Category: From the Rector

Creation Has Been Given Into Our Care
During the next few weeks, we will be hearing a lot about faithful stewardship in preparation for Consecration Sunday, October 4. We're asking everyone to save the date and plan to worship together that morning either in the parking lot or online. While we are passing through this pandemic, we need all the hope, gratitude, and generosity we can summon. That's why we've chosen as our theme the words of the Prophet Jeremiah: "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Members of the parish will be sharing wonderful testimonials about stewardship and their faith journeys. I hope you will take the time to read them and listen to them. I, too, have a story to share. It is basically the same every year. I shared it with you when I arrived last year and I'm sharing it again for emphasis, for it represents the theological foundation that guides how I follow the spiritual practice of stewardship.

Creation Has Been Given Into Our Care.

In the very first chapter of the very first book of the Bible, we read that God created human beings in God’s own image. God blessed our species, entrusted the rest of creation into our hands, and gave us all the gifts we will need to fulfill our unique purpose.

This ancient passage is the basis for our Christian theology of stewardship.
- To be created in the “image” of God means to be a living witness to the Creator and to be an official representative of the Creator on planet earth.
- To “subdue” the earth means to bring things under control and to manage them according to God’s purposes.
- To have “dominion” means that human beings have been appointed as the rulers and protectors of all living things, serving under the ultimate sovereignty of God, their Creator.
So, human beings have been entrusted with the vocation of stewardship, the call and commission to represent our Creator in caring for everything in the amazing universe that has been given to us to sustain all life.

God doesn’t expect such things from other creatures nor has God equipped other creatures for such a role. Birds, for example, build essentially the same kind of nest every year. A robin builds a robin’s nest. A cardinal builds a cardinal’s nest. A hummingbird builds a hummingbird’s nest. From one generation to another, each kind of bird builds the kind of nest into which it came into this world.

Humans, on the other hand, have the capacity to build an infinite variety of buildings for an infinite variety of purposes. We build houses, schools, hospitals, office buildings, convention centers, and churches. Every one of them can be different from the others and from those that we built a generation or a year ago.

The vocation of stewardship is given uniquely to human beings. Therefore, it is one of the chief attributes that makes us human.

Everything we have, whether spent, saved, or given away, is a sacred trust from God. We are stewards of all of it.

Nothing pleases God more than for us to consciously live our lives as God envisioned. To understand ourselves as stewards of God’s bounty is the perfect way to do that. When we deliberately surrender to God a portion of our time, talent, gifts, and service, as a spiritual practice, we consecrate all the rest of our resources and declare our intention, with God’s help, to manage the rest in ways that please God. In that way, we become fully alive children of God.

What a remarkable way to honor and glorify God.

Blessings,

The Very Rev'd Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas
August 27, 2020
Looking Forward Together

Last Sunday we had our first Drive-In worship service at St. Martin’s. We had about twenty cars in the parking lot and forty-five worshipers. The devoted people who have been providing online worship for the past five months successfully made a quantum leap forward in adding the celebration of the Holy Eucharist so those outside could receive. Our Regathering Team contributed in very helpful ways to our planning. St. Martin’s staff took care of numerous details that are necessary to such a service. Conversations with our Bishop and other clergy sparked creativity and identified resources, We are grateful to all of you!

Even after we are able to resume some level of in-person worship inside the church, I expect we will continue the Drive-In worship for those who are uncomfortable or unable to be inside. On August 23, our Eucharistic Visitors will begin taking the Sacrament to those who are unable to get out. In September, our Christian Formation Commission along with Children’s and Youth Ministries, will be rolling out some new online opportunities to learn and grow together in our faith. Sometime in October, we plan to offer a Discovery Class for those interested in membership or exploring their relationship with God and the Church.

There is much to look forward to! In the days ahead, you’ll find us recalling this encouraging word from the Prophet Jeremiah, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). We’ll be listening more closely and looking more deliberately to see God’s hand at work in the world around us. Surely, there are signs of hope from God all around us. When we find them, we’ll join hands with God and one another to help bring in a new and better time beyond this pandemic. Offering hope to the world is central to our mission, isn’t it?

