It is hard to believe that I have now been your vicar for two years. My, how time flies when you’re having a good time! Truly, I am blessed to serve you.
When I first came on board, the vestry expressed a strong desire that SJS continue the work of moving from being a Sunday only chapel to having a fuller ministry presence. To that end, we have been working for some time to identify our vision for ministry.
Vision for ministry, mission, mandate and other like terms are often used to help organizations focus their efforts and resources more effectively.
In the Church, mission is the larger term, and we already know what that is because it was given to us by our Lord. The Mission of the Church is delineated by The Great Commandment on one side (Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and Love your neighbor as yourself – Luke 10.27) and The Great Commission on the other (Go make disciples – baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded. –Matthew 28.19-20). The Vision for Ministry is the unique call or way in which a congregation (or individual) carries this out in a particular season.
Your vestry and I have been working for some time now to articulate the unique call of God for this Church family. My assumption has been that God has already been at work here for quite a long time (!) and that probably what we needed was simply to identify more precisely what is already happening. Consequently, over a period of time, I have sensed and observed that St. James Santee is a place of healing.
As I have talked about this and checked out this perception with many of you, it seems to ring true. As a result, we have been using the following phrase to describe who we are and what we are doing in this season as , “Called to be the Hands of Jesus – Connecting, Caring and Healing.” The helpfulness of this kind of focus is that strategic decision making becomes so much simpler. When we are faced a decision, we ask, “How will this further our call to be a healing community?”
As one could imagine, this is a broad description, and we have lots of ideas about how to live it out. These have included developing a Recovery Ministry as well as a ministry of healing prayer. What is also included is the sense of being called to heal the hurts in the community and the families around us. To this end, we are offering The Marriage Course which is designed to strengthen marriages. This will be offered first to the congregation and then later, after a trial run, to the community,. This is not to say that we are overlooking the needs of single persons, but just that this is a good and obvious starting place.
There's more to add but the conversation will continue. See below for more information about The Marriage Course.
May you all have a blessed Holy Week and a glorious Easter,
Jennie TCO
Monday, March 17, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Time to sign up for The Marriage Course
The Marriage Course at SJS- Register Now!
Wednesday evenings – April 2-May 14 from 7-9:30 pm.
Wednesday evenings – April 2-May 14 from 7-9:30 pm.
The Course will be facilitated by Kent MacEachern, LMFT / PartnerCoach. More general information can be found at http://www.themarriagecourseusa.org/
The first course will be limited to six couples. Please sign up by speaking with Mrs. Olbrych – - or at stjamesec@knology.net.
About The Marriage Course.....
The Course is a series of eight sessions designed to help any married couple strengthen their relationship. ….“It’s a great opportunity to spend time together as a couple looking at the important issues in your marriage. The Marriage Course is very practical and will help equip you with the tools needed to build a healthy marriage that lasts a lifetime. Each week you are given the opportunity to enjoy a special meal together and listen to a talk. Then there is plenty of time to discuss the topic as a couple. There is no group work involved at any stage of the course. The Marriage Course is now being run in 60 countries and we hope you will be able to join us.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Return with all your heart
Ash Wednesday this year, for me, is about the condition of our hearts. The Collect for Ash Wednesday gets at this. It reads:
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the god of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness...
The painting above is entitled Prodigal Son. It is by the contemporary Russian artist Vladimir Zunuzin www.zunuzin.com I have found myself drawn to this biblical image as depicted by many different artists, but no one captures the colors of the heart the way this painting does.
During this Lent, may we, like the Prodigal lament our sins and acknowledge our wretchedness ....just perhaps we will receive a brand new heart.
Ash Wednesday
A Portion of the poem Ash Wednesday from TS Elliot. VI
Although I do not hope to turn again
Although I do not hope
Although I do not hope to turn
Wavering between the profit and the loss
In this brief transit where the dreams cross
The dreamcrossed twilight between birth and dying
(Bless me father) though I do not wish to wish these things
From the wide window towards the granite shore
The white sails still fly seaward, seaward flying
Unbroken wings
And the lost heart stiffens and rejoices
In the lost lilac and the lost sea voices
And the weak spirit quickens to rebel
For the bent golden-rod and the lost sea smell
Quickens to recover
The cry of quail and the whirling plover
And the blind eye creates
The empty forms between the ivory gates
And smell renews the salt savour of the sandy earth
This is the time of tension between dying and birth
The place of solitude where three dreams cross
Between blue rocks
But when the voices shaken from the yew-tree drift away
Let the other yew be shaken and reply.
Blessèd sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated
And let my cry come unto Thee.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Annaul Meeting is January 20th
What fun! Vestry elections, membership report, year in review.....what more could you want?
