Category: Religion

The Most Important Relationship of All

Think of the most important relationships in your life. Who are the people who matter to you and to whom you matter? How do you nurture those relationships? Do you routinely show up for meals with them? Do you communicate with them? Do you celebrate special occasions with them? Do you check in with them on a regular basis? Do you go out of your way for them? Do you feel a sense of responsibility to them? Do you delight in their company? Do you lavish gifts upon them to express your devotion? Do you tell them what they mean to you? What would your life be like without them? Do you ever take them for granted? Would it bother you if you drifted apart.

Does your relationship with God matter as much? How do you nurture your relationship with God?

One of the consistent themes of the Bible is God’s desire for a relationship with us. God went searching for Adam in the Garden of Eden. God appeared to Abraham and made a covenant with him. The first two commandments God gave to Moses on the mountain have to do with putting God first. God in Christ said, “Follow me” to some strangers and formed them into a community of friends and disciples. They and their successors called to others to follow Christ and join that community, the Church, where we continue to work on that relationship today.

God wants to be first in our lives and promises to transform all other relationships. In an attempt to express the primacy of our relationship with God, the faithful do things like give the first tenth of their treasure to God and worship on the first day of the week. Because God matters, we show up for meals, communicate, celebrate special occasions, check in regularly, go out of our way, feel a sense of responsibility, delight in God’s company, lavish gifts upon God, and express what God means to us through prayers and praises. Life would not be the same without God and we don’t ever want to take God for granted.

God matters to us. But even more important is the message that we matter to God! Of all God’s creatures, human beings come first. We are the apple of God’s eye. Because this relationship is so important to God, God shows up for meals, communicates with us, celebrates special occasions with us, goes out of the way for us, feels a sense of responsibility toward us, delights in our company, lavishes gifts upon us, and tells us we are beloved. We matter to God and God never takes us for granted.

St. Augustine of Hippo prayed, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” We were created with a desire to live in relationship with our Creator as well as our neighbors. As we approach the Season of Lent, I pray that we will make a new resolve to open ourselves more fully to that relationship. This 19th Century hymn echoes Augustine's prayer. Take a moment to listen to this acapella rendition by Danny Byrum.

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
he moved my soul to seek him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
no, I was found of thee.

Thou didst reach forth thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea.
'Twas not so much that I on thee took hold,
as thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
of love is but my answer, Lord, to thee!
For thou wert long beforehand with my soul;
always thou lovedst me.

I’ll see you in Church!

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

February 13, 2020
Life Beyond the Law

In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus says to his followers, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). That's a tall order, isn't it? Let's reflect on that.

Jesus says that the goodness of his followers must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees and then he offers examples of how the letter and the spirit of the law need to be joined together for abundant living. As we consciously align our lives with divine commandments and principles, over time we are formed into living expressions of them. Jesus tells us that he did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. The fulfillment of the law occurs when external rules become internal inclinations, when rules for living become a way of life, when the seed takes root and produces virtuous fruit.

When Jesus says, “You have heard it said in ancient times… but I say to you,” he is calling us from merely avoiding negative behaviors to intentionally behaving in positive, life-affirming ways. A life beyond the law is not a lawless life but an abundant life. Abundant life, according to the teachings of Jesus, is about more than following the rules; it is about the formation of character and virtue. Following the rules is but the first step toward fruitful and virtuous living in the realm where God reigns.

St. Paul refers to the Law of God as a tutor, which guides us until our characters are so formed that the point of the Law is inherent in the way we live. He also likens the following of spiritual rules to the discipline followed by an athlete during training; when the contest comes, the athlete is prepared.

My career on the track team did not last long. But it lasted long enough for me to recognize the discipline of training, including the use of ankle weights. After weeks of running a quarter of a mile with weights strapped to my ankles, I discovered I was much faster without them on the day of the race.

We practice things like not lying so that we might become people who are known for our truthfulness. We avoid coveting and stealing what belongs to others so that we learn to be grateful for and generous with what is ours. We refrain from murder so that even our murderous thoughts are replaced by loving actions toward our neighbors.

The things God has commanded us to do or not do are supposed to lead us to a point when we are not merely slaves to the rules but people in whom the deeper purpose of the rules is fully expressed in the way we live. God has given us the Church so that through our gathering together we might help each other grow toward the greater righteousness of which Jesus spoke in his Sermon on the Mount.

