All Saints Sunday
Fr. Phil Eberhart
I am your God, you are my people!
I have to start by saying that life throws us some curve balls once in a while! I wasn't planning on preaching from Zoom this morning but exposure to an active covid case requires us to quarantine, for everyone's safety. No symptoms after 9 days, so we think that we're ok.
This morning we're also welcoming Fr Edward back in the saddle again here at Rez. He has come off his sabbatical and will be preaching again in a couple of weeks.
My shoulder surgery also got postponed as a result to Dec 31.
So... Happy New Year!
This morning is our All Saints celebration and our Covenant Renewal Sunday. At the back table and on the back of the bulletin is our
2020 Giving estimate sheet.
(Click above in the RezPadre blog) (cut and paste the form into your email window, fill in the blanks and email to ... pamebake@comcast.net)
During the breakout time today we will take that 10 minutes to fill the sheet out. We've got a table at the front for the dedication prayers... you may place the sheet along with phones, wallets, purses e.t.c. anything you want prayed over and dedicated to the Lord. If you're on Zoom have those items handy and we're going to hold them in our hands for that prayer.
We are living in a time right now of high anxiety as our nation surges toward what is an unprecedented election and the final two months of 2020, ... Thank you, Jesus!
Someone said that the worst thing about the fall time change this year is that we got another hour of 2020!
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Renewing Covenant is something that the people of Israel did and do every year and that is the point of the yearly schedule of feasts that the Hebrew nation celebrates to this day. The remembrance of their history and heritage as God's Chosen people is brought to mind and celebrated as it is recited again by young and old.
Rez by contrast is a blip on the screen, in our mere 20th year, born officially in May of 2001 and on a journey of life together since that time. But the best part of this day is remembering all that God has done, the many, many faces of His people, called Rez, and of His extraordinary faithfulness to us on this journey.
The emphasis today must be on God, who is the maker and keeper of his promises concerning us. The original promise to Abraham and his people was "I shall be your God and you shall be My People! "
Today we respond to that promise again in an unbroken line of those God calls "My People"... what a story we have to tell of His unfailing love and faithfulness to us all.
It's not about our faithfulness but His! I was struck as I listened again to our gospel reading from the beatitudes. These are the parameters of blessing in the Kingdom of God...
Being 'poor' in spirit, not spirituality arrogant or self- sufficient.
Being one who mourns, I think not for the dead but for the lost, including ourselves and our own state of constant need.
Being the meek, the gentle, the kind.
Being hungry and thirsty for His righteousness.
Being the merciful.
Being the pure in heart.
Being the peacemakers.
Being the persecuted. Reviled for His Name's sake.
"Rejoice," Jesus said!
If we live out these BE - Attitudes we will experience the blessed-ness of being God's People! We're going to stand out in a crowd. Not because of outward differences, but inner ones.
People wonder why? What's going on with you. There's hope, when despair is all around. There's love, when hate is everywhere. There's peace when violent discord is the order of the day!
Believe me, we will stand out if we're truly God's People!
Peter told his listeners to "Set apart Christ as Lord, and to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that us in you! "
"Let your light so shine," Jesus said, "that all may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven!" This is our part of the equation. This is the "be my people" part of the equation. And when we're living that out day by day we're going to see the "I will be your God" part manifested before our eyes as well.
Let's pray a prayer to begin the renewal process now and we'll move through the process in our prayers and offering time this morning.
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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