First Sunday after Epiphany
The celebration of the baptism of Jesus is one of those ascribed times in the Church year, when we bring people to baptism, and even when we don’t have candidates for baptism, we remember our own baptismal vows. These vows not only commit us to our core beliefs about God and salvation, but they also express for us the values called into practice by that faith in God and in our salvation story. The values are about community and relationships. We promise to be faithful to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to our sacramental life manifest in the breaking of bread, and in our prayers with and for each other. We promote the good news of God in Christ; and seek to serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves. We strive for justice and peace among all peoples; and we respect every human being’s dignity. All of this is promised in a world where Jesus is clear that He sends us out “like sheep among wolves.” And so, we acknowledge evil and promise to persevere in its resistance, externally and within ourselves; and when we fail, we “repent and return to the Lord.”
I had planned to dedicate this writing space to give thanks to God for three exceptional witnesses to the power of baptismal living, who died over this Christmastide: Canon Suzanne Peterson, Dr. Chuck Hawtrey and Ms. Terry Swanson. Each one “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” as the apostle Paul would say, and brought His Spirit to the lives of those around them. Each one had particular people to whom God sent them. Terry was a member of St Timothy’s in West Des Moines. She was a founding member of FreeStore, a ministry directed towards the uplifting of the dignity of every human being, especially women and families escaping domestic abuse. FreeStore provides furniture and other basic things for the families to start over in a safer environment of their own. Chuck Hawtrey, as a member of Trinity Iowa City, practiced the healing ministry of Jesus, both as a medical doctor and as a counselor, encourager and eucharistic minister extraordinaire. He coordinated and built up the Eucharistic visitor ministry of his congregation to reach out to hundreds whom we as Church might not reach or could otherwise forget. He never forgot his own upbringing as a priest’s kid, and so established a Fund in his family’s name to provide for education resources for children of clergy in Iowa. Like Terry, he too served Christ in all persons, and loved his neighbor as himself.
Canon Suzanne Peterson, whose celebration of life is this day as I write, carried forward, as a lay leader and later a priest, the apostles’ teaching, offered the breaking of bread and led in prayers across continents—North and Central America, and in her beloved Africa. I first met her, of beloved fame in Iowa, in Cape Town, South Africa where she was serving on the staff of Archbishop Thabo Makgoba. She ministered too alongside Archbishop Thabo’s predecessor, Desmond Tutu. Her life upheld the dignity of all and especially women, as she became one the earliest female priests ordained by Bishop Righter in Iowa, and began her priestly ministry at St Paul’s Cathedral. She was a trailblazer and a reconciler, serving in the ecumenical communities of Iowa, always focusing on works of peace and justice. This was an emphasis that took her to South Africa, and became the predominant baptismal practice of her life. Seventeen years later, she returned to Iowa to retire, but was willing to extend her active ministry as Rector at Trinity Waterloo.
The Church feels it when we lose such vital agents of the ongoing life of Christ, and especially relatively close together. Each had experienced the evils and suffering that can afflict human beings, and found in the name of Christ the power to resist. Each were humble as to their own need for grace, even as they offered the way of grace to others. We need their life stories today like perhaps never before. These are the icons we turn to when we are not sure of our faith in human nature, and even when, as the Psalmists did at times, we wonder where God is “right now.”
Despite the “Jesus 2020” banner, and the crosses displayed on and by the steps of the Capitol, and carried by those storming the building on the Feast of Epiphany, we know that God's reign is justice and peace, and whose highest law is love of God and love of each other. Christ is present in all human cries of suffering and deprivation; and that is what makes our baptism a stance of “lambs among wolves.” We resist the evil that manipulates and exploits others, even as we are invited by the Spirit to come alongside all people. Jesus came to shed the transparent light of God’s love on all human interactions and connections, both with each other and with God. In that light we condemn the violence and contempt we saw on Wednesday, and we expose the deceitful and exploitative machinations that led up to it, encouraged by the President, as all four former living Presidents have stated.
But that is not all. For there are real sources of pain in any angry mob. People hang onto whatever fragments of hope they can. We bear the burden of reconciling all these things within the character of our own baptisms, if we give the Spirit of God the opportunity.
I have been reflecting on how then candidate Biden had described the election that made him President as one “for the soul of America.” I am sure that he could not have envisioned how such a struggle would play out beyond that election. It has not been sufficient simply to win a majority. The seeds of distrust have been sown too deeply for political protocol alone easily to weed them out. The struggle for our collective soul continues, and the burden is to persevere in our resistance to evil, which is no respecter of persons but “roams the streets like a lion seeking someone to devour.” The resolve of our elected officials to return to their chambers, repossess their space in the name of democracy and complete the task of receiving the votes of the electoral college was one major step in that resistance. The more difficult one, even after carrying out the necessary actions of identifying and dealing judiciously with the lawbreakers, is to find a way to work together across the spectrum of our political views, and listen for how to uphold the dignity of each person, and serve them as Christ Himself.
“Jesus 2020” has been hard at work shining His light into the dark corners of our democracy. The pandemic’s impact has shown us the inequities of our health and economic system, and the pervasiveness of racial injustice and prevalence of white privilege. There are signs that we are listening. What then was revealed on January 6th? That perhaps we are not quite that city on a hill we claim to be. That it takes a maturity of soul to continue to live in the mutuality of a democracy. And that yes, we are still struggling for that soul’s vitality and development as a people.
How do lambs become instruments of peace among the wolves? We pray for the grace to live into our baptisms. We give precedence to our baptismal certificates over our birth certificates. For God shines light not only in the United States, but throughout the world.
