Spire July & August 2010.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The American Church in Paris Tel.: 01.40.62.05.00 Fax: 01.40.62.05.11 www.acparis.org 65, quai d’Orsay, 75007 Paris, France July/August 2010 From Rev. Scott Herr we also should take the coming months as Senior Pastor an opportunity to spend more time reflecting on God’s presence in all of creation, even in the city? Remember at Rest is good for all of Dear Members and Friends of the ACP, us, all of creation. Summer is a wonderful time to rediscover Some might say that the gift of Sabbath rest and refreshment. Summer is a time when nature reminds us resting might have that so much life and beauty happens helped avoid despite all of our worry and toil. The countless heart sunshine, grass, trees and flowers are all so beautiful, no thanks to us! We can attacks, divorces, simply behold, admire and absorb the wars, oil spills. beauty of God’s creation. Artists seem to understand Jesus’ invitation to “Consider the lilies…” Impressionist painter Claude Monet spent much time savoring the the root of the word contemplate is the reflections of color at his garden in word “temple.” We don’t have to have to Giverny. One of his practices was “visual be in a literal temple to realize God’s meditation.”1 presence and peace. We can stop and see again (re-spect?) the glory of the Lord wherever we are, even in the faces of a Remember, at the root crowd of tourists walking along the quai… Paradoxically, rest and refreshment of the word require intentionality. Observing Sabbath contemplate is the rest doesn’t just happen. We must choose word “temple”. to stop in order to enter into Sabbath rest. All of us in the church need to learn to say yes to God’s calling in life, but that means I’ve heard it said that one form of prayer is saying no to other options. Sometimes simply “paying attention.” I wonder if all of saying no is easy, and sometimes it’s very the summer visitors to Paris who stand in hard. The gift of Sabbath is key in order to awe of art and architecture realize that discern and decisively act in a way that they are tourist contemplatives? Perhaps accords with God’s will in my life and in our life together, and this requires saying yes to God’s command to remember the 1 Don Postema, Catch Your Breath: God’s Sabbath and keep it holy even if it means I Invitation to Sabbath Rest (Grand Rapids, Michigan: CRC Publications, 1997), 55. Continues next page – 2 – have to say no to “legitimate” work demands that press upon me. Summer Events Stephen Cotrell, Anglican Bishop of Reading, England, writes in his book, Hit Sunday Worship Services the Ground Kneeling: Seeing Leadership 9am Holy Comminion Differently, that when we know the big 11am Traditional Service yeses of our lives, all of the little nos will 1.30pm Contemporary Worship fall into place. “And even if this fails, remember the story of the bishop who went to see his spiritual director and told Fellowship him all his troubles. The wise spiritual • Young Adults Bible Study on guide sat back in his chair and advised the Tuesdays in Catacombs at bishop to sleep more. ‘Why?’ asked the 7.30pm bishop. ‘It will limit your opportunity to do • Young Adults Summer further damage,’ came the reply!” Saturdays: come and join us Indeed, summer is a wonderful time to as we explore the city, pray recover again our joyful discipline of together and get together Sabbath, to practice resting in the Lord so over the summer(for specific that we limit our opportunity to do further dates and times, please visit damage to ourselves, our community life, the Young Adult’s section) and our larger environment. Rest is good • Thurber Thursday is taking a for all of us, all of creation. Some might rest over the summer and will say that resting might have helped avoid resume on 16th September countless heart attacks, divorces, wars, oil • Youth Group: every Sunday spills. Precious lives and nature are 3-5pm (for more information, consumed in the name of addictions that please read the Youth Events will never let us stop … page) My prayer for you and for me this summer is that we will take time to enter into Him who is our Sabbath rest and be refreshed Music and renewed not just for the rentrée, but • Celebration Ringers so that we will be a community that celebrates God’s glory reflected all around • Adult Choir rehearsal us. And in our resting, may we remember • Bronze Ringers that we are called to be richly blessed in Rehearsals will restart order to be a blessing for all the world. in September. Contact [email protected] In Christ, for more information. Scott Youth Music My prayer for you • Gaudeamus young adult vocal ensemble • Cherub Choir and for me this • Children’s Handbells summer is that we • Children’s Choir will take time to • Shine Youth Choir • Youth Handbells enter into Him who Rehearsals will restart in September. Contact is our Sabbath rest [email protected] for more information – 3 – From Rev Laurie Wheeler Associate Pastor JOY What are the optimal conditions for Joy? Sun helps. Summer is a season we count on for the Freedom from fear or anxiety. restoration of joy – the season of sun and New beginnings (babies and weddings are new starts, of freedom from the pressure joyful affairs) of work – holiday experiences that Beauty. promise newness, beauty and rest. Victory. Summer is the season when we hope to Abundance. dry out the dampness of the soul. Rest. Sometimes, however, a season passes I wonder what conditions you would add to without enough sun and the dampness your list ... carries through. Summer is a season the summer is ended and we are not saved... we count on for the There is another Hebrew poet who wrote – restoration of joy – prayed, really the season of sun restore unto me the joy of your salvation ...(Psalm 51:12) and new starts Salvation – for the Jews salvation was freedom and newness of life – salvation There is a poignant statement in one of was beauty and victory, it was the the Jewish prophets: abundance of God’s mercy and rest from The harvest is past fear and anxiety. Salvation and joy were the summer is ended inseparable. For the Jews who were the and we are not saved...(Jer. 8:20) first Christians this salvation had a name: If the harvest season has past without fruit Jesus of Nazareth. In the life, death and and the summer ended without sounds of resurrection of the Son of God the joy summer of God’s salvation had finally where does one turn for relief? arrived. At Jesus’ birth the old priest I can remember my second winter in praised the dawn of God’s salvation Scotland for several reasons, but for one through the forgiveness of sins, in particular: I was cold. I had not left the the faithful love of our God UK over the summer – and the summer in which the rising Sun has come from on had not been warm. I only recall one day high to visit us...(Luke 1:78) above 70 degrees (21 C). Suddenly one My prayer for you this summer is the day in winter it dawned on me – I was still restored joy of salvation. I hope that you damp from the previous spring! That will read the stories of Jesus again in the autumn my body felt like a pair of jeans Bible and let the brightness and warmth of that had only partly dried out before being the love of God in Jesus Christ reach into re-worn – you remember the feeling of the damp places of your soul. I pray that damp denim on the skin. A joyless the power and promises of God’s sensation ... generous provision will relieve you of the anxieties and fears that rob you of joy. I – 4 – pray that as you both forgive and seek to No more “damp denim” autumnal seasons be forgiven the Holy Spirit will shine the – let’s emerge from this summer with light and warmth of God’s salvation into renewed joy of God’s salvation. the places where your soul is restricted, where you feel worn or ugly, defeated or May the peace of the Lord Christ go depleted. with you, wherever He may send you. My prayer for you this May He guide you through the wilderness, summer is the restored protect you through the storm. joy of salvation. I hope May he bring you home rejoicing at the that you will read the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once stories of Jesus again again into our doors. in the Bible and let the Amen. brightness and warmth of the love of God in Jesus Christ reach into the damp places of your soul. Talent Show – 5 – Youth Choir Concert June 12, 2010 – 6 – – 7 – Young Adults in Burkino Faso July 12-14: Work Week 2 Over the last few months the ACP Youth July 14: travel from Ougadougo to Paris. have been busy…they’ve sold us cookies, given parents a night off by babysitting Work Week Schedule and they’ve organised and delighted us 7:30am: breakfast and morning devotion with the unforgettable church-wide Talent 9am-5pm: teaching, tutoring, hanging out Show. Now the time has come for the with kids.