St. Aidan's Anglican Church, Kansas City - weekly talks

Jesus washes his disciple's feet. Cyril of Alexandria (375-444) reflects,

What could be stranger than this?

What more awesome?

He who is clothed with light as with a garment,

is now girded with a towel.

He who binds up the waters in His clouds who sealed the abyss by His fearful Name, is now bound with a girdle.

He who gathers together the waters of the sea as in a vessel

now pours water into a basin.

He who covers the tops of the heavens with water

washes in water the feet of His disciples.

He who has weighed the heavens with His palm and the earth with three fingers now wipes with undefiled palms the soles of His servants’ feet.

He before whom every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth now kneels before His servants.

Cyril of Alexandria (375-444)

What he does outwardly, in washing dirty feet, in stooping down to be the lowest servant to his disciples, symbolizes the effectual grace we receive in baptism and Eucharist … through baptism, we are cleansed from the death blow of our sins, receive the Holy Spirit, communion with is God restored; and through the Eucharist, eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ, we are strengthened and sustained for the journey of faith. This is what tonight’s all about. Washing our feet to live in the Father’s house.

He’s expressing, in exemplary, outward form, what he’s come to do inwardly … in his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Christ became fully human to travel inside human reality, the very inward being of our nature and restore us from the inside. In his ascension, he sends the Holy Spirit to finish the mission dei … the mission of God, to build his Church, the new Temple of God’s “made holy” people.

It is to wash the human person … to create in us a clean heart, a cleansed heart, in order to enjoy his presence. To live dwell in the house of Lord forever.

We explore what it means, as a community, to be in union with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit, working out to covenant relationships within Christ's Body, the Church.

This third in the series considers the Missio Dei, the mission of God, in the community of St. Aidan's.

Scott Laumann, iconographer (Fr. Collins, CO).

Evan Howard leads a half-day workshop on Spiritual Formation in Community. Too often, spiritual formation is relegated to individualism and solely a one-to-one relationship with God. These talks explore how formation is forged in the context of intentional relationships.

Evan B. Howard, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Spirituality Shoppe, a Center for the Study of Christian Spirituality. He is affiliate associate professor of Christian Spirituality at Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches at other institutions. He is the author of The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality and leads workshops and seminars on Christian Spirituality worldwide.

Evan Howard leads a half-day workshop on Spiritual Formation in Community. Too often, spiritual formation is relegated to individualism and merely one's one-to-one relationship with God. These talks explore how formation is forged in the context of intentional relationships.

Evan B. Howard, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Spirituality Shoppe, a Center for the Study of Christian Spirituality. He is affiliate associate professor of Christian Spirituality at Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches at other institutions. He is the author of The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality and leads workshops and seminars on Christian Spirituality worldwide.

Evan Howard leads a half-day workshop on Spiritual Formation in Community. Too often, spiritual formation is relegated to individualism and merely one's one-to-one relationship with God. These talks explore how formation is forged in the context of intentional relationships.

Evan B. Howard, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Spirituality Shoppe, a Center for the Study of Christian Spirituality. He is affiliate associate professor of Christian Spirituality at Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches at other institutions. He is the author of The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality and leads workshops and seminars on Christian Spirituality worldwide.

Evan B. Howard, Ph.D. is the founder and director of Spirituality Shoppe, a Center for the Study of Christian Spirituality. He is affiliate associate professor of Christian Spirituality at Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches at other institutions. He is the author of The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality and leads workshops and seminars on Christian Spirituality worldwide.

This is the second talk for newcomers exploring local membership at St. Aidan's, KC. We discuss our vision of worship as rooted in the Great Tradition, first millennial Christianity, contexualized(liturgical & free-form, sacramental, symbols, daily office, charismatic, liturgical calendar as the sanctification of time, and so forth).

Scott Laumann, iconographer (Fr. Collins, CO).

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Bill Baldwin, a member of St. Aidan's, unpacks the story of the prodigal son and calls us to the Father's Feast.

Third Sunday in Lent

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Apologies for the technical difficulties on this recording.