Sunday, August 1, 2010

LITURGY OF THE WORD AND WEEKLY READINGS

Sunday, August 29, 2010: Fourteenth Sunday After Penteost
First Reading: Jeremiah (2:4-13)
Psalm 81:1,10-16, page 704, BCP
Epistle: Paul's Letter (Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16)
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (14:1, 7-14)
Suggested Readings for the Week
Monday John 8:21-32; Tuesday John 8:33-47; Wednesday John 8:47-59; Thursday John 9:1-17;
Friday John 9:18-41; Saturday John 10:1-18.

Sunday, August 22, 2010: Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
First Reading: Jeremiah (1:4-10))
Psalm 71:1-6, page 683, BCP
Epistle: Paul's Letter (Hebrews (12:18-29)
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (13:10-17)
Suggested Readings for the Week
Monday John 6:52-59; Tuesday John 1:43-51; Wednesday John 7:1-13; Thursday John 7:14-36; Friday John 7:37-52; Saturday John 8:12-20.

Sunday, August 15, 2010: Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
First Reading: Isaiah (5:1-7)
Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18, pages 702 and 703, BCP
Epistle: Paul's Letter (Hebrews 11:29-12:2)
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (12:49-56)
Suggested Readings for the Week
Monday John 2:1-12; Tuesday John 5:30-47; Wednesday John 6:1-15; Thursday John 6:16-27; Friday John 6:27-40; Saturday John 6:41-51.

Sunday, August 8, 2010: Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
First Reading: Isaiah (1:1, 10-20)
Psalm 50:1-8, 23-24, page 654, BCP
Epistle: Paul's Letter (Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16)
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (12:32-40)
Suggested Readings for the Week
Monday John 3:1-21; Tuesday John 3:22-36; Wednesday John 4:1-26; Thursday John 4:27-42; Friday John 4:43-54; Saturday John 5:1-18.

Sunday, August 1, 2010: Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
Both services were conducted by Fr. Thomas Beck

First Reading: Hosea (11:1-11)
Psalm 107:1-9, 43, page 746, BCP
Epistle: Paul's Letter (Colossians 3:1-11)
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (12:13-21)
Suggested Readings for the Week
Monday John 1:1-18; Tuesday John 1:19-28; Wednesday John 1:29-42; Thursday John 1:43-51; Friday 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; Saturday John 2:13-25.

SAINT MONICA'S NEWS

Thoughts For The Week
To say we follow Jesus without attempting to obey reveals our lack of faith that He will lead us right in every way. Obedience to God is an expression of our love for God.
From Our Daily Bread
"Lead me, guide me along the way, for if you lead me I cannot stray..."
From Lift Every Voice and Sing II, pp. 194 and 195

Your Comments and Contributions
Your comments and contributions are important. Please let us hear from you.
1. Send your emails to: monicahartford@gmail.com
2. Comments can be made on the blog.
3. See me (Floyd Wyche) in church. I attend the 8:00 a.m. service.

Entering Worship Space
Members are reminded that they can enter the worship space only during the singing of a hymn once the liturgy is in progress. The Bulletin has the notation You may enter, which is a friendly reminder of the appropriate times to enter once the liturgy is in progress.

A Reminder of the Rector's Schedule
The Rector is in office on Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday is set aside for meetings in the Diocese or with other individuals. Thursday is set aside to visit the sick and shut-in, those in hospitals and nursing homes. His Sabbath Day/Day Off is Friday. On Saturday he works from home and uses the day to prepare for Sunday worship. The Rector is always available by appointment except on his Sabbath and Sunday.

Summer Schedule
The times of our Sunday services will remain the same throughout the summer. The format of our services will change to Morning Prayer and Eucharist beginning Sunday, July 11, 2010 and will continue until the last Sunday in August (August 29, 2010). Some members of our congregation will be asked to lead Morning Prayer during this time. Our Canons now allow us to appoint Worship Leaders who are not ordained. Of course our rubrics have always stated that in the absence of an ordained person to lead worship 'all that is appointed through the Prayers of the People, except the blessing may be said by a Lay Reader'; Worship leaders have replaced Lay readers. For more information please see pages 406-407, BCP.

Bible Study
We are returning to our Bible Study on Wednesday, August 4, 2010. We will begin with a healing service at 6:30 p.m. followed by Bible Study at 7:00 p.m. We will continue our study of 1 Peter.

Rite III
On Sunday, August 15, 2010 we will use Rite III at the 10:30 a.m. service. Rite 3 allows a greater participation by the congregation during the sermon. It means we will have to read the Holy Gospel before we come to the Eucharist if we are going to be able to share the 'good news' with each other. More was explained on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Friendly Reminder: Food Pantry & Saturday Feeding
This is a friendly reminder that the food and supplies in the Food Pantry storage area are for the Food Pantry and Saturday feeding use only. We have signed a contract with Food Share stating that we will only use these items for the Food Pantry and Saturday Feeding. All organizations are reminded to purchase their food and supplies. Plan ahead to insure that you will have what is needed for your activity. Please do not ask anyone with a key to open the Food Pantry. They are are not authorized to do so. Thank you for your cooperation.

