Holy Angels - Rector's Rambling for October 1, 2023

     Today we celebrate last Friday’s Feast Day - St. Michael and All Angels.  A red letter Prayer Book Holy Day, it is a great day to celebrate with an ‘octave’ which means that for 8 days it is remembered in prayer, and can be celebrated on the Sunday within it. 

Not only is it wonderful to commemorate because of the great hymns, and the fact that our Youth Conference is dedicated under St. Michael’s patronage, but because there is lots of fascination about angels, as well as lots of bad folk lore and theology about them that needs to be dispelled.  Sorry Clarence - but you don’t earn your wings by doing good deeds after you die.

Angels are real, a part of God’s created order, and we give thanks for their ministry

Today after the 10 AM Service we will inter the cremains of Ronald and Patricia Pike.  Ronald died in 2008 and Patricia passed away this summer.  All are welcome to join us in the chapel for this brief service of prayers from the Book of Common Prayer.

On Tuesday we will be starting The Alpha Course.  YOU SHOULD BE HERE FOR IT even if you are not sure if it is for you.  Plan on being here on Tuesday for the first session to see what it is about and then decide if it is for you.  We start with dinner at 6:30, watch a video and have a discussion.  We will be done by about 8 PM.  Just let me know if you will be here so that I can make sure I prepare enough dinner.

Who is Alpha for?  It is produced with the unchurched, those with little to no understanding of Christianity.  And it is also wonderful for those who have been in the church a long time and could use a refresher!  And it is a good thing to have as many people in the parish being graduates of this basic course in the essentials of the faith.  As St. Peter says in his first epistle we should “be ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you….” (1 Peter 3:15).  Alpha is a great way to be equipped to do so.