The Sunday next before Advent - Commonly called Stir Up Sunday

Thanksgiving Eve
This has been an action packed week! Wednesday evening Father Ironhand’s Free Teen Guitar Class (FTGC) provided the music for the Alpine Ecumenical Thanksgiving Evening Service held at 1900L (7:00pm) at the lovely Queen of Angels Roman Catholic Church. We had eight members present for the service there. Jack Arnold played with Father Ironhand’s the FTGC kids who provided music. If you were there, you know how much they enjoyed their participation and we enjoyed their music.

If you were not there, you surely missed a great time. Your Beadle is certainly not the most ecumenical of fellows, being Anglican to the Bone, as they say; but even he enjoyed worshipping with our fellow believers, with one minor exception. The treats afterwards were exceptional, thanks in no small part to the efforts of our ladies. The beautiful night brought out about 65 people.

As the organizer of the event, it fell to Father Acker to provide the sermon. He did a great job talking on why we should be thankful and to whom. Excellent sermon.

Thanksgiving Day
Thursday brought us Thanksgiving Day; a day known primarily for the excess consumption of food in the company of all available family members. Sometimes we forget the origin of the thanksgiving in Thanksgiving Day. While we are, or certainly should be, grateful to God every day for the wonderful world, country and family He has given us, this is the day our country has set aside to give thanks to God. Not thanks in general, but thanks to God. If you look at other countries and other times, you cannot be but thankful to God we live here and now. The list of things to be thankful to God is endless, but if nothing else, give thanks that you are here and now and able to praise Him.

The Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity celebrated Thanksgiving Day with a 0930L (9:30am) Holy Communion Service at Victoria House. We were very fortunate to have Father Acker’s parents join us for the service. With eight communicants present, we had too many for the small chapel. What a terrible problem to have to deal with. Ever resourceful, the service was held in the dining room of Victoria House.

The Epistle for Thanksgiving Day came from the Epistle of St. James, the First Chapter, beginning at the Sixteenth Verse. James counsels us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” God is the perfect source of good. What is good is of God. Through His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, we have been given instructions on how to act. Many of us have listened and claim to be followers of Christ. But James warns us, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man be-holding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” With so much about us, we need ask, what is it to do the work of the Lord? The answer is simple, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Being able to fluently and glibly talk the talk is meaningless, if you will not walk the walk. You have to fulfill with your body the promises you made with your mouth.

Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man be-holding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

The Gospel for Thanksgiving Day comes from the Sixth Chapter of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew beginning at the Twenty-Fifth Verse. Jesus tell us to “Trust in God and Dread Nought”. He reminds us that by worrying, none of us can add even one cubit, or one second for that matter, to the span of our life here on earth. In a very graphic example He points out that not even the raiment of Solomon, the most glorious of all kings, could approach the beauty of a lily, who toiled not at all. Do as God asks, put your faith in Him and all you need will come to you. Understand, this means doing as He asks, not just sitting by and watching the world go by. Note the words of James in the Epistle.

Jesus said, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? And why are ye anxious for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore be not anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

After service goodies were on hold as the Ackers headed north right after the service for Thanksgiving Dinner with his family in Orange County. Jack and Rede Acker will be leaving Orange County after a short stay there for their home in Colorado.

If you have not been to a service at Victoria Chapel, you are really missing an opportunity to participate in an intimate celebration of our faith. Join us sometime.

Sunday Service
Sunday, we celebrated the Sunday next before Advent and the Feast of Christ the King, finishing our Christian Year as we started it, with Christ and the Father at the forefront. Weather on Mount Olympus was cool, with a high thin overcast which extended down the hill, 40°F when we awoke. By the time church was over there was still a high thin overcast with temperatures in the upper 60°sF. Even though we had many people on travel and some sick, nonetheless we had 20 members present by the time the actual service started.

