August 10, 2010

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

The All Saints Weekly is a spiritual resource for your use throughout the week. The Weekly provides a preview of the Scripture readings for the coming weekend and information about programs of interest. We provide links to spiritual resources that you may access on the All Saints website, such as sermons and prayers. For James Daniell's sermon on August 1, please click here. For my sermon on August 8, please click here.

Many of you have spoken to me about my Study Tour to Israel July 26-August 3. It was a very full week of visits to ancient sites sacred to Jews, Muslims, and Christians and informative discussions with Israeli and Arab leaders about prospects for peace. To visit the blog to see daily reports of our Study Tour, please click here.

In response to requests, Peter Stringham and I will present a mini-course "Learning to Pray" on Thursdays September 16 and 23 at 6:45 pm. To download the flyer for this course, please click here. An ongoing Meditation Group will meet every Thursday at 6:45 pm, starting September 30. You can download the flyer for this course by clicking here. A course, "Spiritual Guides for All Seasons" will begin on September 30 at 7:30 pm. To download a flyer, please click here.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS WEEKEND

In the Book of Isaiah, the prophet compares Israel to a vineyard: "Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry! (Isaiah 5:1-7)

Psalm 80 continues the metaphor of Israel as a vineyard: "Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim. In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your strength and come to help us. You have brought a vine out of Egypt; you cast out the nations and planted it. You prepared the ground for it; took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered by its shadow and the towering cedar trees by its boughs. You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea and its branches to the River. Why have you broken down its wall, so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes? The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it, and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it. Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven; behold and tend this vine; preserve what your right hand has planted."

The Epistle to the Hebrews recalls the faith that sustained the people of Israel through many crises: "For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets — who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented — of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground ... Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 11:29-12:2)

The Gospel of Luke teaches that following Christ requires a choice: "Jesus said, 'I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.'" (Luke 12:49-56)

Please join us for the Holy Eucharist Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sunday at 10:30 am.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

Worship Services for

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, August 14-15, 2010
Saturday, August 14, at 5:00 pm: Preacher: The Rev. Kim Hardy
Sunday, August 15, at 10:30 am: Preacher: The Rev. Kim Hardy

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