February 5, 2010

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

We continue to pray for the people of Haiti as they recover from the earthquake that devastated their country. Thank you to all who contributed to provide medical care, food, water, clothing, and shelter to the people of the Haiti. If you wish to make a donation online, please click on Partners in Health, Episcopal Relief and Development, Oxfam America and the Sisters of St. Margaret.

photo credit: Mission Aviation Fellowship

This Sunday at the 10:30 am worship service, the celebrant will be the Rev. Cristina Rathbone, who was ordained a priest at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul on January 9. Cristina was sponsored for ordination by our parish and this will be our opportunity to celebrate with her. Laurie Rofinot, Philip Major, and I are leading Journeys in Faith for adults who wish to be baptized, confirmed, or received into the Episcopal Church. We meet on Mondays, January 25 to March 29, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. For more information, please click here.

Philip Major is leading a bible study entitled "Paul's Not-Quite-First Letter to the Corinthians" on Sundays, January 24 & 31, February 7 & 14 at 9:15 am. This bible study is especially relevant since we are reading the first letter to the Corinthians in our Sunday worship services. All are welcome. For more information, please click here.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

The reading from Isaiah is about the call of the prophet: "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.' The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: 'Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!' Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: 'Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.' Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I; send me!'" Isaiah 6:1-8, [9-13]

Psalm 138 is a song of praise of God: "I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your Name, because of your love and faithfulness. For you have glorified your Name and your word above all things. When I called, you answered me; you increased my strength within me. All the kings of the earth will praise you, O LORD, when they have heard the words of your mouth. They will sing of the ways of the LORD, that great is the glory of the LORD."

In the reading from the first epistle of to the Corinthians, Paul tells how he was called to be an apostle: "For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

The Gospel reading from Luke is about the call of Peter after the miraculous catch of fish: "They caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!' For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.' When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him." (Luke 5:1-11)

God calls us each us to become followers of the truth and to care for one another. We receive strength to follow this call at Sunday worship. Please join us for the Holy Eucharist on Saturday at 5:00 pm and on Sunday at 10:30 am.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

Worship Services for

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 6-7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, at 5:00 pm: Preacher - The Rev. David A. Killian
Sunday, February 7, at 10:30 am: Preacher - The Rev. David A. Killian

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