Jerry Brooks's Blog - Episcopalians in Marlboro

"Deep down inside, we know that death is not the end." All Saints Day, November 1, 2009

"For we, too, one day must die. (Some of us sooner than others.) It’s a fact of life. But we have already seen a light, a light at the end of a tunnel. We have already felt a warmth, felt a warmth that we are drawn to. We do not need to fear death. As a people of faith, what we do know, deep down inside, is that death is not the end. This is what… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on November 4, 2009 at 3:30pm — No Comments

A visit from a missionary to our Carpenter's Kids October 25th

Robin Newman, a part-time missionary from the Diocese of New York to churches in the Anglican Diocese of Central Tanganyika, visited our congregation to tell about her experiences meeting and working with the boys and girls that we support, members of the parishes we're connected to, and the leadership in the program. As a slide presentation ran in the background, she addressed the congregation. She also brought souvenir gifts to show, particularly to our boys and girls. Her sermon is available… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on November 3, 2009 at 10:30pm — No Comments

"Modern Family, Modern Church": ThisWeeksSermon October 18th

“…Dylan needs no apology. What Dylan says is this: “This is so beautiful, he says, because in this family, DeDe is trying to reach out and hang on to something awesome. We don’t talk to each other in my family.” What Dylan sees in Haley, his new girlfriend, is what he calls “a killer confidence.” “It’s the kin… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on November 3, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

"Rich beyond all dreams"—The 19th Sunday After Pentecost, Oct. 11

"Floating at the center of the Universe? Experiencing the realm of God? I don’t know. But being in The Light was like coming home. Being in The Light was like finding my Self, and finding my Self rich beyond all dreams. Nothing else mattered.”… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on November 3, 2009 at 10:00am — No Comments

"They teach us how to live"—Blessing of the animals on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Oct. 4th

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * “If those two thoughts hold any truth, then you can say that our animal companions already know heaven, for it’s where they live now, already living in the pure presence of the moment, in the pure presence of God.” * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * " “When you stroke a cat, when you listen to the waves on the beach, when you pla… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on October 6, 2009 at 10:27am — 1 Comment

“You don’t have to be wrong for me to be right.” : September 30th sermon

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * “Jesus didn't care much at all about organized religion. He never had a temple with an office of his own. He never regularly attended temple, nor is there any evidence that he even tithed. He went to where people were— where they needed to be healed and cured. He didn't ask people to come to him in order to be healed. He was an unrepentant unapologetic revisionist.” * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * “What happened to that spark of inclusiveness, those… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on October 6, 2009 at 9:30am — No Comments

Karen Enamorado made a "movie" at last night's vestry meeting (she has a new iPhone)

Take a look! click here Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on September 29, 2009 at 10:30am — No Comments

A day in the life of Amelia—and Rob and me

Enroute from San Francisco to New York at the moment. Yesteryday, Rob and I spent the WHOLE day with Amelia. After breakfast, we set off for Alameda. It's just across a bridge from where she lives. Thought she'd be happy to ride in her stroller, but nothing doing. She would have nothing to do with a stroller. Grandpa (me) carried her. More than 24 hours later I'm feeling it in my biceps. We walked across the bridge to Alameda, then on down Park Street (the main drag). Spent a couple of hours at… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on September 16, 2009 at 6:16pm — No Comments

ThisWeeksSermon: Your Children are NOT your children

“…in many churches, pouring water over the head of an infant suggests a rite of brainwashing. Families have to jump through hoops. They have to say they believe all sorts of unbelievable things. And then they have to agree that the baby will also believe those things… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on September 8, 2009 at 3:30pm — 2 Comments

News and photos from our Carpenter's Kids in Huzi…

Received the following eMail, with photos attached, from our Carpenter's Kids: Dear friends at Christ Church, Marlboro On June 13th, the second distribution of school uniforms, shoes, and school supplies took place at your link parish of Huzi. The children were all delighted to receive their new uniforms, and the parish sends their thanks to you for your continued support of the program. The Carpenter's Kids program in Huzi continues to progress without any problems, and they are grateful for… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on September 3, 2009 at 10:01am — No Comments

"Jeans, a tee-shirt, and a generous heart": 12th Sunday After Pentecost, August 23, 2009

