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From the moment we wake up, we are bombarded with messages to perform. Be more productive. Be more informed. Be more mindful. Be your best self. Our culture puts an incredible burden on us as individuals to fix ourselves and, somehow, to fix the world. It’s a lonely and exhausting way to live. We feel the full weight of the world’s problems on our shoulders, and can’t help but be overwhelmed by the knowledge that our individual strength is never quite enough. What if the way forward is found not in perfecting what we have in isolation, but in offering it to be multiplied within a community called to love, serve, and help heal a broken world? A Community That is Transformative At All Saints Sharon Chapel, we believe the deepest form of community is transformative. It’s a place where we move from being a collection of disconnected individuals into a single, unified Body . This transformation is at the heart of our worship. We listen to our shared story in the Scriptures. We pray for a broken world. And most profoundly, we gather at the Eucharistic table. It is here that we are reminded of our truest identity. When we receive the Body of Christ in the form of bread and wine, we hear the ancient call to " become what we receive ." Our "Amen" is our commitment to that call—a promise to live as the Body of Christ, participating in the healing and redemption of the world. From Belonging Flows Our Strength We stop being isolated individuals and start belonging to each other in a new way. And from that deep sense of real connection flows our collective strength. This is where the miracle of the loaves and fishes becomes our story. We often feel like we have so little to offer against the world’s great needs—just a few loaves, a couple of fish. But we bring these small gifts of our time, our energy, and our passion to the altar. And here, our humble offerings are taken, blessed, broken, and shared, becoming more than enough to feed the community and do the work we are called to do. This is how our belonging becomes action: It leads us to the work of reparations , not because we have all the answers, but because the Spirit calls us to offer what we have to this work. So we are helping to found the Northern Virginia AAHGS chapter , leveraging our collective energy to restore the stories of those whose histories were intentionally erased. It calls us to be stewards of the very land we inhabit, recognizing its complicated past. Our ministry of stewardship extends across all 4.5 acres of this wooded, biodiverse ecosystem, including our historic Sharon Chapel cemetery and memorial ash garden. So we offer the full measure of our gifts to this work: the talent that secured a grant for restoring native plants; the time and energy of our community in hands-on care for the grounds; and the treasure that sustains this commitment for the future. Through these gifts, we leverage our small patch of earth to be a place of healing, remembrance, and renewal for all of creation. It moves us to nurture the spiritual lives of our children in a loud, distracting world. So we offer our dedication to our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program , collectively creating and maintaining a sacred, quiet space for the children of our parish. And like the loaves and fishes, this offering has been multiplied. What began years ago with the seed of a diocesan Mustard Seed Grant has since grown into a recognized training center, a place where we can share this beautiful way of nurturing faith with the wider church. An Invitation to the Work We are not a community that has it all figured out. We are a community committed to the messy, faithful work of showing up, listening for the Spirit, and acting together. If you are tired of feeling small and disconnected in a big world, we don't offer easy answers. We offer a place to belong, a community to practice with, and meaningful work to do. Come find your place with us, and let's discover what the Spirit is calling us to do next, together. Join us for worship this Sunday at 8:00 or 10:30 AM. The work is ready, and there’s a place in it for you.

16th Sunday after Pentecost - Sept 28, 2025 Rev Sarah Colvin You can find this week's readings here . “Live simply so that others may simply live.” is a quote by Mahatma Gandhi.   This phrase is probably as a good place to start as any for this sermon. The last two weeks our readings, particularly our passages from the Gospel of Luke, have had a lot to say about money. Many clergy are uncomfortable talking about money, maybe especially in a sermon, which is kind of funny given how often it comes up in scripture. Given what Jesus talked about routinely, day in day out, and what he makes no mention of, it sometimes seems as if some Christians in our day and age have read a different Gospel. Jesus really, really cares about wealth and who has it and who doesn’t, and what effect it has on the haves and the have nots.  And so, we begin our stewardship season today, this is officially a stewardship sermon.  This story in the Gospel is directed to the Pharisees.  As was popular at the time, and is still popular but now called a Prosperity Gospel, there is a belief that God grants good things for those who behave well. If one is suffering, then that is God’s punishment.   Evidently at the time, the Pharisees were known to read scripture this way, a manner based largely on passages in Deuteronomy. For them, these passages could justify their actions.  In fact, it is possible to defend the rich man’s actions in the Gospel by saying that if someone interfered by helping Lazarus, that person would be interfering with God’s punishment.  Yet, as a caution in response to this, when we read scripture always remember that Jesus points us to God. So, if you find conflicting ways to read scripture, Jesus tells us in not so many words that it is probably always best to choose the way that is the most loving and the most gracious. This is not something that the Pharisees wanted to hear, that the rich man in this story and therefore they should listen to Moses and the prophets, that Moses and the prophets say to be a giving and compassionate person. We all know that being convicted, or basically being told you wrong, never feels good.  