St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church
A Parish of the Anglican Province of Christ the King
News for and about St Bartholomew’s Parish
We had a fantastic time and enjoyed our delicious meal from Larry’s Smokehouse immensely. Desserts were provided by Larry Talbott and the Hess Clan. Thanks to all who participated. For those of you who were not able to join us, we missed you!
Photos courtesy of Katie Guthrie.
The September issue of the Shepherd’s Staff, our provincial newsletter, is filled with news and photos from parishes around the province:
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
We will gather this Sunday, August 25, to celebrate our Patron Saint and our parish, but why is a church family so important?
Because church is like a family reunion. The Bible says that we are brothers and sisters in Christ and part of the family of God (Ephesians 2:19; 3:14-15). As such, we gather to celebrate the Sacraments especially the Holy Communion, pray for one another, encourage one another, and help each other. We need each other’s support to live out the Christian Life and fulfill God’s Will in each of our lives.
“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
St. Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews 10: 24-25
Faithfully,
Fr. Rick
Sunday, August 25
10:00am Morning Prayer and The Holy Communion
10:00 am Children’s Sunday School
Join us for a delicious BBQ feast following the Liturgy. All are welcome.
As time goes by the Seminary wants very much to offer classes in which the laity will be able to participate more fully. Indeed, the primary goal remains to prepare men for Holy Orders, but a well-educated laity (including our youth and confirmands) is equally important for a successful Province of Christ the King. We have been asked about a Mission Statement; and here it is, that we educate and re-educate and re-educate our clergy and laity in the fundamentals of the Faith once delivered to the saints. Michaelmas Term begins the week of September 17th. See course descriptions and registration form for additional details.
Survey of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer
Tuesdays, 5:00 pm*
Development of Early Christian Theology
Wednesdays, 11:00 am*
Confirmation Class
Thursdays, 5:00 pm*
Biblical Greek 2
Fridays, 10:00 am*
Ecclesiastical Latin 1
Fridays, 3:00 pm*
Ecclesiastical Latin 3
Fridays, 1:00 pm*
* Note: Courses will be conducted on the Zoom platform. Course hours given for Pacific Time (PST). Please adjust times for your location.
Dear Parish Family,
Two saints this week offer to us examples of how we can impact our world and the Church for the better. St. Ignatius Loyola founded the Jesuit Order in the Roman Church, but Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises continue to affect Seminarians and the Faithful throughout the Christian world, regardless of denomination. St. Nicodemus worked behind the scenes at the Crucifixion, helping rescue the body of Our Lord and ensure He had a proper burial. (See their stories below.)
Faithfully yours,
Fr. Rick
The founder of the Jesuits was on his way to military fame and fortune when a cannon ball shattered his leg. Because there were no books of romance on hand during his convalescence, Ignatius whiled away the time reading a life of Christ and lives of the saints. His conscience was deeply touched, and a long, painful turning to Christ began. Having seen the Mother of God in a vision, he made a pilgrimage to her shrine at Montserrat near Barcelona.
He remained for almost a year at nearby Manresa, sometimes with the Dominicans, sometimes in a pauper’s hospice, often in a cave in the hills praying. After a period of great peace of mind, he went through a harrowing trial of scruples. There was no comfort in anything—prayer, fasting, sacraments, penance. At length, his peace of mind returned. It was during this year of conversion that Ignatius began to write down material that later became his greatest work, the Spiritual Exercises. Read more →
St. Nicodemus was a secret disciple of Jesus. As a member of the Sanhedrin, he would meet Jesus by night so that the others would not see him with Jesus. Eventually, it was Nicodemus who reminded the Sanhedrin that Jesus had the right to a trial. Together with St. Joseph of Arimathea, he prepared Jesus’ body and placed him in the tomb.
Tradition holds that St. Nicodemus was martyred, though no record remains.
Bishop Ashman joined us for the July 13-14 weekend:
On Saturday, Bishop Ashman celebrated the Solemnization of Matrimony and the Nuptial Mass for James Lawrence Talbott and Rose Feagin Brallier.
On Sunday morning, with Bishop Ashman presiding, Fr. Rick Gregory was instituted as our new rector. The Bishop also received Robyn Weber into the Anglican Province of Christ the King.
