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Lord, You Give The Great Commission:

“Heal The Sick And Preach The Word.”

Lest The Church Neglect Its Mission

And The Gospel Go Unheard,

Help Us Witness to Your Purpose

With Renewed Integrity:

With The Spirit’s Gifts Empower Us

For The Work of Ministry.

Lord, You Call Us To Your Service:

“In My Name Baptize And Teach.”

That The World May Trust Your Promise,

Life Abundant Meant For Each,

Give Us All New Fervour, Draw Us

Closer In Community:

With The Spirit’s Gifts Empower Us

For The Work of Ministry.

Lord, You Bless With Words Assuring:

“I Am With You To The End.”

Faith and Hope and Love Restoring,

May We Serve as You Intend,

And, Amid the Cares That Claim Us,

Hold In Mind Eternity:

With The Spirit’s Gifts Empower Us

For The Work Of Ministry

(Hymn 528 v. 1, 2, & 5).

The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ” (BCP p. 855). We can accomplish this by becoming a preaching, baptizing, teaching, and forgiving Eucharistic community through the Holy Spirit. The Episcopal Church Hymn, “Lord, You Give the Great Commission” works well as a hymn of mission in our liturgy. After the Eucharist, we are sent into mission every Sunday with this prayer, “Father, send us out to do the work that you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord" (BCP p. 365). This Hymn will be sung during the offertory to remind us of the mission of the Church today. We are sent forth in the name of Christ. Hymn 528 articulates the Church’s mission through the use of biblical phrases and themes. The first verse refers to a passage in Matthew. “As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:7-8). In this chapter, Jesus summons his disciples and tells them where to go and what to preach. The mission of the Church today is to become a preaching community. We are given the great commission to “go” and preach to the entire world. This preaching comes not only from the pulpit at our Sunday liturgy, but by the way we live our lives in the world as faithful Christians. We are asked to “witness to your purpose.” Mother Teresa said to “proclaim the Gospel” and use words if necessary. By the example of Christ and in the tradition of the saints, we live our lives as a living testimony of the love of God in Jesus Christ. Jesus and his disciples healed the sick and brought people to unity with God and one another. They accomplished this in a servant ministry to those in need. Mother Teresa dedicated her life to healing and caring for the sick. As the Church today, our mission is to do likewise.

In the second verse, we are called into service to baptize and teach. The great commission says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). The theology of the Church today is a Baptismal ecclesiology. We are called to be a baptizing community. “Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church” (BCP p. 298). Our theology must focus on Baptism as an essential aspect of the Church’s mission. This is where non-Christian individuals enter the Church. We become disciples and empowered through the triune God with our gifts of ministry. The refrain in hymn 528 articulates the crucial element between every verse, “with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.” This Baptismal ecclesiology is the core of the Church’s mission. Please join us every Sunday in July as we celebrate 5 Baptisms at St. John’s.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

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Summer has arrived, bringing with it time for gatherings with family and friends. It offers a time to relax and appreciate the beauty of the world God has created for our pleasure and safekeeping. Perhaps this summer, as we continue to live into a world with Covid-19, we will have the courage and confidence to travel – to take that long awaited vacation, to visit relatives in far away places, to cruise to ports unknown or to simply enjoy the many parks on our own little island of Long.

Sunday, we begin our own journey with Jesus, here at St. John’s. If you read C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, you might remember a moment when some of the characters reassure each other with reports that Aslan, the great lion, and true ruler of oppressed Narnia, has reappeared to fight the evil witch. Aslan is on the move! In our reading from the Gospel of Luke this week, we see something similar happening with Jesus. Having spent nearly the first half of Luke teaching, preaching, and working miracles, Jesus now hears and responds to his call to turn to Jerusalem and ultimately to the cross. Jesus, like Aslan, is on the move and from this last Sunday in June until the end of October, we will join Jesus on this long, indirect, but necessary journey.

We are on the move!

Luke offers a narrative that helps us, living in the 21st century, to grasp the essence of just who Jesus is. Lukan stories reveal not only the character of Jesus, but in so doing they reveal the nature of the Father who has sent him. We begin to see the mission which Jesus has been commissioned to accomplish. The journey is long and circuitous but includes many of the stories and incidents that are important for our understanding of just who this Jesus is and challenges us to follow along with him.

