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.
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Signs of spring are slowly appearing (with some continued cold weather) From top to bottom, left to right – daffodils, sycamore, Japanese magnolia,ice!,dogwood
Jan. 30 – 11:00am, Holy Eucharist, Congregational Meeting – Join here at 10:45am for gathering – service starts at 11am Meeting ID: 869 9926 3545 Passcode: 889278
Jan. 30 – 7:00pm, Compline on Zoom – Join here at 6:30pm for gathering – service starts at 7pm Meeting ID: 878 7167 9302 Passcode: 729195
Jan 31 – 6:30am – Be Still Meditation group in a 20 minute time of prayer Meeting ID: 879 8071 6417
Passcode: 790929
Feb 1 – 7:00pm – Preparing Your Legacy Meeting ID: 821 8558 7210 Passcode: 957811
More information on the 5 week series…
Bible Study 10am-12pm on Wed. Jan. 26
Preparing Your Legacy – An online series, that began Jan 18, 7pm
Being prepared for the future by having a will, getting your estate in order, talking with a trusted financial planner, learning about medical issues that may arise with age, and even planning your funeral can relieve worry and anxieties now, not only for you, but for your family. Planning ahead and making decisions early will spare family and loved ones the need to wrestle with what to do about things we have left undone before we die.
The series will cover various aspects of the planning that can take place to ease the transition from life to death, and to leave clear information for family and friends after death. St Peter’s speakers included a lawyer, financial planner, funeral home director, and an RN with Hospice experience to provide information and answer questions.
The talks will be about an hour with the guest speaker talking for 30 minutes leaving another 30 minutes for your questions and discussion
These talks will happen by Zoom on Five Tuesday nights beginning on Tuesday, January 18 and ending on Tuesday, February 15th.
Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 821 8558 7210 Passcode: 957811
Preparing Your Legacy – Schedule
Tuesday, February 1, 2022, 7PM Final Arrangements—Working with a Funeral Home
Mr. David Storke, Owner and President of Storke Funeral Home, Bowling Green, VA
David graduated from John Tyler Community College with an AAS Degree in Mortuary Science. In 1986 he passed his National Conference Board Exam and State Board Exam and became a licensed funeral director and embalmer. He purchased the former Powell Funeral Home in Bowling Green, VA in 1991, renaming it Storke Funeral Home. David is an active member of the community, having served in various leadership roles through the years.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022, 7PM Financial Considerations
Mr. Michael Williams, Senior Wealth Advisor and Senior Vice President, South State Wealth, Richmond, VA
Michael earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia in 1983. Following college, he was employed by First Virginia Bank in Retail Banking. After receiving his MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia in 1988, Michael worked for Andersen Consulting (Accenture) for 3.5 years before entering the trust and wealth management industry where he has held numerous positions. Michael leads the South State Private Wealth team based in Richmond, VA. He joined South State Bank in 2014.
Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 7PM Estate Planning
Leigh Frackelton, Jr., Attorney
Leigh’s law practice focuses exclusively in the areas of wills, trusts, estate administration and taxation. Leigh graduated in 1974 from Washington and Lee University where he majored in History. He earned his law degree in 1977 from T. C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond and then went on to William and Mary where he earned a Master of Law in Taxation in 1978. He passed the Virginia CPA exam in 1989. After finishing his formal education in 1978, Leigh began the practice of law in Fredericksburg. From 1986 until 2021, Leigh taught full time at the University of Mary Washington and is currently a Professor Emeritus in the College of Business. He currently practices law at Parrish, Snead, Franklin, Simpson, PLC in Fredericksburg, VA.
Bless a nurse at Mary Washington Hospital – contribute to the Blessing Cart
The chaplains at MWH have created a “blessing cart” for the nurses. They are collecting individually wrapped treats–energy bars, candy, mini-muffins, etc., and bottled Gatorade and water.
Please bring donations to church next Sunday, Feb. 6 and place in the basket in the front of the church.
The Sacred Ground Scholarship.A scholarship fund has been established which will help minority students pay for education after high school. Contribute by donating to St Peter’s and put “Sacred Ground Scholarship” on the memo line
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and Candlemas, Feb. 2
“Today is a day of purification, renewal, and hope.”
The Presentation of our Lord commemorates when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem where he was greeted by Simeon and Anna. By the Law every first born male was to be consecrated to the Lord.” This happened 40 days after his birth at Christmas.