So, there is a rich man and there is a poor man. The rich man doesn’t get a name in the story, which is usually not a good sign. The poor man is named Lazarus, which the audience of Jesus’s time would recognize as the Greek permutation or almost nickname based on Eleazar, or “God help him.”  The rich man is living the good life—the decadent cocktails on the beach while watching the sunsets, or whatever you most think is decadent. Lazarus is experiencing extreme suffering. The rich man does not SEE Lazarus. It is as if he is invisible. He does not truly hear the teachings of Moses and the prophets just as he does not see Lazarus.  He does not see over the chasm in life that he has constructed for his eyes.  We could talk almost endlessly about which people we choose not to see, but because the lessons all have to do with how we handle our fortune, let’s for now focus on not seeing poor people, not seeing those in need. (Or worse yet, seeing them as those who should be exterminated as the Fox News host did a couple of weeks ago.)  Death is, of course, the great equalizer, and so for a moment in the story, they are both dead. Then Lazarus gets whisked away to comfort. The rich man is sent to be tormented. In his suffering, the rich man can actually SEE Lazarus and then he calls out to Abraham as his ancestor, showing he HAS actually seen Lazarus in life and knows his name, asking for Lazarus to be allowed to come help him, to cool his lips with some water. Abraham explains that in death, there is a fixed chasm.  The rich man, then resigns to his fate, but wishes to warn his brothers, which are people that he was responsible for after his father’s death. He suggests that Lazarus go back and make a beyond the grave appearance to warn his brothers. Abraham explains that the brothers have Moses and the prophets and that people would not believe an after-death appearance.  This little phrase functions as a conviction or statement against those who do not believe in Jesus’s resurrection appearances. Paul’s first letter to Timothy warns about the dangers of being rich, that inherent to being wealthy is a real danger that one will put one’s wealth before God. Rather than pursue wealth, we are taught to “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness.”  There is also a command for the rich…that “they are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.” How can he say this with such assuredness?  And what is this good foundation? Well, he’s not offering an ad for a financial institution, although it sounds like it. Rather, he knows that when you are claimed by God, this is foundation for the future. God has claimed you. If you are baptized, God has claimed you. If you wandered into a church, once or many, many times, God has claimed you. And God’s claim on you involves relationship.  I am quite sure that like all parishes, within this parish there is a range of incomes- whether the incomes are earned, inherited, invested or other. And yet, with the world becoming more and more connected and thus smaller and smaller, this has the effect of putting us in our place and we are convicted. No matter how you look at it, even the poorest person in the United States is wealthy compared to the rest of the world. We are convicted. It’s probably worth asking yourself every now and then, what you believe and why. I’m not about to give everyone a litmus test, to see if what you believe is orthodox. You may have heard that Mother, now Saint, Theresa did all of her selfless work in the world reportedly only once being sure that there was God. What I ask from you is if you profess or say you believe that Christ actually matters in your life, then I challenge you to ask yourself: how do I live, and how do I give, as if Christ matters?  We profess to be Christians, we profess every Sunday that  “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.”  `If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will [we] be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’" Wow, we say we believe that Christ rose from the dead…and so I suspect then we are all convicted.  I believe that we are all convicted by the Bible stories and left to feel we are kind of missing the mark when it comes to where God feels we should be in terms of taking care of those who do not have enough.  It follows that we have every reason to give more than what we have given. There are some who will be motivated to give out of fear that they will end up like the rich man in Hades.  However, I would put to you that we live in a relative abundance, and for all this abundance, there is nothing that we formed for ourselves. We are dependent on God for all.  And so instead take a look at why you give what you give.  If by chance, guilt inspires you to give, well, I guess by all means give. If fear of retribution in the afterlife inspires you to give, well, by all means give. I mean the process of giving is important no matter what the reason is behind the giving. Yet, there is a better way and it is what I hope for you. it is a desire of mine that as priest and shepherd of this flock, that you grow in your faith, as I try and grow in mine. And neither of these reasons (guilt or fear) is one that will help any of us grow in faith.  But to have abundant life, that  is a motivation to give, and to work out of that motivation is to grow in faith.  As we enter stewardship season, “live simply so that others may simply live.”  As Paul says in his letter to Timothy, “for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.” So, look at your gifts that you have been given and be grateful. Don’t give to avoid guilt, don’t give to make yourself feel good, but give to those in need out of the gratefulness that the treasures that God has given you.  Give to God from what you don’t need, for we are all rich indeed… and therefore “live simply so that others may simply live.” IMAGE ATTRIBUTION: Schäufelein, Hans, approximately 1480-approximately 1539. Rich Man in Hell and the Poor Lazarus in Abraham's Lap, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57073 [retrieved October 8, 2025]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Rich_Man_in_Hell_and_the_Poor_Lazarus_in_Abraham%27s_Lap,_from_Das_Plenarium_MET_DP849940.jpg.