Gospel Trip to Philadelphia
The Parish Committee is sponsoring a gospel fundraising trip to Philadelphia. The bus leaves Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 6:00 a.m. sharp from St Monica's parking lot. There will a two hour all you can eat luncheon on the ship Spirit of Philadelphia. Later, there will be a professional guided heritage tour of Philadelphia. Donation of $125 includes bus trip, boat ride and guided tour. All deposits are due ASAP. See any member of the Harvest Committee for more information.

St. Monica's 106th Anniversary & Recognition Ball
This is a fundraiser to help retire the debt on our building. It will be held on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at the Hilton Hotel located at 315 Trumbull Street, Hartford. Ticket are $75 per person. Cocktails will be 7:00 p.m.-8: p.m. Dinner, program and dancing will be 8:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. For ticket information see Ms. Synfoni Green, Mrs. Arlette Hurdle, Mrs. Gloria Marsele, or Mrs. Paul Scott.

Birthdays and Anniversaries in August
Happy birthday to: Gloria Ricketts 2nd; Dorothy McLachlan and Veronica Airey-Wilson 4th; Louise Kenney and Deborah Opliphant 6th; Charles Groce and Irma Reid 7th; Agnes MacBeth 8th; Sandra Mahoney and James Phillips 10th; Sara Legister and Peter Marsele 12th; Clement Forrester and Becki Hall 14th; Bianca Haughton 16th; Casey Morris 17th; Jean Ullet 21st; Christopher Walters 22nd; Taylor Bradshaw and Channen Paddyfote 26th (her 24th birthday); Irene Nurse-Cohen 29th; Princess Wiggins 30th.

Happy anniversary to Mr & Mrs. Blackwood 3rd; Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Davis 5th.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Ulett 11th (48th wedding anniversary).
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Noel 25th.

Condolences
The family of Ruth McBean sincerely thanks you for your kind expressions of sympathy; your cards, your hugs, and your prayers.

We extend our sincere sympathy to the Tuning family on the death of of the mother of Edwina. May she rest in peace.

We extend our sincere sympathy to the family of Annie Allen who died recently. May she rest in peace.

Our sincere Christian sympathy to Myrtle Senior on the death of her 99 year old sister Essie Atkinson. May she rest in peace.

The family of Mrs. Cynthia Washington Barrett wishes to express heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the St. Monica's Episcopal Church family for their comforting words, constant prayers, love, support and invaluable assistance rendered to the family during our great loss. Your deeds of kindness have given us strength and solace during our recent bereavement. May God continue to bless and keep each of you.
DIOCESE AND ITEMS OF INTEREST

I Wonder Why?
This column answers interesting questions.

Ever wonder why some churches have a stoup at their entrances?

The holy water font or stoup is a vessel containing holy water generally placed near the entrance of a church. It is used in Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches, as well as some Anglican churches to make the sign of the cross using holy water upon entrance and exit.
From Wikipedia

Holy-water stoups came very early to Christianity. Many holy-water fonts were simple, sometimes no more than seashells; others were grand affairs, proper fountains for ablutions of both hands and feet. We no longer use the font to wash, but to take water upon entering a church is still a vital act. It recognizes the demarcation between secular and sacred space: we have turned out of the noisy street into God's quite place, and we acknowledge it. We also remember our baptism, our entry by water into the large church; but this time we perform the sacrament ourselves, in miniature.
by Ann Wroe. America: The National Catholic Weekly. March 3, 2003.



THE BOOK CORNER
A Light in the Window
by Jan Karon

This is the second book in the Mitford series. This second installment is chock-full of happenings. We have recent widower, Edith Mallory, setting her eyes (and hands) on Father Tim; a mysterious Irish cousin who comes to stay in the rectory for questionable reasons; and we meet a new character, Buck Leeper, the hardened, unpleasant building supervisor hired to build Mitford's new nursing home. But the most important part of this book is Father Tim's growing feelings toward his neighbor, Cynthia, and his struggle to accept them, be happy, and let nature take its course. and naturally, Cynthia has a word or two to say about that!

I enjoyed A Light in the Window much better than the first one (At Home in Mitford). I found myself reading this novel until the wee hours of the morning because I couldn't get enough of the characters or heartwarming story lines. No action, no plot twists, no shocking endings--but I simply didn't care. Jan Karon has a way of telling a story that makes all those other page-turning qualities seem unimportant. Mitford is a home away from home, a fictitious account of REAL life, and a place where I will look forward to visiting in the books to come.
Review by Dianna Johnston