Today was Septuagesima which is the third Sunday before the beginning of Lent. The sunrise temperature Mount Olympus was 29°F under clear skies. Down the hill at church, the temperature was somewhat warmer at 45°F. As Father started the class, we had 20 people present, but by the time the service actually got underway, we had 25 people present.
Septuagesima is the third Sunday before Lent (or the 9th before Easter); -- so called because it is about seventy days before Easter. Its roots are in Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin septugsima (dis), seventieth (day), feminine of Latin septugsimus, from septugint, seventy.
The Season of Pre-Lent
“Today is Septuagesima Sunday, the beginning of the Pre-Lenten Season. The word means ‘70 days before Easter.’ This is the time for Christians to prepare themselves in heart and mind for a special effort in the work of bringing their bodies, hearts and minds under control, keeping in subjection to reason. Now is the time to give some careful thought to what disciplines we will impose upon ourselves during Lent; these should be chiefly special exercises of abstinence, fasting and prayer. Let us not be held back by fears of overdoing, or making ourselves objectionable. The strife is real and it is deadly. As St. Paul tells us, ‘We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers and against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places’ (Ephesians 6:12). We who are Christ’s are warriors. Our victory is to be holy in the face of all the provocations from evildoers -- to keep our tempers, to be patient, to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, and to love our enemies, blessing those who persecute us and spitefully use us. Let us use these two and one-half weeks as a time of spiritual preparation for the disciplines of Lent.”
--The late Reverend T. Robert Ingram
In accord with the words of the First Council of Orleans, some pious Christian congregations in the earliest ages of the Church, especially the clergy, began to fast seventy days before Easter, on this Sunday, which was therefore called Septuagesima" - the seventieth day. The same is the case with the Sundays following, which are called Sexagesima, Quinquagesima, Quadragesima, because some Christians commenced to fast sixty days, others fifty, others forty days before Easter, until finally, to make it properly uniform, Popes Gregory and Gelasius arranged that all Christians should fast forty days before Easter, commencing with Ash-Wednesday.
From this day until Easter, the Church omits in her service all joyful canticles, alleluia’s, and the Gloria in excelsis etc. to gradually to prepare the minds of the faithful for the serious time of penance and sorrow; to remind the sinner of the grievousness of his errors, and to exhort him to penance. So the priest appears at the altar in violet, the color of penance.
Father Acker’s Pre-Service Class - Around the Bible in 70 Days
Today was the first in a ten week tour of the Bible, 10 minutes of teaching each Sunday, beginning at 8:30am.
The Bible is like a tapestry, a series of threads forming an intricate picture. Like the tapestry, each of the threads is a story unto itself, but it is not the big picture. A fault in a thread does not correspond to a fault in the tapestry. The threads stand alone, the tapestry is an amalgamation of the threads giving rise to the big picture. You need to read each portion as part of the whole, don’t get bogged down in the detail. In fact, it is counter productive to study in detail until you understand in general.
Genesis—In the beginning
The very word genesis has come to mean beginning.
CHAPTER 1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
How much more of a beginning do you get than God creating the heaven and earth?
There is a literal interpretation of the Bible, an allegorical interpretation and a poetic interpretation. Genesis continues the creation story culminating in the creation of man, and the story ends with God seeing “every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
When He created man from dust and woman, He made a separation that is healed in marriage when two become one again. The two were to be caretakers of God’s world, faithful stewards of His kingdom.
The paradise of Eden lasted not long. Soon conflict entered. For “the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Never trust a talking snake! Particularly one who tried to talk you out of following God’s clear instructions.
So after partaking of the forbidden fruit, what happened? Man, of course, stepped up to the plate and accepted the blame – on behalf of his wife, pausing only to further shift the blame to God, “And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” Thus started the long tradition of, “It’s not my fault.” Even though it so obviously was his fault.
