August 16, 2020

Visit: www.stjoan.com 4537 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55419 612.823.8205 Fax: 612.825.7028

Pastor’s 2 Cents From: Fr. Jim DeBruycker Emo Philips, the eccentric comedian, had a monologue about religious differences. In the monologue he meets a man about to commit sui-cide by jumping off a bridge. He tries to talk the man out of jumping and as they talk he finds they are both Baptists. Over the years, the Bap-tist Church has split into numerous conventions and associations. Amazingly, and after much grilling, he finds the man is still part of his Bap-tist sect. He asks the final question, “Which convention —1921 or 1922?” With the answer of “1922,” he replied, “Jump you heathen!” It is said that if you want to know about a certain denomination or faith group, you can learn more about it by whom they exclude than you can by its dogma. After 2000 years of war among Christian believers , the nagging question is: Has Christianity done more good than harm in the world? If you want to have a good time with this question, watch or read anything by atheist humanist, Christopher Hitchens, who made his living by railing against religion and God. I disagree with his conclusions but if you want to watch your favorite religious demagogue cut down to size, Hitchens debates are instructive and entertaining. Today’s Gospel is an example of that exclusionary point of view of the religious zealot. A woman who is not a Jew, (and not even one of those terrible Samaritans!) is probably a pagan and asks for healing for her child. Mirroring what his disciples expect of him, Jesus turns her away saying that as Messiah he has come only for the Jews. With the desperation only a mother with a sick child can have, she accepts hu-miliation from Jesus but challenges him with imagery we still see and use today. Would you treat a dog like this? Of course, how can Jesus not accede to her wishes with such despair like this and in turn, such hope like this? With this one story, Matthew upset the apple cart of religion. Abraham, the traditional patriarch of three great religions , was never circum-cised and as Paul will tell us, the disciples forgot the ultimate circumcision, faith. it was Abraham’s faith that established the first great cove-nant with God. Paul continued to preach that Jesus came originally for the Jews, which the disciples all were, but ultimately, all were invited who had faith and wished to belong. Paul and today’s Gospel story blew open membership and answered the question: Who belongs? Basically , the answer is: anyone who be-lieves and acts on the word of God. Curiously, as we read in today’s reading from Isaiah, For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples…. this is not necessarily a new idea.

No Gathering for Masses planned at this time. The same applies to all meetings or gatherings.

Parish Center will be open 9:00am - 3:00pm Monday thru Friday

49 Days Until Imagination Cabaret 2020: Mark your calendars! and join us on Saturday, October 3 at 7pm for: • A FREE, 90-Minute Live concert broadcast on Stjoan.com • Our 26th Annual SJA Concert Fundraiser - Your contributions make a difference to our 90 programs throughout the SJA community, city, country and world. • Featuring over 20 performances from Twin Cities musical luminaries • You can also buy a chance to win a Maui vacation or cash prizes! • Find details on the SJA website (www.stjoan.com) and our Facebook page Help Parishioners In Need! If you are able to help members in our community with things like picking up & delivering groceries please contact Sherri Stella at 612.823.8205 ext. 231 or sstella@stjoan.com.

Scripture Readings:

Sun, Aug. 16: Isa 56:1, 6-7; Rom 11:13-15, 29-32; Matt 15:21-28 Mon, Aug. 17: Ezekiel 24:15-24; Matthew 19:16-22 Tue, Aug. 18: Ezekiel 28:1-10; Matthew 19:23-30 Wed, Aug. 19: Ezekiel 34:1-11; Matthew 20:1-16 Thu, Aug. 20: Ezekiel 36:23-28; Matthew 22:1-14 Fri, Aug. 21: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Matthew 22:34-40 Sat, Aug. 22: Ezekiel 43:1-7ab; Matthew 23:1-12 Sun, Aug. 23: Isaiah 22:19-23; Romans 11:33-36; Matt 16:13-20

