September 2016
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The Angelus Monthly Publication of the Church of Our Saviour September 2016 an exciting time in the life of our parish, and each of you— animated by the Holy Spirit—is taking responsibility for an authentic and gracious Christian witness in the Virginia-Highland neigh- borhood. Beginning September 18, 2016, we will resume Christian education for children and adults. We are happy to say that our children will be moving upstairs in Garrison Hall, as the class has outgrown their room downstairs. We will continue offering Our Saviour’s “edition” of Godly Play, which has been very effective in cap- Dear friends of the Church of Our Saviour, turing the sacramental imagination of our chil- dren. Adult education will still meet in the On September 11, 2016, we will host Library and this fall we will be familiarizing our- our third annual parish ministry fair. We’ll selves with the stories of several Saints. Bishop gather in Pettway Hall between the morning Barron has produced a new DVD series that will services. Each guild will be represented and be released at the beginning of September just in you will have the opportunity to learn about time for our class (here is a link to preview: the various ministries active in our shared http://pivotalplayers.wordonfire.org/). We will life. Fifteen years after horrific events tran- plan to watch roughly twenty minutes each ses- spired in our nation, and ninety-two years sion, followed by discussion. When we complete after our founding as a parish, we will gather this study we will look at a new book by Bishop to proclaim the power of the God who led Rowan Williams called Being Christian: Bap- slaves through the Red Sea and raised Jesus tism, Bible, Eucharist, and Prayer. I hope that Christ from the dead. I hope that you will you will consider joining us between the Sunday take this opportunity to consider how you services each week throughout the year. might continue to exercise your gifts for the As the school year settles in and the sum- building up of the Church. As a processional mer presses on, let us strive to be a welcoming banner in a London parish church recently and hospitable church that continues offering rev- reminded me, everything that we do at the erent and traditional worship, sacramental spiritu- Church of Our Saviour we seek to do “for ality, and an unwavering commitment to serve God and for the Church.” those in need. Our mission is to grow in the Through service to the community and knowledge and love of the Lord and to be a place the world, service at the Altar, or administra- where all people can discover the peace of God tive labor, we offer ourselves in love so that which passes all understanding. Through our all who share in our common life might come prayer and common worship, through our com- to trust in the everlasting generosity and mitments to the parish, and by the grace of God, goodness of the Holy Trinity. I hope you will let us press on with steadfast faith. plan to be present at the fair and that you would take seriously the gifts you have to Under the mercy, offer just now in our common life. We are at Father Zachary Thompson+ Page 2 THE ANGELUS September 2016 Events During September The Feast Days are major feasts listed in our Book of Common Prayer. Parish Luncheon Will Not be Held in September Saint Matthew September 21, 2016 Our regular First Sunday meal will NOT be held in the month of September. Saint Matthew was one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus. Before Jesus called him he was a tax collector. He is traditionally consid- ered to be the author of the gospel that bears his Holy Cross Day name and to have died a martyr. September 14, 2016 We thank thee, heavenly Father, for the witness of thine apostle and evangelist Matthew to the Holy Cross Day is a day for recognizing the Gospel of thy Son our Savior; and we pray that, cross as a sign of Christ’s victory and triumph after his example, we may with ready wills and over death and as a reminder that we share in that hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; victory. “And when I am lifted up, I will draw all through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and men unto me.” (John 12:32) reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP 1979) Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world unto himself; merci- fully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God in glory everlasting. Amen. (BCP 1979) Parish Ministry Fair It’s coming up on that time of year again! Summer is ending and school will quickly be St. Michael and All Angels starting back up. On Sunday, September 11, September 29, 2016 2016, the Church of Our Saviour will be holding their third annual Parish Ministry Fair between O everlasting God, who hast ordained and con- the services. This is the time when the guilds stituted the ministries of angels and men in a have an opportunity to let fellow parishioners wonderful order; Mercifully grant that, as thy know what they are about, how they operate and holy angels always serve and worship thee in why someone would want to join their group. heaven, so by thy appointment they may help and Plan now to stay after the 8:30 am service or defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our come early for the 11:00 am one. If you have Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and thy time and talents to offer the parish, this is the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. chance to find out where your efforts can best be (BCP 1979) put to work. September 2016 THE ANGELUS Page 3 Saint of the Month ond dream an angel told Joseph to take his family and flee the murder planned by Herod, Saint Michael and All Angels and in a third dream an angel told him Herod By Berkeley Strobel was dead, and it was safe to return to his home- land. Angels appeared at the tomb on Easter September 29 is the Feast Day for Saint morning, to tell certain women that something Michael and All Angels. completely unknown had happened. The idea of angels seems foreign to our era. The angels are central participants in the Popular art presents innocent children or willowy revelation of God to Mankind. Man could not females with wings, while angels in film also have “figured it out” alone. No man can see usually bear little resemblance to the real thing. God, or understand God by his own efforts. The word “angel” is quite old. The Persians God can only be known to us by revealing called the messengers of their king, the imperial Himself. couriers, “angaros.” Sanskrit refers to “angiras,” Our Lord tells us that when the earth meaning luminous, divine persons. Our under- ends, it will be the angels who gather up the standing of angels combines these two. righteous, and bind the evil ones. When Our Both the Canon of Scripture and apocry- Lord comes again, He will be accompanied by phal works of the Old Testament mention angels. all the angels. In the last days, the angels will Saint Michael appears in the early folklore of the finally and completely proclaim Him. Jews as a great warrior and captain of warriors, Angels were involved in events such as the great protector of the Jews. In one story, freeing Peter and Paul from imprisonment, roll- Michael and Satan are contending over the body ing the stone away from the tomb on Easter, of Moses, who had violated the Law by the mur- and striking down Herod when he accepted the der of an Egyptian overseer. Satan does not get proclamation that he was a god. An angel told his way. Michael does not struggle with Satan. Peter that the Jewish laws concerning diet and He simply rebukes him. In the story of Lot, the association with Gentiles need not apply to fol- two strangers, whom the male residents of Sod- lowers of the Way. Matthew says each of us om demand to be given to them, are angels, who has an angel who continuously prays for us. appear at first as ordinary men. Our Lord says that in the next life, we shall be John, in Revelation, speaks of war in able to see the angels as they actually are. heaven; Michael and his angels contending with Angels comfort and strengthen us in our Satan and his rebellious angels, casting them out. struggles, as they did Our Lord, but it is up to Our Lord confirms this event, when he said, “I us to do the physical, worldly things to defeat watched Satan fall like lightening from heaven.” evil. In Greek plays, and in many a novel, there It is primarily in their role as messengers appears what the Greeks called deus ex that we see angels in the New Testament. An machina, the god of the machine, the sudden angel appeared to Zechariah in the solitary pre- intervention of some outside force to set things cincts of the inner Temple, where Zechariah was, aright.