Pentecost Sunday
Does God ever leave us to our own devices? Deists would, of course, say “absolutely." For they see God as a great watchmaker, who simply winds up the clock and away it runs. Others would say “never." “I am with you always,” says Jesus, “even unto the ends of the world." Through the Psalmist we are reminded that God neither slumbers nor sleeps. And we play with concepts such as we find in the poem about walking on the beach where two sets of footprints suddenly become one, and rather than indicate that God disappears, we are told that that is where God carried us.
There’s a lot of evidence that there are times that God has to leave us to consequences of our decisions. Again the Psalmist has God complaining about suffering a rebellious people for forty years as they wandered around the wilderness, and asserting that they would never enter the promised land. We joke about being caught in a flood and praying to be rescued from our rooftop refusing the boat and the helicopter in the meantime. You know the punchline on that one, I am sure, and if not, ask a friend. Modern generations of Episcopal believers have also been described as “Moralistic Therapeutic Deists." The main tenet is that “God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem." God is a combination between a polite butler and a comforting therapist. (Dwight Zscheile in People of the Way, p 34)
I bring all this up for a couple of reasons. First, we are at the end of that stretch of liturgical time between Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost. As Jesus ascends, there is a sense that He leaves the disciples to their own devices; but not for long. They are told to stop gazing into the skies, and to gather in a place and wait “for the Holy Spirit to come upon you." Had they any clue what that meant? Maybe the story of Moses and the seventy in the Book of Numbers gave them some idea. In that story God took a portion of the Spirit on Moses and shared it among the other leaders. Receiving the Spirit, however was an action they couldn’t hurry nor provoke. They had to wait until God acted. This period without Jesus in their midst, nor with the sense of His Presence and authority which the coming Spirit would bring, has always intrigued me. I once used it to run from Davenport to Des Moines – the Cathedral to Cathedral run – to raise funds for curacies, but it also became an intense time of pilgrimage and waiting upon God. The Archbishop of Canterbury has been encouraging us to use these ten days from Ascension Day to the Day of Pentecost to pray around the phrase “Thy Kingdom Come” from the Lord’s Prayer. I am doing much better in completing it this year.
After all, it is only ten days. For the early disciples, it must have felt like forever. It is interesting that there was no record of anyone wandering off – like to go fishing, or to walk to Emmaus or simply to be absent like Thomas. You snooze, you lose. Step out for a moment, and no tongues of fire or rousing wind for you. Maybe that’s how one falls into the gap between being a Deist and an empowered follower of Jesus? Is that how over time we may assume a Moralistic Therapeutic Deist relationship with God?
I think God does leave us to ourselves from time to time. And isn’t carrying us, nor maliciously waiting to see what we will do. Obedience is important for disciples, and that means learning to listen and wait upon God, especially when God may be changing the scenery. Even playwrights invite us to sit in silence and darkness from one scene to another. Maybe that’s what this period from Ascension Day to the Day of Pentecost is all about. Jesus is entering into His fullness – reaching that point of being where all things are before Him and soon to be under Him. God is changing the scenery. And, of course its message of “minding the gap” so alludes us that we fill it by moving the celebration of Ascension, the start of this period, from Thursday to Sunday. Who goes to Church on a Thursday, anyway? And yet that is the point about not being in charge of one’s own spiritual life. If God says – Thursday is good start; then maybe we agree that Thursday is just fine.
The other point I want to note about this liturgical space is that we are heading into a significant phase of our common life. We have some discerning to do. In the Guide for discernment from the Diocese of Chicago around its election of a new bishop, the author, Lisa Senota writes: “Something is always emerging from the life of the Spirit – we don’t know exactly what we will pull up or what new thing will be revealed. As we steadily walk down the road to the election of a new bishop, we are preparing our hearts to receive that which is emerging from the life of the Spirit as our part in God’s present work of salvation." “True spiritual listening,” she adds, “leans back into God’s desire and takes in the wide view." She concludes, “We will experience a healthy transition as a diocese to the degree that we commit to the process of discernment. Everyone’s willingness to walk together into the unknown future is needed. Everyone’s faith and hope are needed. Everyone’s prayer is needed. The invitation to discernment is an invitation to join God’s prayer for our Diocese."
That we in essence begin this work with the Ascension and find it culminating in the gift of the Spirit is significant. It sharpens our listening instincts and our abiding hearts; and because we know the outcome for the disciples, it raises our anticipation of hope that the Spirit will come, and we see that God is not our therapist, nor our solutions manager, but the never-sleeping or ceasing Being that makes all things new; and who wants to sweep us up and set us on the move on the wind of the Spirit, give us transformative power to heal and reconcile and make us co-workers in the Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaims.
