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Sermons from St. John's Episcopal Church

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Aug 07, 2022  |  

Life is Short - Love Each Other

  |  The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran
The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran

Life is Short - Love Each Other

http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearC_RCL/Pentecost/...

Jun 05, 2022  |  

Sermon for Pentecost

  |  The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran
The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran

Sermon for Pentecost

Readings

For years now, I have been a regular listener to the NY Times daily podcast. Every morning, I’d listen to 20 or 30 minutes of in-depth discussion about one issue. Overall, I felt like it left me pretty well abreast of what was going on in the world - without also leaving me too overwhelmed.

When it started, “The Daily,” as it’s called, was only released on weekdays. But during the pandemic, they started having one long-form article on Sundays. Often it was something from years ago. But over time, I’ve grown to look forward to them more than any other episode of the week. A recent episode highlighted an article from 2019 - about a story of a Kayaking trip gone horribly wrong. Three friends started on a weeks-long kayak journey in Alaska - which quickly became a disaster when one of the party, Jon, was hit by a falling tree. Alive, but hurt, the other two friends had to find a way to get help. This one horrible misfortune is then followed by a series of improbably lucky breaks that allow them all to reach safety - a coast guard ship passing by at just the right time to receive their radio communication, a wrong turn returning to their kayaks which puts them in range of the inflatable boat trying to find them, a helicopter which can’t penetrate the forrest in the fog, but can rendezvous with them and the coast guard.

There are a lot of memorable moments. But the one that I keep thinking about is how the author, left with the wounded Jon while the other attempts to find their rescuers, turns to an improbable source of solace and grounding. Poetry. As Jon is going into shock he keeps speaking, but eventually runs out of platitudes. And so he begins to recite every poem he knows - Keats, Elizabeth Bishop, W.H. Auden and finally Robert Frost. He saw it as a desperate act of panic. But years later, the wounded Jon would remember it as a perfect act of calmness. Part of the serendipity that brought them all out alive. Something more was happening in those poems than merely the words being spoken.

I wonder how many of you had to memorize poetry in school. I think I came up at the tail end of memorization as a primary pedagogical tool. I think I only had to memorize one thing in high school - Langston Hughes, “a dream deferred.” It was never something that came easily to me, but I can still mostly remember it today - What happens to a dream deferred?

Somewhere along the way though I became convicted of the power of memorizing poetry. In college I would write one poem on the mirror of my college dorm room to stare at every day until I felt like I knew it. For a while it was Dylan Thomas. And then it was Robert Frost. The poem I remember best goes like this:

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
—---

Thinking about the day of Pentecost I always come up short when I try to imagine what that day must have been like. A group of friends, the fearful disciples, who only 50 day before were huddled in the upper room are suddenly - and violently - confronted by the Holy Spirit. A rush of wind, and then tongues of fire. What must they have been thinking? Did it seem like another end of the world?

Pentecost is a feast in the Christian Church, but it comes directly from the Jewish tradition, which went by the same name in Greek. Today it’s more commonly called Shavuot, from the Hebrew word for Weeks. Like our Pentecost is 50 days after Easter, Shavuot is 50 days from the celebration of Passover. Passover had been a disaster for the followers of Jesus, leading to his crucifixion. It wouldn’t be a terrible surprise if some of them were wary about gathering for the next major holiday of their tradition.

So when this rushing wind and tongues of fire came from heaven, at least some of them must have been terrified. What was going on? What this another disaster? The terrible death of Jesus was only months behind them. And while he had risen from the grave, he’d also disappeared up into heaven again - only 10 days before. This is the same group who hid in the upper room when Jesus was killed. And who hid again when he appeared to them alive. They aren’t known for their boldness (yet.) and they have been through a lot.

What is clear from this story in Acts is that they immediately began speaking. Words flowed out of their mouths. But what were they saying? Even they did not know, it seems. We are told they were filled by the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues. People from all the world were astonished that these Galileans were somehow able to speak to them, Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia… the list goes on.

Somehow the Disciples were able to speak to them in a language they could understand. Somehow, the words of the disciples were able to reach those people. If only for that one afternoon. Somehow they were given the words to speak.

The worlds that the disciples speak reach the ears of their audience. It’s a confusing and improbable scene. And not everyone who was there believed what they were seeing. Some asked “what does this mean?” But others sneered and called the disciples drunk.

But Peter rose up and spoke in the poetry of their tradition. He said (from memory) the words of the prophet Joel:

`In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "

In the moment of uncertainty - poetry was what helped Peter know what to do. And poetry helped the gathered community understand itself in a new way. The Holy Spirit had empowered them to spread the news of Jesus to all corners of the earth.

And so this day is remembered as the birthday of the church. The day when the followers of Jesus truly took up his charge to share his message of love with all who would listen.
—-

Maybe some of you remember the story of the tower of Babel. It’s one of our potential alternative readings for this morning. In it, the people of the prehistoric world try to build a tower so tall it reaches to heaven. They year for power and a renown that will bring their people together. Faced with their pride, God sews chaos among them - by making each person speak a new language. Unable to communicate, they are no longer able to build the city and the tower that they had planned. In the end the people scattered all over the earth. It’s easy to imagine this is a story told over generations to explain why there are so many languages and why the people of the earth don’t all get along.

Like a darker version of Pentecost, the sudden “gift” of language doesn’t empower the people, but rather divides them, alienating them from one another.
—--

Today, as we remember the birthday of the church, we are also called to remember the powerful role of our own speech in spreading the Love of God in the world. We are reminder of the gift of Language that God has given each of us to do this work of spreading the Gospel.

