A Full Day

Yesterday morning, 144 people gathered to worship at King of Peace and to join together with Tyler Helton and Colby Hodge as they were initiated into Christ's body, the church, through baptism. Colby is pictured here (I don't yet have photos of Tyler's baptism). For those who wonder, a sermon on the scripture and tradition behind infant baptism is here: Marked as Christ's Own Forever.

Following our worship, a group of adults who have attended a Cursillo retreat gathered to consider how they can continue to hold one another accountable for the commitments they have made in practices of piety (prayer and scripture reading for example) study, and other action based on their faith. While this was goin on, Tammy and Al were working with kids on next week's Christmas program.



After that, it was a Kids in the Kingdom Sunday and we talked about the Christmas story, with children showing how much they have learned about the events surrounding Jesus' birth. Then the kids decorated frames and we put photos of them we took so that everyone left with a Christmas gift for a parent, grandparent or someone else.

Our Education for Ministry seminar came next. In it, participants went over their readings with each of the three years reporting on either their reading on the Exodus and Sinai, the second half of John's Gospel or Augustine of Hippo and grace depending on which year they are in the program. Through a bit of Godly serendipity, a man who is living in his car came and joined us. We welcomed him as we continued by reflecting theologically using a piece of art as the jumping off point. We used an icon from my office called Christ Maryknoll (pictured here). Named for Maryknoll missionaries who have been persecuted for their faith, the icon shows Jesus' solidarity for those who suffer. Our reflections were deepened by the presence of Christ among us in the form of a person in need. After the study, he and I spoke of how we might be able to assist him in getting a place to live. This is an ongoing process as there are some barriers not worth going into here, but I did fill up his car with Gas after EfM to assist him in getting to Brunswick this week for medical care.

Finally, at 4 p.m. Camden Episcopal Youth gathered at King of Peace for a shopping trip to the new shopping center down at the Jacksonville Airport exit off I-95. The teens could shop for themselves and their families for 45 minutes. Then we met up and shopped for Christmas with Camden Kids, spending $300 toward that program.





On the way home, I returned the call from a man who will be homeless before the week is out. We made arrangements to meet up this week so that I can see how we might help him get a job and a place to live. It was a full day of not just affirming the Baptismal Covenant, but trying to live into it as well.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor + King of Peace Episcopal Church