We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, who are still here, and we honor with gratitude the land itself and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do. We welcome all people to our church.
Early fall in the St. George’s graveyard with leaves beginning to turn.
Oct. 10 – 11:00am, Eucharist In person in the church or on Zoom. – Join here at 10:45am for gathering – service starts at 11am Meeting ID: 869 9926 3545 Passcode: 889278
Oct. 10 – 7:00pm, Compline on Zoom – Join here at 6:30pm for gathering – service starts at 7pm Meeting ID: 878 7167 9302 Passcode: 729195
Oct. 11 – 6:30am – Be Still Meditation group in a 20 minute time of prayer Meeting ID: Meeting ID: 879 8071 6417 Passcode: 790929
Oct. 13, Bible Study , 10am-12pm in the Parish house
Oct. 13, Village Dinner, 5pm-6pm Menu – Baked Ham, Mac and Cheese
Veggie Medley, Pumpkin Pie
Village Dinner preparation in September.
Oct. 15 – Last day to signup for the ECW Fall Meeting on Sat. Oct. 30 Details below.
Oct. 16 – Pavilion dedication, 4pm. Enjoy music, refreshments and time with Sylvia and her family
Oct. 17 – 11:00am, Holy Eucharist, Pentecost 21
Oct. 17 – 7:00pm, Compline on Zoom – Join here at 6:30am for gathering – service starts at 7pm Meeting ID 834 7356 6532 Password 748475
Stewardship IS..
“The Vestry needs your pledge by Oct. 24. From the Sept 26 sermon, “When I fill out my pledge card this year, I’m going to try to remember that all that I have is a gift—as Richard Rohr says, “It’s all a gift!” –and that I can share my financial gifts freely with not only St Peter’s, but with many other groups as well, the groups that are doing what I would consider to be God’s work out in the world.”
Stewardship is … Everything I do after I say, “I believe.” Stewardship is our thankful and intentional response to the question, “What is God calling me to do with the gifts God has entrusted to me?”
Why pledge ? The pledges are the major way to support what St. Peter’s values – food distribution and meals in our community, education, outreach to those in need, Christian education and fellowship for all.
We are stewards, caretakers of God’s gifts. Everything we have was a gift from God, and God asks us to use it all for God’s purposes. Generosity flows naturally out of our gratitude for the gift of love, family, and life itself.
Stewards promote the Shalom of the Kingdom: blessings of life, health, growth,
harmony, justice, abundance, fulfillment, joy, praise of God
In the church, we are stewards of the good news of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.We are called to share that good news with new generations. But we live in a world where sharing that news is becoming ever more challenging. In order to share the good news, we need financial and other resources.
Our worries about stewardship tend to focus on money. But stewardship is all about mission. It’s those gifts which help St. Peter’s ministries thrive – food distribution and meals in our community, outreach to those in need, Christian education and fellowship for all.
Convince people that the church is doing God’s mission and that it will truly transform our lives and our communities … and each of us is an integral part of that mission … heart, mind and body … and the money will follow.
Stewardship is …
+ Sharing in God’s mission with a glad, generous and grateful heart.
+ Transforming lives in our community.
+ Prayerfully responding to God’s call.
+ A deeply spiritual matter.
+ Something that blesses the giver more than the receiver.
Stewardship is discipleship; it is a complete reorientation of our lives toward God, who calls us through Jesus Christ.
Stewardship thoughts from Canterbury Cathedral
This week Canterbury Cathedral iin south England is celebrating their first Generosity Week between Sunday Oct. 3 – Oct.10. As they write, “The aim is to help us in our journey of faith, to consider the significance of generosity as Christians, and to reflect on what we can each do to demonstrate our gratitude for God’s love.”
“Throughout Generosity Week, we will be sharing links to information and reflections on this theme.”
This video which deals with “Giving Time” is part of their reflections and part of the of the Church of England stewardship teachings for this week
“Generosity is at the heart of Christian faith. God gave the world his only Son because he loved it so much. The generosity we show is testament to our lived out faith and our generous God. Each day we can be a generous disciple. Whether that’s giving to those in need or helping a neighbor, generosity lives through these everyday acts of kindness that make a huge difference to people’s lives. This harvest we invite you to join us for Generosity Week as together we will celebrate the generosity of those who have helped us through these difficult times, reflect on God’s generosity to us, and explore how we can grow generosity in our Cathedral community.”
Lectionary, Oct. 17, 21th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B
I. Theme – The call to discipleship means service and sacrifice.
Robert Hord’s Chalice
"Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?" – Mark 10:38
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Isaiah 53:4-12
Psalm – Psalm 91:9-16 Page 720, BCP
Epistle – Hebrews 5:1-10
Gospel – Mark 10:35-45
Today’s readings confront us with the reality that the call to discipleship means service and sacrifice. In Isaiah, the “suffering servant” of Israel, though innocent, takes on the sin, sorrow, pain and oppression of God’s people. According to Hebrews, Jesus, the full embodiment of the “suffering servant,” identifies with humanity and offers himself as final high priest and ultimate sacrifice.
