Promoting Peace amidst Gun Violence

There is too much gun violence in our country.

That shouldn't be debatable but it is for some in our country.

But no matter how you slice it, tens of thousands of lives are cut short every year by guns. There are murders, there are murder-suicides, there are suicides and the accidents too. Its too many.

We need to consider the costs to our society and our lives.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/new_scientist/2013/10/gun_violence_epidemiology_garen_wintemute_on_mental_illness_and_background.html

As a father of five, I think about guns and kids:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/29/us/children-and-guns-the-hidden-toll.html

We need to pray and to act in peace:

Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Mimetic Desire (Rene' Girard)

A pastor was just killed in Louisanna when the murderer thought the pastor was having an affair with his wife.

This fits perfectly with what Abbott Andrew has been talking about using the work of Rene' Girard and it is important stuff!

What is it?

"René Girard has given us a whole new dimension to explore in the subconscious by suggesting that it is primarily mimetic desire that we find there. (See Human See, Human Want) Mimetic desire, the desire of others that has infiltrated us since birth, gets under our skin and deep into our hearts. Hence the importance of the desires we present to small children to absorb. What keeps mimetic desire in our subconscious is our defiant pig-headed conviction that our desires belong to each of us alone and to nobody else. The stronger this sort of conviction, the more likely the desire is entangled in serious rivalry with somebody else; maybe a lot of somebodies. Somehow, we feel threatened at the idea that our desires are intertwined with the desires of everybody else and we push them away, only to have them manipulate us at very deep levels."

Start here:

http://andrewmarrosb.wordpress.com/posts-collected-by-topic/mimetic-desire-and-mimetic-rivalry/

then go here:

http://andrewmarrosb.wordpress.com/posts-collected-by-topic/mimetic-desire-and-mimetic-rivalry/mimetic-desire-and-truth-series/

Fall Formation Opportunity: Bible Study

Our Fall Bible Study (Wednesdays beginning October 2) will focus on the Gospel of Mark and all participants will get a FREE study bible of Mark (from Common English Bible).

“Mark’s Gospel tells the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth… It’s probably the earliest written Gospel, and it brings an urgent message about God’s coming kingdom. In Mark, Jesus shows the world what that kingdom looks like through deeds of power as well as suffering. Along the way he encourages others to trust in God’s kingdom and to join forces with him as God’s power defeats evil at every turn. In the end, Jesus’ resurrection displays God’s power over death itself.” (from the Introduction to Mark, CEB Study Bible)

Fall Formation Opportunity: On-Line School

St. Peter's on the Blackboard

Our congregation is embarking on a wonderful  new journey in Christian formation: We’re opening our own online school. This means we’ll be able to take courses together on a variety of topics including scripture, liturgy, and many other areas of personal and spiritual growth.

Courses are taught by experts and allow us to learn what we want, when we want, and at our own pace. We’ll be able to learn anywhere there’s an Internet connection on a PC, laptop, or tablet.  Our school will allow us to take courses by ourselves, in small groups, or even as a congregation. And there’s a discussion room in each class, with access to a moderator, so we don’t have to go it alone.

ChurchNext: Welcome to Online Christian Learning!  Fall Courses (begin in October) will include Introduction to the Bible & The Gospel of Mark.   If you would like to learn more or sign up for our online school, contact Rev Kurt. 

Episcopal Young Adult Service Corps

Are you 21 to 30 years old?
Are you ready for an experience that will transform your life?
Do you want to be a part of what God is doing in the world?
Do you want to experience diverse cultures, make a spiritual commitment, and reflect on your vocational possibilities?

If your answer is "Yes!" then you are ready to work with the Young Adult Service Corps in a one-year assignment. Watch the video!


More info: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/young-adult-service-corps

Fall Formation Opportunity: Film & Food

The fall/winter film series, Film and Food, will look at immigrants, legal and illegal, in this country and Europe, and the obstacles and prejudice that they face.  Food from the immigrants’ countries will be featured.  What follows is the tentative lineup of films subject to their availability.

September’s movie, The Other Side of Immigration, explores the reasons that people leave rural Mexico to work in the US.  The film provides a rare view of the issues from the immigrants’ perspective looking at the effects migration has on the families and communities that are left behind. (September 28 - Mexican food)

In October, we will be viewing Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino in which he plays an irascible retired auto worker living in Detroit next to a Hmong family.  Both humorous and touching, we see Eastwood’s character being forced to confront his racism head-on in an attempt to exorcise his haunting Korean War experiences. (October 26 – Hmong food)

November will feature Ali: Fear Eats the Soul.  In this German classic, an older widowed cleaning woman develops a strange and unlikely friendship with a young Moroccan.  As their relationship deepens, so does the prejudice of her neighbors and friends.  The film shows the devastating effects that public contempt has on the couple. (November 23, Moroccan food)

We will take a break for the holidays and resume the series in January.  More details will follow.

All Film & Food Nights begin at 6 PM.  Please RSVP.

Fall Formation Opportunity: EFM

About Education for Ministry

 
Education for Ministry (EfM) is a unique experiential theological education program for laity under the auspices of the Programs Center of the School of Theology. Since its foundation in 1957, the program has assisted students in discovering how to respond to the call to Christian service. The program requires four years to complete, and students enrollfor one year at a time. EfM helps people encounter the Christian tradition's breadth and depth and bring it together with their experiences of the world in the process of theological reflection.

EfM groups meet across the United States in 89 Episcopal dioceses and 12 parishes that sponsor the program. A group consists of six to 12 participants and a trained mentor who meet weekly, for two and a half to three hours, over the course of a nine-month academic year.

Approximately 70 EfM trainers accredited by Sewanee lead more than 200 mentor trainings per year. Ninety-five EfM coordinators (volunteer servant leaders) administer and support the program within their dioceses. Along with the United States, EfM groups are available in Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Students who are unable to enroll in the face-to-face EfM groups may enroll in the Internet-based program, EfM Online. There are currently 16 online EfM groups, 53 online mentors, and 116 online students. 

In Shelton, Tuesday Nights!

You are invited to join our Education for Ministry group. We are a small group of inquiring Christians who meet weekly (September to June) to discuss Scripture, church history and theology. Discussion is lively and fun, reading is interesting and enlightening, (no papers or tests) and an opportunity to learn and grow in your faith. Our evenings consist of discussion, projects, worship and of course, snacks! The program covers four years but your commitment is for one year at a time. We meet on Tuesday evenings at St Paul's in Huntington from 6:45 to 9:30 PM. If you are interested in learning more about this great program, please contact Ginnie Glassman at GinnieG123@aol.com or 203-268-9322 or Nancy Wilson at 203-929-1722.