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Block Print by Mike Newman
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Link to the reports from Jan 15 Annual Meeting
Daily meditations in words and music.
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Saints of the Week, June 25 – July 2
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25
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[James Weldon Johnson, Poet, 1938] |
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26
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[Isabel Florence Hapgood, Ecumenist and Journalist, 1929] |
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27
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[Cornelius Hill, Priest and Chief among the Oneida, 1907] |
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28
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Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, c. 202 |
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29
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Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles |
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30
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1
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[Harriet Beecher Stowe, Writer and Prophetic Witness, 1896]; also [Pauli Murray, Priest] |
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2
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[Walter Rauschenbusch, 1918, Washington Gladden, 1918, and Jacob Riis, 1914, Prophetic Witnesses] |
June 25 – Pentecost 3, Bishop’s visitation
1. Prayer Walk
This was a meaningful event on many levels, visiting 11 stops in Port Royal for about an hour, starting at 8:30am. Bishop Shannon had not done a prayer walk or "beating of the bounds" since he was a Parish Priest. The beauty of the early morning captivated all, especially the nature stops. We invited the Baptists at Shiloh and Memorial to pray with us . We had the fisherman on the river participate. We talked about the history of the places visited. It was an event of interest to all ages. We had all 3 orders present – Deacon, Priest and Bishop. Read more..
We made a video excerpt (2 minutes) of one of the 11 stops. Here is the link to the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Our original sign was put up in 1936 on the centennial of St. Peter’s Consecration on the front wall of the church. Over the years, it had become worn and faded. After they restored the altarpiece, Richmond Conservation Studio produced a mylar version of the sign so that it could be traced over the original style of the letters.
We were told Bishop Shannon did not do arts and crafts. Maybe all of us were suprised! Read more…
3. Blessings
Bishop Shannon’s last visit to St. Peter’s was in the summer of 2013. 4 years past and we have renovated the Campanile or Bell Tower, our kitchen and restored the Altarpiece. We have a new look! By having the Bishop bless this work we share with him and the Diocese in this work, enlarging our community. Read more…
4. The Service
A picturesque day, 53 people in the service,5 people received/confirmed, a personal sermon from Bishop Shannon, remembering 2 couples anniversaries of 40+ years, blessings on our projects and a wonderful reception. It doesn’t get much better than this. Read more…
The Week Ahead…
June 28 – 10:00am, Ecumenical Bible Study
July 2 – 11:00am, Holy Eucharist, Rite II,
July 2 – 12:00pm, First Sunday Social
Sunday, July 2 Readings and Servers
A Weekful of Saints!
Collect – "Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."
June 25th – Nativity of John the Baptist
The Birth of John the Baptist, or Nativity of the Forerunner) is a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of John the Baptist, a prophet who foretold the coming of the Messiah in the person of Jesus and who baptized Jesus. The day of a Saint’s death is usually celebrated as his or her feast day, but Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist, while not being exceptions to this rule also have feast days that celebrate their earthly birth. The reason is that St. John (Luke 1:15), like the Blessed Virgin, was purified from original sin before his very birth (in Catholic doctrine), though not in the instant of conception as in the latter case.
June 28 – Irenaeus
Irenaeus (125?-202) was an early Church father, having been taught by Polycarp, who had been taught by John the Evangelist.
During the persecution of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor from 161-180 the clergy of that city, many of whom were suffering imprisonment for the faith, sent him in 177 to Rome with a letter to Pope Eleuterus concerning heresy. While Irenaeus was in Rome, a massacre took place in Lyons. Returning to Gaul, Irenaeus succeeded the martyr Saint Pothinus and became the second Bishop of Lyon, the main trading port for Western Gaul (France). During the religious peace which followed the persecution of Marcus Aurelius, the new bishop divided his activities between the duties of a pastor and of a missionary.
We remember him for two things – his work against Gnosticism and the recognition of the four gospels. He apparently did well there, becoming an influential leader against the rising heterodoxy Gnosticism. He first used the word to describe heresies . The Gnostics saw the world as material, and leaves much room for improvement and they denied that God had made it. They saw Jesus more as a spirit than a real flesh human . Before Irenaeus, Christians differed as to which gospel they preferred. Irenaeus is the earliest witness to recognize the four authentic gospels, the same we have today. Irenaeus is also our earliest attestation that the Gospel of John was written by John the apostle and that the Gospel of Luke was written by Luke, the companion of Paul.
