TIDINGS
JULY 2020
If you would like a full copy of the tidings for this month, please email or visit Annie in the office.
FROM THE PRIEST-IN-CHARGE
Peace be with you
I suspect I have shared this before, yet it is worth sharing again. Here it is:
Most all ministers, pastors, priests, and other Church leaders often resonate in their ministries with the story of the Exodus. All leaders, often quite literally and tangibly, connect their ministry as Moses leading the people through the wilderness. Naturally, the story we hear from the Exodus offers leaders metaphorical connection to the challenges of ‘being a leader.’ The story also affords leaders moments of negotiating ministry, because each leader knows the weariness of the journey in the wilderness, where grumbles, mumbles, gossip, exhaustion, hunger, and lots of questions, ‘are we there yet?’, are part and parcel to all ministry. Indeed, we are on our own Exodus journey at this time in our lives as we navigate COVID-19, feeling the challenges of our journey in the wilderness.
In our journey we have continued to do the ministry of the Church by adapting to the wilderness we find ourselves in. Our feeding program at Grace’s Kitchen has continued its mission of ensuring anyone in need of a meal has one. Our worship and prayer life have adapted to that of Zoom, and one has to wonder and imagine how not only Moses would have loved Zoom in his ministry, but even Jesus. Jesus, as he did often, could stay up in the mountains more and I believe could have spent more time fishing! This is all to say that even in our Zoom Morning Prayer God is present with us. Yet, we hunger for the connection of community and being fed at Table in the Eucharist. Our Sacrament of Word has increased in the Daily Office offerings on our website, where using the nearly 30-year-old Gospel Based Discipleship resource from the Indigenous Ministries of the Episcopal Church, one can hear the Gospel of the Day in three translations. This affords us to be fed on the Word, as we pray each year with the Collect for Proper 28:
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
We have assisted many in need through our Rector’s Ministry Fund, as people and families in our community face the challenges of COVID-19 with loss of employment and other economic impacts with assistance allowing for sustaining them in the wilderness. We have a dedicated group gathering to ‘Walk for Justice and Peace’ as a means of solidarity with Black Lives Matter as the Church continues its ongoing work of racial reconciliation. Simply, we have continued to be Church at this time and that to me resonates with hope for our continued journey in the months to come.
Many leaders, both lay and ordained, are wondering what the Church will look like in the future. This is not a new question, yet it is clearly a very dominant inquiry at this time. There is not a clear answer on this question of the Church of the future, however I deeply trust the Church will always remain, because that is our reality in our life in Christ. As we hear each week in Morning Prayer:
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two
or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of
your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
My Friends in God, as we journey and navigate this wilderness of COVID-19, we will with God’s loving help continue our ministry allowing the Spirit to stir us up to be a transformed Church fulfilling its mission: to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ as the Church prays and worships, proclaims the Gospel, and promotes justice, peace, and love (BCP, 855).
Peace
Fr. Doug
RACIAL JUSTICE & ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES
From the Diocese of Colorado
Racial inequality is the imbalance of power, economic resources, health and welfare, and opportunity that exists between people of color and people who are white. People of Color have disproportionately high rates of contraction and mortality for COVID-19. It is a reality we experience daily today more than ever and that we are called to resist and strive to overcome as we live out our baptismal covenant to:
-
Persevere in resisting evil, and whenever we fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord.
-
Proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.
-
Seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.
-
Strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.
Recommended Resources & Events
-
View the June 18 recording from the first conversation in the Thurman Conversation Series. Dr. Catlyn Keenan discusses white supremacy in Colorado and what we can do as a church to combat it. View now >
-
The Seeing My Skin: A Story of Wrestling with Whiteness book group begins Saturday, July 11, 11:00 am to noon. Over the course of four weeks, participants will gather via Zoom to work through the book in three-chapter sections. We will look at and talk about our everyday lives and how Whiteness has distorted our perceptions, relationships, and the Church where we worship. We will find the personal stake we have in dismantling racism, and we will work on accepting our racism while being actively anti-racist in our lives. Group facilitators are Race Task Force member Michelle Auerbach and trauma expert Jessica Pfeiffer, both parishioners at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Lakewood. Register now >
-
In response to violence this spring, Virginia Theological Seminary has released Resources For Adult Formation With An Emphasis On Race And Diversity.
-
Recommended reading for individuals and book groups (in order of increasing complexity):
-
Seeing My Skin: A Story of Wrestling with Whiteness, Peter Jarrett-Schell >
-
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Time of Colorblindness, Michelle Alexander >
NEW BANNER
In response to the recent nationwide push for social justice and racial equality, St. Barnabas of the Valley has decided to post a banner quotes Micah 6:8 ("And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.").