Arlene Alexson, Ann Allen, Carol Anderson, Molly McLaughlin Antila, Dennis Barta, Dave Benson, Phyllis Berninger, Elaine Boehm, Marcia Boehnlein, Patty Brennan, the Brown family, Lorraine Bryant, Stacy Budd, Jonathan Bulthuis, Pam Burd, Josefina Cahuex, David Carroll, Bob Corrick,

Barbara Cracraft, Culver family, Judy Dean, Larry Dease, Jim DeBruycker, Colleen Dooley, Rosemary Drees, Ava Dunlay, Kathie DuRocher, Henry F, Bridgit & Paul Fiore, Carol Fourre, John & Margaret Frees, Michelle Fries, Kate Gilbert, Heidi Gregorich, Ron Guillfoile, Barbara Hager-Olsen,

Mary Hale-Haniff, Claire Hayes, Isaiah Henry, Brad Hinker, Jim Hinton, Megan Hoffman, Jan Horner, Kathy Horner, Kathy Itzin, Tom Jay, Jean E, John, Annie Kack, Glen Kelley, Chuck Kennedy, Paul Kennedy, John Kingston, Sage Kirscht, Theresa Knaus, Steve Kremer, Abby L., Helen LaFavor,

Amy Lainus, Melva Larson, Bobby Lindholm, Margaret Lulic, Chantilly Lynch, Dawn McCelland, Kate Meyer, Bob Miller, Rita Miller, Tom Moore, Bev Moran, Paige More, Royce Morrissette, Jack Muelken, Ted Mueller, Nate, Rita Nelson, Craig Nordby, Arla Olive, Dick Olson, Paul Olvera, Mike O’Rourke, Colette Ott, Charmaine Owens, Jacques Parent, Pam Paul, Alice Pirola, Pat Radecki, Graham & Nancy Rattray, Carol Reiland,

Jack Riebel, Jean Rieck, Gina Romani, Donald & Susan Roufs, Dorothy Rowe, Pat Russell, Sri, Shasa Satrin, Ottavio Savina, Don Schafer, Dale Schmidkee, Carter Schmidt, Phil Schmidt, Colleen Schroeder, Pam Schulstad, Betty Scully, Gary Sheppard, Sam Slagerman, Harold Sonnek,

Joan Speltz,,Ross Spriggs, Doug Stahlke, Vivian Steblay, Carson Stier, Nancy Stockhaus, Rick Streng, Joleen Strosahl, Beth Swanson, Grayson Taylor, Matthew Tennant, Dennis Thurmond, Troy, Glo Tonskemper, Arturo Torres, Al Traynham, Linda Underhill, Jesus Uz Tiu, Carin Vagle, Leroy Vague, Dave Velasco, Floyd Ward, Pam Washington, Marlys Weber, Mary White, Jerry Wohnoutka, Jim Wolfe, Morley Woodruff, Michele Wylie,

Mike Wyman, Denise Wyttenbach, Sarah Yoder, Curt Youngren, Dave Youngren, Annemaire & Ava Zubrzycki, Bridget Zvirin

Prayer Corner Requests: To keep prayer requests current, names will be included in the bulletin for four weeks and then removed. To add a name or to renew your request, please call the Parish Center at 612.823.8205.

Prayer Corner: Please remember in your prayers those who are in need of healing:

Our Liturgies from April through today’s will be available through the St. Joan of Arc website. Celebrate virtually with Fr. DeBruycker , Fr. Cassidy and the SJA community. Watch online at www.stjoan.com.

Family liturgies are taking a brief hiatus before launching again on September 6th, when we start off our Fall together!

Summary of contributions for the week and fiscal year. Includes plate, envelopes and estimated Sustaining Member payments.

Week of August 3 - August 9, 2020 Actual $37,071 Budget $27,467 Prior Year Actual $28,866

Year to Date (August 3 – August 9, 2020) Actual $166,249 Budget $192,266 Prior Year Actual $233,901

THANK YOU for your continued generosity!!