I’ll conclude with a prayer we sometimes pray prior to worship. It is the Chorister’s Prayer of the Royal School of Church Music. This prayer has origins at least as far back the fourth Council of Carthage (398 AD) and beautifully expresses the relationship between the actions of our lives and the inner results for which we hope.

Bless, O Lord, us Thy servants,
who minister in Thy temple.
Grant that what we sing with our lips,
we may believe in our hearts,
and what we believe in our hearts,
we may show forth in our lives.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

I’ll see you in Church!

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

February 6, 2020
Every Member Has a Ministry

The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of Jesus as the Messiah to the gentile world. In the season following the feast, we are reminded of various ways he manifested his messianic role – miracles, healing, preaching, teaching, and calling people to follow him.

He spent time with those who responded to his call, forming them into a community, equipping them to continue his messianic work in the world. Each follower of Jesus was given gifts for this work. Some were placed in positions of leadership to provide the formative experiences for others in the generations that followed. In this way, the community of followers of Jesus, the Church, is strategically ordered to advance his mission from generation to generation.

Writing to the followers of Jesus in the city of Ephesus in the first few years after Jesus ascended into heaven, St. Paul wrote of this way of ensuring the future of Christian mission:

“But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4:7, 11-13).

Notice that the “work of ministry” is entrusted to “the saints.” Who are the saints? The saints are the members of Christ’s Church, the followers of Jesus. Our Episcopal catechism expresses it this way, “The Church carries out is mission through the ministry of all its members” (BCP, p. 855).

Some congregations have several members of the clergy and a number of staff members. It is easy to see the clergy and staff as the ones who carry out the Church’s mission. Sometimes even the clergy and staff begin to see it that way. However, when that happens, the saints are deprived of their missional opportunities. It is our responsibility to “equip the saints” – to help each member discover his or her gifts and discern ways in which Christ wants those gifts to be used, with God's help, in the ongoing mission of Jesus Christ.

Some are called to serve primarily within the life of the Church. Others are called to ministries out in the world at our doorstep. Many are called to do both! Christ calls each of us to be engaged in his mission. Every member has a ministry! Vibrant, fruitful churches are filled with people who believe that and exercise their ministries to the glory of God, thereby building up the Church in pursuit of Christ’s mission.

So, during this season when we recall those whom Christ called to follow him during his earthly ministry, we reclaim and reaffirm our own vocations. Where are you called to serve Christ in his Church? If you know, your clergy and staff are here to assist you and support you. And, if you are not sure, we are here to help you find a ministry that is right for you.

At the Annual Parish Meeting, I announced this year’s engagement campaign, “I Will, With God’s Help.” We are hoping to have strong participation in this effort to engage everyone in the ministries of St. Martin’s. There is a long list of possibilities in the survey we have prepared. I invite you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to take some time to review the opportunities and respond to the call to serve in one or more ways. Click HERE to participate.

By responding to your vocation, your call, you give us the privilege of fulfilling ours! Please let us hear from you.

The Collect for the Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany is a good prayer to offer while you are considering your call to serve.

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I’ll see you in Church!

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

January 30, 2020
Today

Those of us who are old enough to remember the 1960’s will recall how important a genre of music called “folk music” was in that era. One of the early folk music groups was The New Christy Minstrels, founded by songwriter/guitarist Randy Sparks in 1961. One of Sparks’ hit songs, recorded by this group in 1964, is entitled simply Today. Some of the words of this song came to mind as I reflected on the relationship between the past, present, and future.

Today, while the blossoms still cling to the vine
I’ll taste your strawberries, I’ll drink your sweet wine
A million tomorrows shall all pass away
‘Ere I forget all the joy that is mine, Today

I can’t be contented with yesterday’s glory
I can’t live on promises winter to spring
Today is my moment, now is my story
I’ll laugh and I’ll cry and I’ll sing

In this bit of poetry set to a lovely tune, Randy Sparks and The New Christy Minstrels reminded us to appreciate the present moment and cherish the joy of now. I once heard a preacher put it in a less poetic but equally effective way: “Yesterday’s gone. Tomorrow hasn’t come yet. Today is all we have. Use it!”