All Saints Sharon Chapel has used Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) for our children’s faith formation program since 2001. Many of our parishioners have become fully-trained catechists and our church includes many of the program’s alumni. We welcome anyone who has an interest to tour our atrium and ask questions. We are delighted with our atrium and enjoy sharing it . We have a rolling registration, and accept children into our program throughout the year. For more information, please contact Davette Himes cgs@sharonchapel.org . CGS is child-centered & utilizes Montessori best practices. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as implemented at All Saints Montessori atrium is intentional, deep formation for children as well as for the adults who accompany them in a joyful journey of nurture as the children grow in their relationship to Jesus. Rooted in the bible and liturgy, our CGS at All Saints Sharon Chapel opened in 2001, established through an evangelism and outreach Mustard Seed Grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia serving families throughout Northern Virginia and the DMV region, both nationally and internationally through our hybrid atrium program and CGS training. We have served hundreds of children and adults over the years. CGS is relational. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is relational and centered on growing their relationship with Jesus. The Montessori atrium is a place for the “serene enjoyment of God.” The environment of the atrium nurtures prayer and is attentive to the child’s individual relationship with God and where the religious values of childhood predominate. It is a place for both the head and the heart; a place of “heart’s knowledge” of God. Trained Atrium guides are essential to CGS. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd supports the needs of children with adults trained in Montessori pedagogy and best practices and learnings from neuroscience. Atrium guides who lead the children complete 90-hours of training for each level. The atrium guides ensure the environment is hands-on, and child led, supporting multiple learning styles, differently abled and neurodiverse children. Presentations are primarily small groups or for individuals and are tracked through recordkeeping throughout the atrium life of the child. Children may be admitted to the atrium on a rolling basis and may enter the program at any time. Orientation and tours are offered year-round. CGS is developmentally appropriate. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is developmentally appropriate, using a Montessori approach to serve families with young toddlers and elementary children through age 12. CGS seeks to build Beloved Community and to lead in the Way of Love. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd seeks to build Beloved Community and to lead in The Way of Love. The atrium is culturally responsive and shares many pathways for children to explore the Unity of the God’s Kingdom and to honor the dignity of every human being and to love God and our neighbors. All are welcome. Want to learn more? Read here for more history about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd .

17th Sunday after Pentecost - Oct 5, 2025 Rev Sarah Colvin You can find this week's readings here . Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy.  Amen. During this past week our Jewish brethren observed Yom Kippur, their day of atonement.  I remember a Jewish friend explaining that it is their very big day for confession.  Of course, our ritual practices are to confess our sins weekly, but perhaps if you save your sins up all year, when you lay them before God at Yom Kippur, it is a very meaningful release.   We share a good chunk of our scriptures with our Jewish brethren. If you hold up a Bible (reverently), it is quite the visual to remind ourselves how much is the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament and how much is the New Testament.    We do well to remember that we share the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly as we linger over them.  We have moved from reading passages of Jeremiah to passages of Lamentations. Fair warning: it may be that it is not a particular good idea to read the small book of Lamentations if you are looking for a word of biblical lift. The book is a genuine downer; it is an ode to shock, horror, and disquieting despair. There is little wonder that the book has long been connected to Jeremiah, although there is no evidence that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations, but it could  have been composed by that dark prophet who witnessed the end of Judah, the destruction of the temple and the king’s palace at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar's thugs, and the exile of the final Davidic king, Zedekiah, after the murder of his heirs. Jeremiah must have felt pretty dejected after forty years of a ministry that announced doom and destruction, all of which came horribly true. Of course, these images are familiar to us in the 21 st  century; we have visuals from the news with similar scenes, sometimes from faraway lands of war and exile and terror, and sometimes closer to home. As we read Lamentations, we see a struggling people clinging to hope in God amidst pain and death that could consume them and consume their faith. It is a wonder how one can maintain faith in the hope and promise of God when confronted with the genuine awfulness of what we humans can and have done to one another.  And we don’t have to go far in our imaginations to think of more recent occurrences.  There are, of course, the horrors of the Shoah---the death camps of Hitler.  I promise myself to not always perseverate over what we could term today’s versions, but we have said “never again” and yet, we have Christian nationalists with their masked ICE agents kidnapping people off the streets and disappearing them.  One can imagine that some who were there in Jerusalem during those days, might have felt that the old beliefs were no longer possible. Maybe some days we do too. The memorable book of Lamentations could urge a preacher to get real about the dangers and difficulties of faith in a world gone mad. When the promises of God are all gone in a rush of Babylonian blood lust, faith may become compromised and difficult and questioned. When the anticipations of ease and comfort and success are snatched away in economic chaos, terroristic plots, and personal health challenges, faith may become compromised and difficult and questioned.  