Friday, August 31, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's August 29, 2012
We are gearing up for a great Fall here at St. Patrick's! Read all about it here.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
"Eat my Flesh" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, August 26, 2012
It is a custom around
the world to welcome people to our homes for gatherings. There are those who
excel at making visitors feel at home. We call the skill or talent,
hospitality. I have discovered in my tenure here at St. Patrick’s that the
people here excel at hospitality. Take, for instance, the many gatherings this
summer organized by parishioners either at homes or restaurants that helped us
continue to build strong relationships across the parish. I hope that you
enjoyed an opportunity to take part in these gatherings and might attend next
week’s ice cream social for families with kids
Thursday, August 23, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's Church August 22, 2012
We are getting ready for lots of upcoming events here at St. Patrick's! Check out this week's email.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
"Steps" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, August 19, 2012
"Wisdom is to the soul what health is to
the body."
There is this thing called a Fitbit. I clip it to my belt
everyday and have done so for a year and a half. The Fitbit measures the number
of steps one takes in a given day. I am not forced to wear a Fitbit, but I do
anyway. The actual data is not that important. What I mean is that a physician
doesn’t review the data nor do I get special prizes for walking more steps. A
trainer doesn’t affirm me when I reach a certain number, but this little device
motivates me to take the scenic route or walk up the stairs or to take an
evening walk around my neighborhood. The Surgeon General recommends that everybody
walk 10,000 steps per day. For some people that is an easy task. For instance,
a postal carrier would have no problem getting that many steps by doing his or
her job. For a priest (at least this priest), it is more challenging. There are
hours in every day when I accumulate only a handful of steps. My average number
of steps per day is only 5,000. That means that there are some days when I take
a measly 2,500 steps and other days that I get 6,000. And on occasion, I hit
the Surgeon General’s goal.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's August 8, 2012
Summer time and the living is all St. Patrick's! Check out this week's email.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
"Hero Power" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, July 29, 2012
Listen to this sermon
Readings of the Day
Readings of the Day
 |
| "David hands the letter to Uriah" by Lastman, 1619 |
On Friday night, for what
seemed like forever, the opening ceremonies of the 30th Olympiad in
the modern era took place in London, England. Supposedly over a billion people
watched the pageantry of the event. The US commentators pointed out famous
people who appeared, often briefly, in the grand scenes telling the history of
the British Isles. It was mesmerizing and captivating. After the arrival of the
queen and James Bond by parachute, from a helicopter, the athletes from
countries all over the world paraded into the Olympic stadium. I lost track of
how long it took for all of these competitors from far-ranging countries and
territories, some with populations under 10,000 and others over a billion.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's July 18, 2012
What a great week at St. Patrick's! Click here for our weekly email.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
"Leadership Lessons: David, Herod, and Jesus" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, July 15, 2012
When I first read the
readings assigned for today, I thought I might talk about dancing (rather than
beheading) because both the Old Testament and Gospel lesson have dance scenes
and I took ballroom dancing this past winter. Might there be some synergy there?
Then I considered what I would say next. Dancing is an appropriate method of
expressing emotion. Done, the sermon is over. I’m just kidding, by the way.
Don’t get too excited. Dancing may be fun and it is easy to be in favor of it,
unlike that town that banned it in the movie Footloose, but there is something deeper in these passages that can
help us understand our mission as Christians. It is something we can discern by
considering Jesus in light of the political leadership of David and Herod. I
need to give you some context.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's July 11, 2012
Lot's going on here at St. Patrick's this summer! Read about it here.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
"One Pilgrim's Experience: Debbie Fickenscher's Pilgrimage to Washington National Cathedral"
"Just returned from a 4 hour pilgrimage with the new bishop, at the Cathedral…although originally planned for a walk/meditation outside as well as in, the 103 degree heat kept us in. It was really a powerful experience and even with the heavy mesh hanging protectively overhead, it is still possible to see the vibrant colors of the stained glass windows throughout the nave.
I will share two things from the experience with you.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
"Pictures" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, July 1, 2012
Do
not fear, only believe!
When
I was in 8th grade, I traveled, with my class, to Washington DC.