During this time of transition between rectors, St. Martin's will soon be engaged in a process of reflecting upon the past and discerning the future into which God is calling us. As we do this, we want to remember that if heritage and hope do not inform the way we live today, we are destined to be prisoners of our past or disciples of our daydreams. Either way, we are disconnected from the present, which is the scene of the greatest reality.

A visitor to the Vatican was approached by a sidewalk peddler outside the walls. He was offering a hen, a very special hen, for sale. “This hen is a direct descendant of the cock that crowed when Peter denied the Lord,” said the peddler. “Yes,” responded the visitor, “but does it lay eggs?” Whatever the hen’s past or future, the visitor wanted to know if she was doing what hens do today.

Jesus joined the past and the future together in a new way. He is the intersection of the horizontal dimension of time and the vertical dimension of spiritual reality. He warned the religious leaders that their genealogy did not relieve them of responsibility for their present actions. Likewise, he warned the rich young man that good intentions, no matter how worthy, could not give him the eternal life he was seeking at the present moment. Addressing the crowd in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times…but I say unto you.” He said to the woman at the well, “The time is coming and now is.” Each step away from the past and into the future is dependent upon the spiritual dimension we refer to as “The Kingdom of God.”

Let us enter faithfully into this process of discovery and discernment so that this community of faith may be fruitful and vibrant in the here and now. And may we cherish the opportunity and the joy that are ours today!

I'll see you in Church!

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

January 23, 2020
What do we mean when we use the word faith?

What do Christians mean when we use the word faith? Often, we are speaking of a set of beliefs or doctrines. But there is a more important meaning without which all our doctrines and words are empty – to have faith first means to trust God, especially when we are not 100% certain about something.

In his book, Living Faith While Holding Doubts, Martin B. Copenhaver writes, "There are times when we must make a 100% commitment to something about which we are only 51% certain"

When God calls to you, how do you answer? With doubts, anxieties, fears? You are not alone! But can you listen beyond them to God's reassuring voice, calling you to trust God to lead you through them, perhaps even to use those obstacles to faith as bridges into the future where God is trying to get you to go with him? Can you say, I'm 51% sure, God, but I'll trust you with the other 49%? If you can, you are not far from the kingdom of God.

Let us pray.

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

I'll see you in Church!

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

January 16, 2020
Remember Who You Are!

Sunday is the Feast of the Baptism of Christ. It is one of the days in the liturgical calendar when we renew the Baptismal Covenant. We do that from time to time so that we can remember that we are God’s beloved sons and daughters whom God has invited to live in a covenant relationship. A covenant relationship is one in which each party is bound to remain in relationship even when the other does not live up to the promises of the covenant. The most important thing to remember about our covenant relationship with God is that God always remains faithful to us, even when we are unfaithful to God. God is always there, calling us back into that unique relationship.

I suppose the most impressive thing about this God of ours is the fact that, instead of sitting upon a throne, aloof and disinterested in the affairs of the people God has created, our God has chosen to enter into a covenant with us. This is a difficult thing for some to believe. I even find myself sometimes asking, when I sense my own unfaithfulness and that of the world around me, “What's a nice God like you doing in a covenant like this?”

As God's covenant promises were declared and established in the Baptism of Jesus – so God’s covenant promises are declared in our Baptism. In our Baptism we, like our Messiah who has gone before us, are anointed and our identity as God's children is established. Through Baptism we become members of God's family and are ordained to the priesthood of believers.

Whenever Baptism is administered, it is a sign of God's action and God's intentions toward us. God gets involved with us in a covenant relationship because God desires to be in companionship with us and wants to work in and through us toward the fulfillment of our lives and the life of all creation. Who we are determines what we do, how we respond to the world and all the people and events of life.

Carl Sandburg once told a group of students at a Harvard commencement, “you need the spirit of Lincoln, who in the divided house of his day knew what to do because he knew who he was.” To be taught that we are children of God and to define ourselves in that way changes what we do with our lives. It is news we can embrace or resist. The fruit of our lives reveals which we are doing.

In Baptism we are marked as Christian disciples and heirs of God's grace. Few of us can actually remember our Baptism – its precise details. But we can remember that we are Baptized just as we can remember that we are born. In remembering our Baptism, we get back in touch with who we really are, God's children, called and set apart for a special purpose. We renew the covenant God has established with us so that there may be a renewal of forgiveness, faith, and ministry in our task as God’s own beloved people.

