| | Weekly Dispatch, January 6th, 2021 |
|
|
| |  | | St. John's Schedule- Evening Prayer - Wednesdays at 6:30 pm via Zoom
- Holy Eucharist - Sundays at 10:30 via Zoom
- Boquist Baby Shower - via Zoom just after church on 1/17
| | A Message from Fr. Bryan | Yesterday was the 12th day of Christmas, which means that today is the "Feast of the Epiphany" and the beginning of the season of Epiphany. On this day, we remember the revelation of God to the magi, signaling that the gospel of grace is available to the gentiles and thus to all the world. If you want to learn more about the church's celebration of Epiphany, click here.
|
For the time being, we will continue to meet on Sundays via Zoom. Our plan has been to get at least two weeks beyond January 1st and then reconsider our plans. Accordingly, the Mission Council will meet next Thursday, January 14th to discuss the situation, and I will let you all know what course of action we plan to take after that conversation. This coming Sunday we will celebrate the "Baptism of our Lord," and Chad Sanner is going to join me at the church in order to deliver the homily via Zoom.
|
At this point, most of you are likely out of consecrated bread, so please plan to stop by the church at one of the following times this week to pick up bread for just one Sunday. The church will be unlocked and the bread available on the following days and times this week:
|
- Thursday, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm (I'll be upstairs on a video conference)
- Friday, from 10 am to Noon
- Saturday, from 10 am to Noon
Since Epiphany is a season of celebration, I'd like to offer a hopeful message about the days we are living through. No matter how difficult the times may seem, the gospel is always good news, and God's grace and goodness are always to be manifest among his people. I hope you will appreciate these quotations from St. Augustine. The first is taken from one of the most important books ever written, the City of God. It was written during the Roman Empire's long collapse:
|
| | | “So it is that, under the same weight of the same affliction, the wicked deny and blaspheme God, and the good pray to Him and praise Him. The difference is not in what people suffer but in the way they suffer. The same shaking that makes fetid water stink makes perfume issue a more pleasant odor” (1.8.3). |
|
The second, taken from Sermon 30, has been making the rounds on the internet in a more condensed form. It is worth reading the whole thing.
|
| | | And so, Brethren, we say, pray as much as you are able. Evils abound, and God has willed that evils should abound. Would that evil men did not abound, and then evils would not abound. Bad times! Troublesome times! This men are saying. Let our lives be good; and the times are good. We make our times; such as we are, such are the times. But what can we do? We cannot, it may be, convert the mass of men to a good life. But let the few who do give ear live well; let the few who live well endure the many who live ill. |
|
Finally, we plan to put together a care packet for Fr. Lawrence (serving as a chaplain in Afghanistan), so stay tuned for more on that in a future Dispatch. For the time being, you can reach Fr. Lawrence at the following address, provided by Brian Tritabaugh.
|
CH (CPT) McElrath, Lawrence
HHC, 4-31 IN, TF SW
CL DWYER, APO AE 09354
|
By God's grace, live well this week!
|
If you would like to support St. John's during this time, you can give online by clicking the button below. You may also send a check to the following address:
|
PO BOX 36591, CANTON OH 44735
|
| | |
|
| Using God's Gifts, by Fr. Bryan |  | A message from the series "Sermons from Lectionary Texts." Fr. Bryan considers the Three Wise Men and how Christians are to offer their own gifts here and now.
|
| |
|
| The Daily Office| Interested in a simple way to pray the daily office from the Book of Common Prayer? Follow this link for text and audio versions of morning, noon, and evening prayer. The site is hosted by our friend, Fr. Michael Jarrett. |
|
Contact Us| If you have questions about the content contained in this email or want to learn more about St. John's Anglican Church or, please let us know. You can fill out a form at this link, and you will receive a response from Fr. Bryan. |
|
|
| | | Connect with Us on Social Media |    | |
|
|
|
|
