 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
   Vestry Holly Cannell, Senior Warden Mel Asato, Junior Warden Paul Kaseguma, Janice Matsuoka Michael Burnap Jay Shoji Mel Asato, Clerk Jay Shoji, Treasurer Ministers All God's People  |
WELCOME!Please join us in our ministries, and on every Sunday at 10:00 AM as we are renewed and challenged to deepen our faith and mission as the body of Christ at Saint Peter's.For our next Service Bulletin click here, use your browser back button to return. For directions to St.Peters Episcopal Church click here. Enjoy your visit, and come back again! St. Peter's Retreat Saturday, November 22, 2008. 8:00 AM Center for Urban Horiculture 3501 NE 41st St. Giving Thanks and an Invitation to "Advent-ure" in Christ. Join us in a purpose-filled and prayer-filled hopes for this day: Centennial Celebration SermonThe Rev. James L. ThibodeauxPentecost 7, Proper 8, Year A, RCL Jer. 28:5-9 Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18 Rom. 6:12-23 Matt. 10:40-42 OPENING - WHAT'S IMPORTANT? During high school, one of my teachers made a point of teaching her students to take good notes. She wanted us to learn how to sift through all the vast amounts of information that was being taught us and pick out the most important parts. She told us that if it was in bold print or the title heading in our textbook that it was important. She told us that if the teacher wrote a word or date down on the chalk board it was important. She also told us that if a word, phrase, or concept was repeated twice it was important. If repeated three times it was crucial. Our Gospel lesson this morning is short - only three verses long. And yet the word "welcomes" is repeated not two or three times, but SIX times. If my teacher was right, and I think she is, this is the crucial concept of this passage. WHAT DOES WELCOME MEAN? I don't know about you, but I have seen, heard, and used the word "welcome" so many times I'm not sure what it means anymore. After all, someone says, "Thank you!" and we say, "You're welcome." I see the word on doormats everywhere, and I wipe my feet on the word! And since the 1940's or 50's the Episcopal Church has sometimes casually, sometimes purposefully put outs signs and bumper stickers that say, "The Episcopal Church WELCOMES you." So what's the deal with "welcome?" DEFINITION OF WELCOME When I turned to the dictionary I found that the word "welcome" comes from the Old English word wilcuma. It can be broken down into two words, wil- meaning "pleasure" and desire" and -cuma meaning "comer." The word expresses a combination of feelings, as if to say "We want you here," "You are desirable; you belong here," "Your presence brings us joy." That is what it means to welcome someone. JESUS AND WELCOME In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us that to Welcome God is to welcome all those who God sends. Jesus includes himself in that as being one sent by God. He also includes the prophet and the righteous person. If we were in the Jewish context of Jesus day, we would immediately recognize these as persons who are repeatedly rejected, even by God's People. They are, unwelcome. And so Jesus tells us that if you would have God reward you and cherish you as a prophet, welcome the prophets, or if you would have the reward of a clean conscience and a "direct link to God," characteristic of a righteous person. Welcome the righteous. Then Jesus pulls a surprise on us. Just as we're thinking it's about rewards for serving Holy People, The Big-wigs of God's Kingdom, Jesus says, if you welcome a child, The lowest in stature, The one who has little standing, The one who seems to have little to offer or for whom there is no reward, And you will be rewarded as if you had welcomed a disciple, Even as if you had welcomed one of the Twelve. The point Jesus is making is not about rewards. The point is the importance of welcoming all those that God loves, regardless of stature or importance. A recipient of a gift does not usually get to choose the gift. The selection of that gift is an expression of the giver's love and thoughtfulness. Likewise, as the People of God, we do not get to choose who God sends us. Instead, being a welcoming people we see each person as a gift sent from God, just as they are. Whoever God sends - is who we want, is the one who brings us joy, is the one who belongs, is the one who is welcomed. THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION This weekend's celebration of our Centennial is a Celebration of Welcome. We look back at the last hundred years and receive them with welcome. It brings us joy to revisit them, to remember our brothers and sisters who have gone on before us, to recall the good times and the hard times we have shared together and how God pulled this community through and pulled us together. THE SECOND CENTURY But this weekend we do not only welcome the past, we welcome the future. We now welcome our second century. Much of our context has changed since we began our ministry a hundred year ago. Our surroundings have changed. This is no longer the daily hub of the Japanese American community. Some families remain. Many families have dispersed. Our neighborhood is now also the home of Vietnamese, African Americans, Latinos, African immigrants, and the next generation of young Seattleite families. For many of us the challenge to change is daunting. After all, welcoming does mean inclusion and acceptance of others, whomever they are, whoever God has sent us, with whatever needs and gifts they bring, of people different than us. And so welcome becomes an act of vulnerability, of placing our desires and needs after those of others. This is the same vulnerability that took Jesus to the cross. RESURRECTION It is also the same vulnerability that took Jesus to the resurrection. St. Peter's, it is no accident that you are the ones here today, facing this second century. I think God has taken one look around and said, "Yes. St. Peter's - This is the people I want to welcome those who need me, those who want me, those who are hurting in Seattle's International District." You see, if anyone knows the need to hear the Good news of God's Welcome it is You. You know how tantalizing the promises of this country are, and how illusive they can be. You know what it is to be told you are different and therefore unwelcome. You know what it is to hear society saying, "We will only welcome you if you change, if you try to be like us, and maybe not even then." You know what it is to hear, "We do not want you, and you are unwelcome." I speak, of course, of the relocation camps during WWII, but I also speak of countless other social slights and prejudices, of other disparaging government policies as well. St. Peter's, you have experienced unwelcome. But you, St. Peter's, also know of God's Welcome. You have walked in the Faith for 100 years. You know the Lord who loves you. You know what REAL Welcome is. You know the value of being told, "We want you here; you belong here. You are accepted for who you are here." 100 Years ago St. Peter's was founded as a mission congregation. It's purpose was to go and seek out those of the Christian faith and those not, to welcome them in and provide for their needs - Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Social. We now call ourselves, "St. Peter's Episcopal PARISH," But in some ways we have not changed. We are still "St. Peter's Episcopal Mission." We know that Welcome is not a passive endeavor. Welcome is a MISSION. It is something we tackle with purpose. Something we perform with valor. Nowhere is that more evident than in our mission statement: "The Love of God calls St. Peter's to invite all people to a life of faith…" St. Peter's, the challenges you have faced in the past, The ones you have overcome by walking in faithful discipleship, Those are the same ones That others in our neighborhood and in this city, All around us are facing. And I know your hearts. In my short time here I have felt your love deeply. That is why I do not think it is an accident that you and I are here, facing the challenges of Welcome at the beginning of our Second Century. You are uniquely suited for this mission. You are a people formed by welcome in the midst of unwelcome. You are a people who know intimately the God who gives Welcome. You are a missional people. So I say to you this morning: Don't be afraid. God has been with us. God remains with us. The challenge God has placed before us today is not to abandon our heritage. No, indeed. God's challenge, God's mission to us is to live more fully into our heritage throughout our Second Century because, St. Peter's, we are God's People of Welcome. Our Photo Album has been updated with pictures from our Centennial Dinner Celebration. Click on St. Peter's Photo Album.Photos provided by Jim Ludden. Very nice pictures, thank you Jim!! |
    
2007 Annual ReportPlease click Annual Report of Thanksgiving (pdf format) to see January - December, 2007 highlights. For any questions call: 206.323.5250 *********************************** |
| Copyright St. Peter's Episcopal Church 2003. Contact: asatom@comcast.net >>>Designed by asatodesign.com |