January 21, 2010

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Many have asked how to make a donation to support the relief effort in Haiti. There are many worthwhile groups doing heroic work in Haiti, but I call your attention especially to Partners in Health, Episcopal Relief and Development, and the Sisters of St. Margaret. Please click on their name to find out more about their work and to make an online donation.

I am grateful to Becky Taylor, Director of Children's, Youth, and Family Ministries, for this prayer for the people of Haiti:

Holy God, source of life, lover of souls, out of the depths we call to you; in the face of incomprehensible anguish and sorrow, we lift the cries of our distress and implore you to show mercy upon those who are suffering from the destruction of the earthquake in Haiti. We pray for those who have died and for their loved ones who grieve, asking you to hold them in the arms of your love; we pray for those who have been injured in body, mind or spirit and ask you to heal them; we pray for those who are homeless and wandering, for families torn asunder and ask you to shelter them. Strengthen the hands and hearts of those who assist in relief efforts and grant us all firm resolve to stand with our neighbors who are in need, to love them and to offer our generous support of them in this their time of trouble; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

On Sunday at the 10:30 am worship service, four young people of our congregation will participate in Rite 13, a beautiful ceremony that marks their journey to adulthood. Please join us as we celebrate this important moment in the life of our parish.

This winter, Laurie Rofinot, Philip Major, and I are leading Journeys in Faith, the popular course for adults who wish to be baptized, confirmed, or received into the Episcopal Church. We will meet on Mondays, January 25 to March 29, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. For more information, please click here.

Philip Major is leading a bible study entitled "Paul's Not-Quite-First Letter to the Corinthians" on Sundays, January 24 & 31, February 14 & 21 at 9:15 am. This bible study is especially relevant since we are reading the first letter to the Corinthians in our Sunday worship services. All are welcome. For more information, please click here.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

The reading from Nehemiah describes the faithful and joyous reception of God’s word by the people: "And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, 'Amen, Amen,' lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation." (Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10)

Psalm 19 describes the word of God revealed in nature: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. One day tells its tale to another, and one night imparts knowledge to another. Although they have no words or language, and their voices are not heard, their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world. In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber it rejoices like a champion to run its course. It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; nothing is hidden from its burning heat."

The reading from the first epistle to the Corinthians compares the church to the human body: "Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body ... Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (1 Corinthians 12:12-31a)

The Gospel from Luke describes a time when Jesus, a lay member of the synagogue, was invited to give the sermon: "Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, 'Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.'" (Luke 4:14-21)

Please join us for the Holy Eucharist on Saturday at 5:00 pm and on Sunday at 10:30 am.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

Worship Services for

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, January 23-24, 2010
Saturday, January 23, at 5:00 pm: Preacher - The Rev. David A. Killian
Sunday, January 24, at 10:30 am: Preacher - Ms. Rebecca Taylor

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