Advent, 2005
Come, O Father's saving Son,
who o'er sin the victory won.
Boundless shall your kingdom be;
grant that we its glories see.Martin Luther, after Ambrose of Milan, Hymn 54 in The Hymnal 1982
Our God is an awesome God. Advent reminds us to prepare for the celebration of the coming of Christ in history, at Christmas. But Advent also witnesses to our confidence that Christ will come again at the end of history. I find that the powerful words of Luther and Ambrose, set to a stirring 16th-century tune, give a sense of the awe and majesty that is justly do to our Sovereign and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As verse four reminds us, the victory over sin has been won. The reign of Christ has already begun. One day he will come again in glory and that reign will be boundless. Meanwhile, let it be our boundless joy to labor in the things of the Kingdom, so that our Lord, "at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself" (Collect for 4 Advent, page 212, in the BCP).
Ordinations,
Receptions, and Celebrations
Advent is a great season of hope and expectation. Over
the past month, I had the privilege and delight to preside
at several new beginnings in ministry, 
filled
with hope and expectation that God is working in our Diocese
to make New Jersey new.
Jane Brady was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church at St. John-on-the-Mountain, Bernardsville. Her Rector, the Rev. Matthew Engleby, was the preacher. Jane will continue in ministry on the staff of St. John's Church and, God willing, be ordained a Priest in July.
Valerie
Balling was ordained a Priest at St.
Peter's, Medford, at which the Rev. Joan Anders
preached (and sang!) the sermon. Valerie
is the Vicar of St. Stephen's, Mullica Hill.
I received my first (and, please God, my last)
New Jersey Devil t-shirt.
Fred
Guyott was instituted as the Rector of
St. John's, Salem. The Rev. Canon Lloyd Casson,
of SS. Andrew and Matthias, Wilmington, Delaware,
was our preacher. 
The
Liturgy began with an official proclamation read
in 18th century fashion, complete with
a bell-ringing entrance, by the official Town
Crier of Salem.
Paul Rimassa was received as a priest into the fellowship of the Episcopal Church at a Eucharist at Trinity, Princeton, at which the Rev. Canon Charles Cesaretti preached.
Petrina
Pyatt was instituted as Rector of Our
Merciful Savior, Penns Grove, on the same day
as the Salem Celebration (a great day for the
Woodbury Convocation!) Our
preacher was the Rev. Allen S.W. George of St.
Andrew's, in the Bronx.
Speaking
of hope
In late November, the Major Chapter of Trinity
Cathedral met and reviewed the final draft of the
Profile of the Cathedral, in preparation for a search process
leading, with God's help, to the call to a new Dean to succeed
Dean Diane Nancekivell, following her retirement next summer.
Please, of your goodness, pray for the Search Committee and
all who offer themselves for consideration for the position
of Dean.
And
still more hope, for new life, new mission, New Jersey:
it was wonderful to attend the first gathering of the Steering
Committee of the Visioning Process for our Diocese, on
St. Andrew's Day. The Committee is led by Co-Chairs Annette
Buchanan (St. Augustine's, Asbury Park) and the Rev.
Philip Carr-Jones (The Church of the Holy Spirit, Lebanon).
Please pray for the Committee as they formally begin
their work, led by the Rev. Rob Voyle, of the Clergy
Leadership Institute, over a weekend retreat from January
20th to 22nd.
Advent
retreats
Early
in Advent, I was happy to lead an overnight retreat for Episcopal
Church Women of our Diocese at the Retreat House at
the Convent of the Community of St. John Baptist, in
Mendham. It was heartening to see so many women keeping
this solemn and holy season, asking for grace to make their
lives "a mansion prepared" for our Lord.
As has been my custom, I took time for a personal retreat during Advent, again traveling to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I stayed at the Monastery of the Society of St. John the Evangelist. I was blessed to be directed in this private retreat by Brother Curtis Almquist, SSJE. It was a week of refreshment and renewal in prayer, worship, and rest.
The John 10:10 Tour, continued…
St.
Elizabeth's, Elizabeth Worship at
St. Elizabeth's on the Second Sunday of Advent
was glorious. 
The
Rev. Barton Brown, Rector, and the Rev. Peter
Nelson assisted me on a snowy morning. The music
(including brass and tympani) was splendid, led
by a wonderful organist/choirmaster and choir.
It was great to see a large number of Confirmations
and Receptions. All was offered to the glory
of God, in the beauty of holiness. Congratulations
to Barton Brown, on the 45th anniversary
of his ordination to the Priesthood.
St.
Mary's, Keyport On that same snowy day,
I made my first visit to this small yet vibrant
congregation. It was disconcerting to discover
that I had left my miter at St. Elizabeth's.
Something like that was inevitable, I guess.
But the congregation was gracious about this
"wardrobe malfunction." I was delighted to see
the faith, energy and affection that the Rev.