“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). It is interesting to note that Luke begins and ends in the temple in Jerusalem. Forty days after his birth, Jesus's parents made the journey to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord at the temple. It is the location of his death, resurrection, and ascension. This is an intentional journey that Jesus is on. His face is “set” with a penetrating resolve to accomplish the mission set forth for him by his Father. Jesus’ commitment to embrace the cross for our sake is a clear picture of the singlemindedness of his purpose, prompted by God’s love for humanity and all the world. 

In closely following God’s call and greater purpose for his life, Luke’s Jesus uses this journey, to help those who follow him better understand his mission and what it means to be a disciple. It is a teaching moment for us also.

What does it mean to be His disciple?

What does it take to be His disciple?

As we prepare for our own summer travels, let us take some time to ponder those questions. But don’t just ponder alone. Let’s spend time engaging in the summer book study with Fr. John: Island of the World, by Michael O’Brien, whose main character, Josip, is also on a journey. Join the spirituality group as they dig deeper into what it means to live out our faith and to even expand our spirituality. Join us at church on Sundays, Wednesdays at noon or for our Evensong services each third Thursday. Being in community strengthens our own faith and resolve as we too “set” our faces to join Jesus on his journey.

Journeying with you all in Christ’s love,

Deacon Claire

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Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:14-21).

Resurrection is the new creation that started 2000 years ago in the city of Nazareth. Jesus reads an Old Testament passage from Isaiah in his hometown synagogue. Jesus is anointed with the Holy Spirit to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. At St. John’s Episcopal Church in Huntington you are asked to join in this ministry. Our Baptismal covenant asks us to, “Strive for justice and peace among all people & respect the dignity of every human being.” We are asked to, “Engage the Spectrum of Racial and Social Justice, Participate in Criminal Justice Reform and Healing, and Stand with Immigrants and Refugees” in order to become a beloved community. This is a big challenge, but I believe that it is our calling. St. John’s has hosted three 10-week sessions of Sacred Ground. This program is part of the Episcopal Churches commitment to racial reconciliation. This fall we will offer a session for all our participants of Sacred Ground and look towards our next step in becoming beloved community.

“Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday. Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House two months earlier in Virginia, but slavery had remained relatively unaffected in Texas—until U.S. General Gordon Granger stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: ‘The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free”” (History Website).

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son:

Look with compassion on the whole human family;

take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts;

break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love;

and work through our struggle and

confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth;

that, in your good time, all nations and races may

serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

– Prayer for the Human Family (Book of Common Prayer, p. 815)

In Christ’s love,
Fr. Duncan

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Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers;

you are worthy of praise; glory to you.

Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name;

we will praise you and highly exalt you forever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple;

on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.

Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim;

we will praise you and highly exalt you forever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths;

in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;

we will praise you and highly exalt you forever.

Greetings from vacation! As you get to know me, you'll learn I like to know two things about liturgy: rules, and the exceptions to the rules. For example, there are rubrics (rules) for the celebration of Holy Communion on Sundays. For the Liturgy of the Word (the first half of the service) there are requirements of the lessons proclaimed: at least one reading from scripture, a psalm, and the gospel must be proclaimed. So… when the rubrics inform the clergy that for Trinity Sunday: instead of the psalm of the day, Canticle 13 may be used, this usually catches the clergy-person’s attention as this is not the norm.



The Daily Office has twenty-one canticles (hymns or chants taken from a biblical text). They are usually paired with different readings and used at Morning and Evening Prayer. Some of the more popular canticles are well known: the Gloria is the hymn of praise which we sing every Sunday right at the beginning of the service (except during Advent and Lent). Another hymn of praise many know is the Magnificat – or the Song of Mary. The choir chanted the Magnificat during Evensong just a few weeks ago. Sunday is one of the rare days that a canticle can replace the psalm of the day, simply because the lectionary declares this text worthy: The Song of the Three Young Men – Canticle 13 which is the text at the beginning of this article.

