July 6, 2010

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

The All Saints Weekly is a spiritual resource. The Weekly provides a preview of the Scripture readings for the coming weekend for your reflection and study and information about events at All Saints Parish in the coming week.

The Weekly makes available the sermon from the previous Sunday. To view the sermon of the Rev. Laurie Rofinot from last Sunday, please click here.

This weekend is the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost. On the Sundays after Pentecost, our liturgical readings will explore the Hebrew prophets. You are invited to the final session of a Bible Study of the prophets Elijah and Elisha on Sunday, July 11, at 9:15 am. For more information about the Bible Study, please click here.

The All Saints website is a rich spiritual resource with information about Celtic Spirituality and prayers for various occasions. Please click here to access the Celtic Spirituality section. Please click here for a link to the prayers. If you have additional prayers that you would like to be included on our website, please email our websexton with the prayer.

All Saints Parish is a co-sponsor of an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil organized by the Massachusetts Council of Churches on Wednesday, July 7, at 7:00 pm, at Old South Church, 645 Boylston Street, Copley Square, Boston. Coming together to pray is a way to deepen our solidarity with those directly affected by the Gulf disaster and to present a unified Christian witness to God's love and righteous indignation in the wake of this event, as well as the hope we have for restoration of all things in Christ. All are invited. For information, please contact council@masscouncilofchurches.org or 617-523-2771 or visit the MCC website: www.masscouncilofchurches.org.

 

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THIS WEEKEND

The reading from the Book of Amos describes the prophet's origins as a herdsman and dresser of sycamore trees who was called to speak God's word: Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'" (Amos 7:7-17)

Psalm 82 is God's charge to the prophets and leaders of Israel to defend the innocent and the poor: "How long will you judge unjustly, and show favor to the wicked? Save the weak and the orphan; defend the humble and needy. Rescue the weak and the poor; deliver them from the power of the wicked. They do not know, neither do they understand; they go about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken."

The reading from Colossians expresses Paul's prayer for the community: "To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit. For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:1-14)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus uses a story about the Good Samaritan to illustrate his teaching on love of neighbor: Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, `Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:25-37)

Please join us for the Holy Eucharist on Saturday at 5:00 pm and on Sunday at 10:30 am. Holy Baptism will be celebrated at the Sunday service.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

Worship Services for

The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, July 10-11, 2010
Saturday, July 10, at 5:00 pm: Preacher: The Rev. Elise Feyerherm
Sunday, July 11, at 10:30 am: Preacher: The Rev. Daniel MacDonald

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