DOK, Ss Peter and Paul, and looking ahead to Independence Day - Rector's Rambling for June 28, 2026

     Today we have the institution of  Deb Bush as a member of the Daughters fo the King.  Welcome to the members of the Diocesan Chapter joining us today.  More information about the DOK can be found on page 4.

This week we celebrate on Monday, June 29, the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul.

Technically, on our traditional calendar it is the Feast of St. Peter.  But there is also a great tradition that, on the various dates when St. Peter or St. Paul are commemorated, there is also a collect for the other one of this duo: their deaths, as well as Peter’s Confession that Jesus is Messiah, and Paul’s Conversion on the road to Damascus.

The new calendar commemorates Peter’s Confession and Paul’s Conversion eight days apart in January, and it has become the occasion to pray for the unity of the Church.

There couldn't be two people who are less alike than St. Peter and St. Paul.  Peter was a simple fisherman who was often impulsive, and was as often wrong as he was right in his speaking to and about Jesus.  One minute Jesus is confirming Peter’s Confession by proclaiming him The Rock, and shortly afterwards chiding him for wanting to prevent Jesus from going to Jerusalem to die.

St. Paul, on the other hand, was a more affluent, educated, and cultured man, with religious training as a pharisee whose family had arranged for them to have Roman citizenship.

Yet these two became the great leaders and evangelists for the new Church.  St. Peter is usually considered the Apostle to the Jews because his work was primarily to them, and St. Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles because of his desire to incorporate them into the new covenant sealed in Jesus’ own blood.  But of course, both men preached to both Jew and Gentile.

They shared in common that they both died for the faith in Rome, and that they had a burning desire to share the Good News that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that he has died and risen for the forgiveness of sin.

On Saturday, July 4th St. John’s will be participating in a citywide Church bell ringing at 2 PM in honor of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and then on Sunday we will be celebrating the 250th Anniversary of our Independence with hymns and the appointed lessons and collect for this Prayer Book Holy Day.  A Strawberry Social follows.  Be sure to invite your friends and family!.