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Rector's Blog: Thy Kingdom Come

This blog is also available as a podcast

Episcopal author and activist Vida Scudder wrote these words in 1917: “This is the hour of opportunity; this is the hour of the Church. In the last fifty years she has accomplished a great preparation, by her rediscovery of the purpose of Jesus. Few and hesitant, however, have been her attempts to realize that purpose, to strive boldly, through profound labors of readjustment and reconstruction, to establish the Kingdom of God, the kingdom of love, on earth.”

As I read those words, I tightened up. I felt tension in my shoulders that matched the tension Scudder there describes: It’s the tension between what is possible and what is typical.

The Lord’s Prayer is central to the worship of our church. It is found in every liturgy in our Prayer Book. It is taken directly from the Gospel narrative: When Jesus’ disciples ask him how to pray, Jesus responds specifically with this prayer, this “Our Father…” In this essential prayer, our first petition to God is, “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” I have been Christian my whole life, which means I’ve been saying, hearing, reading this prayer my whole life, and it wasn’t until a few years ago that I actually paid any attention at all to that first petition, to what it means. Plainly speaking, we are asking that God make this life, this place just like Heaven. That’s what we’re asking. And I don’t think Jesus was being hyperbolic, parabolic, symbolic, or idealistic. I think Jesus meant it, and I think Jesus wants us to mean it.

That this world be heavenly should be something we actively seek and desire.

The Episcopal Church is explicitly meant to be a visionary and driven body. Our catechism states that our mission is to restore all people to unity with God through Jesus Christ, and that we do this by praying, worshiping, proclaiming the Gospel, and promoting justice, peace, and love. At Church of the Redeemer we have our own Vision Statement that is likewise driven, and it seeks to focus us on how we live into that mission. It is worth recognizing that what we are really doing is trying to help our own petition to God come true. We are saying, “God we want Earth look more like Heaven, and we want to help make it happen.”

This is the powerful possibility of which Scudder writes. This is the purpose of Jesus – not only to bring God’s Kingdom to bear, but to empower our participation in that miraculous act. And this raises the questions that cause my shoulders to tense up: Are we helping participate in the bringing of God’s Kingdom? Are we seeing to God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven? Why would we pray for that and then not help make it happen?

This is where the possible and the typical butt heads.

I am thinking now of this church I love here in the Queen City, this congregation that has become my spiritual home. This community has helped so many of us feel a sense of God’s Kingdom in the here and now. We have seen church as a thing that is meant to transform those of us who participate. And indeed, it absolutely should. This is a beautiful thing about our church: we understand that our involvement in the church is supposed to transform us, to help us grow and mature and see the world differently.

I love this. It’s not wrong. It’s just incomplete.

Incomplete because we know our existence isn’t supposed to simply transform those of us who participate. We believe we exist also in order to make our neighborhood look more like God’s Kingdom than it would if we were not here. That is to say, the world around us should be more loved, more loving, more just, more peaceful, more equitable than it would if there was no Church of the Redeemer. If a church focuses entirely on the transformation and spiritual formation of the congregation they may do absolutely stunningly beautiful work – but it will be incomplete.

We know the pandemic was made more difficult by our inability to gather in our usual fashion. But equally difficult is the reality that for most of the pandemic we have not been able to engage in our Mission ministries – the outward facing work that most affects our neighborhood. Not to be able to gather was painful. But not being able to further Jesus’ purpose through the impact we make on our neighborhood has been downright tragic.

While we have never been perfect at this, it has long been our community’s conscious desire to undertake Mission ministries that make an impact on our neighborhood – to take our Love outside the walls of this hallowed building and to make a positive, practical difference in the lives of others. We have made great strides in that work throughout the years.

Our focus has been on housing-related issues, and in our historic work with Interfaith Hospitality Network, Madisonville Education and Assistance Center, Episcopal Retirement Services, and other beautiful organizations, we have sought to bridge the possible and the typical.

For two years what was possible felt severely limited. I’m overjoyed to say we are ready to re-engage with our neighborhood. In the coming months, you will hear some big announcements about the next chapter of Mission work at Redeemer. Along with those announcements will come invitations for you to actively participate with God in the bringing of love, justice and peace more fully to bear. I am beyond excited not only by what is on the horizon, but by the prospect of your involvement and transformation!

