Welcome to the web presence of the community of The Church of Our Saviour in the beautiful White Mountains of Arizona -- practicing God’s graciousness!

Our faith and ministries are firmly rooted in the summary of the commandments that Jesus shares with us in Scripture: to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and all our souls, and with all our minds; and to love one another as ourselves. As continuing stewards of Christ’s work in and to the world, we have found many ways to practice God’s graciousness in our own community, the wider community and the world. Our diversity as a congregation of Episcopalians (ECUSA, Diocese of Arizona), and Lutherans (ELCA, Grand Canyon Synod), enriches us all.

As the new (as of June 1, 2008) rector and pastor of this community, it is my pleasure and privilege to invite you to visit us. You will find a welcoming community of faithful servants of God’s love journeying together and learning together. Come, see and experience the work of our Living God in this place!

Until we can meet in person, God’s blessing and peace be with you.

Susan+

From Our Pastor...

Thy Word… ♫

This morning I found myself humming the contemporary Christian song that begins with the words, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” The song is based on Psalm 119:105 and it has a very catchy tune!

The Book of Psalms, comprised of one hundred and fifty psalms is divided into five books or sections. It is a fascinating look at the individual and community lives and worship of the Israelites, and their deep and abiding relationship with God. Individual psalms cover a variety of functions from poetic hymns for festival occasions; to laments, both personal and corporate; to songs of thanksgiving; to the royal psalms centering on ceremonies for the anointed king; as well as Wisdom psalms that in this literary tradition provide instruction on piety.

Think about your own life both individually, and as a member of The Church of Our Saviour. What would your own book of psalms look like? What would our community book of psalms say about our dependence on God, our spiritual lives, and our worship together?

Like any good book, Psalms 1 and 2 provide the introduction and set the theme for the whole story that is developed throughout the Psalter, culminating in Psalm 150 with a beautiful song of praise to our Lord God. Mirroring the five books of the Hebrew Scriptures or Pentateuch, the five books of the Psalter provide an extended guided meditation on living life according to Torah. The Psalms also constantly remind us of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness, draw us into a deeper relationship with God, and invite us to offer to God a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Other themes include a focus on particular people or events that are significant in the history of God’s people including King David and the Babylonian exile.

In the Episcopal and Lutheran traditions, the Psalms are an integral part our daily, weekly and seasonal worship. We read a psalm at Morning Prayer, and each Sunday as part of the liturgy of the Word. The Psalms cover every aspect of human life: pain and sorrow, love and joy, exuberance and thankfulness. There are psalms that reflect deep anger and frustration, and call for God’s justice against our enemies. There are also psalms of sincere repentance, begging for God’s forgiveness. The Psalms then are like a daily guidebook of real life. They tell us how much God desires us to remember His steadfast love and faithfulness. Jesus Himself prayed aloud the words of Psalm 22 as He suffered and died on that scandalous cross for the life of the world.

Your own book of psalms will undoubtedly include prayers and poems about significant people and events in your life as well. What about your first love, or the joy of welcoming a new family member, or the grief of saying goodbye? What about the day you were married, or committed yourself to your life partner? How about the best or worst boss you ever had? No part of our life together or our personal life experiences are too small or too big to be brought before God in a prayer or poem!

Let the Psalms become our own lament when we have no words in the darkest times of our lives. Let the Psalms be our own songs of praise and thanksgiving when our souls are bursting with joy. Most of all, let the Psalms remind each one of us that at all times, and in all things, we are God’s beloved children, and God cares intimately about every facet of our lives.

Peace and blessings,
Susan+