The Gloria in Excelsis and Doxology
In today’s pre-service class, Father Acker discussed the Gloria in Excelsis and Doxology. At the end of the Holy Communion Service, after the Prayer of Thanksgiving on Page 83, you will find the following:

¶ Then shall be said the Gloria in excelsis, all standing, or some proper Hymn.
83
______________________________________________________
Holy Communion
GLORY be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we
worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father
Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord
God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the
sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest
away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that
sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy
upon us.
For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only,
O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory
of God the Father. Amen.

& Then, the People kneeling, the Priest (the Bishop if he be present) shall
let them depart with this Blessing.
THE Peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: And the Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

For people whose only exposure to the Book of Common Prayer is the abomination of 1979 claiming to be a Book of Common Prayer, the Gloria may seem to be in a strange place. However, the end of the Holy Communion Service is its traditional place, where it has been since the Second Book of Common Prayer, referred to as the 1552 edition.

The Gloria is associated with Jesus and the Apostles at the Last Supper, reading from the Book of Matthew, the Twenty-Sixth Chapter, Verses Twenty-Seven through Thirty, we find:

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

Remember, the Last Supper was a Passover meal. When they had finished the Passover Meal in the upper room, they sang a hymn or psalm. (Psalms 113-118; p.484 BCP)

Hallel or Praise was chanted in the temple whilst the Passover lambs were being slain. It was chanted also on other festival occasions, as at Pentecost, the feast of Tabernacles, and the feast of Dedication. The Levites, standing before the altar, chanted it verse by verse, the people responding by repeating the verses or by intoned hallelujahs.

Psalms 116-118 probably formed the basis of the hymn which our Saviour and his disciples sung at the conclusion of the Passover supper kept by them in the upper room at Jerusalem. This was a hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord for his mercy and loving kindness.

It was seen as the realities of the Old Covenant where made a reality in the New Covenant as Jesus now went to the Mount of Olives, the place from which the Messiah would enter the Temple. Jesus would enter Jerusalem bound for sacrifice, for the true Passover offering to bring God’s mercy to his people in his death and resurrection. In the Eastern Church it is the Angelic Hymn or Great Doxology. We often substitute the shorter Doxology, Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Jan Macauley read the Epistle for today, which came from the Book of Jeremiah, the Twenty-Third Chapter, beginning at the Fifth Verse. Foretelling the arrival of Jesus, Jeremiah prophesied, “I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Foreshadowing the New Covenant, he wrote, “They shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.”

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

The Gospel for today came from the Gospel according to Saint John, the Sixth Chapter, beginning at the Fifth Verse. John relates one of the feeding the masses in the wilderness events. This event occurring long before there was a Thanksgiving Day, seems very appropriate for the weekend and also forshadows the arrival of the Christ at Christmas coming to feed our spiritual needs in the wilderness of this world.

With five thousand men with them looking for food in the wilderness, “One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down…” Reminding us that if the Son of God gave thanks to God for His food, so ought we, “Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”

Compare to saving our souls and feeding the inner hunger we have for God’s love, feeding a mere 5,000 men is child’s play, but then Jesus said we should accept God and His love through Him as the children do. So perhaps it really is child’s play.

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the frag-ments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

Sermon - Expect God to Act
The Gospel this morning gets me stirred up. And well it should, for this is Stir Up Sunday, whose name comes from the Collect for the Day:

The Sunday next before Advent.
The Collect.
STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the gospel for today, Jesus has everyone sit down on the grassy hillside and

miraculously turn five small loaves of bread, more the size of large dinner rolls, into bread for five thousand. Often, people who don’t want to understand will explain the miracle by saying Jesus shamed the people by pointing out the young boy giving up his lunch and they took out their hoarded dinner out of the shirt pockets.

John would not have written about that. That would make the change in our nature the miracle. If you think “I” am the miracle, you fall victim to Edging God Out – EGO.

God takes what we give him, even a little, he makes something great, that goes beyond what we can imagine. The only miracle in us is the miracle God makes of us.  It is a miracle that God takes my life, your life, and uses it to produce something more than we could have ever expected.

You may think you have little to offer. Yet, un-offered it will remain little; brought before God and put to His use, it becomes great. God will use what you give him to accomplish something great. People will know that God has touched their lives by what you have done in Jesus’ Name. It is something great.

