Advent/Christmas Eagle - Rector's Rambling for December 14, 2025

     As we continue our way through Advent, we are looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ in glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, and as the weeks of Advent progress we can’t help but focus more sharply on the upcoming celebration of His first coming as an infant in the manger in Bethlehem.

Back in March we celebrated Jesus’ Incarnation when He took human flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, She received the good news from the Archangel Gabriel that this conception would be by the Holy Ghost Himself.  We look with anticipation to the celebration of His birth with great joy!

But we still have some Advent left to go and we look to the state of our souls as if Jesus may return today, or we may go to meet Him through our own bodily death.  Either way we must be prepared!

In this newsletter there is not only the Christmas worship schedule but also the things leading up to it like the Advent Soup Luncheon and Greening of the Church.  The Warm Fuzzy Tree is ready to receive your gifts of hats, gloves, sweaters, and socks (and thank you for your support of the Giving Tree and St. Catherine’s Guild Pantry Sale).

Looking further ahead, God willing, to 2026 we see the celebration of The Epiphany on January 6th, The Annual Parish Meeting on January 25th, The Feast of the Presentation on February 2nd, and on February 15 we welcome Bishop Wendell Gibbs for a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Fr. Kelly’s arrival as Rector of St. John’s. 

Being mindful of First Things First, let us be sure to be in Church this Sunday for worship!  And please invite your friends and neighbors to join us Sundays, Holy Days, and the variety of special events offered here at St. John’s this season and throughout the year.

 

Anglican Christianity Class - Rector's Rambling for December 7, 2025

     Last week we got Advent off to an rough start with a Saturday night, Sunday morning snow storm.  In my 25th Advent here at St. John’s we most often find issues with snow on the 3rd Sunday in Advent.  I am grateful for those who were able to make it last week, especially  those from the city and east side where accumulations were much lower.  Several people contacted me about how nice it was to be able to watch the livestream since they were unable to attend.  The forecast for today gives me hope that we will see a better attendance this week.

Today we are beginning our class on Anglican Christianity.  Using Fr. Louis Tarsitano;s book An Outline of an Anglican Life we will  look into topics such as the church, sin, salvation and grace, the sacraments, the Bible and the Prayer Book.  We have copies of the text book available but you can attend, there will be outlines distributed each week, even if you are not reading the text book.  We are planning on meeting this week and next, and then take off two weeks before resuming January 4th.  We will begin after a short period of socializing at the coffee hour after the 10 AM Service.

Thanks be to God for yesterday’s Advent Tea sponsored by the Daughters of the King here at St. John’s.  Next Sunday evening we are having our 5:30 Service and lighting of the new Garden Tree, with a cookie reception to follow.  Friday the 21st we will have the pre-greening of the church, and on Sunday  we will finish decorating it after the Advent Soup Luncheon after the 10 AM Service.  Mark your calendars.

And of course now is the time to start thinking about who you are inviting for Chirstmas.

 

A new Church year - Rector's Rambling for November 30, 2025

     Welcome to the Church New Year.  Since our Lord has not returned in the past 12 months, we begin once again the cycle of the liturgical calendar, which starts with the season of Advent.

This is not a season of pre-Christmas, although there is an theological aspect of looking at the prophecies foretelling the coming of a Saviour.  I have come to accept that the local radio channels will start playing Christmas Music on November 1, whether I agree or not, and even that some of that music may leak into my house as well.  But theologically the church is not there yet.

We begin the year with what, I am sure I will mention in the sermon, is the observance of the “already and not yet”.  We are looking back at that which has already happened, the fulfillment of God to the people of Israel to send a Saviour.  That Saviour, of course, is Jesus Christ.  We know that God is faithful in fulfilling his promises, and looking back we can see that He has done just that.

Convinced that God is faithful in keeping His promises, we will also be looking at the “not yet” of Jesus’ return in glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead (as we say every week in the Nicene Creed).  Jesus is coming back, as He promised, and a part of the Advent observance is making sure that we are both convinced that He is Lord, and more personally that He is our own Lord, and that we are prepared spiritually to meet him.  That means we are striving to be in a “state of grace” by repenting of our sins and seeking to follow Him and live as He would have us live.

So Happy New Year!  Perhaps a resolution or two are in order?  More disciplined about daily prayer, attendance at Church every Sunday unless hindered by illness or only the most urgent matter, attending a Mass during the week or Evening Prayer on Wednesday at St. John’s, reaching out to others to share your love for Our Lord and His Church – these are all great ways to get off to a good start in the new Church year!