This is the kind of trip that thousands and 8th graders make from
around the country to the nation’s capital. There are some things I remember
about it. On the return, there was a blizzard that blanketed Nebraska. It was
so bad that the airport in Omaha was closed. That is saying something. I spent
an extra day in St. Louis waiting to make the final leg into Omaha. TWA put up
hundreds of kids and the chaperones in a airport hotel. It was quite an
experience. I recently found the pictures from that trip when going through
things at my parent’s house. The first picture is of me sitting in the airport
about to depart sitting next to a long-ago forgotten friend. I can only guess
that one of my parent’s took it. The hundreds of subsequent snapshots are of
the monuments, the streets, and the views of Washington. There is not a human
being pictured in any of the subsequent photos. The views of Washington are
impressive, but they are sites that I could catch today in a matter of moments.
I am missing the memories and the people who made those memories happen. Since
my 8th grade trip, I have learned a lot about pictures. I used to
avoid being in pictures, but now I willingly jump into them because I have
discovered their power to recall memories long past that now mean so much.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's June 27, 2012
Summer has started with a bang here at St. Patrick's, so click here to read about some programs starting this week. Join us here at St. Patrick's this summer!
Friday, June 15, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's June 13, 2012
Making your summer plans? Read about what is going on here at St. Pat's!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
"You don't choose your family" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, June 10, 2012
Listen
You don't choose your family. They are God's gift
to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu
There is something that tugs at the heart when we use the
word ‘family.’ It brings up a nostalgic picture from our memories of that
moment when we realized that we were loved. Throw into that, famous families
like the Brady Bunch, the Cleavers, or the Cosbys or maybe the Hallmark Hall of
Fame movie with the prodigal turning herself around and returning home, or the
parent who sneaks in to hear an estranged child play the piano. Our feelings
for family run deep and for most of us, those feelings are warm. We are so
connected to families that we want to transfer that word to our most important
groups. We say they are “like family.” We certainly do for St. Patrick’s or for our
schools, or camps, or even our workplaces. We consider the family designation
as a good thing.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's June 6, 2012
Here is our weekly email . . . what an exciting week in the St. Patrick's community! Congratulations to our Day School grads!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's May 30, 2012
What a great Pentecost Sunday we had last week! Join us this week . . . and click here for more information about events here at St. Pat's.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
"Fire" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, May 27, 2012 (Pentecost)
It
happened on a Christmas Eve many years ago. I was a shepherd in the annual
Christmas pageant. Bear with me, I will get around to Pentecost, soon. I was
eight years old. Back then; I was a well-behaved, quiet and shy child. I was
known for being the “good” kid, the one with a smile and willingness to follow
directions. So, not much has changed. As a shepherd, I had a very easy role. I was
to walk up to the front of the church carrying a taper candle, wearing a
turban, carrying a shepherd’s crook, to kneel on the step next to the altar.
The other characters in the Christmas tableau would continue to join the scene
until the entire Christmas story was told. As I look back, I have no idea why
the shepherds arrived so early in the story, but we did. The older kids and
some adults retold the story as each character made their way to their spot. Songs
were sung, people were happy, life was good: it was the quintessential
Christian scene of Americana.
Now,
as I said, I was a good kid and I knew how important it was to stay focused on
playing the role assigned to me. The last thing I wanted was to be pointed out
as the troublemaker. But my friend, Brendan Clark, was not as concerned as I
was with being in character. Brendan lived on the margin of trouble, it was
what made him endearing. He was funny and enjoyed having a good time (even at
the age of 8). You have met this person. You may even be this person. We were
the two shepherds. We walked up the aisle of the church, got to our spots, and
knelt down on the step.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's May 24, 2012
This Sunday is Pentecost, so wear red to church! Click here for our weekly email.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's May 17, 2012
Welcome to mid-May here at St. Patrick's! Here is our weekly email of events that may be of interest to you. Join us!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
"The Empress' New Clothes" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, May 13, 2012
On Thursday and Friday
night, the grade five and six students at our Day School performed a musical
rendition of the Emperor’s New Clothes. It was actually called the Empress’
New Clothes, but it had the same theme as the Hans Christian Anderson folk
tale. For those who don’t remember it, it is about a vain monarch who is so
selfish that the needs of the realm (and its people) are forgotten in lieu of
extravagant clothing and other fineries. Some traveling salesmen, who put
Harold Hill to shame, realize an opportunity to profit from the empress’
excessive self-absorption. They promise to make an outfit out of the finest
fabric in the world, a fabric, they explain, that can be seen only by those who
are worthy.