God will not be able to act in you if you do not let Him into your life, putting Him in control of your life. You must expect God to act.

On this last Sunday of the Christian Year,

We come to our Lord, our Savior, our King,
            To serve Him; To give our life to Him.
More like the Stirrup on a horse saddle. To give us a leg up.
            To live as Servants of the King.

Stir Up, Get cooking, Get a leg up, knowing we serve Jesus our Lord, our Savior, and our King.

This Sunday is also the Feast of Christ the King, a fitting feast for the end of the Christian Year.

Like the Christian Year, our lives start with the gift of our lives from God, through Christ. We live our lives here on earth, then leave. If it is a good life, like the year, we end with Christ. Our souls come here all alike, built, equipped and destined for eternity. Built for eternity, but with free will; able to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. We live our lives here in many ways. How we live determines where we go when we leave. God does not test us. Confounding comes not from God, but from the devil. God does watch how we react to the difficulties we face, from the devil or otherwise. As with last week’s Gospel, He expects us to be doers, not just hearers.

Life on earth has been compared to the dust jacket of a book; a catchy picture and title (your name) on the cover, a very brief summary on the back. The real story is not the dust cover, but rather the book inside. Likewise life here on earth is only a glimpse of life in heaven. CS Lewis calls earth the Shadowland, whereas life in heaven was real with real color and real life. If we want to get from the Shadowland to the real world when we leave and not the pit, we must do what God asks. Again CS Lewis says, “There are two kinds of people: Those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right then, have it your way.”

As we end the year and look ahead to a new year, we have a chance to revisit our actions of the last year and re-think how to act in the new year. Will we improve our actions in the New Christian Year ahead? God is doing His best to “Prepare you on earth for a beautiful birthday in heaven.” Are you?

Birthdays and Anniversaries
There were no reported anniversaries today.

After Church Hospitality
Annie Springer was set to bring goodies today, but Mike had to work due to the fire recovery effort. In a miracle of donuts and no fishes, Alice Acker made a quick run to the local donuttery and the food was on. Dog Nuts of many kinds. Not nearly as healthy as Annie would have brought, but eaten they were.

Command Master Chief Brewer Macauley handled the coffee on behalf of Tim’s House of Coffee. Once again, Father Acker got up early enough to make his famous low carb lemonade, a sacrifice much appreciated by your Beadle.

New Nametags
We no new nametags today.

People in our Prayers
If you are on our prayer list, or you have submitted a person for us to pray for, please update Father Acker in person, by telephone or e-mail. It helps to be able to pray specifically for these individuals including their specific needs; plus if they get better, it is good to give thanks!

Travel
Ken is on travel this week.
Ryan is on travel.
Don, Sandy and Nick are on travel this week.

Sick or in need of healing
Diane Chase
Muriel Pappin
Fran Dexter
Martha Stevens

Jack Arnold – Hap Arnold’s uncle, was recently released from the hospital and is now in a step down unit. Just past his 95th birthday, he seems to be failing rapidly. Your prayers are asked that he either somehow gather strength to recover sufficient to allow him to go home or that he pass from this world to the next with the clear confidence he has expressed countless times in the past.

Betty Cooke has good days and some not so good. She occasionally gets picked up to go out to lunch from time to time. She and Shilo, her cat, are enjoying the sunshine streaming in her living room as she has a makeover going on in her front yard.

Victor – Donna Dingwall’s husband, is recently out of the hospital and is in need of prayer for increased strength. Please pray for his rapid recovery.

Marie “Rede” Acker – Father Acker’s mother broke her good shoulder on 14 July 2007. She is doing very well in her recovery. She is now in her 4th week of major muscle rehab for her shoulder. She and Jack (Father Acker’s dad) were in town with the Ackers for Thanksgiving; prayers of thanksgiving are in order.

Evelyn Hunt is doing very well. She was at church today with her daughter Kathy, both looking lovely.
 
