Abraham Lincoln on the Bible
May 31, 2008
“In regard to this great book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to men. All the good Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
Reminder: Wednesday Supper Club Begins June 4th
May 30, 2008
Starting Wednesday, June 4th, let’s join in a Wednesday Night Supper Club.
Here are the details:
We’ll start at 6:15 p.m. sharp by breaking bread together in Ballard Hall; bring some potluck to share.
Then we’ll take some time to digest, both our meal and His Word.
The evening will culminate on an ancient and beautiful note, as we chant Evensong together in the Sanctuary.
Liturgy Lesson for the Second Sunday after Trinity: Prayer Book Rubrics
May 30, 2008
In the Book of Common Prayer, there are italic directions, called “rubrics” (reds) because of their original red lettering. They hold the force of canon law, and officiants in any services must comply with them as a means to do things “decently and in order,” as Scripture commands. At the end of the Holy Communion service are general rubrics, intended to govern the administration of the entire service. These instruct the celebrant to refuse the Holy Communion to anyone openly living an evil (unrepentant) life or who have wronged their neighbors by word or deed. It also directs the priest to deny communion to anyone he perceives to have unresolved malice or hatred against their brothers or sisters in Christ. In this, the clergy actually protects those living this kind of life, because they have not repented from sinning and are in danger of partaking in the Lord’s Supper unworthily-that is to say, with unresolved, purposeful sin in their lives-which calls the Lord’s condemnation down on them. This calls the great question, then to us all-have we truly turned from our sins? Are we, as we say in the words of invitation, truly and earnestly repenting from our sins and in love and charity with our neighbors, and intend to lead a new life by following God’s commandments and walking from that point on in His holy ways? If we can answer “yes,” then we can go to the Lord’s Table to receive Communion, allowing the joy of the Lord to quiet our hearts and strengthen us, but if not, we need to do authentic “heart business” with our Heavenly Father, seeking the answer to that question, as the Holy Ghost shows us our hearts! This is the way we have His peace and governance in our world-with a heart broken and ready for His indwelling!
Memorial Day Prayer
May 26, 2008
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
Oneness with God
May 24, 2008
“The things that happen either make us fiends, or they make us saints; it depends entirely upon the relationship we are in to God. If we say – “Thy will be done,” we get the consolation of John 17, the consolation of knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom. When we understand what God is after we will not get mean and cynical. Jesus has prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far off it, and yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him, because Jesus has prayed that we may be.” ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, May 22
Liturgy Lesson for the First Sunday after Trinity: The Lord’s Supper
May 23, 2008
The Lords’ Supper, also called Eucharist (Great Thanksgiving), Holy Communion, or Mass (meaning a sending out) is the central worship act and one of two sacraments (including penance) repeated in the Church. Ordained by our Lord in St. Matt 26, St. Mark 14, St. Luke 22 and 1 Cor 11, it is central to our life in Jesus. We use the term “life” decidedly, because Jesus commanded us to observe this sacrament to have life. Additionally, He also told us to do it in remembrance of Him-a term meaning “calling Him back.” Because of this, we believe He inhabits the wine and bread spiritually by the Holy Ghost, accomplished by the Prayer of Consecration (”This is my Body…”) and the Epiclesis-the calling near of the Holy Ghost (”And we most humbly beseech thee to hear us…”) prayed shortly after the Consecration. In short, our Lord is present in the consecrated elements. But what does this mean to the Faithful who eat this Heavenly feast? We can express it well in the simple devotion we teach in the Salt and Light Course. After we have spent time preparing for the service by a personal examen and invoking the Holy Ghost’s indwelling presence personally, we ask Him to minister to us collectively by a series of entreaties to purify us, teach us by the Scripture, forgive our sins, and admit us to the Holy Table-all leading us to an exchange of our own nature for that of the Lord Himself. The simple devotion? Just before receiving the Holy Sacrament we pray, “Thy nature, O Lord, for my nature.” This is the ultimate “good deal” of the ages-giving our Father our fallen flesh for His more Excellent Way. This is why we urge our members to have Communion at least weekly-we need His life and His nature. Come Holy Ghost-change us into the Lord’s image when we exchange His own nature for ours in your sending out of your Church into the World.
