Saint Joseph's Episcopal Church
Finding the Way Together
1902 West Main Street
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 286-1064
Faithfully serving Durham NC since 1908
The Mission of Saint Joseph's To follow Jesus Christ as His Disciples through Joyful Worship, Sacred Study, Christian Action, and Community Life, In the Power of the Holy Spirit.
A Carried-Away Church
“The crowning evidence that Jesus was alive was not a vacant grave, but a spirit-filled fellowship. Not a rolled-away stone, but a carried-away church.” Clarence Jordan
What is it to witness an empty grave if it has no effect upon our lives? What is it to exclaim that Jesus is risen if others cannot see the reflection of Jesus through our words and actions?
When I graduated from college I lived in an intentional Christian community, trying to live out the Jesuit values of social justice, spirituality, community and simple lifestyle. When I left, I was committed to continuing to live my life according to these values. Well, that was over 20 years ago, and I have lost much ground. I have maintained a focus on deepening my spiritual life, and I have some sense of Christian community that challenge and encourage one another even though we don’t live in the same space. I have continued to engage issues of social justice, but I have simply failed miserably in the value of simple lifestyle.
So, when I came across Clarence Jordan’s quote, not only was I convicted to examine my own life but it occurred to me that we should consider the life of St. Joseph’s as well.
Would anyone who walked in our doors consider us to be a spirit-filled fellowship, a carried-away church?
In a few days we will celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit. The period of time in the church calendar which follows Pentecost Sunday is called “the season after Pentecost” and is sometimes referred to as “ordinary time.” We are filled with the Spirit so that our ordinary lives may become extraordinary.
I hope that this “ordinary time” will be a time to begin the process of discerning who we are and who we are to become. How can we become a spirit-filled fellowship – allowing the Spirit to fill our worship and praise of God, our prayer lives and our relationships and our care for one another? How can we become a carried-away church – enabling the Spirit to carry us into the world to care for those around us who are rejected, scorned, hurt and cast aside by this world?
I pray that we will all take the time to ask such questions, not only of our own lives as individuals but of our life together as a corporate community. Let us talk, share and pray together for our mission and ministry - that God may use us to bring forth a bit of the Kingdom in this place.
Shalom,
Karen+
“The crowning evidence that Jesus was alive was not a vacant grave, but a spirit-filled fellowship. Not a rolled-away stone, but a carried-away church.” Clarence Jordan
What is it to witness an empty grave if it has no effect upon our lives? What is it to exclaim that Jesus is risen if others cannot see the reflection of Jesus through our words and actions?
When I graduated from college I lived in an intentional Christian community, trying to live out the Jesuit values of social justice, spirituality, community and simple lifestyle. When I left, I was committed to continuing to live my life according to these values. Well, that was over 20 years ago, and I have lost much ground. I have maintained a focus on deepening my spiritual life, and I have some sense of Christian community that challenge and encourage one another even though we don’t live in the same space. I have continued to engage issues of social justice, but I have simply failed miserably in the value of simple lifestyle.
So, when I came across Clarence Jordan’s quote, not only was I convicted to examine my own life but it occurred to me that we should consider the life of St. Joseph’s as well.
Would anyone who walked in our doors consider us to be a spirit-filled fellowship, a carried-away church?
In a few days we will celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit. The period of time in the church calendar which follows Pentecost Sunday is called “the season after Pentecost” and is sometimes referred to as “ordinary time.” We are filled with the Spirit so that our ordinary lives may become extraordinary.
I hope that this “ordinary time” will be a time to begin the process of discerning who we are and who we are to become. How can we become a spirit-filled fellowship – allowing the Spirit to fill our worship and praise of God, our prayer lives and our relationships and our care for one another? How can we become a carried-away church – enabling the Spirit to carry us into the world to care for those around us who are rejected, scorned, hurt and cast aside by this world?
I pray that we will all take the time to ask such questions, not only of our own lives as individuals but of our life together as a corporate community. Let us talk, share and pray together for our mission and ministry - that God may use us to bring forth a bit of the Kingdom in this place.
Shalom,
Karen+