Annie Springer did not make it to church this morning because Mike had to work because of the aftermath of the fires. She still has problems with her vision which preclude her from driving right now. They are working on stabilizing her diabetes and blood pressure medications. Your continued prayers are asked for successful stabilization of her medications, as well as improvement of her vision to allow her to return to driving. In addition, please pray for strength for the Springer family.

Lona Walsh (Wanda Michaelis' mother) surgery has been put off.

Miney Farrell was in church six weeks ago. She is doing great. Thanks to Greg Chase, she will in here at least once a month.

Lorraine Winkles is showing small increments of improvement with a prolonged case of shingles. She appreciates our praying for her on Sunday mornings.

Donna Dingwall is doing well enough that she and her family were able to do a bit of travel. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

Dru Arnold missed church today due to a knee problem. We trust it will resolve shortly, but ask God’s help.

Greg Chase seemingly pulled a muscle in his back lifting a trash can. He did not ask for the unction for the sick as it was a “minor” problem, but is limping around nonetheless. We trust it will resolve shortly, but ask God’s help.

Back Door Lending Library
We have some new Amazing Grace books of several flavors, in addition, there are still several sets of the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, as well as some background books on the series. There are plenty of sets, so don’t be shy. There are also 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.

Personal 1928 Books of Common Prayer & Bibles
During his many travels and general rooting around, your Beadle has come across some very nice personal 1928 Prayer Books, including a couple with Hymnals attached and leather bound Bibles. If you would like one, please contact him directly.

Advent Calendars
As we did last year, we have Advent Calendars. For those of you who are not familiar with them, the calendars count down the days of Advent to Christmas.

The calendars are a bit generic, in that they number the days sequentially, presumably so they can use the same artwork year to year. There are twenty-four numbered doors to open as you count down towards Christmas. Behind each of the doors numbered one through twenty-four is a piece of chocolate. You can either start early on 1 December and end up on 24 December or you can open one door a day starting on Advent Sunday with Day 1 and then pig out with what is left on Christmas Eve!

Where did the Doxology come from?

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The four lines of the Doxology have been the most frequently sung words of any known song for more than three hundred years. Even today nearly every English-speaking Protestant congregation still unites at least once each Sunday in this noble ascription of praise. It has been said that the doxology has done more to teach the doctrine of the Trinity than all the theological books ever written.

The Doxology (Hymn 139, The Old Hundreth) is actually the last verse of a hymn written by Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711AD):

Awake, my soul, and with the sun

Thy daily stage of duty run;

Shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise,

To pay thy morning sacrifice.

Thy precious time misspent, redeem,

Each present day thy last esteem,

Improve thy talent with due care;

For the great day thyself prepare.

By influence of the Light divine

Let thy own light to others shine.

Reflect all Heaven’s propitious ways

In ardent love, and cheerful praise.

In conversation be sincere;

Keep conscience as the noontide clear;

Think how all seeing God thy ways

And all thy secret thoughts surveys.

Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart,

And with the angels bear thy part,

Who all night long unwearied sing

High praise to the eternal King.

All praise to Thee, who safe has kept

And hast refreshed me while I slept

Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake

I may of endless light partake.

Heav’n is, dear Lord, where’er
Thou art,
O never then from me depart;

For to my soul ’tis hell to be

But for one moment void of Thee.

Lord, I my vows to Thee renew;

Disperse my sins as morning dew.

Guard my first springs of thought and will,

And with Thyself my spirit fill.

Direct, control, suggest, this day,

All I design, or do, or say,

That all my powers, with all their might,

In Thy sole glory may unite.

I would not wake nor rise again

And Heaven itself I would disdain,

Wert Thou not there to be enjoyed,

And I in hymns to be employed.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

As a matter of interest, on British warships without chaplains, the Doxology is customarily sung on Sunday mornings in lieu of a church service.

