Wednesday, November 4, 2015

LITURGY OF THE WORD 









Sermons Of The Rev. Tracy Johnson Russell
To hear the sermons of The Rev. Johnson Russell CLICK HERE

Sunday, November 29, 2015: First Sunday of Advent
Advent Candle Lighting
First Lesson: Jeremiah (33:4-16)
Psalm 25:1-9, Page 614, BCP 
Second Lesson: Paul's Epistle (1 Thessalonians 3:9-13)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To Luke (21:36)
Sermon: Jason Harvey
Sunday, November 22, 2015: Christ the King
First Lesson: 2 Samuel (23:1-7) 
Psalm 132:1-13, (14-19), Page 785, BCP
Second Lesson: Revelation (1:4b-8)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To John (18:33-37)
Sermon: Ann Perrott
Sunday,  November 15, 2015: Twenty-Fifth  Sunday After Pentecost
First Lesson: 1 Samuel (1:4-20)
Response: 1 Samuel (2:1-10)
Second Lesson: Paul's Epistle (Hebrews 10:11-14, [15-18], 19-25)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To Mark (13:1-8) 
Sermon: The. Rev. Tracy Johnson Russell
Sunday, November 8, 2015: Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
First Lesson: Ruth (3:1-5; 4:13-17)
Psalm 127, Page 782, BCP
Second Lesson: Paul's Epistle (Hebrews 9:24-28)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To Mark (12:38-44)
Sermon: The Rev. Tracy Johnson Russell
Sunday, November 1, 2015: All Saints Day
First Lesson: Wisdom of Solomon (3:1-9)
Psalm 24, Page 613, BCP
Second Lesson: Revelation (21:1-6a)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To John (11:32-44)
Sermon: Darryl Burke



Tuesday, November 3, 2015

NEWS AND EVENTS








Sermons Of The Rev. Tracy Johnson Russell
To hear the sermons of The Rev. Johnson Russell CLICK HERE

St. Monica's Website
To visit St. Monica's website CLICK HERE.

Directions To St. Monica's
For driving directions to St. Monica's, 3575 Main Street, Hartford CLICK HERE

From The Desk of  the Priest-In-Charge
"No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question( concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God." (Romans 4:20, AMP)

Beloved of God, did you know that our praise is powerful! When we give God the praise at all times and in all circumstances, we are putting your faith in action. And just as putting your physical body into action to make it grow strong, putting your faith into action through prayer and thanksgiving will cause it to grow strong, too! Praise makes you stable. It makes you strong. Decide today to put your faith into action by thanking and praising God all throughout the day! As you do, you'll grow strrong and live the life of victory God has in store for you!

Blessings!
Rev. Tracy

Community Christmas Party
The Community Christmas Party will be held Saturday, December 5, 2015 from 
200 p.m.-5:00 p.m. At St. Monica's. The party is in conjunction with the Faith Based Initiative Hartford. Wrapped toys are needed for boys and girls ages 0-13 and $25  gift cards for youth ages 14-18. 

Senior Luncheon
On behalf  of my fellow seniors, I (Maureen Evens) want to thank the Daughters of the King and all their helpers, especially the young people, for the wonderful job they did organizing the luncheon program on Saturday, November 7, 2015. Te food was tasty, the presentations inspiring, and the fellowship delightful. 

Advent Bible Study
Advent Bible Study began Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.

Greater Hartford West Indian Lions
The Greater Hartford West Indian Lions Club Awards Banquet honored four community members, to include St. Monica's own Mary Pinnock, for their service to the community. The banquet was held Saturday, November 21, 2015 at the Nutmeg Restaurant and Banquet facility, east Windsor Connecticut.

Thanksgiving Outreach
A special thank you to everyone who helped to make the thanksgiving meals for our neighbors so special. This includes those who volunteered at the food pantry and soup kitchen who cooked the Thanksgiving turkeys, and purchased the food for thanksgiving groceries. Our neighbors and Outreach Ministry are grateful for your support. God's blessings to all of you.

