March 2004 Vol. 6 No. 3 Archive of Previous Issues The Grapevine is published monthly (except for a combined July/August issue) by St. Patrick's Episcopal Church E-mail St. Patricks The Rev. Hugh Stevenson, Rector Editor: Herc Roland, 538-3134

Table of Contents for December 2003 [Vol. 6 No. 3]

Canonical and Apocryphal Turning Points No Assistant Carolann Buff's Visit Women's History Project John Bogard Library Bishop's Conference Arrangements for Lent For the Musically Inclined An Irish Blessing

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CANONICAL AND APOCRYPHAL

Although they are bound up in one volume, we all know that the New Testament is a collection of separate books, written by different authors, reflecting a variety of ideas. The quality of the books is uneven. If it had been left to us, we would probably have included some and left out others. But they did not ask us!

By 130 AD, the 4 Gospels and 13 epistles of Paul were accepted, but there were doubts about Hebrews, Revelation and 2 Peter for another 250 years. At the same time, there were other books which were not accepted in the New Testament. These are receiving a lot of attention nowadays. Elaine Pagels won the National Book Award for her book, The Gnostic Gospels, and many people are reading her Beyond Belief (Random House, 2003). This is about the Secret Gospel of Thomas, which was unearthed at Nag Hammadi in Egypt in 1945.

Dan Brown's, The Da Vinci Code (Doubleday, 2003) is also a best seller. Both of these are in our church library. I am about half way through each of them. The Da Vinci Code starts with a number of what Dan Brown calls "Facts." And piecing together a story from the books that did not make it into our New Testament, he claims that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and produced children who had descendents. If we do not take the New Testament literally, why would we want to regard anything in these other books as historical "Facts"?

Also in our library is a book with the provocative title, The Lost Books of the Bible (originally published in 1926, before the Nag Hammadi discoveries). Provocative, because they were never included in the Bible! It includes the texts of various Gospels (of Mary and of Peter) and a lot of letters: from Clement, when he was Bishop of Rome c. 96AD, from Barnabas (written between 70 and 100AD), to Polycarp from Ignatius of Antioch (died about 107AD who also wrote to various churches in Asia Minor), "The Shepherd" of Hermes (mid-2nd century). Not included in this book is the "Didache" (or "The Teaching"), which dates no earlier than the 2nd century.

I studied these so called "apocryphal" books when I was at University (and hoped never to see them again!) But now people are reading them and believing that they have some value. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church says about the Gospel of Thomas, "its contents hardly warrant the extravagant claims made for it when it first became generally known in 1959."

These books are called "non-canonical," while the texts in the New Testament are called "canonical." A canon is a ruler or a measuring rod. One can line up doctrines against what the scriptures say to see if they measure up. The church needed to fix the canon, because the number of books was growing rapidly. Some of the statements of the non-canonical books were weird, even outrageous. So the church claimed the right to reject them. They distinguished between scriptures by saying that the canonical ones were inspired and so became Holy Scripture.

Article 6 of the 39 Articles (Prayer Book, p. 868) lists the books of the Old Testament which we Anglicans accept, and says "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation." We don't need the non-canonical books for salvation. However, if you would be interested in dipping into them, let us read some extracts at the Sunday Education Time in March.
Hugh Stevenson

Turning Points

Relocation:
Carolyn Ardalan lives at 9900 Wilbur May Parkway, #801 Reno NV 89521
(Telephone: 775-852-2514)

For this, much thanks:
Thanks to the Flournoys for lending St. Patrick's their truck for hauling waste to the dump (from Mel, our sexton)

Thanks to Karen Borgfeldt who is tithing to St. Patrick's the payments she receives at "Hello Beautiful" from members of St. Patrick's.

We ask God's protection for
For James Hoey, Adam Derum, Benjamin Borger, Frank Papworth and all those serving in the armed forces.

We will exalt you, O God, our King:
Jake Kimsey, Judy's brother,returned safely from the war

We thank God for the recovery of:
Holton Wray, Alicia Wray's Dad
Linda Belding
Dick Derum
John Morelli
Loren Brown
May Miller
Else Redmond
Jean Elliott

May they know God's healing power:
Natalie Matrazzo
Patrick Philbin
Herc Roland
Sylvia Smith Bennett
Spence Flournoy
Lolita Seguin
Henry Williams

Blessings on:
Martin Pettet and all others who will be baptized at Easter

May they rest in peace:
Al Larson (Sue Hogan's brother)
Marilyn Schlangen (2/9)
Jim Meyer (1/24)
Homer Culbertson (1/20)
David Howard, Vic's brother, in Florida

No Assistant

Carolann Buff's Visit

Carolann will be at St. Patrick's on Sunday, March 7, and will present a brief lecture/demonstration on Hildegard's life and music following the 9:00 a.m. service in the parish hall. Several of us studied Hildegard in an adult class at St. Patrick's a few years ago; so this should be a nice refresher class and a good introduction to the concert on Friday. If you would like to go to the concert on March 12 and would like to get tickets at the group rate of $16.00 (the regular tickets are $20.00) please contact Judy or Charlie Buff at 539-2667 as soon as possible. We would like to order the tickets before March 1.

Women's History Project

John Bogart Library

The first is The Heart of Christianity. Rediscovering a Life of Faith, by Marcus J. Borg. Borg addresses the question of what is means to be a Christian today. He discusses the 'earlier' vision of Christianity and the 'emerging' vision. The earlier was centered in believing now for the sake of salvation later; today's vision presents the Christian encounter with the modem world: i.e., science, historical scholarship, religious pluralism and cultural diversity. Borg speaks to those who want to understand what is going on in churches in North America today and to deepen their own understanding of Christianity and the Christian life.