It is a feast day though it does not often fall on a Sunday. Candlemas occurs at a period between the December solstice and the March equinox, so many people traditionally marked that time of the year as winter’s “halfway point” while waiting for the spring.
Candlemas is actually a very old feast, celebrated by both the churches of the East and the West, and in some places it is on this day that the creche is finally removed from the church. The passage from The words in this scripture are often part of Compline
According to some sources, Christians began Candlemas in Jerusalem as early as the fourth century and the lighting of candles began in the fifth century. Other sources say that Candlemas was observed by blessing candles since the 11th century. An early writing dating back to around 380 CE mentioned that a feast of the Presentation occurred in a church in Jerusalem. It was observed on February 14. The feast was observed on February 2 in regions where Christ’s birth was celebrated on December 25. It is also Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada on February 2.
Candles are blessed on this day (hence the name “Candlemas”). It was the day of the year when all the candles, that were used in the church during the coming year, were brought into church and a blessing was said over them – so it was the Festival Day (or ‘mass’) of the Candles. Candles were important in those days not only because there was no electric lights. Some people thought they gave protection against plague and illness and famine. For Christians, they were (and still are) a reminder of something even more important. Before Jesus came to earth, it was as if everyone was ‘in the dark’.
Pieces of these candles are considered of great efficacy in sickness, or otherwise. When a person is dying, a piece is put in his hand lighted, and thus he passes away in the belief that it may light him to Paradise.
Lectionary, Feb. 6, 2022
I. Theme – Unworthiness
“Calling of Peter and Andrew’ – Duccio di Buoninsegna (1318/1319)
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Isaiah 6:1-8, [9-13]
Psalm – Psalm 138
Epistle – 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Gospel – Luke 5:1-11
There’s a common theme running through all of today’s readings. That theme is “unworthiness.”
The unworthiness felt by Isaiah in the presence of the Lord; the unworthiness of St Paul even to be called an “apostle”; and the unworthiness of St Peter – who is so acutely aware of his own weakness, that he asks Jesus to go away: “Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
A sense of unworthiness is probably something most of us experience at some time or another. We may feel unworthy for a particular task, unworthy of another’s trust, unworthy of another’s love. And that’s not surprising. We know our failings and our weaknesses better than anyone. When someone puts their trust in us, even though we want to do our very best for them, we are afraid – afraid that we’re not up to the task. And sometimes, sadly, we’re not. Sometimes we do fail, sometimes we do let others down, sometimes we do betray their trust.
In calling Peter to become his disciple, Jesus places immense trust in him. Equally, some might say, Peter’s willingness to put out the nets one more time, showed his trust in Jesus. Peter, after all, was a professional fisherman; he’d grown up alongside the Sea of Galilee. Jesus, on the other hand, came from Nazareth; he knew nothing of the sea or of fishing. So it does seem incredible that Peter should have gone along with Jesus’ suggestion when all his better instincts must have told him it was pointless.
What makes it all the more surprising is that, as far as we know, Peter has no particular reason to trust Jesus. At this point he probably doesn’t know him very well. Jesus hasn’t yet proved himself with any great miracles. So maybe it’s not trust we see in Peter’s response to Jesus, maybe it’s something else entirely. Peter, we can imagine, isn’t feeling too good about himself. The night’s fishing has been a complete disaster. He’s failed at the one thing he’s supposed to be good at. He is no doubt extremely tired, completely fed up. He’s been out all night; he needs some sleep.
He’s just finished packing up his nets and is about to head off home to bed, when along comes Jesus. He climbs into the boat, and starts one of his talks; a talk which goes on forever. When at last he’s finished, and just as Peter thinks he can get off home for a kip, Jesus tells him to head out into deep water and put out his nets. I’m not at all sure Peter’s response does demonstrate his trust in Jesus. I think it shows his complete exasperation, his irritation even: “Master we worked hard all night long and caught nothing – the fact is, there are no fish. I know it, James knows it, even young John knows it. Still, you know best, you say there are fish, so I’ll pay out the nets.” And it’s then, when Peter is at his lowest ebb, when he’s tired, irritable, feeling completely useless – that the miraculous catch of fish occurs.
Often, it’s when we are at our lowest, when we have failed, when we are most acutely aware of our weakness, that Jesus comes to us and works his miracles. And it’s then we have to trust in him, to launch out into deep water, knowing that it’s not our strength or our talents that matter, but his.
