Fr. Steve's Morning Email - 4/30/09

Good morning!  Got a little technology update from St Timothy's for you.  Last night we tried out a new piece of technology that allows us to record everything in Drake Hall and in the Church.  So, this means that you will be able to listen to every activity (Adult Studies, whatever) in Drake and every service in its entirety in the Church.

To listen to last night's topic on Resurrection, go here. Of course, no matter how much technology we can and hope to employ in bringing recordings of our events online - nothing beats being there in person.  Nothing beats community.

Have a great day!

--
Fr. Steve Rice
Rector, St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
www.sttimothys.ws
336.765.0294 - office
336.602.0370 - cell

Fr. Steve's Morning Email - 4/28/09

Our Wednesday Rekindle the Gift series has been distracted for the month of April.  We had Holy Week, Easter Week, last week we had a wonderful stewardship event, so tomorrow night is really the only 'regular' Wednesday we'll have in April under our theme Rekindle Resurrection.

But here's where we're gonna go: 1) what do we mean by resurrection and 2) how can we, as intelligent folks, honestly make such a claim?

Easter is the centerpiece of the Christian year and these are two very good questions that we may never have asked before.  I'm excited!  I've missed the Wednesday nights so I'm getting ready.  PS: we're having chicken pot pie and all the fixins.

Ok, so here's my other thought for the day.  As a new resident of North Carolina and a new participant in our state's pollen plan, I made a sneezily trip to CVS last night for some medicinal assistance.  My house is jumping on the Dave Ramsay bandwagon, so I passed up the name brand Claritin for the CVS version.  Here's what I didn't know.  You can't just pick that stuff up.  You have to take a card and surrender your driver's license to even buy it.  Why? I asked.  To make sure I won't make crystal meth.  I can barely make sweet tea, I wouldn't even know where to start in transformation from allergy medicine to illegal drug.

But again, like the Mentos and Diet Coke, it makes the point that so much of our day is based on how we react with the people and events we encounter.  Claritin can be used for relief or it could be used to destroy your body.  Every person and every situation can be used for something good or for something bad.  The choice, really, is ours.  

St Paul has a good thought for us, "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."  I take that to mean when life is viewed through the lens of faith then everything can be used as a building block or a bridge to something wonderful.

--
Fr. Steve Rice
Rector, St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
www.sttimothys.ws
www.sttims.blogspot.com
336.765.0294

Fr. Steve's Morning Email - 4/27/09

Yesterday afternoon, I showed Abby and John Thullbery the best form of cheap entertainment I know.  Many of you have seen this, I'm sure, but it never gets old for me.

I had a 2 liter Diet Coke and a package of Mentos (breath mints).  Cherilyn had bought me a special contraption just for this purpose at Cracker Barrel.  The Mentos are stacked in a test tube like thingamajig and placed over the top of the open Diet Coke.  When you pull the string and all of the Mentos fall in the Coke, you get an eruption that seriously tops 12 feet.  

Here's a YouTube video of someone doing the same thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oV4rqjcew

Here's the theological observation: Diet Coke and Mentos, who knew there would be such a reaction?  We never know what might react with us today (or what/whom we might react to).

Here's a collect for Grace from the Prayer Book that fits nicely:

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

--
Fr. Steve Rice
Rector, St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
www.sttimothys.ws
www.sttims.blogspot.com
336.765.0294

St Tim's Video

Fr. Steve's Morning Email - 4/22/09

Last night I cracked the book, "The Unlikely Disciple" by Kevin Roose.  I found this book last week next to two other books that I just loved, "The Year of Living Biblically" and "The Know-It-All" both by A.J. Jacobs.  A.J. Jacobs is a writer who immerses himself into a subject and then writes about it.  In "The Know-It-All" he ordered and read every word of the Encyclopedia Britannica.  For "The Year of Living Biblically" he followed to the best of his ability every word/commandment in the Bible.  Both are fascinating and funny.

His writing assistant, college student Kevin Roose, has followed in his boss' footsteps.  Roose is a student at Brown University and it is by his own admission, secular.  While doing research with his boss, he found himself in the foyer of Thomas Road Baptist Church, AKA Jerry Falwell's church.  He did not know an evangelical.  He was not a church goer and he wanted to know what it would be like to spend a semester at Libery University - the school founded by Falwell.  So he transferred from Brown to Liberty for a semester.  He immersed himself into every aspect of school life - just to keep an open mind and see what happens.

I've only read 63 pages.  So far, it's funny.  And it's fair.  I went to a Christian college, but compared to Liberty University, my college looks like the Delta fraternity in Animal House.  I'm curious to see how it ends.

One question that has come from this book and the books from Jacobs is this: what would happen if we would just commit to immerse ourselves into our faith - our church?  Just jump right in and let whatever happens happen. Call it - a leap of faith. 

I say give it a shot.  And who knows, you might make some money by writing a book.

--
Fr. Steve Rice
Rector, St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
www.sttimothys.ws
www.sttims.blogspot.com
336.765.0294

Fr. Steve's Morning Email - 4/21/09

Butterflies have always been symbols of the resurrection, for obvious reasons.  When the caterpillar enters the chrysalis it looks as if it has entered a tomb.  When a new butterfly emerges, it is new life.

I must not have paid attention in biology (in fact, I know I didn't), because I did not know until very recently what exactly takes place inside the chrysalis.  The process from becoming a caterpillar to a butterfly is holometabolism, or a complete metamorphosis.  When the caterpillar enters the chrysalis, digestive juices break down much of the body leaving just a few cells intact.  These cells will generate the butterfly parts using the nutrients of digested larva.  Basically, the caterpillar breaks down it's building blocks and reassembles them into something completely different.

This takes the butterfly as a symbol of the resurrection to a completely different level.  Resurrection is not spiritual CPR.  It is not resuscitation.  It is a new body - a new creation.  Jesus was recognized by those who knew him - but not all the time.  He ate with this disciples like he did before his death - but he also appeared out of nowhere.  He was the same - but he wasn't.  Resurrection.  New Creation.  Amazing.

--
Fr. Steve Rice
Rector, St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
www.sttimothys.ws
www.sttims.blogspot.com
336.765.0294

Fr. Steve's Morning Email - 4/20/09

You have not been kicked off the morning email list, but with Holy Week and a little R and R, the morning emails have been percolating in the computer.

Last night at Devout Stout (Sunday evenings at 7:30 at Finnegan's Wake downtown), I mention Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.  I don't remember how I was exposed to Bishop Sheen, for he died the year I was born, but he has always been a hero of mine.  You may remember his television show in the 50s and 60s, Life is Worth Living and the Fulton Sheen Program.

He was a pioneer in using the new medium of television to present the faith and he did it with such ease and entertainment.  Imagine, a Roman Catholic Archbishop having a prime time show on ABC in the 50s.  

If you don't know him, I'm including two clips, one serious and one funny.

The first is a famous rift against communism and the second was his appearance on What's My Line.  Enjoy:

Communism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVBXzf4eUJg

What's My Line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prgvEA2D4sw

--
Fr. Steve Rice
Rector, St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
www.sttimothys.ws
www.sttims.blogspot.com
336.765.0294

Holy Week Letter

Fr. Steve's Morning Email - 4/1/09

Be, Lord,
within me to strengthen me
without me to guard me
over me to shelter me
beneath me to stablish me
before me to guide me
after me to forward me
round about me to secure me.

Amen.

--
Fr. Steve Rice
Rector, St Timothy's Episcopal Church
Winston-Salem, NC
www.sttimothys.ws
www.sttims.blogspot.com
336.765.0294