Twenty Third Sunday after Pentecost October 27, 2013

All Saints’WWW.ALLSAINTSCARMEL.ORG

On the first evening of their Christmas visit with their grandmother, a young boy and his brother knelt by their bed to pray. Shouting as loudly as he could, the young brother pleaded, “And PLEASE GOD, I need a new bicycle and a pair of roller blades.” “Shh!” said the older boy, “not so loud. God isn’t deaf, you know.” To which his younger brother replied, “Yes, I know, but Grandma is.”

Technically, the boy was praying to God but, like the Pharisee in today’s gospel, he was doing so simply to benefit himself.

Why is it so easy to brag?...and…Why is it so hard to be humble?

The Weekly

Recommendation:

Helping feed those in needBy The Rev. Rick Matters

Bring your food donations with you next Sunday, or during the week, and place them in the basket as you enter the church. In addition to pull-top canned foods, tuna, and hearty soups, we think it would be nice to provide people some of the traditional Thanksgiving Day foods, such as canned yams, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, packaged gravy, pie crust mix, and pumpkin-pie filling.

Scripture Lessons TodayJeremiah 14:7-10, 19-22Psalm 84:1-62 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18Luke 18:9-14

Scripture Lessons for Next WeekDaniel 7:1-3,15-18Psalm 149Ephesians 1:11-23Luke 6:20-31

Delight in Serving with Humility By The Rev. Gwen Buehrens

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Humility in RelationsBy Robin Denney

Humility is a concept that has been tragically misrepresented in modern culture. Humility is often tied to self-debasing or even self-loathing. But as this week’s theme points out, there is delight in humility. To know who we are, beloved children of God, and to be in God’s presence knowing all our limitations and failings, and yet knowing that we are forgiven and held lovingly in God’s hands, is the embodiment of humility. It is from this place of knowing who we are in humility that we can truly be in relationship with others, because each person we meet is also a beloved child of God, made in God’s own image, broken and in need of mercy. In the parable today, we see two broken people, one addressing God with confidence, the other in humility. It is obvious from the story that the confident Pharisee is so concerned with himself that he in not really in relationship with God, and certainly not in relationship with those he considers beneath him. Let us follow the example of the humble tax collector, and enter into relationship with humility.

Truly they Have Loved to WanderBy Greg Troxell

Oh how those words of the prophet Jeremiah have the power to bring back a flood of memories. I am reminded of passions that have overtaken me; moments of failure that have beset me; and fear that paralyzed me from serving God.

As Christians, we are not our own, but bought with a price and alive by the power of the sanctifying blood of Christ we are cleansed and set free to live lives that honor the Lord. Why then do we wander? It is our ignorance, pride, and lusts that cause our minds to forget and underestimate the love and protection of God.

The psalmist begins his jubilant offering with words by which we could spare ourselves many a heartache, “How lovely is your dwelling place”. (Psalm 84:1) As we orient our thinking toward the goodness of God, the pleasures of this world dim. As we delight in the Lord, so shall we then live and be. For when we set our hope on Him, there will be no greater pleasure than to abandon ourselves to wander in the garden with our Lord rather than in the wilderness.

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Highlighted Events and MeetingsOctober 30 Yoga for AllOctober 30 Wednesday Bible ClassNovember 3 All Saints’ SundayNovember 2 Santa Lucia Work PartyNovember 6 Yoga for AllNovember 6 Wednesday Bible ClassNovember 8-9 Diocesan ConventionNovember 10 Pancakes and TeachingNovember 13 Friends of Saint Patrick’s, Haiti - BBQNovember 23 All Saints’ Fine Arts & Craft FaireNovember 28 Thanksgiving Day LiturgyNovember 28 Thanksgiving Day Dinner

Fine Arts & Crafts Fair

Handcrafted Items Made by Local Artisans

Great Christmas Gift Ideas

Food and Beverages Available

All Saints Episcopal ChurchFall 2012

Saturday, November 17th

9 AM to 3 PMDolores and 9th in CarmelNo Admission Fee

Fine Arts & Crafts FaireSaturday, November 23, 20139:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m.No Admission Fee Food and beverage available