It is a swindle, of
course, but one that the self-centered monarch doesn’t realize. Even though
there is not an outfit, she parades around thinking there is, because to admit
that she can’t see it would be admitting that she is not worthy of her position
(which she considers impossible). Only when a young child points it out does she
finally realize the hoax.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's May 2, 2012
Click here to read about upcoming events at St. Pat's and to see a great photo of the dedication of the new Day School field on Foxhall Road.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
"Sheep or Cats" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, April 20, 2012
Click to hear the audio
About this time every
year, we hear portions from the Gospel of John’s tenth chapter; a chapter
filled with imagery of Jesus as a shepherd. There is something heartwarming
about this image particularly when paired with the 23rd Psalm, which
begins “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” That is one reason
that they are always paired.
I said that we read
portions because we hear the entire chapter over three years. Last year, we heard the preceding verses, the
first part of the chapter, where Jesus describes how a shepherd becomes a
shepherd. He said, “the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the
sheep” and the sheep will learn the shepherd’s voice and will follow. (John
10.3-4) This year, we hear the next verses where Jesus identifies himself as
the Good Shepherd, and next year we will hear how Jesus calling himself the
shepherd (and not one of the sheep) will lead the religious leaders to stone
him for blasphemy. Yikes!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's April 18, 2012
It is a busy week at St. Patrick's! Click here to see what is going on--especially the Rummage Sale this Saturday from 8am to 2pm.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
"God's Spirit at work in their lives?" - The Rev. Dr. Janet Zimmerman, April 15, 2012
O my
people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live
Ezekiel
37: 1-4
Episcopal
Schools Celebration
April
15, 2012
God's Spirit at work in their lives?
Our sons attended an Episcopal
school in Austin, Texas. We fell into a
pattern of talking over dinner about what was discussed in chapel or in class
that day. It was started by our oldest
son who mentioned a topic and a particular speaker who had captured his heart
and led him to reflect. It became
something we continued because it gave us a window into our children’s lives,
what they were experiencing at school, what they were carrying in their hearts,
and how through conversation, questions, and events, they were trying to make
sense of their world and figure out their place in it.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
"Step into Transformation" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, April 8, 2012
Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed.
Alleluia!
For many of us, there was a moment when we didn’t think we
would ever ride a bike. I remember wanting to get rid of those training wheels
until the moment of truth (when I sat on the, supported by one of my parents,
grasping the grips so tightly that my knuckles were white), then I told my
parents that I wanted to wait until tomorrow. As children, we are more in touch
with our fears and are definitely more willing to express those fears to
others. As we mature, we manage to exude a confident appearance even if we are
as nervous as we once were about getting rid of the training wheels. There is
nothing unusual about being scared at transformation. Whether it is learning to
ride a bike, moving to a new place, going to college (or graduate school),
becoming a parent, or retiring from a long career. Transformation requires us
to enter the fray of anxiety by leaving the comfortable flow of the known.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's March 28, 2012
We are gearing up for Holy Week, and have a lot of events scheduled . . . click here to catch up on what's going on!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
"Snakes and Patrick" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, March 18, 2012
Listen to the audio of this sermon
Roseanne quipped that parenthood taught her why some species
eat their young. Parents do much for their children, and often those sacrifices
are rejected, forgotten, and even scorned. Children, at some point, believe
that they have figured out everything and can’t believe that their elders have
been so far behind the curve. Some of us have experienced our own children
treating us this way and some remember doing it to their own parents. It is a
nearly universal phenomenon that transcends culture and background. It is, to
some degree, a natural stage of life.
So, today’s lesson from the Book of Numbers, one of the
supposed five books of Moses, the fourth book of the Hebrew Scriptures, tells
about an experience not unlike our dealings with children. It is not exactly
the same. In this instance, it is Moses leading his people, the Israelites,
from slavery in the land of Egypt to the land they once called home, the land
promised to Abraham by God, along the shores of the Jordan River in Palestine.
Remember that the people on this journey, the descendants of Jacob, had once
worked for the toughest taskmasters ever known. Their lot in life in Egypt was
at the same plane of existence as a pack mule. They were forced to work 20-hour
days, with little or no food or water, in the heat of the desert.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's March 14, 2012
This Sunday is the St. Patrick's Feast Day Pot Luck Luncheon! Join us for stew, shepherd's pie and bingo! The Haiti Art Sale is also this weekend . . . click here for more details on these events and others.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
"The Church" - David Booth Beers, March 11, 2012
Click here to listen to an Audio Sermon preached by David Booth Beers on March 11, 2012.
