Piety Hill Musings

The ramblings of the Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church of Detroit. Piety Hill refers to the old name for our neighborhood. The neighborhood has changed a great deal in the over 160 years we have been on this corner (but not our traditional biblical theology) and it is now known for the neighboring theatres, the professional baseball and football stadiums and new hockey/basketball arena.

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Location: Detroit, Michigan, United States

Sunday, December 17, 2006

A blessed (if hectic) Rose Sunday


How strange it was today, so late in December, to have Rose/Gaudete Sunday (with our nicest set of vestments)! With Christmas Eve being the same day as Advent IV, we deocrated the Church after the service today instead of next week. We didn't decorate the chapel though. We left undecorated that for next Sunday morning, where we will have all the Advent IV morning services.

So, you are thinking, "isn't the chapel smaller that the Church?" Yes, it seats 125 people (or so). I hope I am wrong....but I suspect that we won't get as many people in Church for Advent IV as we do most Sunday Mornings. Many will make Sunday evening's Christmas Eve their only worship that day - trying to make it a 'two-fer'.
Sigh.
Would that all the parishioners would be motiviated to serve and worship the Lord by keeping the fullness of the obligation to Worship on Sunday AND the Feast - which means keeping both Advent IV in the AM, and Christmas Eve or Day that night or Monday Morning. But then, I have to confess I am quite frustrated at the number of parishioners who don't keep their bounden duty to worship God EVERY Sunday in Church. (p. 291 - Book of Common Prayer - Offices of Instruction).
Come Holy Ghost and inspire the hearts of your faithful people, convert the unconverted, restore the lapsed, and warm up those that have become tepid!