All Saints Gazette: Fishing and Praying
This week: Morning and evening prayer M t/m F, 9:00 and 18:00
No service this week. Next Eucharist: 16 February
(Links to online events on the church calendar)
What I’m hearing from many of you is that all of us are reeling from new terrible things. A certain world leader’s stated wish to displace the people of Gaza is on our hearts, as are many other ills. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, take a look at the reading for this coming Sunday, that some of us also studied together on Thursday. Peter was exhausted and had nothing to show for his work. I’m going to suggest to you that when Peter took Jesus onto his boat, he began praying.
I confess that I wrote most of the following before deciding to tie it into this reading, but the image of trusting Jesus with our mere presence (and our boats) is a good occasion to say a few things about prayer. Prayer doesn’t cost anything, you don’t any training, and you’ll at least be no worse off for it. When you can’t do anything else, you can at least pray.
Prayer can take many, many forms. Our church’s catechism (yes, we have one and it’s pretty good) says: “Prayer is responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words.” Dedicate a moment of your time to God as prayer, and it will be prayer. Then you can you start naming your desires, fears, awareness of things you screwed up, whatever else. I suggest you also take a moment to do nothing other than ask for and consent to God’s presence.
I don’t want to be that guy selling snake oil and promising that prayer will fix everything. In my experience, it doesn’t. But it does change everything**!** How? I have a theory or two, but I’d rather know what you experience. So as much as it hurts this occasionally-systematic theologian to forgo the explanation, here are three things to help you get started if you’re ready to try.
You never pray alone. Even “solitary” prayer is never really by yourself. People all over the world are praying. Angels and saints are praying. I’ll fight anyone who says that forests, rivers, and stars aren’t praying. And you’ll notice that Jesus talks to the “Father” all the time, making God’s life of communication visible. Thus: even God is praying. So if starting is scary, maybe it will help to know that you aren’t the one who has to start it. You just join in something that’s always going on.
God does not need our prayer, but God promises to use them. Whether your prayer takes the form of tranquil contemplation or passionate pleading (I do both most days), it will not make God more loving, more compassionate, more merciful, or more willing to help than God already ways. So why do it at all? Because God promises to use it, even if we don’t understand how. Jesus says in John 16: “On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”
Now even in the Bible, there are experiences of disappointment with the answers to prayer. 1 John already nuances the Gospel of John, adding a the little phrase according to his will to the promise that God will do what we ask in Jesus’ name. Like I said, it doesn’t fix everything. Offer God what’s on your heart anyway! It will change you, and it will change the world. Someday you’ll see how. In the meantime, God can’t disappoint you if you don’t give Them a chance. So try praying in whatever way makes sense.
You can come do it with us twice a day on weekdays if you like!
Save the Date: 6 April in the afternoon, Congregational Coaching
On 6 April, we will welcome Jocelyn Phelps. Jocelyn is a member of the cathedral congregation in Paris and a stalwart of the Convocation, who is also a professional organizational coach. From the perspective of faith and professional expertise, she will help us learn what gifts and talents we have, what visions we have, and how we can concretely use them for a project or two. The approximate time is 15:00-17:00, with something more concrete announced when we are sure of space availability.
Upcoming Convocation Offerings
Beloved Community Presents their APL: “All Saints Are Welcome”
Saturday, February 22nd, 10:00-12:00
(Online)
Racial Justice Beloved Community, in partnership with EICS, presents a second session of their APL series "All Sinners Are Welcome", encouraging and teaching how to explore radical hospitality, self-reflection, and the pursuit of Beloved Community within the church.
Through panel discussion and interactive small group sessions we will discuss “Who is the Church For?”, examine “What Does Welcome Mean?”, and explore “Becoming Beloved Community.”
Here’s the link to register.
European Institute of Christian Studies
Lenten APL: Episcopal 101
March 11 - April 1, 19:00-20:30
This Lent EICS will present a 4 week series on “Episcopal 101,” an online course meant to introduce newcomers or re-familiarize long-term members with core tenants, traditions and beliefs in the Episcopal Church. Each week will have a separate theme, and each requires individual registration. Each session is independent of the other, join 1 or all as you wish!
Individual registration links:
March 11: History
March 18: Polity and Mission
March 25: Liturgy and Sacraments
April 1: Anglican Temperament and Spirituality
Daily Prayer Continues
Every weekday at 9:00 and 18:00 there will (almost) always at least one other person online for the daily office. Join in when you can! If you want to pray the office on your own, you can do it with a prayer book or any of several online resources. Let Mpho or Kyle know if you’d like a quick tutorial!
Receiving and Sharing Abundance
We are still working on tax-exempt status. In the meantime, please invest what you can in the community you want, and try putting in just a little more than you first feel comfortable with (without causing yourself hardship, of course). There is enough if we share! Please hold our upcoming pledge drive in your prayers, in addition to supporting us as you are presently able.
Use the QR code or this link, or make a transfer through your banking app (the latter saves us a few cents). Please consider making your offering recurring, and pray about what you are called to pledge when we have our winter pledge drive.
Bank details
All Saints Amsterdam
IBAN NL32 TRIO 0320 8657 62
BIC TRIONL2U
Another Take on Jesus and Fish
Mpho shared this with the WhatsApp group this morning, and it’s worth circulating widely. Fishing wasn’t some romantic pastime in the Gospels, and Jesus was intervening in a complex social injustice. Enjoy!
Video: Yarabba Salami
Here’s the video I couldn’t access during church on Sunday, an instrumental performance of a Palestinian folk song. The text (most of it) is here.
That’s all for Today! Want to talk to a priest? We want to talk to you too!
Website: https://allsaintsamsterdam.church
Mpho: mpho@allsaintsamsterdam.church
Kyle: kyle@allsaintsamsterdam.church
General: info@allsaintsamsterdam.church
Instagram: @allsaintsamsterdam.church
