The Key

May 2013

The Monthly newsletter of

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church

Drawn to God

Recently I was listening to a talk given by Richard Rohr about St. Francis. During the course of his meditation, he mentioned the shift we can choose to make from a sense of being driven in our various vocations to being drawn by God.   

This idea really struck a chord in me as I am constantly trying to find ways in which I can more fully enter the abiding relationship to which Christ invites me. The primary obstacle to abiding in Christ, at least for me, is a driven-ness that seems to be part of the way I am made.

I am a competitive person. Perhaps that is why I enjoy sports so much. I like to win, I like to excel, I like to push myself to be the very best I can be. Some might say I am driven.

That is a funny expression, isn’t it: “She is driven.”  I guess the question that immediately comes to mind is who is doing the driving?

Quite often, the driver is the ego. I once heard the ego described as; “That nasty little troll that lives under the bridge of your heart!” Nasty little troll, indeed!

The ego drives us to want more; to attain more power, gain more goodies, reach greater heights in our chosen profession or in our schooling. The ego drives us to want to WIN!

If we can shift our modus operandi from being driven by ego to being drawn by God, what a glorious change awaits us. As I thought and meditated on this idea, I found the more my heart embraced the concept of being drawn by God, the more peace I felt. The peace led to joy, the joy to serenity, the serenity to a deep sense of being loved and loving God right back.

And the difference from being driven (by ego) to being drawn by God is infinitesimal!  Being driven is stress producing; being drawn releases anxiety. Being driven causes us to compare ourselves to others; being drawn helps us realize that God loves us as the unique persons he created us to be. Being driven sets up obstacles to meaningful relationships; being drawn opens us to a way of loving that avoids comparison and competition, for we see each person in the light of the Father’s love for them.  I want to be drawn, not driven! 

Of course, this moving from being driven to allowing God to draw us takes a commitment. We may just have to do a little self-examination and see in what areas of our life has a driven-ness taken over. It may be in the area of finances. For some it might be climbing the corporate or academic ladder. Others might realize that in relationships the ego is driving with whom we associate and how we relate to, and communicate with others.

Being drawn by God means to give up the driver’s seat; to allow the Lord to manage your day, your job, and your relationships; to allow the Lord to be the ruler of your life!  Being drawn by God is a lifestyle change, but the benefits are innumerable.

My prayer for each of us as we enter the season of Pentecost is that, more and more, we will allow the Holy Spirit to draw us into life, abundance, joy and extraordinary love.

In Christ Alone,

Karen+

Important Dates

5/12—Mother’s Day

5/19—Pentecost – Wear Red!

6/1—Rummage Sale

6/16—Father’s Day

6/21—66’ers game

6/30—St. Peter’s Day Celebration

St. Patrick’s Pub Night

With the help of Craic Haus and some great food, fellowship and friends, we had a wonderful time on Saturday, April 27^th.  Thanks for all your help and enthusiasm.

Welcome Confirmands

Congratulations to our new confirmands, Vince Jovero, Lacy Mason, Richard Pasillas, Johnny Pasillas, Nathan Rogers-Wright and Nigel Rogers-Wright. On Sunday, April 28^th, Bishop Mary Glasspool came for her pastoral visit and did the honors.

66er’s Night

Friday, June 21^st, we will once again have a parish outing to support the 66er’s.  The cost is $23.00 per person for seats, a meal of chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, beans, cookies and soft drinks.  C’mon out and root, root, root for the home team!  This would make a great Father’s Day gift for your Dad’s (hint, hint!).

June 8, 2013

Now is the time to do that long-overdue spring cleaning! Our annual rummage and bake sale is on Saturday, June 8th Bring your gently used furniture, appliances, knick-knacks and clothing for the big day.  You can begin bringing your goods anytime…we will be staging the categories in the Education Building the last two weeks before the big day. We will also be selling hot dogs and drinks and freshly baked goods. If you can help with the sorting, please let Kris Smith or John Heatley know.

St. Peter’s Day Celebration

Sunday, June 30^th we will celebrate our Patron Saint, Peter. We are planning a great day, including a spirit-led pot-luck, gift-giving to honor the day, wonderful worship and fellowship.  More details will appear in next month’s, The Key, so mark your calendars and save the date!