The Rev. Drew Foisie, Vicar
"From the Vicar" monthly article
The Fall is a gloomy thought from a theological standpoint, but as a season it is packed with hope and expectation. As the trees go fully bare they stand as symbols of the ever unfolding mystery of death and rebirth at the heart of our Christian story. As day light shrinks and darkness closes in light becomes more precious and celebrated, the warmth of the hearth becomes a coveted gift, and shared meals with family and friends become life itself.
The turn inward is as natural and necessary as any turn outward. Along these stretches of the journey the sense of what’s most important and sacred often crystalizes and comes to the fore. As liturgically minded folks we tend to enact these things in our worship in ways that connect the outward and visible with the inward and spiritual. The candles we light at Advent and Christmas to symbolize the light of Christ growing in power as the darkness increases, may be one example. The gathering of the whole family of God around the altar, the center of the Church’s life, on All Saints Day may be another. And prayerfully considering all that God has done for us and intentionally offering back to God a portion of our time, talent, and our treasure may be yet another.
Going into November with the COVID-19 pandemic still very much with us is not going to be easy. For many this is the time one most wants to be in church to feel the comfort of the sanctuary’s walls that have been soaked in prayer for years, to partake of the rites that fill and renew our hearts, and to share table fellowship with friends and neighbors. It is my prayer that we will soon be able to safely offer a modified phase 2 indoor gathering option in accordance with diocesan standards. The live stream option, however, will never go away. Those who want or need to remain home will be able to worship with the St Aidan’s community no matter what phase of reopening the church is in.
This will be true for all major feast days and holy days, and this will certainly be true when Bishop Rickel makes his visit to St Aidan’s November 22. On that day there will only be one live stream service at 10:00 a.m. It will be a service of Holy Communion Rite II with spiritual reception of the sacrament. The intent is to honor the essential nature of the sacrament as a communal endeavor (which is diminished if the bread and wine are only available to some and not to others) and the idea that the benefits of the sacrament are imparted even if the sacrament is only received in the heart. The bishop as chief pastor of the diocese and symbol of the church’s unity makes it the perfect time for this.
It’s also the perfect time for a time correction. Not only in terms of daylight savings time, but service times as well. Shifting the principle service to 10:30 in October threw some for a loop. So, there will be a shift back to 10:00 a.m. starting November 1! The drive-in service will remain at 8:30 a.m., as that time seems to work well. As we go we learn and grow.
God bless you this November in all you do.
Yours In Christ,
Drew+
The Fall is a gloomy thought from a theological standpoint, but as a season it is packed with hope and expectation. As the trees go fully bare they stand as symbols of the ever unfolding mystery of death and rebirth at the heart of our Christian story. As day light shrinks and darkness closes in light becomes more precious and celebrated, the warmth of the hearth becomes a coveted gift, and shared meals with family and friends become life itself.
The turn inward is as natural and necessary as any turn outward. Along these stretches of the journey the sense of what’s most important and sacred often crystalizes and comes to the fore. As liturgically minded folks we tend to enact these things in our worship in ways that connect the outward and visible with the inward and spiritual. The candles we light at Advent and Christmas to symbolize the light of Christ growing in power as the darkness increases, may be one example. The gathering of the whole family of God around the altar, the center of the Church’s life, on All Saints Day may be another. And prayerfully considering all that God has done for us and intentionally offering back to God a portion of our time, talent, and our treasure may be yet another.
Going into November with the COVID-19 pandemic still very much with us is not going to be easy. For many this is the time one most wants to be in church to feel the comfort of the sanctuary’s walls that have been soaked in prayer for years, to partake of the rites that fill and renew our hearts, and to share table fellowship with friends and neighbors. It is my prayer that we will soon be able to safely offer a modified phase 2 indoor gathering option in accordance with diocesan standards. The live stream option, however, will never go away. Those who want or need to remain home will be able to worship with the St Aidan’s community no matter what phase of reopening the church is in.
This will be true for all major feast days and holy days, and this will certainly be true when Bishop Rickel makes his visit to St Aidan’s November 22. On that day there will only be one live stream service at 10:00 a.m. It will be a service of Holy Communion Rite II with spiritual reception of the sacrament. The intent is to honor the essential nature of the sacrament as a communal endeavor (which is diminished if the bread and wine are only available to some and not to others) and the idea that the benefits of the sacrament are imparted even if the sacrament is only received in the heart. The bishop as chief pastor of the diocese and symbol of the church’s unity makes it the perfect time for this.
It’s also the perfect time for a time correction. Not only in terms of daylight savings time, but service times as well. Shifting the principle service to 10:30 in October threw some for a loop. So, there will be a shift back to 10:00 a.m. starting November 1! The drive-in service will remain at 8:30 a.m., as that time seems to work well. As we go we learn and grow.
God bless you this November in all you do.
Yours In Christ,
Drew+
St Aidan's Episcopal Church
1318 SR532, Camano Island, WA 98282
PO Box 145, Stanwood, WA 98292
Office@StAidansCI.org
(360) 629-3969 ~ Like us on Facebook
Copyright © All rights reserved.
1318 SR532, Camano Island, WA 98282
PO Box 145, Stanwood, WA 98292
Office@StAidansCI.org
(360) 629-3969 ~ Like us on Facebook
Copyright © All rights reserved.