All Saints’ Episcopal ChurchOn the corner of Dolores and Ninth in Carmel-by-the-Seawww.allsaintscarmel.org

Handcrafted itemsby local artisans

Supporting local artisans and the missions of All Saints’ Parish throughout Monterey County

All Saints’  •  The Weekly

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Serving with Humility By Robin Denney

Delight in serving with humility! What does it mean to serve in humility? It means we must lay aside the assumption that we have the answers and the resources, and that service is about dolling it out to those who do not have. We must take up instead the notion of humility, in which we know that we and those we seek to serve are beloved children of God, made in God’s image. Today’s Gospel parable and many others teach us that the poor, the humble, the meek, and the apparently foolish, have something to teach us and wisdom to share with us. Serving with humility means accepting that in going to “feed the homeless,” we will learn more from them than we are able to give in return. Beyond the gifts that are received from others when we serve with humility, we also receive the gift of delight! There is great joy, and many wonderful surprises when we set out to serve God with a humble heart.

Humility that SavesBy Greg Troxell

The Pharisee in the Gospel reading today shows an honest and commendable desire to further the kingdom of God by fulfilling the law by fasting twice a week and tithing a full ten percent from his entire income. However, it is the humility of the tax collector, in this parable of Jesus that affords him safe passage to heaven, justification by faith and the mercy of God.

While the Church urges us to observe the commandments of God, we must never forget that we are not going to obtain holiness by observance of the law. It is but a tutor (Galatians 3:24) to show us our need of God’s grace and a guide to protect ourselves from harm. It is the power of the cross, the work of Jesus, that has will justify all who believe, and the Spirit who will empower us to bear the fruits of righteousness since we are grafted into the vine.

In such a state, may we one day be able to say the words of the apostle Paul in great humility, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” 2 Timothy 4:7.

AnnouncementsWednesday: Bible study from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. in Grant Hall.

The Feast of All Saints, November 3—All Saints Sunday, our patronal feast, is a big day in the life of our parish. We’ll mark our feast day with worship and celebration, a potluck luncheon at 11:45 a.m., and the chance to view displays from all the ministries of All Saints’ Parish. Evensong at 5:30 will feature the chanting of the names of our deceased loved ones. (Forms are included in your bulletin and also available in the office and church.) You’re invited to bring paintings, portraits, and photographs to adorn the nave with a “cloud of witnesses.”

The book club will meet for dinner on Tuesday, November 5, at 6:00 p.m. and meet the following Tuesday, November 12, for book discussion. Contact Claudia Ward at claudiajo@redshift.com or 373-5069 if you plan to attend the dinner.

I-HELP is opening a small apartment complex in Marina and is in need of furnishings and housewares, including bedroom and living room furniture, twin bed frames, box springs, and bedding, kitchen accessories, flatware, serving ware, and appliances. To help or learn more, call Janie at 831-384-3388.

Join with Church of the Wayfarer to collect non-perishable food for the hungry. Our joint donations will be collected and blessed on November 24. We’re looking for spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, chili and other hearty soups, tuna, rice, cereal, macaroni and cheese, and canned fruits and vegetables. Don’t forget to check those expiration dates! Place your donations in the containers provided in the church.

St. Nicholas Day is coming, and planning will begin soon for our annual St. Nicholas Celebration. Contact Fr. Rick if you’d like to join a team from the school and parish to help with this annual event for all ages.

Sunday handout deadline—To be included in next Sunday’s handout, your announcement must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on the preceding Wednesday. Most special parish events are included in the announcements for three weeks before they occur. Contact Andrea Matters at andreamatters@gmail.com or 624-3090.

All Saints’Episcopal Parish

Ninth and DoloresPO Box 1296Carmel, CA 93921Phone: 831-624-3883Fax: 831-624-1459www.allsaintscarmel.org