Joseph Peters-Mathews

September 4: The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Following Jesus and working for justice aren’t weekend warriorships of protests and counting arrests for civil disobedience as badges of honor. Changing policy takes networking and relationship building. Passing legislation is a slog that takes organizing and growing movements one by one. Growing into the full stature and likeness of Christ is looking at the end of the road and only seeing the Cross.

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Bring Christmas to a Seafarer! 

Every year, the Seattle Seafarers’ Center provides about 1,000 ditty bags stuffed with basic personal necessities to merchant seafarers. These bags are one way we help seafarers celebrate Christmas while they are far from home during the holiday season. Seafarers help make Christmas possible by transporting lots of stuff to the US. Help make a seafarer’s Christmas by providing them with

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More Than Pretty Flowers: A Liturgical Arts Workshop

Saturday, Sept. 17, 10:00am – 12:30pmSt. John’s, Gig Harbor Since most of our churches use altar flowers to bring the beauty of living things into our worship space, the Commission on Liturgy and the Arts is pleased to present this workshop to broaden the potential of this ministry. Beyond just making “pretty decorations,” the altar flowers can become

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August 28: The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

We can say the right prayers; we can have the right formularies; we can have the right pattern on our vestments; we can have the right amount of collaboration in worship planning; but as St. John Chyrsostom said, “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.” These are things we all need to work on.

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August 14: The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Every day brings new opportunities to answer that question to answer how we’re going to follow Jesus. In warning that he brings division, Jesus isn’t saying that that’s his mission. He’s saying that for those who follow him, there will be breaks or stresses in relationships even within families. This is not Jesus giving permission to be jerks because we’re so sure that we’re right so we need to cut people out or have them cut us out because we’re so insufferable…That’s where Jesus prods us today, telling us that following him will upset the apple cart and that the rest of the parade won’t like the beat we’re following. In the fullness of time God’s reign, which is at hand will be truly established and there will be peace.

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