“And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Saint Luke 2:7
 In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Having a baby will change your life.” I don’t think I can count the number of times my wife and I have been told that since we found out last June that she was expecting. “You won’t sleep at the same times, you won’t spend your spare time in the same ways, you won’t understand life in the same way. You have to make room for the baby, because the baby will change everything.” Continued
“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” St. Luke 1:32-33
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Over the past few months, in my spare time I have been delving into family history. The combination of the prospect of becoming a new father and the death of my grandmother has really driven me to it. I’ve felt this deep desire to make sense of who I am, to find my place in the passing tide of generations, and genealogy is a ready way to work at this. Continued
We invite all to join us for our special services during the Christmas season. These include:
Christmas Eve Family Eucharist. This service at 4:00 is designed especially for families with children and will include carol singing, a Christmas story and the blessing of the Christmas Crib
Christmas Eve Festival Eucharist. This Sung Eucharist at 11:00 features music by our choir and will include the Rector’s Christmas sermon.
Christmas Day Eucharist. This simple, traditional service is at 9:00 Christmas morning.
Christmastide Lessons and Carols: This service of Scripture readings and carols is patterned on the service used at King’s College, Cambridge and will include communion from the Reserved Sacrament. January 4 at 10:00
Christmastide Holy Days: The Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 5:30 on St. Stephen’s Day (12/26), Holy Innocents Day (12/29), the Feast of the Holy Name (1/1) and the Feast of the Epiphany (1/6) and at 4:00 on St. John’s Day (12/27).
Confessions: Father Mark will hear confessions in preparation for the Christmas season from 5:30-6:00 on Christmas Eve and at other times by appointment.
“He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.”
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
         I am not sure if any of you have ever been to the taping of a live television show or not. I have had the opportunity to be at the live taping of one television show that is no longer on the air. It was a while ago and I was an audience member as well as my family at the live taping of the Rosie O’Donnell show. Continued
“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire!” II Peter 3:11-12In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
As you may have heard, the environmental ministers of 187 countries, plus a full entourage of lobbyists, journalists and activists are currently converging on Poznan, Poland for an important environmental summit. Their task is to work at drafting an international treaty on climate change to replace the one authorized about 15 years ago at Kyoto. Continued
Joseph and Justin Rose have lots of things in common. They are identical twins, to begin with. Both of them are Sharpsburg natives, students at Hagerstown Community College, and both work at the Weis’ in Boonsboro. They’ve both been involved in scouting since the first grade, and have served in most of the same leadership positions and earned many of the same merit badges as they rose up through the many ranks in Troop 51. Continued
“You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us!” Psalm 80:1-2
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I think that the conscientious preacher is entitled to at least one rant each year about our culture’s misunderstanding of the liturgical calendar. I am getting mine in early this year, and it’s about that secular Christmas song, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” Continued
With the London Olympics less than two years away, in Southwark Diocese work has begun to engage with the mission opportunities presented by the games. [More]
An Anglican Army chaplain who recently served in Afghanistan has been awarded a Churchill Fellowship to help heal war veterans suffering from spiritual wounds. [More]
The Bible Society in Northern Ireland has placed a new range of worship resources on its website at www.bsni.co.uk to encourage churches to celebrate access to the Scriptures. [More]
The Archbishop delivered a sermon for Opening Eucharist at the 'Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa All Africa Bishops' Conference, Entebbe, Uganda [More]
Cape Town, 19 August. South Africa’s public service strike is hurting hospital patients and students, and the government and unions should act to end it, says the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. [More]