Anglican Bishop Thomas Ken was born at Little Berkhampstead, England, in 1637. Orphaned in early childhood, Ken was educated at Winchester School where he was raised under the care of an older sister and her famous husband, Izaak Walton, distinguished in history as the most eminent angler of his time. Ken later attended Oxford University. In 1662, he was ordained in Church of England. His career was stormy and colorful. Following ordination, he served as chaplain to the Bishop of Winchester. In 1679 he was sent to Holland, where he was the English chaplain at the royal court at The Hague. Ken was so outspoken in denouncing the corrupt lives of those in authority in the Dutch capital that he was compelled to leave the following year. Upon his return to England Charles II appointed Ken as one of his own chaplains. Ken continued to reveal the same spirit of boldness in rebuking the moral sins of his dissolute English monarch. Despite these rebukes Charles always admired the courageous chaplain. He referred to him as "the good little man" and, when it was chapel time, he would usually say, "I must go in and hear Ken tell me my faults." Before his death, the King appointed Ken Bishop of the Bath and Wells area. Just twelve days after Ken was consecrated as a Bishop, Charles II died. Soon Ken incurred the wrath of the new monarch, papist James II, by refusing to read the Royal Declaration of Indulgence, and with six other Anglican Church leaders he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Although Ken was eventually acquitted, he was later removed from his bishopric in 1691 by the next ruler, William III. The remaining years of Ken's life were spent in quiet obscurity with a devoted friend, Lord Weymouth, at his home in Longleat, Wiltshire, where Ken died in 1711 at seventy-four. The historian Macaulay gave a tribute to Bishop Ken when he stated that he came as near to the ideal of Christian perfection "as human weakness permits."

Bishop Ken wrote a number of hymns, and it was always his desire that Christians be allowed to express their praise to God without being limited only to Psalmody and the Bible canticles. He was one of the first English writers to produce hymns that were not merely versifications of the Psalms.

In 1673 Thomas Ken wrote a book entitled A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College. In one of the editions of this manual, Ken included three of his hymns that he wanted the students to sing each day as part of their devotions. These hymns were called "Morning Hymn," "Evening Hymn," and "Midnight Hymn." Each of these hymns closed with the familiar four lines we now know as the Doxology.

Thought for the Day – What is Advent and what’s with the wreath?
According to Webster’s Advent is the first or the expected second coming of Christ; as well as the period including the four Sundays before Christmas. Advent Sunday is the first Sunday in the season of Advent, being always the nearest Sunday to the feast of St. Andrew (Now. 30). Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown. Oddly enough Advent is also a town in West Virginia.

The origins of the Advent wreath are found in the folk practices of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples who, during the cold December darkness of Eastern Europe, gathered wreaths of evergreen and lighted fires as signs of hope in a coming spring and renewed light. Christians kept these popular traditions alive, and by the 16th century Catholics and Protestants throughout Germany used these symbols to celebrate their Advent hope in Christ, the everlasting Light. From Germany the use of the Advent wreath spread to other parts of the Christian world. Traditionally, the wreath is made of four candles in a circle of evergreens. Three candles are violet and the fourth is rose. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent.


Historically, the primary sanctuary color of Advent is Purple. This is the color of penitence and fasting as well as the color of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King. Purple is still used in Catholic churches. The purple of Advent is also the color of suffering used during Lent and Holy Week. This points to an important connection between Jesus’ birth and death. The nativity, the Incarnation, cannot be separated from the crucifixion. The purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world, of the "Word made flesh" and dwelling among us, is to reveal God and His grace to the world through Jesus’ life and teaching, but also through his suffering, death, and resurrection.

To reflect this emphasis, originally Advent was a time of penitence and fasting, much as the Season of Lent and so shared the color of Lent. In the four weeks of Advent the third Sunday came to be a time of rejoicing that the fasting was almost over (in some traditions it is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for "rejoice"). The shift from the purple of the Season to pink or rose for the third Sunday Advent candles reflected this lessening emphasis on penitence as attention turned more to celebration of the season. Churches other than Anglican have changed colors and emphasis on the whole wreath, we remain true to tradition.