Voices on the Gospel
1. From “Living with Jesus Project”
The call of the first disciples appears, naturally, early on in the ministry of Jesus. Up to this point, the main events have been Jesus’ baptism (3:21-22), his temptation in the wilderness (4:1-13), his inaugural sermon and rejection at Nazareth (4:16-30), and a series of healings (4:31-41). More immediately, there is a series of events that includes his going to a deserted place to be alone, his being sought out by crowds of people, and his teaching in synagogues (4:42-44).
Peter is the only named disciple who reacts in a dramatic fashion to the miraculous event …
In the third-person narrative in which the author directly speaks to his audience, Jesus (even the risen Jesus of John’s narrative) is referred to simply as “Jesus”; Peter and Peter alone addresses Jesus as “Lord” …
The other fishermen share in the action of catching the fish … but neither on sea nor on land do they (apart from the beloved disciple in John 21:15-17) say anything once the miracle begins.
At the end of each story, Jesus directly or indirectly issues a summons to Peter to follow him …
The abundant catch of fish symbolizes in each story the future misionary work and the resultant success of Peter and the other disciples. A further idea symbolized in each story is that the disciples, left to themselves in the night of this world, are doomed to failure. With Jesus’ help and direction, they are granted startling success.
2. Ralph Milton
In this story, Simon (aka Peter) wins the lottery. He’s been out there all night working his butt off, and catches almost nothing. Then Jesus tells him to try again and they fill up the boat.
Peter’s a bit like a guy who wins the lottery, but then never goes to cash in the winning ticket. Peter doesn’t take that haul of fish to the market to sell so he doesn’t benefit from the bonanza. He and his partners, James and John, just leave everything there and follow Jesus. Which makes no economic sense.
These three men go stumbling over their nets and boats and follow Jesus, and the crowd that saw all this witnessed a sermon in action that was more powerful than the one Jesus preached. Luke doesn’t tell us a thing that Jesus said in that sermon. Nor does he say whether Simon and his buds were paying attention. He tells us what they did.
And we’re still talking about it!
Read the Book of Exodus during Epiphany
The second book of the Bible, Exodus recounts the journey of the Israelites from slavery to freedom. We hear the great stories of Moses, from his discovery by Pharoah’s daughter on the bank of the river to the burning bush to his presentation of the Ten Commandments. Along the way, we encounter God’s covenant and explore the grand theme of redemption.
This year, we have a bonus time of scripture engagement: the Good Book Club will dive into the first twenty chapters of Exodus from Epiphany, January 6, to Shrove Tuesday, March 1. For those who want to keep reading, we’ll offer a daily reading guide and an overview of the second half of Exodus. That reading period will conclude on Easter.
Bishop Curry has written, “You can’t read the Book of Exodus without being stirred by the theme of the liberation of people. ”
Links
1. Get Involved
2. The Readings
4. Exodus articles from Covenant
Make a Gift Today! 2. Contact the Rev Catherine Hicks, Rector 4. Server Schedule Jan., 2022 5. Latest Newsletter-the Parish Post (Jan, 2022) 6. Calendar 9. Latest Sunday Bulletin (Jan. 30, 2021 11:00am), and Sermon (Jan 30, 2022) 10. Recent Services: The First Sunday after the Epiphany, Jan. 9, The Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Jan. 16, The third Sunday after the Epiphany, Jan. 23, |
Block Print by Mike Newman
Projects
3-Minute Retreats invite you to take a short prayer break right at your computer. Spend some quiet time reflecting on a Scripture passage.
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.
Your daily prayer online, since 1999
“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, Jan 30 – Feb. 6, 2022
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[Marcella of Rome], Monastic & Scholar, 410 John Bosco, Priest, 1888 Samuel Shoemaker, Priest and Evangelist, 1963 |
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Brigid of Kildare, Monastic, 523 |
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The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple |
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Anskar, Archbishop & Missionary, 865 The Dorchester Chaplains: Lt. George Fox, Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Lt. Clark V. Poling and Lt. John P. Washington, 1943 |
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[Manche Masemola], Martyr, 1928 Cornelius the Centurion |
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[Agatha of Sicily], Martyr, c.251 The Martyrs of Japan, 1597 Roger Williams, 1683, and Anne Hutchinson, 1643, Prophetic Witnesses |
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