St. Anne's Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

A Meditation by Bishop Porter Taylor for the 14th Week after Pentecost: Our Need to be Holy

“What matters is not what we do but the deepness and self-abnegation with which the serving soul enters the life, the movement, and will of God and so can be used for divine purposes….We must get rid of the pestilent, deadly notion that the amount of things we get through is the standard. The steadiness with which we radiate God is the standard.” --
Evelyn Underhill, “The End for Which We Were Made”

The word that keeps coming to me is “agency.” There is so much going on in this country that I don’t like or understand. I read the beatitudes and then read the newspaper and wonder what to do with that gap. It seems as if we as a nation are drifting further and further away from a holy communion—which is, after all, our yearning and calling as Christians.

What am I to do about Kenosha, Wisconsin? Is it enough to say I will pray for them? Is it enough to try to find someone to blame? Is it enough to ignore it because it upsets me and it’s in another state?

This reflection is not going to be filled with answers because I don’t have any, but I do know that I must start with the question of agency. What can I do now? Back to Evelyn Underhill: “The steadiness with which we radiate God is the standard.”

I am not saying lock your doors and ignore the world. Nor am I saying don’t get involved politically, nor should we avoid making our voices heard in the public sphere, nor refrain from calling out behavior that is unjust.

My issue is where to begin. My issue is how to get beyond feeling as if I am merely a spectator watching Rome burn.

I think I need to begin with my heart and then my head and then I may get to my body. I want to align my heart with God’s heart. I want a whole and holy vision of my fellow human beings as children of God trying to find their way instead categorizing others as righteous or unrighteous. I want to discard my own smugness about the correctness of my political views—which is the veil that keeps me from the paradise I seek. I want a larger narrative than just the right and wrong—the enlightened and the misguided—the lovers and the haters.

Let’s remember, Jesus came from nowhere; so did St. Francis and St. Julian of Norwich and on and on. What mattered was not their public prestige. None of them had college degrees or held any political office. What mattered was that they were so immersed in the Truth and the Way and the Life, that their goodness radiated out of them and was contagious.

Yes, let’s be part of the public debates and enter the public square. Yes, let’s stand up for justice around race and gender, income, sexual orientation and hospitality to the stranger. But let’s do all of that from the center. Let’s do all of that as an invitation for all people to step into a larger vision of themselves and this world. We do not need to be right. We need to be holy. That’s our work.

On Sunday, September 6 at 10:00 a.m.

The 179 congregations of the Diocese of Virginia came together as one faith community for a diocesan-wide service led by your bishops.

The service in English and Spanish is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMoKMRlw81I

August 30, 2020 - Morning Prayer - St. Anne's Episcopal Church

Enjoy today's full service.

Visit https://www.stannes-reston.org/ for more videos

The Sermon • The Rev. Laura Cochran

Today's sermon from Mother Laura.

https://youtu.be/PttMrf5yqoA

The Sermon • The Rev. Laura Cochran

Gathering Hymn #379 v.1, 2 • God Is Love, Let Heaven Adore Him • Abbot’s Leigh

Music from today's service.

https://youtu.be/YBMojJ1RTWY

Gathering Hymn #379 v.1, 2 • God Is Love, Let Heaven Adore Him • Abbot’s Leigh

Caste (Oprah's Book Club): The Origins of Our Discontents

St. Anne's Monday Book Club is Exploring Racial Justice "Thought"

Monday, September 14, 9:30 a.m. via Zoom

The St. Anne's Book Club has chosen as their next two selections books that address racism. This would be a great time to join the St. Anne's book club and work for racial justice.

The September book is #1 New York Times Bestseller Between the World and Me https://www.amazon.com/Between-World-Me-Ta-Nehisi-Coates/dp/0451482212 by Ta-Nehisi Coates, is "hailed by Toni Morrison as “required reading,” a bold and personal literary exploration of America’s racial history by “the most important essayist in a generation and a writer who changed the national political conversation about race” (Rolling Stone)

The October book is Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0593230256

Please contact Kathy Boileau at [email protected] for more information and a Zoom link.

amazon.com Caste (Oprah's Book Club): The Origins of Our Discontents

Faith and Justice Rally on Anti-Racism

Last night the parking lot at St. Thomas à Becket was full of cars and people attending the Faith and Justice Rally on anti-racism that was organized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Christian Church.

Several St. Anne’s members were spotted at the event. There were half a dozen speakers from local faith communities including our very own Tim Barwick (photo credit Mary Weinhold)! The audience signaled their approval by honking their horns. Laurie Corkey and Gary Harvey, from our Racial Justice “Deed” team, were there handing out information from the League of Women Voters about updated voting registration, absentee ballots, etc.

We were even featured in the Reston Patch! https://patch.com/virginia/reston/car-rally-calls-racial-justice-end-systemic-opp

[08/27/20]   Racial Justice "Deed" Work

Our Racial Justice “Deed” team is working on some longer-term plans, however, for the short-term we’ve decided to focus on voting as a way to impact racism.

