Palm Sunday March 29, 2015
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Pentecost 3B Enami’egaabaw June 13, 2021 (1820 - 1902) 1 Samuel 15:34–16:13 Priest & Missionary 2 Corinthians 5:6-17 Mark 4:26-34 St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2021 Enmegahbowh (c. 1820 – 12 Jun 1902), "He who prays [for his people while] standing" (aka John Johnson) was the first Native American to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church. He was the only child of an Ojibwe chief on Rice Peterborough Lake near Peterborough, Canada. Raised in a Methodist-sponsored village near * Petersburg, on 4 July 1841, Enmegahbowh married Biwabik-ogeshi-gequay (aka Iron Sky Woman but baptized as Charlotte), niece of Hole-in-the-Day. He met the Rev. Ezekiel Gilbert Gear, chaplain at Fort Snelling at the confluence of the Mississippi & Minnesota Rivers & became an Episcopalian. Gear introduced Enmegahbowh to Rev. James Lloyd Breck, a missionary who had arrived in Minnesota in 1851 & who had previously baptized him. In 1859, Bishop Jackson Enami’egahbaw Kemper ordained him as deacon & Enmegahbowh went to Crow Wing, MN to help found St. Columba Mission. During the 1862 Dakota War, which began as treaty payments were due for distribution to starving Sioux at Fort Ridgely, the Gull Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa rose to attack near-by Fort Ripley. Since Enmegahbowh prevented other Ojibwa from joining them, the rebels imprisoned him. He escaped & traveled 30 miles at night to warn Fort Ripley. This dissuaded the Gull Lake Band from attacking the fort. In 1867 Bishop Whipple ordained him as a priest. In 1869 he convinced Chief White Cloud's mission to agree to peace between the Ojibwe & the Sioux. He died at White Earth Indian Reservation on 12 June 1902 at 95 and is buried in St. Columba's churchyard. Congregants honor him each June with the White Earth Pow-Wow. In Jamestown Commitment: The Episcopal Church & the American Indian, Owanah Anderson writes: Church Friesland historians have slighted the role of an Indian man, Enmegahbowh, in chronicling the coming of Christianity to the Ojibwa of northern Minnesota. Whipple was the broker, [but] Enmegahbowh was the implementer…Whipple would come to be known as Apostle to the Indians, [but] Enmegahbowh [was] the bishop's enabler, loyal companion, associate & interpreter for more than 40 years. Collect for Pentecost 3B Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Prayer for Pentecost 3B [Enmegahbowh] Almighty God, who led your pilgrim people of old by fire and cloud: Grant that the ministers of your Church, following the example of your servant Enmegahbowh, may lead your people with fiery zeal and gentle humility. This we ask through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA -- Adult Lectionary Forum 2021 Synopsis: By selecting David, P Jesse’s youngest son, to serve him as The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected ENTECOST Israel’s new king, God demonstrates him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send that he does not judge by outward you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his appearance, but rather by the heart.. Conditions? What Conditions? sons.” Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the --Samuel will see no more of Saul Lord said, “Take a heifer with you & say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ while he is alive, but another will occur in Ch 28, when Saul asks a medium to Invite Jesse to the sacrifice & I will show you what you shall do; you shall conjur up Samuel’s spirit --So, why does God do decisively anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” 3B:W reject Saul for his sins, yet let David remain after committing adultery & arranging the death of his faithful soldier, Uriah. HY (1) God appoints Saul king, but with conditions: Saul’s obedience H (2) Yet God makes an unconditional IM covenant with David --Samuel has a fearsome reputation, ? [1S ? so elders, not knowing the purpose of Samuel’s visit, are understandably nervous—even trembling. AMUEL --Samuel cleanses Jesse & 7 of his 8 sons—none of whom are worthy --In the Bible, the number 7 represents completeness or fulfillment. …Jesse made 7 of his sons pass before Samuel; Samuel said to Jesse, “The --Plus, God sees their hearts, knows Lord has not chosen any of these.” Samuel said, “Are all your sons here?” And their inner secrets, character & faith. 15:34 --David’s service as a shepherd points he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And to his future role as a king—they, like Samuel said to Jesse, “Send & bring him; for we will not sit down until he Jesus—are compared to shepherds – comes here.” He sent & brought him in. Now he was ruddy & had beautiful 16:13] eyes & was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil & anointed him in the presence of his brothers; the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David… St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2021 Context: Paul reflects on the We are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the challenge of living in a fallen body we are away from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do world, and the importance of obeying God. have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Pentecost3B:Holy Hike!Corinthians[2 A 5:6 Glorified in Him Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For --We walk in faith; not by sight. all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive • Many will conclude that only what we see and touch is real recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. • In the church, though, there is more to the world than what meets the eyes --Is our home with the body; or is our home with the Lord? • When asked where we live, we would normally share our address • While Paul contends his home may now be in the body, his real home is with the Lord --One if by face; two if by heart.--He calls his rivals false apostles. • the Face refers to “outward appearance” • Paul asks us whether we judge people by the face or by the heart? • Furthermore, do we live by outward appearance or by the heart? • But our hearts can only be trusted as long as they are anchored in Jesus Christ--there has to be some standard …For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has to guide our emotions. died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for - them. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; 17 even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him ] no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! St. John’s Episcopal Church, Centreville VA Adult Lectionary Forum 2021 God sows his kingdom like the Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the smallest of seeds & works through ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and the Church to help them blossom. grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the Of Faith & Unity head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in --Scattered seed tale unique to Mark. --V27: It’s not the work of the farmer but with his sickle, because the harvest has come.” Pentecost4:263B:HolySeeds![Mark the work of the seed, which obtains its growth from a mysterious source and grows so slowly we cannot see it do so. --Only when we go away and return after a day/week/month can we see the seed’s progress—and be gladdened by it—and wonder at it. --V29:Some scholars think Jesus’ words point to a coming judgment. --Alternate: Workers in the kingdom of God, which is at hand, can rely on His grace to bring it to full fruition --V30-32: Rather than comparing the kingdom of God to an oak tree or a cedar, he compares it to a mustard seed—the smallest of all seeds. --God chooses to work through unlikely candidates: Jacob, Moses, David, -- Nesting birds illustrate the large size of the mustard plant & may also hint at including Gentiles in the kingdom. --Vv33-34: Jesus divides listeners into He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will outsiders, for whom parables remain - veiled, & insiders, privileged to receive we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the 34] private interpretation but whose smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the understanding is incomplete until after greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can the resurrection.