April 1, 2022
A Meditation from the Rector: Who Needs My Love Today?
Dear brothers and sisters in faith,
This morning I opened the church doors early, settled into my office, began to make out my list of tasks for the day, and had a thought I hadn’t had before:
Who needs my love today?
God gives us our lives to share with others. And we experience life more fully—and joyfully—giving our love to others in our time on this earth. Every step we take in real acts of love—the first one often being the hardest—can mean a world of difference for those we love and care for.
Considering the possibilities for acts of love on behalf of others can seem rather endless, it’s helpful to take some direction from others in our community who are already taking real steps in Walking the Way of Love, and consider joining with them in prayer and action.
Here are two important ways we can offer ourselves in ministry today—with some concrete ways we can do that:
- We are being called to love and care for our brothers and sisters suffering in Ukraine.
Beginning this Sunday, April 3, we will commence, and continue each week, to pray for peace in our worship—and on this Sunday, we will take up a collection for the Episcopal Relief & Development Ukraine Crisis Response Fund. (If you can’t join us this Sunday, please take a moment and click on the following link to make your contribution: https://help.rescue.org/donate/ukraine-acq?ms=gs_ppc_fy22_ukraine_mmus_feb&initialms=gs_ppc_fy22_ukraine_mmus_feb&gclid=CjwKCAjwopWSBhB6EiwAjxmqDRYIs_XAKUEOrm3_rmABNE_GRzJQpZTrXzQPWJwWxGkLfAqnwMZsBBoCW4cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds. Your contribution will help provide cash, blankets, and other necessities to help real people with real suffering. Your prayers will bring about change.
In addition, we will be having an Open Conversation about ways (financially and otherwise) St Andrew’s Church can care for those suffering from the war in Ukraine this Tuesday, April 5 at 5:00 pm in the Parish Hall AND via Zoom. Email Father Chip if you are interested fatherchip@standrewsmv.org .
Our Laboratory of Love group, which is leading this effort, already has some incredible ideas and we’d love to have as much input from everyone interested to continue on this walk, offering real love to real people who need it. (And for those of you who might not be available to be with us this coming Tuesday, please feel free to reply to this email with your own ideas and thoughts!)
- We are being called to love and care for our earth and all of God’s creation and creatures. (Now.)
Anyone interested to hear more about my personal views on how our faith must inform our response to the global climate crisis is invited to click on an interview I recently gave the Martha’s Vineyard Times here: https://www.mvtimes.com/2022/03/28/faith-climate-change-pastors-weigh/. I believe our concerted work to love God’s earth, just as all united efforts given in love, can inspire and excite us as we go about our challenging work.
How might we begin to engage more deeply in this critical work and ministry?
Pray. Every day. Pray that God gives us the strength, courage and conviction to direct ourselves and others to make changes in our lives and in the decisions of those who govern our lives. Don’t stop.
Email Jana Bertkau (janabertkau@gmail.com) and offer to represent St Andrew’s on a small and fun “Climate Action Week Faith and Spirituality Group,” which is preparing for the upcoming Climate Action Week, May 8—14. Get engaged, get excited, and get the rest of us excited, too!
Ring the Bells at St Andrew’s Church on Sunday, May 8 at Noon (together with the other churches on the island) 40 times, signifying our goal for our island to be fossil-fuel-free by the year 2040. (Please reply to this email if you’re interested to ring dem bells!)
Bring a friend or two and Make a Flag for St Andrew’s Church on Saturday, April 9 from 10:00 am –Noon at Grace Church, Vineyard Haven, which will join other prayer flags hanging over the Interfaith Tables at the Grange Hall on Saturday, May 14. Artist Fae-Kontje-Gibbs will lead the flag-making workshop and all materials will be provided. (Important and FUN! Email elizibates@gmasil.com to let them know you’re coming!)
Finally, please come be with us in church, especially this time of year when spring is springing, masks are coming off, Lent is coming to a close, and Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on April 10. (Note: beginning this Sunday, we’ll be offering our Sunday services on Zoom (both live as well as recorded for later viewing), so look out for the Zoom link we’ll be emailing everyone this Saturday!)
And remember: I always thank God for you.
Yours in Christ,
Father Chip+