With the General Election coming up we want to make sure that we particularly focus on supporting Black and brown voters. We are working with Cornerstones to create a voting project to reach into their communities, which are disproportionately made up of people of color. The rules directing registration, absentee/mail-in ballots, and voting have changed recently and we want to make sure that we can communicate these changes to Cornerstones’ communities.

[08/27/20]   St. Anne's Official Statement on Racial Justice, August 2020

Following the murder this summer of George Floyd, St. Anne's offered a series of forums on Racism and subsequently formed three committees to sustain our efforts for racial justice in "thought, word, and deed." This statement was drafted by our Racial Justice "Word" Committee and endorsed by the St. Anne's Vestry at our vestry meeting on August 23, 2020. Thank you to the Rev. Dr. Anne Fredericks Cooper, Sarah Murphy, and the Rev. Dr. John Stonesifer for their work in preparing the statement.

Whereas, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church was founded in 1969 in the community of Reston, Virginia as one which was explicitly founded to be a place of racial equality and welcome; and

Whereas, we have striven together in these five decades to love others as Christ loves us; calling for justice when the systems of justice failed us, and holding firm to the belief that our diversity makes us stronger; and

Whereas, recent violent and racist acts in our larger society have opened our eyes to the continued and unacceptable assault on the dignity of Black and brown lives; and

Whereas, we recognize and confess that the racist systems in which we live primarily benefit white people, we, therefore, place a higher expectation on white people to do the necessary work of dismantling these systems, while we also center the voices of people of color in our work; now, therefore, be it

Resolved that the Vestry of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Reston, Virginia immediately and actively:

• affirm that Black Lives Matter,

• work to understand the dynamics of racism in all of its manifestations, and

• serve as an agent of transformation in our community and the larger society.

We pledge to work across systems and structures where interpersonal, systemic, and institutional racism operate. Our parish committees on anti-racism thought word and deed will develop specific action plans. We commit to being persistent and unrelenting in our work to become the beloved community with racial healing, reconciliation, and justice.

In summary, we are inspired by our Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev. Michael Curry as he proclaimed:

"There is a God who will not rest, and we must not rest, until justice rolls down like a mighty stream, until every man, woman, and child, no matter who they are, every human being is treated as a child of God, and is seen in the eyes of the law, in the eyes of the state, and in our eyes, as someone made in the image and likeness of God."

[08/26/20]   A Prayer in the Storm

God of the Universe, at the dawn of creation, your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. You created the oceans and rivers, and all that dwell within them, and at your word the wind and the waves were born.

The seasons follow your plan, and the tides rise and fall on your command. In both calm and storm, you are with us.

On the Sea of Galilee, even when the disciples began to fear, Jesus showed that he was Lord over the waters by rebuking the storms, so that all would know that even the wind and the waves obey him.

Creator God, we ask you to calm the wind and the waves of the approaching Hurricane Laura, and spare those in its path from harm. Help those who are in its way to reach safety. Open our hearts in generosity to all who need help in the coming days.

In all things and in all times, help us to remember that even when life seems dark and stormy, you are in the boat with us, guiding us to safety.

Amen.

[08/23/20]   Enoy today's complete Sunday service of morning prayer.

Visit https://www.stannes-reston.org/ for more videos

The Sermon • The Rev. H. Vance Johnson

Father Vance's sermon from today's Sunday Morning Prayer.

https://youtu.be/q-_wV_9xxjk

The Sermon • The Rev. H. Vance Johnson

Hymn #577 v.1, 3 • Here in Christ We Gather • Ubi caritas

Music from today's service.

https://youtu.be/Vbds05HTSis

Hymn #577 v.1, 3 • Here in Christ We Gather • Ubi caritas

We grow our sunflowers big at St. Anne's!

[08/20/20]   HOW CAN I MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

An important audience question from last week’s legislators' forum was how we can focus our legislators on issues that matter to us. They let us know a couple of ways we can do this.

• Provide stories that our representatives can use to change people’s minds. A personal note with personal experiences has a strong impact. It doesn’t have to be your story but the closer you are to it the better. “I know” rather than “I’ve heard of.”

• Testify to state committees via platforms like Zoom. The quarantine has actually made it easier to participate. The protocol for this is being worked out now.

If you’re interested in bringing your concerns and issues to our legislator’s attention you can contact them at:

Reston:
Senator Janet Howell at [email protected]

Delegate Ken Plum at [email protected]

Herndon/Loudoun:
Senator Jennifer Boysko at [email protected]

Herndon:
Delegate Ibraheem Samirah at [email protected]

[08/20/20]   Join in Diocesan-wide Worship on Labor Day Sunday
Sunday, September 6

On Sunday, September 6 (Labor Day Weekend), we will gather online at 10am, as the Diocese of Virginia, for a worship service led by your bishops. Bishop Goff will preach and Bishops Brooke-Davidson and Taylor will be there, too.

We want to gather with you – and we want to give your devoted priests and pastors a break. As you know so well, your clergy have been working heroically since early March with online and outdoor worship, pastoral care, and formation, all in a strange new world of electronic connection. We honor their commitment and we hope that you will be as eager as we are to create a tiny sliver of real Sabbath time for them.