As for our particular preparation and discernment as we move towards the election of the Tenth Bishop of Iowa, it is exciting that we have a Revival with the Presiding Bishop to look forward to. Approaching the Friday and Saturday event on July 23-24, we will engage in 40 days of prayer and daily devotion. On the Thursday evening of the Revival, we will begin a nine day call to prayer which includes the virtual Revival on Friday evening and will consist of a series of evening prayers online up to the Electing Convention. God is centering our hearts and minds, readying us to be ignited with Divine Love, and giving us eyes with which to see and ears with which to hear the prompting of the Spirit.
In the peace and love of Christ,
+Alan
The Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa
e-News Update
As most of our congregations are beginning to gather in person this summer, starting in June we will be returning to our pattern of sending a monthly e-newsletter instead of weekly - with special event emails in-between.
10th Bishop of Iowa Candidates
GILEAD Campaign
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GILEAD Spotlight: GILEAD Grant Spotlight: Iowa MMJ Case Management System Project
in partnership with St. Paul's Cathedral, Des Moines
Iowa MMJ was recently formed by the merging of Iowa Justice for Our Neighbors and Iowa American Friends Service Committee, whose mission is "To build movement for justice led by immigrants and refugees in Iowa by providing high-quality legal services and community empowerment through organizing."
As a ministry group of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Social Justice Committee has been working with both organizations prior to their merger, and will continue working with the newly formed Iowa MMJ, striving for justice for our immigrant and refugee neighbors. In working together on this grant, both Iowa MMJ and St. Paul’s continue to build and strengthen their relationship with each other and the community.
Iowa MMJ, in partnership with St. Paul's Cathedral, received an "Expanding Tools & Technology" GILEAD Grant. Grant funds were used to purchase the necessary user software, set-up, data import, and training for the legal case management system, eImmigration, by Cerenade. This software is vital to the success of the newly formed Iowa MMJ, allowing for much needed time with clients to further their cases and advocate on their behalf.
Vestry Update and Training
VESTRY LISTS NEEDED
As Annual Meetings conclude, please send updated Vestry lists to Elizabeth Adams at eadams@iowaepiscopal.org
REQUIRED TRAINING
New Vestry members need to complete these 2 trainings within the first six months of joining the Vestry:
SAFEGUARDING
Each congregation has a Safeguarding Administrator to set you up with online training. You can contact Amy Mellies at amellies@iowaepiscopal.org for contact information.
DISMANTLING RACISM TRAINING
Visit the Beloved Community Initiative website for upcoming Dismantling Racism Training dates.
EPIC Diocesan Summer Camp 2021: July 5-9
The EPIC planning team has been very busy planning an in-person camp this year. EPIC will look different for a number of reasons, partly because we will be at a new location, the Christian Conference Center in Newton, and because of COVID protocol.
EPIC is for youth entering 4th grade through 12th grade. Registration will open on May 1 at 10am. 50 spots are available for in-person camp and is based on a first-come, first-serve basis. Cost is $350 per camper and scholarships are available upon request. You can register below or find more information on the Children and Youth Ministry page of the diocesan website.
We will also be offering EPIC Online. Each day you will be sent videos based on scripture and topics for the day, craft supplies, t-shirt and other camp staples. We will have live events throughout the day so online campers can connect with in-person campers as well. Cost is $25. You can sign up for EPIC 2021 Online beginning on May 1 at 10am.
SMSR Zoom Picnic: June 25, 6-8pm
You are invited to a diocese-wide ZOOM picnic of Episcopalians in the Diocese of Iowa.
This fellowship event replaces the Ministry School & Retreat 2021 and all the great social time we’ve come to enjoy as part of that annual gathering.
What will we do?
Pray together
Snack
Play
Breakout rooms for small group or one-on-one interaction.
What should I bring?
Your favorite ice cream or snack
Your favorite beverage
A silly hat or costume
Playful attitude
Episcopal Diocese of Iowa Revival 2021
Calling all musicians! If you would like to contribute your musical talents for the diocesan revival with the Presiding Bishop, email mwagner@iowaepiscopal.org
Transitions
The Rev. Steve Godfrey has accepted a call to become the full-time Diocesan Minister in the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota, starting July 20. His last Sunday at St. Andrew’s in Des Moines will be June 27.