A Note from Peter (March 2019)

The Church has the ability to transform the world. This fact is patently obvious if one looks at the last 2,000 or so years of world history. What may be less obvious is that the Church has been at its most influential when it has been committed to and sustained by regular spiritual practices. Christians taking on habits of retreat, study, and service have transformed the world in the past and can continue to do so in the present.

As I’ve prepared for sabbatical, I’ve been immersing myself in a great deal of early church history. As I’ve read about 1st-3rd century Rome, 5th-8th century Ireland, 6th-8th century Britain, and 13th century Assisi, a very clear pattern has emerged. That is, a small group of committed Christians, bound together by shared spiritual practices, can turn the world on its head. A few examples:

In the year 500, Britain was in chaos. Rome had long since left the island and with it had gone both literacy and most of the Church. Then, in 563 a group of a dozen Irish monks, led by a fellow named Columba, arrived at the tiny island of Iona in western Scotland. There they established a place of prayer, learning, and outreach to the local population. Sustained by common worship and common work, Iona soon began spreading the faith across Scotland and into northern England while also serving as a center of art, study, and diplomacy.

In 597, the year Columba died, a fellow named Augustine arrived in Canterbury, England. He had been sent to spread the faith in that region by Pope Gregory the Great. Both Gregory and Augustine were monks as well; they followed the rule of St. Benedict. Both men were sustained by regular practices of prayer, work, rest, and study – all done in community. When he arrived in England with his fellow monks, the first thing Augustine did was build an Abbey where these practices could find a home. Within 75 years, the Christian faith would have spread across Britain and the learning of British monks would help transform the educational systems of the rest of Europe.

In 1205, a war veteran named Francis enlisted for the second time, still bearing the scars of his last enlistment. While on the way to battle, a vision stopped him in his tracks and he returned home. Thereafter, he began ordering his days around receiving the Eucharist, contemplation, caring for the sick, and living simply. Others quickly flocked to Francis’ company and habits, and before long, these Friars (or brothers) and their female counterparts, the Poor Clares, were turning the Church and the world on their heads, calling them away from their excesses and back to the heart of the Gospel.

Like our ancestors in the faith, we are at our best as Christians when our lives are ordered around worship, study, and charity. We are most effective at transforming the world, when we have devoted our- selves to the habits that transform us.

Next Wednesday, I will stand in front of the congregation and read those familiar words of the Ash Wednesday liturgy: “I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination, and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” Truly, this season of forty days before Easter is our opportunity to recommit to a rule of life – to spiritual habits and practices – that will empower us for ministry just as they did for our ancestors for centuries.

What practices will you take on this Lent? Maybe you’ll recommit to making Sunday worship a priority – both here in Greenwood and wherever you find yourself on Sunday morning. Maybe you’ll recommit to the Bible Challenge, giving up on the idea of catching up, and instead joining us where we are. Maybe you’ll commit to volunteering in a ministry whose mission you believe in. Maybe you’ll join other church members in a discipline of weekday Morning Prayer.

Who knows, perhaps the spiritual practices we take on this Lent can become our way of life far beyond Easter! And with these habits of worship, study, and service sustaining us, who knows? We just might transform the world!

Peace, Peter+

Bishop Seage Visits Nativity on Oct. 28

Since the earliest days of the Church, the faithful have had folks called “bishops.” They haven’t always worn funny hats, but what they have always done is bind together Christians in different congregations and in diverse parts of the world into one fellowship. It used to be that on Easter, bishops would celebrate Communion, and a little bit of the Body of Christ would be taken from the bishop’s altar and carried out for the inclusion in the Easter communion of all the churches to which he was connected. It was a sign of the Body being bigger than any one locale.

Sunday, October 28, our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Brian Seage will make his biannual visit to Episcopal Church of the Nativity. His presence is a reminder to us in Greenwood that as Christians (and as Episcopalians) the capital-C Church is way bigger than just what happens inside our four walls at Nativity. Bishop Seage spends his weekends traveling across Mississippi, visiting big urban churches and tiny rural ones. As he zigzags about, he reminds us that all of us are connected in ministry, in relationship, and in mission.

Bishop Seage will preach and celebrate at both the 8am and 10:30am services. At 10:30, he will confirm and receive some youths and adults as they make adult affirmations of faith and join the church officially. Some of those being confirmed or received have been here a while, some only a short time. Regardless, taking this step with the bishop present is a way of saying, “In this Episcopal tradition, not just Nativity, I’ve found a home and a place where I can grow in faith.”

Since Bishop Seage will be present at both services, we will welcome him with a large parish breakfast at 9am. If you can help provide hospitality for this event, please contact Frances Knight, who coordinates our Sunday breakfasts. Following breakfast, the kids will dismiss to Sunday School and adult forum will turn our attention to Bible Trivia! Since Halloween interrupts our family night schedule, Bishop Seage will be our guest M.C. for two rounds of trivia as we continue our march toward the Nativity Cup. This week's winner not only wins gift cards, but also will be featured in one of Bishop Seage's signature selfies!

It’s a lot going on and we have a lot to celebrate. Join the celebration!

Peace,
Peter+

Family Night / Trivia Night

On Wednesday, August 29, we’ll have a casual potluck at 5:30 pm and then an hour of team trivia on the scriptures we’ve read this month. Bragging rights are on the line! Childcare and activities for children up to 6th grade are available from 6 pm to 7 pm.

"The Bible Challenge" Books

The Challenge Begins August 12!

As we begin to read through the Bible together as a church family in just a few weeks, we've got a great resource to help us along the way. Forward Movement, the folks who publish the Day by Day devotionals, has published a book that tells Bible Challenge participants what to read each day and includes a devotional, prayers, and reflection questions for each day. Contributors include Bishop Michael Curry, Dr. Walter Brueggemann, Bishop Gray, and more. Pick one up in the church office or in the back of the church!  

The Bible Challenge: Small Groups

This August, you can begin the marathon task of reading the entire Bible, and you get to do it with your church family.  Think you don't know enough about the Bible?  Maybe even a little embarrassed?  There's no better way to get over that fear than by diving in with a group of friends!

If you were training for a 26.2 mile race, you'd look for a running buddy to keep you on track.  Why not do the same for this marathon and build relationships in the process?  Small groups of up to six can self-organize and meet on their own schedule if they like.  Or, if you'd rather be assigned to a group, you can let us know and we'll match you with folks with a similar level of experience reading the Bible.   If you'd like help joining a small group, fill out the form at the bottom of this page.