In Alex Haley's book, Roots, there is a memorable scene the night the slave, Kunte Kinte, drove his master to a ball at the big plantation house. Kunta Kinte heard the music from inside the house, music from the white folk's dance. He parked the buggy and settled down to wait out the long night of his master's revelry. While he sat in the buggy, he heard other music coming from the slave's quarters, the little cabins behind the big house. It was different music, music with a different rhythm. He felt himself carried down the path toward those cabins. There he found a man playing African music, his music which he remembered hearing in Africa as a child – the music he had almost forgotten. Kunta Kinte found that the man was from his section of Africa. They talked excitedly, in his native language, of home and the things of home.

That night, Kunta Kinte went home changed. He lay upon the dirt floor of his little cabin and wept. Weeping in sadness that he had almost forgotten, weeping in joy that he had at last remembered. The terrifying, degrading experience of slavery had almost obliterated his memory of who he was. But the music had helped him remember.

This is a parable about Baptism. It is a parable about how easy it is to forget who we are and whose we are. So the Church is here to remind us, to remind one another, that our freedom has been bought with a price, that someone greater than us has named us and claimed us, seeks us and loves us, with only one good reason in mind – to love us for all eternity. Whenever we see the water poured and each time we feast on the bread and wine of the Eucharist, let us renew the Baptismal Covenant, which we, from time to time, have broken. Each time someone is brought to these holy waters, let us remember our Baptism and be thankful. And each time we step back into the mission field at the Church’s doorstep, let us remember that we are beloved of God so that we can share that blessing with others.

I once had a small piece of one-way glass on my desk with an inscription that said, “Lord, make my life a window for your light to shine through and a mirror to reflect your love to all I meet.” That is exactly what God hopes will come of my Baptism, and yours as well.

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River
Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him
with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his
Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly
confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy
Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

I’ll see you in Church!

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

January 10, 2020
Seeking Balance During Advent

December 1 is the First Sunday of Advent. Advent is hard to observe in our culture, isn’t it?

The Church tells us it is a period of preparation for the Feast of the Incarnation, Christmas. Our faith tradition encourages us to make it a reflective time during which we identify with those who waited long centuries for the appearing of God’s anointed one. The liturgy for the Sundays and weekdays in Advent direct our attention to the wonderful gift that has come to us in Emmanuel and the promise that he will come again at the end to establish his victorious reign over all things.

Yet, here we are again with all those sights and sounds and smells that tell us it is time to be the world’s most accomplished consumers. Our culture encourages us to believe that the things we need and the things our loved ones need to make their lives complete can be bought for a price, and quite possibly must be acquired if life is to be worth living. The liturgy of advertising and shopping mall directs our attention to the near frenzy involved in getting there while supplies last.

I’m not really suggesting that we should not buy gifts or support our local merchants who work so hard and rely so heavily on sales at this season. I enjoy going to the mall and listening to the music in the stores. I like to shop for presents and believe it is a good thing to be thoughtful and generous with others as God in Christ has been thoughtful and generous with us in offering us his very life.

What I am suggesting is that the spiritual dimension of the season can easily be overshadowed. We need to find a balance and the Church can help. Go to the mall, after you’ve gone to church. Buy gifts, after you’ve left your gift at the Altar. Spend time shopping for the perfect gift, after you’ve spent time in communion with the most perfect gift, Christ the Savior. And then, after you've observed the spiritual practices of Advent, have a wonderful, peaceful, and blessed Christmas!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
The Rt. Rev. Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)

I'll see you in Church!

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

November 29, 2019
The Practice of Intentional Faith Formation

(Continuing a series of reflections based on Bishop Robert Schnase's book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.)

Intentional Faith Development refers to all the ministries that help us grow in faith outside of weekly worship, such as bible studies, Sunday School classes, support groups, and prayer teams. Congregations who practice Intentional Faith Development offer opportunities for people to learn in community for people at all stages of faith. They offer ministries that help people grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of God. Intentional refers to deliberate effort, purposeful action, and high priority.

Around the time I entered ordained ministry in the early 1970’s, a number of articles were published concerning the state of religious education in various Christian denominations. The articles reported on several studies and surveys that showed declining attendance. The post-World War II Baby Boomers had reached adulthood and were not as committed to Christian education for themselves and their children as their parents’ generation had been.