St. Anne's will broadcast the service from our website. Please mark your calendars for this worship service with the 60,000+ members of the Diocese of Virginia, and many friends, families, saints, and seekers. Can’t wait to see you there!

[08/20/20]   Helping Hands: Giving & Receiving!

Helping Hands is a ministry that helps families by providing meals in times of need. We ask the family if there are any dietary restrictions or preferences (like kids who hate almost everything!) so that we can accommodate them in the meals our volunteers make.

Volunteers can either prepare and cook the meals themselves or, if you wish, order a meal from the person’s favorite restaurant and have it delivered. During this time our volunteers are happy to deliver meals by dropping them at the door without contact.

We have provided meals for families with new babies, people who are recovering from surgery, and people who have lost a loved one.

We would love to welcome new volunteers to this ministry! If you are willing to make a meal for a family in need we would be happy to add you to our database of volunteers. If you are called to provide a meal and it is not a good time you can simply tell the Helping Hands volunteer and we will ask someone else. We keep track of who has helped so no one gets called too often.

Thank you to Angie Gray, Lee Hobrla, Ramona Jeffries, and Judy Skirbunt for leading Helping Hands and to the dozens of volunteers over the years who care for our fellow parishioners in this way!

Please call St. Anne’s at 703-437-6530 if you would like to arrange to receive a meal or to join our Helping Hands ministry!

[08/19/20]   Our mask ministry team has really been turning out masks!!!
1007 so far. Well done!

RECIPIENTS
In addition to the organization listed below, the mask makers have made many masks for family, friends, and acquaintances and have even offered and given them to food, package, and mail delivery personnel.

* Million Mask Challenge.
Approx. 200 masks

This volunteer organization receives requests from organizations, has numerous locations where masks can be dropped off and distributes to them to the requesting organizations. The DC/VA metro group is part of a national organization. They have far exceeded the million mask goal but the requests keep coming in. Medical centers, retirement communities, other organizations

* Embry Rucker Shelter
Approx. 40 masks

* World Central Kitchen for Fairfax County food distribution program
268 masks

Jose Andres’ group committed to providing 300 meals twice a week at a location in Centerville and required 300 masks before beginning distribution. (Other orga

* Cornerstones
211 masks

Masks were made to coincide with St. Anne’s backpack drive.

* Native Americans
Approx. 272 masks

Hopi
Navajo
Apache

* Just Neighbors
15 masks

TOTAL AS OF 8/19/2020: 1007

MASK MAKERS
Kathy Boileau
Kimberly Cowell-Meyers
Martha Furniss
Angie Gray
Diane Hobler
Peggy Hobler
Kavya Smart (high school freshman friend of Lee Hobrla)

The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

Bishop Porter Taylor's Meditation on the 11th Sunday after Pentecost: This is the moment for the Church to be the Church.

“Remember that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that you have only one life, which is short and must be lived by you alone; and that there is only one glory which is eternal. If you do this, there will be many things about which you care nothing.” -- St. Teresa of Avila

This week the presidential conventions begin. We are entering a new realm of political frenzy, and it will be tempting to be immersed in it. The temptation is for us to define both ourselves and others by political views. As if by knowing how someone else is going to vote means we know anything about their true self. As we heard yesterday in the gospel reading, even Jesus couldn’t see the Canaanite woman clearly the first time. It took at least a second and maybe a third look for him to see her as a “woman of great faith.”

St. Augustine wrote, “God is the only reality and we are only real insofar as we are in God and God is in us.” Yes, we must accept our responsibilities as citizens, and yes, we are called to exercise our civic duty which includes being informed about the issues of the day as well as actually voting. Yes to all of that.

But let us first and always anchor ourselves in the way, the truth and the life of our Lord. “There is only one glory which is eternal.” This is important for several reasons.

First is just our sanity. The people of this country are not Republicans and Democrats; they are children of God, made in God’s image just like you and me. “God is the only reality and we are real insofar as we are in God and God is in us.” When we meet/experience another person and our quick definition of them comes to mind, think again, feel again, look again. If we still see them only as a label, then do what we can to be “in God” and have “God in us.” I mean when I get upset because someone doesn’t behave or believe or speak or act as I think they should, my first reaction is to label them and thereby discount them. As Anne Lamont says “Isn’t it convenient that God loves the same people that we do?”

However, our calling is not to label the world, but to be agents of God’s loving the world and thereby transforming the world.

This world, this country is in sore need of grace and mercy and forgiveness. We have enough division and acrimony and labels. Therefore, this is the moment for the Church to be the Church. Who else is in the Communion business? But we cannot give away what we do not have. “God is the only reality and we are real insofar as we are in God and God is in us.” Therefore, let us be disciples by embracing the disciplines that equip us for the work of reconciliation. Let us take on practices that will open our hearts and minds and lives to God so that we might be “real insofar as we are in God and God is in us.” Then let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

This is our moment. Let us do our work.