Category: Worship

What are we that God is mindful of us?

The Rev. G. Runge Nease was my Pastor during my spiritually formative teen years. He often recited verses from Psalm 8 as the Opening Sentence for worship, reminding us that God is always mindful of us and that we are created a little lower than the Holy Angels. I can hear his voice even now six decades later proclaiming, "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth…"

We may – and often do – forget God, but God never forgets us, is always mindful of us, reaches out to us in Love Divine. I often pray this collect on Thursdays and imagine I'm walking with those disciples along the Road to Emmaus on that first Easter Day. The Risen Christ was their companion on that journey but they didn't recognize him.

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our
being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by
your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our
life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are
ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Pastor Nease planted the seed of understanding in me that continues to reassure me every step along the way and every hour of every day, God is mindful of me, even when I am not mindful of God. My ultimate worth to my Creator is like that of the Angels.

Here's the Psalm 8 sung in magnificent Anglican chant.

Psalm 8

Domine, Dominus noster

1. O LORD our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world: thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens!

2. Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies: that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3. For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers: the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.

4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him: and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5. Thou madest him lower than the angels: to crown him with glory and worship.

6. Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands: and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet;

7. All sheep and oxen: yea, and the beasts of the field;

8. The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea: and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.

9. O Lord our Governor: how excellent is thy Name in all the world.

Blessings,

Ron+

September 29, 2022
Angel Voices Ever Singing

One of the wisest saints I've ever known was Marjorie Lester. Marjorie was a member of Houston's Bering Memorial Church. She lived to be 101 years old. Before coming to Houston, she was the second woman admitted to the bar in the Commonwealth of Kentucky after her husband was murdered, leaving her a widow with two young sons. In Houston, she was in charge of legal records for one of the natural gas companies.

In my first year at Bering Memorial Church, during the worship service where I was asking worshipers to complete their pledge cards and bring them to the Altar, she asked to speak to the congregation. Leaning on her cane, she said these words, "The Apostle Paul would be envious of the mission field at our doorstep."

Those who recorded the pledges told me that about half of the cards had the first figure erased or crossed out and a higher amount written in, no doubt in response to what Marjorie said.

In one of my last home visits to her in 1986, she said this to me. "Ron, I hope what I'm about to say does not render me a heretic, but when we get to heaven if all we are going to do is stand around God's throne and sing, I'm not sure I want to go."

I replied, "The endless singing is the work of the Angels. We get to join them, but there are other things for us to do there. I'm not sure what our other tasks will be, but I look forward to your being there beside me when the time comes."

I wish I'd had this hymn handy to share with her.

Angel Voices Ever Singing

1 Angel voices ever singing

round Thy throne of light,

angel harps, forever ringing,

rest not day nor night;

thousands only live to bless Thee

and confess thee Lord of might.

2 Thou who art beyond the farthest

mortal eye can scan,

can it be that Thou regardest

songs of sinful man?

Can we feel that Thou art near us

and wilt hear us? Yea, we can.

3 Yea, we know Thy love rejoices

o'er each work of Thine;

Thou didst ears and hands and voices

for Thy praise combine;

craftsman's art and music's measure

for Thy pleasure didst design.

4 Here, great God, today we offer

of Thine own to Thee;

and for Thine acceptance proffer,

all unworthily,

hearts and minds and hands and voices

in our choicest melody.

5 Honor, glory, might, and merit

Thine shall ever be,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

blessed Trinity:

of the best that Thou hast given

earth and heaven render Thee.

Author: Francis Pott (1861)

ANGEL VOICES (Monk) Composer: Edwin George Monk (1861)

September 29, 2022
Sing to the Lord a New Song!

Someone posted this on Facebook this morning:

As hymnals fade, theology also suffers. The rich repository of religious wisdom contained in hymns will be lost. The old-fashioned language of hymns may strike some as unusual, but their text teaches the Christian faith far better than most of the praise choruses that dominate contemporary services. Old hymns were carefully crafted with theology at the forefront. Traditional hymns present doctrine clearly and beautifully convey the gospel story of saving grace.

My thoughts about this quote are mixed. Hymnals are a product of a new technology from another era – moveable type and the printing press. Just because the technology changes doesn't necessarily mean that the new technology will negatively impact our theology. Praise choruses are not that common in our tradition, but there are plenty of them that express sound theology. I wouldn't write them off. And, likewise, there are plenty of traditional hymns that express a theology that I would never embrace.

