May 20, 2012

(Seventh Sunday of Easter; Youth Sunday)

• Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
• Psalm 1
• 1 John 5:9-13
• John 17:6-19

(From The Lectionary Page)

by Devon Sweeting, Graduating Senior from Notre Dame De Sion High School

This year in senior religion we read an article on James Fowler’s stages of faith, which explains how a person’s faith changes over the years. As I was writing my dreaded reflection on my faith journey, I noticed something. Each time I passed into a different stage not only did my faith change but so did my goals in life, namely my dream jobs.

When I was very young, I wanted to be an actor, to imagine myself and others in a hundred different ways, just as I saw God in an ever changing light. Just like many children I saw religion, the world, and stories in a very black and white light. There were heroes, villains, and Disney was the authority on which was which. My ideas of plays were very much the same as my idea of religion: simple with a right and wrong.

Once I got into fourth grade, I wanted to be chef. This life choice may or may not have been caused by Iron Chef and Good Eats, but as my parents have yet to provide proof to that fact, I’m going with the idea that I like food, because who doesn’t like food. It brings people together for no other reason than it is tasty, generally speaking, which brings me to the next stage of faith, group faith. At this point in my life, food was a way of bringing everyone together for both mind and body, and in terms of religion by the time I was in sixth grade I spent around five hours a week here between choir, youth group, and services. I rarely considered missing a Sunday because my closest friends were, and many still are, here. It wasn’t as important that it was church so much as I could be with them. As much as I loved the seder meal and latkas we had at school, a welcomed break from the masses I couldn’t really participate in, other religions were almost ignored unless they came in direct contact with my life and even then I defaulted to any and all lessons from sunday school, because that’s what we were taught.

Once I got to eighth grade this default religion was no longer acceptable; one of the best teachers I had made us give him a reason entirely of our own to back up any and all stances we took. With these questions and my own answers coming from both my experiences and lengthy conversations in the youth room, I came into the stage of a personalized and examined faith. At this same time, I decided I wanted to be a writer. Not the most economic decision I’ve made, but one of the most influential. As I conquered my sometimes conflicting ideas of God and Christianity, I built worlds of my own with words of my own. I found faith, like good writing, can come from questioning and then understanding. It took awhile for me to settle into both my writing and my faith, but after working on both through reading, listening, and talking to others, I am a stronger person and a better follower of the Episcopal church as I understand it.

Despite my settling into my understanding of spirituality and my genre of writing mysteries not fantasy as I tried to for far too long, I still had a few details to work out and growing to do. Firstly, writing doesn’t pay, unless you’re J.K Rowling or some other form of writing perfection. Secondly, there’s the contemplation of over religions in terms of one’s own. To answer the first problem I considered history, until I realized I can’t teach, and I didn’t know what other subjects I like enough to make a living out of them. I eventually stumbled across the field of anthropology and thanks in large part to forensics class, physical forensic anthropology which is the study of human bones. This balanced out my adoration of mystery and history, and come this fall I will begin my long journey to the Ph.D that is required if I’m to find a job in the competitive field. Now to what turned out to be the easier question, to some extents. I found after talking to people of other faiths that I didn’t really have any issues of connecting my beliefs to those of others, even when we disagree on logistics. I have come to the conclusion that faith, in any religion, is merely a question of love and how best to express that love. My issue was not in contemplating other religions but in my understand of spirituality at its simplest, mainly because I had yet to find that definition. With love as the base for my faith, religion has become a much simpler world to navigate, and I know this view will help me to continue to grow as a person no matter what is to come.

Wear red!

Baptism: Holy Baptism will be administered next on the Day of Pentecost, May 27. Contact the Cathedral clergy if you desire baptism for you or your child.

Your purchase of these handmade hats make a beautiful gift for that special child in your life; and the FULL purchase price of the hat goes to Maison de Naissance (MN), a birthing home in Haiti.

The selection of knitted/crocheted gifts changes, so stop by often!

Thank you to the talented members of this ministry supported by the Cathedral. Your generous hearts and hands are blessings to us here AND in Haiti.

Adult Formation is off for the summer.  Have a safe and blessed summer and we will see you again in the fall.

Until May 25, donors have the opportunity to make their dollars go even further toward fighting malaria in Africa. During this period, any donation made to the NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $430,000, thanks to a group of generous Episcopal Relief & Development donors. This means nearly $1 million will be raised to fight malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, through the NetsforLife® program partnership. Any size gift to the NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund – online, by mail or by phone – will be matched in full until May 25, or as long as matching funds are available.

NetsforLife Inspiration Fund

The NetsforLife® the Inspiration Fund is a grassroots effort to educate, engage and unite Episcopalians to support the MDGs through the fight against malaria.

Episcopal Relief & Development’s Inspiration Fund enables Episcopalians to live their faith by making a positive difference in the lives of millions around the globe through local, grassroots engagement in communities across the country.

The Problem: Malaria, a deadly infectious disease transmitted by a mosquito bite.

• Malaria is a public health problem in more than 100 countries in the world, resulting in 250 million cases of infection annually.
• Every 60 seconds a child dies from malaria
• 90% of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa due to of lack of available prevention and treatment options, as well as the prevalence of malaria infected mosquitoes.
• The disease costs an estimated $12 billion in lost productivity each year in Africa.

How can malaria be prevented?

The front line of defense in preventing malaria is the use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, which simultaneously provide a protective covering for the body while releasing chemicals to repel and kill the infection-carrying mosquitoes.

Recent technology has dramatically improved nets by infusing the insecticide in the netting material, making the nets effective for up to five years.

Just one life-saving, long lasting insecticide-treated net can save three lives from suffering and death.
Since 2008, NetsforLife® has delivered more than 4.8 million nets across 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa resulting in fewer infections, fewer deaths and stronger communities.

What can you do to help?

• Give financially to Episcopal Relief and Development’s NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund. Special envelopes will be provided next week but you can give online anytime at www.er-d.org.
• Children in formation classes and chapel are using their Hope Chests during Eastertide to collect money to give to NetsforLife as part of responding to what they learned during Lent.

GHTC’s own Greg Morgan and David Angus will be ordained along with Laurie McKim from Raytown.
Watch upcoming bulletins for how you can help with the reception following the ordination.

Dress casually & enjoy this time of fellowship

Meat will be provided; please bring a dish to share (salad, side or dessert) and lawn chairs.

Activities for all ages!

Wednesday, May 23
Founders’ Hall

Café Grazia is a monthly gathering for all parishioners. You are cordially invited to join the fun, bring bread or a salad to share, and enjoy the fellowship.

Dinner • 5:30 p.m.
Small Groups • 6:30 p.m.

• Altar Guild 101 -  We will explore the topic: Why Bread?
  
• Youth Group Game Night
  
• Charitable Needlework – Hang out with us and work on your needlework projects.  Don’t knit, crochet or sew?  Don’t worry; we’ll help you get started!
• BackSnack backpack stuffing - Help fill backpacks for hungry school children with food. One of the easiest ways you can help fight hunger!
• Reel People – Watch and discuss a movie with us.

Signup sheets are available at the back of the Nave and in Founders’ Hall for you, your family, ministry group or small group to sign up for one or more weeks this summer (starting June 10 through August).