Sermon -- 5 Pentecost 2012

5 Pentecost 2012

Readings: http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Pentecost/BProp8_RCL.html

Today we continue with our readings from the books of Samuel. We see David at the moment of Saul's death. David was very close to King Saul. He knew him intimately He knew he was corrupt. He used to play his harp and sing songs to him when the King could not sleep, when he was quite mad on those difficult nights.

At a point Saul tried to kill David. Jonathan, Saul's son and the presumptive heir to the throne, saved David's life. David had a chance to kill Saul when Saul was pursuing him with murderous intentions. David chose not to kill Saul because God had anointed him as king.

Now Saul and Jonathan, his dear friend, are killed in battle. And what is David's reaction? He could have sung this song:

Oh, that corrupt old Saul is gone. Good riddance.

I've won. Thank God. How great I am.

Corruption got its just deserts.

How to Find Trinity Church

Here is where our church is located in Rensselaerville, NY.  It is where the star is on the right hand side of the map.  We are located at the end of Trinity Lane, just off Albany Hill Rd. and County Route 351.

Summer Service Schedule

Beginning Sunday June 10, 2012, we will move to our summer schedule and services will begin at 8:30 am.

Services at 8:30 am will continue through to Sunday, September 2, 2010, which is the Sunday before Labor Day.

Following Labor Day, on Sunday September 9, 2012, we will resume our Sunday service time of 11 am.  

Sermon -- Trinity Sunday 2012

Trinity 2012 Readings: http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Pentecost/BTrinity_RCL.html

We probably have all seen Rublev's icon of the Trinity. It depicts our Patron, the Trinity, as three angels, the angels that visited our father Abraham near the oaks of Mamre. (The minister circulates a large copy of the icon and mentions it is on the church blog)

In his picture, Rublev shows us what we know about this Holy One who Isaiah has seen in his vision that was read to us. We know about this Holy One primarily through Jesus. As scripture has told us “Jesus is the image of the unseen God.”

So the Christian tradition boldly claims to have some knowledge about this mysterious figure – that Rudolf Otto calls the “mysterium tremendum et fascians"  - this scary but fascinating mystery. All of our knowledge of God comes from Jesus.

Rublev depicts our three Patrons in his picture as sitting in a circle. On the right, the Holy Spirit has a garment of the clear blue of the sky, wrapped over with a robe of a fragile green. The Spirit of creation moves in sky and water, breathes in heaven and earth. All living things owe their freshness to his touch.

Trinity Sunday -- June 3, 2012

MAIN ST. PROCESSION AND BBQ HAVE BEEN CANCELED.  5/31/2012 Fr. Jay North+

Trinity Sunday is our Patronal feast day.  We are blessed to have the Holy Trinity as our special patrons.  You can't do better than that!  This year Trinity Sunday (the Sunday after Pentecost) falls on June 3.

To celebrate we will begin our Sunday Service with a procession down Main St. from Bell's hotel to the church lead by a piper.  The procession will form in the driveway of the hotel at 10:30 am.

(On the evening of June 3, we will close our celebration with BBQ hosted by Jost and Ellen.  We would like to invite as many of our friends as will come.  Please extend an invitation to everyone to come to our celebration party beginning at 6 pm.)  BBQ AND SERVICE CANCELED 5/30/2012  Fr. Jay North+

We will close the day with a sunset service overlooking the mountains.  This is should be a great day!  So plan to attend and invite your friends.

Sermon 7 Easter 2012

7 Easter 12 Readings: http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Easter/BEaster7_RCL.html

Next week of course is the feast of Pentecost. This last week we celebrated the Ascension. The Ascension has become characterized as a feast day which is not widely marked. Somehow we don't know quite what to make of it these days. Does it make sense that Jesus was taken up into heaven? Why did he end his earthly ministry in this way?

Pentecost and Ascension are closely related. Jesus said, unless I go, I cannot send the Spirit (John 16.7). Why is this the case?

I think it is best explained by seeing Jesus as the New Adam. The New Adam did life right. Jesus did it correctly. The first Adam messed it up. He didn't do it right. He turned away from God. He became distracted by his own dreams and visions of grandeur. As the evil one told him, “You can be like God.” And he actually believed this. He wanted to run things his own way.

The new Adam, Jesus, on the other hand, went about doing things the way God wanted them done. He listened closely to the Father. He constantly relied on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He said, “I dont do anything unless I see the Father doing it.” He could see what the Father was up to. The Father was up to healing. The Father was up to teaching and guiding his children. The Father was up to finding lost sheep and carrying them home. The Father was up to extending his kingdom and his rule. So the new Adam, Jesus, went about doing this – thinking about God first and not about a personal agenda, if he could imagine one. The devil wanted him to.

Update on Irene

Irene has moved to the Atria Crossgates in Albany for continued rehab.  The address is 140 Washington Ave. Ext., Albany, NY 12203.  Phone: 869-0211.

Monica saw her briefly today and we will be looking in on her later this week.

Continued prayers are requested.