Dear St. Anne’s,

The peace of the Lord be with you! This past Sunday we heard Jesus offer these words to the disciples and to Thomas when he greeted them after his resurrection. It was probably comforting to see that their teacher and friend beat death on the cross and was alive. Yet, these words of peace were not meant to be used as proof or confirmation of his resurrection but rather to bless and reassure them that even in their fear and grief God is always present. That peace of the Holy Spirit was needed more in that room than proof. Why is peace so important then and especially now? The peace of God can calm and comfort our hearts and minds when we try to control things that are uncontrollable. And when we experience that divine peace that is stronger than our fear and worry, it makes those uncontrollable things more bearable. As that peace we feel gives us confidence in God’s unconditional love for us that will not abandons us to take on the world alone. My prayer for you right now is that you not only experience the peace of God but that you become that peace in this world that desperately needs it. How can we be an example of peace in this time of crisis? St. Francis gives us some ideas on how we can be peace in this world. May this prayer encourage you to be an instrument of peace in your relationships, in your correspondence with work, in your time with your kids and especially with yourself.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

May God’s blessings be upon you as we finish another week of social distancing and may the peace of God give you the strength and courage to trust in God’s redemptive and true love for us.

God bless always,

Jess+

Hello, brothers and sisters in Christ!

Join me on-line for a deep dive into this year’s premiere gospel. We’ll meet in cyberspace via Zoom on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. Below you will see a schedule for our nine-week journey. The sessions might change as we go along. The Holy Spirit is often prone to lead us in ways we had not expected.

As luck would have it, the Visual Bible’s word-for-word dramatization of the Gospel According to Matthew is available on YouTube. The film along with the Bible and our own inquiry will be our essential tools. There is no end to the commentaries on Matthew, but that won’t stop me from passing on some insights from scholars who have mined this gospel.

One book you might consider buying is “A Journey with Matthew,” by the Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie. It is a 50-day devotional with commentaries by some of our leading contemporary thinkers. It is available on Kindle and paperback through Amazon, Forward Movement Publications and elsewhere.

Be on the lookout for updates and more on our website and on Facebook. As our Lord Jesus Christ said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Here is our schedule.

April 22 — Week One                                      Prelude and Beginnings                                 Chapters 1 – 4

April 29 — Week Two                                      The Sermon on the Mount                           Chapters 5 – 7

May 6    — Week Three                                  The Son of Man is Lord                                  Chapters 8 – 11

May 13 —  Week Four                                     Teachings Along the Way                              Chapters 12 – 15

May 20 —   Week Five                                     Encounters                                                         Chapters 16 – 17

May 27 —   Week Six                                       The Kingdom is Like …                                    Chapters 18 – 20

June 3   — Week Seven                                 Jerusalem!                                                          Chapters 21 – 23

June 10  — Week Eight                                    How Shall We Live                                           Chapters 24 – 25

June 17  — Week Nine                                    The Passion & Commission                          Chapters 26 – 28

I’ll leave you with what has become one of my guiding quotes. It is from Gregory the Great, a Church Father of the sixth century.

“You will progress in understanding the Holy Scriptures only to the degree that you yourself have made progress through contact with them.”

I hope to see you soon in cyberspace!

In Christ,

Father Dion

In these extraordinary times, we are excited to continue worshiping together virtually! Our Sunday morning 9:30 service, Holy Week services and Daily Evening Prayer are just some of the virtual offerings at St. Anne’s. For more information on these services, click here.

Missing conversations with your St. Anne’s community? Join us this Sunday, April 19 at 10:30 AM, for Coffee, Fellowship, and Conversation. St. Anne’s clergy will join us and you can engage Rev. Jess in conversation about the sermon. We will use Zoom to host our time. Bring your coffee, tea, or water bottle, and click here to be welcomed into the conversation. 

St. Luke’s Food Pantry

The Light House Homeless Prevention Support Center has served the community as a basic needs provider of food, shelter and support services for over 30 years. They rebuild lives with compassion by providing shelter and services to prevent homelessness and empower people as they transition toward employment, housing and self-sufficiency.

If you have never volunteered with Light House and would like to learn more please visit their website at http://www.annapolislighthouse.org/volunteer. Thank you for your support!