At his baptism, Jesus heard a voice calling him Beloved of God. His mission was to declare the coming of that Belovedness in community, the Kingdom of God. For Christ would call us to follow Him, and would promise that “whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” He also said that, embraced with the Spirit, we would do “greater things than He had done.” We are called to be fools for Christ, lambs among wolves, offering “incarnate grace margins” in whose company the lost can be found, the blind given sight, demons are cast out, and the sinner redeemed. This is no time for withdrawal. We promise to persevere in our resistance of evil, and promote through our words and deeds the Good News of God in Christ (Christian tradition stressing a preference to deeds over words). And the good news is that God has come in Christ to reconcile the world; and so we persist in praying:
“O God you made us in your image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” The Book of Common Prayer, p. 815
In our endeavor, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us; among them we now see Suzanne, Chuck and Terry. They were spared the sights and emotions of Epiphany 2021, and they now see what a Beloved Community is all about, for to such a company of saints we still take our time to commend them, and we say “Pray for us on our pilgrim journey.”
In the peace and love of Christ,
+Alan
The Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa
First Sunday after Epiphany
Join us on Sunday for Holy Eucharist offered by members of Christ Church, Cedar Rapids at 10:00am.
The diocesan worship opportunities that are available online will be found on the diocesan Facebook page, the diocesan Youtube channel, and will be on the diocesan website. Call-in option for members who only have access to phones: 312 626 6799 and enter the Meeting ID as prompted: 365 765 527#
Mini Retreats: H.O.P.E.
The Small Church Core Team in the Diocese of Iowa invites you
to a series of four mini-retreats focused on HOPE during these changing times.
Join us on Saturday, January 16, Saturday, February 6, and Saturday, March 6.
From 9:00 am to 10:00 am. We will gather using Zoom technology.
Topics for each session include:
Healing and Hope on December 5
Opportunity for Community and Hope on January 16
Patience and Hope on February 6
Expectation and Hope on March 6
Dismantling Racism Training
Register for online training
Grounded in The Episcopal Church's commitment to dismantling racism as essential to our formation as Christians, this ONLINE training is open to all persons who would like to deepen their understanding of racism, prejudice, and privilege.
The training will consist of 2 sessions from 10:00am-12:00pm and 12:30pm-2:30pm
Youth Ministry
Youth Check-in on Wednesday, January 20
Join us for two Youth Check-ins on January 20th. 7pm will be for grades 4-8 and 8pm will be for grades 9-12.
Zoom information will be emailed. If you would like the link to join, please contact Amy Mellies at amellies@iowaepiscopal.org or at 515-277-6165.
Becoming Beloved Community Where You Are
January 15-18, 4th-12th grades
We are deeply disappointed to announce that our Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. event will be canceled because of low registration. We know that youth and families are overwhelmed at this time with a world of online requirements. We encourage you, as you are able, to join in some of the online opportunities offered around the state to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King, Jr. as well as celebrate with us on Sunday, January 17 at 10:00 am for our worship service.
University of Iowa Martin Luther King Jr: Celebration of Human Rights
Free virtual screening of John Lewis: Good Trouble from Jan 15-30
"We the People: Protest and Peace," is hosted by the ICPL. It will feature musicians and speakers, as well as a short service to honor Dr. King's legacy. It offers a chance to connect as a larger community with his message. You can register for the event online.
Des Moines Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: Virtual Celebration
Iowa Department of Human Rights Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: Virtual Celebration
Epiphany Conversation Series
Wednesdays from 7-8:30pm via Zoom: January 13, January 20, January 27, February 3, & February 10
Registration Deadline: Monday January 11
You must register to receive the Zoom link
Epiphany is the season where light returns with longer days in the Northern Hemisphere. In this growing brightness we pray that we might know Christ and join in the work he is calling us to do. As God’s will is best known in the context of community, we invite you to gather with us weekly during Epiphanytide where we will use biblical texts and the questions posed by Mark D. W. Edington’s book We Shall Be Changed: Questions for the Post-Pandemic Church to reflect on where Christ is calling us from and discern where Christ is calling us to in the future.
We hope you are able to gather with us as we learn and share in Christ’s work together this Epiphany Season.
Book Purchase Options: Kindle or paperback
Read the "First Conversation" section (up to page 22) for our Jan. 13 gathering
Questions about the series? contact Rev. Tom Early: priest@stalbansepiscopalchurch.org
Questions about registration or technical assistance? contact Traci Ruhland Petty: tpetty@iowaepiscopal.org
GILEAD Grant Spotlight: Center for Social Ministry,
Des Moines in partnership with Rev. Jeanie Smith
The Center for Social Ministry is excited to be offering several JustFaith Ministries programs online starting at the end of January. View all of the offerings by clicking the button below
The Center for Social Ministry provides poverty awareness and social justice education programs, and serves as a key resource to help individuals connect to programs, volunteer opportunities, and advocacy efforts. Previously, courses were offered in person, but the shift to online course offerings due to the pandemic has opened the possibility of expanding their reach throughout Iowa, seeding groups in cities and towns far outside of Des Moines. Grant funds are being used to subsidize smaller groups, and to offset additional staff support needed to provide assistance to facilitators.
Resources
Free to a good church home
St. Andrew's in Waverly has a children's altar that they would like to give to an Episcopal church. The dimensions: 55” long, 25-1/2” deep, 36” high (front) & 40” high (back). Contact Anne Wagner if interested.
The holiday season can be a hard time for all of us, and maybe more so this year with the pandemic. Here are some Mental Health Resources for you to use or share with others. These are also available at IowaShare.org or on our website on the Children and Youth page under Resources and Documents.
Click on the picture to access our COVID-19 resource page:
