Today was Quinquagesima, the Sunday before the beginning of Lent. Today, the weather was superb, a beautiful blue sky partly covered with cirrostratus clouds and temperatures in the low 60°s before the service and a lovely 72°F by the end. Even though a number of people called in sick, we ended up with 22 attendees.
Quinquagesima, the term used to denote the last Sunday before Lent (alluding to the fact that there are fifty days between that Sunday and Easter, if one counts both days themselves in the total). It is the last Sunday of the Pre-Lenten Season which eventually became the time for carnival celebrations throughout Europe, this custom being later exported to places settled and/or colonized by Europeans.
Today marked the Twenty-Fourth Sunday of the Confirmation – Reception classes in preparation for Bishop Boyce’s visit in mid-Spring. Today Father Acker started a discussion of Lent. Lent is often thought of only as a period of fasting and denial. Lent is traditionally that, but it is so often misunderstood. The misunderstanding comes with the purpose behind the fasting and denial. The reason for Lenten fasting and denial was to focus our soul on God. The Lenten season of the Christian Year is designed to help us focus our beings on God, not to help us thin down. United to God in Love is the Lenten Rule. This is not to reduce our relationship with God to rules, there is no bargain, no reward or punishment for not following our Lenten Rules, other than what we gain or lose by following or not following what we have set as rules for ourselves. What we should be doing in Lent is deepening our relationship with God and letting Him further rule our lives. We need to cooperate with the processes of sanctification, wherein God helps us to be more Christ-like.
The purpose of Ash Wednesday is not to make a show of penitence, but rather to remind us of our mortality and set the stage for the Lenten Season. The ashen cross it place on the forehead in the same spot as the water cross of baptism. A symbol of our death in this life and our birth in that life. Lent is about learning to trust God more and more, if we lose weight, all the better.
Four things you might want to consider:
Prayer Examine yourself and your life, seek God’s guidance and resolve to and do better in the future (Repentance)
Fasting By denying yourself and focusing on God, you may seek his path (Self-Denial)
Almsgiving Share the gifts you have been given by God (Self-Sacrifice)
Study Resolve to and actually learn more about God and His Word. It is far easier to follow that which you understand.
Jan Macauley read the Epistle for today, which came from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, starting at the First Verse of the Thirteenth Chapter. Paul talks of charity, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
Paul more than anyone of his time knew we were imperfect and could but aspire to perfection. He was aware of God’s love for us and our need to grow in to it.
This morning’s Gospel comes from the Gospel of Saint Luke, starting at the Thirty-First Verse of the Eighteenth Chapter. The Gospel starts out telling of Jesus’ trying to prepare his disciples for what was to come, and they could not grasp it: “Then Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.” The Gospel goes on to tell of Jesus’ healing of a blind man near Jericho, “And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way-side begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”
Sermon
Charity and our life with God. When we recite the Nicene Creed, we summarize our most basic beliefs. But are they really? Do we really believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father died that we might live? Do we live the reality of His light shining into our lives, providing the illumination our souls so dearly long for? Are we letting His guidance guide our lives, or are we just reciting a group of words? Evelyn Underhill, in the book The School of Charity wrote, “For our real hope of solving our problems abides in bringing them in relationship with the eternal truth of God; and placing them within the radiance of Charity.” We know the love of a parent for a child, the love of a husband for a wife and a wife for a husband, the love of close friends. These are but shadows from the Shadowlands of God’s Love for us; Charity is the word.
On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus tells the Apostles of his coming death and resurrection; they do not understand and are afraid to ask. Thus, they did not see what was to happen until it occurred. On the other hand, when Jesus asks the blind man, “What do you want?”, he is clear, “I want to see!”
Like the man, we are all blind, to one degree or another. Do we want to see? In God’s light, things look different. Just the light of true beauty, that of the heart, mind and soul, gives light to the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” God’s light gives us a true picture of our world.
Seeing by God’s light, we can rightly decide:
• What is worth our time and effort?
• For whom do we make time?
• Where are we headed?
Now abideth faith, hope, charity, three; but the greatest of these is charity. -1. Cor.xiii. 13.
For the Love of God!
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Today we celebrated Muriel Pappin’s 80th birthday. In addition, we joyously celebrated Jan and Tim Macauley’s Forty-First Wedding Anniversary.
New Name Tags on Sunday
We had no new nametags today.
After Church Hospitality
Even though they did not know in advance of the birthday and anniversary celebrations today, you would not have known it by the feast put on by Betsy and Marianne Lane.
Cupcakes, not just one flavor, but two. Chocolate cake in both, one with vanilla frosting (your Beadle’s favorite) and the other with chocolate frosting, which he likes, too! For the points challenged there were veggies, with jicama as a special treat.
Betsy and Marianne also brought goodie packets for the kids, big and small, with cookies and pencils. As you can see, the packets were hits with both Benjamin Barrett and Father Acker!
Tim Macauley was pouring flat out with freshly brewed coffee from Tim’s House of Coffee, as well as hot chocolate, sodas and water. Today, the hot chocolate was the beverage of choice with almost double the cups of chocolate going out the door, so to speak, as coffee. Even though he was almost half dead from his illness, Father Acker got up early enough to make fresh low carb lemonade before the service.
People in our Prayers
God’s Guidance
The Gray Family – Please give thanks for a successful and safe ground combat tour in Iraq for Obra Gray. Please pray that Obra, Shamim, Zack, Aaron and Nadia will come to know God’s love, which can bring them happiness and strength by following the clear instructions He has given us through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Travel
Ken is on a business trip;
Craig and Lynn are on travel;
Traci is on travel;
Obra, Shamim, Zack, Aaron and Nadia on travel to Washington, DC and Pensacola;
Sick or in need of healing
Betty Cook
Muriel Pappin
Betsy Lane
The following were still sick enough to call in as missing church, due to the flu
Holly Lizak
Alice Acker
Walt and Fran Dexter
Gene Hunt has mostly recovered from his hip surgery; but spends most of his time in his wheel chair. Evelyn comes most days to see him at Chase Healthcare Center when her back is behaving itself.
Barbara Emrich has moved from the Jacob Health Center and we need to catch up to her. She is getting mail in care of her daughter, if you want to write.
Miney Farrell asks your continued prayer for relief of the blurred vision in one eye. Also at Evening Shade Home, Katie Benjamin, is doing well.
Donna Dingwall is doing much better. She is grateful for your prayers. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.
Lorraine Winkles, is doing well. Perhaps we can get her a ride to a service now and again from her home in Blossom Valley.
Front Door Lending Library
The Lending Library has some new Annotated Holy Communion Books. These books have the Prayer Book Holy Communion service on the left page and an explanation on the right page. They are a great way to learn about the service. Pick one up when you come in and use it for the service, if you like.
The Lending Library is a resource you need to use. Most of the books are short, understandable, but very powerful. Also, if you have any books you would like share, please bring them in.
Personal 1928 Books of Common Prayer
While not strictly part of the Front Door Lending Library, we have some personal 1928 Prayer Books. A church in Florida disposed of a nice quantity of personal hardback 1928 BCPs in excellent to new condition, which we were lucky enough to acquire. There are some on the Front Table. We have plenty, although we only put out a half dozen at a time. They are yours to take home as your very own. The only thing the parish asks is that if you ever go to the dark side, please return it. Otherwise, it is yours forever.
Core Singing Group
Walt and Fran Dexter have come together with Ben and Holly Lizak to form a Core Singing Group for our church. They would like a few more people to join them. Walt wants everyone to know this is not a choir, but core singing group. They aren’t planning on meeting every week for four or five hours and singing over and over. Rather they are planning on rehearsing the songs for each week so they can form a loud and clear core we can sing with. Our singing has gotten better and better each week, this should help even more.
It really doesn’t matter if you can sing, you just need to be able to read – Oh, yes, and be willing to sing loud and clear. If you want to join the group, tell Walt, Fran, Holly or Ben, they would love to have you. So would we.
Question that only you can answer
What would you like to know about our history, what we believe, what we do or how we operate? Father Acker is looking for material for the Catechism class and the Beadle is looking for Thought for the Day material. Help us help you. Please send your question to the Beadle so we all can get an answer. Just because you don’t know the answer to your question doesn’t mean you are the only one who doesn’t know. But, if you don’t ask, no one will know.
Also, if there is something you would like to see done or not done in our church, please let us know. There is a reason it was Carnac the Magnificant on The Johnny Carson Show and not Acker the Great. Father Acker is a really great vicar, but not much of a mind reader. Help us help you, let us know what we can, or should, do to make sure each of you get the greatest benefit from your church. This is Christ’s Church, which makes it your church. You have an obligation to make it the very best you can. Tell us how to help.
Coming Up later this year
Father Acker will be continuing the pre-service classes. As the Confirmation – Reception subjects are completed, he will be discussing portions of the Bible, as well as Christian history and Anglican history in particular. We have some very nice King James Version study Bibles for those who are interested. Please contact the Beadle at thebeadle@mac.com for your copy.
Ash Wednesday
There will be services at Victoria Chapel on Ash Wednesday at 0930 and 1830 (9:30am and 6:30pm) for details or directions, please call the church office at (619) 722-1772.
Next Sunday
Next Sunday is the First Sunday in Lent. Father Acker might finish up on our motto – Scripture • Reason • Tradition in his Confirmation – Reception classes, or he might talk about Lent or Ash Wednesday, or maybe a new topic. But, unless you come to the service, you will have to wait until you read the Beadle’s Report to find out. Also, we will likely have the date of the Bishop’s visit this week or next.
See you next week on Sunday!
The full .pdf version of the current Beadle’s Report is posted by Father Acker on the church website and is available at:
http://www.alpineanglican.com/Beadle/beadle.pdf
An alternative version of the Beadle’s Report without photographs is available at:
http://web.mac.com/thebeadle/iWeb/BeadleBlog/Blog/Blog.html
All back issues of the Beadle’s Reports are available on request from:
thebeadle@mac.com
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