disaster

Giving Joyfully

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This Sunday we have the Gospel reading of the rich young man. Jesus was asked by him what he must do to inherent eternal life. Jesus told him that he must follow the ten commandments. He replied that he had kept all the commandments since his youth. Jesus then told him to go, sell all that he had, and give that money to the poor. The young man went away upset because he was rich and did not want to let go of his wealth.

Jesus remarks to his disciples that it is easier for a rope to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to inherent the Kingdom of God. Yes, I know, most English translations say camel, but that is a mistranslation. The actual translation preserved in the Syriac Peshitta says rope.

Living in the Deep South and having endured the recent destruction caused by Hurricane Helene and Milton, I have seen so many people reach out to help one another survive. None of them were rich. All of them were people like me and you; barely scrapping by and trying hard to survive on what little they had.

Like the parable of the woman who gave her last two coins to the temple treasury, so many people gave from their need, not their abundance. The few people who were rich and helped did so after being shamed on social media into helping. That is not given from their heart or their sense of Christian charity. No, it was giving from their desire to save face.

We are a small parish. We have very little in the way of funding. However, we continue to help the poor and homeless, not from our abundance, but from our need. We cannot turn our backs on those who need our assistance. And we are commanded to help them no matter what.

Today, I ask you, will you give to our parish and help us to continue the great work we do here in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA)? Will you give of your need or your abundance to make sure others have what they need to survive? Will you bless others as you have been blessed?

So many people watch us online, yet so few support the parish financially. It is time this changed. Be a part of our ministry by dedicating your time, talents, and money to help us.

If you cannot give financially, can you be a lector? Can you take time to record you reading the Sunday readings to send to us? What about taking time to record a video about how our parish affects your life? Or maybe you have parish management skills we can use. There are so many ways for you to volunteer and help us out.

Pray about how you might be able to help others through our parish family.

Pax et Bonum,

Bishop Greer

Finding Jesus in the Hurricane

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As I sit at my dear friend Rev. Marc Trimm’s house charging devices and using his Wi-Fi, I am drawn to discuss the lack of compassion, understanding, and love that we have seen in this disaster in the south. Last Friday morning, Hurricane Helene came through Augusta, Georgia delivering a direct hit to the city and crippling us.

The church remains without power today on Day 6 of this disaster. Many people are still trying to dig out from downed trees and damaged homes and cars. There have been bright moments of selflessness, with churches and organizations stepping up to help those who need it most.

However, there have been many examples of greed, anger, and outright selfishness. People have taken to price gouging their neighbors and friends. Businesses are raising prices to make a bigger profit off the backs of those of us without money or resources. And even worse, are those who cannot show the slightest bit of humanity when it comes to helping others.

I have seen so many Christians, who have power because of generators or their lucky position near the substations, refuse to help their neighbors with anything. People who have food and supplies watch their neighbors go without rather than share with others.

Jesus spent his ministry on earth preaching a message of helping those in need. He feed the hungry many times, healed the sick, and raised the dead. He would be here helping those who are without power, without food, and whose homes are destroyed. Jesus didn’t ask us to do this, he commanded us to.

This hurricane coming through our area has really opened my eyes. Ministers in our communities have failed our flock. We have failed to teach the message of Jesus but instead have taught a message of false holiness.

If you want to get into heaven, you will be judged on how you treat the least of these, not on how many Sundays you went to church.

Join us this week LIVING the Gospel!

Pax et Bonum,

Bishop Greer