Season of Pentecost 2021 REOPENING: SUNDAY, 6 JUNE 2021 The Celebration of the Eucharist at 10:00 a.m. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4 Dear Members and Friends, With songs of praise and thanksgiving on our tongues, we write to announce that the doors of our beloved parish, St. James …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, You find attached not my usual 2-hour long sermon, a.k.a. brief reflections on the lectionary of the day. Rather, you find two attachments [see separate posting], pages one and two, of a letter which, so hope I, will bring you as much indescribable joy, as the writing thereof …
Pentecost Psalm 104:25–35, 37; Acts 2:1–21; Romans 8:22–27; John 15:26–27, 16:4b–15 “In vino veritas”, “in wine is the truth.” Zenchio, Greek Philosopher Others said contemptuously, ‘They have been drinking!’ Acts 2:13 But does such an accusation make the truth any less valid or applicable? It was an almost too casual comment, which my …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, Although constrained this week by only two Zoom meetings, this week has not been without a truly exciting and positive development. On Thursday, 20 May, our diocesan and suffragan bishops posted a Pastoral Letter and Updated COVID-19 Guidelines to all clergy and congregational and diocesan leadership. As this …
7 Easter Psalm 1; Acts 1:15 – 17, 21 – 26; I John 5:9 – 13; John 17:6 – 19 And to this the Spirit bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. I John 5:6 Unless a parish is what we Episcopalians used to call “high church” (or Anglo-Catholic), Ascension Day, the Feast of the …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, Because I am pleased to report no major development or change in our common life, I share with you several prayers from our Book of Common Prayer that have this week forced their way into my mind. I pray that you also might find them beneficial. For Ascension …
6 Easter Psalm 98; Acts 10:41 – 48; I John 5:1 – 6; John 15:9 – 17 This is my commandment, that you love one another. Jn. 15: 12 It may not (perhaps, even should not) come as a surprise to any of you that at this time of the year my mind turns to …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, Such updates as they are are centered on discussions of how we may meet diocesan guidelines for regathering for in-person liturgies. Our regathering shepherd/liaison, a member of St. John’s Church, Chelsea is, so I learn, acquainted with St. James and our area in Somerville. For that reason, although …
5 Easter Psalm 22:24 – 30; Acts 8:26 – 40; I John 4:7 – 21; John 15:1 – 8 I am the vine; you are the branches. John 15:5 A spoiler alert to my reflections on this Fifth Sunday in Easter 2021: When reading the gospel lesson for this Sunday, a fairly long string of …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, In an earlier communication from our Bishops (Massachusetts and Western Massachusetts) regarding reopening after Covid-19, when it became clear that Easter, the Celebration of Feast of the Resurrection, could not be held as traditionally observed, the hope was that we could look forward to regathering after 19 April. …