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On Wednesdays at Noon we are discussing Passionate for Justice: Ida B. Wells as Prophet for Our Time. over Zoom with our friends from St. James'. We had a good first session last week, with folks sharing their experiences and background. Next week we'll dive in to talk about Chapters 1 and 2. All the copies of the book that Rev. Robin ordered have been claimed, but it is also available on Kindle and Audible.
Click here to join us on Zoom.
or use Meeting ID: 849 2229 8487 and Password: 709167
"Ida B. Wells was a powerful churchwoman and witness for justice and equity from 1878 to 1931. Born enslaved, her witness flowed through the struggles for justice in her lifetime, especially in the intersections of African Americans, women, and those who were poor. Her life is a profound witness for faith-based work of visionary power, resistance, and resilience for today's world, when the forces of injustice stand in opposition to progress.
These are exciting and dangerous times. Boundaries that previously seemed impenetrable are now being crossed. This book is a guide for the current state of affairs in American culture, enlivened by the historical perspective of Wells' search for justice.
The authors are an African-American woman and a child of white supremacy. Both have dedicated themselves to working, writing, and developing ministries oriented toward justice, equity, and mercy. This book can be used in all settings, but most especially in churches (pastors and other church leaders, study groups), seminaries, and universities."
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Our Sunday evening Compline service has gone on Summer Break.
We will continue to gather for Compline on Wednesday evenings at 8pm over Zoom using the regular worship links.
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June 28th is the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Morning Prayer at 10:30am on Sundays.
Compline (a brief service of nighttime prayers) at 8pm on Wednesdays.
Click here to join us on Zoom
Or dial 301-715 8592
and punch in
Meeting ID: 827 6276 3261
Password: 411356
Image: Sacrifice of Isaac, from a 10th century Armenian gospel book. Drawn from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57401 [retrieved June 24, 2020]. Original source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/medmss/8613677273.
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Check out this handy calendar to see what the readings will be in the Episcopal Church this Sunday or any Sunday. The Revised Common Lectionary site has additional resources for exploring each week's scriptures.
If you're looking for the Daily Office (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer), you can visit Forward Movement. You will also find Forward Day by Day at this site.
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Virtual Choir, Round Two!
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Warm up your voices! We're going to celebrate the feast of St. Mary with a special Evening Prayer on Wednesday, August 19th at 7pm. The service will be joint with St. James' Indian Head. Our own Kathy Doyle will put together another virtual choir piece for this service. The song will be 'Canticle of the Turning', a lovely Celtic-style setting of Mary's song, the Magnificat. Instructions and audio files for participating in the virtual choir will be posted on www.OldDurham.org over the next few days. The piece is primarily a vocal piece, although there are guitar chords, and you can always get in touch with Kathy about the possibility of other instruments.
Image: Annuciation, by Arcabas
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Thanks to the generosity of many, the diocese is now able to provide direct assistance to those within our congregations and the communities they serve. The COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund amplifies congregational ministry to assist congregation and community members experiencing financial hardships as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic; and established congregational food pantries and meals programs experiencing increased demand. Learn more.
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Could You Offer Some Help?
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Our community needs us now, more than ever. There are a number of ways that we can continue to serve our community, even in these difficult times.
- Joe’s Place is continuing to feed people who are able to come on Thursday afternoons twice a month. At the moment, we seem to have enough food to keep up with demand. Monetary donations are, of course, always welcome. You can mail a check (made out to the church) to the church or use the Paypal “Donate Now” link on the church’s website. Just be sure to indicate, either in the memo line of the check or in the information box online, that the donation is for Joe’s Place.
- If you are a person who sews, you can make face masks. First for your family, and then if you have ones you can donate, Deacon Susan will be glad to pick them up from you. She has a number of sources that are able to put the masks to good use.
- Lifestyles, the local umbrella organization for services to the homeless, is running a“cabana” at Mount Hope Baptist Church in Nanjemoy. It will be stocked with bags of toiletries and food, and staffed by volunteers. They are asking for donations of both money and specific items. Here is a list of items they are looking for. Deacon Susan will gladly make arrangements to pick up donations. Checks should be made payable to End Hunger in Charles County and write COVID19 food in the memo. Send them to the Fuller House, 3470 Rockefeller Court, Waldorf, MD 20602.
- The Diocese has set up a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund (see above) to help parishioners, and folks associated with our parishes, who don’t have enough money for food. It also is set up to support established food pantries like Joe’s Place. Applications for assistance are made by the clergy on behalf of the parishioner, and reviewed by a diocesan committee. Contact to Rev. Catharine to apply for assistance. You can also donate to the fund here.