But other than into a rather mire of dismay, where does this lead us?   Lamentations remind us: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. We know that this is not easy to hold to when life gets dark.  It was not easy for those in Jerusalem thousands of years ago, it was near impossible for the Jews persecuted at the hands of the Nazis. But here is the paradox: in the times when this faithfulness is hard to hold is exactly the times when it is most crucial to hold it; and most life-giving to do so.  Perhaps the Gospel will help here.  Let’s first go over the basics of this passage and clear up any issues:  The “faith like a mustard seed” parable is shared by Luke and Matthew gospels: the versions differ in form and purpose. Both are directed to the inner circle. In Matthew, Jesus slightly scolds his followers when they can’t do what he can. In Luke, however, the apostles just ask for more faith and Jesus implies that the faith they already have— even if it is tiny— is enough to do everything that they want to achieve. The reference is to a great mulberry tree (in Matthew, it’s a mountain) being uprooted and moved. This is hyperbole with one plant image humorously juxtaposed with another to make the point that even a little faith can do a lot.  And then Jesus teaches the apostles that the fulfillment of the responsibilities that come with leadership are not a reward system, but a kind of service. And this service is just WHAT WE DO. the service does not create any kind of obligation on God’s part. God does not owe us anything.   Succinctly then the point of the passage then is for us to make use of what little faith to perform great things—faith is not sought as a badge or some sort of power.   And why does it matter, where is there hope in this?  So, I will let you in on a little thing about me, if not a secret, it is something I don’t routinely broadcast this.    In a world where many like to say, “I’m spiritual but not religious.”   I like to say that I am “religious, not spiritual.”  I don’t say this to be cute, and I say this phrase with my tongue firmly implanted in my cheek, because of course, I have spiritual moments, as do we all.  However, having spiritual moments involves a “feeling”, so what I mean by this is that I continue to be religious even when I don’t FEEL spiritual.  There are always moments that are dry.  How does this help me and how could this help you? There are times when we may feel abandoned by God, there are times when we may feel we don’t have enough faith, there are times when we may feel like we are in a competition, there are times when we don’t know why we come to church, there are times when some may feel we are trying to get credit so that we can “make it into heaven.”  The truth of it is, we show up in God’s mission for the world because God calls us to; because God’s love and mercy never cease; God calls us and if we have even the smallest of faith, even the smallest of faith is enough.  It is enough to answer to show up. And we show up, answering God’s call, and God is there. In the times when this faithfulness is hard to hold is exactly the times when it is most crucial to hold it; and most life-giving to do so.  The Lord is good to those who wait for him,to the soul that seeks him. We show up at church to get refueled for the ministry. We will fail to be worthy, but we don’t follow Jesus to be worthy; God makes us worthy so that we can follow Jesus.  It is Jesus who makes that bridge of redemption for us, with just the smallest of faith.  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;great is your faithfulness. Join me and sing LEVAS 189, verse one and the chorus.  IMAGE ATTRIBUTION: Hochhalter, Cara B.. A Parable - The Mustard Seed, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=59282 [retrieved October 8, 2025]. Original source: Cara B. Hochhalter.

At All Saints Sharon Chapel, our faith involves action. We believe racial reconciliation isn't just a topic for a committee, but a core spiritual practice of repair. It calls us to ask: What does it mean to uncover the truth of our past, and how can we actively help restore what has been broken?   Our journey into racial reconciliation began with the hard work of confronting our own history. Now, we are excited to take the next step from truth-telling to active restoration. For us, one of the most powerful answers to that question lies in the work of reparative genealogy . Confronting the "1870 Brick Wall" For many Americans, tracing a family tree is a straightforward hobby. But for millions of African Americans, the search often hits a "brick wall" at the 1870 census . This was the first federal census to list formerly enslaved individuals by name. Before that date, people were most often recorded as property, without names, ages, or family connections, making it incredibly difficult to piece together a lineage. This isn't just a gap in records; it's the result of a system that intentionally erased family histories. The work of restoring those connections—of finding and speaking the names of those who were silenced—is a profound act of justice. It is the work of making people whole. Our Next Step: A Two-Pronged Approach to Restoration That's why we are thrilled and humbled to announce our next step in this essential work. We are deepening our commitment to reparations through a powerful, two-pronged approach that combines national expertise with local, relational healing. First, to build regional capacity for historical recovery,  All Saints Sharon Chapel is helping to found the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) . As one of the premier national organizations dedicated to preserving African-ancestored family history , this new chapter will create a hub for our entire region, providing the scholarly resources and network to help in this vital work of restoration. A working group from our parish will be actively involved in this effort to uncover African-ancestored family histories. We especially invite those with experience in non profit governance as we form this inaugural chapter’s working groups. We will meet Sunday, October 26 at 1PM  in person and via Zoom. Second, to create a space for healing and repair,  we are partnering with the Northern Virginia chapter of   Coming to the Table . CTTT’s mission is to bring community members together to surface difficult histories and undertake the work of reconciliation. This partnership is where our parish will focus its most personal reparative work: building relationships with and learning from the descendants  of those formerly enslaved at Wilton Hill. To support this dialogue, volunteers from our new AAHGS chapter will help research and restore these family connections—work that is deeply tied to the very land on which our chapel now stands.  