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival. " The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God. That is a process in which we now participate, and the consummation of which we anticipate. Scripture reading for Advent will reflect this emphasis on the Second Advent, including themes of accountability for faithfulness at His coming, judgment on sin, and the hope of eternal life. In this double focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. That acknowledgment provides a basis for Kingdom ethics, for holy living arising from a profound sense that we live "between the times" and are called to be faithful stewards of what is entrusted to us as God’s people. So, as the church celebrates God’s inbreaking into history in the Incarnation, and anticipates a future consummation to that history for which "all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption, " it also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and to "love your neighbor as yourself. "

Question that only you can ask
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 continuing education 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.

Missionary Diocese of Viet Nam
If you did not get the initial briefing on the Anglican Missionary Diocese of Vietnam, please look at the Beadle’s Report for 22 July 2007.

Now that Bishop Boyce and Father Mai have returned from Vietnam, we will be working on a plan for Phase II. It appears we will need to adjust our original plan to allow for further introduction to the Anglican Church for the local priests. We note that there is no Book of Common Prayer currently available in Vietnamese. This will be a priority, in addition to funding the new priests and deacons.


Father Acker hoped to get Bishop Boyce together with Archbishop Chew, of the Province of Southeast Asia, while he is in the States later this month to discuss possible cooperation on the Missionary Diocese of Vietnam.

We invite you to join in the prayers we have been praying each night that:

• The people of Vietnam will not lose their ardor for the church;
• The people here will provide the support they can;
and where prayer is most needed:
• The church hierarchy will not place roadblocks in the way of the Lord's Work.

Fire Update
In rural eastern San Diego County, response groups estimated 52 percent of the 283 homes destroyed by the Harris fire had no insurance and long-term assistance is needed to help the families affected.
 
And even for homeowners throughout fire-stricken areas who had insurance, many might find themselves underinsured and unable to pay the additional costs for repairs or rebuilding, said Mel Curry of Mennonite Disaster Service.
 
"In the last (Cedar) fire, on several of houses we rebuilt they had insurance but the insurance was only enough to pay for materials," Curry said.
 
Until the long-term recovery efforts gets under way, individual faith-based groups and community service organizations were trying to fill the void by providing food, water, clothing and other essentials to people whose homes were damaged or destroyed. Cleanup efforts were ongoing. Plans were also being made to hold Thanksgiving dinners at several locations for people who had nowhere to celebrate the holiday.

As a matter of record, many of the people who lost homes in the Cedar fire four years ago have just now gotten back in their homes, including local congressional representative Duncan Hunter.

Advent Book Study
On Wednesday, 12 December 2007 from 7:00-8:30pm at the SCAIR Learning Center, 2518 Alpine Blvd Father Acker will lead a book study on the fairly new book: The Gospel According To Starbucks. This is designed to be a one shot deal, but it might stretch out, depending.

If you want to come and have not ordered a book through Father Acker for a mere $10.00, order your own from Amazon or go shopping on you own.

Fair Notice – This is going to be a really fun time. You will be sad you could not spare the time to come. Being coffee time, you won’t get the great Lenten Soup special, but you will enjoy it!

Epistle Readers
We post the list of Epistle Readers in the Beadle’s Report each week so you can either plan your attendance or your pre-reading as the spirit so moves you.

Date Reader

2 December 2007 Dru Arnold
9 December 2007 Hap Arnold
16 December 2007 Jack Arnold
23 December 2007 Alice Acker
30 December 2007 Alex Boyd

The Week ahead, as well as Next Sunday
Next Sunday is the First Sunday in Advent. It is also the first Sunday of the month and the Free Teen Guitar Class will be playing for us. With all of that fun, there is still the ongoing drama of waiting to see what Father Acker will talk about at the pre-service class and sermon. They are really more interesting in person than the Beadle’s dull summary. Don’t miss it! Come to church so you won’t want to wait for the Beadle’s Report to find out what happened.

See you next week on Sunday!

Father Acker posts a .pdf version of the current Beadle’s Report on the church website:

http://alpineanglican.com/BeadleReports.htm

An alternative version of the Beadle’s Report without photographs and simple text is available at:
http://thebeadle.blogspot.com/

or with one photograph per issue and colorful text 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