However, the writer, who is not cited, does offer a compelling testimony for the strength of our traditional hymnody, prompting me to reflect on the importance of hymns and singing in our worship.

Sometimes, when people ask us what The Episcopal Church believes, our answer is, “Come and worship with us.” That’s because both our liturgy from The Book of Common Prayer and the hymns in our hymnals beautifully express the heart of our theology and our faith.

For the past year or so, due to COVID protocols, we have not been able to sing aloud as a congregation. That’s been the case in many other places as well. However, in our parish, we have tried to compensate by placing the words and music in our bulletins, which are viewed online or downloaded for use during worship. We have gone to some lengths to ensure that we have all the permissions we need in dealing with copyrighted materials. In addition to that, our Organist/Choirmaster has sung the hymns for us.

As we are beginning to return to in-person worship, we are also continuing to live-stream our principal Sunday morning service. We have removed all prayer books and hymnals from the pews because we aren’t confident that we can adequately sanitize them. They will be returned to the pews as soon as we deem it safe to do so. However we access them, our prayers and the hymns teach us, remind us, inspire us, convict us, and assist us in our journeys as a worshiping community and as individuals. I'm reminded of a word of wisdom attributed to St. Augustine of Hippo: "Whoever sings, prays twice."

So, it’s important for us to include hymns in our worship when possible, even during a pandemic. Whether or not you can actually sing the hymns, you can read and listen attentively to the words and the music. When we reach the point when we can have congregational singing again, with or without masks, it will still be important to read the words and listen to the music. You can do that even when you don’t recognize a hymn. The hymn you don't recognize may be the favorite of the person sitting next to you in the pew.

Singing or silent, if you will be attentive to the words and listen to the music, maybe you will experience the joy that comes when we “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 98:1).

Blessings,

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

June 22, 2021
Regathering to Begin Soon at St. Martin’s

I am overjoyed to announce that Bishop Mayer has both praised and approved our plan for returning to in-person worship. A reservation system will make it possible for us to limit the number of people who are inside during the service. Seating will be assigned. Those inside the building will have their temperature taken, wear masks, sit in family groups at a distance from others, and sanitize their hands upon entering and exiting. There will be safe procedures for receiving Holy Communion. Initially, congregational singing will not be permitted. The 10:30 a.m. Sunday service will continue to be live streamed as will drive-in worship. We will advance this plan in phases over the next several months as we move toward a time when few, if any, COVID protocols will be necessary. If at any time the COVID indicators raise concerns, we will suspend in person worship until conditions improve.

We will begin on May 16 with a special service for the Vestry and Regathering Team and their households. This will allow us to test our reservation system and other arrangements we are putting in place. This service will take place at a different hour and will not be live streamed.

On May 23, the same group of worshipers will attend the 10:30 a.m. service in person. Their additional input will help us make further improvements in our protocols and procedures.

Beginning on May 30, we will increase the number of people who can be inside and the invitation will be open to all on a first come, first served basis. The reservation procedures will be explained leading up to that date. We will continue to live stream the 10:30 a.m. service each Sunday and worshipers may still join us in their vehicles in the parking lot. Those who wish to bring their chairs and sit on the lawn outside the building may do so, with masks and distancing protocols. The live streamed service can also be seen on the television in the parish hall where there overflow seating will be available.

When we are sure it is safe, we will add an 8:00 a.m. Sunday service, which will not be live streamed. This will allow sufficient time to make the nave ready for the 10:30 a.m. service and get the audio and video equipment ready for live streaming. It will also allow more time between services to resume in person Christian formation for all ages.

This announcement comes on a day when Coronavirus infections in the U.S. are at their lowest levels in seven months, thanks to the vaccines. We have been waiting, planning, and hoping for this time for over a year. I am so proud of the people of St. Martin’s who have been so patient and respectful throughout this long time apart. Our plans have been developed collaboratively by the Vestry, the Regathering Team, the Staff, the Buildings and Grounds Committee, the Liturgy and Music Commission, and the Christian Formation Commission. The Regathering Team has met almost weekly since March of last year. Their devotion and thoughtful contributions have been amazing. All of those leading our services, hosting zoom events, and quietly working behind the scenes have been faithful and dependable. Chuck Ambrose has worked miracles with our audio and video requirements. I give thanks to God for all of you!