An Invitation to Everyone This is not a project for a few, but a project by the many. We believe this essential community work needs allies, experts, and curious neighbors of all backgrounds to come together in partnership. You are invited to join us if you: Have an interest in family history and want to help African Americans uncover their family stories. Have expertise to share in research, history, or storytelling. Are simply a curious neighbor who believes in the power of connecting our shared past to our shared future. If you see yourself in any of these descriptions, there are two key ways to get involved: For those interested in genealogical research:  The AAHGS chapter will focus on the scholarly work of uncovering and documenting African American family histories from across our region. For those interested in dialogue and relational repair:  The Coming to the Table meetings hosted at Sharon Chapel will focus on processing these histories together and building a more just and truthful community. You do not need to be an expert to participate in either group, and your racial background does not qualify or disqualify you. All who are committed to the work of repair are welcome. Join Us The work of faith is the work of community, and we invite you to be a part of it. To learn more and join the interest list for the AAHGS genealogical research  and/or the Coming to the Table dialogues , please contact Davette Himes at cgs@sharonchapel.org . She will ensure you receive information about the first AAHGS meetings in October and updates on when the CTTT meetings will be scheduled. We can't wait to begin this work together.

Turn on the news or scroll through a social media feed, and it's clear the world feels louder and more anxious than ever. We hear competing narratives, deep-seated fears, and profound grief. In the midst of all this noise, we as parents are left asking a fundamental question: How do we raise children who have a core of inner peace? How do we give them a quiet space to simply be? For many of us, the traditional Sunday School model of crafts, songs, and lessons doesn’t quite seem to meet the needs of this moment. While well-intentioned, it can sometimes feel like just another scheduled activity in our children’s already over-scheduled lives. We felt a deep need for something more—not just more information, but more wonder. The Power of an Intentional Space A recent New Yorker article exploring an intentional community of Palestinians and Jews in Israel highlighted the incredible power of creating a "sanctuary"—a space set apart to model a different way of living. That's exactly what we believe the Atrium is for a child's spirit. This is what makes Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), our approach to spiritual formation at Sharon Chapel, so different. The Atrium is not a classroom; it is a holy space, prepared just for children. It’s an environment intentionally designed for quiet, reverence, and a child’s direct, personal relationship with God, standing in stark contrast to the rush of the world outside its doors. A Language of Faith, Not Just Facts In the Atrium, children don't just learn about God; they are given the tools to encounter God. Using a hands-on, Montessori-based approach, children work with beautiful, sensory materials—small wooden figures for the parables, a miniature altar and chalice, maps of Israel—that allow them to sink into the stories of our faith at their own pace. Just as a community struggling with conflict knows that the words we choose have enormous weight, we believe the language we offer our children about God is profoundly important. In CGS, we don't offer them simplified cartoons or catchy slogans. We offer them the real, beautiful, and potent language of our faith: the parables of Jesus, the words of the liturgy, the names of the prophets. We trust that this true language, absorbed in a place of peace, will form a foundation of faith that lasts a lifetime. “I’m thankful for a place where my child can think through something by slowing down. All of life feels like it’s tricking you and into speeding up, and over this last couple of years I’ve seen that change in her and have really appreciated it.”— A Sharon Chapel Parent Equipping, Not Sheltering It's natural to wonder if creating such a quiet space is just sheltering our children from the complexities of the "real world." We believe the opposite is true. The peace of the Atrium isn't meant to be a permanent escape from the world's problems. Rather, it is a place to build the spiritual "muscle" children need to face that world with compassion, resilience, and a deep, unshakable knowledge that they are loved by the Good Shepherd. Just as our parish’s work in racial justice calls us to engage the world’s complexities, our CGS program equips our youngest members with the spiritual fortitude to do the same. By giving them one hour a week of pure, quiet wonder, we aren't hiding them from reality; we are giving them the spiritual anchor they will need to navigate it. In a world that will always be loud, we are committed to providing a space for quiet. When you bring your child to the Atrium, you’re not just enrolling them in a program; you’re joining a community of other thoughtful parents who are asking the same big questions you are. We invite you to come and see what makes this approach to faith formation so unique. You can learn more about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd on our website . If you'd like to see the Atrium for yourself, we would love to show you. Please join us this Sunday.