The second is a short biography of an English missionary, Gladys Aylward. In The Small Woman, Alan Burgess tells her tale, calling Gladys "one of the most remarkable women of our generation." In 1930, Gladys left England for China with nine pence in her pocket and a two-pound traveler's check sewn in her corset. She spent the following twenty years as a missionary in China. Her story will be familiar from the film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, but this book is a far more comprehensive telling of her story. Her life is an outstanding example of determination in fulfilling a dream.

The third book is In the Hand of God. A Treasury of Traditional Prayers. This little book, beautifully illustrated, offers fifty prayers, ancient and modem, for every occasion. It is a fine resource. (Anonymous donor)

Bishop's Conference

Arrangments for Lent

SOUP AND STUDY
On Tuesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. in Lent, we gather in the parish hall for a potluck supper of soup, bread and cheese and fruit. The Lent study group will begin at 7:00 p.m.

STUDY GROUPS
Sunday mornings: in the parish hall at 9:40 a.m. March 7, Carolann Buff will talk about Hildegard of Bingen.

On the Sundays following, I will lead a study about the formation of the “Canon” of the New Testament. To find out what a “canon” is, come to the study group! We will read quotations from the best seller, Da Vinci Code and Elaine Pagels’ book, Beyond Belief. Both of these question the choice of books which were included in the New Testament.

On Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings: I will be teaching a class on The Dream of Gerontius, with words by Cardinal Newman and music by Edward Elgar. The Tuesday class at 7:00 p.m. begins on March 2 and the Wednesday class at 9:45 a.m. begins March 3. Visitors and friends are welcome. Please sign up for these classes in the Parish hall.

LENT I
February 29 is the first Sunday in Lent. The 8:00 a.m. service begins with the Ten Commandments and the 10:30 a.m. service begins with the singing of the Great Litany. In the Dream of Gerontius Lent study group, in the first session (March 2 &3) we will hear the Litany as set to music by Edward Elgar. In the 3rd class (March 16 &17), we will hear Elgar’s setting of Newman hymn, Praise to the Holiest. We will sing this hymn ourselves on March 14 and again on Maundy Thursday.

SUNDAY LITURGY
Our liturgies change with the new season. The confession and absolution are transferred to the front end of the service. The Gloria (“Glory to God in the highest”) is replaced by the Trisagion (“Holy God, holy and mighty”) In Rite II, we use Eucharistic Prayer A, which speaks of Jesus, stretching out his arms upon the cross; and in Rite 1, we use Prayer I, which speaks of Christ suffering death upon the cross for our redemption. We do not say or sing Alleluia until Easter. At the end of the service. The liturgical color of Lent is purple.

HEALING SUNDAY
On March 14, at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services, we will offer the Laying on of hands and anointing with oil for healing for any who wish. You may seek healing for physical ailments or for emotional or mental pain or for another reason. No one will ask you any questions. Please come forward after the Prayers of the People.

LAETARE SUNDAY
March 21 is the fourth Sunday in Lent. It is also known as Refreshment Sunday (or Mothering Sunday in U.K.)-The middle of Lent. Traditionally this is a break from your Lenten discipline. The name means “rejoice,” and comes from the opening words of the Medieval Mass. I hope that every week will be “Laetare”!

ST PATRICK’S SUNDAY
is the Sunday, closest to St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. We will sing St. Patrick’s breastplate and “Be thou my vision” to the Irish tune, Slane. We will give thanks for our patron saint, and pray for Ireland and Irish people abroad.

ST. PATRICK’S DINNER
Saturday, March 20. Two sittings at 5:45 and 7:15. The cost of tickets will be $15 for those 13 and older and $5 for those under 13. This feast is a time of great fellowship; we honor our patron and we also hope to raise money for the Church.

Last year we offered turkey for those who are not fond of Irish corned beef and cabbage. So there is something for every one.

Kate Aldrich will be chairing the dinner with help from Margaret Merchat. The youth group will be involved in serving. This dinner would not succeed without the help of many volunteers. There are lots of different ways of helping. Will you please sign up in the Parish Hall? Donations for raffle baskets and special prizes are also needed.

FLOWERS
Lent is the time for plainness in our church décor; so we do not have flowers behind the altar. But we do have greens. If you would like to mark a particular date during Lent, please sign the flower book in the church entrance. There are two pages designated for Easter Day in the flower book. The names of donors will be printed in the Easter bulletin.

EASTER BAPTISM
Lent began as a time of preparation for baptism, which took place only once a year, at Easter. We will have baptisms at the 11:00 a.m. service on Easter Day, April 11 (Note the time of this service!) An adult, Martin Pettet, is seeking baptism on that day. We will pray for him and for other candidates each Sunday in Lent. Do you know of children or adults who would like to be baptized? Please let the Rector know.

MOSES AT 9
At the 9:00 a.m. service we will trace the life of Moses who was found in the bulrushes and grew up to deliver his people from slavery in Egypt and gave them the Law.

FESSION
The short service of Reconciliation is included in our Prayer Book (page 447). From time to time, people make an appointment to share what is on their consciences and to receive absolution. It can be a very helpful discipline. This is not for Roman Catholics only! The Anglican position is “none must, all may, some should.”

M SUNDAY
is April 4. At the 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. services, the palms will be blessed and distributed after communion. At the 10:30 a.m. service we will gather outside the doors of the church by the St. Patrick’s cross (weather permitting) and process in, just as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday. Those who wish, may sit in church and wait for the procession to arrive.

SEDER SUPPER
takes place on Tuesday, April 6 at 6:00 p.m. and this year will include the washing of feet for any who wish. John Redmond, who organized last year’s most successful supper with Else, will be away this year, but will organize us. Please sign up in the Parish Hall.

FOR THE MUSICALLY INCLINED

AN IRISH BLESSING