The 13 th Sunday after Pentecost September 7, 2014 Episcopal Church of the Ascension The Reverend Dr. Howard J. Hess For the Ministry of the Church Introduction . Today is Rally Day ~ the day we celebrate the re-gathering of our community as we enter into a new program year and leave summer vacations behind. We worship in two different places this morning ~ here at 8, and at Grace Point, our Diocesan Camp, at 10:30. In observance of this day, our lectionary readings come from the Book of Common Prayer in a section entitled “For Special Occasions.” These readings celebrate who we are, why we exist, and what we are to be about. II. So who are we ~ this community that calls itself The Episcopal Church of the Ascension? My basic response is that we are a thriving community of believers situated here on the top of a hill, committed to be a place in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed and enacted. We are Christ-followers, and as Paul tells us in Ephesi...
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Carrying the Cross Together
The Rev. Amy Morehous Proper 17 August 31, 2014 Last week Fr. Brett reminded us that we are the keeper of the keys, we ARE Peter - we are equally imperfect, equally called by God. We are fully known by Jesus - and we have the chance to come to know him and to proclaim him as the Christ. The Messiah. We all have the chance to stand before Jesus and answer the question "who do you say that I am?" So the question Jesus asks us in the Gospel today is if Jesus is the Christ - the Messiah, then so what? What are we going to do about it? So what? Has it made any difference in how you live your life? Today Jesus asks the disciples - asks us - what have we done to follow him? As Fr. Brett admitted last week, he didn’t want to preach on “who do you say I am?” because he has trouble answering that question for himself. Well, I’m here to tell you that I wrestle with that "so what?" - with my own stubborn will - far more than I wrestle with knowing Jesus as Christ. The three...