The Collect
Grant, O merciful God, that, as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Epistle
The Acts of the Apostles 11:27–12:3
The Gospel
St. Mathew 20:20–28
from “Apostle James, (Son of Zebedee),” OrthodoxWiki
The holy, glorious, all-laudable Apostle James, also knows as James the Great was a son of Zebedee, the brother of the Apostle John and a fisherman. He and his brother John are know as the Sons of Thunder, because of their quick temper.
At the invitation of Jesus he left his nets to follow him and is counted among the Twelve Great Apostles. Belonging to Christ’s ‘inner circle’, James was present on Mount Tabor for Christ’s transfiguration and also for his suffering in the garden of Gethsemane. Following Pentecost, St. James preached in Spain, and upon his return to Jerusalem the Jews would argue with him vehemently concerning the Holy Scriptures. None could withstand his wisdom, however.
Seeing this the Jews slandered him before Herod and among some false witnesses there was a certain Josias. But in hearing St. James’ testimony, Josias believed and was condemned to death with James. Before the axe fell, St. James embraced and kissed this repentant false witness and said, “Peace and forgiveness to you!” St. James was martyred in the year AD 45 and was the first Apostle to die for Christ. His body was translated to Spain where his relics continue to work miracles even to this day.
The Shepherd’s Staff, our provincial newsletter, is filled with news and photos from APCK parishes around the country. The June 2024 issue of the Shepherd’s Staff includes stories about:
An archive of past issues is available on the APCK website.
If you would like to receive the Shepherd’s Staff via email, please speak to Fr. Rick after the Liturgy, or email him at info@st-bartholomews.org.
Dear Parish Family,
This Thursday, we celebrate the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a Prayer Book Holy Day. Our Lord has now completed His earthly ministry and we await the descent of the Holy Ghost.
The Propers for the Day are found in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, pages 177-178.
-Fr. Rick
From the Orthowiki website:
The Ascension of Jesus Christ is one of the Great Feasts of the Church, celebrated forty days after Easter (and thus always falling on a Thursday).
Forty days after the Resurrection, while blessing his disciples (Gospel of Luke 24:50-51), Christ ascended into heaven, taking his place at the right hand of the Father (Gospel of Mark 16:19 and Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed).
The first account of the Ascension found in the Bible is in the Gospel of Mark (16:14-19); the description is brief. Jesus and the remaining eleven disciples are seated at a table, presumably in a room in or near Jerusalem. Jesus commands his followers to spread the Gospel, and that those who believe will be known by their invulnerability to poison, ability to heal the sick, and the like. After delivering these final words, Jesus is received into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. No description of the Ascension itself is given; Mark simply states that it happened.
The Gospel of Luke is even more brief in its description (24:50-51). Jesus led the eleven to Bethany, not far from Jerusalem. While in the act of blessing them, Jesus was carried up to heaven.
The third, and most celebrated, account of the Ascension is in the Acts of the Apostles (1:9-12). For forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus continued to preach the Gospel. Jesus and the eleven were gathered near Mt. Olivet (or the Mount of Olives), to the northeast of Bethany. Jesus tells his disciples that they will receive the power of the Holy Spirit and that they will spread his message the world over. Jesus is taken up and received by a cloud. Some traditions say that he was taken up in a fiery chariot, much like the Prophet Elijah. Two men clothed in white appear and tell the disciples that Jesus will return in the same manner as he was taken. They say: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye
have seen Him go into Heaven” (Acts 1:11). Afterwards, the disciples return to Jerusalem rejoicing, remaining continually in the Temple.
The Gospel of Matthew ends at a mountain in Galilee, with Jesus commanding the disciples to spread the Gospel. No mention of the Ascension is made.
The Ascension of Christ shows the last stage in God’s plan for mankind: total union with Himself upon one’s departure from the world. According to V. Rev. George Florovsky, “in the Ascension resides the meaning and the fullness of Christ’s Resurrection….and with Christ, man’s nature ascends also.”
(Book of Common Prayer, pages 166–168)
The Collect
O GOD, whole blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that we may behold thee in all thy works; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Epistle and Gospel
(Book of Common Prayer, pages 168-170)
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we who celebrate with reverence the Paschal Feast may be found worthy to attain to everlasting joys; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Morning and Evening Prayer are available daily at Cradle of Prayer.]
