June 30, 2009

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

The group that meets for Bible Study are having lively discussions of the "Epic of David" Sundays at 9:15 am. All are welcome. For more information on this series, please click here.

For the Collect of the Day, Scripture Readings, and Psalm, click here. Please note that the we are now using the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) reading.

We will not have a Celtic Holy Eucharist on Saturday, July 4. Please join us for worship Sunday, July 5, at 10:30 am.

 

THEME FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

In the reading from Mark Jesus gives the sermon at his local synagogue. Even though Jesus was drawing large crowds to his teaching throughout Israel, he was viewed suspiciously by people in his home town. This prompted Jesus to remark: "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." In the Collect, we pray: "O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

The reading from 2 Samuel tells of the anointing of David as King: "So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years." (2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10)

Psalm 48 praises God in the holy city: "Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; in the city of our God is his holy hill. Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the hill of Zion, the very center of the world and the city of the great King. God is in her citadels; he is known to be her sure refuge. ... As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God; God has established her for ever."

The reading from 2 Corinthians is Paul's autobiographical account of his heavenly vision: "I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows — was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat." (2 Corinthians 12:2-10)

The Gospel of Mark relates a time when Jesus was teaching in his synagogue in Nazareth. However, instead of being welcomed as a hometown hero, Jesus was met skeptically by the local folk: "They said, 'Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?' And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.' And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. (Mark 6:1-13)

 

Sincerely, David A. Killian Rector

For the Collect of the Day, Scripture Readings, and Psalm, click here. Please note that the we are now using the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) reading. Story from this Sunday's Gospel by Becky Taylor, Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministry will be back in the Fall.

Worship Services for

The Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, at 5:00 pm — No Celtic Holy Eucharist
Sunday, July 5, at 10:30 am — Preacher: Dr. David Evett

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