15th Sunday after Pentecost - Sept 21, 2025 Rev Sarah Colvin You can find this week's readings here . I don’t usually do this, but first I want to give a road map of where we are going in this sermon. This sermon is in two parts. First, I want to highlight how the passage from Jeremiah and the psalm can be helpful. Second, the Gospel is confusing, so we will spend some time there, and I think land somewhere hopeful. When I was in seminary, the second year of three, my then college-aged daughter flew home, and was admitted to Georgetown hospital very, very ill. After a brain biopsy, finally a diagnosis, high-dose steroids, and then a short stay in a rehabilitation hospital--- a month later we were discharged home. (She did entirely recover and is now 33 years old.) I bring this up because during my daughter’s hospitalization, I remember clearly my New Testament professor telling me, “Read the psalms.” Even if you were never taught this, you know from experience in church that psalms come in different varieties: laments and praise, from individuals and from communities. You get the idea; you can find an appropriate psalm for almost anytime. The psalm for today is a community lament which followed one of the falls of Jerusalem. I know that many (although not all) people in the congregation feel anywhere from somewhat to very dismayed at where the country is under this current presidential administration. Harming the marginalized—the cornerstone of what our Gospel tells us not to do---seems to be part of mainstream politics these days. Because news comes out so fast, I am always left with a feeling that I should address and give some sort of consolation to my people. In many ways, this isn’t rational. Many in the country have also buried their heads in the sand hoping all the pain on so many levels will stop. And I also know that the rest of life continues as well. I don’t want to be that pastor, that priest who seems to ignore what is going on. If you feel dismay, know that I am right there with you. And because it feels overwhelming, when I turn to address it, it also feels repetitive, because it is continually overwhelming. For today, the words of consolation I can offer are the readings of Jeremiah and the psalm. Take them home and meditate on them. For background, Jeremiah was written when Judah was in exile, and the psalm with one of the falls of Jerusalem. The line in Jeremiah “My joy is gone; grief is upon me. My heart is sick.” could be translated, “I catch my breath from sorrow, my heart within me aches.” These are meditative words for when bad things happen to good people or maybe when bad things happen to anybody. Take them home, meditate on them. Now where I find kernels of hope this week is in the Gospel, but let us just take a minute here to say that this Gospel is confusing. A great New Testament scholar Bultmann even thought that the original meaning of this passage was “irrecoverable.” (well, that’s not helpful). However, sometimes parables that Jesus tells can be allegorical (like the parable of the “lost sheep,” as though the elements in the story represent figures and processes in the real world, including the divine world), and other times they are not allegorical and definitely don’t even seem to depict good things, let alone God’s will. So, I repeat, today’s parable is confusing. In this parable neither the rich man nor the dishonest manager or steward depict God or any moral ideals. They also do not teach honesty in employment or accuracy in accounting, but they still do have something to teach. First, of course, we must understand the system that was at work. The rich man was probably a landowner, made rich by acquiring other people’s land. Most likely this was something like sharecropping, where the original tenants still work the land. The manager or steward oversees billing or collecting from the laborers a portion or cut for himself and for the rich man, something like rent for use of the land. We don’t really know what part of the system the steward messed up, other than the rich man was not pleased with how he was doing his job. (The Greek word means “squandered”, as was previously used in the story of the prodigal son.) The revision of debt records by the steward was not very remarkable in itself, or particularly dishonest. He would have been expected to make such adjustments depending on harvests and other circumstances, or just his sense of what was possible, balancing the various interests to his advantage. These interactions are not, then, a convincing explanation for the label that was translated as “dishonest manager.” Perhaps he was acting against his master’s interests, but if so, the subsequent praise is what has long confused many readers. Why praise “dishonesty”? The steward is not pilfering, like some modern “manager” fudging expenses or stealing stationery. But Jesus calls the steward “oikonomos tēs adikias” which is literally “steward [etc.] of unrighteousness,” or “of injustice”—these two negatives are the same word and concept in NT Greek. To call someone “of x” was a way of attributing some property or quality (“x”) to a person or thing, meaning it is “of” that quality. Note that Jesus then uses a similar phrase when telling the hearers what they should do with “the mammon of injustice” (or “dishonest wealth”). “Mammon” is apparently a word borrowed from Hebrew or Aramaic, and except for the “unjust” part here is a neutral term for possessions or money. The injustice or dishonesty then cannot be merely a moral quality, given that it applies to inanimate property; instead, it is assessment of the whole system in which wealth is accrued, and in which the steward is bound up. The system is unjust. We should then consider the “injustice” of the steward not when he has his flash of opportunism, but within the whole system in which he exists. Again, the system is unjust. So, the master is praising not so much an act of dishonesty, but an act of insightful decision-making. It was not in itself less just or