TRINITY TIDINGS 100 Harwood, Lebanon, MO Father Jerry Miller, Priest-in-Charge April 9, 2020, Volume 8, Issue 3

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Easter 2020

Dear People of God:

For each day of Lent, there is a set of readings appointed for the celebration of the Eucharist.

On Monday during the fourth week of Lent, the Gospel is John, chapter 4 verses 46 to 54. In it a royal official comes to Jesus in Galilee seeking Jesus’ assistance. The official’s son is dying and he believes that Jesus can help. Jesus told the man, “Go; your son will live.” And the text continues, “The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.” On the

1 way to his home, the official was met by some of his slaves, and they told him that the fever had left his son at the very hour the official had asked assistance from Jesus.

One way to interpret the text is that it is simply another healing miracle that Jesus performed.

But another way, that is absolutely consistent with the theology of John the Evangelist, is that

Jesus’ words: “Go, your son will live” are actually references to the Resurrection of the Dead.

If we believe the word of Jesus, the first born of the dead to the Resurrection to Eternal Life, our sons will live, our daughters will live, our mothers/fathers/friends, benefactors will live.

And our response to the hopeful words of Jesus should be like the royal official: we should go on our way, living our lives, doing our work, eating and sleeping, saying our prayers, going about the ordinary business of life, all the while knowing that Christ will take care of the people we love who have died.

I think that is what it means to live life in hope of the Resurrection: to stop worrying and being anxious for we know the Lord will keep his word.

May the joys of the Resurrection this Eastertide fill your hearts and minds with peace, trust and hope. Let us believe the word Christ speaks to us this Holy Season and go on our way.

Faithfully in the Risen One,

(The Rev’d) Jerry L. Miller

Priest-in-charge

2 Construction Update deacons. I have been able to send Sunday devotions, a homily, and music resources to Despite our church building being closed for members of Trinity Church each Sunday thanks to services and gatherings the construction project is the Internet. (I will continue to do that until such being planned and implemented. Since we are not time Trinity Church will be open for public using the church for services; True Construction worship.) will be able to do the church renovation instead of waiting to do that until the new addition is Several days ago, I sent information to the completed. They were going to do the new addition congregation about The Daily Office, which is the and Parish Hall renovation first so we would have official daily prayers of The Episcopal Church. I, the least disruption to our weekly services. But along with many other priests, say these prayers being closed during this time enables them to work every day, following the suggested Scripture inside the church area where the organ and choir are readings and psalms for the day. There are four situated. They also will be able to do the renovation offices for daily prayer in our Book of Common of the Sacristy. This will mean one bathroom will Prayer: Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening be closed to accomplish that. Prayer, and Compline.

True Construction will, also, start the dirt work to I know that some of the laity say some or most of ready the area for the new addition and parking lot. the offices using their own Book of Common Prayer Willard Construction is contracted by True and Bible. Our Facebook facilitator, David Daniels, Construction to do the parking lot. Gary True is also posts the readings and psalms for each day on meeting with landscaper, James Johnson, to assure Trinity’s Facebook Page. that the irrigation system at the church will not be A really “techy” and handy app for your phone, damaged during construction. iPad, or computer is the Daily Office Online app. It You will notice the fence is gone. Instead of the old is operated by a religious order in the Episcopal fence going into a landfill, it is being repurposed by Church called the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory. Denise's brother, Tom Boldra. We can thank him There is no charge and it is safe. The genius of the for getting that task done for us. app is all you have to do is click on it and you get the complete office for the day, including the Miss seeing all of you. Praying for all of you. readings and psalms. You don’t have to do Please stay safe. Stay healthy. anything. It makes praying along with the rest of The Episcopal Church every day as easy as Karen Miller, Bishop’s Warden possible.

Worship from Our Homes During this time of physical distancing and intentional separation, it is comforting to me to (from Father Miller) know that when I pray in the morning, at noonday, Thanks to technology, we are able to do things from in the evening, or before I go to bed I am saying the our own homes that in the past would have been same prayers, reading the same lessons from the inconceivable. Since the government request to Bible, and praying the same psalms as many other shelter in place, I have had four Zoom meetings Episcopalians around the country. The online with our Bishop and other priests and address is https://dailyoffice.app. 3 Another resource for Trinity members can be found cracker packages were separated into individual on Trinity’s website (trinitylebanontcl.org). If you packages there were 283 items. In addition, one click on the Icon “Preparing for Sunday” you will monetary donation was sent and one individual see all of the readings for each Sunday, commentary made a delivery directly which are not counted in about the readings, and suggested reflections. It is the totals. provided so members can come prepared to the Sunday liturgy to get as much as possible out of the During this period of social distancing, the shopping Liturgy of the Word. During this period of portion of Crosslines has not been open. That is the separation, it can also serve as a rich resource for clothing area. Some of the volunteers are not able personal Bible study and meditation. to volunteer for various reasons. The food commodities trucks Ozark Food Harvest have Finally, as much as I appreciate and enjoy all of the continued to deliver and food is distributed to those technological resources that are available to us, I in need. Due to shortage of volunteers, I had the know that none of them are a real substitute for the privilege of filling in last Thursday. It was an gathering of baptized people around a Bible and an amazing, busy experience. Altar on the Lord’s Day in the same space. There is a need for personal hygiene produces. I am In the meantime, let’s do our best to be the church assuming that means soap, shampoo, toothpaste, in our own homes. And let’s keep in touch and stay and deodorant. Could be toilet paper. Not exactly as connected with another as possible. sure so you are on you own. If you have a key to the church, you may leave your donations in the Parish Hall, or you can come by when Father Miller April Crosslines Ministry News is there on Wednesday or Thursday. Peggy Graydon Congratulations to the congregation. We donated more items during the March food drive than in 2019. There were 203 food items donated but if the

Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest)

David Daniels

4 At this time of raging pandemic dominating our thoughts and isolating us from our social fabric, consider an uplifting trek into the wilds of the Himalayan Mountains with scenic views that will render you speechless with their beauty. After lifts its travel restrictions, one can fly into the most challenging airport in the world passing between 16,000 majestic peaks and ranges. After landing at 7,200 feet at the only international airport in Bhutan, prepare for a beautiful 6.2 mile (about 2 to 3 hours) hike up 5,000 feet of mountainside dirt path leading to the ancient Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest Himalayan Buddhist Monastery/Temple) built into rock and clinging to a sheer, often cloud shrouded, Himalayan cliff. The arduous hike (relatively unchallenging for the physically fit) winds through many historic South Asian religious sites scattered in the lush pine forest. The path is replete with prayer flags and kiosks selling paraphernalia for worship (such as prayer wheels, temple bells and skulls) as well as food. The climb passes a number of temples and a large, 200 feet, waterfall with its sacred pool.The temple was built in 1692 on the site of the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave where Guru is said to have meditated for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century. He is credited with introducing to Bhutan and is the tutelary deity of the country.

The elegant temple/monastery complex has become the cultural icon of Bhutan and is the focus of a popular festival, known as the Tsechu held in honor of Padmasambhava sometime during March or April. He is believed to have flown in from Tibet on the back of the wife of an emporer who transformed herself into the form of a tigress. It is said that Padmasambhava flew to this location from Tibet and decided to consecrate the site to the purpose of taming the tiger demon. The connection to Tibetan lamanism remains strong today. Padmasambhava's likeness is painted on one of the cave walls.

Of Buddhist significance, the pre-temple caves were frequently visited for meditation and prayer by many saints and lamas through history. Several Tibetan lamas built sanctuaries, schools and monasteries at the site and within the area. This led to it becoming an important administrative center for . The religious training produced cultural artifacts and contributions to dance forms for the festivals.

Today's buildings are a restoration of the 300 year-old complex which burned when candles or an electric short disastrously ignited the 5 elaborate and elegant tapestries in 1998. The government and leaders of Bhutan oversaw the restoration of the monastery and its contents, completed in 2005. Of special artifactual importance is a sacred scripture scripted with gold dust and the crushed bone powder of a divine Lama. The Buddha's likeness is painted on one of the cave walls. The monastery buildings consist of four main temples and residential shelters ideally designed by adapting to the rock (granite) ledges, the caves and the rocky terrain. Monks in residence, practice Buddhism (the state religion of Bhutan) at a cave monastery They are in residence for three years and seldom leave the eight caves complex of which four are comparatively easy to access, but the most sacred cave open to the public only one day a year.

Leave for the hike early in the morning and take your time enjoying the magnificent scenery or the and the Paro Valley in northwestern Bhutan. The rich cultural heritage of Bhutan and this chapter of Buddhist tradition will occupy your thoughts.

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