Thus did enter into the world the condition of sin. Not just the individual acts, but the condition of separation from God. And so it continues, Cain slew Able, Lamich marries two women, treating them not as soul mates but as collectibles. Soon the world was almost like the cable television, Channel E, All Evil, All the Time. Until finally God decided to wash the world from His hands with the flood. He cleaned house.
Noah gets off the ark and into the bottle, curses his children and by Chapter Eleven we have come to the Tower of Babel. Channel E, All Evil, All the Time!
What is all about? Conflict is the name of the show:
• Main character is God
• The Conflict is sin
• Theme is redemption
Next week we’ll look at Redemption right up to the time of David.
Ben Lizak read the Epistle for today, which came from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, starting at the Twenty-Fourth Verse of the Ninth Chapter.
Preaching temperance in all things and aiming for the real goal as he often does, Paul ask us, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?” He goes on to tell us, “So run, that ye may obtain.” If we are to strive for the prize of eternal life, we must understand that every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.” While runners in a race run for a crown of brief glory, we run our race for eternal glory.” Paul tells us to not flail blindly, but rather keep our goal in sight and work steadily towards that goal, so he fights, “not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
KNOW ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
This morning’s Gospel comes from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, starting at the First Verse of the Twentieth Chapter and tells the famous and multi-faceted parable of the vineyards.
On one level, you have the thought that your deal is your deal, don’t worry about what others’ deals might be. If it was good for you, so what if is better for others. The parable speaks much to class envy.
On another level, you get in to heaven by following God’s will. You don’t get in any differently if you follow it from birth or just before death. On the other hand, you never know “when the master cometh”, so sooner following is better than later following.
On a still further level, one being greedy does not make another evil.
What further meaning can you find?
THE kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatso-ever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Sermon - The Vineyard
When God calls us to His vineyard, the Church, He calls us to work. In the vineyard, there is a need for:
Planters
Weeders
Pruners
Harvesters
Sorters
Crushers
Blnders
Bottlers
Labelers
Stackers
Stockers
Shippers
Notice what is missing: Drinkers. The Church is about work. Like the dwarves, you can whistle while you work, but you need to work.
What is the work of the church?
Bringing people to God through Christ. That includes each of us. Not just outsiders, “the unchurched” but our own selves. Our product is souls, people who love God. You aren't responsible for making them. That is God's job.
We are to love and care for these people.
What are you actually doing?
God has planned an outstanding award winning “wine” to come from from the grapes of the lives of those who come to Him. Our work is His vineyard of life.
Lead from the front and ask people to follow you towards God. Each of us is a Magi entrusted with the incomparable gift, the gospel of Jesus.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
There were no reported birthdays or anniversaries today.
After Church Hospitality
Jan Macauley brought the goodies today. Let it be known that your Beale liketh deviled eggs, but truly loveth Jan’s deviled eggs. Such were the deviled eggs Jan brought today: superb. In addition, she made butterscotch oatmeal cookies that were almost as good as the deviled eggs and a kind of gram cracker bar that the Deputy Beadle highly recommended. Topping it off were tangerines and mixed nuts. Superb is not enough.
Command Master Chief Brewer Macauley handled the coffee on behalf of Tim’s House of Coffee. Today’s coffee was the special Christmas blend. Father Acker made his famous low carb lemonade. It made it in to the table and was consumed in quantity.
New Nametags
We had two new nametags today - Don Quinton & Emelita Quinton
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!
Please note that on the green cards at church, you can ask that those to be prayed for have their names disseminated to the “prayer team”, those names will be said in church and appear here. Or, your can ask that the names and purpose be kept confidential, then only Father Acker will know to pray for them.
Travel
Ken is on travel this week.