Whenever I think about the mission God has entrusted to us, I am always guided by the words of Titus Pressler, “Mission is not fundamentally something we do as Christians but a quality of God’s own being. It is not a program of ours but the path of God’s action in the world. The mission of the Church, therefore, derives from the mission of God, and it has meaning only in relation to what God is up to in the universe. Already engaged in mission, God simply invites us to participate in what God is doing.”

On the evenings of August 20, 23, 27, and 30, we will be engaging in virtual holy conversations about what God is up to in this parish. We’re calling the series, “Yearning to Know God’s Will.” Our conversations will be about discernment, honoring the past, embracing the present, and reaching out for what lies ahead. Click HERE for more information and to register. I hope we have broad participation!

As we move through this time, I invite you again to pray this discernment prayer from The Book of Common Prayer daily:

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who
call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand
what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and
power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Blessings,

The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church

August 13, 2020
A Virtual Hug for Families With Children and Youth
This message is addressed to families with children and youth and those who care about them.

We have reached a point of frustration with this pandemic that is about to be compounded by the myriad of issues surrounding the opening of school. Our kids are anxious about what that is going to look like. Parents are concerned not only for their safety if they return in person, but also for the challenges raised if they participate in a virtual classroom. Either way, many parents will have to make a choice between family and employment, sooner or later.

Then, there are the people who make school happen – the teachers, counselors, administrators, cafeteria workers, custodians, bus drivers, and others without whom schools in normal conditions would simply stop working. They, too, risk exposure to the Coronavirus if the students return to the campus. What happens to a classroom of students when the teacher tests positive or a busload of students when a driver tests positive? Do they all go into quarantine at home? Who looks after them? A dozen other questions come to mind, but I’ll stop there.

Several weeks ago, St. Martin’s made the painful decision not to reopen our school. The change in student/teacher ratio, the added sanitation protocols, announcements of free public school early childhood programs in the area, no liability coverage for COVID-19-related incidents, a bleak financial outlook, along with the aforementioned questions, presented a perfect storm of obstacles. We could not see a way to open the school and safeguard the health and well-being of our kids and our teachers.

All that said, I do understand the difficult decisions public and other independent schools are facing. The decisions their leaders must make and the decisions parents and families must make are daunting. Like you, I wish I knew the right answer. But I don’t.

What I do know is this:
- The people of St. Martin's will not shame parents for whatever difficult decisions they make.
- The people of St. Martin's will stand by our parents, pray with you, and do whatever we can to help you uphold what you think is best for your children and youth.
- The people of St. Martin's will remain steadfast in offering an abundance of faith, hope, and love to parents and families.
- When this is over – and it will eventually end – the people of St. Martin's will be here for you and rejoice to see your faces reflecting the light of God’s countenance, the God who always sees us through both the bad times and the good times. Maybe that is actually the light at the end of this tunnel!
I remind you of St. Paul’s words, which we read last Sunday, in the hope that you will let them resonate in your heart and mind during this time when all these things conspire against us and seem so overwhelming:

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose…What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?…Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:28, 31, 35, 37-39)

May this message be a great big virtual hug for our families with children and youth. We love you!

Blessings,

The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas
July 30, 2020
Sometimes it’s the little things…

I was outside in the garden this morning and noticed a familiar sound, that of cicadas. Like many of you, I grew up hearing the sound of cicadas in the trees of my yard. Perhaps it is because I became accustomed to that sound at an early age, but I find it both familiar and comforting. However, this is not the case with some people.

An American pastor was traveling to England on an ocean liner a few years after the Second World War. He and an Englishman struck up a conversation. The pastor learned that the Englishman had lived in London during the war and experienced the terror of Nazi air raids. After the war, he moved to Missouri but was now returning home. He liked living in America but was returning to England because the sound of cicadas was driving him mad. Here was a man who had lived through the horrors of war, air raid sirens, bomb shelters, children running for their lives, and exploding bombs in London, but he was unable to live with the sound of a bug.

Sometimes it’s the little things that get to us, isn’t it? We often find strength to rise above the big things – a major illness, the death of a loved one, financial woes, loss of a job. But some little things try our patience – a shoelace that won’t stay tied, some grammatical error, a musical selection, a splinter in a finger, someone else’s annoying habit.

In the Parables of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:31-52), Jesus reminds us to pay attention to the little things – a coin, a pearl, a weed, a widow, an orphan, a hurt. If we are alert and receptive, we may recognize the hand of God at work in the unexpected places and experiences, even the ones that annoy us. God's reign also extends to those places.