In the gospel, Jesus reverses our understanding of greatness: those who would lead must serve. One reason we are so disgusted by John and James may be that we recognize a shred of their ambition lurking within ourselves. We have probably all had the experience of launching a project with confident enthusiasm (and utter naivete). Whether it’s a food drive for the hungry, a new family budget or a vow to get shipshape organized, we plunge ahead with dreams of glory.
Like James and John, we gloss over any possible difficulties. Reality hits with a clunk. And then we appreciate the enormous difference between the apostles pre- and post-resurrection. When they rely on themselves, they are a sorry lot: self-seeking, argumentative, downright stupid. Yet Jesus can see beyond all that and can assure them of fellowship with himself. How? Perhaps he sees them as they would become, filled with the Spirit after Pentecost: transformed into courageous witnesses whose dreams of greatness had been replaced by the humble goal of serving the lord they love and others
Read more about the lectionary…
The Gospel: "Speaking to the Soul: The Next Level"
From the Episcopal Cafe
Mark 10:35-45
"We are two-thirds of the way through Mark’s gospel, and James and John have gotten the message…well, they’ve gotten part of the message, anyway. They have seen the miracles. They have travelled with Jesus and heard him preach the new covenant. And that’s where they get lost. They have seen Jesus in the glory of the Transfiguration. They have come to believe he truly is the Messiah. And they think they deserve a share of his glory. They want the best seats in the house of the Lord… and they’re not shy about asking for them.
"Jesus listens. He sees how far they have come and how far they have yet to go. He knows it’s time to take them to the next level. And it’s not the level they were planning on. They are angling for positions of prestige and power. Jesus is committed to a life of selfless love and sacrificial service.
"Patiently, he explains to them: You don’t understand what you are asking for. Jesus knows the suffering that awaits him. He asks if James and John are ready to share his fate… if they are prepared to drink of the cup that I drink of. In posing the question this way, Jesus is being very forthright with them. This was a common metaphor of the day, used to warn of great peril. But in their enthusiasm and ambition, James and John are blind to the danger. Jesus, knowing the martyrdom waiting for them all, cautions that they will share his fate. And ever in obedience to the will of the Father, he tells them that the honors they seek are not his to give.
"Overhearing this talk of honors and rewards, the other apostles want to get in on the action. They start to grumble that James and John are getting too big for their britches. Then Jesus shuts down the whole brouhaha, telling them that they’ve got it all wrong. The disciples accept Jesus as the Messiah, but they still don’t have a clue about what that really means. Jesus wants to take them up to the next level, to have them fully understand what it means to follow him. He tells them that to be a Christian means to serve, not to lord it over people. It did then and it does now.
The Epistle: Hebrews 5:1-10 in today’s world – Magdalene
by Rev. Mihee Kim-Kort for OnScripture
"Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people." – Hebrews 5:1-3
"Hebrews 5:1-10 invites us to consider an alternative vision of leadership in Christ, the High Priest. Instead of power, the writer describes Jesus’ service in terms of compassion and mercy, even citing weakness as the source of his efficacy as high priest. Even though he was a Son, "he learned obedience through what he suffered."
The video from OnScripture describes the story of Magdalene . Magdalene is a residential program in Nashville that helps women who have survived lives of violence and prostitution. Through a related organization Thistle Farms they provide a 2 year residential program and advocacy services for up to 700 women year. The women are employed in diverse enterprises- cafe, paper and sewing studio, and global marketplace. An excerpt of the article with a video following:
"The emotional, physical, and spiritual violence that we inflict on one other is a sign that something is amiss in our world. The statistics from the World Health Organization on sex work and disease , paint the terrible truth that sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse are on the rise across the globe. The sex and drug industry “will tear up women and use them ‘til they throw them out” as Rev. Rebecca Stevens, Executive Director of Magdalene Ministries. Magdalene is a recovery program in Nashville, Tennessee for women who have histories of substance abuse and prostitution. Stevens has helped countless women get off the streets and put their lives back together. Yet there are so many more in need. It is clear that something is persistently bent on the annihilation of our bodies and souls. What can we say or do?"
Make a Gift Today! 2. Contact the Rev Catherine Hicks, Rector 5. Latest Newsletter-the Parish Post (Oct., 2021) 6. Calendar 9. Latest Sunday Bulletin (October 10, 2021 11:00am), and Sermon (Oct. 10, 2021) 10. Recent Services: Readings and Prayers, Pentecost 17, Sept. 19, Readings and Prayers, Pentecost 18, Sept. 26, Readings and Prayers, Pentecost 19, Oct. 3, |
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.
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“We invite you to make a ‘Sacred Space’ in your day, praying here and now, as you visit our website, with the help of scripture chosen every day and on-screen guidance.”
Saints of the Week, Oct. 10, 2021 – Oct. 17, 2021
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10
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Vida Dutton Scudder, Educator and Witness for Peace, 1954 |
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11
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Philip, Deacon and Evangelist |
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12
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[Edith Cavell], Nurse, 1915 |
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13
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14
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Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky, Bishop & Missionary, 1906 |
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15
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Teresa of Avila, Mystic & Monastic Reformer, 1582 |
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16
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Hugh Latimer & Nicholas Ridley, Bishops and Martyrs, 1555, and Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1556 |
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17
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Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, and Martyr, c. 115 |