Earth Day 2016

Care for God's Creatures
 
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 for awareness, understanding, and support of the environment.  Since that time, it has been an annual event, celebrated worldwide on April 22. Please enjoy the following resources to help preserve God’s creation.
 


Disciples: Hospitality Hosts

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Students from our Disciples Sunday school class gathered recently to prepare snacks for a special hospitality brunch. They enjoy working together to serve others, particularly with food preparation.food 2
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A Word to the Church: Holy Week 2016

Dear Friends of Holy Family,
This afternoon, Bishop Cate released a letter from the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church.  Please see that letter below, and do pray for our nation.
Blessings,
Fr. Mike+
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Episcopal Bishops Issue A Word to the Church

“We reject the idolatrous notion that we can ensure the safety of some by sacrificing the hopes of others.”

March 15, 2016
The House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church, meeting in retreat, unanimously approved the following Word To The Church.

A Word to the Church, Holy Week 2016

“We reject the idolatrous notion that we can ensure the safety of some by sacrificing the hopes of others.”

On Good Friday the ruling political forces of the day tortured and executed an innocent man. They sacrificed the weak and the blameless to protect their own status and power. On the third day Jesus was raised from the dead, revealing not only their injustice but also unmasking the lie that might makes right.

In a country still living under the shadow of the lynching tree, we are troubled by the violent forces being released by this season’s political rhetoric. Americans are turning against their neighbors, particularly those on the margins of society. They seek to secure their own safety and security at the expense of others. There is legitimate reason to fear where this rhetoric and the actions arising from it might take us.

In this moment, we resemble God’s children wandering in the wilderness. We, like they, are struggling to find our way. They turned from following God and worshiped a golden calf constructed from their own wealth. The current rhetoric is leading us to construct a modern false idol out of power and privilege. We reject the idolatrous notion that we can ensure the safety of some by sacrificing the hopes of others. No matter where we fall on the political spectrum, we must respect the dignity of every human being and we must seek the common good above all else.

We call for prayer for our country that a spirit of reconciliation will prevail and we will not betray our true selves.

The Episcopal Church House of Bishops met in retreat March 11 – 15 at Camp Allen Conference Center in Navasota, TX.

The Episcopal Church

Episcopal Bishops Issue A Word to the Church