The writer of Proverbs also gives us a word of wisdom in dealing with small things:

Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people without strength, yet they provide their food in the summer; the badgers are a people without power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard can be grasped in the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces. (Proverbs 30:24-28)

May God give us grace to remain spiritually grounded and alert to the divine presence, especially when some little thing has claimed our attention!

Blessings,

The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas

P.S. – Here's a fascinating video about the life cycle of the 17-year cicada. I've never seen them in such numbers. The Englishman probably did and that's what got to him. Don't watch it if you are seriously bothered by bugs.

July 23, 2020
A Preacher’s Candy Shop

On Sundays, we have been reading our way through the stories about the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) in Genesis, through the Letter to the Romans, and through the Gospel According to Matthew. The Preacher sometimes is able to tie more than one reading together in a coherent homily. Sometimes, that is just impossible.

Then, there are Sundays like the one coming up where the decision about which passage should form the basis of the homily is incredibly difficult because each of the readings and the Psalm are so powerful that the Preacher has a hard time deciding what to do. Each text almost preaches itself.

It’s a Preacher’s Candy Shop!

There is the passage in Genesis about Jacob’s flight from Beer-Sheba to Haran to escape the wrath of his brother Easu, whom he had cheated. One night, he uses a stone for a pillow and dreams of a ladder to Heaven on which angels are ascending and descending. The dream is so powerful that it changed his life. “So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel” (Genesis 28:18-19a). Bethel means House of God. Bethel is about eleven miles north of Jerusalem. It became a principal place of worship for the descendants of Jacob (Israel). Jacob’s sacramental action described in the text is nothing less than the consecration of the stone and the place. “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!…How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:16-17).

Jacob was not seeking God. He had stolen his brother’s birthright and his father’s blessing and was running for his life. There, in the middle of nowhere, God found Jacob and blessed him. That’s the kind of God we worship: one who shows up in unlikely places, to unlikely people, and gives undeserved blessings that transform our lives and, through us, the lives of others. We will be reading more amazing stories about Jacob in the coming weeks. In each one, we will see how God’s patience with Jacob was grounded in God’s hope for Jacob and his descendants.

Then there is Psalm 139. A perfect response to the reading from Genesis, it is an unbridled outburst of praise for the eternally patient God who has always known us, loved us, pursued us, blessed us, and guided us. Just read it!

St. Paul wrote to the Romans during a time of suffering. His words are balm for us during this Pandemic: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). We can only hope! Yes, hope! We can’t see what the future holds, but we can and we must hope that it will be better than the present and the past. If we knew what the post-pandemic world will be like, we wouldn’t need to hope for it. “For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24b-25). This is a timely word for us at this point in the “sufferings of this present time.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve reached a point where I’ve baked about all the bread my freezer can hold, put together enough puzzles, binge-watched plenty of TV shows, and listened to all the arguments about mask-wearing I can stand. I need patience! St. Paul reminds us that when we have hope, we will find patience.

Finally, in this Preacher’s Candy Shop, there is the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. In this parable, Jesus explains that our attempts to purify the Church, or society, or our own spiritual lives for that matter, place us in danger of making premature judgements. What appears to be good wheat now may eventually be revealed to be weeds. What appears to be weeds now may eventually be recognized as wheat. So God holds back the hoe because we tend to be too impatient. Our prejudices toward people with a different color skin, different nationality, different politics, different religion, different language, or any difference, may cause us to write them off. When we are privileged, we tend to do that quite often. What would the world be like if we devoted ourselves to fostering hope in others, especially those who are different from us? Such hope, of course, requires patience.

Take some time to read each of these passages in this Preacher’s Candy Shop and enjoy the flavor of each nougat. As you do, remember the immortal words of Forrest Gump, “My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.” He’s right. So, we always patiently hope for the best.

