Transfiguration This coming Sunday is marked in our liturgical calendar as the Last Sunday after the Epiphany. Each year on this final Sunday celebration before Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent we read the story of the Transfiguration from one of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, or Luke). We hear each year the story […]
Healing our Relationships In this week’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 5:21-37) Jesus discusses some tough subjects, including murder, but also adultery, and divorce. Surely he must have done so with at least a little trepidation! Adultery and divorce are “third rail” subjects, as so many have been touched by them at some […]
A Light in Dark Times We are living in perilous times, not unlike our Hebrew ancestors who struggled with what it means to be faithful to God. In this third section of Isaiah, it turns out that fasting and keeping the Sabbath are not sufficient marks of faith. The great Prophet tells the community, which has recently […]
The Feast of the Presentation In our current Adult Studies class, “Words of our Worship,” we spent a full session talking about the complexities of the Church calendar. That calendar instructs us that certain holy days must be celebrated when they fall on a Sunday. The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, on February […]
Celebrating our Feast Day Today is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, our patronal feast day. Each parish of the Episcopal Church celebrates annually the Feast of its namesake; we will do so this coming Sunday. Most often (for churches named after saints) the feast day commemorates the day of that person’s death—the […]
Come and SeeIn this week’s reading from the Gospel of John (John 1:29-42) we hear of Christ’s first encounter with some of the disciples. Actually, it seems that some of them were disciples of John the Baptist first; after meeting Jesus, they change their alliance! Why the change of allegiance? Well, the clue comes in […]
Claimed by God Baptism is the initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into life with Christ, and into full membership in the church. This week we read Matthew’s account of the baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan. At the moment John baptizes Jesus, the heavens open and Jesus sees the Spirit of God descending like […]
What’s Your Star? January 6 is marked on the church calendar as the Feast of the Epiphany—the commemoration of the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. We will “transfer” that celebration to this Sunday. We are all familiar with the elements of this story: Wise folk from the East, a disgruntled king […]
Welcome to St. Paul’s as we Celebrate We invite you to celebrate with us as we usher in Christmas! December 22 Fourth Sunday in Advent: 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II with music Greening of the church following the 10:00 service. Many hands needed! 24 Christmas Eve: 5:00 p.m. Harp Prelude […]
Waiting and Rejoicing On the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, we pause and give space for our deepest joy as we feel the nearness of the birth of Jesus. Lighting the pink candle in our Advent wreath this Sunday reminds us that in our season of soul searching we also come […]