Father Tom Says

Why Spiritual Gifts?

Father Tom Miles — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:22:39 +0000

Saint Paul’s will be offering another Spiritual Gifts Workshop on Saturday, June 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. But people might ask why. It’s simple. Churches that members who are aware of and using the spiritual gifts God has given them are vital and growing churches. In other words, it is a vital necessity we have for the continuing life of this parish. Conversely, when a large percentage of our members are passive and bored we know we are in trouble. That is why we are asking all of our members to consider signing up for and attending our workshop. We want YOU! . . to come and learn.

Father Tom

Change seems to be constant.

Father Tom Miles — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:59:11 +0000

This week begins what we might call the graduation season. Every year we receive announcements that proclaim the graduation of someone we know who has completed another segment of his or her education. In my home these announcements and the attendant pictures spark a conversation about how quickly that person grew up, and the pace seems to quicken every year. These moments bring me up short because I have forgotten that life is going by like a very swiftly moving river. In fact, I realized that I am part of that river. I am changing as rapidly as the people and things around me.

I can’t think of much in my life that hasn’t changed drastically in my lifetime. I was about to mention the mountains, but I have been told that even they are subject to the same changes through the various types of erosion that occur in the life of mountains. So from my perspective change is one constant in my life. Another constant is God. God does not change, we are told. However our perception of God changes as we age. That is why I am beginning to wonder if our God isn’t actually the God of change as well as unchanging. Thinking about the heady days of the Early Church and all of the changes that were ushered in as the Holy Spirit guided the new Christians in their life and ministry I wonder if some of them didn’t pray for it all to stop for a minute so that their minds could catch up. Well that gives me a new respect for those early Christians.

Here’s an idea. The next time I find myself marvelling in how much everything has changed I think I’ll ask, “God, is that you?”

Father Tom

Living Every Day

Father Tom Miles — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:25:13 +0000

A friend of mine used to tell me his goal was to live every day. I would begin to dismiss this as a shallow goal. After all, if you didn’t die you lived. But I knew that he was not being flip with me. So I began to think about his aspiration more like he did. To be alive, really alive, could not be defined as not dying. It had to have a quality to it that made the day worth living. I am usually trying to get a long list of things done each day, and, more often than not, I barely make it half way through the list. The number of repetitive tasks that come up can become boring and lifeless. How can we be really alive in the face of all this?

One thing I can think of right away is my awareness. I would like to be aware of God and God’s purpose for me, but awareness comes only with practice. Some times I think God is telling me to begin by being aware of those around me. There are lots of times when someone can be communicating really important information that I miss because I have already moved on in my conversation. One vestry member once called me on this during a meeting. He said, “Now quit looking at your watch. I have something to say and you can at least give me a minute to say it!” I am so grateful for that person’s honesty. It caught me in a really bad habit. So part of living every day is being engaged with those around me. Listening may be the most life giving thing we share with each other. It is learning awareness in a way that can make it possible to live life every day.

Father Tom

How Good is the Good Shepherd?

Father Tom Miles — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:33:43 +0000

How good is a shepherd?

This Sunday, April 29 is sometimes known as Good Shepherd Sunday because we hear Jesus teaching about the attributes of a good shepherd. I should say that the primary teaching is to say what Jesus Christ is like. And if Jesus is like that, so is God the Father. The second thing we think about is the comparison of the Good Shephard with all other leaders. After all, the prophets of the Hebrew Scripture are quite critical of the leaders of Jerusalem and Judea calling them bad shepherds. The third take we might have with this Sunday is that all of us Christians are called upon to be like Jesus in caring for others, so none of us is exempt from the challenge to be good and not bad shepherds.

That is the challenge before me as I try to come up with a sermon for the services. It is a challenge, by the way, that I am happy to share with another. David Thompson is a licensed lay preacher in this diocese and parish. He will be preaching at the 11:30 a.m. service this week, and I am looking forward to what he has to say.

I hope to see you Sunday.

Fr. Tom

The Flowering of New Life

Father Tom Miles — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:05:24 +0000

Easter is here. We now have fifty days to celebrate resurrection and new life. At the same time we witness one of nature’s miraculous shows, the flowering of the world at spring time. For most of us this flowering of new life in nature is a symbol of what has happened for us inwardly as we contemplated the resurrection of our Lord. But we are not just witnessing this phenomenon. We are part of it. By our baptism we share in the promise of resurrection through Christ. Some times we can even sense how the seeds of faith that have been planted in us are beginning to sprout and break the soil of our ordinary lives. We anticipate the growth that will come as our lives of faith flower and grow. We hope that our lives will bear fruit befitting our faith.

Let me suggest that every trip you make into the beauty of the outdoors can suggest new meditations on the new life awaiting us all. Every time you disturb the soil and plant a seed, that too is a sign of the planting within you. So rejoice in this season of Spring and pray that what is just now beginning to sprout in you will grow and bear fruit. This is the way it is supposed to be in nature and in the spirit.