Blessings,

The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas

July 17, 2020
Looking for God Too High Up and Too Far Away

The play "Inherit the Wind" is a dramatic account of the 1925 Dayton, Tennessee trial of John Thomas Scopes, a schoolteacher who taught the theory of evolution in defiance of a state law prohibiting the teaching of any doctrine contrary to the Bible. The prosecutor was William Jennings Bryan. The defense attorney was Clarence Darrow. Bryan won the "The Monkey Trial," and Scopes was fined $100. Several days after the trial ended, Bryan died. In the play, the character representing reporter H.L. Mencken, after hearing of Bryan's death, says to Darrow, "Why should we weep for him? You know that he was-a Barnum-bunkum Bible-beating blowhard." To an agnostic Mencken, Darrow says of Bryan, "A giant once lived in that body. But the man got lost – lost because he was looking for God too high up and too far away."

In the 13th chapter of Matthew, we find Jesus in the midst of his Galilean ministry. Jesus had previously employed comparative and figurative analogies, but at this point Jesus chooses to teach in parables. James A. Fowler provides an interesting explanation of parables:

The Greek word for "parable" is derived from two other Greek words, para meaning "beside" and ballo meaning "to throw." Literally, then, a parable is an illustrative story that is "thrown alongside" or "placed side by side" a similar or comparative concept. A parable brings parallel ideas together by drawing a figurative word-picture to illustrate a particular thought. It is often a thought-provoking analogy that leaves the mind of the listener in sufficient doubt as to its application that it stimulates further consideration thereof … This enigmatic nature of a parable allows the story to function as a pictorial ponderable, which leaves an image on one's mind to be considered again and again. As such, the Biblical parables grate against dogmatism and the fundamentalistic desire to have everything figured out and nailed down in precision of under-standing. When attempting to interpret Jesus' parables the issue is not so much whether we "get it" figured out, as whether Jesus "gets to us" by planting a glimmer of His divine perspective of spiritual realities. The parable serves as a dum-dum bullet shot into our brain, which then explodes and begins to color our thinking in accord with the "mind of Christ." (Parables of the Kingdom, James A Fowler, 1996)

The parables of the kingdom, which we will be reading on the next four Sundays, challenge us to look beyond the obvious in our search for the realm where Jesus reigns and into which he invites us to live abundantly. We can get lost in our search by looking for God “too high up and too far away.” God’s realm, as Luke tells us, is to be found within and between us – close in, as near as heartbeat and breath and hands touching. Jesus’ parables call us to look at things in a new way and discover the abundant life we’ve been looking for all along right under our noses, even in the weeds and the dark corners where we'd rather not look.

Blessings,

The Very Rev'd Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas

P.S. Enjoy this recording of the Cambridge Singers performing John Rutter's setting of Psalm 119:18-24, "Open Thou Mine Eyes."

July 10, 2020
A Ray of Hope
This morning, I was reading reports about the impact of the Coronavirus and struggling to find a ray of hope to share with you. Then, I saw a Facebook post by our friend Jim Mayfield in Henderson, Nevada. It provides a window through which that ray has begun to shine. Here is his post in its entirety.

The world is in the midst of a sea change. Sea changes cannot be controlled nor can reliable predictions be made of resulting outcomes. However, historical lessons can guide the development of policy and strategies to effectively react to unpredictable conditions.

The Black Death of the mid-1600’s and worldwide plagues of the 18^th, 19^th, and early 20^th Centuries triggered massive destruction to existing social, economic, and political strictures. For example, the Black Plague ended the Medieval period by unleashing forces that brought about the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the redistribution of wealth and political power. Therefore, the study of plagues is relevant today because of insights they reveal about how to cope with resulting disruptive breakdowns attributable to them.

Plagues consistently cause
Attempts by wealthy interests that control governments to manage the crisis and return to the pre-plague status quo fail and delay implementing essential changes. The reason their efforts fail is that a plague-driven crisis reveals already existing inadequacies in social, economic, and political structures to equitably distribute wealth to working persons, middle class persons, and persons who are structurally disadvantaged.

The bad news, which we are finally having to acknowledge, is that this is going to get worse before it gets better. Reality is staring us in the face: COVID-19 is not just like the flu, the virus is not just going to miraculously go away, and that reopening is not making everything normal again. We can no longer pretend that racism is a thing of the past, that wealth inequality can be corrected by giving more to those who are already wealthy, that affordable healthcare is a privilege and not a right, and that our government isn't dysfunctional.

The good news is that we can seize this opportunity to devote the best that is in us to turning our breakdowns into breakthroughs. That’s what those who came before us did, resulting in major cultural, scientific, social, and technological advances. We were designed to be agents of creative and purposeful change in the ongoing process of creation. We are called to overcome evil with good.

