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
Parish Patronal Schedule
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.
Saint Joseph of Arimathea Theological College, Berkeley, CA
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.
Seminary Courses for Clergy and Laity
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.
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
St. Ignatius of Loyola (July 31)St. Nicodemus (August 2)
About St. Ignatius of Loyola, Confessor
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 →
About St. Nicodemus
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 Feast of Saint James (July 25) is a Prayer Book Holy Day
The Propers for the DAy
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
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.
St. James Sepulcrum (Santiago el Mayor), Santiago de Compostela, SPAIN
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:
Recent ordinations at Holy Cross (Oklahoma City) and St. George’s (Las Vegas)
Repairs to be undertaken at Bishop Morse House (Berkeley)
Registration information for Summer and Fall courses at St. Joseph of Arimathea
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
Uhde, “The Ascension of Christ”, 1897.
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.
Importance
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.”
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.
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.
We now enter the week that changed the history of the world and the fate of all human beings. Our Prayer Book has some of the most beautiful Collects for each day of Holy Week as well as the appropriate Scripture readings.
I found some exceptional videos that amplify these Holy Days and have included them here.
~Fr. Rick
25 March, Monday before Easter
(Book of Common Prayer, pages 138–144)
The Collect ALMIGHTY God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified; Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect O LORD God, whose blessed Son, our Saviour, gave his back to the smiters and hid not his face from shame; Grant us grace to take joyfully the sufferings of the present time, in full assurance of the glory that shall be revealed; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect ASSIST us mercifully with thy help, O Lord God of our salvation; that we may enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts, whereby thou hast given unto us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect ALMIGHTY Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, did institute the Sacrament of his Body and Blood; Mercifully grant that we may thankfully receive the same in remembrance of him, who in these holy mysteries giveth us a pledge of life eternal; the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Collects ALMIGHTY God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified; Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
O MERCIFUL God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor desirest* the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live; Have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, infidels, and heretics; and take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word; and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Collect GRANT, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him; and that through the grave, and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection; for his merits, who died, and was buried, and rose again for us, the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Tomorrow is Passion Sunday. The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ has always been controversial. It separates Christianity from other major world religions because it is God-Incarnate who suffers this torture on behalf of all humanity.
St. Paul calls it a stumbling-block to those who cannot understand or accept this truth. Yet, it is reality that Jesus Christ has suffered, died and risen from the grave, washing us from sin and granting us life eternal.
Count on it!
Faithfully yours, Fr. Rick Gregory
[Photo: Statue of Jesus Christ bearing the Cross, The Grotto (National Sanctuary of our Sorrowful Mother), Portland, Oregon, U.S.]
