Reflections: “Bless those who curse you; bless and do not curse”    One of the qualities St. Paul describes is this amazing ability to bless those who persecute you and curse them not! Actually the Greek says “stop cursing them.” “Be blessing them instead.” There’s always a lot of un-stopped cursing going on in many of our hearts.  Interestingly, much of it is directed at some part of the church that folks have experienced. Maybe it’s an entire denomination. Maybe it’s a pastor or priest, a bishop even. Whatever, the ill will deep in the heart continues, and spiritual lives are being distorted and reduced. I don’t think our salvation is in jeopardy when we all fall short as we all do … but we do become crippled and disabled. It’s a great compassion that the church has lots of handicapped access for us spiritual cripples. (more…)

Alleluia, Christ the Lord ascendeth into heaven; * O come, let us adore Him. Alleluia.

Wednesday May 27th, St. Bede the Venerable and Comm. of the Ascension; Evensong at 5:15p.m.  and Low Mass at 6p.m. with Bible study following on the Gospel of St. John.

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Alleluia, He is Risen! Alleluia! He is Risen Indeed!

Wednesday May 13th, Evensong at 5:30pm and  Low Mass at 6pm with Bible Study following on the Gospel of St. John.

Next Sunday: May 17th, Fifth Sunday after Easter (Rogation Sunday), Morning Prayer at 9:30am; Choral Mass at 11:00.
+Archbishop (retired) Robert Morse will be visiting us to join our celebration of Mr. Blake Schwendimann”s graduation from St. Joseph of Arimathea Seminary. There will be a reception following Mass, so please come to congratulate Blake and greet our founding +Archbishop.

This past week we held our 18th Annual Diocesan Synod. I was impressed again with what a pleasant and intelligent and well meaning group of grownup Christians gathers together for prayer and conducts the business of the Diocese. There was lots of good fellowship, good food, wonderful prayer and worship. The minutes of the Synod business meeting, including +Archbishop Provence’s address, will be forwarded to you all in a few weeks … but some good news is that the Province continues in fine financial shape and we welcomed two new parishes and a mission church from Oregon. The Province is growing and the need for men to pursue vocations is growing greatly also. As we look forward to Rogation Sunday next Sunday, please pray earnestly for God to provide good priests to serve Him in our growing Province.

Upcoming Diocesan events:
The Annual Diocese of the Western States Family Camping Trip is scheduled for July 9-12 at Patrick Point on the Northern California Coast.

A  Bible memory verse, James 1:17,
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

On Wednesday January 21st, 2008, at 6pm there will be Low Mass, for St. Agnes V.M. (304). Following there will be Adult Bible study on the Gospel from the point of view of  the disciple whom Jesus loved, Saint John. Please come  join us when you can. This class is a lot of fun for all of us.

This coming Sunday, January 25th, is The Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul (Comm. Second Sunday after the Epiphany). Morning Prayer will be at 9:30am. and  the Choral Mass at 11:00am.

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