Month: May 2022

Easter 7 – “May They All Be One”, May 29, 2022

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Easter 7, May 29, 2022

In today’s readings, we catch a glimpse of the glorious unity of God’s people. We read of freedom from bondage, extravagant divine power and sovereignty, the eternal and eschatological reign of Christ, and the invitation to respond to Christ – to live in the unity and love at the heart of the Christian story. As it says in the Gospel “May they be One”. The readings are here.

We had various voices in the service that spoke of the challenges of the work we do together. Prayers, music, and sermon all within the church together the loving care of flowers picked for this service. A wonderful experience today. We have some text and videos to bring these to you.

1 Prayer for Uvalde- For the people of Uvalde, Texas
“Almighty God, hear our prayers of anger and despair over the continuing gun violence in our nation. We pray today for the people of Uvalde, Texas as they mourn for those killed in the school shooting this past week, and as they cry for their children. Pour out your grace and loving kindness on all who grieve; surround them with your love; and restore their trust in your goodness. Even in our despair, we pray in the light of the resurrection, knowing that sin and death, as powerful as they are, have already been defeated, because you are with us, especially in those times where death seems to prevail. We lift up to you our weary and wounded souls and ask you to take away the resignation that infects our hearts. May we join in the Spirit’s work of binding up and healing. Give us the courage to love with all we’ve got, and never to surrender to the darkness. Make us instruments of your peace and your children of the light. In the name of Christ, who is our hope, we pray. Amen.

Video

2 Music – “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they’ll know we are Christians by our love

“We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

Video

3 Sermon – The sermon was about the walk we are making in our lives, becoming more Christ-like as we go. It doesn’t happen at once. Our sharing our life’s experiences with others and living the Gospel’s teachings changes us along with the presence of God moving us along. We can only live in this world with an awareness of the love and presence of God. As we are walking, we are not the same people that we were years ago

Video
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We had various voices in the service that spoke of the challenges of this work. Prayers, music, and sermon all within the church together the loving care of flowers picked for this service

1 Prayer for Uvalde- For the people of Uvalde, Texas
“Almighty God, hear our prayers of anger and despair over the continuing gun violence in our nation. We pray today for the people of Uvalde, Texas as they mourn for those killed in the school shooting this past week, and as they cry for their children. Pour out your grace and loving kindness on all who grieve; surround them with your love; and restore their trust in your goodness. Even in our despair, we pray in the light of the resurrection, knowing that sin and death, as powerful as they are, have already been defeated, because you are with us, especially in those times where death seems to prevail. We lift up to you our weary and wounded souls and ask you to take away the resignation that infects our hearts. May we join in the Spirit’s work of binding up and healing. Give us the courage to love with all we’ve got, and never to surrender to the darkness. Make us instruments of your peace and your children of the light. In the name of Christ, who is our hope, we pray. Amen.

Video
Video

2 Music – “We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they’ll know we are Christians by our love

“We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

Video

3 Sermon – The sermon was about the walk we are making in our lives, becoming more Christ-like as we go. It doesn’t happen at once. Our sharing our life’s experiences with others and living the Gospel’s teachings changes us along with the presence of God moving us along. We can only live in this world with an awareness of the love and presence of God. As we are walking, we are not the same people that we were years ago

Video

UTO Spring Ingathering, May, 2022

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We completed the Spring Ingathering with Jim sending a check for $384.88 to the UTO. This compares with the last ingathering in Nov 2021 where $268.87 was collected. Thanks to all who organized and gave to this collection

Videos, Easter 7, May 29, 2022

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01 Hymn “Christ Whose Glory Fills the Sky”

02 Gospel John 17:20-26

03 Sermon

04 Offertory – Larry Saylor They will know we are Christians by our Love

05 Prayer for Uvalde Texas – Jan Saylor

06 Memorial Day Prayers – Jan Saylor

07 Hymn “All hail the power of Jesus Name”

Memorial Day Photo Gallery May 30, 2020

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 Memorial Day, May 30, 2021(full size gallery)

From the National Cathedral service, 2017

Although the exact origins of Memorial Day are disputed, the first observance of Memorial Day is thought to have taken place in April 1865, when a group of former slaves gathered at a Charleston, SC horse track turned Confederate prison where more than 250 Union soldiers had died. The bodies of soldiers buried in a mass grave were reinterred in individual graves on the site. On May 1, 1865, some 10,000 black Charleston residents, white missionaries, teachers, schoolchildren and Union troops marched around the Planters’ Race Course, singing and carrying armfuls of roses.