Based on John 2.13-22
Based on John 2.13-22
Thursday, March 8, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's March 7, 2012
So many events coming up at St. Patrick's! Click here to read this week's email to learn about the upcoming St. Patrick's Feast Day, the Lenten Luncheon and Altar Guild Workshop, and the Rummage Sale!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
"This Week at St. Patrick's" - February 29, 2012
Welcome to Lent at St. Patrick's . . . click here to read about upcoming events.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
How Some St. Patrick's Parishioners are Keeping Lent
Several St. Patrick's parishioners responded to our Ash Wednesday survey:
* This year I am going to focus on finding one beautiful thing each day and taking time to appreciate it, which I hope will keep me mindful of the joy of creation and of how my own behavior can add to that.
* This year I am going to focus on finding one beautiful thing each day and taking time to appreciate it, which I hope will keep me mindful of the joy of creation and of how my own behavior can add to that.
* Reading Finding our Way Again [Bishop Mariann’s recommended reading for Lent]
* I am going to spend an extra 20 minutes each day
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
"Where your treasure is..." The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, February 22, 2012
“For where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6.21)
Traditions often carry
the deepest of meanings, some painful and some joyful. They elicit deeply
profound emotions that sit at the heart of being human. There are Thanksgiving
traditions, and Fourth of July traditions, St. Patrick’s Day traditions, and
Christmas traditions.
One tradition that has
been around much longer than any of those is Lent and Ash Wednesday. It has
been around so long that other long-held traditions have developed around and
because of it (Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, Palm Sunday, and even Holy Week). I
am not going to describe how the forty days of Lent ended up beginning on Ash
Wednesday; I do hope to describe why Lent is important. When Lent first came
into being, it was considered a time for converts to prepare for baptism. After
a period of fasting, prayer, learning, and dedication to a community, at the
Easter Vigil, the first service of Easter, the converts would be baptized into
the community of faith. As Christianity grew and there were fewer and fewer
converts (because a majority if not all the people in a community were already
baptized), Lent changed.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
"Good to be here." The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, February 19, 2012
Listen to the Audio Version
 |
| Raphael's Transfiguration |
Sisters and Brothers in
Christ, it’s good for us to be here this morning at St. Patrick’s. This is a
place filled with the joy of God. The chairs are comfortable, light shines
through the windows (maybe even creating a rainbow), the warmth of heart
emanates throughout our gathered community, and the love of God exists in the
midst of this place. Not only is it good for us, but our kids are also nurtured
and loved in this place. Right now, they are preparing casseroles for So Others
Might Eat (SOME!). And soon their smiling faces and boundless energy will
rejoin us here in the nave for communion.
We have it pretty good.
Our friends in Haiti live in cardboard boxes in the medians of the highway or
in the ruins of single room homes on the hillsides near our mission partner St.
Etienne. When I visited Haiti during my first summer at St. Patrick’s, the
living conditions proved to be the most vivid example of the poverty that
exists there. So yes, it is good to be here.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's February 15, 2012
Lent begins next week on Ash Wednesday! Prepare by coming to our annual Pancake Supper on Shrove Tuesday (Feb. 21st) from 6pm to 8pm.
Click here to read more about that and other events at St. Pat's!
Click here to read more about that and other events at St. Pat's!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
"I am because we are" - Henry McQueen, February 12, 2012
Listen to the Audio File
1 Cor 9:24-27
There was a big impact in our household in May
2009. We were still living in Lancaster PA and the paper contained a book
review by a local author. The book title “Born to Run” caught my attention.
You see, since our son Parr was an infant he
wanted to be barefoot. He would get in his car seat and promptly remove his
shoes. And in second or third grade he had teacher who confirmed what he had
been asserting, that people should not wear shoes, and that they should run
barefoot. It was natural and healthy.
Using all my fatherly wisdom I had explained
that Nike spends lots of money exploring running and shoes and they must know
what they are doing.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Proposed New Sunday Evening Worship Service
Dear St. Patrick’s,
Grace and peace. As you
know, the traditional view of religion has changed dramatically since the
1960s. The evidence of these changes is that fewer people join mainline
Christian denominations like the Episcopal Church. This is unfortunate because
the spiritual practices passed down from our ancestors through the Church deepen
our spiritual fulfillment and provide a path to explore the meaning of life as
it relates to God. A cultural tide is difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.
