End of the Spear

In 1956, Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming and Roger Youderian, left the United States to make missionary contact with the most savage tribe in history, the Waodani, who lived (and still live) deep in the Amazon basin of Ecuador. After an initial and friendly encounter, their excitement quickly turned to fear as within days all five men were speared to death. Soon after, a wife of one of the slain men and sister of another went to live with the Waodani. Within two years, the tribal homicide rate dropped more than 90 percent.

This incredible story of the transforming power of Jesus was first made famous by LIFE magazine and then through Elizabeth Elliot’s powerful book, Through the Gates of Splendor, that I remember reading as a teen. Through these accounts many have come to know the story of these missionaries but very few have heard the rest of the story…from the perspective of the tribe.

This Friday, End of the Spear opens in theatres across the country. Go see it. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, it follows this remarkable and true story through the life journeys of two people: Mincayani, a Waodani warrior who led the raid that killed the missionaries, and Steve Saint, the son of the missionary Mincayani killed. In the film, Mincayani’s tribe struggles to survive the revenge spearings that threaten to wipe out his family completely. His encounter with the five missionaries, and his spearing of Nate Saint, propels him down an extraordinary spiritual path that changes his life and culminates in coming face to face with Nate’s son, Steve. To learn more about the film, click here.

In this season after Christmas that the Church calls Epiphany, the gospel readings we hear each Sunday point us to the various ways that Jesus manifested God’s Light to the people of his day. This same Jesus tells us, his followers, that God’s Spirit will empower us to manifest that Light to the ends of the earth. Sometimes that Light is manifested through events and in ways that we could never imagine. Fifty years have now passed since those five Christian witnesses died on that early January day. The land they bled upon would never be the same again. For that, we give praise and thanks to God.

J. Derek Harbin, priest

18 Days to the Super Bowl…Beloved is raffling a 42” plasma HDTV to be given away before Super Bowl Sunday or when all 1000 tickets are sold. Because the donor is a national vendor, we are able to sell a raffle ticket to anyone residing in the continental United States. We are grateful to Fred Mellon who secured this generous donation and who is coordinating this effort on behalf of the funding team. Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to finish selling the remaining $20 tickets. Remember that in 2006 we will not receive any outside financial assistance for Fr. Derek’s salary, so let’s further the mission of Beloved with a beginning of the year cash infusion and make someone’s Super Bowl Sunday a spectacular one at the same time! For tickets, please see Fred at worship on Sundays or click here.

Around Beloved…Meals are needed to support Christine, Thomas, Caleb and Hannah while Tom serves in Iraq. If you can help, please contact Julie Sanniota who is coordinating this ministry…Have some good Pageant Photos? Please share them with the Development Office via email or by bringing a disk to worship…Worker Bees, the youth group for 9-12 year olds (and their interested parents) have a Movie Night this Friday when they will travel from Beloved Garden (meeting at 6pm) to the AMC Theatres at Carolina Pavilion to see the 7pm showing of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” [bring $6.50 ($8.50/adults) for the movie + money for snacks and, as always, friends are welcome]…metamorphosis, the youth group for 12-15 year olds (and their interested parents) will have a Movie Night this Saturday when they will travel from Beloved Garden (meeting at 6pm) to the Regal Cinema at Stonecrest to see the 7:20pm showing of “End of the Spear” [bring $6.50 ($8.50/adults) for the movie + money for snacks and, as always, friends are welcome]…Sunday Christian Formation for adults and children will resume this Sunday, January 22…FaithQuest Open House and registration for Spring term will be this Sunday, January 22 at the Garden from 2-3pm. This is a good time to bring friends interested in this internationally acclaimed Faith Formation process offered mid-week at the Garden.

A NFC Championship Party will be held at Beloved Garden this Sunday at 6:30pm. Bring drinks and snacks to share, watch the Panthers battle the Seahawks on the big screen, and help cheer our local team to victory…The Beloved CD, Looking through Windows, as well as HDTV raffle tickets will be for sale at a booth during the January 26-28 Diocesan Convention in Winston-Salem. We need folks to staff the booth, particularly during the break times during these three days. Interested? More questions? Click here…Martha Stone is coordinating meals for Julie, Jim, Madison and Joey Haarstick as they welcome Ava Rebecca to their family. If you’d like to contribute a meal, please contact Martha.

Serving at God’s Altar this Sunday at Beloved…Acolytes: Joseph Nichols, Caroline Schmidt, Elizabeth Nichols, Andrew Schmidt; Reader: Alex Leppert; Presenters: Jim & Lynn Skrobot; Eucharistic Ministers: Betsy Fox, Al Krantz; Offertory Basket Passers: Cecilia Atwood, Gabi Leinenkugel, Jack Sanniota, Katie Sanniota; PowerPoint: Forrest Boylston.

In our Prayers…for healing of Ariel Sharon and a continuing road toward peace in the Holy Land…for those serving in Iraq, especially Tom Friend and Scott, Dan Hood's brother…for Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter, Emily, whose health is rapidly deteriorating…for Deacon Deb during her respite month of leave from Beloved to allow her health to improve…for Marilyn Doyon, Laurel Durham, and Marie Duty who are expecting babies this upcoming year…for Julie Haarstick who gave birth to a healthy girl, Ava Rebecca (8 lbs. 12 oz; 21”) on Tuesday (both mother and daughter are doing well); for Janie Lownes as she heals from back pain…for Jessie, Julie Sanniota’s mother as she struggles with back pain…for Dorothy, Mary Reid's sister who is fighting lung cancer…for Ed and Jean, Dick Reif’s parents who are in declining health in Oklahoma…for Bill, Lee Frickhoeffer’s uncle who has terminal cancer…for Lauren Skrobot and Katrina West as they undergo medical testing.

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