Entertaining Angels Unaware was Great

What is it like to learn about angels in the midst of a group of fun, interested, and interesting women? It is "Entertaining Angels Unaware", the Women's Ministry weekend just past. 

There was Birthday Cake! (Happy Birthday Kathleen) There was Food and Fellowship.

There was worship, including music by Santa Fe Music Works led by Dr. Mary Badarak. Pat's sermon was an Ignatian-like reflection of Gabriel's thoughts on his visit to Zechariah and Mary. You can read it here.

There was information. The Rev. Pat Green led the 50 women present in an informative series of teachings about angels. You can watch videos of a couple of the teachings on the Women's Ministry Facebook page. 
Did you know that angels are mentioned 273 times in the Bible? And mentions of the 'hosts of heaven' are encountered over 300 times. The Apocryphal and non-canonical books have even more mentions of angel interactions. We only have three angels named in the Bible itself: Gabriel and Michael, and the fallen angel, Lucifer. Uriel and Raphael are two that are named in the Apocrypha.

What are angels? Supernatural beings outside of time and space who proclaim God's Holiness. They, like everything else, are created and therefore under the authority of God and Jesus. Because angels, like all creation (and us) have free will, we know that 1/3 of them rebelled against that authority and 'fell' from heaven. There is, as far as we know, no redemption plan for fallen angels. There is a finite number of angels (an immense, even innumerable, number, but no new angels are created).
We humans don't become angels when we go to heaven, despite popular culture. We are now and continue to be saints who join with the angels in glorifying God. We CAN act in angelic ways with and for other people, of course.



Angels were an important part of Jesus' earthly life. From the Annunciation and Birth narratives (including the Flight to Egypt), to Jesus being ministered to by angels in the wilderness and in the Garden, angels were with Jesus. Then at the Tomb, angels made the grand announcement of the Resurrection. After Jesus ascended, angels tell the disciples to 'quit looking up to heaven'!

Do you know how many Ranks, or Choirs, of angels there are? (Nine-you can download the handout to learn more.)
Angels serve as Worshippers of God, as Warriors of God, and as Witnesses to God's work in all Creation. We can ask for God to send angelic aid, and like the case of Elisha we can sometimes even see the horses and chariots of fire that God sends. (2 Kings 6:15-23)

There was a workshop on Praying with Icons. The Rev. Pat Green and Pat Catlett of St. Mark's, ABQ shared how icons are 'written' or 'painted', and then how to 'read' them. Icons are not worshipped themselves, they are a tool to bring us to an awareness of God's presence. We shared a time of quiet meditation while resting in the presence of icons brought by Pat Catlett.

The final question is one that we can all ponder: If you believe in angels, what difference does it make in how you live and pray?
For our closing worship we shared and blessed items that reminded us of Angels, and then went forth blessed to act like angels-to glorify God, and witness to God's work in our lives and in the world. 

Puzzle Pieces Weekend at the Bosque Center

The Bosque Center was abuzz with prayer and sharing on November 18-19. Thirty women from around the diocese came together for the Puzzle Pieces (5^th Annual) Bosque Weekend. During the introductions, each participant offered a question about something that has always puzzled her about the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, or the church in general to be addressed over the course of the event. Everyone added a 'puzzle piece' with their name to the giant puzzle in the center of the Bosque Center Gathering Space. 

Each session started with some form of worship or prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, offering a hands-on way to get more familiar with different things within the book.

Elaine encouraged the women to look at the current (political) situation as an opportunity for women’s actions of prayer, thinking, and ‘nudging’ for change, reconciliation and unity. Elaine stated that she likes to think of the Holy Spirit as present in every atom of air and always bumping into us and stirring us to action. Elaine reminded the group that our work, as Christian women, is to connect people and families in our churches and other circles. The ministry of the church needs to be one of coming together, sharing, and empowering others. As women we are the heartbeat of the parish. She noted that each of us has different gifts to share and shared how her ministry within the church has taken many forms. She has taught Sunday School, created liturgical art, and led adult studies among other things.

Elaine closed by asking each participant to think about ‘what did you always yearn to do or be’?

On Saturday morning the women gathered for a session on ‘Understanding your Bible’. Elaine urged everyone to try reading the Bible aloud. This was the way it was heard and learned until very recently. Originally the stories were told around campfires and tables. She shared a timeline showing where some Bible milestones happened in the scope of world history noting that the Old Testament time period covers thousands of years and there are many editors and sources. The New Testament, on the other hand, only covers about 100 years. It was not written down until at least 50-100 years after the life of Jesus Christ, though.