Gina Walsh-Minor, Vicar, and this congregation
(together with St. Clement's, Belford, with which
they are yoked) have for each other. We celebrated
a beautiful Liturgy. The church was filled, as
was the parish hall, for the banquet that followed.
They laughed when I finally found a hat to wear:
my Jersey Episcopalian baseball cap. 
St.
Mary's, my hat is off to you!
St. John the Evangelist, Chews Landing On the Third Sunday of Advent, it was a joy to make my first Visitation to this parish in South Jersey, so faithfully served and cared for by the Rev. Dan Hinkle, Interim. The church was completely filled and the Liturgy and music were beautiful. We had a great luncheon following the Eucharist. I am so grateful for the faithful people and leaders of this parish, now searching for a new Rector. I was impressed by the many families and young children present. I also rejoiced to see the numbers of children rehearsing for their Christmas pageant.
In the several hours that I had between visits to Chews Landing and to Bellmawr, I was glad to have time for a walk (even on a frigid afternoon) around the Red Bank Battlefield and to learn a bit more about the history of New Jersey's role in the Revolutionary War. Besides all that, after this day I can now say that I've been to Belmar and to Bellmawr; to Red Bank and to Red Bank, New Jersey.
The
Church of the Holy Spirit, Bellmawr This
church was jammed full for a great Celebration,
with lots of Confirmations, Receptions and Reaffirmations,
as well as the installation of a local chapter
of the Daughters of the King. 
The
Rev. Mantelle Bradley, Vicar of Bellmawr and
of St. Luke's, Westville, together with the Rev.
Rick Civalier, Rector of Ascension, Gloucester
City, and the Rev. Barbara Harris, all presented
Candidates from all three congregations. A joint
choir sang their hearts out, in praise and thanksgiving
to our awesome God. I gave thanks that, while
TEAM — a shared ministry among these churches — was
officially drawing to a close, it served effectively
for nine years. May it continue to provide inspiration
for other churches in our Diocese to realign
their resources for shared ministry and renewed
mission. Amen.
Christ
Church, Riverton On December 16th,
this parish celebrated the 150th anniversary
of its founding. In
a radiant Liturgy, with wonderful music, it was
my privilege to celebrate and preach as well
as confirm a wonderful class of young people,
who sang a lively song, based on John 3:16, accompanied
by guitar, bass and bongos. The Rev. Alan Salmon,
Rector of Christ Church from 1970-2003, was present
and participated, at the invitation of the Rev.
Richard Wrede, Rector. A joyous and forward-looking
celebration. God is not finished with us yet!
Our
Lord is not finished with us
Pray
with me that we remain open and available to be used for
God's purpose in New Jersey and beyond, in the world that
God so loves. Advent reminds us that, while Christ came at
Christmas and Christ will come again, Christ comes to us
today in the reality of our lives and in the lives of those
around us.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and theologian who was martyred by the Nazis on April 8, 1945, once wrote about Jesus' parable of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46):
… Jesus stands at the door and knocks, in complete reality. He asks for your help in the form of a beggar, in the form of a ruined human being in torn clothing. He confronts you in every person you meet. Christ walks on earth as your neighbor as long as there are people. He walks on earth as the one through whom God calls you, speaks to you and makes his demands. That is the greatest seriousness and the greatest blessedness of the Advent message. Christ stands at the door. He lives in the form of the person in our midst. Will you keep that door locked or open it to him?
Christ is still knocking. It is not yet Christmas. But it is also not the great final Advent, the final coming of Christ. Through all the Advents of our life that we celebrate goes the longing for the final Advent, where it says: "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:5). Advent is a time of waiting. Our whole life, however, is Advent — that is, a time of waiting for the ultimate, for the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, when all people are brothers and sisters and one rejoices in the words of the angels: "On earth peace to those on whom God's favor rests." Learn to wait, because he has promised to come. "I stand at the door…" We however call to him: "Yes, come soon, Lord Jesus!" Amen.
Books recently read or underway
- If Grace Is So Amazing, Why Don't We Like It? by Donald McCullough
- Nicholas: The Epic Journey from Saint to Santa Claus, by Jeremy Seal
- All We Know of Heaven: A Novel, by Remy Rougeau
- The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers, by Amy Hollingsworth
- Praying for Gil Hodges, by Thomas Oliphant
- Glory Descending: Michael Ramsey and His Writings, by Douglas Dales, John Habgood, Geoffrey Rowell and Rowan Williams
Happy to be listening to
- Try! By the John Mayer Trio
In the Year of our Lord 2006, let's try to see Christ more clearly, try to love Christ more dearly and try to follow Christ more nearly, that, when he comes again, he may find in us a mansion prepared for himself.
Right Onward! ¡Ya adelante!
Your
brother in Christ,
+George
The
Right Reverend George Edward Councell
XI Bishop of New Jersey