Would Jesus give to a panhandler?

June 10, 2019 / Father Jeff / From the Rector / No Comments

A few Sundays ago, a gentleman came into the church seeking a ride and some financial assistance. In this specific case, this gentleman is well-known to your clergy, and has been using the same story for as long as I have been here, and perhaps even longer. (Without going into details, his story is demonstrably untrue.) He may have real needs (I truly don’t know), but his method is dishonest. Fortunately, he only got a ride out of our parishioners, and no cash.

What should you do when a panhandler comes to Church?Read More

Why Redo Our Kitchen?

April 10, 2019 / Father Jeff / From the Rector, Kitchen Campaign / No Comments

“Your building is either advancing your mission… or a drain on it.”

That’s a quote from one of the architects who produced the design for our new kitchen. That architect very succinctly described our situation. I know that there are some who have concerns about the project – concerns about the cost, concerns about the complexity and there are, perhaps, other unvoiced concerns.

A member of the St. Alban’s Vestry, Jim Kilby, shared some thoughts on the project with me, and I’d like to share them with you. — Fr. Jeff

From Jim Kilby:

Over the past few weeks, I have heard that some members of our congregation question the high cost and need to undergo the kitchen renovation project. While initially I shared this opinion, I now have a greater understanding of the scope of the project.

Much of this was gained through reading the Case for Support of the Kitchen Project, participation on the Capital Campaign and through talking to some of our primary kitchen users. I am now onboard, completely.

Simply put, our kitchen is not a commercial grade kitchen, but it should be.

If the sole use was supporting coffee hour, I might be swayed against the project. However, our kitchen is not adequate to support our mission of community outreach (Poe Middle School after-hours meals program, Belvedere Elementary weekend food program and Hypothermia Project), nor our larger parish meal requirements.

Furthermore, if we do anything to our kitchen, we need to bring it up to code. This will require significant below-foundation plumbing work as well as other modifications.

I believe the bathroom remodel is a related project which would be prudent to undertake in conjunction with the kitchen. I use the “I’m changing your water pump, so It would be smart to change out your timing belt since you are approaching 90k miles” analogy.

Finally, adding a shower and laundry will be a significant upgrade to help us in executing our Hypothermia Project Mission, as well as helping the Altar Guild with linens and other requirements.

In my life in the Navy I have found it useful to use a command philosophy to center the crew on “the main thing.” I’ve found an open discussion of the difference between “ownership” and “stewardship” is helpful in this regard.

Ownership vs. Stewardship

If I “own” something, I have choice to care for something as I am moved to (example: I don’t have to change the oil in my car, even though I know that I should). If I am a “steward” of something, I no longer have that latitude. I am entrusted with the care of that object. It is a matter of trust and obligation. It is different.

As members of St Alban’s, I believe we are stewards of our property, stewards of our mission that positively impact our community. It is truly a higher calling. I am committed to this project and strongly believe that this is a “must do.” I am optimistic that the feasibility study will determine that we have the congregational resolve and fiscal means to make this investment in our church. Let’s get to it!

Sincerely,

Jim Kilby
Member, St. Alban’s Vestry

Ideas for Lent

March 2, 2019 / Father Jeff / From the Rector / No Comments

With the season of Lent coming upon us soon, I’ve been doing a little reading and research on some Lenten disciplines I might take on. I stumbled across a quote that spoke to me about the nature and need of our Lenten disciplines.

“Lent is a time for discipline, for confession, for honesty,” wrote Rt. Rev. Tom Wright, a New Testament scholar and retired Anglican Bishop of Durham, England, “not because God is mean or fault-finding or finger-pointing, but because he wants us to know the joy of being cleaned out, ready for all the good things he now has in store.”

Our Lenten discipline should challenge us spiritually and, if possible, physically. The spiritual challenge is necessary so that we can strengthen and grow our faith in God, to sustain us in difficult times and help us deal with sometimes-frightening uncertainty of these times.

A physical challenge is less about challenging ourselves, and more about learning to rely on God. When we engage in an act of self-denial (fasting, abstaining from certain food or drink, or even refraining from watching television or using the Internet), we redirect our cravings away from this world and direct that hunger and yearning toward God.

You may be surprised to see the many unexpected ways in which God provides. In an age of instant gratification, fasting gives us a little insight into what it might be like to be truly hungry, and unsure of where your next meal might come from.

If you’re wondering how you might exercise your faith and grow closer to Christ, here are a few ideas for Lenten disciplines:

Daily Prayer

Join St. Alban’s in daily morning prayer at 8:00am, either in our small downstairs chapel or online through our Facebook Live broadcasts.

Food Stamp Challenge

Several years ago we encouraged our families to try a “food stamp challenge” where each family would try to live on a very limited daily budget for food — roughly the equivalent amount a family receives on government food assistance. Like fasting, this exercise gives you a new perspective on the daily struggles of low-income families.

Study & Reading

Our Library Committee will have selected books available in the narthex. Pick one up and commit to daily reading and study.

Lent Madness

Just for fun, try out Lent Madness — a zany and somewhat bizarre take on March Madness. Instead of hoops and baskets, we have saints and martyrdom! It starts on Ash Wednesday and proceeds daily through Lent, as saints are voted to advance toward the finals and the Golden Halo. It’s a fun way to learn about saints, those Christian faithful who have gone before us.

Finally, make sure to join us for our special Wednesday evening Lenten lecture series. This year, Dr. Hannah Matis of the Virginia Theological Seminary will walk us through several historical highlights related to the founding of the Anglican and Episcopal churches. It’s going to be fascinating and fun; here are the dates and details.

Lent is a time to reflect and remove those things that get in the way of our relationships with God. It’s a time of self-examination and soul-searching, and a time for growth, as we ready ourselves for the Great Feast of Easter.

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