St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

At St. Paul’s Parish today:

• Holy Communion at 6:30 p.m. (in the Worship Space);
• Midweek Study Group, Kerygma study of the Gospel of John at 7:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall);
• Youth Group at 7:00 p.m. (in the Dining Room);
• Overeaters Anonymous at 7:30 p.m. (in the Common Room).

The November issue of St. Paul’s Sword of the Spirit, our monthly newsletter, is available on line, as is the calendar of parish events for November 2008.

Today’s news in the Episcopal Church - Episcopal Life Online.

On the calendar tomorrow, November 20, 2008:

• Men’s Fellowship Breakfast at Yours Truly Restaurant at 8:00 a.m.;
• Choir Practice at 7:00 p.m. (in the Worship Space).

About today’s commemoration:

Today in the Episcopal Church we commemorate a 13th Century Hungarian abbess, St. Elizabeth. (Her feast has been moved to November 17 in the Roman Catholic tradition.) Hagiographer James Kiefer tells us:

The numerous “St. Elizabeth’s Hospitals” throughout the world are for the most part named, not for the Biblical Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, but for this princess of Hungary. She was concerned for the relief of the poor and the sick, and with her husband’s consent she used her dowry money for their relief. During a famine and epidemic in 1226, while her husband was away in Italy, she sold her jewels and established a hospital where she nursed the sick, and opened the royal granaries to feed the hungry. After her husband’s death in 1227, her inlaws, who opposed her “extravagances,” expelled her from Wartburg. Finally an arrangement was negotiated with them that gave her a stipend. She became a Franciscan tertiary (lay associate) and devoted the remainder of her life to nursing and charity. She sewed garments to clothe the poor, and went fishing to feed them.

A prayer for today:

The collect for St. Elizabeth’s commemoration is found in Lesser Feasts and Fasts - 2006:

Almighty God, by your grace your servant Elizabeth of Hungary recognized and honored Jesus in the poor of this world: Grant that we, following her example, may with love and gladness serve those in any need or trouble, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

At St. Paul’s Parish today:

• Morning Prayer at 9:30 a.m. (in the Worship Space);
• Women’s Book Discussion Group at 10:00 a.m. (in the Common Room);
• Brown Bag Concert: Organ Recital at 12:00 noon (in the Worship Space);
• Deepak Chopra Studay Group at 7:00 p.m. (in the Middle School Room);
• Al-Anon at 7:45 p.m. (in the Parish Hall).

The November issue of St. Paul’s Sword of the Spirit, our monthly newsletter, is available on line, as is the calendar of parish events for November 2008.

Today’s news in the Episcopal Church - Episcopal Life Online.

On the calendar tomorrow, November 19, 2008:

• Holy Communion at 6:30 p.m. (in the Worship Space);
• Midweek Study Group, Kerygma study of the Gospel of John at 7:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall);
• Youth Group at 7:00 p.m. (in the Dining Room);
• Overeaters Anonymous at 7:30 p.m. (in the Common Room).

About today’s commemoration:

Today we commemorate 7th Century English abbess, St. Hilda of Whitby. The Ecole Glossary provides this short biography of Hilda:

Born in 614, St. Hilda of Whitby had a reputation for learning and practical wisdom. Orphaned at 13, she became a member of her great uncle’s household, and when he, King Edwin of Northumbria, was baptized at Easter, 627, Hilda also was baptized. About 20 years later, she resolved to become a nun and set out to join her sister at the monastery of Chelles in Paris. Unwillingly to see Hilda leave Britain, St. Aidan gave her land on which to start her own monastery and later appointed her abbess of Hartlepool. King Oswiu of Northumbria gave Hilda the charge of raising his daughter and gave Hilda the land on which she founded a double-monastery at Whitby, near the mouth of the River Esh. She hosted the synod that in 664 that saw the adoption of Roman practices in Northumbria. While abbess of Whitby, she built up the library and school; she encouraged Cædmon to become a monk. Chronically ill the last six years of her life, Hilda died in 680. Glastonbury and Gloucester claim to have her relics.

A prayer for today:

The collect for St. Hilda’s commemoration is found in Lesser Feasts and Fasts - 2006:

O God of peace, by whose grace the abbess Hilda was endowed with gifts of justice, prudence, and strength to rule as a wise mother over the nuns and monks of her household, and to become a trusted and reconciling friend to leaders of the Church: Give us the grace to recognize and accept the varied gifts you bestow on men and women, that our common life may be enriched and your gracious will be done; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

At St. Paul’s Parish today, Monday, November 17, 2008:

• Vestry Meeting at 7:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall).

The November issue of St. Paul’s Sword of the Spirit, our monthly newsletter, is available on line, as is the calendar of parish events for November 2008.

Today’s news in the Episcopal Church - Episcopal Life Online.