The background of this canticle comes from an Old Testament book of the prophet Daniel. In chapters one and two, King Nebuchadnezzar rejects the God of the Judeans, and in the third chapter, he sentences three men to death for their unwillingness to renounce their belief in God. The angel of God came down to be with the three men as they were put into a furnace – but were unharmed by the harsh flames due to the protection from the angel. As any of us would do in that situation, the three men started giving praise to God.

The bible has very Trinitarian language around this scriptural incident: “then the three with one voice praised and glorified and blessed God in the furnace.” I believe the three men crying out in one voice is symbolic of the relationship of the Trinity. There are plenty of examples of how to explain the complicated Trinity: three persons, one God. One of the classic explanations comes from St. Augustine; he explained the Trinity as “Lover, Beloved, and Love itself.” I do appreciate the analogy, but as a visual person I need something tangible to work with. As I’ve been working with the choir recently, I worked on a three-part arrangement of this canticle. Alex helped to break us up into three parts: sopranos sang the melody, altos sang a lower counter melody, and the tenors and basses sang the lowest portion of the harmony. Three different notes, working together in harmony, to accomplish the goal of a single chord.

In an article from 2011 by the British Broadcasting Company regarding the celebration of Trinity Sunday, the author proclaimed that “the Trinity expresses the way Christians should relate to God; worship God the Father, follow the example set by God the Son, and how God the Holy Spirit lives in you.” As we approach this weekend, let us think about what the Trinity means to us, let us meditate on how we work in harmony with others, and how we are called to give praise to God like the Three Young Men. Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We will praise you and highly exalt you forever.

Your sibling in Christ,

Fr. James 

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Unless the eye catch fire,

God will not be seen.

Unless the ear catch fire

God will not be heard.

Unless the tongue catch fire

God will not be named.

Unless the heart catch fire,

God will not be loved.

Unless the mind catch fire,

God will not be known.

~William Blake

There are many places where I experience the living presence of God. I love to worship God in familiar liturgy that survives the test of time like Rite I. I love prayers that I have been saying since I was young like the Lord’s Prayer. I love holy, beautiful, and magnificent spaces like Cathedrals. I love to hear God praised through prayer, chant, and song. I love to share Eucharist in community. I love to read the bible in community and discern what the Holy Spirit is saying.

But church is not the only place where I experience the eternal. I love to watch the sun rise and watch the sun set. I love to watch wind as it blows through trees. I watch wind as it forms ripples on the water and moves across the sea, I love to see waves at the ocean and to hear the melody of the water crashing against the shore. I love to watch water flow from the top of a mountain, through a waterfall and form a river. I love to stare into a fire. I enjoy the smell of burning wood, the feeling of warmth on a cold night, and the crackling of the fire. I love to hike deep into the woods. I love to hike so far and high into the wilderness that the only sounds I hear are the birds singing, the water rushing, and wind dancing through the forest.

It is in these places that I drift off from my mortal existence to the eternal truth and presence of the One, Holy, God. Time seems to dissipate as my soul emerges from the restrictions of my conscious mind to the beauty and freedom of my sub conscious existence. I don’t know what heaven will be like, but I imagine that God gives me a taste of the eternal in these and other ways. God’s eternal presence seems very close to me.

I tell people that the first step is to have faith that Jesus Christ is Lord. Faith requires a little shift from the front lobe of your brain, and that is where the experience can be lost before it even starts. This shift only occurs when we express true love and thanksgiving to God. I wish this were easier than it is, but God asks us for nothing less than our whole self. God responds by giving us a taste of the eternal. This love eventually burns in all of our senses. Our soul becomes a conduit through all our senses of the ever living God. So what are you waiting for? Go catch the fire of God’s love and share it with everyone you meet.

This Fall, we will travel to the Holy Cross Monastery on September 27^th to September 30^th. We will be led into the living presence of God through worship with the monks and then out into God’s beautiful creation to experience God in the changing of the seasons and in the beauty of mountains, rivers, and lakes. It will be a guided retreat with wonderful meals, great worship, and time to relax. Please contact me if you would like to attend. Please join Fr. John Morrison on zoom on Thursday, June 9th at 4 PM for a Spirituality Group presentation, “music, music, music.” The Spirituality Group is also sponsoring a labyrinth walk on June 11^th. We will meet at St. John’s at 10:00 AM and proceed to CW Post and then to Bar Frites for lunch.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

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“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 1:12-17). 