It was noted that God continues to communicate in many ways, not just through the Bible. There is art, nature, and even a smile. Medieval churches were constructed as visible symbols of God. 

The session ended with a reading of the Creation story in Genesis 1 and then Revelation 22:1-5. In both the Old and New Testaments the main story is that God loves you and we live IN that love no matter who or where we are.

The second session was about the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Elaine informed everyone that the BCP was first published in 1549 and has had many editions since then. It is called ‘Common’ Prayer because it is for everyone, not just the church hierarchy (priests). There are many interesting things in the beginning of the book that most people don’t even look at including the ratification and preface and calendar. She noted that 70% of the BCP is Bible based.

The ‘Daily Offices’ (Morning, Evening Prayer, etc.) are rooted in monastic life. Elaine suggested the short Daily Devotions starting on page 136 as a good discipline for Advent. When reading any of the Daily Offices, including the Daily Devotions, we are joining in shared prayer with others around the world.

Other interesting tidbits about the BCP shared by Elaine include: The Psalter predates the KJV. At the end of the BCP there are more interesting things, including assorted collects, Historical Documents, An Outline of the Faith, and Homilies. The Lectionary for Sundays and the Daily Lectionary are also found there. Using the Daily Lectionary is a good way to read the entire Bible over 2 years.

For the closing session after Eucharist and lunch, Elaine noted that the Episcopal Church internationally is working on intentionally reaching across lines and borders. She reminded the group that we can all make a difference and often that starts by being a ‘little different’ than everyone else. For instance reading the Bible aloud poolside opened a conversation for a study participant last summer. Just wearing a cross can provoke inquiry. When we are ‘different’, we stand out and people ask questions. JoAnne Gray shared that wearing a safety pin has become a new subtle symbol that you are willing to stand with and stand up for each other.
Elaine shared some affirmations that could be could be used as encouragement for ourselves and for others. She suggested writing them on sticky notes and placing them at random as visible reminders. We should always remember that the Bible is a hand-held data base that reminds us “God loves us”.

Work is Prayer

Home is not where you live, but where they understand you.

You can complain that rose bushes have thorns, or you can rejoice that thorn bushes have roses!

Smile God loves you.

Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

You can be an achiever in life, but you don’t have to be an overachiever.

When God created the world in 7 days, there was no paperwork.

The only revenge in life is living well.

Jesus is coming, look busy.

The event closed with assorted prayers from the BCP. It was a lovely weekend of fellowship and learning. 

Taste and See and the Enneagram

The 3rd Annual Women's Retreat at the Bosque Center was quite successful. Our theme was 'Taste and See'. We 'tasted' God's presence in our fellowship and worship. We were able to 'see' God in each other and in the beauty of the Bosque Center. We also got a 'taste' of the Enneagram, which is a tool to help us 'see' ourselves and others more clearly as individuals and beautifully created Children of God.

Over 40 women from all around the Diocese, including some guests from other denominations, were present. We started with a soup and salad supper on Friday evening, then moved on to share our ministries, focusing on how they relate to the 'spirituality wheel' of Union, Action, Evangelism, and Study. This was an inspiration to all as we heard of the multitude of ministries we women are active in. Many of the ministries could have fit into more than one of the quadrants, so it was hard to determine where to put them. You'll notice that many of the 'leaves' ended up in the Action quadrant, but they could have also been placed in Study or Evangelism or even the Union areas. As someone noted, "It's easier to identify an action ministry, than some of the others." It was a great way to get to know a bit more about each other.

On Saturday, Kathleen Pittman from Roswell presented an introduction to the Enneagram. She explained the basics of the 9 'types'. Most of us were intrigued about our 'type'. Interest was expressed in having another retreat on this topic where we can go deeper into the subject.

Kathleen based much of her presentation on her years of work with the Enneagram and on the work of Don Riso & Russ Hudson. Anyone interested in learning some about this tool can find information online and in their book "The Wisdom of the Enneagram".

Next year's retreat will be led by Katrine Stewart and will focus on what women in the Bible can teach us about living fully. There will be time for journaling and quiet and other fun activities. Mark your calendar for November 6-7, 2015 and join us at the Bosque Center.