Wednesday Summer Supper Club
May 23, 2008
Join us for potluck, teaching, and worship, every Wednesday evening beginning June 4th at 6:15, sharp!
Liturgy Lesson for Trinity Sunday: Our Triune God
May 17, 2008
Trinity Sunday celebrates the great Christian belief in our triune God-one belief (among many) that distinguishes us from any religion, anytime, anywhere. We aren’t pagan polytheists, worshipping multiple gods, but believe in the one true God, expressed in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost-but still, one God. He revealed this truth to us via His Word-Holy Scripture-and much of the New Testament would be unintelligible without it. The Word trumpets God’s Trinity nature: He is one God in Isa 44:6-8; II Sam 7:22 & Deut 6; the Father is God in St. Matt 6:9; St. John 20; Rom 9:25 & II Cor 6:18; the Son is God in St. John 1 & 20; Heb 1: 1-8 & I Tim 3:16; the Holy Ghost is God Acts 5:3; I Cor 2:11 & Ps. 139:7. In liturgical worship, we reverence the invocation of the Blessed Trinity in worship with the Sign of the Cross, made over our forehead, breastbone and to either shoulder-which also commemorates the Jewish Passover-the Blood of the Pascal Lamb, Jesus, applied to door and lintel, forming a cross by which we enter our dwelling place. The Church Fathers correctly represented Trinity with green, as this is the time of growth and fullness, because we have received God’s fullness God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost-and grow in Him!
JONAH HAD FAITH (song) by Daniel Patrick Brown
May 15, 2008
(thoughts derived from Jonah, Matthew, Psalm 105, I Corinthians 13, and Isaiah.)
copyrighted 2006 by Daniel Patrick Brown [of our parish]
Verse 1: the ocean is a playground where I’d rather not play /
when I think about the size of the creatures that pray /
to the Lord to provide for their huge appetite /
when a man-size snack swallows without a bite.
Chorus: Jonah had faith but he didn’t have love /
Jonah had a problem he was not aware of /
so the fish swallowed him who would not swallow his pride /
till that Ninevah-bound sub-marine ride.
Verse 2: the prophet did not profit by holding on to hate /
when the prejudice preacher became deep-sea fishing bait /
Jonah knew the Word and Jonah had the faith /
but he didn’t have the love to accept that other race.
Verse 3: Jonah believed God’s love was too great /
to destroy a people that Jonah chose to hate /
Jonah knew the Word of God does not return void /
so he doubted he was sent to see Ninevah destroyed.
Verse 4: I could speak every language on the earth /
but if I had no love what would my talent be worth ? /
and though a man’s faith may move a mountain to the sea /
Liturgy Lesson for Pentecost: Come, Holy Ghost!
May 9, 2008
Pentecost! The very name conjures the image of that first empowerment of the Church Militant as documented in Acts 2. On this day, we commemorate the Holy Ghost’s pouring Himself on Christ’s disciples, as they waited before Him, obedient to the Lord’s instruction. We regard the day as the Church’s birthday, because the gift of the Holy Ghost was then bestowed on the new Christians, filling and baptizing them with power to work for the Kingdom, as Christ promised—launching them on their apostolic mission to carry the Gospel to the world. Taking place 10 days after the Ascension, on the Jewish Festival of Shavuot (Weeks)—sometimes called “the Day of the First Fruits”—it was a significant time for the new Church, as God the Holy Ghost, for the first time, began to manifest the Gifts of the Spirit outlined in 1 Corinthians 12, while growing the first Fruit of the Spirit enumerated in Galatians 5. We call it “Pentecost” from the Greek word pentecoste, meaning “fiftieth,” since the holiday occurs fifty days after Passover and Easter. “Whitsun” is similar—a corruption of the German “Pfingsten”—and also means “fiftieth.” The liturgical color is red, representing the fire of the Holy Ghost and the Blood sealing the third and final Covenant God made with mankind. Preceded by the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, this New and third Covenant rightly sets the stage for the Church’s longest season—Trinity (Three)—celebrating our new relationship with our triune God and the season of growth and spiritual plenty blessed by the fullness of God—Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Come, Holy Ghost—fill us with celestial fire!