honest than the rest of his conduct—in fact it may have been more just, because it was favorable to the needy farmers— but it was considerably smarter and more effective than whatever had led to the scenario. Jesus urges the use of wealth for purposes that are good in themselves, focused on human need, not on accumulation. Here Jesus is not evaluating whether the wealth was gained dishonestly, but Jesus is focusing on the difference between a whole system of wealth/ money which is unjust and instead what is truly valuable. Saying that faithfulness in small things reflects real priorities is not so much a statement about the ethics or as indication of true character, but about how the uses of wealth—the “small” thing—reflect the service of God—the “big” thing. The passage finishes in an uncompromising way that prevents us reducing this to scruples: “you cannot serve God and Mammon.” Money is only a means and must be used, as the steward eventually did, for the ends—or people— that really matter. Money only really has any worth when it is used in service for the people. Let us live our lives serving who truly matters, because there is no purpose otherwise. And when the world we know feels like it is on shaky ground---meditating on God’s word will help ground us, AND (not but) living as Jesus directs us will ensure we know that we are living out God’s purposes, God’s mission. IMAGE ATTRIBUTION: Merchant taking accounts, from Art in the Christian Tradition , a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55705 [retrieved September 22, 2025]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BLW_Stained_Glass_-_Roundel_showing_a_Merchant.jpg .

In the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, who saw all of creation as a reflection of God's goodness, we are delighted to invite you and your beloved animal companions to our Blessing of Animals. We hope to begin a new and joyful tradition at Sharon Chapel, gathering to give thanks for the pets who enrich our lives with their companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love. We will offer a brief prayer and an individual blessing for each animal present. All are truly welcome, so please invite your friends and neighbors to join us as we launch this special community celebration! Date : Saturday, October 4, 2025 Time : 1:00pm Location : at the end of the administration wing (it's flat and shady and not among the graves).  How it Works : For the safety and comfort of all , we ask that all animals be properly restrained. Dogs should be on non-retractable leashes, and cats and other small animals should be in secure carriers. Can't bring your pet?  If your companion is too shy, too large, or lives in a tank, feel free to bring a photo of them to be blessed. Remembering a pet : We will also offer a special prayer for beloved animal companions who have passed away. You are welcome to bring a photo or simply hold their memory in your heart. Join us as we celebrate our shared role as caretakers of God's creation, and give thanks for the special animals in our lives. We hope to see you there!

For most churches, 'faith in action' often means busy-ness: food drives, mission trips, and community programs. But what is 'faith in action' for a small parish in a season of profound rebuilding?  Like many, All Saints Sharon Chapel has spent the last few years navigating a perfect storm. The pandemic, the foundational decision to remain an independent parish and a leadership change, all forced us to pause.  On top of this, our beloved church home itself required our urgent attention: our buttresses were rotting and needed immediate, essential repair. This convergence of events forced our focus inward, shifting our attention from external production to internal restoration.  This has not been a time of absent faith. It has been a time of deep listening, of discerning who we are, and of reckoning with our past to prepare for our future. It has been a fallow season. In agriculture, a fallow season is a holy and necessary pause. It's a time when a field is intentionally left unplanted to restore its nutrients, repair its foundations, and prepare for a healthier, more abundant future.  Perhaps you're in a "fallow season" of your own—a time of burnout, transition, or questioning. If so, we believe our story will resonate. We learned that this process of rebuilding makes us exactly the kind of real community you might be looking for. 1. We Learned That a Church Must Be a Place to Heal A fallow season can be a time of crisis. When our community faced its own uncertainty, we didn't pretend to have all the answers. Instead, we made the active, spiritual decision to heal—together. We brought in a spiritual director and held sessions to "wrestle" with hard questions about our past and our future. What this means for you: All Saints is not a place for perfect people. It is a safe place to be vulnerable, to ask hard questions, and to bring your own doubts. We are a community that knows how to heal because we’ve had to do it ourselves. 2. We Learned That Faith Must Be Committed to Justice Before we could figure out our future, we had to confront our past. Our "moral compass" through this entire season has been the foundational work of our Reparations Team—the hard, honest truth-telling about the enslaved persons who lived and worked on the land our chapel now stands on. This work taught us why we needed to rebuild: not just to exist, but to be a community dedicated to justice, truth, and repair. What this means for you: We are a community that believes faith is not a passive activity. It is the active, essential pursuit of racial reconciliation and social justice. If you are looking for a faith that engages the real world, you will find it here. 3. We Learned That a Community Must Be Resilient When our building itself was in crisis, our "faith in action" became visible in scaffolding and construction crews. Our community rallied with dedication and generosity, running a massive campaign to repair our