Father Tom

The Three Days–Maundy Thursday

Father Tom Miles — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:57:17 +0000

The Jerusalem Cross: Symbol of Holy Week

Maundy Thursday Liturgy 7:00 p.m.

Maundy Thursday gets its name from the Latin, mandare, translated commandment. Jesus told his disciple his commandment was that they should love one another as Jesus loved them. We remember the instruction of Jesus that his disciples must serve one another. People will be invited to come forward and have their feet washed as a sign that we are to imitate Christ in servant ministry. After we have shared the bread and wine of communion we will strip the altar and proceed to the Chapel where we will begin an over-night watch where we pray as the disciples prayed in the garden with Jesus.

Good Friday, April 6, at noon we will gather for the special devotion called the stations of the cross. Going from station to station we will remember the sorrowful march to Golgotha where Jesus was crucified.

at 6:00 p.m. we will once again gather and remember the events of that day of crucifixion in scripture, song, and prayer.

Holy Saturday, April 7 at 8:00 p.m. we begin the Great Vigil of Easter. We will experience many things that prepare us for the joy of Easter morning.

Lighting of the Paschal Candle–In the darkness the candle is lit and the light proceeds into the church. The deacon sings an ancient song in praise of this night and the light.

The reading of the vigil lessons–Lessons from the Old Testament that foreshadow our life in Christ are read along with prayers and psalms of praise.

Holy Baptism–One of our newest members will be Baptized at this most appropriate time to begin new life.

The first Eucharist of Easter–We gather in celebration giving thanks for the victory of Christ over the grave and death by sharing Eucharist.

Easter Sunday, April 8 we celebrate with three services at 8:00, 10:00 and 11:30 a.m. There will be music at all three services.

Holy Week Is Upon Us

Father Tom Miles — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:41:41 +0000

Holy Week

It hardly seems possible that we are already preparing for the services that mark our Holy Week. For those of you who didn’t grow up in a church that observes these special days, here’s a brief description of what goes on.

Holy Week is the week prior to Easter Sunday which falls on April 8 this year. The first special day is coming this Sunday. It’s called Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday.

Palm Sunday, April 1, begins with the retelling of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The crowds celebrated Jesus by waving branches of palms in the air and throwing them on the road in front of his procession. We actually distribute palms to the congregation and re-enact the procession. But there is where the celebration ends. The rest of the scripture we hear this Sunday is about Jesus’ suffering on the cross, or his Passion. The tragic nature of the story gives the rest of the day, the rest of the week a solemn tone.

All the rest of the days of the week have special observances and we will get to them after next Sunday. These are Monday in Holy Week, Tuesday in Holy Week, Wednesday in Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. We’ll talk about them next week including the times of all of the events. In the mean time let this be our invitation to you to join us in walking the Way of the Cross all week.

Father Tom

Meet the Canon: He’s more than a big gun.

Father Tom Miles — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:09:26 +0000

Canon Craig Loya is a busy man on the staff of the Diocese of Kansas. Specifically, he is the transition officer. That means any congregation going through a transition (Like ours beginning in July) is under his care. Canon Craig will be here at Saint Paul’s this Saturday, March 24, to talk to you all about the process that is about to begin. He will meet with you from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the dinning room down stairs from the common room. Senior Warden, Dale Shipps, really hopes to see as many members of the parish present for this meeting. It will be a time to get a picture of what is going to happen and what we can expect. It’s also a time to ask questions and perhaps give some feedback.

So be sure to come this Saturday and join in with your friends. Lunch will be served, so if you haven’t signed up yet, please call the office and let Eleanor know you will be there.

Soup’s On!

Father Tom Miles — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:42:41 +0000

This week we continue our Lenten Program on Wednesday evenings. We begin with a simple meal of soup and bread at around 6:00 p.m. Then we continue with an informal Evening Prayer followed by a discussion based on the questions we are asked in the Baptism service. This week’s question is about our commitment to share the “Good News of God in Christ”.

To some of you, that might be a bewildering and somewhat scary phrase. Our discussion ought to help us get over some of the scariness. But most of all, it is always good to get together with friends, share a meal and talk a little. Come and share the evening with us. There’s always room for more.

Fr. Tom

LENT: The Walk Goes On!

Father Tom Miles — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:33:39 +0000

The season of Lent is well in swing now and we are getting used to our Lenten resolutions. Here are some things you might want to know about.

Wednesday Soup Suppers continue on Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. in the dinning room. We follow that with Evening Prayer and an informal discussion on the Baptismal Covenant. This week we talk about living reconciliation.

Friday evening we continue the devotion of Stations of the Cross in the church at 5:00 p.m. It has been noted that this is a short service that begins to grow on us over time.

Saturday morning is busy with the Men’s Breakfast at 8:00 a.m. (we know it’s Lent, but ya gotta eat, ya know). We continue in the common Room at 10:00 a.m. with the women’s group–Saint Paul Saturday.

10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 10

Inquirers’ Class in the dining room

A new thing beginning this Saturday is a class for Inquirers. Anyone who would like to know more about Christianity, The Episcopal Church and how we do things will find this an interesting gathering.