"Many people claim to have “outgrown” the God of their youth. But usually what that means is that they’ve outgrown a personification of a bad experience they had with a certain type of religion, or with a certain type of religious person. It might have been a parent who used religion as a weapon, a preacher who harangued the congregation with guilt. It might have been a simplistic world view that no longer works, an uncritical view of the Bible, an unrealistic view of the church. It might hav… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on August 29, 2009 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Will diocesan funding of Christ Church continue after 2010?: A discussion with members of the CSP Committee

Two members of the diocesan Congregational Support Plan Committee visited with the vestry and me Tuesday, Aug. 18. Our financial situation was explained this way: the majority of diocesan income comes from a handful of large parishes in Manhattan. These are the places heavily invested i… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on August 22, 2009 at 9:00pm — No Comments

"A connection with the All That Is Not Me"—ThisWeeksSermon August 9th, 10th Sunday After Pentecost

"What a mess that church must’ve been in! A congregation of lying, angry, foul-mouthed, slanderous thieves. 'No more lies,' Paul tells them. 'No more pretense, no more stealing, no more swearing, no more backbiting.' Tell the truth. Get an honest job. Be gentle with one another, be sensitive. How would you like being a member of that congregation? Wouldn’t be pretty, would it! It’s just the opposite of the way we are here. Women, and men, and children, paying attention to the God we see in th… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on August 10, 2009 at 12:25pm — No Comments

Homile (eulogy) for Robert Alfred Borchert Sr., December 19, 1929-July 31, 2009

I want to share my thoughts about the last days of Bob Borchert. If you were at the requiem mass, you've heard them. The family photo gallery If you were at the viewing…… yesterday afternoon… you saw an amazing display…… of photographs bearing witness…… to the life of Bob Borchert. It was… however… just a sampling…… of the enormous gallery…… of photographs and mementos…… on display in the family home. Framed photographs on every wall… framed photos standing up…… on every flat surface… a story… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on August 5, 2009 at 4:02pm — No Comments

"Any Dream Will Do" ThisWeeksSermon from The Episcopal Church in Marlboro August 2, 2009

"He considers it an honor when a thoughtful person has the integrity to tell him that she or he does not believe in God. Instead of taking the statement at face value and dismissing the person, he often responds by asking for a description of the God hat the person doesn’t believe in. When he listens to their stories, each of them unique, it’s not long before he finds himself saying, 'You know what? I don’t believe in that God either!' It’s at that moment, he says, hat the mystery of life can… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on August 5, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

ThisWeeksSermon "Truth in the Poetry" Sunday July 26 Eighty Sunday After Pentecost

May I speak only the truth, and may only the truth be heard by you, in the name of God our Creator, our redeemer, and our sanctifier. "On the other hand, if we treat the biblical myth as history, we end up with either distortion or absurdity. Voltaire, writing in the 18th century, said this: 'Those who believe absurdities end up committing atrocities.' " Streaming audio version available. Click here… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on August 4, 2009 at 8:00pm — No Comments

ThisWeeksSermon: "Go with the word 'all" and really mean ALL" July 19, 2009

7th Sunday After Pentecost, July 19, 2009 (Sorry, no audio. I was hoping you might hear the applause at the conclusion of the sermon. If you weren't there, you wouldn't know that I was the one who started the applause. It wasn't spontaneous! Oh well. Try to imagine spontaneous applause.) The 76th annual General Convention of The Episcopal Church came to a close two days ago. It opened a week ago Wednesday, and it closed on Friday. Ten days of legislation, conversation, and negotiation. Ten day… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on July 20, 2009 at 5:00pm — No Comments

ThisWeeksNews

The feeling was quite good this morning! Service went well. I asked for applause at the conclusion of the sermon—AND I GOT IT! (I'll post it separately.) We're missing organist Reneé Borchert, but made the best of it this morning with some recorded accompaniment for a processional… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on July 19, 2009 at 8:31pm — No Comments

Three video clips from our vacation (courtesy of José)

This first one was on the day we entertained our extended family. Invited everyone to the rental house. CLICK HERE.

… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on July 15, 2009 at 1:30pm — No Comments

A couple of photos from my vacation in the Pacific Northwest

We rented a house on Hood Canal, a long, narrow stretc… Continue

Added by Jerry Brooks on July 15, 2009 at 12:30pm — 3 Comments

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