I was married in an Episcopal church thanks to my husband, who grew up in a family with active Episcopalian faith. I didn’t have a faith practice in my upbringing though in childhood we sometimes attended services affiliated with the St. Matthews preschool. In high school, I explored Christianity noncomittally at Christ Church thanks to a close friend and her family.
Now that I’ve made some babies of my own, I find myself venturing from “religiously curious” and “religiously noncommittal” toward “want to be baptized” and “let’s read the bible”. I’ve always held that the bible is the original book club selection and church one of the biggest book clubs.
I’ve built a relationship with our local Episcopal church since moving to my current neighborhood. A new Priest-in-Charge joined Holy Trinity in September. It’s difficult to get my family to church on Sundays. He welcomed the idea of doing a bible study with me in preparation for the coming weeks service. We meet Tuesday morning at the church and this week’s –lectionary– (I just learned this word!) featured a general overview and bible orientation, a selection from John and another from Zephaniah.
The general overview was this:
- A lectionary is daily readings, and stems from Jewish tradition
- Scripture is the map but (your) life is the territory.
Luke 3.7-3.17
7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11 In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,[a] 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
the Bible, THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE GOSPELS, LUKE 3.7-3.17
What I took away from this:
- You are not special because of your ancestors
- Be humble, honest and good (or be burned with unquenchable fire)
- Abide by the ethics of your role and do not abuse your power
- Share your wealth >>> “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”
- John is not Jesus nor does he pretend to be; “Y’all gotta wait it out; he’s coming,” (loose translation)
The Reverend’s connections included Bob Marley’s “Small Ax” and a Japanese word meaning focused mastery of one thing, maybe shokunin 職人気質 or ikigai.
And we closed our bible study with:
A Song of Joy
14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
17 The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you[d] in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
18 as on a day of festival.[e]
I will remove disaster from you,[f]
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
19 I will deal with all your oppressors
at that time.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
20 At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the Lord.
THE BIBLE, THE PROPHETIC BOOKS, ZEPHANIAH 13.14-3.20