walls, replace our roof, and restore our sanctuary. We celebrated our return in August 2024, and have spent the last year settling back into our beautiful, restored home. What this means for you: We are not a community that runs from a challenge. We are resilient, grateful, and we invest—literally—in our future. This is a home built to last. 4. We Learned That Our Calling Is to Nurture a Space for Children to Encounter God A core reason we chose to remain an independent parish was our deep, long-standing commitment to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) . This is what makes it different from regular faith formation: Most Sunday Schools are about adults teaching children about God. CGS is built on the belief that children already have a relationship with God, and our job is to create a space for them to explore it. It's a hands-on, Montessori-based approach where children work with beautiful, sensory materials in a quiet, sacred space called an "Atrium"— not a classroom. Here, they aren't instructed by a teacher; they are guided to personally encounter and fall in love with the Good Shepherd. This commitment to nurturing a child's direct, personal sense of wonder and relationship with God is as central to our identity as our work in social justice. What this means for you: We are a church that deeply honors the spiritual lives of children. If you are looking for a community that will not just "teach" your child but will provide a beautiful, reverent space for them to develop their own deep, lasting faith, you will find it here. The Field Is Ready. Come and See. We are emerging from an intense, fallow season. We can feel our soil is richer, and our foundations are stronger.  As a small but faithful community, we have a safe, beautiful, and restored home—a feat of extraordinary commitment for a congregation our size. And we have a new, deeper understanding of our history and our responsibility to it. If you are looking for a perfect church, we aren't it. But if you are looking for a real one—a community that has been through the fire and knows how to heal, how to rebuild, how to fight for justice, and how to nurture faith—then this might be the home for you. Our fallow season is drawing to a close, and the field is ready for what's next. We invite you to come and see what we can grow here, together.

Our Sunday Atrium program, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), begins for the new year this Sunday, September 14th, at 9:15 am for children ages 18 months to 12 years . Please note that we have a rolling registration and are happy to accept children throughout the year. CGS is a unique, hands-on approach to faith formation where children explore their relationship with God in a specially prepared space. It's a place where their spiritual lives are respected and nurtured. To learn more about CGS, we invite you to read our introductory blog post here . Registration & Supporting this Ministry: We ask that every family (new and returning) please complete a new registration packet for this year, as we are updating our contact information. Packets are available for pickup in the Atrium. New this year, we are introducing a suggested registration fee to help us cover the cost of our beautiful, hands-on materials and maintain our unique Atrium space. The suggested contribution is $50 for the first child and $20 for each additional sibling . Please know that our first priority is that every child can participate. This fee is a suggestion, and we do not want it to be a barrier for any family. If this contribution is a hardship, please speak with Davette or Rev. Sarah in confidence. For this year's full schedule, please click here . We look forward to seeing you and your children on Sunday!

Discussion on Byzantine Iconology During Coffee Hour in Gunnell Hall Following the 10:30 am Service Sunday, September 21, 2025 We will provide colored pencils and icon outlines for you to color and  take home. Here are some of the key colors and their meanings: Gold: Represents divine light and the glory of God. Blue: Symbolizes the heavens, eternity, and divinity. Dark blue is also associated with the Mother of God, representing her heavenly nature. Red: Signifies divine life and often used on Christ's garments. Green: Represents renewal. White: Symbolizes purity. Purple: to show Christ as the King of Kings. Black: Represents death, evil, and darkness. Brown: Linked with earth and the transient nature of human life.

Come Connect, Celebrate and Begin Again! Join us on Sunday, September 14 for Kickoff Sunday & Ice Cream Social - a perfect way to reconnect with God and the All Saints community as we launch into a new program year!  Find Out How You Can Share Your Gifts Join us for worship at 8:00 and 10:30am, then stay for our forum hours at 9:15 and 11:45 to check out our ministry tables and find out how God might be calling you to share your gifts with the community this year. Come to pick up your copy of the church events calendar and stay for coffee and fellowship. Come to get your questions answered and stay to get signed-up in ChurchTrac, (our online church database). Come and bring a friend! Sunday Atrium Begins September 14 also marks the first day of our Sunday Atrium (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) starting at 9:15am for ages 18 months - 12 years. Registration packets are available in the Atrium or can be downloaded online. Please complete forms even if you've participated before, as we're updating our contact information.  Congregational Vote & Ice Cream Social following 10:30am service Following the 10:30am service, we will hold a brief congregational vote to confirm the appointment of a new Vestry member. In accordance with canonical requirements, we will also open the floor for additional nominations should anyone feel called to make one. And last but not least – let’s celebrate the end of summer with an Ice Cream Social! We'll provide the ice cream and company - please bring a favorite topping to share.