On the calendar tomorrow, November 18, 2008:

• Morning Prayer at 9:30 a.m. (in the Worship Space);
• Women’s Book Discussion Group at 10:00 a.m. (in the Common Room);
• Brown Bag Concert: Organ Recital at 12:00 noon (in the Worship Space);
• Deepak Chopra Studay Group at 7:00 p.m. (in the Middle School Room);
• Al-Anon at 7:45 p.m. (in the Parish Hall).

About today’s commemoration:

Today we commemorate 12th Century English bishop, St. Hugh of Lincoln. He was born in 1140 at Avalon in Burgundy, France. He entered monastic life early in the Carthusian order and was ordained a deacon at age 18. Six years later he was made prior of an establishment in Burgunday and then at age 35 was made prior of a new monstery in Witham, England. In 1186 he was elevated to the episcopate as Bishop of Lincoln. He died on November 16, 1200, at London. An excellent biographical note at Britannia Biographies begins:

Hugh of Avalon or Burgundy is best known as St. Hugh of Lincoln, bishop and founder of the existing cathedral in that city, which was far advanced during his lifetime. There are many biographies of his life in existence, of which the longest and most important, written by a Benedictine monk who was the Bishop’s chaplain and constant associate, remains in manuscript form in the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Later versions have been widely published over the years. For it may be safely said that a more zealous and indefatigable prelate, than was this man, seldom, if ever, presided over a see of England or any other Christian land. (Read the entire biography here.)

St. Hugh is often depicted in the company of a swan in reference to the story of a pet swan he is said to have kept at Stowe, the episcopal manor house in Lincoln. This swan apparently took up residence there on the day of Hugh’s installation at Lincoln, and formed a special attachment to the bishop. Hugh is even said to have been guarded in his sleep by the loyal bird. The story also runs that the swan displayed extreme grief on Hugh’s last visit to Stowe in 1200, just before he travelled to London and just before he died.

A prayer for today:

The collect for St. Hugh’s commemoration is found in Lesser Feasts and Fasts - 2006:

O holy God, you endowed your servant and bishop Hugh of Lincoln with wise and cheerful boldness, and taught him to commend the discipline of holy life to kings and princes: Grant that we also, rejoicing in the Good News of your mercy, and fearing nothing but the loss of you, may be bold to speak the truth in love, in the name of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

At St. Paul’s Parish today, Sunday, November 16, 2008:

• Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m.;
• Nursery Opens at at 8:45 a.m.;
• Sunday School for All Ages at 9:00 a.m.;
• Youth Group attending U2-charist at Trinity Cathedral this morning;
• Choral Eucharist at 10:00 a.m.;
• Children’s Chapel at 10:00 a.m.;
• Celtic Eucharist at 5:30 p.m.;
• Church 101 Confirmation Class at 6:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall);
• Parish Games Evening at 6:00 p.m. (in the Dining Room).

The November issue of St. Paul’s Sword of the Spirit, our monthly newsletter, is available on line, as is the calendar of parish events for November 2008.

Today’s news in the Episcopal Church - Episcopal Life Online.

On the calendar tomorrow, November 17, 2008:

• Vestry Meeting at 7:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall).

Today is the Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Pentecost. Among the Scriptural passages prescribed by the Revised Common Lectionary (Proper 28, Year A) is a pericope from the prophecy of Zephaniah:

The great day of the LORD is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter,
the warrior cries aloud there.
That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements.
(Zeph. 1:14-16)

In an essay on this passage on the website Journey with Jesus, Dr. Daniel B. Clendenin writes:

Whatever we might think about God’s judgment, it is equitable in at least two senses. The judgment that Zephaniah describes is the same for all. Neither God’s elect nor the pagan enemy nations are treated differently. There are no “favorites,” so to speak. In writing to the believers at Rome, Paul made this very point. To the Jews who (rightly) saw themselves as an elect people of divine privilege — and Christians should listen carefully here in our spiritual condescension toward unbelievers — Paul reminds them that God’s judgment is righteous: “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:5–11). In Zephaniah, Judah, the five enemy nations, and the entire world get the same treatment. (Read the entire essay here.)

The collect for this Sunday (Proper 28) is found in The Book of Common Prayer - 1979:

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

At St. Paul’s Parish today, Saturday, November 15, 2008:

• Diocesan Convention continues and concludes this afternoon.
  Please keep our clergy and delegates in your prayers.
• No activities on the parish calendar.

The November issue of St. Paul’s Sword of the Spirit, our monthly newsletter, is available on line, as is the calendar of parish events for November 2008.

Today’s news in the Episcopal Church - Episcopal Life Online.

On the calendar tomorrow, November 16, 2008:

• Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m.;
• Nursery Opens at at 8:45 a.m.;
• Sunday School for All Ages at 9:00 a.m.;
• Youth Group attending U2-charist at Trinity Cathedral this morning;
• Choral Eucharist at 10:00 a.m.;
• Children’s Chapel at 10:00 a.m.;
• Celtic Eucharist at 5:30 p.m.;
• Church 101 Confirmation Class at 6:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall);
• Parish Games Evening at 6:00 p.m. (in the Dining Room).