Blessings,

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

May 6, 2021
Four Practices for Covidtide

The word “ecclesiastical” refers to the Church. It is derived from the Greek word ekklesia (ἐκκλησία). Ekklesia, which is translated Church, occurs 114 times in the New Testament. There seems to be strong consensus that its original secular meaning was a gathering of citizens called out by the herald from their homes into some public place; an assembly.

The Church, therefore, is a public gathering of Christ’s followers. For me, that is the hardest thing to reconcile during this time when we are counseled to stay at home, apart from one another. While I can’t quite solve the theological problem, I have discerned four practices that we as Christians can do for each other and the world at our doorsteps during this season I'm calling Covidtide. I offer them for your consideration.

We can stop thinking everything will soon be back to normal.

This pandemic is far from over. The number of new cases nationally continues to rise. People continue to die because of the virus. The search for and production of a treatment will take months. It may take more than a year to develop a vaccine. Those who are working in laboratories and hospitals are moving as fast as they can and are working incredible hours. My worrying and complaining is not going to help them. I can use my emotional and spiritual energies in better ways.

Even when we take a long view of how this will play out, we hear ourselves and others speak of a “new normal.” I heard a lot of that in 2008 after Hurricane Ike slammed into Galveston Island. What we discovered was that some things were permanently changed. What emerged as the months dragged on was not a new normal but a new reality.

After this pandemic has passed, what kind of persons do we want to be as we live into the new reality we are bound to experience? How can we look to the uncertain future with hope and purpose? What can we contribute to the new reality? What kind of church are we becoming? How will the lessons we learn in this crisis impact the mission to which God calls us?

“And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new’” (Revelation 21:5).

We can plan how to continue.

“Everyone wants to know when this will end,” said Devi Sridhar, a public-health expert at the University of Edinburgh. “That’s not the right question. The right question is: How do we continue?" That just about sums up the kind of work we need to be doing right now.

At St. Martin’s, we are engaging in that work. We have recruited a diverse group of people within the parish to help us develop a plan that will define how to continue. Yesterday evening, St. Martin’s Regathering Team had its first video conference. Fourteen of us reviewed the science, the philosophy, the morality, and the theology of how we ought to proceed. We discussed some extremely helpful work that has been shared by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas describing a phase approach that we think we can adapt for our use. We’ll meet again next week. Hopefully, in a couple of weeks, we'll be ready to take the plan to the Vestry and then to the parish. In each phase, church protocols will be determined by health characteristics that apply to our context. We will decide what the health characteristics will be, based on the best scientific and public health guidelines.

We plan to continue! So, understanding how we continue is paramount.

We can view our precautions as something we do for the sake of others.

Charles Kurkul, a physician who is a member of our St. Martin’s Regathering Team, was asked about how effective precautions such as masks and distancing are. He responded by saying, “Seat belts help save lives. So do brakes. Both are more effective when we use them together.”

We expect that regathering will happen in phases and that numbers of people following precautions will start small and gradually increase as long as the health characteristics are met. Practicing wearing masks and physical distancing while we are apart will make it easier and safer when we gather again.

When I’ve encountered people complaining about wearing masks and practicing physical distancing, my response has been, “My precautions protect you. Your precautions protect me.” That’s another way of saying, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). It’s also a way of loving God. “Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (I John 4:20). Love for God and love for our neighbor are defining characteristics of the Christian community and each of its members.

We can uphold one another.

Paula Jefferson shared this reflection by Brother Curtis Almquist of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist: “We cannot do it alone. This isn’t private religion. We regularly need to be with other followers of Jesus with whom to pray and praise and worship, to listen and speak, and to sit at table and eat.”

We long for the time when we are able to gather around the Table at the Eucharistic Banquet. For now, let us uphold one another in ways that are appropriate. Pray for one another daily. Call, send an email or text message, have a video visit, tune in to our online worship services and virtual coffee hour, tell your story and listen to the stories of your sisters and brothers in Christ. There also have been and will be some safe opportunities for outreach to those in need.

We, who are all in this together during Covidtide, were all together before it started. Limiting contact does not mean limiting care. Let’s care for one another as we continue into the future God will set before us. The Holy Spirit is already preparing the way!

I close with this beautiful prayer for the Church.

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

– The Book of Common Prayer

Blessings,

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

May 7, 2020
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
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