Frontpage, May 12, 2019

May 12, 2019 – Easter 4

Pictures and text from this Sunday, May 12, 2019

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The Week Ahead…

May 15 – All Day . St. Peter’s 183rd birthday

May 15 – 10:00am-12pm – Ecumenical Bible Study

May 15 – 3:00pm-5pm – Village Harvest food distribution

We’re giving out cake in celebration of St. Peter’s 183rd birthday.

Help needed: 9:30ish, help needed to unload the truck. Many hands make light work. 1PM, help needed to set up. 3-5PM help needed for the distribution itself. Help the shoppers gather what they need. You can still bring cleaning supplies on the day since these are not available at the Food Bank. Thank you for your contributions of both food and time. Everyone can share in making this important St Peter’s ministry happen.

May 15 – St. Peter’s 183rd anniversary

Since St Peter’s 183rd birthday occurs on Wednesday, May 15th, a birthday celebration is in order. The people who come to the food distribution can help celebrate by sharing a piece of birthday cake with us. So let’s all bake cakes and we’ll have plenty of cake to go around that day for those who come by to say “Happy Birthday” St Peter’s, and for those who come to the food distribution. If you will bake a cake—any kind of cake–please let Catherine know of your plans.

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May 19 – 10am – Children’s Education Living the Good News

May 19 – 10am – Adult Education – 1st Corinthians

May 19 – 11:00am – Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Sunday, May 19, Easter 5 Readings and Servers

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 First Corinthians schedule for May

We are continuing to read Corinthians through typical people of the time including slaves and freeborn, widows and singles, and a number who have suffered deprivation and sexual abuse – much like typical society in that day. The book shows that Christianity was a subversive force in the brutal Roman Empire. Here is the May schedule:

5/12 Body image (1 Cor 12:12-13:13)

5/19 Competitive Spirituality (1 Cor 12, 14)

5/26 What Gives us hope? (1 Cor 15)

6/2 Taking Care of Business (1 Cor. 16)

6/9 Plan for the Agape meal on June 16.

6/16 Agape meal with Bishop Ihloff.

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May 15 – 183rd anniversary of  St. Peter’s Consecration – Here is the 175th

It’s hard to believe it has been 8 years since we celebrated the day. We had two services that day 11am followed by lunch and then 2pm, Service for our ancestors. The anniversary of the consecration is this week. Here are some links to refresh your memories:

Historical record May 15, 1836   

 In 1836, Bishop Richard Channing Moore’s pastoral address at the Diocesan Council in Fredericksburg, tells of the Consecration of St. Peter’s Church:

“On Sunday, May 15, 1836 I went to Port Royal at which place I consecrated a new Church: a building which is a great ornament to the town, and reflects the greatest credit upon those by “whose munificence it has been erected, and which, I trust, will prove a blessing to them and to their children to their latest posterity. The congregation was very large and attentive during the whole service. Prayers were read by several of the clergy who attended on the occasion — the discourse was delivered by myself — the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered — I baptised three children and confirmed two persons. It gives me the greatest pleasure to mention that a very handsome large silver cup was presented for the use of the altar, by a benevolent gentleman in the Parish; and I have every reason to believe that the sound of an organ will soon accompany the voices of the congregation in singing the praises of God and of the Redeemer of mankind. The Rev. (William) Friend stands high in the estimation of his parish; and I trust will see the work of the Lord prosper tinder his pastoral care.”

175th Anniversary – The Day Description of the Day 175th Anniversary Video, 2pm service Messages from others

May 15, 2011, Services Photo Gallery 11am Bulletin Sermon 2pm Bulletin

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Coming up – Shred-it Sat. May 18

Shred-It is scheduled on May 18, 2019 11am-1pm. This is the 8th year and the first to be scheduled on a weekend. We are hoping to attract many more people. Your donations make this event possible.

Last May we collected $325 or approximately 65 boxes in May, 2018. After paying Shred-it $225 for the truck we made $100 for St. Peter’s Outreach ministries.

Why should you support it ?