Jesus preached love amidst hatred; unity amidst divisiveness; faith amidst the legalistic religious leaders of his day; inclusiveness amidst exclusionary religious leaders; wholeness amidst the brokenhearted; freedom amidst those held in yokes of bondage; Jesus spoke truth to power. Christ preached a love so radical that it cost him his life. 

Meister Eckhart, a renowned German mystic said: “We must learn neither to seek nor to take our own advantage in any matter, but always to find and procure the advantage of God. For God does not give gifts, nor did he ever give one, so that man might keep it and take satisfaction in it; but all were given – all he ever gave on earth or in heaven – that he might give us this one more: himself. With all his giving he is trying only to prepare us for the gift that he himself is; and all his works – all that he ever did on earth or in heaven – he did for the sake of this one more: to perfect our happiness. Therefore I say that we must learn to look through every gift and every event to God and never be content with the thing itself. There is no stopping place in this life – no, nor was there ever for any man, no matter how far along his way he’d gone. This above all, then, be ready at all times for the gifts of God and always for new ones.”

Jesus prays for all believers in the present and in the future. The disciple’s will need the love of Christ to carry the Word of God. They will give glory to God and write about it in the New Testament so that others from every generation will come to believe. If we believe that through Jesus’ unity with this radical love that the glory of God is shown, then we are Easter People. We are resurrection people and we can bet that being unified in this radical love is not going to bring us in harmony with everyone around us. Paul practices this same type of unity with the father and he ends up in prison. A slave girl who can tell fortunes is being used to make profits for her owners. When Paul removes the spirit that gives her the power to tell fortunes, the owners get angry. Paul is just doing what is right, but if that affects their profits, then the Roman authorities can throw him in jail. The glory of Jesus is at the center of our lives. Every ministry we do, every person we help, and every use of the gifts that we have been given are for the glory of God and not ourselves. 1 John 4:11: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” This week’s sermon is about unity. We may not be in unity with everyone. Our unity is in the glory of God.

The confirmation class will meet next Sunday after the 10:00 service with me. It is Pentecost Sunday. We will decide what outreach the church will do with the funds received for the bishop’s visit. We have $1,960.00 to spend! Thank you to everyone who gave to our outreach fund.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

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In John’s fifth chapter, we hear Jesus having mercy on a man who has been sick for a long time; the gospel writer says the man has been sick for thirty-eight years. This is an obscure number to mention and it caught my eye. This number mirrors us back to the Old Testament. In the Book of Deuteronomy, the Israelites were in the desert for thirty-eight years, plus the two beforehand of building the ark and seeing the miracles God had presented them. Once the forty years were over, God gave mercy and revealed a time of hope and prosperity in this new place.

In John’s Gospel this Sunday, at the Pool of Beth-zatha, the man there could never be healed – he couldn’t find the hope he sought. The Pool of Beth-zatha isn’t your average pool. It is ancient pool in Jerusalem that was in an undiscovered location until the 19th century. Legend says that angels would swirl the water in the pool and the first person who entered the swirling water would be cured of ailments of many kinds, cleansed of illness, filled with promises of a better life ahead.

Jesus asked the man, “do you want to be made well?” The sick man talked about the impossibility of the occurrence. “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool.” He obviously had an ailment in walking; he is struggling to get to the pool, to attempt to receive healing from the waters stirred up by the angels. He also appears to be a faithful, believing man. Jesus never asked the man what he did or what he had done to try to heal. He simply asked “do you want to be made well?”

Are you suffering from an ailment? It could be physical, emotional, or even spiritual. Perhaps you have struggled for many years and the suffering continues, even though you have prayed daily and attended church weekly. ‘Where is God?’ you wonder. Maybe this is an issue of forgiveness. Do you need to forgive yourself? Easter is a season of resurrection and new life. Jesus is calling to you: “do you want to be made well?” He is prepared to send the angels to swirl the pool for you. Yes, he wants to heal you. God wants to give you His mercy and reveal to you a time of hope and prosperity, but first, Jesus asks this most provocative question, “Do you want to be made well?" How will you answer Jesus?”