So much of the work of Becoming Beloved Community is the realization that we have not yet met all the people we are going to love. We have not yet met all the people who will be transformed by our church. We have not yet met all the people who are going to transform us and love us and make us more like Heaven. The embracing of the Beloved Community, the heeding of Scudder’s prophetic utterance, these are the reclaiming of Jesus’ purpose here and now. May they not be few and may we not be hesitant.


Tags: Rector's Blog

Sermons

  • Mar 20 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    The Present Past
  • Mar 12 | Tym House
    Direct Access to Grace
  • Mar 6 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Being Righteous
  • Feb 27 | The Rev. Melanie W. J. Slane
    Two Sides of the Same Coin
  • Feb 20 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Superman Transfigured

Rector's Blog

  • Mar 24 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, When God Feels Like It
  • Mar 17 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, But Through Me
  • Mar 10 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Conversions - Part 2
  • Mar 3 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Conversions - Part 1
  • Feb 24 | The Rev. Philip DeVaul
    Rector's Blog, Better Not Easier

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2944 Erie Ave. · Cincinnati, OH 45208
(513) 321-6700
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The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
2944 Erie Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45208

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Welcome Children Service Times Membership Contact Us

Welcome to Church of the Redeemer! We invite and welcome ALL to join us in worship and community. In addition to worship, we have a vibrant music community, a fun and welcoming community for children and youth, plus offerings for everyone from young adults to seniors, covering many varied interests.

The Rev. Philip DeVaul, Rector

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We love children, and children love Church of the Redeemer!

Children are at the heart of life at Church of the Redeemer. Children learn about the word of God through our Children's Christian Education programs; they are involved in worship services, they play music in our services, and they form lifelong friendships with each other through their experiences.

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On Sundays we have an 8:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite I service, a 9:00 am Holy Eucharist, Rite II service (which is also livestreamed), an 11:00 am Banquet Eucharist service and a 5:00 pm Celtic Eucharist service.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we offer Morning Prayer on our Online Worship Podcast.

On Wednesdays, we offer Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 6:00 pm in the Chapel.

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The community of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer welcomes you! We are glad that you have chosen to explore your faith here and hope that this document can answer some of the questions you may have about Church of the Redeemer. We seek to be an open, inviting community. Our invitation to you is to join us as we grow in faith and reach out in love to others. At Church of the Redeemer we are always seeking to know Jesus and grow in love. We hope that in whatever ministries you undertake will strengthen your relationship with him through your ministry and fellowship here.

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PARKING: Parking is on the street. Please pay attention to the signs indicating proper parking zones. Handicapped parking is available in the front on Erie, in the back parking lot, and on the south side of Raymar.

ACCESSIBLE REDEEMER: The front entrance has a ramp and there is an elevator inside the back door and to the left. Accessible restrooms are located in the Lobby inside the front entrance.


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Flowers in our holy worship spaces are a beautiful gift to God and those who attend services at Church of the Redeemer as well as those being honored or remembered. A contribution to the Flower Fund is a meaningful way to honor or remember a loved one for special life events such as birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, confirmations, thanksgivings, or in memory of a loved one.

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The Church of the Redeemer is blessed to have received special gifts from parishioners who wanted Redeemer to have permanent savings to care for our facilities and to supplement our pledge income.

Such permanent savings are often called an “endowment.” The endowed funds are permanently set aside by donors or by the Vestry. Some of our donors have specified uses for their endowment gifts. A limited portion of the funds is distributed each year to supplement our general budget. All funds are invested with professional advice.

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What about your connection to Redeemer changes the way you live in this world? Your financial commitment is a response to the work that God is doing with you here. It is a practical way to ensure that others are able to experience the relationships of holy connection and communion that are shaping your life.

For 2023, we ask that you make your commitment through regular scheduled electronic giving, if possible. Whether it be weekly or annually, giving electronically is a safe and sustainable way to ensure your continued financial support.

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Your planned legacy gift to the Church of the Redeemer is a practical way for you to empower generations to come. It is a powerful witness of faith, love, and gratitude. This type of gift recognizes the heritage left by those who came before us and acknowledges that we bear a responsibility to the future faithful - to insure the continuation of God’s work within and beyond Church of the Redeemer.

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