June 29 – Feast of Peter and Paul
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul commemorates the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles St. Peter and Paul of Tarsus, observed on June 29. The celebration is of ancient origin, the date selected being either the anniversary of their martyrdom in 67AD or of the translation of their relics. They had been imprisoned in the famous Mamertine Prison of Rome and both had foreseen their approaching death. Saint Peter was crucified; Saint Paul, a Roman citizen, was slain by the sword. Together they represent two different Christian traditions.
Why do we remember them ? Peter is pictured on the left with the keys – the keys to the kingdom. In Matthew 16, Christ says " And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven." They keys since then have been symbols of Papal power. Peter represents that part of the Church which gives it stability: its traditions handed down in an unbroken way from the very beginnings, the structures which help to preserve and conserve those traditions, the structure which also gives consistency and unity to the Church, spread as it is through so many races, cultures, traditions, and geographical diversity
Paul is pictured with the Bible. He, on the other hand, represents the prophetic and missionary role in the Church. It is that part of the Church which constantly works on the edge, pushing the boundaries of the Church further out, not only in a geographical sense but also pushing the concerns of the Church into neglected areas of social concern and creatively developing new ways of communicating the Christian message. This is the Church which is constantly renewed, a Church which needs to be constantly renewed
Lectionary, July 2, 2017, Pentecost 4, year A
I.Theme – Living in a new way
"Calling of the Disciples" – Domenico Ghirlandaio (1481)
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Jeremiah 28:5-9
Psalm – Psalm 89:1-4,15-18 Page 713, BCP
Epistle –Romans 6:12-23
Gospel – Matthew 10:40-42
This week examines the prophet in the Old Testament and Gospel and in the Epistle our role in relationship to God. You might say how do we live in the new way ? We need to welcome the prophet and also those who lead us to a new life in Christ through baptism.
Jeremiah (655-586BC) lived during the most crucial period of Judah’s existence as a kingdom. He saw the destruction of Jerusalem and the holy Temple, after he had incessantly warned his people to mend their ways before it was too late. Idolatry had gained ground. Peace was being called for at all costs. He gave them a stark choice between the rule of God and that of the current king Jehoiakim who had wasted Israel’s resources.
Jeremiah was not afraid to speak when he had to and go where God called him to go. And when the catastrophe finally overwhelmed his people, he was the one who bitterly lamented Israel’s terrible fate. And when they were carried off to Babylon, his counsel of submission to Babylon and his message of “life as usual” for the exiles of the early deportations branded him as a traitor in the eyes of many. Actually, of course, his advice not to rebel against Babylon marked him as a true patriot, a man who loved his own people too much to sit back and watch them destroy themselves. By warning them to submit and not rebel, Jeremiah was revealing God’s will to them.
Jesus, like Jeremiah, is pondering on the role of the prophet – the prophets that he hopes his disciples will be. Perhaps Jesus was thinking of persecutions that Jeremiah had to endure – people plotting against him, beaten, put down into a cistern and left to starve. Those like the Cushite that rescued Jeremiah would be closely associate with Jesus. Whoever shows them hospitality shows respect to Jesus, and will be blessed. Insiders and outsiders are identified by how they treated certain kinds of people, the hungry, the sick, the helpless, the prisoner for the faith. Whatever we do for them we do for Jesus. If we treat them with hospitality, we are treating Jesus with hospitality and respect
In the Epistle we are either slaves of sin, or slaves of God. When buffeted by sin, the immersed Romans were tempted to turn away from grace and righteousness, and instead to live in the old ways. Being slaves of God means nothing short of anctification, a wholly different kind of life the end of which is not death, but eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Anything but Ordinary! Ordinary Time
Basically, Ordinary Time encompasses that part of the Christian year that does not fall within the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter.
Ordinary Time is anything but ordinary. According to The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, the days of Ordinary Time, especially the Sundays, "are devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its aspects." We continue our trek through the both the Gospels of Luke and John- through parables challenges, healings – some great stories and teachings.
Lent is about preparing people to live as disciples of Jesus. Easter Season is about giving especially the newly baptized or confirmed time to focus deeply on the doctrinal foundations of the faith and on discerning the Spirit’s calling and gifts for ministry, culminating in a celebration and commissioning for these ministries at Pentecost. The Season after Pentecost is about seeking the Spirit’s guidance and supporting one another as we undertake these ministries in Christ’s name.
While there are parts of Ordinary Time through the year, we think of Trinity Sunday until Christ the King Sunday or up to Advent as the Sundays of Ordinary Time.