Your sibling in Christ,
Fr. James

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Open Unto Me, Lord by Howard Thurman

Open unto me — light for my darkness.

Open unto me — courage for my fear.

Open unto me — hope for my despair.

Open unto me — peace for my turmoil.

Open unto me — joy for my sorrow.

Open unto me — strength for my weakness.

Open unto me — wisdom for my confusion.

Open unto me — forgiveness for my sins.

Open unto me — love for my hates.

Open unto me — thy Self for myself.

Lord, Lord, open unto me! Amen.

I was watching 60 minutes this past Sunday. They were doing a story about anxiety among 7th and 8th graders. This Covid pandemic had a profound effect on the mental health of young people. Kids that were "A" students are failing classes because of the stress and difficulties in remote learning. Lots of kids have suffered from mental illness because of these past two years. I think it is safe to say that this pandemic has caused mental health consequences for almost every age group. Jesus said, “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:34-35 The Message).

Howard Thurman’s poem asks God to open unto me hope for despair. This week’s reading tells us that God will live among us and “he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more, for the first things have passed away” (Rev. 21: 4). The point of these passages is that God can get us through the tough times in our lives. Instead of fighting with one another, we can help each other. Instead of being mad at one another, we can listen to one another. In today’s lesson from Acts, Peter finally understands that God’s love is offered to everyone. We are to love God and love our neighbor.

The solution is not to scream or get angry and frustrated at one another, but to love one another. The solution is to follow Christ who is the way, the truth and the life. We are to steadfastly follow the Way of Love according to our collect this Sunday and our Presiding Bishop Curry. Sometimes God answers your prayers with the help you need.

This week, I ask you to give a warm welcome to Fr. James Reiss, our new curate. I am excited to have him join Deacon Claire and me as members of our St. John’s clergy. We have been hoping and praying for help. The bishop has sent us a newly ordained priest who will help our younger folks and families. His many talents include music ministry, children, youth, and young adult ministry, theater, military chaplaincy, and his abounding energy and love of Christ will be a real asset to our active parish. I am delighted that he will start with us this Sunday, May 15^th. We are asked to help him grow into his ministry with kindness and support. Please join him for some treats and coffee after church today in the parish hall.

Lastly, I am teaching bible study in May and June on the resurrection. Jesus came unto us to change our world from darkness to light, from despair to hope, and from turmoil to peace by giving himself for us. As he rose on Easter, we will rise as a congregation through loving and caring for one another. Open your heart to the life changing love of Jesus Christ. If you are feeling a little down, please don’t lose hope. God’s love is all around you in this place.

In Christ's love,

Fr. Duncan

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The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever (Psalm 23 KJV).

I ask you to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Maybe you are like Thomas and ask, “How can we know the sound of your voice?” One way to hear the voice of the shepherd is to align your mission with our Anglican Mission. The Five Marks of Mission are:

• To proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God.
• To teach, baptize and nurture new believers.
• To respond to human need by loving service.
• To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind, and to pursue peace and reconciliation.
• To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the Earth.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer has been one of my favorite theologians because he loved the Lord and followed the Good Shepherd. He wrote about the beatitudes and helping the poor and oppressed. He challenged those who where doing evil to others. Unlike many Christians that kept silent during the Nazi reign, Bonhoeffer gave his life to try and stop Hitler. The Quakers heard the voice of the Shepherd and spoke up against slavery when most churches were silent. They stood up for a group of people that had no money nor power and therefore had no voice. God calls those with a voice to stand up for those who have no voice. The White Supremacy movement, as of late is very disconcerting. The Racial Reconciliation and Social Justice Committee at St. John’s urges you to join us in the next section of Sacred Ground. The Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Long Island, and the congregation of St. John’s have all committed to the long term work of transforming unjust structures and promoting racial reconciliation in our community. I believe that the Good Shepherd calls us to this work and I hope that you will participate in this ministry. I for one will not be silent about our need in America for racial reconciliation. Who in the church will stand up with me and speak the truth against the hate mongers in our midst?

