Welcome Bishop Porter Taylor Jan. 3!
Bishop Porter Taylor is our newest bishop, joining the Diocese of Virginia as of July 1, 2020. He was with us Jan. 3, 11am, Morning Prayer.
Bishop Taylor was ordained a priest in 1994 in the Diocese of Western North Carolina. From 1994-96, he served as Assistant Rector of St. Paul’s Church in Franklin, Tenn. He then served as Rector of St. Gregory the Great in Athens, Ga., from 1996-2004. In 2004, he was consecrated the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Western North Carolina. Following his retirement as Bishop in 2016, he joined the faculty of Wake Forest University Divinity School.
In addition to his Master of Divinity from University of the South, Sewanee, Bishop Taylor also holds a B.A. in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.A. in English from the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. in Theology and Literature from Emory University.
He is the author of To Dream as God Dreams: Sermons of Hope, Conversion, and Community, and From Anger to Zion: An Alphabet of Faith.
The Week Ahead…
Jan. 3 – Christmas 2
Jan. 3 – Morning Prayer 11:00am – Join here at 10:30am for gathering – service starts at 11am Meeting ID: 874 0903 2653 Passcode: 699097
Jan. 3 – Compline 7:00pm – Join here at 6:30am for gathering – service starts at 7pm Meeting ID: 878 7167 9302 Passcode: 729195
Jan. 6 – Ecumenical Bible Study 10:00am – Join here Meeting ID: 837 2389 1841Passcode: 067156
Jan. 6 – Epiphany Service 7:00pm – Join here at 6:30pm for gathering – service starts at 7pm Meeting ID: 827 5649 2089 Passcode: 458148
Jan. 10 – 11:00am Baptism of Jesus – Join here at 10:30am for gathering – service starts at 11am Meeting ID: 874 0903 2653
Passcode: 699097
Jan. 10 – Compline 7:00pm – Join here at 6:30am for gathering – service starts at 7pm Meeting ID: 878 7167 9302 Passcode: 729195
Looking back at 2020
The year-end summary of 2020 is here.
It is a collection of links that lead to a story usually
with an associated image. The stories, in turn, have their own links.
We also have a PowerPoint with selections from the links. – 2020 Events
Epiphany - Jan 6 until Lent  begins Feb. 17, 2021
Adoration of the Magi – Bartholomäus Zeitblom (c. 1450 – c. 1519)
The English word “Epiphany” comes from the Greek word epiphaneia, which means “appearing” or “revealing.” Epiphany focuses on God’s self-revelation in Christ. Â
Epiphany celebrates the twelfth day of Christmas, the coming of the Magi to give homage to God’s Beloved Child.Â
The Epiphany celebration remembers the three miracles that manifest the divinity of Christ. The celebration originated in the Eastern Church in AD 361, beginning as a commemoration of the birth of Christ. Later, additional meanings were added – the visit of the three Magi, Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River with the voice from heaven that identifies Jesus as God’s son, and his first miracle at the wedding in Cana. These three events are central to the definition of Epiphany, and its meaning is drawn from these occurrences.
The Epiphany readings for Jan 6
The Epiphany readings are about travel, journey and ultimately sharing Christ’s light. But it is not easy as the opponents of Christ are present. Link to the readings:
Epiphany means “appearance of the Lord.†In the East, where it started, this feast was instituted not to recall the Magi, but the birth of Jesus, the Christmas, the appearance of the light. In the West—where Christmas was celebrated on December 25—it was received in the fourth century and became the feast of the “manifestation of the light of the Lord†to the Gentiles and the universal call to all people to salvation in Christ. Magi reveal the truth of John 1:9 – the true of God, coming into the world, enlightens all creation and every person. Every child is an incarnation of our beloved Savior.
Read the Gospel of Mark during Epiphany
The Good Book Club is an invitation to all Episcopalians to join in reading the Gospel of Mark during Epiphany 2021. Mark is the Gospel in Year B which will be a part of us in 2021. Episcopalians will read a section every day through the Epiphany season. Most of the readings are 20 verses or less.
1. There is also a free ChurchNext course to go along with it –
3. Link to the daily readings.
Mark opens with words from the prophet Isaiah: “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,†and indeed the gospel itself serves as a messenger for the life and ministry of Jesus. Written around 65-75, Mark proclaims the good news that Jesus is the messiah and Son of God.
The Setting for Sunday, Jan 10
We have just celebrated the birth of Christ and will experience his death and resurrection on April 1. However, one key event we should put in the same category is Jesus’ baptism. Â This Sunday is one of the weeks set aside for baptisms since we remember the baptism of Jesus early in Epiphany. Â We usually include the section in the prayer book for the renewal of the Baptismal Covenant in the service. In the past we have also “sprinkled” people.
We have many of our baptism articles one page, the Baptism Page.
