Couldn’t help but think of the CEO’s of the big 3 automakers, jostling their way into the halls of congress…

Like rams butting others out of the way, jostling with flank and shoulder

Problem was, they were a little late – seeing as how the other Alpha-Males had already come to and gone from the Federal trough.

Wouldn’t surprise me if down the road, as the corporate down-sizing continues, that those at the top will congratulate themselves for reducing operating costs, jostling aside those who would otherwise be employed.  And then reward themselves with big, fat bonuses.

And I think of Alan Greenspan’s testimony before congress, claiming he didn’t think a lot of regulating was necessary, because he didn’t think bank CEOs would be so greedy as to damage the companies they headed. 

But the mentality of thinking – I’ve got mine – and what happens after that doesn’t matter –

Well – according to Ezekiel – God’ fed up with that kind of behavior

As for the fat sheep – they’re done – that’s it –

The pork barrel’s sprung a leak – and now all there is – is one big mess to clean up.

But before I wander any further astray – let me point out that Jesus is even more demanding than Ezekiel –

Ezekiel blasts the powerful, who do damage to the weak.  Jesus says it’s just as bad to ignore them – to do nothing.

I think that for us – this is more to the point. 

Not many of us here are powerful enough to butt others out of our way, or to make decisions which affect the lives of more than a few.  But all of us can look the other way, can pretend someone doesn’t exist, can dismiss people.  Everybody here is powerful enough to do NOTHING.

And then the king will answer them and say:

You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.

And they will say:

`Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?

And he might well say: I was standing in line yesterday morning waiting for my turkey.  I’ll be sleeping in my car tonight.  I tried to get some gas money so a friend could drive me to a shelter in Warrenton – I’m trying to keep my family together, even though the power’s about to be turned off. 

I’m not saying Christ was in any one of those people I met yesterday – but I’m also not saying he wasn’t.  I don’t know – any more than the sheep or the goats in this am’s gospel knew. 

Knowing wasn’t the point – serving the least of the brethren was.

Which brings me a yet another practical application of today’s Gospel.

A new need arising
More and more people asking for help
Not enough money to keep the power on
I could easily give away $1000 a week – and it still might not be enough
Don’t have it, either.

But I thought to myself – I do have buildings that need to be heated
Why can’t they have people in them?

Wrote a letter to the min assn about that

Chad Whaley
Called my bluff

Here’s how it works
 20 cots, blankets & pillows
 Supper, entertainment, sleep
 Breakfast, dismissal

Need volunteers – sign up sheet available

Figure we can do that 1 or 2 weeks a year
Take our turn as one of the congregations in the Church of Culpeper
Nov 30th – Dec 7th

Who knows, maybe Jesus will be walking among them.
We might even be letting him into our church.
Giving him a room in the inn, some food to eat, water to drink.
In return, the water that never runs dry, the bread of life, and an eternal habitation.

Blessings for UNCOMMON compassion!

Rev. Michael Gray

The Culpeper Food Closet has been a mission of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church since 1984. It actually began in a closet where we stored a few items to be given out to folks in need. It grew to fill a Sunday School room, then a meeting room, and finally, in 2005, the church built a new building directly behind the original church and the entire bottom floor is now the Food Closet. Parking is accessed from Commerce Street.

From those humble beginnings the Culpeper Food Closet has grown to an organization that in 2007 has over 80 volunteers and provides food, on an average, to around 100 families each week. We are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and provide food, household supplies, and personal care products to families and individuals with referrals from Social Services.  Clients wanting to receive food must have a voucher from Social Services only.  During 2007 we provided 106,000 meals and have provided half a million meals since 1999!

While St. Stephen’s Church provides the housing, the equipment, the management, and many of the volunteers, the food and other items we provide come from community-wide donations. Our own parishioners and those of many other churches in Culpeper and nearby areas bring food collected at weekly services.  We see daily donations of food and other products donated by local businesses or brought in by individuals. Schools, churches, clubs, and service organizations often run food drives or sponsor fund-raisers, so that we can purchase items not donated in sufficient amounts to meet the growing need for help. (We are currently seeing about a 38% growth in the number of requests for help each year.) Because of strong community support we have been able to meet the need for help without any government funding.

Each year, in addition to the daily operation, we provide a Thanksgiving turkey and the other traditional foods so that needy families can cook a nice Thanksgiving dinner. In 2007 that meant filling boxes for 627 families. This project is strongly supported by the community, and volunteers come in great numbers to help with the work.

If you are interested in becoming a food-giver volunteer, we use volunteers in two-hour shifts, with two daily shifts from Monday through Friday. We can always use volunteers who could be substitutes for regularly-scheduled volunteers who are ill or away. Currently we need some volunteers for Monday and Friday slots. For more information please call the Food Closet at 825-1177 and leave a message. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Food donations can be brought to the Food Closet between 10 and 2, weekdays. If you are making a monetary donation, please make the check to “The Culpeper Food Closet” and bring it to the church office on the second floor of the new building or mail it to:

The Culpeper Food Closet
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
115 North East Street
Culpeper, VA 22701
540-825-1177