Birthdays And Anniversaries In November
Happy Birthday to: Lydell Carter, Darryl Burke and Myrtle Senior 1st; Cyril Burke and Patricia Nelson 3rd; Evelyn Green 4th; Carmen Brown 5th; Scott thornton 9th; Marcus Clark 11th; Rory Elliott and Lucy fuentes 13th; Denzil Samuda 14th; Hylton Cooke 15th; George Jordan 19th; Bates Lyons 20th; Carol A. Blanks 24th; Blondell Thornton 25th; Andrea Branch 26th; Austin Tagbo 27th; Verona Francis and Kenneth Lambert 29th; 

Happy Anniversary to: Lydell and April Carter 1st.

In Memory Of: Gwendolyn Ellison and Mary Jackson 1st; Carlton Airey 2nd; Gertrude Smith and Michael Mitchell, Jr. 6th; Fitz T. Hickson 7th; Macheek Jennings 8th; Milton Rice 9th; Dorothy Wiggins 11th; Frank Davis and Solon Taylor 12th; Adolphus Griffin and Rosalee Bracey 15th; Dorothy Cunningham 17th; Edith Duval 19th; Walter Mitchell21st; Zulietta Burke; Elizabeth Taylor, Sydney Lopez and Elizabeth Davis 22nd; Robert Camby 24th; Mary Winfield and London Duval 25th; Ivanhoe Stewart and Pedro Hester 26th; Louis Camby 27th; John West and Gladys Brown 29th.

Vestry Members
Carol Anderson, Cyrus Aimey (Junior Warden), Veronica Airey-Wilson, Joyce Asiedu, Winston Barnaby, Walter Benjamin (Senior Warden), Marie Brown-Harvey (Secretary), April Carter, Evelyn Green, David Hickmon, A. Bates Lyons, Joseph Noel, Evelyn Stewart, Terrie Thomas.

Music
Rochelle Holder - Youth Choir
Nathaniel Baker - Music Director/Organist

Rector Emeritus
Canon Cyril Burke
Email
monicahartford@gmail.com



Monday, November 2, 2015

ITEM OF INTEREST










The Holy Communion
The 1979 prayer book restores the most ancient name for this tradition on making Eucharist: the Great Thanksgiving. there are four primary actions within the Great Thanksgiving, and these are based on the actions of Jesus in the Last Supper as well  as on the Jewish pattern of thanksgiving suppers: we offer bread and wine, we bless them, we break the bread, and we give the bread and wine to all who have gathered. In the church's vocabulary, these four actions of offering, blessing, breaking, and giving are called the offertory, consecration, fraction, and communion.

In the Episcopal Church today we receive communion in a variety of ways. In some congregations you will go forward to the alter and kneel at an altar rail. In others, you may stand and receive in front of the altar or at various communion stations located throughout the church.

Some people receive by eating bread first and then drinking directly from the cup; others prefer to did the wafer or morsel of bread into the wine and then consume the bread and wine together-a process known as intinction.
Source: Vicki K. Black, Welcome to the Book of Common Prayer. Morehouse Publishing: Harrisburg, PA, 2005, pp.53, 56, 57.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

THE BOOK CORNER
The Forest
by Edward Rutherfurd
A novel that spans a period of 1000 years in a small region of England? The premise sounded original and I was willing to rely on my love of history carrying me through. And you know what? I got more that I expected out of this book.
Having not read any other titles by Rutherfurd, I had no previous experience of his style and though curiosity led me at first, I was soon hooked. Following the fortunes of six families through the years, most notably the Albions, Rutherfurd not only relates a series of great stories, he also tells the history and politics of England's New Forest, and the life of its deer and famous oaks. The characterization is strong, both heroes and heroines are well drawn, from the Norman noblewomen Adela de la Roche to the mysterious Puckle and his many equally mysterious descendents. All in all, a pretty damn good book. The chapter 'Albion Park' left me with a craving for Jane Austen again and a a whole leaving me with a strong inclination to read more of Edward Rutherfurd's work soon time soon.
Review by Feneesna