My second appointment after seminary was on the staff of a Bishop who wanted me to get out there and address this situation before it got any worse in his jurisdiction. “I want you to help our churches turn the Sunday school around,” he said. I can’t say we actually accomplished his “turn around” objective, but we did at least find some new energy and stop the slide.

One nationally recognized authority on Christian education sounded the warning: “As goes the Sunday School, so goes the Church.” He was right. Declining participation in Christian education, especially on Sunday mornings, preceded – some would say precipitated – declines in worship attendance, membership, and giving in mainline Churches.

During the same half-century, we witnessed a dramatic rise in participation in more theologically conservative “evangelical” congregations and a concurrent increase in their level of influence in American politics and culture. These Christian movements have offered absolute answers and simple rules that comfort a generation that wasn’t well-formed in faith and suddenly found themselves adrift in a world-wide cultural change. The more conservative theological and moral principles provided a sense of security and a place to drop anchor. This generation demanded options in every aspect of life. But when it came to faith, they wanted something that is changeless.

Many of our members joined them. The Episcopal Church has been baffled by the decline and uncertain about what to do. In our attempts to respond, we have not wanted to inconvenience one another and we’ve tried less demanding offerings for faith formation. But most of our attempts at accommodation have not been faithful to the Baptismal Covenant and have failed to form people in the Christian faith. Members have drifted away or sought to shore up their feelings of theological and biblical inadequacy in other faith communities.

Now, we see a generation emerging that isn’t so comfortable with a faith that possesses all the answers, is always right, knows the absolute truth, and tells them what to think. They want space for mystery and wonder. They are less interested in what is changeless than they are in seeking that which is ageless. There is a difference!

Our Church has the theological, liturgical, sacramental, and moral heritage to respond to this generation. We need to listen to their questions and provide an environment in which it is safe to ask them. This is a unique opportunity to leave our comfort zone and join them in their spiritual quest. They are calling us to awaken from our complacency and journey with them into a new era of wonder, love, and praise.

Therefore, let us take seriously the call to Intentional Faith Development for our Church, ourselves, our children, and those who come to us seeking a living relationship with “the author of peace and lover of concord, whom to know is eternal life and to serve is perfect freedom,” to paraphrase The Collect for Peace.

One of the things potential applicants for Rector will be curious about is the commitment of the parish to faith formation. Currently, St. Martin’s has a somewhat small number of options. However, we are beginning to explore ways to expand our offerings. On Saturday, The Rev’d Dr. Suzi Robertson will be here to train Godly Play leaders for our children’s Sunday School. We will soon have a Christian Formation Commission and its first task will be to help the parish envision the kind of opportunities that are needed to nourish the faithful. A team that was appointed last summer to assist in finding a youth minister is actively engaged in that process, which we hope will lead to the rebuilding of a dynamic, lay-led program of formation for our youth.

It’s a new beginning! I hope you and your household will be involved in intentional ways to strengthen faith formation for all ages at St. Martin’s.

I’ll see you in Church!

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

November 14, 2019
The Practice of Passionate Worship
Continuing a series based on Bishop Robert Schnase's book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.)

Worship describes those times we gather deliberately seeking to encounter God in Christ. God uses worship to transform lives, heal wounded souls, renew hope, shape decisions, provoke change, inspire compassion, and bind people to one another. The word passionate expresses an intense desire, an ardent spirit, strong feelings, and the sense of heightened importance. Congregations who practice Passionate Worship offer their utmost and highest; they expect worship to be the most important hour of the week.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that worship attendance is declining in most mainline Churches and even in some evangelical mega churches. Given the fact that participation in corporate worship is almost universally regarded as of the utmost importance among Christians, this downward trend seems odd. What's wrong with this picture?

Perhaps we have not been effective in teaching about the centrality of worship. Most of us who have been in ordained ministry for a while have tried all of the less direct, “kid glove” approaches and they are not working. We've tried to fix our sermons, our music, and our wardrobe to make things more “convenient,” “appealing,” and “entertaining.” We've set attendance goals, assumed much of the blame for the behavior of people given into our care, and tried numerous gimmicks to coax the faithful to worship. And still, worship in our churches continues to decline.