  • Some of us speak literal languages: Swahili, French, Chinese, Korean, German, Spanish, Haitian Creole… the list goes on….
  • But others have been given the gift of more figurative languages:
  • Some of us may speak in the language of poetry, like Peter, or the writer of that harrowing narrative I heard on The Daily.
  • Some of us may speak the language of Children. Or the language of teenagers.
  • Other may speak the language of women, or of older generations.
  • What about the language of ‘people new to town.”
As members of the Church today, we are heirs of the mission that Jesus set before the disciples, to spread the Good News of God’s redeeming love to all corners of our world. The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, has equipped us each in unique ways to do this work - and will continue to equip us in new ways. My prayer on this day, is that each one of you asks yourself. In what way am I being called to spread the Good News? In what ways have I been uniquely prepared for this charge? And in what ways am I being called to speak to new people, in a language or a style, in a way that as yet seems impossible - but which the Holy Spirit may even yet empower you for.



May 08, 2022  |  

Good Shepherd Sunday

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Good Shepherd Sunday

  • Acts 9:36-43
  • Revelation 7:9-17
  • John 10:22-30
  • Psalm 23

Mar 13, 2022  |  

Foxes, Chickens, and Jesus

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Foxes, Chickens, and Jesus

  • Philippians 3:17-4:1
  • Luke 13:31-35
  • Psalm 27

Mar 06, 2022  |  

Possessions, Power, Prestige, Putin

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Possessions, Power, Prestige, Putin

  • Deuteronomy 26:1-11
  • Romans 10:8b-13
  • Luke 4:1-13
  • Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

Feb 27, 2022  |  

Transfiguration, not transformation

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Transfiguration, not transformation

  • 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
  • Luke 9:28-36, [37-43a]
  • Psalm 99

Feb 13, 2022  |  

Justice, Peace and Blessed Absalom

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Justice, Peace and Blessed Absalom

  • 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
  • Luke 6:17-26
  • Psalm 1

Jan 16, 2022  |  

The Apostles Teaching and Fellowship

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

The Apostles Teaching and Fellowship

  • 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
  • John 2:1-11
  • Psalm 36:5-10

Jan 09, 2022  |  

Our baptismal promises #1

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Our baptismal promises #1

  • Acts 8:14-17
  • Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
  • Psalm 29

Jan 02, 2022  |  

In Memory of the Arch

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

In Memory of the Arch

  • Jeremiah 31:7-14
  • Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a
  • Luke 2:41-52
  • Psalm 84 or 84:1-8

Dec 26, 2021  |  

Meditating on the Incarnation

  |  The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran
The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran

Meditating on the Incarnation

  • Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7
  • John 1:1-18
  • Psalm 147

Dec 12, 2021  |  

"I will change your shame into praise and renown in all the earth."

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

"I will change your shame into praise and renown in all the earth."

  • Zephaniah 3:14-20
  • Philippians 4:4-7
  • Luke 3:7-18
  • Canticle 9

Nov 28, 2021  |  

Looking for Hope (Advent I)

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Looking for Hope (Advent I)

  • Jeremiah 33:14-16
  • 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
  • Luke 21:25-36
  • Psalm 25:1-9

Nov 21, 2021  |  

Welcome to the Kingdom

  |  The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran
The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran

Welcome to the Kingdom

2 Samuel 23:1-7
Psalm 132:1-13 (14-19)
John 18:33-37

Nov 14, 2021  |  

Lewis, Clarke, Hannah, and the Twelve.

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Lewis, Clarke, Hannah, and the Twelve.

  • 1 Samuel 1:4-20
  • 1 Samuel 2:1-10
  • Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25
  • Mark 13:1-8

Nov 07, 2021  |  

A Sermon for All Saints Day

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

A Sermon for All Saints Day

  • Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9
  • Psalm 24
  • Revelation 21:1-6a
  • John 11:32-44

Oct 24, 2021  |  

Quam Dilecta: Seeing like Jesus

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Quam Dilecta: Seeing like Jesus

  • Job 42:1-6, 10-17
  • Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)
  • Mark 10:46-52

Oct 17, 2021  |  

Ignatius' Two Standards

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Ignatius' Two Standards

  • Job 38:1-7, (34-41)
  • Psalm 104:1-9, 25, 37b
  • Mark 10:35-45

Oct 03, 2021  |  

Jesus loves the little children

  |  The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach
The Very Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach

Jesus loves the little children

Please note that there are a couple of seconds of silence at the start of this recording.

  • Psalm 26
  • Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
  • Mark 10:2-16

Sep 26, 2021  |  

Ivan Illych and Achivement

  |  The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran
The Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran

Ivan Illych and Achivement

  • Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
  • Psalm 124
  • Mark 9:38-50

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© St. John's Episcopal Church
1670 Route 25A, Post Office Box 266
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
(516) 692-6368

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1670 Route 25A
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St. John's Episcopal Church was the first religious institution to be established in Cold Spring Harbor. The first Episcopalian services were held in the little 18th century school house just above the site of the present church. The very first Vestry minutes, written in fine script on September 4, 1831, lists the founders who pledged $2,000 to build a new church.

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As we all begin to emerge from the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, many find ourselves asking the same question: "How then shall we live?" In times like these we all need to rely on our faith in God for guidance, support and refreshment and recognize that God is faithful to us in all ways.

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