.

Our country needs it!

North Dakota needs it, Lord how it needs it!

Fargo/Moorhead needs it!

And we need it--don’t we!

The way of love!

Amen

The week of March 20

 Monday, March 20

Fr. Jamie’s day off

 

Wednesday, March 22 – Commemorating St. Joseph

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant

Dan Rice, preacher

Deacon John, assisting

Kristine Shafer, music

No incense will be offered during Lent

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

Friday, March 24

6:00 p.m. – Stations of the Cross

Sunday, March 26 – 5 Lent

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant, preacher

Deacon John, assisting

Michelle Gelinske Patnode, music 

Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour

 

Upcoming Events:

March 24 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

March 31 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

HOLY WEEK 2023

April 2 - Palm Sunday – Holy Eucharist 11:00 a.m.

April 6 Maundy Thursday – Holy Eucharist/Washing of Feet/Stripping of Altar 7:00 p.m.

April 7 Good Friday – Liturgy with Holy Communion from reserved Sacrament 12:00 p.m.

Stations of the Cross 3:00 p.m.

April 8 Holy Saturday – Liturgy 10:00 a.m.

April 9 Easter – Holy Eucharist 11:00 a.m.

 April 16- Vestry meeting

 

 

 

 

 

Words of Wisdom:        

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?" – Martin Luther King Jr.

 

The week of March 13

 Monday, March 13

Fr. Jamie’s day off

 

Wednesday, March 15

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant

Sandy Holbrook, preacher

Deacon John, assisting

Kristine Shafer, music

Incense will be offered at this mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

 

Friday, March 17

6:00 p.m. – Stations of the Cross

 

Sunday, March 19 – 4 Lent/Laetare

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant / preacher

Michelle Gelinske, music

Coffee Hour – Season of New Ministry Task Force answering questions

 

Upcoming Events:

March 17 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

March 19 – Task Force meeting during coffee hour

March 24 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

March 31 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

April 16- Vestry meeting

 

Words of Wisdom:        

Ten Ways to Love

Listen without interrupting. (PROVERBS 18)

Speak without accusing. (JAMES 1:19)

Give without sparing. (PROVERBS 21:26)

Pray without ceasing. (COLOSSIANS 1:9)

Answer without arguing. (PROVERBS 17:1)

Share without pretending. (EPHESIANS 4:15)

Enjoy without complaint. (PHILIPPIANS 2:14)

Trust without wavering. (CORINTHIANS 13:7)

Forgive without punishing. (COLASSIANS 3:13)

Promise without forgetting. (PROVERBS 13:12)

 

 A busy Friday at St. Stephen's. The painting of the renovated apse (the wall behind the altar) is done. It looks great, and it's almost as though the "renovations" of 1970 never even happened.

 Join us tonight for our Wednesday evening Lenten Mass at 6:00 pm. Annette Kleinkauf Morrow will be preaching on St Perpetua and Companions.

The week of March 6 at St. Stephen's

 Monday, March 6

10:00 a.m. – Funeral for Ellen Crawford (+2/27/2023) at Boulger Funeral Home.

Fr. Jamie in Minot in the afternoon.

 

Tuesday, March 7

11:00 a.m. Committal of Ellen Crawford at Rosehill Cemetery, Minot.

 

Wednesday, March 8

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant

Annette Morrow, preacher

Deacon John, assisting

No incense will be offered at this mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

 

Friday, March 10

6:00 p.m. – Stations of the Cross

 

Sunday, March 12

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant / preacher

Deacon John, assisting

Michelle Gelinske Patnode, music

Coffee Hour

Upcoming Events:

March 10 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

March 16 – Vestry meeting

March 17 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

March 19 – Task Force meeting during coffee hour

March 24 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

March 31 - Stations of the Cross 6:00 p.m.

 

Words of Wisdom:  

The season of Lent is a time of reflecting on your strengths and weaknesses within yourself and your relationship with God.