As I said a few weeks ago, I doubt that things will return to “normal” and I’m not sure even a “new normal” will be all that great. This sea change must result in a new creation; one that is better, more just, inclusive, and loving than ever before. I admit that I have more questions than answers. But I have confidence that people of good will, working together, looking for answers, reaching in hope for what lies ahead, can accomplish great things, especially if they ask for God's help.

People don’t like change. I get that. I’ve actually studied resistance to change most of my life. That's why my ministry for the past ten years has been helping churches through transitions. However, in times like these, change is trust upon us and the God who made us also has equipped us with the will and the capacity to bend change toward our benefit and the benefit of those who come after us.

Can you see the ray of hope that is breaking through? It is breaking in to us and through us so that we can bring hope to others; hope for a better tomorrow, a new creation. “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Blessings,

The Very Rev'd Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas
July 2, 2020
Reflections on Matthew 10:34-39

Last Sunday’s gospel contained some disturbing words: “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” The Prince of Peace, Jesus, said that, according to St. Matthew. As if that weren't enough, he went on to say, “For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household.” What kind of family values are these?

Maybe the next two sentences provide the explanation: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” Living in a relationship with Jesus, being his follower, continuing his message and his work, is not going to be easy. It will cause people to reject you and then you'll have to make some difficult, perhaps painful, choices.

I once knew a woman named Julie. Julie was born in China and reared in a very strict Chinese family. When she became an adult, Julie heard the Gospel and the call to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Her family was not pleased. In fact, they told her that she could no longer be a member of the family if she remained a Christian. Julie faced a very painful choice. Not to be a member of a family would make her a nobody. She would have no place to live, no name, and no respect. It would be as if she were dead – like losing her life.

Julie left her family and left China. She lost that life. She came to the United States where she found a family among fellow Christians. She found life.

For Julie, the words of Jesus made perfect sense. Few of us will ever have to pay such a price, but nevertheless we should pay attention to the disclaimer Jesus put right there on the package for all to read: “Beware! Following Jesus can be hazardous!”

Then what's the payoff? Why would anybody risk everything to follow Jesus? What's in it for me? Jesus called it “eternal life,” “the kingdom of God,” “the kingdom of heaven,” “abundant life.” I sometimes call it “life beyond ego.”

The ego derives identity, worth, meaning, and power from surroundings. Family, social ties, possessions, ideologies, approval, and many other outward reinforcements give life to the ego. But the ego is not the true person. Take away those ego-inflating things and the ego panics.

The true human being finds identity, worth, meaning, and power in relationship to God. That “life beyond ego” in turn informs and assigns meaning to everything else. It is as if we begin to look at creation through the eyes of the Creator and discover a new realm of wonder, love, and praise. It is a realm of life that is not dependent upon approval of family, social status, political influence, the number of possessions, or anything other than God.

Our God-given identity, declared in Baptism, is the one thing that nobody can ever take away from us. But we are passive recipients of that identity, aren't we? We are told that Baptism is a gift, not earned or deserved. The inestimable price of that identity has been paid by Jesus Christ. Yet, it is one thing to know that and another thing to live like we actually believe it. That's where Jesus' disclaimer comes in. The world around us, filled with ego-inflating values and things, won't understand and may withdraw its approval if we act like we believe true life, abundant life, eternal life, is not dependent upon it. “Those who find their life (ego) will lose it, and those who lose their life (ego) for my sake will find it (eternal life).”

Remember the rich man who came to Jesus asking what he had to do to inherit eternal life? “Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, you lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then, come, follow me” (Mk. 10:21-22).

The man was shocked when he heard what Jesus said. He went away grieving because, the text says, “he had many possessions.”

But, even though Jesus’ words grieved the rich man, the text also says that Jesus said what he did out of love. He loved him enough to tell him the truth! He told him that while he was rich in the world's terms and in terms of the ego, he lacked treasure in heaven. The way to get his ego out of the way of eternal life was to be liberated from those things that inflated his ego. The man was not truly free. He was possessed by his possessions. Jesus wanted to liberate him for a life that is not limited by possessions.

