St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

At St. Paul’s Parish today, Suday, August 24, 2008:

• The Rector returns to the altar and pulpit today.
• Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m.;
• Nursery Opens at at 9:15 a.m.;
• Holy Eucharist with Hymns at 9:30 a.m.;
• Children’s Story Time at 9:30 a.m.;
• Celtic Eucharist at 5:30 p.m.

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

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

On the calendar tomorrow, August 25, 2008:

• There are no activities on the parish calendar tomorrow.

Today is the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost. In the reading from the Hebrew Scriptures today, we read the story of the infant Moses being placed by his mother in a basket in the River Nile and then rescured by Pharoah’s daughter.

A children’s sermon by Jim Kerlin takes a simple but profound look at this story:

One of the hardest things a mother has to do is let go of her child when he is grown. It must have been especially hard for Moses’ mother to let go of her baby (after he was weaned). The only way to save his life was to give him up to be adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter.

Our Lord Jesus calls us to let go of our own selfish wants and to serve him. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. - Matthew 16:25 The mother was unselfish and trusted God to care for baby Moses. In doing so God was able to use the Pharaoh to rear and educate the man who would lead the Israelites from slavery to freedom later. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. (Acts 7:22)

Through the ages God has found the lost. He wants everyone to come to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus. Will you trust him as your Savior today? Just as Moses was lost and found in the Nile, Jesus is ready to find you where you are today.

The following prayer is the collect for today from The Book of Common Prayer - 1979:

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.