1 Advent, 29 November 2020 B Ps. 80: 1 – 7, 16 – 18; Isaiah 64:1 – 9; I Corinthians 1:3 – 9; Mark 13:24 – 37 Restore us, O God of hosts, show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. —Psalm 80:9 In years and decades past, preachers lamented the …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, The parish update which accompanies my homily [see tomorrow’s post] for this First Sunday in Advent 2020 leans, fortunately or not, towards the personal. The “or not” or non-personal is to alert you that, while I continue to commiserate with you all over our absence from our …
Ps. 100; Ezekiel 34:11 – 16, 20 – 24; Ephesians 1:14 – 23; Matthew 25:31 – 46 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10 Truth in advertising: On this Sunday, we conclude another liturgical year and declare, perhaps with a sigh of resignation, …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, [Being] bound by Canon Law, it is my responsibility to make available to you any and all communications that come from our bishops under the tag “A Pastoral Letter.” Under more normal circumstances, I would read such epistles in place of a homily and/or post them in St. …
24 Pentecost Psalm 123; Judges 4:1 – 7; I Thessalonians 5:1 – 11; Matthew 25:14 – 30 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. —I Thessalonians 5:11 Today, I give you a “pop quiz.” Please use your #2 mental pencil. Question: Where might one find the …
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. James, In my conversations—AKA social-distanced pastoral visits with some of you, required due to the pandemic—several of you raised the question: ‘Rev. Clarence, be honest and tell me about regathering; will we be back in church by Christmas?’ In response, I could only repeat what I have said before, …
23 Pentecost Ps. 78:1 – 7; Joshua 24:1 – 3A, 14 -25; I Thessalonians 4:13 – 18; Matthew 25:1 – 13 But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15b This week I had a personal debate with myself, whether I should not declare the 23 Sunday after Pentecost …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, My weekly report will of necessity be extremely brief. I sit in a virtual Diocesan Convention as I write my update. As your priest, I am obliged to attend and I do so willingly. However, the genius of modern technology of the vendor for votes has assigned my …
All Saints 11/1/2020 Ps. 34:1 – 10, 22 Revelations 7:9 – 17 I John 3:1 – 3 Matthew 5:1 – 12 O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord: Grant us grace so to follow the blessed saints …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, Because of the hold which Covid-19 has imposed on our assembly, I recalled mid-week that I had not engaged in my/our semi-annual ritual of reminding each other of the time change, presently from summer to fall (back!). That humorous ritual, like many others in our faith community, was …