So, out of love for us, Jesus tells us the truth. He warns us that following him and living the life he promises will cost us in terms of whatever gives our ego its sense of identity and security. I wonder what would happen if a dozen or so of us actually lived like we believe him. Let's throw caution to the wind and find out!

Blessings,

The Very Rev'd Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas

June 25, 2020
The Sacrament of Failure

Once when I was out jogging, I noticed that someone had taken chalk and written on the pavement in large letters,

The Race Goes Not Always to The Swift. . .But to Those Who Keep On Running.

Encouragement! Someone put those words there to encourage people who were running the race. Don’t give up! Keep on keeping on! There is value in the running of the race. There is victory in completing it.

Last Sunday's gospel reading reminded me of this. When Jesus sent the twelve apostles out on their mission, he let them know that not everyone would welcome them. "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town" (Matthew 9:14).

Encouragement! Jesus told them that to encourage them to continue in their mission even when they were not welcomed. A friend of mine once called this "the sacrament of failure." Jesus gave his apostles permission to fail and an outward sign that would help them leave that failure behind and continue in their mission.

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews also knew there is value in running the race to its completion. "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 12:1-2).

Keep us faithful always to You
Whatever the path we trod
That we might run with patience, Lord,
The race that is set before us.

And through it all may we praise Your Name,
For it is only by Your power,
That we can run with patience, Lord,
The race that is set before us.

A missionary people need encouragement to persevere in the work of Christ, especially in a time such as this. He’s in it with us. Every age and mission outpost has its challenges. If we will continue to faithfully put one foot in front of the other, Jesus will provide what is needed to endure and to transcend the challenges. When we fail while trying, he will keep us from settling into that failure and help us move on toward completion.

As my wife, Gay, once said, “Life is not about falling down. . .it’s about getting up and trying again.” Let us encourage one another to continue in the life and work of Christ.

Blessings,

The Very Rev'd Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas

June 18, 2020
Does My Faith Work?
Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone…For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

(James 2:23-24, 26)

For almost all of my 48 years of ordained ministry, I have advocated openly for the most vulnerable and marginalized members of our society. In light of that, no one who knows me is more surprised than I am at my reticence in addressing the issues of our day. I have been confused by various versions of the facts. I have struggled with many emotions such as shock, despair, grief, disappointment, failure, and anger, perhaps made more pronounced by the long period of isolation due to the Coronavirus. I have not used my voice because I simply could not get to the place where I thought I might be able to find words that would help rather than make matters worse. I’m going to try today to state what I believe and what I believe our response can be.

Unity – I believe that it is the responsibility of leaders to speak and behave in ways that draw people together rather than drive them apart. So, I want what I have to say to cast a vision of a better future and call forth the best in people to work together for good. The work that lies before represents our role in the answer to our prayer, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Divisive partisan rhetoric is damaging the unity that is necessary in order for our nation to pursue the noble vision of the Founders. In addition to that, the Christian faith is being used in ways that encourage disunity. Remember that our Savior prayed for his followers, “That they may be one.” Let’s tell our favorite politicians to stop the divisive rhetoric. Differences are inevitable, but politics is supposed to be about finding ways to resolve differences.

Systemic Racism – I believe that we must heal the systemic racism that continues to oppress people of color. We don’t live our lives in isolation from others. We belong to families, companies, schools, churches, political parties, communities, and many other groups. Each of those groups is a “system.” So, to say that racism is systemic is to acknowledge that the systems in which we function with others, long ago infected with the disease of racism, continue to manifest the symptoms of racism. The policies of retail systems continue to discriminate against people of color, such as locking up products intended for African Americans. The methods of restraint and degree of force used by police continue to be applied more severely with people of color. Our legal system continues to mete out more and harsher penalties to people of color, especially if they are poor and can’t hire a prestigious law firm to represent them. People of color who can’t afford private schools often continue to find themselves in segregated classrooms.

Systems don’t heal themselves. The people who live in them have to take intentional actions to transform them and heal them. Junior Warden Christopher Mullaney has a quote from Mahatma Gandhi at the bottom of his emails that sums it up: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” I must address the infection in the systems of which I am a part as well as the infection in my own soul. We as Christians, especially privileged white Christians, need to get to work to heal the systemic racism that is oppressing and killing our neighbors.