Sick or in need of healing
Thanksgiving
Baptism of Benjamin Barrett
Healing
Annie, Salvador (cancer), Betty, Marge, Kathy, Richard, Christian, Trish, Marie, Wanda, Karen, Sarah, Lois, Jennette, Linn, Gary, Delores, Anna, Ruth, Theresa, Melanie, Connie, Tom, Crystal, Thomas, Hadley, Diane, Norm, Gregory, Betty, Terri, Mary, Edward, Bert, Jesusa (difficult pregnancy), Michele, Marybeth (broken foot), Kevin, Bruce, Susanne
Guidance
Christiana, Alexander, Katie & family (death of a child), Breyana, Vie, Asha, Cory, Heather, Holly, Ken, Maruja, Stella, Shelly, William, Joe, Alexander, Jonathan, Phil, Sandy, Larraine, Brad, Brian, Cindi, Uni, Jennifer, Greg, Rick, Carol, Susan, Curtis, Stephen, Chris, Andrew, Keith
Homebound/Aged and Infirm
Mary, Donna, Betty, Noko, Adelaide, Evelyn, Lorraine, Ellie
Armed Forces & Contractors
Tillman, Patrick, Justin, Tim, Evan, Jim, Jason, JR, Matt
Departed
Brennan (5 month old)
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.
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.
I’d like to get a different point across or announce something
If you have a different point of view, I would be happy to give you room to get your point across. While this publication is my perspective on events, I recognize not everyone may agree and that some people would like to express their own opinion.
If want to write an article or make an announcement, please forward your item to the Beadle (with a note as to whether or not you would like editing help) to the following address: thebeadle@mac.com.
Free Teen Guitar Class (FTGC – www.freeteenguitarclass.com)
Hi, FTGC!
This week we’ll be starting new classes with new times!
New Beginning Class 3:00-3:45pm String 1 and very basics.
Continuing Book Class 3:45-4:30pm We’re doing pages 38 & 39 Key of G.
Techniques Class 4:30-5:15pm We worked on a Cheap Trick song last week. We’ll be working on Satriani’s Surfing with the Alien. And more concert stuff.
All classes are open to new students. You might know someone who already plays some and wants to join in.
Email me if you want a new FTGC Flyer! frkeitha@alpineanglican.com
The Next performance opportunity is February 3rd. We’ll be playing Wonderful Cross (Drop D tuning). We haven’t played it in a while but we’ll go over it for Classes 2 & 3.
- Father Ironhand
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
27 January 2008 Holly Lizak
3 February 2008 Dru Arnold
10 February 2008 Hap Arnold
17 February 2008 Jack Arnold
24 February 2008 Alice Acker
The near future, as well as Next Sunday
Next Sunday is the Sexagesima or the second Sunday before Lent, it is also the parish meeting. We will hold a 15-20 minute meeting to review finances, adopt a budget and elect two new vestry members.
Pre-Service Class
Next Sunday will also be the second Sunday in Father Acker’s new pre-service class series, Around the Bible in 70 Days, a ten week tour of the Bible, 10 minutes of teaching that begins at 8:30am on Sundays. The class provides an overview of the entire bible. This is the forest view for those feeling lost among the trees. Actually it a good reminder on the overall story and our reading it as God’s story.
The 10 minute teaching series begins at 8:30am each Sunday! This is an excellent opportunity to bring a friend who would like to know more about the Bible and Christianity.
Annual Parish Meeting - 27 January 2008
Following the normal Sunday service, starting about 0930 on 27 January 2008 we will hold our annual meeting of the parish. In only 20 minutes we review the past year, then provide the Priest and Vestry’s vision for the year ahead. The parish gets to comment, modify and then vote on the vision, which becomes our budget and Plan for the Year.
It is important for each of our members to attend the annual meeting. This is your church.
See you next week on Sunday!
Father Acker posts a .pdf version of the current Beadle’s Report on the church website:
An alternative version of the Beadle’s Report a single photograph and simple text is available at:
or with one photograph per issue and colorful text at
All back issues of the Beadle’s Reports are available on request from:
thebeadle@mac.com
No comments:
Post a Comment