We are a community committed to following Jesus in his Way of Love. In these times when we cannot worship together in person, God can still show us ways in which we can follow him faithfully. By reading scripture and praying for guidance we can be led to acts of love that show the good news of the gospel in action When that happens we discover that we ourselves are blessed by extending the blessings of Christ to others in these tangible ways.
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This Week's Announcements
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Joe’s Place Food Pantry: A small, dedicated, and much-appreciated crew of volunteers is continuing this vital ministry for us during this period of social distancing.
Paying your pledges. Yes, you can still pay your pledge! In fact, the parish budget is counting on it! You can either mail a check to the church's postal address (8700 Ironsides Road, Nanjemoy, MD 20662) or use Paypal on the church website. One way in which we are trying to provide financial oversight in these tricky times is to issue regular giving statements to our pledging members. When you receive your statement, please check to confirm that the church’s records match yours.
Vestry will meet on Thursday, June 25th at 7PM over Zoom.
Episcopal Asset Map. The Episcopal Church has a massive site that allows people to find us, our worship services and our services to the community. Our own parish’s entry (and not ours only!) needs some spiffing up. Deacon Susan and Mike Cahall are working on it at the direction of the bishops. If you have a little time, check out the Asset Map to see how other parishes are represented, and if you have information that you think could or should be included, please let Deacon Susan know.
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The Bishops of Washington, Maryland, and Virginia have issued a joint statement on how they expect the "re-gathering" process to go. It will likely be a slower and more gradual process than many of us imagined when we first closed the doors of the church.
See their statement here.
The Diocese of Washington has also put out a checklist and set of parameters for any re-gathering at church facilities. Those are available at the COVID-19 "hub" on the diocesan website. Any re-gathering will require approval from the bishop.
The Vestry intends, along with our colleagues in the Southern Maryland region and across the diocese, to spend the summer planning for a gradual re-gathering in the fall. If you have thoughts on what might make you more or less comfortable with re-gathered worship, or on how you would like 'hybrid' worship to work (that is, worship that combines online and physical presence), please share them with your local friendly Vestry members. Any re-gathering will require approval from the bishop, and we are working to develop our plans.
Image: Dave Walker's CartoonChurch
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Keep abreast of goings-on in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, of which we are a parish. Sign up for the newsletter or check out previous issues here.
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Let us pray......in thanksgiving for the members of our congregation: Roy, Bernie, Melinda, and Rick.
....for support and protection for those who serve our country at home and abroad: Alex, Mike, Wes, Thomas, Steven, and Megan.
....for those in need of God’s healing grace: Rick, Frank (father of Frank), Jean, Mabel, Rose (friend of Gloria), Tom; Our continuing prayers are offered for: Dan, Pete (father of Rev. Catharine), Anna and Chris (daughter and son-in-law of Jinger and Sue); Barbara, Vivian (mother of Barbara), Thelma (mother of Deacon Susan), Butch, Livvy (mother of Kathy), Buddy, Rhonda, Jeanne, Roy, and Luci (aunt of Barbara).
...for those who have died: Russ Millar.
The Diocese of Washington cycle of prayer: Presiding Bishop Michael Curry; The Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul;
Cathedral Chaplains and Cathedral Volunteers; Independence Day (July 4) Pray for justice, freedom and peace for all people.
The Anglican Communion Cycle of Prayer: Pray for the united Church of North India The Most Revd Dr Prem Chand Singh - Moderator of CNI & Bishop of Jabalpur.
The Episcopal Diocese of Washington's COVID-19 prayer:
Holy One, we ask for you to embrace the whole human family with your care as we seek to understand, adapt, and live into the reality of the COVID 19 pandemic. We pray for those who are giving care and those who are ill, for those who are afraid or alone, and for those who have died. We especially pray for those who have tested positive for this disease and those who are in self-quarantine. Give us strength and courage to face what is to come and guide the leaders of the nations in finding ways to work together for the good of all. Hold your church, this diocese, our congregations and clergy, in communion with each other, so that we might find ways to be in relationship while apart, uniting us in your your son, Jesus, who with the Spirit hold us all in Your loving arms. Amen.
A Prayer for Racial Justice (from The Rev. Linda Kaufman, Diocese of Washington):
Gracious and loving God, you have made us in your image, and called us to be the body of Christ. We have not honored your image in one another; we have not loved others as you have loved us. Forgive us our sin of not seeing you in each other. This pandemic has highlighted the racial disparities in our communities. The violence toward people of color has sickened us. Now give us strength to stand up and work with all the strength we possess to bring racial justice in our church and in our community. Give us the will to do your will in this work. In the name of Jesus, who always stood with people who were oppressed, even when it cost him his life, Amen.
A prayer for times of uncertainty and growth ("The Merton Prayer") by Thomas Merton OCSO:
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
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