Another way to hear the voice of the Shepherd is through creation. God created every living thing and everything in the universe. I like to garden with my wife. This month we will begin a unit on creation care. We will try and improve the way we care for creation. We will assemble a green team that will gather recommendations for both St. John’s and individuals. More people hear the voice of God in nature than in churches. We will invite Rev. Matthew Moore to preach on July 17^th and he will speak as the Missioner of Environmental Justice in the Diocese of Long Island.

Last weekend we confirmed, received and gave first communion to many of our children, youth, and adults. We will continue to teach children and have baptisms. Please pray for Christine and our teachers and bring your kids to Sunday school at 9:45 on Sunday mornings. It takes a whole village to raise a child. This week our confirmands will decide where the money collected last weekend will go to support mission and outreach per our bishop.

We will continue to respond to human need by helping the homeless through HIHI, helping families in need through laundry love, donating to charities through our ECW, and helping others through our Thrift Shop. Please drop off some cloths, buy a raffle ticket, or visit us on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

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“The story of Jesus as he goes to the cross is the story we all know: the story of what happens when our vision of the world and of ourselves come crashing down. Jesus comes to the place, not where the signposts originally appear to be pointing, but where they have collapsed… we find that the God who we might have hoped would meet us in the place to which justice, love, freedom and truth had pointed has instead come to meet us in the place where justice, love, freedom and truth were denied and trampled upon. Our place. Our broken place. Our broken world” (NT Wright).

The Creator of the universe launches a new way of living (the Kingdom of God) in a tiny manger. Jesus is born as fully human and fully divine to show us the truth that God hears our cries and sends Jesus that we might have life and live it abundantly. Jesus eats with sinners, brings hope to the dispossessed, gives living water to the thirsty, feeds the hungry, and brings wholeness to those who are broken. Jesus is sentenced, tortured, and suffers a cruel and horrible death. Several women witness his resurrected body and he appears to a few folks on the road to Emmaus. Jesus appears to Doubting Thomas and the other disciples. Then he appears to several hundred others and God’s new order is launched. Later, Jesus appeared to Paul and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. We wake up this morning to a broken world to a God who still listens to our cries. God sends Jesus to us when we are hurting and to those places in the world where God’s love is needed.

When I interviewed in graduate school, the first question they asked me was, “who in the bible can you relate to and why?” I answered, “Peter.” There was a long pause. Dr. Akma opened his eyes wide, shook his head, and asked, “Why?” I stumbled and stuttered and said, “None of this makes any sense to me. My wife, three kids, and a dog are leaving great jobs, a beautiful home, good friends, and a happy life, but I feel in my heart that this is where Jesus is calling me. So here I am, even though I really don’t have a good answer for you.” Later I would learn the Gospel story of Peter. Peter was a fisherman, who lived with his wife in Capernaum. He shared a house with his mother-in-law and his brother, Andrew. They had their own boat and were friends with the Zebedee boys, James and John, Jesus called to them from the shore and said, “Would you like to change the world.” Jesus later asks Peter, "Who do YOU say that I am?” Peter said, “You’re the Christ," he said, "the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16: 15 -16). When Jesus spoke of being tortured and killed and on the third day raised again, Peter said, "God forbid, Lord. This shall never happen," and that's when Jesus said to him. "Get behind me, Satan" (Matthew 16:21-23). One day Peter saw Jesus walking on the water and tried to walk out on water, but he lost his nerve and began to sink. (Matthew 14:28-31). At their last supper, when Jesus started to wash the disciples' feet, it was Peter who protested--"You will never wash my feet!" "Listen, listen," Jesus said, "the cock won't crow till you've betrayed me three times" (John 13:36-38).

In today’s Gospel, Jesus goes to Peter’s favorite beach. He is a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, and Peter and his friends loved to cook some of their fish on a charcoal fire on the shore. Jesus stands at Peter’s happy place and calls out to him. When Peter figures out that it is his Risen Lord on the beach, he throws on his tunic, jumps off the boat, and swims to shore. Jesus asks him three times if he loves him and three times, Peter tells him that he loves him. Jesus then tells him to feed my sheep. If we are to launch the Kingdom of God here at St. John’s, let us begin with the words, “Here I am Lord” say the words, “You know that I love you, Lord” and let us end by following Jesus to the broken places in the world.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan