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St. Martin's Day Veterans Day Observance

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St. Martin's Day Veterans Day Observance NOVEMBER 2016 THE STAR St. Martin’s Day Veterans Day Observance St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Atop each of the spires of The Church is a three-dimensional radiant cross, a symbol of Christ, the light of the world. There are numerous references in scripture to Christ as the light of the world (John 1:9, 14). These include the story of the wise men coming to see the child Jesus (Matthew 2:1-15), when Jesus was presented to the priests at the temple (Luke 2:30-32), and Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist (John 1:29). May St. Martin’s always be that light of Christ to our city and region. THE STAR The Star is an official publication of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. Our Mission Phone Numbers To bring by the power of the Holy Spirit as many people Office ..............................................................713-621-3040 as possible to know, love, and serve God as revealed through Jesus Christ; and to be transformed into Fax ..................................................................713-622-5701 spiritually renewed disciples of Jesus who know, love Activity Center .................................................713-621-8625 and serve one another and the world. Café St. Martin’s ..............................................713-985-3847 Deadline for Announcements The deadline to submit information for The Star is two Event Reservations .........................................713-985-3844 months before publication on the 10th of the month. Library ...........................................................713-830-4118 Church Offices Prayer Requests ..............................................713-830-4124 717 Sage Road, Houston, TX 77056 Preschool ........................................................713-621-2944 Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Hope and Healing Center & Institute ........713-871-1004 (Individual department hours vary.) The Island/Student Ministries .........................713-871-1004 Postmaster Tours ...............................................................713-830-4117 Send address changes to Visitor Information ..........................................713-830-4126 St. Martin’s Episcopal Church 717 Sage Road Additional phone numbers and email addresses are at: Houston, TX 77056-2199 stmartinsepiscopal.org > About St. Martin’s > The Staff ON THE COVER St. Martin’s Altarpiece – The carving of St. Martin from the altarpiece in the Patron’s Chapel was created in the late fifteenth century. This beautiful, winged triptych of polychromed sculptures clothed in costumes typical of the time when the piece was created is believed to be from the historic state of Tyrol, a region in what is now northern Italy and western Austria. The altarpiece and the Patron’s Chapel where it is located were blessed by The Most Rev. and Rt. Honorable Dr. George L. Carey, 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury, on January 5, 2008. Contents NOVEMBER 2016 02 From the Rector 05 From the Clergy 06 Worship, Sunday School and Fellowship for Adults 11 Programs for All Adults 12 Programs for Women 07 I CELEBRATING ST. MARTIN’S DAY Join us as we celebrate the more than 60 years of our existence as a 13 Programs for Men Parish and give thanks for God’s many blessings to our Church family. 14 Student Ministries 15 Children’s Ministry 16 Outreach and Missions 19 Parish Life 23 Hope and Healing Center & Institute 24 Giving 08 I OBSERVING VETERANS DAY St. Martin’s continues a time-honored tradition of recognizing the men and women of our armed forces during a special service with guest speakers and patriotic music. 10 I MARKING THE DAY OF HOPE Parishioners are invited to record their hopes and dreams and place them in our special “Hope Chest” that has a permanent home in the Rector’s office. THE STAR I NOVEMBER 2016 01 FROM THE RECTOR Fall brings us lots of gifts – cooler air, football games, family get-togethers, Halloween (if you are a fan – and I am!), Thanksgiving. But it also gives us one of the Church’s great Feast Days – All Saints Day (the morning after Halloween!) on November 1. Well it is November once again, and let’s ponder what it means to be a saint. hen I say “saint,” you breaking them, being refined again and And that is, we are told in the story, exactly may immediately think again by God’s hand – when the Hebrews what happened – the sun rises, they break of someone of great are about to make a journey from desert camp, they go down to the water’s edge... character and morality into promised land. Moses is dead, leaving and the priests hoist the ark (the visible W– perhaps Mary, Jesus’ mother, or Saint them in Joshua’s charge – and yet, they sign of God’s presence in their midst), they John or Saint Peter, perhaps Mother Teresa, hit a snag – a big one. walk to the water’s edge – and nothing who – by the Roman Catholic’s process, They come to the edge of the Jordan River happens – nothing at all – UNTIL...they evidently just was officially named a Saint – and not a trickling Jordan – a Jordan at step out and place their foot into the water of the Roman Church in September. When flood stage. They are going to have to go – and at that moment, the water stops, the you and I think of “saint” in that way, through the waters again. But this time Hebrews leave the past, and step – literally, we are attributing their sainthood not to God will not do it alone; this time they into the future. They come into the something God did, but something the are called upon to do their part. promised land because they followed; “individual” did. Mary bore the Son of God...John wrote one of the Gospels...Peter was crucified upside down...Mother Teresa started an orphanage and home for the poor. These are the ones we typically think of as saints. But what does it really take to achieve sainthood? Can it even be achieved at all? Or is it something God brings about in our lives? You see the difference? The focus is not on what the individual does, but on what God does – not saints that the Church Joshua gathers the people and tells them but in the end, they chose to step out in or you or I choose – but the “saints of God’s the next morning they are to put their faith. It’s not what they did that enabled choosing.” And who are those saints? eyes on the Levite priests who will lift the them to come into their new home; it was There’s a great scene in the third chapter of ark and carry it down to the edge of the their belief in God – their faith that made Joshua. I bid you to read through it on your Jordan...and then he says, “This is how them put one foot in front of another. own, verses 7 to 17. It’s about the Hebrew you will know that the living God is among I want to suggest to you that being a saint people passing through water – it is not the you...as soon as the priests who carry the means placing your faith not in what you first time; that was on the banks of the Red ark of the Lord set foot in the Jordan, its do or what you believe about yourself, but Sea. This scene is about 40 years later – after waters flowing downstream will be cut off, in what God does and what God believes wandering in the wilderness, making laws, and stand in a heap...” (verse 13). about you. We too often undercut the 02 THE STAR I NOVEMBER 2016 FROM THE RECTOR grace of God because we have this tendency sainthood is a desire for it. The first of the in faith for fear of getting it wrong. God’s to always want to hedge our bets when it Beatitudes is “Blessed are the poor in response to that is, “I believe in you...now comes to our relationship with God. We say Spirit,” which is another way of saying, go do what I created you to do...go be who God loves us as we are; we say we know we “Blessed are those who know their need of I created you to be!” are saved by grace through faith; but do God.” That’s the essential step – faith, not Now, if we buy into that, I want to we believe it? works; belief in God, not belief in what suggest to you that there are two practical you can do or can’t do. As my mentor John We have a tendency to treat God like an outcomes of this understanding of God. Claypool used to say, “The first step in EZ-pass. When I first came to Houston, The first is that you will actually begin to being a saint is wanting to be one.” I did not really understand EZ-pass. I do “saintly” things; you will actually begin thought there was some flat fee you paid, Again, back to the lesson...it was just the to take steps of faith in ways that bless the and then, for the month ahead, you got to small step of faith that stopped those lives of others. Not because you are trying go through the various tolls around town Jordan waters and birthed a nation. All the to get a divine nod from God, but because without paying another dime. But nope, priests had to do was take that first step... you already have. as you know, it does not work that way... just touch the water with their feet. God C.S. Lewis helps us a bit here when he you get an EZ-pass; but it only lets you pass was going to do His part – He knew they writes, “That is why the Christian is in a through a little quicker (unless you are on could do it; but they would not believe it different position from other people who Beltway 8 trying to catch your flight out until they stepped out in faith.
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