Daily Mass and Offices - Rector's Rambling for July 9, 2023

     Another year of the St. Michael’s Conference for Youth is now in the books.  This year was the 30th Anniversary of the Midwest Conference, and my 25th anniversary of being on staff at this one, plus my two more years on staff at the original one on the east coast.  Another version of the Conference takes place in Texas, and is an off-shoot of our midwestern group.  Once again we were fully subscribed  with Michaelites, the first time since 2019.  Already we are looking for ways that we can expand for next year so that more young people can attend.

This week we are back to the regular, full weekday Service Schedule with Holy Communion and Evening Prayer prayed at St. John’s Monday through Thursday.  The following week I will be away for a family reunion and then after that I am not scheduled to be away again until the end of October.

It is vitally important that we as a church understand that public worship is not just for Sunday morning!  Rather, we are a church that embraces DAILY Prayer and offers the opportunity to worship in community 5 of the 7 days a week most of the year.  We also have the Church open most days of the week as well for people to stop in and pray (or just look around).

Why is this important?  First of all THE CHURCH doesn’t just pray on Sunday.  We pray everyday (and I hope each day we pray often each day).  Of course we should be praying on our own at home or work - the Book of Common Prayer being a great resource since Morning and Evening Prayer, the Daily Office, can be prayed individually as well as in a group.  And just as our wonderful building stands a sign of God’s presence among His people, we open the doors and open worship because worship is the primary purpose of the church! Through it we glorify God and we are pointed toward, and equipped for the journey towards greater and greater holiness.  Prayer and Worship leads the way in this journey toward heaven!