Lenten journey, votive candles, and an anniversary - Rector's Rambling for February 25, 2024

         I hope that by now you have gotten into the groove of keeping Lent.  This is now the second Sunday of Lent, and as you can see from the chart on the right, we are well into this season of fasting, abstinence, and almsgiving. This wonderful illustration is a reminder of how we built up into the season with the gesima Sundays, had our first week and a half Lent with Ash Wednesday and then last week we had 3 Ember Days where we prayed with special intention for those preparing for the ordained ministry.  Now we are working our way to the meat of the season and heading toward Passiontide.  The Christian Life is a journey toward heaven and this illustration  helps us to envision it.

Below is a picture of our Votive Candle rack in the Church. We also have one in the Chapel.  Lighting a candle for a prayer intention is a wonderful way to make tangible, visibly, that intention.  And your offering placed in the slot is a small sacrifice as well a way to cover the costs of the candle itself.  But please, DO NOT PUT THE USED MATCH INTO THE VOTIVE CUPS!  As you see in the picture on the right, it causes the glass to break and is a fire hazard! Please use the ashtray provided. 

    Finally, the last Sunday in February is the anniversary of my first Sunday as the Rector of St. John’s Church. This marks the completion of my 23rd year as your pastor here.  I am now the longest serving clergyman in their current position in the diocese, and third longest serving rector of St. John’s after I.C. Johnson (28 years) and Tom Frisby (25 years).  I am humbled and honored, and pray that there will many more years ahead together.

Lent's start, and ordinations - Rector's Rambling for February 18, 2024

 “Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and unto dust shalt thou return”.

These words were said, over and over, as ashes were applied on the foreheads of people at St. John’s, and in churches around the world.  This past Wednesday the Lenten Fast began, although it faced stiff competition from the secularized version of Valentine’s Day.  St. Valentine was martyred for his faith in Jesus – we can be sure he doesn’t mind that his feast day was bumped this year.

I like Ash Wednesday because, in addition to our regular worshippers, we see folks in church we don’t see very often, and we get visitors from neighboring office buildings who realize what day it is and dash to the nearest church.  It is nice to see people make an earnest start on this important season of the Church year.

 Two weeks ago a group of St. John’s folks made the pilgrimage to Wisconsin to see our own Cam Walker ordained to the transitional diaconate by the Bishop of Long Island.  It was a wonderful evening and we look forward, God willing, to The Rev. Mr. Cam Walker’s ordination to the priesthood, God willing, in Garden City, NY in September. 

Deacon Cam came to St. John’s as a new parishioner and law school student, and quickly jettisoned his law studies after a semester and began his discernment toward ordination soon thereafter.

Today at 3 PM in Grand Rapids a man who did an internship with us in the summer of 2010 will be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan.  Rev. Alex Quick was a college student at the time, and was discerning whether or not he may have a call to the ordained ministry.  He was ordained a deacon and now, God willing, will be a priest. 

Remember also that not long ago another former intern at St. John’s, Fr. Zack Baker, was ordained a priest in Long Island.  May God continue to use us to help men discerning their vocations to the ordained ministry!

 

Quinquagesima Sunday - Rector's Rambling for February 11, 2024

     

    Beginning this week things will be getting even busier around St. John’s!  Being Quinquagesima Sunday today, it means that by mid-week Lent begins, and the additional devotions and disciplines take full effect.

Before the fasting begins, we do have one last feast with some frivolity.  On Tuesday evening, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, we will be serving pancakes, sausage and ice cream as we celebrate Shrove Tuesday.  Additionally, we have our second annual Trivia Contest!

On Wednesday Lent begins, and there are three opportunities for worship to make a right start of Lent with the imposition of ashes: 12:15 and 6:00 PM Holy Communion, and 4:00 PM Evening Prayer.

Included in the Order of Service today is our Lenten Brochure outlining how to keep a Holy Lent in the  various opportunities offered here at St. John’s.  The extra weekday services start Thursday with weekly Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament, and then NEXT WEEK on Friday we add an extra weekday Holy Communion service at 11:15 AM, as well as Stations of the Cross at Noon.  Educational opportunities include Adult Education with our Alpha Course on Sunday at 11:45 AM and the addition of the Lenten Lunchtime lessons and Wednesday Evening Lent teaching.  These last two are online, in addition to the Daily Morning Meditations.

Our Sunday Lenten worship begins next week the Litany in Procession, alternating each week with the Decalogue.  It is my hope that we will have a 100% attendance day next Sunday to get Lent off to a good start.  The weather hasn’t been the most cooperative lately (snow, fog, etc.), but even on the pleasant weather Sundays attendance can be better..

Lent is a wonderful time to re-evaluate and re-set our spiritual life.  Take advantage of these opportunities by jumping in with both feet: regular Sunday Service attendance, weekday Mass attendance, Bible reading and prayer at home, preparing to make a confession, and keeping the Lenten Fasts and Disciplines to make this an Holy Lent.

 

Lent/Easter Eagle - Rector's Rambling for February 4, 2024

     Another year of grace is underway at St. John’s Church.  We celebrated our 165th anniversary on December 27th.  What a remarkable thing to think that what was started with a vision by people living in a rural area on the outskirts of Detroit would become this wonderful parish of people with a glorious church building set in the midst of a revitalized urban neighborhood now dubbed The District Detroit.

We had our Annual Parish Meeting on a cold, snowy, and slushy Sunday last week,. Despite the weather, a sizeable gathering of members and guests were here for worship and for the meeting following in the Undercroft.  A soup luncheon was served - thank you to all who pitched in to make it a special meal.

At the meeting we elected new members of the Vestry, reviewed the 2023 year-end financials, and received the reports of the various ministries and organizations in the parish.  God continues to bless us in remarkable ways and we give thanks to Him for them!   I am humbled that I will be celebrating, God willing, my 23rd anniversary as Rector of St. John’s at the end of February.

Looking forward, this edition of The Eagle contains all sorts of information about upcoming events and opportunities for your participation.  Lent is a time when we get pretty busy around here at St. John’s, and it is a very ‘good’ busy.

In addition to the regular Lenten disciplines of fasting and abstinence such as giving up something for Lent, I want to suggest that you also take on some things for Lent as well.  Top of the list would be to not only be regular at worship on Sunday (this is the bare-minimum expectation for all members of the church), but also become more regular about weekday worship at home or here at St. John’s.  Come to a weekday Mass or go online and join us for Evening Prayer.  Take out a prayer book and pray along with us when livestreamed (you can pray along anytime on replay) or pray Evening (or Morning) prayer directly from the Prayer Book by yourself.  If you need a 1928 Book of Common Prayer, we have used copies in the parish library. 

Also, we are offering once again The Alpha Course.  This time it is being offered on Sunday at 11:45 AM after coffee hour.  You are already here for Sunday worship, stick around for the video and discussion.

And of course start inviting people now to join us for Holy Week and Easter at St. John’s!