Baptism in the Episcopal Church
From the Episcopal Library “This is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body, the church. God establishes an indissoluble bond with each person in baptism. God adopts us, making us members of the church and inheritors of the Kingdom of God (BCP, pp. 298, 858). In baptism we are made sharers in the new life of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the foundation for all future church participation and ministry.”
From the Diocese of New York
We owe much to the Apostle Paul who, through his writings, left a record of how the early Christian community understood Baptism.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by Baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).
Baptism was, for the early Christian community, a sacramental action to convey that one was experiencing spiritual conversion and renewal–the end of one life and the beginning of another in Christ. By using the metaphorical language and imagery of death, burial, and resurrection, the early community ceremonially expressed, that in Baptism, we die to our destructive and distorted ways of being, relating, and acting, and that by the goodness and faithfulness of God, we are raised from death to a new life, guided by and filled with the Spirit of God. It was an outward and visible sign of the spiritual transformation God was doing in one’s life. It was a symbolic action performed to depict what was happening within the life of one on a spiritual journey towards communion with God, the people of God, and all God’s creation.
Although the metaphor of being raised from death to new life is the dominant image of Christian Baptism in the New Testament, no single image or metaphor can exhaust the rich meaning of one’s conversion and experience of spiritual renewal. Consequently, there developed other images and metaphors in Scripture that express how the early Chrisitan community spoke of their conversion of life and experience of renewal in the Holy Spirit. Among them are:
Spiritual Rebirth (John 3:3-10)
Spiritual Awakening (Romans 8:37-39)
Initiation into the Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:12-13)
Transformation of the whole person (Romans 12:1-2)
Made a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17)
To turn from darkness to light (Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:11-14)
To be saved (Titus 3:3-7)
One 0f the questions in baptism is whether infants or children should be baptized automatically or there is a specific age ?
Lectionary, Epiphany 1, Year B, Jan 10 – The Baptism of our Lord
I.Theme – Â Meaning of Baptism for Jesus and us
 “Baptism of Christ”- Fra Angelico (1450)
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm – Psalm 29 Page 620, BCP
Epistle –Acts 19:1-7
Gospel – Mark 1:4-11
Genesis – God parts the waters, transforming darkness and turmoil into light and hope.
Acts – Baptism is linked with descent of the Holy Spirit in the developing Christian community. It is the story of Paul baptizing some of John the Baptist’s disciples. They understand the need for repentance, but they do not understand that God through the Holy Spirit is now at work in their life. They had not heard about the Holy Spirit, and they did not understand how they could participate in the reign of God now.
Mark – This is beginning of the ministry of Jesus, which actually begins with the ministry of John the Baptist, the voice coming out of the wilderness, as God’s voice hovers over the face of the deep. God calls forth light, and therefore life; John the Baptist calls forth repentance and forgiveness, and through baptism, a new life is born. Jesus comes to John to be baptized in the River Jordan. Jesus baptizes Jesus, the heavens split apart and the spirit descents affirming Jesus as both messianic King and Spirit filled servant.
As Jesus’ head rises above the waters, breaking through into our world, God breaks through from heaven as well. Baptism is the re-entry of God into our lives, and the re-entry of ourselves into God’s intended goal for creation: goodness and life. Repentance and forgiveness is our way of turning back, of re-breaking into the reign of God on earth.
Psalm – Psalm 29 is hymn to God as God of storm to overcome pagan worship of Baal as thunder god. God alone is source of strength and blessing for the people. It is a song of wonder and amazement towards God our Creator, where the voice of God thunders over the waters .
Baptism is a time of transition. Jesus moves from the obscurity of Nazareth to larger stage. His gifts become public. God is not making demands but delights in his son. For Jesus as with us the mission begins in gift. Hearing that affirmation must have strengthened him for his trials – 40 days in the desert.
Read more about the Lectionary…
Make a Gift Today! 2. Contact the Rev Catherine Hicks, Rector 4. Server Schedule December, 2020 5. Latest Newsletter-the Parish Post (January, 2021) 6. Calendar 9. Epiphany Bulletin (Jan. 6, 2021 7pm), Â and Sermon (Jan. 6, 2021) 10. Recent Services:Â Readings and Prayers, Advent 3, Dec. 13, 2020 Readings and Prayers, Advent 4, Dec. 20, 2020 |
Block Print by Mike Newman
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Knowing that not everyone prays at the same pace, you have control over the pace of the retreat. After each screen, a Continue button will appear. Click it when you are ready to move on. If you are new to online prayer, the basic timing of the screens will guide you through the experience.
Daily meditations in words and music.
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Saints of the Week, – Jan. 3, 2021 – Jan. 10, 2021
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William Passavant, Prophetic Witness, 1894 |
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[Elizabeth Ann Seton], Monastic & Educator, 1821 |
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[Sarah, Theodora & Syncletica of Egypt], Desert Mothers, 4th – 5th c. |
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The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ |
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Harriet Bedell, Deaconess and Misisonary, 1969 |
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Julia Chester Emery, 1922 |
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William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1645 |