So, let's try the direct approach. We have not been completely honest and we have not served the flock of Christ well by shading the truth. One of the most important and helpful things a pastor can do is tell you this:

God wants you to adjust your life so you can be there when your Church gathers for divine worship!

God will be pleased. It will strengthen the Church, enrich you spiritually, and help you love others. Think of this time as God’s time with you instead of your time with God. Consider it the most important appointment of the week. From the earliest of times, God has called God’s own people to join together in worship. In corporate worship, we focus our hearts not on ourselves, but on our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. When we do that, we open ourselves up to receive the grace and love that we cannot earn or find anywhere else. There is just no substitute for worship.

How to get started – If you are still with me and have concluded that worship needs to be a greater priority in your life and the life of your household, you may be wondering how to proceed. Here are some ideas:
- Some may be able to simply decide to be there every Sunday unless prevented by a major physical difficulty like illness, disability, or severe weather conditions.
- Others may commit to a gradual change during the next year. For example, if you attend corporate worship once a month, try twice; if you worship twice a month, try three times; or just decide that you will worship twice as often.
- Some may have a job or obligations to others that make Sunday morning attendance extremely difficult or impossible. At Saint Martin’s, we have a service on Saturday evenings at 5:00. We also have a service in the Chapel at noon on Wednesdays. One of those may be an option for you. If not, let me know and we’ll discuss the possibility of starting a service at a time that does work for you. It may work for others as well.
Most Christians could double their worship attendance and still not be there every Sunday of the year. I'm not a mathematician but I believe I'm correct in suggesting that if places of worship are typically two-thirds empty and we doubled attendance, our churches would then be two-thirds full. That would be a good thing for God, for the People of God, and for the world God loved so much that he sent his only begotten Son. There would be more of us there to welcome newcomers. It could be the beginning of another Great Awakening in the hearts and minds of Christians.

Whatever you do to improve your participation in corporate worship will be a step in the right direction. It is time to reverse the trend and it has to start with a new commitment on the part of the believer. This is a call to worship – passionate worship.

Therefore, I join St. Paul in extending this invitation to those born of water and the Spirit, who bear the Name of Christ: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect” (I Cor. 12;1-2).

I'll see you in Church!

The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas
November 8, 2019
Who Are You?
Who are you? That’s a question that frequently pops into our minds. For those of us who are members of the Church, it pops into our minds before, during, and after worship and at other gatherings.

Of course, who you are is more than your name, but your name is a starting point. Once I know your name, I begin to associate other aspects of your identity with it – what you look like, what you do, where you live, to whom you are related, and many other characteristics that make you YOU. The unique, one-of-a-kind, never before, never again YOU. When I hear your name, I recall lots of information about you and my relationship with you. Names are little bridges we cross over in relationships one with another. For example:
- The Prophet Isaiah recorded God’s word to God’s own specific, chosen people:
“Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1a)
- Expectant parents take pains to select the names of their children. Before we are born, we have a name. Throughout our lives, those names will be recognized and recorded by others.
- At our Baptism, our name is called, signifying that God knows us. In fact, the liturgy used to direct the Priest to say to the parents and sponsors, “Name this child.”
- As we mature, we learn that having our name attached to something can be something very good or something very bad.
- Newscasters are very careful to refer to the people they interview or refer to by name.
- When we say we know our neighbors, we mean that, among other things, we know their names.
- When we send a letter, a sympathy note, or a thank you note, we address the recipient by name.
Names are important!

So, in order to foster community and build relationships at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, we need to take care to learn one anothers' names. This is important at all times but will be especially important when you welcome newcomers and when your new Rector arrives.

To that end, I am asking that we wear name tags when we are together at the church, whether for worship, study, fellowship, or service. If you have a permanent name tag and can remember to wear it, that’s great. If you don’t have a permanent name tag, click HERE to order one from the Parish Office. We'll furnish the first one at no cost.

If you are like me, those permanent name tags are sometimes in the jacket I didn’t wear to church. So, we’re going to provide plain paper name tags and bold sharpie pens at the entrance to each gathering place so you will always have a name tag. These will also be useful for newcomers and will enhance our ongoing practice of radical hospitality.

Who are you? If you’ll wear a name tag, it won’t be long before I know the answer to that question and so will others.

I’ll see you in Church!

The Very Reverend Ron Pogue
Interim Rector
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Keller, Texas
October 24, 2019