July 22, 2010
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
The Gospel lesson for last Sunday was the story of Martha and Mary. To read my sermon on Martha and Mary, please click here.
In the Gospel for this weekend, the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. Two thousand years later, people are still asking how to pray. In response to requests for practical assistance in prayer and meditation, Peter Stringham and I will present a mini-course "Learning to Pray" on Thursdays September 16 and 23 at 6:45 pm. To download the flyer for this course, please click here.
You are invited to a Celtic Mini-Retreat on the Spirit of Lughnasa on Saturday, August 7, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm. The ancient Irish festival of Lughnasa is one of the important "quarter feasts" celebrated among many Celtic peoples since ancient times. Like other pre-Christian holidays, the coming of Christianity seems to have transformed rather than destroyed these ancient festivals. Lughnasa marks the beginning of the harvest in Ireland, and had many beautiful customs and traditions that continued into our own time. The retreat will be led by Harvard Divinity School graduate Kieran Conroy, who will share the history and themes of Lughnasa and its sister-celebrations in Scotland and other places of Celtic influence. To download the flyer, please click here.
For the Collect of the Day, Scripture Readings, and Psalm, click here.
Please note that the we are now using the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) reading.
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS WEEKEND
In the Book of Hosea, the prophet's troubled marriage is a symbol for Israel's troubled relationship with God: "When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, 'Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.' So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son ... yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' it shall be said to them, 'Children of the living God.'" (Hosea 1:2-10)
Psalm 85 recalls the mercy that God extended to the people of Israel: "You have been gracious to your land, O LORD, you have restored the good fortune of Jacob. You have forgiven the iniquity of your people and blotted out all their sins. You have withdrawn all your fury and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation. Restore us then, O God our Savior; let your anger depart from us. Will you be displeased with us for ever? will you prolong your anger from age to age? Will you not give us life again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your mercy, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.
The reading from Colossians is an admonition to live faithful lives of discipleship: "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority." (Colossians 2:6-1-19)
The Gospel of Luke presents Jesus' beautiful teaching on prayer: "Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.' He said to them, 'When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.'" (Luke 11:1-13)
Please join us in praying "the Lord's Prayer" at 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 Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, July 24-25, 2010
Saturday, July 24, at 5:00 pm: Preacher: The Rev. Moses O. Sowale
Sunday, July 25, at 10:30 am: Preacher: The Rev. Moses O. Sowale
Events at All Saints Parish
Taizé Holy Eucharist is offered Wednesdays at 6:15 pm. For more information, please click here.
The Men's Group will meet next on Saturday, September 18, at 8:00 am to discuss A World Lit Only by Fire, by William Manchester. For more information, please contact Peter Stringham at peter.stringham@gmail.com.
For the Adult Faith Formation booklet with the schedule of activities, courses and retreats for 2009-2010, please click here.
The Ruah Spirituality Institute, founded by All Saints Parish in 1992, is an interfaith organization committed to engaging transformative and creative forms and practices of spirituality in facing the urgent realities of our world; facilitating dialogue among the various faith communities around matters of spiritual concern; and offering a hospitable gathering place for persons and communities seeking a deeper spiritual life. Ruah is merging with Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries this summer. For more information, please click here.
Web Resources
We continue to support humanitarian efforts to assist the people of Haiti after the earthquake that devastated their country. Your donations to provide medical care, food, water, clothing, and shelter to the people of Haiti are still needed. If you wish to make a donation online, please click on Partners in Health, Episcopal Relief and Development, Oxfam America and the Sisters of St. Margaret.
We ask your support of the ministries, outreach, and educational activities of our parish. To make a pledge of time, talent, and treasure, please click here.
For "All Saints Smiles" and news about events, activities, programs, ministries and the staff of our parish, please click on the All Saints web site: www.allsaintsbrookline.org.
For a Schedule of Worship services, please click here.
For information about our Church School for pre-school to grade 12, click here.
To see the current issue of Saints Alive, our newsletter, please click here.
To browse past issues of the All Saints Weekly, click here.
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