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
The E-100 - 2011-2012 - New Testament Cycle
Dear St. James Santee Members and Friends,
The story of Jesus Christ began before time, and the threads of this “ best story of all” run throughout the whole of the Old and New Testaments. The E-100 plan has been adopted to help us follow those threads so that we might be better able to grasp the breadth and depth of God’s love for us. It is suggested that each week you read and meditate on the passage for the week. On Sundays, except for major feast days, we will hear a sermon on a portion of that reading. May you be blessed in your study, reflection, hearing and learning.
Jennie+
E-100, Pt. 2 - The New Testament Plan
The Living Word
51. The Word Became Flesh- John 1:1-18 - Jan. 16
52. Gabriel’s Messages Luke- 1:1-80 - Jan 23
53. The Birth of Jesus - Luke 2:1-40 - Jan 30
54. John the Baptist - Luke 3:1-20 - Feb 6
55. Baptism and Temptation - Mt. 3:13-4:17 - Feb. 13
The Teachings of Jesus
56. Sermon on the Mount - I Mt. 5:1-6:4 - Feb. 20
57. Sermon on the Mount -II - Mt. 6:5-7:29 - Feb 27
58. The Kingdom of Heaven - Mt. 13:1-58 - March 6
59. The Good Samaritan Luke - 10:25-37 - March 13
60 Lost and Found - Luke 15:1-32 - March 20
The Miracles of Jesus
61. Feeding the Five Thousand - Luke 9:1-36 - March 27
62 Walking on the Water - Mt. 14:22-36 - April 3
63 Healing a Blind Man - John 9:1-41 - April 10
Palm Passion Sunday April 17
Easter Day April 24
Second Sunday of Easter – Brick Church May 1
64 Healing a Demon-Possessed Man - Mark 5:1-20 - May 8
65 Raising Lazarus - John 11:1-57 - May 15
66 The Last Supper - Luke 22:1-46 - May 22
67 Arrest and Trial - John 18:1-40 - May 29
68-70. The Crucifixion & Resurrection - John 19:1-42 - June 5
The Church is Born
71 - Pentecost Day - Acts 2:1-47 June 12
72 Growth and Persecution - Acts 3:1-4:37 - June 19
73 The First Martyr - Acts 6:8-8:8 - June 26
74 Sharing the Word - Acts 8:26-40 - July 3
75 Good News for All - Acts 10:1-11:18 - July 10
The Travels of Paul
76 The Road to Damascus - Acts 9:1-31 - July 17
77 The First Missionary Journey - Acts 13:1-14:28 - July 24
78 The Council at Jerusalem - Acts 15:1-41 - July 31
79 More Missionary Journeys - Acts 16:1-20:38 - August 7
80 The Trip to Rome - Acts 25:1-28:31 - August 14
Paul to the Churches
81 More than Conquerors - Romans 8:1-39 - August 28
82 The Fruit of the Spirit - Gal. 5:16-6:10 - Sept. 4
83 The Armor of God - Ephesians 6:10-20 - Sept. 11
84 Rejoice in the Lord - Philippians 4:4-9 - Sept. 18
85 The Supremacy of Christ - Colossians 1:1-23 - Sept. 25
Paul to the Leaders
86-87 Elders & Deacons - 1 Tim. 3:1-6:21 - Oct. 2
88 Good Soldiers of Christ - 2 Tim. 2:1-26 - Oct. 9
89 All Scripture is God-Breathed - 2 Tim. 3:10-4:8 - Oct. 16
90 The Coming of the Lord - 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11 - Oct. 23
The Apostles’ Teaching
91 The Most Excellent Way - 1 Cor. 13:1-13 - Oct. 30
92 A New Creation in Christ - 2 Cor. 4:1-6:2 - Nov. 6
93 A Living Hope - 1 Peter 1:1-2:26 - Nov. 13
Christ the King – Last Sunday after Pentecost - Nov. 20
1 Advent C Nov. 27
2 Advent C Dec. 4
3 Advent C Dec. 11
4 Advent C Dec. 18
Christmas Day Dec. 25
Christmas 2 Jan. 1, 2012
94 Faith and Works - James 1:1-2:26 - Jan. 8
95 Love One Another - 1 John 3:11-4:21 - Jan. 15
The Revelation
96 A Voice and a Vision - Rev. 1:1-20 - Jan. 22
97 Message to the Churches - Rev. 2:1-3:22 - Jan. 29
98 The Throne of Heaven - Rev. 4:1-7:17 - Feb. 5
99 Hallelujah! - Rev. 19:1-20:15 - Feb. 12
100 The New Jerusalem - Rev. 21:1-22:21 - Feb. 19 Last Epiphany
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path. (Ps. 119:105)
St. James Santee Episcopal Church
The Rt. Rev. Mark J. Lawrence., Bishop
Vicar – The Rev. Jennie C. Olbrych: 843-571-7915
stjamesec@tds.net & stjamessantee.blogspot.com
205 Oak St. * P.O. Box 123, McClellanville, SC 29458
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