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Thy Kingdom Come, May 30-June 9, Prayers from Ascension to Pentecost

The Way of Love, the rule of life that helps us to live fully, includes prayer as one of its disciplines. The days between Ascension and Pentecost mark a traditional time of prayer in the Church, beginning with the first disciples who went back to Jerusalem after Jesus ascended. They spent their time in prayer as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. These days give us the opportunity to focus on prayer as one of the blessings and disciplines that we Christians share as part of the body of Christ

Thy Kingdom Come began as an invitation from the Most Rev. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to the Church of England in 2016. It has since become global and ecumenical; last year, Christians from 65 denominations in 114 countries prayed together for the whole world to come to know Jesus Christ. This year it starts on May 30.

Here is their promotional video:

“Thy Kingdom Come” at St. Peter’s

This year Catherine would like you to consider hosting a prayer service at your house or the Parish House during the Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative beginning on Thursday May 30th until Pentecost, June 9. Choose five people to pray for. Please let Catherine know of your plans.

So, how do you get people to pray for five others ?

Here is our promotional video:

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 We are in Eastertide until Pentecost, June 9

Eastertide is the period of fifty days, seven Sundays from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. Easter is not a day but a season and it is one to examine the Resurrection, more broadly and deeply.  There are a number of questions.

Is Resurrection just about death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54-56) ? Is Resurrection of Jesus is a precursor to your own resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) ? Does it say something about our own ability to expect to see Jesus (Luke 24) ? How does the new Christian community begin to function making Christ the central part of daily life ? (Acts 2)

Jesus physically appears in Easter 2 and 3 making the Resurection tangible. The shepherding part of his ministry is explored in Easter 4. From Easter 5-7, Jesus must prepare the disciples for his departure. He is going to leave them. Jesus prepares his disciples for continuing his ministry without his physical presence.  Themes explored include the holy spirit, the Prayer of Jesus and God’s glory through His Son and the church.

Christ ascends on the 40th day with his disciples watching (Thursday, May 5th). The weekdays after the Ascension until the Saturday before Pentecost inclusive are a preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit.This fifty days comes to an end on Pentecost Sunday, which commemorates the giving of the Holy Spirit to the apostles, the beginnings of the Church and its mission to all  peoples and nation.  Note that the Old Testament lessons are replaced by selections from the Book of Acts, recognizing the important of the growth of the church.

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Lectionary Easter 5, Year C

I.Theme –   Christian communities provide love and encouragement

 “The Last Supper” – Leonardo da Vinci (1495-1498))

A visit to the Last Supper painting in Milan (Washington Post, May 12)

The lectionary readings are here  or individually:

Old Testament – Acts 11:1-18
Psalm – Psalm 148
Epistle – Revelation 21:1-6
Gospel – John 13:31-35

Today’s readings picture the love and encouragement to be found in Christian community. In Acts, Gentiles receive God’s word and the Holy Spirit just as the Jews do. John, in his Revelation, celebrates God’s final descent into our world to bring salvation and a restored world order. In the gospel, Jesus gives us a new command—love one another; by obeying Jesus, we show our discipleship.

God’s intention is to break down the dividing walls, the separations, between us and God, between us and each other, between us and creation. Jesus came to erase the boundaries, and gave us a new commandment to love one another. This commandment reframes the old: no longer are they to be about exclusion, but inclusion. No longer are people to separate themselves for God, but to come together and love one another for God. Even death will no longer divide and separate us. God’s intentions are for us to dwell together with God, as it was in the beginning. God’s desire is not destruction, but restoration. God is making all things new, and desires for us to participate in the breaking down of walls and the building up of the kingdom, or community, of God.

On earth “you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16:20). Already the Spirit grants you peace and joy through the forgiveness of your sins. For by the cross of Christ, “God has granted repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18). His Gospel is “a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household” (Acts 11:14). He gives freely “from the spring of the water of life” (Rev. 21:6), “and death shall be no more” (Rev. 21:4). He dwells with His people, adorning His Church as a bride for her husband, “making all things new” (Rev. 21:5). Therefore, as the Son of Man is glorified by His cross, “and God is glorified in Him” (John 13:31), so He is glorified in us by our “love for one another” (John 13:35), which His Spirit works in us by His grace.

Read more from the lectionary

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