“ἀποστέλλω:
ζωής για
τον σκοπό”
The above words in Greek are the translation of the theme for the 2014 ASP Summer Mission Programs. As many may know, St. Alban’s is sending our largest group in recent years–16 youth and adults–to Greene County, Tennessee to rebuild homes for residents in one of the poorest counties in Appalachia.
The translation is: “Apostello: Life on Purpose” and comes from John 20:21 which reads, “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’”
The full translation of, “apostello” includes the following from Strong’s Concordance, “set apart, i.e. (by implication) to send out (properly, on a mission) literally or figuratively:–put in, send (away, forth, out), set (at liberty).” To be set apart and to be sent out is exactly what we are doing with the ASP Missioners. We are taking a group of St. Alban’s parishioners and setting them apart to go out into the world. We are doing so to be the hands and feet of Christ, doing the work of restoration-to-wholeness for families with sub-standard housing.
But how are YOU apostello? How do you feel set apart and sent out? Mostly I would guess that feeling or realization comes from the work that we do at St. Alban’s or out in the world that reflects our Christian beliefs, mission, and/or ministry. This notion of setting apart (and I’ll add, “as special, having greater worth, chosen”) is important to our apostello-ness. We were created by God and given certain gifts and talents, desires and skills to be apostello. All of those play into and feed the construction of those unique elements that God knits together for the purpose of succeeding in our own apostello, our own call to ministry, to mission, to spreading the Good News to the world which is desperate to hear those words.
This week I encourage you to think about and recognize the unique gifts that you have been given, and to give thanks to God for those. More importantly, notice where you use those gifts and talents as you are set apart, and sent forth into the world, knowing that you are sent for to change the world in the name of Christ.
In Christ’s Name,
The Daily Cup 
Dear Matthew, I am puzzled by your Greek text of John 20:21. It is nothing at all like mine. In what I have, the verb “apostellein” is used only for the Father’s having sent Jesus. When it comes to what Jesus says He is doing, he uses a different verb altogether for ‘to send” and says “pempto.” The rest of the text you quote seems to come from some place quite different, but I cannot seem to find where. Do set me straight. (Sorry to use transliterations. The character map seems to have dropped off my computer. ) Always your devoted reader, Susan Quainton