Dear Friends,

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God” Hebrews 4:9

One of the top questions I get about my sabbatical leave next to “what are you going to do?” is “are you going to retire?” I thought that I would take this opportunity to address these questions and a couple more.

Since I came to Manakin seven and a half years ago we have been very busy. To use a sports analogy, we have been in a “full court press!” In the beginning, we had the energy of a new spiritual leader and all that brings. Then we had the innovative and creative years of ministry during COVID. Now we are in the recovery years as we welcome returning members and new. Our Letter of Agreement calls for two weeks of sabbatical leave for every year of service. I will be taking ten weeks of the fourteen earned to date starting on May 5.

What am I going to do? I will begin with an Episcopal Church conference for clergy known as CREDO. During this time of retreat, the clergy attending will explore whether we are living out our creed, our call to ordained ministry. I had the option of attending the regular CREDO or the one in preparation for retirement. I chose the regular one. After attending CREDO I will have a period of reflection.

I will be participating in an art class in early June that always fills my spiritual growth.

Our family has a planned vacation at the beach where we will enjoy time with all of our grandchildren.

I plan to worship at other area churches. I see this as a study and exploration opportunity. You may still see Phil on many Sundays worshiping with you in the congregation!

I will end with a silent retreat and time away in the mountains before returning July 15.

Am I going to retire? I do not have plans for retirement on my horizon. My intention for sabbatical leave is to receive rest and renewal so that I will be better equipped to serve until I retire. The mandatory age for retirement in the Episcopal Church is 72. I have just turned 63 and do not have retirement in my plans.

Who will take care of me if I have a pastoral emergency?  Part of the purpose of sabbatical leave is for the clergy to not carry or worry about members in the congregation. To that end, I have put together a good group of colleagues to cover while I am out. We also have a wonderful team of Stephen Ministers and Eucharistic Visitors who will be providing pastoral care. If a need or emergency arises, please contact the church office and through Wendy and Marion your care will be addressed. You may also contact our Wardens who are both Stephen Ministers: Jeff Lighthiser (Sr. Warden) and Gunnar Kohlbeck (Jr. Warden).

Who will be leading services? The Rev. Canon Keith Gentry will be officiating at six services, The Rev. Anne Dale will be officiating at one. Our lay members, Jeff Lighthiser, Bill Breed and Roy McLeod will be leading three Morning Prayer services. You will receive a good variety of services and preaching during this time.

Sabbatical is not only for the clergy, but for the congregation as well. During this time, I hope that you will also explore some of the areas that I will be exploring: Are you using your gifts in the way God has called you in the church? Are you doing something creative that supports your spiritual gifts? Are you resting in ways that strengthen you to serve? How is God’s word speaking to you? What needs do you see at Manakin that can be addressed and how can you support them?

I am very grateful for this time of spiritual growth and renewal. I look forward to returning in July to see how we have both rested in the Lord. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns

Blessing,
Gini+

Dear Friends,

“I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

I love it when someone inquires if something we do is a “Catholic” thing. Recently you may have noticed that a rack of votive candles has been placed near the entrance of the Nave. This request by a parishioner stems from lighting candles during past Celtic services that we have had at Manakin. He yearned for this meaningful act to be enjoyed by others on a regular basis. I want to thank Diane Mahoney for the use of her table and assistance in setting this up for our benefit.

 The history of the use of candles in worship and personal prayers dates back to ancient time and has been used in other cultures as well. In the early Christian church, they were used to light dark churches as a symbol of God’s presence representing light over darkness.

I have burned candles in my personal prayers for a long time. When a loved one is having a medical procedure, I light a candle along with my prayers invoking God’s blessing on those involved. I believe that it not only brings comfort to  me, but to the individuals as well.

Lighting a candle for yourself or others is a way to focus our prayers. It is a gesture that signifies hope and calls upon the presence of Jesus, the light of the world. When praying for a specific petition or intercession, individuals often like to light a candle as a defined act.

Ginger, Liz, Chris, Stephany and Tricia recently melted the retired Paschal Candle used during Easter, Baptism and Burial services and made candles for individual use. These candles will soon be available for you as a gift from Manakin to take and use during your personal prayer and reflection time.

Yes, it is a Catholic thing, but it is also a practice with Episcopalians, Lutherans,  Methodist and many other denominations. A good thing does not have to remain within one religious belief.

Light and candle. Say a Prayer. Go in Peace.

Blessings,
Gini+

Dear Friends,

At our annual Council meeting in February Bishop Haynes addressed three key areas she feels that we as individuals and congregations need to focus our attention. These three areas are: prayer, service and community. Ironically, this fits perfectly with our mission statement which includes worship, outreach and fellowship.

As we enter the Lenten season which begins with Ash Wednesday on March 5, I thought this may be a good opportunity for us to focus on the discipline of prayer. Most individuals will say that their prayer life is better when going through a personal struggle or challenge but it should be good every day. Daily prayer as a practice is something to be developed with intentional focus. Implementing this practice during Lent helps to turn the routine into a habit over the course of the forty days.

A great place to start a routine prayer practice is with the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). The Daily Offices (Morning Prayer: Rite I, page 37 and Rite II, page 75. Evening Prayer: Rite I, page 61, Rite II, page 115) are intended for our weekday worship. You may read the prayers from the BCP or listen online at the following sites: mydailyoffice.org or missionstclare.com. During Lent we will be offering Morning Prayer at 8:45 AM every Wednesday in the Church.

Also in the BCP (page 136) you will find Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families. I find these to be great for beginning and ending the day. From “In The Morning”, one of my favorite pleas comes from The Collect – “and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose;”. Starting on page 810 are Prayers and Thanksgivings for most occasions.

Whether or not I am using the BCP for my daily worship, I always make sure to include the five areas of prayer that I refer to as my “finger” prayers: 1. For my family and for me. 2. Intercessions for others. 3. Praise and glory to God. 4. Forgiveness of my sins. 5. Thanksgivings.

Another important consideration is having a set place for your prayers. Many folks have shared with me that they have a prayer chair or space in their home dedicated for worship. The space doesn’t have to be anything spectacular, but it is nice to have a place with fewer distractions.

Our prayer postures are another area of focus for a better prayer life. The Rev. Summer Joy Gross stated in her article “Praying Through Busyness”: “Prayer postures are invitations to stay present to deep inner work as our bodies remind our hearts to pray.” Prayer postures can include kneeling, leaning forward, unfolding legs and placing hands palms up, folding your hands and bowing your head, lifting your head face up, standing with or without arms raised and many others. The intentional act of changing your posture is a wonderful starting point for your personal prayer time.

Useful tools for praying can be using the Anglican Rosary, holding a prayer cross, prayer beads or labyrinth.

If you have any questions or want to explore the areas I have highlighted above, please let me know. This Lenten season I think that you will find me in the new Prayer Garden at church very often. I hope to see you there!

Blessings,
Gini+