LGBTQ+ Book Club in the Great Outdoors! All are welcome to join the discussion on Wednesday, August 26, 1 - 2:30pm of A History of My Brief Body, by Billy-Ray Belcourt. This is a collection of brave, raw essays on grief and joy, colonial violence and queerness by a person from the Driftpile Cree Nation. We'll meet at Como Park West Picnic Shelter. Bring a lawn chair, lunch and beverage. Food Shelf Donations Are Needed: We will continue to accept

non-perishable food items, which can be dropped off Monday thru Friday, 9am - 3pm, in the bins in the Parish Center entry. Your food offerings are donated to the Foodshelf at Sabathani Community Center and they have also indicated a need for laundry detergent

and body soap. Thank you for your willingness to help those in need.

SJA Antiracism Ministry: Our SJA community is committed to learning together, confronting our own racism as well as the racism of our church and other institutions, and working together for racial justice. We continue our discussions and hope you will join us:

• Community Safety: On Sunday, August 23, 11am - 1pm, we envision and explore new models of community safety, including divesting from and even abolishing the current model of policing. Registration link to come.

Emergency Arts Boxes is asking families to create boxes filled with new, packaged, unopened art supplies that will be distributed to people devastated by the killing of George Floyd. Please drop off your box at SJA Monday - Friday, 9am - 3pm. FFI contact Gabrielle at gdane@stjoan.com or visit https://emergencyarts.net. Mobile Loaves Twin Cities needs toiletry size soap, shampoo and lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes and lightweight socks. Please place your donations in the collection hamper in the Parish Center.( M-F 9-3) FFI contact info@mobileloavestc.com.

Sister Parish News: COVID-19 has had a devastating impact in Guatemala, including in our Sister Parish in Tierra Nueva Dos. We were scheduled to have a delegation from SJA in TNII at this time. Instead, we have been maintaining contact online (many of us have prayer partners or pen pals in Guatemala, and it's in-credible how sustaining these prayers and connections have been), and we have sent financial support for medical supplies and food outreach to the community. We are mourning the pass-ing of several brothers and sisters in TNII, and we ask you to keep our beloved family in your prayers. Faithful Citizenship: ISAIAH is a coalition of faith communities and other organizations committed to economic and racial jus-tice, and SJA is a proud member. We will be engaging voters in conversations about our shared values, and our commitment to living those out in our public life. Join us! Contact Julie Madden for more info.

SJA Responds to Housing Cri-sis: Affordable housing is already scarce, and when eviction protections are lifted (making current and back rent due), we know that countless families and individuals will face be-coming homeless. SJA is responding:

• We are proud to partner with Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative as they develop beautiful, affordable housing. Together we just celebrated the launch of Emerson Village, in North Minneapolis. Your advocacy will help bring this project to fruition - contact Julie Madden for info.

• Our CARE Committee is very happy to resume our meet-ings with individuals in need of emergency financial assis-tance for housing and utilities. The SJA Outreach Fund Board has approved temporarily doubling the budget of the CARE Committee, and we will help as many households as we possibly can. Our thanks to the Outreach Fund donors who make this response possible.

Prayer During Times of COVID-19

In this time of COVID-19, we pray:

When we aren’t sure, God, help us be calm;

when information comes from all sides, correct and not,

help us to discern; when fear makes it hard to breathe,

and anxiety seems to be the order of the day, slow us down, God;

help us to reach out with our hearts, when we can’t touch with our hands;

help us to be socially connected, when we have to be socially distant;

help us to love as perfectly as we can, knowing that “perfect love casts out all fear.”

for the doctors, we pray, for the nurses we pray,

for the technicians and the janitors and the aides and the caregivers, we pray, for the researchers and theorists,

the epidemiologists and investigators, for those who are sick,

and those who are grieving, we pray, for all who are affected, all around the world …

we pray for safety, for health,

for wholeness. May we feed the hungry,

give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked and house those without homes;

may we walk with those who feel they are alone, and may we do all that we can to heal

the sick - in spite of the fear. Help us, O God,

that we might help each other. in the name of the Creator, in the name of the Healer,

in the life of the Holy Spirit that is in all and with all, We pray.

May it be so.

-Rev. Richard Botts