Acts 5:17-25
Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin-the full assembly of the elders of Israel-and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.
Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.”
There are several expressions that can require even a person raised in the church to reach for a Christianese lexicon. These are phrases like “born again”, “saved”, “mountain top experience”, “speaking the truth in love,” “on fire for God”, “give a testimony” and the one that always brings to mind the hunting dogs my grandparents used to stud, “loving on”. Those of us with a more liberal theology need be careful not to spill our cocktails as we chuckle at such silliness. I admit I often succumb to a bit of an internal eye roll when I hear these phrases tossed into every day conversations; I am often quick to categorize the speaker and filter my conversation accordingly. Yet I know that while the languages of certain Christians vary, what we really want for others and for ourselves is the same, we want to be free.
For some people “salvation” or “saved” are the words they feel best represent the freedom offered in Christ, others prefer “liberation”, “healed” or “recovering”. All imply this breaking out of the figurative chains that hold us back and being released towards an eternity with God, victorious over our struggles. The majority of churches place the focus of this as happening only after one has died however I see this new life healed and freed for eternity as being possible now.
In Acts chapter 5 the disciples are busy performing many miraculous signs and wonders, in fact some people are being carried into the street hoping that contact with even just Peter’s shadow would rid them of their illnesses. More and more people are beginning to believe in Jesus – being saved if you will and the numbers of followers continues to grow. The High Priest and his associates stand in the shadows watching all of this and they aren’t happy, they are actually said to be jealous. They throw the disciples in prison but in the middle of the night the angel of the Lord appears to the disciples, releasing them, telling them to return to the temple court. When the High Priest hears the disciples are back healing and teaching he goes to the jail only to find the doors still locked, and the guards are guarding a now empty cell. Salvation, liberation, whatever you want to call it, God is showing how there is nothing created by humans that He can’t bust us out of. No matter what people come up with to confine us or to imprison us, God can always set us free. We do not need to spend eternity or even the rest of our lives in the invisible prisons of expectations, control, abuse, addiction, insecurity that often times we feel to be our condemnation. God is creating us to be people who aren’t limited to what we’ve done, what has been done to us or what others want to believe about us. If we are willing to trust and follow God, those chains will be broken, bringing us to possibly a premature eternity where freedom, new life and salvation is celebrated now.
~ New Email Address ~
We are working to update and streamline the email addresses for everyone in the office.
Please note that Heather’s email is now
youth@saintedmunds.org and
Antonio’s is
sundayschool@saintedmunds.org
~ Youth Group ~
We are considering having youth group in May on either the 6th or the 20th. If you have a preference, please let me know.
~ Upcoming Events ~
Thursday, April 19
“The More of Less –
Finding the Life You Want Under Everything you Own”
Best-selling author Joshua Becker has inspired millions around the world to find more meaning in life by owning fewer possessions. Mr. Becker will share practical suggestions to help you on your personal journey toward minimalism so that you have more time and opportunities to pursue the more important things in life. Book available for purchase and signing post event.
This presentation will be offered at two separate times and locations:
San Marino Unified School District Board Room 12 noon
Huntington Middle School Auditorium 7 pm
For more information, go to partnershipforawareness.org
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Sunday, April 22
Team 4 Acolyting
Children’s Liturgy
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
~
Wednesday, April 25
SENS Fundraiser at Blaze Pizza
4:30 pm – 8 pm
1100 S. Fair Oaks
South Pasadena, 91030
Please present this flyer to your server.
Hard copies are available in the narthex.
~
Sunday, April 29
Celebration of Father George
During the 10 am service Father George will officiate his last service with the Reverend Canon Colville Smythe delivering the sermon.
Following worship there will be a luncheon and celebration ceremony. Please RSVP to Debra Spaulding at
dspaulding@socal.rr.com or 626.284.1443.
If you would like to help defray the cost of the lunch,
please send a check to the church office with the notation,
“Farewell Luncheon” in the memo line.
There will be a time for personal tributes to be expressed by anyone who so desires during the ceremony. Since there will be many people, please limit your remarks to one minute or less. The ceremony will end promptly at 1 pm.
Traditionally, some parishioners give their departing rectors a cash gift called a “purse” in appreciation of the rector’s service. Father George has requested that any such gift on his behalf be given instead to the
St. Edmund’s Endowment, now named the “Woodward Endowment”. Checks for this purpose may be sent to the church office with the notation “Woodward Endowment” on the memo line.
Please add you personal notes Father George’s timeline on the wall of Fellows Hall before or after any Sunday service. Instructions and Post-it notes are available for your memories, thoughts and personal stories. A scrapbook is also being created. Tell Father George what he has meant to you by submitting a card, poem, letter, or photograph to the church office or in the marked box in the Fellows Hall.
Questions? Contact Wendy at WendyTaylorGreenleaf08@gmail.com
or 626.353.3987
Transition Question & Answer
The next Question and Answer session will take place on April 22nd after the 8 am and 10 am services in the Library.
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Sunday, May 6
Team 1 Acolyting
Children’s Liturgy
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
~
Sunday, May 13
Mother’s Day
Team 2 Acolyting
Children’s Liturgy
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
~
Sunday, May 20
Team 3 Acolyting
Children’s Liturgy
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
~
Sunday, May 27
Team 4 Acolyting
Children’s Liturgy
10 am | Chapel
Sunday School
10:30 am | Sunday School Classrooms
Please feel free to contact Heather if you have questions.