Several parishioners have paid up front for the cost of this banner, which is roughly $70. If anyone else would like to share this expense, they can make a contribution noting "New Banner" on the check and send to the church in care of Annie. If contributions exceed the cost of the banner, any surplus money will go to Grace's Kitchen or the Rector's Ministry.
In concert with the weekly Saturday "March for Justice and Peace" supported by Fr. Doug and St. Barnabas, this visible statement is intended to protest racism (which often takes the form of unconscious bias) and excessive use of force by police against people of color in the United States. This bias has resulted in too many deaths of black people.
These words from Micah will be a reminder of our collective commitment to recognize Christ in all persons and to strive for the fair treatment of our fellow citizens across the social spectrum.
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR STAN MORRIS
Stan Morris, a long-time member of St. Barnabas who lived on the front range towards the end of his life, passed away earlier this year following his wife, Pat. His family will be here in July and we will be holding a Zoom memorial service and interment of his ashes on Saturday, July 11th at 6:00pm. It will be only family in person, but all will be welcome to join via Zoom. Please contact the office for Zoom access information!
SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER
During this time we are offering Sunday Morning Prayer each week at 9:00am via Zoom! Please contact the office for Zoom access information and assistance.
NEW WORSHIP OFFERINGS
While we are apart due to COVID, worship in separation can certainly feel challenging. We hope that you are finding some sense of connection and ritual in the Zoom offerings, and are exciting to have added a couple more worship opportunities (somehow now we have more than we did even before COVID! Life doesn’t always flow in only one direction).
Daily gospel readings and meditation continue to be posted on the website, so we encourage you to partake. They are posted each week. Father Doug and Paxton are now also now offering Compline, evening prayer, via the website.
You’ll find a couple of new additions: The Great Litany, which is often times used during times of crisis and conflict, locally and nationally, and the Litany of Remembrance and Lament. The Great Litany includes a space for remembrance by name of those who have died. If you would like to include the names of Black and Indigenous victims of police violence in your prayers, you can find non-comprehensive lists on the “Worship” page as well.
NEED HELP? OFFERING HELP?
We know that COVID-19 is changing all of our lives. Some of us, our friends, or neighbors may be experiencing changing needs due to losses of work, the need to self-isolate for personal health or quarantine reasons, or changing hours and accessibility of Cortez businesses, offices, and public spaces. We have an incredible network here at St. Barnabas of caring community members who would love to help make sure that you have what you need during this time. Please do not hesitate to call or email Annie at the office if there is a way we can assist you or share a request with the congregation.
Additionally, the 4 Corners Mutual Aid form is a place where people can request assistance and others can sign up to meet their needs (person to person help). Check in out if you need help or if you’d like to offer help to others. You can visit it at: tiny.cc/4CornersMutualAid or call 970-343-4687 to sign up! Please let others know about it or help them to sign up if they need help.
COVID-19 UPDATES
We have created a special page on our website specifically about COVID-19, so please visit there or contact the office for more information: www.stbarnabascortez.org/COVID-19.
ARTICLES OR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE TIDINGS
If you would like to submit an article or announcement for the Tidings, please send it to office@stbarnabascortez.org by 10:00am on the last Thursday of the month!
MINISTRY & OUTREACH SUPPORT
2020 Year-To-Date
Good Samaritan Food Pantry: $600
The Bridge Emergency Shelter: $600
Cathedral Ridge Camp: $600
Montezuma Youth Pride: $815**
Grace’s Kitchen: $8,641*
Sanctuary at Mancos United Methodist Church: $295*
Rector’s Ministry to Community: $3,166
*Ministry is funded solely by donation
**Ministry funded solely by donation and grant income
GRACE’S PATRONS
April 2020: 832 Meals Served
2020 Year-To-Date: 4,085
Total Meals Served Since 1998: 217,395
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“Race matters to our Maker because diversity of color, language, and culture is who the Spirit is, male and female, relates to us as a mother and father. How mysterious, uncontrollable, without borders and containment is our Beloved to the human mind and experience!”
--Sylvia Clahchischilli
THANK YOU
We would like to express great appreciation to the following people:
-
Walt S, for his work on improving the construction around the walk-in freezer
-
Sylvia, Erin, Fred, and Jim, for organizing the weekly walks and starting important conversations at St. B’s
-
Judy O and Jane, for making special trips in to count
-
All of the anonymous donors who are continuing to drop off bottled water for Grace’s
-
Our Grace’s coordinators, whose creativity, flexibility, and determination has allowed us to continue serving our community during this time. Especially Rhoda, Sally, Victoria, Sylvia, and Chris!
-
ALL of our Grace’s volunteers, for their dedication and caring, especially those who are new or who are filling in to help us continue operating.
-
Thank you for the support from the congregation with gift giving in time, talent, and treasure to the Church in its ministries.