Today is a feria in the Episcopal Church. Tomorrow would ordinarily be the commemoration of St. Margaret of Scotland, but that will be supplanted by Sunday. A biographical note in the Lives of the Saints database maintained on a server at the University of Pittsburgh tells us:

Margaret, despite her appellation, was born a Saxon in 1046 and raised in Hungary. She came to England in 1066 when her uncle, King Edward the Confessor, died and Margaret’s brother, Edgar Atheling, decided to make a claim to the English throne. The English nobles preferred Harold of Wessex over Edgar, but later that year Duke William of Normandy made it all rather a moot point by invading England and establishing himself as King. Many members of the English nobility sought refuge in the court of King Malcolm III Canmore of Scotland, who had himself been an exile in England during the reign of Macbeth. Among the English refugees were Margaret and Edgar. While King Malcom was hospitable to all his new guests, he was rather more hospitable to Margaret, marrying her in 1070 to make her Queen of Scotland.

***

Margaret instigated reforms within the Scottish church, as well as development of closer ties to the larger Roman Church in order to avoid a schism between the Celtic Church and Rome. Further, Margaret was a patroness both of the célidé, Scottish Christian hermits, and also the Benedictine Order. Although Benedictine monks were prominent throughout western continental Europe, there were previously no Benedictine monasteries known to exist in Scotland. Margaret therefore invited English Benedictine monks to establish monasteries in her kingdom.

***

Margaret was also active in works of charity. Margaret frequently visited and cared for the sick, and on a larger scale had hostels constructed for the poor. She was also in the habit, particularly during Advent and Lent, of holding feasts for as many as 300 commoners in the royal castle. (Read the entire note here.)

Margaret died on November 16, 1093, and was declared a saint in 1250. She is considered to be an exemplar of the just ruler, and also influenced her husband and children to be just and holy rulers. She was declared Patroness of Scotland in 1673. The collect for commemoration of St. Margaret is found in Lesser Feasts and Fasts - 2006:

O God, you called your servant Margaret to an earthly throne that she might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave her zeal for your Church and love for your people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate her this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

The full monthly calendar for November 2008 is available online as a .PDF file readable with Adobe Acrobat Reader (or Preview for Macintosh users).

On the Calendar at St. Paul’s Parish this week:

Saturday, November 15, 2008:

• Diocesan Convention continues and concludes this afternoon.
  Please keep our clergy and delegates in your prayers.
• No Parish activities on the Calendar today.

Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, November 16, 2008:

• Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m.;
• Nursery Opens at at 8:45 a.m.;
• Sunday School for All Ages at 9:00 a.m.;
• Youth Group attending U2-charist at Trinity Cathedral this morning;
• Choral Eucharist at 10:00 a.m.;
• Children’s Chapel at 10:00 a.m.;
• Celtic Eucharist at 5:30 p.m.;
• Church 101 Confirmation Class at 6:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall);
• Parish Games Evening at 6:00 p.m. (in the Dining Room).

Monday, November 17, 2008:

• Vestry meeting at 7:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall).

Tuesday, November 18, 2008:

• Morning Prayer at 9:30 a.m. (in the Worship Space);
• Women’s Book Discussion Group at 10:00 a.m. (in the Common Room);
• Brown Bag Concert: Organ Recital at 12:00 noon (in the Worship Space);
• Deepak Chopra Studay Group at 7:00 p.m. (in the Middle School Room);
• Al-Anon at 7:45 p.m. (in the Parish Hall).

Wednesday, November 19, 2008:

• Holy Communion at 6:30 p.m. (in the Worship Space);
• Midweek Study Group, Kerygma study of the Gospel of John at 7:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall);
• Youth Group at 7:00 p.m. (in the Dining Room);
• Overeaters Anonymous at 7:30 p.m. (in the Common Room).

Thursday, November 20, 2008:

• Men’s Fellowship Breakfast at Yours Truly Restaurant at 8:00 a.m.;
• Choir Practice at 7:00 p.m. (in the Worship Space).

Friday, November 21, 2008:

• Women’s AA at 7:30 p.m. (in the Dining Room).

Saturday, November 22, 2008:

• Free Farmers’ Market at 10:00 a.m. (in the Dining Room).

Feast of Christ the King, November 23, 2008:

• Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m.;
• Nursery Opens at at 8:45 a.m.;
• Sunday School for All Ages at 9:00 a.m.;
• Choral Eucharist at 10:00 a.m.;
• Children’s Chapel at 10:00 a.m.;
• Celtic Eucharist at 5:30 p.m.;
• Church 101 Confirmation Class at 6:00 p.m. (in the Parish Hall).

For information on any parish events, call the church office at 330-725-4131 or email us.