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Education begins September 12:

Overview of our programs

As Fall approaches, we are growing more and more excited about Church School and other Christian Education offerings that will be available after September 12! Here is a preview of what’s in store:

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level I (Ages 3 -6), Level II (Ages 6-8), & Level III(Grades 4 & 5): Catechesis of the Good Shepherd provides a relaxed, supportive environment in which to be introduced to the most fundamental Bible stories and the basics of prayer, liturgy, and life in the church. Both Catechesis Level I and Level II follow the church calendar.

Rite 13 (Grades 6 & 7): St. Chrysostom’s junior high students will continue to use the Rite 13 “Journey to Adulthood” curriculum. This series also follows the church calendar and keeps close to the lectionary readings so that worship, Bible study, and discussion of life experiences are all brought together in the Church School hour.

Confirmation Class/J2A (Grades 8 & 9): The students preparing for confirmation will also be using a lectionary-based curriculum that highlights the Gospel lesson and any other readings of note for the week. In addition to this, the Confirmation Class will be exposed to various “classic” readings of the Christian Tradition and to commentaries on Scripture.

Grades 10, 11, & 12: Look for monthly activities – and acolyting! – geared toward those students who were confirmed in the last two years.

Acolytes: Senior High (Grades 10, 11 & 12) Acolyte first Sundays of the month; Confirmation (Grades 8 and 9) Acolyte second Sundays; Rite 13 (Grades 6 & 7) Acolyte fourth Sundays; Grade 4 and 5 Acolyte third Sundays

Adult Forum: A variety of dynamic speakers has been slated for this year, beginning on September 26^th with Eliza Griswold, who will speak about her book on Islam and Christianity, The Tenth Parallel. The Reverend Raymond Webster and the Reverend Danielle Thompson will lead lectionary-based Bibles studies from the Gospel of Luke on September 12^th & 19^th. Watch for monthly updates on Forum topics and presenters. The Adult Forum will continue to meet in the beautifully refurbished Guild Room.

Adult Confirmation Preparation: If you are an adult who desires to be baptized, confirmed, or received into the Episcopal Church at the Great Vigil of Easter in April, 2011, join the Reverend Raymond Webster and the Reverend Danielle Thompson on four Tuesdays at 6.30pm (September 21 & 28 and October 5 & 12) for an introduction to the church, to the Gospels, to commentary on Scripture, and to one or two literary classics of the Christian tradition. Please speak to the clergy if you are interested in these classes, or if you have any questions about baptism, confirmation, or reception.

My dear friends,

Near the end of our vacation this past summer, our kids surprised Eve and me with a fortieth wedding anniversary dinner. We knew there was a family dinner together – the location was to be a surprise. We were to stop by the Harvard Club to pick up my son, who, the story went, was having a drink with his best friend from growing up. Perfectly plausible.

And we walked into a room to find it full of family and old friends. A delightful surprise!

I was thinking of our family dinner thinking of last Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus opens up, widens, broadens the definition of who his friends are and who his guests are to be and who we are to invite to the banquet in his house, at his table. In last Sunday’s Gospel story (Luke 14:7-14) Jesus said to his host and to us –

“when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke 14:14)

These simple sentences very much describe the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, his earthly ministry, in the towns and villages of Galilee.

In the Gospel stories we read how Jesus reached out to the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind, the children, the sick, women – people on the edge of the crowd, people on the margins of society, the helpless, the voiceless, the defenseless.

He calls us to do the same as his disciples, as women and men who follow him day by day here in Chicago. “Go and do likewise.” To reach out in his compassion to help people, in all the different ways people can do that in Chicago today, from making schools and hospitals happen, making places where beauty is created happen, making places where the helpless find help. Making a parish church happen where people find God’s love in him, find forgiveness and purpose, find what it means to follow him as his disciple.

Did Mary sing him the Magnificat?

Jesus said, “those who humble themselves will be exalted” – did his Mother sing him the Magnificat? In his own life, his humility was to go into the ordinary world of real daily life and see people in need – truly see them – and try to help, to teach and heal and forgive. To tell them about God’s love for them, to bring that love to them incarnate in flesh and blood.

The English word “humility” comes from a word I have known since I was a kid in the Boy Scouts, “humus”, earth – not the middle-eastern hors d’oeuvre but earth. In New Hampshire in the forest there is a bed of humus – dead trees and leaves -- which is highly flammable and a real danger in a forest fire. When there is a fire trenches have to be dug down to the moist soil below – one has to dig down through the humus, literally down to earth.

A story of Jesus seeking out and finding someone

Jesus came to earth, born of Mary in Bethlehem, and carried out his ministry in the most down to earth ways. He reached out to people and indeed sought out people. This coming Lent we read – in chapter nine of John – the story of Jesus healing the man born blind. My own personal take – suspicion – my own idea, is that the blind beggar was little more than a boy. I don’t think people grew old put out to beg on the roadside in the ancient world. Well, maybe I am wrong. Jesus coming along the road stopped by him and made some mud on his fingers, speaking of being down to earth, and said “I am the light of the world” touched the blind eyes. I think the mud there so the boy would know even more clearly he was being touched, that he was not alone. That is why the story means so much to me. He was someone put out to beg, one can only imagine how he was treated, and here was Jesus with him, doing one of Jesus’ striking gestures (breathing on his disciples, taking bread and wine) so underline touching him, being with him, offering him friendship. And then boy could see. “Once I was blind but now I see.”

Jesus saw him in the first place, and then in the long story that unfolds, Jesus went looking for him and found him – found him again. I love that small detail.

We who are welcomed are called to welcome others

He found him and invited him to his banquet. He has found us and invites us to his banquet. This banquet which is the great sign of the gift of God’s presence with us and love for us in him – the gift of his friendship.

I like this photo of my son and daughter welcoming their guests to our surprise dinner in Boston. By the way, my wife is a bit uneasy with my comparing our surprise family dinner to the Last Supper! Well, I am pretty clear about NOT being Jesus! But our Savior very much asks us to welcome people in just the natural and warm ways we do as hosts – with family and friends in Boston or Chicago! Very much our calling this fall of 2010! And lots of people in St. Chrysostom’s know a lot about being welcoming. Those gifts are welcomed and needed.

I am so excited as we come to fall 2010! I look forward to seeing you very soon!

In Christ, Raymond Webster

St. Chrysostom's Episcopal Church At the Heart of the City of Chicago