We are invited to join friends from Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, from January 11-22, 2015.  The pilgrimage will be led by the Revs. Thomas J. Brown and Thomas Mousin. Our tour guide there will be Canon Iyad Qumri, a Palestinian Christian who has been leading groups like ours since 1997. Iyad, who is fluent in five languages, is thoroughly familiar with Biblical pilgrimage sites, parishes, and institutions of the West Bank and Israel. Our trip will connect us with the roots of our faith and with the contemporary lives of people living there.

Brochures with information about the cost, schedule, and answers to frequently asked questions are available at church. While the trip is over a year from now, it is not too early to express your interest! Please contact Sarah Twiss, Parish Administrator at Parish of the Epiphany, if you would like to add your name to the group. (stwiss@3crowns.org)  An initial deposit of $500 (which is refundable) will be required by January 11, 2014.

Dear Friends,

You have heard me speak and write about the offering of a tithe. “Tithe” is one of those church words that some are quite familiar with and others know little about. It’s a word with biblical roots. In various places throughout the Hebrew scriptures, we hear about the practice of tithing – the  invitation to offer to God one tenth of one’s income and produce as an act of thanksgiving.  In the Christian tradition, tithing has long been held up as a spiritual discipline, not only as an act of thanksgiving, but also as an acknowledgement that all that we have and earn ultimately belongs to God.

At their July meeting, the vestry voted to commit our parish to a form of tithing.  Whenever we have a general church fundraiser, such as the Harvest Fair, we will now commit 10% – or a tithe – of all that we raise to supporting mission work beyond our local church. We know how important it is to raise the funds we need for the ongoing work of our parish. The vestry also recognizes that a central part of our life together is discovering how it is that God is inviting us to give our gifts, and ourselves to others.  We’ll provide specific information about the kinds of mission work we will be supporting as we approach the Harvest Fair or other events.

I am grateful the vestry is adopting this biblical principal of stewadrship, and I encourage you to talk to vestry members if you have questions or thoughts about how we will spend the mission tithe. And I am hopeful that as we commit to this endeavor, it will inform and bless our individual decisions about giving to God in gratitude for all that we receive.

Faithfully,

Tom

PS – You can find a photo and names of current vestry members on the bulletin board by the ramp leading from the Parish House room to the church.

We are invited to join the Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester on Tuesday, August 6th to celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration.  There will be a service of Holy Eucharist at 7 pm, followed by a reception at the rectory.  The church is located at 70 Church Street in Winchester, and parking is available on the streets surrounding the church. Directions are available at the Parish of the Epiphany website, www.3crowns.org,  or you can also call our office.

Dear Friends,

It was in the midst of the legislative debate in Vermont about establishing civil unions that I first heard a legislator make the connection between civil rites and civil rights. She was noting that a civil union law, while allowing a legal rite to take place, was at the same time creating a civil right. I was certainly grateful for the passage of that law in 2000. This week, my spouse Thomas and I are marking the 10th anniversary of the blessing of our union, which we celebrated with both legal an church rites.

Much is being made of the civil rights that are being established by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. Gay and lesbian couples in states where marriage is legal for them will now be able to have many more federal rights. And that is profoundly important. But my own experience has taught me that the ability to publicly express a life long commitment to another person – to share in a rite surrounded by family, friends, and a church community, means so much as well. Thomas and I knew that those who gathered with us were promising to support and love us, even as we made our commitment to each other. For marriage is about more than rights. It is also about taking on responsibilities, and a willingness to engage in the kind of sacrificial love we see most fully embodied in Jesus.

When I preside at a wedding – whether for a straight or gay couple – I always make that point: the vows being made are stated within the embrace of a larger community. The  Supreme Court decided this week that the larger community’s endorsement and support of marriage for gay and lesbian persons was not only appropriate, but constitutional. And for that I am grateful. Unfortunately, the same court decided that oversight of the larger community was not necessary for ensuring the vote of persons who have historically faced discrimination at the polls. That is a reminder to me that the ongoing work of creating a civil society that embodies the love and justice that Jesus proclaimed is never finished.

Faithfully,

Tom