In 1868, Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the grand Army of the Republic—an organization of former soldiers and sailors—issued what was called General Order Number 11, designating May 30 as a memorial day. He declared it to be “for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.” The first national celebration of Memorial Day (originally Decoration Day) took place May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery. The national observance of Memorial Day still takes place there today, with the placing of a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the decoration of each grave with a small American flag.

On May 11, 1950, Congress issued a joint resolution requesting that the president proclaim a “Prayer for Peace” on each Memorial Day. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a federal holiday to be held on the last Monday of every May. On this Memorial Day weekend, we remember the fallen, and honor all who have served our country, as we unite in prayer for permanent peace in the world

It’s Pentecost! June 5

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What is Pentecost? 

Pentecost literally means “fiftieth day.” As a religious celebration, it first delineated the fifty days after Passover with a harvest festival. It was also a celebration of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, still celebrated in the Jewish tradition as Shavuot. 

In the Christian tradition, Pentecost marks the end of the 50 Days of Easter. In Acts 2, the apostles and friends are gathered together in Jerusalem. Suddenly there is a great rushing of wind, and tongues of fire rest on each of the apostles. They begin to speak in different languages, and the crowds around them, Jews from across the diaspora, having come to Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks, understand them, although some disparaged them as drunks. It was at this moment that Peter stood up and preached, revealing the will of God in Jesus Christ, as prophesied by Joel, and affirming a continual outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon repentance and baptism. 

Why does Pentecost Matter? 

There are at least three reasons to start with:  

1. It marks the birthday of the church. Pentecost was a turning point. Before the rushing wind, the flames, and the speaking in tongues, the apostles were a group of followers who listened to Jesus and assisted as he helped those who came to him for healing and grace. Without Jesus, they were aimless and confused. After the Holy Spirit enters that room, after Peter preaches repentance and baptism, they no longer look inward. The end of Acts 2 records that they devoted themselves to the teaching and to fellowship, they performed wonders and signs, they gave to others in need…and the Lord added to their number daily those who were saved. 

The Holy Spirit gave the disciples direction and power to form the Christian community, which would become “the church.” So, Pentecost is a birthday, and some churches today celebrate with cake! 

2. Pentecost completes the Trinity. Christian theology is grounded in a doctrine of three in one, and Christians often pray in the “name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Pentecost was the first and definitive moment in which we can say that the Father sent the Holy Spirit to make the Son present. No Pentecost, no Trinity. 

3. Jesus kept his promise. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus told his followers, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the age.” He promptly ascended and was seen no more. What gives? Well, in John 15:26 he says, “I will send you the Advocate-the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me” (NLT). The point is: Jesus is present through the Holy Spirit. Pentecost marks the fulfillment of Christ’s promised presence. 

from buildfaith.org

Pentecost – The quick version

Click here or on the picture above

Pentecost People at St. Peter’s, 2011-2015

St. Peter’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost

A St. Peter’s tradition

Easter 7, May 29, Commentary

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In today’s readings, we catch a glimpse of the glorious unity of God’s people. This week is the seventh Sunday of Easter, and the Scriptural texts reflect the tensions and juxtapositions that are so characteristic of this time in the Church calendar. We read of freedom from bondage, extravagant divine power and sovereignty, the eternal and eschatological reign of Christ, and the invitation to respond to Christ – to live in the unity and love at the heart of the Christian story

At the same time, such triumphal and exuberant words and themes may be experienced as alienating, clanging loudly in the ears of those who do not experience freedom, joy, belief, and love. This is a tension worth remembering, acknowledging, and grappling with openly and honestly: how do we recognize and affirm the reality of the Gospel’s power and the centrality of Christ’s life-giving love, even while we (and parishioners) may be existing in darkness, pain, doubt, bondage of all forms?

Read more

Thy Kingdom Come – Prayers between Ascension and Pentecost

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“Thy Kingdom Come” is celebrating its 6 year anniversary in 2022. Since May 2016, The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the people of Thy Kingdom Come have been bringing the world together in prayer. St Peter’s has been part of this international prayer initiative for several years. Here is the website. Check out their new mobile app.

In the gospel according to Luke, before Jesus ascended, he told the disciples to go to back to Jerusalem and await the coming of the Holy Spirit. They did as he asked, spent ten days absorbed in prayer as they waited, and the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost.

Through these prayerful disciples, the Holy Spirit brought the Church to birth. Following the example of these disciples, we can spend time in intentional prayer praying for people around the world to be filled with the Spirit and to come to know Jesus more fully.

So What we can do to participate?