That does not mean that we cannot continue to fulfill our mission at St.
Patrick’s in different ways that address the core causes of the decline in
membership. If we don’t, we will cease to exist or become so marginalized that
our ministry together will be insignificant in the face of the great need that
faces future generations.
One core cause, I believe,
is that we practice the traditions of the historical Church, but we don’t
understand why they are powerful and transformative experiences. Instead, we hold
onto the traditions because they are traditions. When we cannot express the
purpose (the why) of what we do, we cannot persuade those who are new to the
traditions (or those on the margins)
Thursday, February 2, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's February 1, 2012
Welcome to St. Patrick's! Hope you will join us this week . . . here is our weekly email link.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
"Priorities" - The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, January 29, 2012
Epiphany is a season
celebrating how God touches our lives. The season begins with the celebration
of the kings visiting Jesus at Bethlehem, next we heard about Jesus’ baptism
where the voice of God proclaimed that Jesus was God’s son, last week we heard
about the calling of the fishermen to be disciples. Epiphany is about big
moments that point to Jesus’ divine significance all of which involve people
making steps to follow his example. It is about expressing God’s mission to all
corners of the world.
But as we hear today’s
gospel lesson, we get a glimpse of Jesus’ authority with the common people he
encountered. When telling stories like this one, I struggle with not knowing
what Jesus said. For some reason the gospel writer didn’t include his amazing
words, a surprisingly unjust oversight. There are times when I wish I had the words
he spoke because they were so powerfully persuasive about the way God is
involved in human life and they provided the purpose of existence, so strongly,
that the people who heard them knew it without question.
They knew it, even
though Jesus didn’t come to them as an authority (at least not one chosen by
the society). Here was this stranger who appeared in the gathered community, a
place where people gathered to listen and interpret God’s Word (a place similar
to this one), and after speaking these amazing words, he was deemed to be the
ultimate authority. So much so that the real authorities, the ones who made a
good living doing that work, were scared of losing their power and influence in
that community.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
"Called by Name" The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, January 15, 2012
 |
| Samuel Reading to Eli by Copley, 1780 |
This past Thursday, I
got a note from my mother wishing me a happy anniversary. Every year, on the 12th or 13th of January, I receive a phone call, a note or both from my
parents with that greeting. Actually when I lived with them or near them, we
went out to eat at a restaurant of my choosing. Many times it was a restaurant
of class and distinction. When I was about ten years old, I chose Runza. Runza
is a regional fast food restaurant that in my opinion serves some of the finest
sausages. They also serve a Runza which is a meat twinkee. All of this happens
because it is the anniversary of the day that they adopted me into their
family. I say the 12th or 13th because the actual date is
remembered differently by the two people who remember the day most clearly. I
was only 12 or 13 days old when it took place, so I depend on their memories.
At some point, we couldn’t remember the precise date (more accurately, it was
remembered differently). But as we all know, the actual date doesn’t matter all
that much; but the recalling the event means quite a bit.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's January 11, 2012
Here is the latest edition of our weekly email. Click on this link to read more about the upcoming events here at St. Patrick's.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
"The Others" The Rev. Dr. Kurt Gerhard, January 8, 2011
 |
| Icon from the Baptismal Site in Jordan |
Lost
was a television phenomenon from 2004-2010. It was the fantastical story of a group
of people who survived a plane crash on a remote island somewhere between
Australia and the Americas. It was Gilligan’s Island without the boat and the
comedy. The twist and turns of the mythical world kept viewers guessing. The
survivors discovered a group of people native to the island who lived in a
village protected by a giant electrical fence. They looked and sounded like
Americans, but they were driven by different motives and their goals were
clouded in mystery. The survivors labeled them as “The Others.” Lost is, of
course, a fictional environment, but that doesn’t mean that the “Others” are so
far fetched. We know it is wrong, but humans like to clearly label people based
on religion, politics, philosophy, learning style, geography or any number of
other categories.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
This Week at St. Patrick's January 4, 2012
Welcome to the New Year at St. Patrick's! Here is this week's email on upcoming events. Join us!
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