Law Enforcement Reform – I believe that we must insist on law enforcement reform. I grieve the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. Like so many who have fallen before them, they are victims of an unhealthy system. The involvement of law enforcement personnel in their deaths is a slap in the face of their colleagues as well as all those they are sworn to protect and to serve. So is the fear of retribution, inherent in many police systems, making other officers reluctant to intervene. I believe that most law enforcement officers serve with honor and integrity. But the consequences for those who tarnish their badge are not working. Greater accountability needs to be put in place. Some assignments given to police should be assigned to others. Painful or deadly procedures that are allowed must be reviewed and modified. The purpose of policing should be reviewed. Officers who intervene and report violations have to be protected. As we think about these issues, let us be mindful of the abuse Jesus suffered at the hands of his captors.

Protests – I believe that we need to listen to the voices of those who have taken to the streets because other methods of getting our attention have not worked. I support peaceful protests and condemn the actions of those who took advantage of the protests to destroy property, steal, and hurt others. Their actions actually interfered with the protesters’ legitimate right to assemble and speak freely. The actions of those who have used force and chemical agents against peaceful protesters, including clergy, likewise interfered with those legitimate rights. We can follow the example of Bishop Mariann Budde and sit down with protesters so we can listen and, hopefully, hear what they are trying to say. We will probably learn something and find ways to do something.

Inequality – I believe we must address wealth and income inequality in our society. The unequal distribution of resources exacerbates so many social problems and people of color are affected most of all. Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler is a reminder to Christians that we must not be possessed by our possessions. He also pointed out that “The love of money is the root of all evil.” The observation that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer is no longer an adage; it is a fact. Laws, policies, corporate governance that ignores this fact are doing great harm to our common life. Let’s work to understand and to change this.

God's Creation – I believe that human beings have to stop damaging God’s creation. We are called to be stewards of creation and to use its resources wisely. When people are allowed to do harm to creation, we all suffer and those who come after us will suffer even more. Let’s make sure those who make environmental laws and those who must abide by them take this seriously.

To Sum it Up – On the Day of Pentecost, the Sunday after George Floyd was killed, we reaffirmed our Baptismal vows.
- Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
- Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
- Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
- Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
- Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
To each of these questions, we answered, “I will, with God's help.”

These vows are disciplines that define us as disciples of Jesus Christ, the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls. In our response to the unrest, division, injustice, and outrage that is becoming a part of our daily experience, can we hold these vows in our hearts and minds and practice them as disciplines? Can we ask for God’s help to understand the implications of our Baptism for our words and actions? Can we ask ourselves, “How am I living these vows in relation to everything God has given me, the neighbors with whom I disagree and can’t understand, and my own spiritual health?"

My personal mission begins with fostering hope. I want this message to foster hope in this community of Christ’s disciples and beyond. In Paula Jefferson’s sermon on Trinity Sunday, she encouraged us to let God open our eyes. In the Eucharistic Prayer, we ask God to “open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world around us.” I’ve been praying that prayer as I’ve watched all of the horrible things I have listed above and God has responded by showing me signs of many good things as well:

I am heartened by the youth and diversity of those who are calling for change.

I am impressed by the restraint of so many law enforcement officers in the face of provocation.

I am touched by the clergy and volunteers at churches on protest routes around the country who are providing water, snacks, band aids, and listening ears to those in the streets.

I am moved by the calls for peace, justice, and reform from religious and civic leaders.

I am inspired by the examples of police chiefs walking hand in hand with protesters.

I am amazed by the people who came out to line the route of George Floyd’s funeral procession.

I am encouraged by actions already taken to begin reforms in policing.

I am motivated by the words of Dr. Shafi, Councilman in the City of Southlake, Texas: "Please join me in building strong, inclusive communities, where every person, every family, and every child is loved, respected, and cherished."

I am cheered by the children in the scenes I’ve seen in attendance at protests and other gatherings, including some of our own children from St. Martin’s whose parents are teaching them what this is all about.

So, let us daily ask God to open our eyes to see the hurt and anger and need that requires our attention and action. Let's put our faith into works of mercy, peace, and justice. May God also open our eyes to see places where God is already at work bringing faith, hope, and love in ways that heal and transform lives so that we can join God in that mission. Let us watch for those places where God’s people “walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.”

Blessings,

The Very Rev'd Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas
June 12, 2020