January 30, 2012

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

The Journeys in Faith course is a presentation of essential Christian beliefs and practices that will be offered on Mondays at 7:00 pm beginning on January 30. Tim Trussell-Smith and I lead this course that is recommended for all who would like to review basic beliefs. The course could especially helpful for adults who wish to be baptized, confirmed, or received into the Episcopal Church. To download the flyer with schedule, please click here.

The All Saints Weekly provides a preview of the Scripture readings for the worship services, information about programs of interest, and links to spiritual resources that you may access on our website, such as sermons and prayers. For my sermon last Sunday, please click here.

The Winter 2011-2012 edition of our quarterly newsletter, Saints Alive! contains news about events in the new year. To download the newsletter, click here.

For This Week, a bulletin of coming events at All Saints, please click here. For information about the Beacon Street Fellowship, the group for young adults in their 20s and 30s, please click here.

During this holy season, we celebrate God's gifts to us and make our pledges of time, talent, and financial resources to the parish for 2012. The ministries of this church are made possible by your participation. Financial pledges provide more than half the operating budget to make possible the ministries we undertake here. Please use the "Bountiful Blessings, Gracious Giving" brochure containing a pledge card for your gift of time, talent, and financial commitment. To download the 2012 stewardship brochure, please click here.

Church School for pre-K through high school meets most Sundays at 10:15 am. The following is the schedule for the winter-spring season: Feb 5, Feb 12, Feb 26 (All ages); Every Sunday in March (All ages); April 22 and April 29 (All ages); May 6, May 13, May 20 (All ages). Note: May 20th is the last day of classes. For more information and to register, please contact Becky Taylor at reled@allsaintsbrookline.org.

The Caring Ministry Team helps parishioners in practical ways such as driving people to church or hospital appointments, preparing meals, and sending get well cards. A subcommittee of the Team called "Care Mail" crafts lovely cards. For more information, please contact Stacy Straaberg Finfrock at stacystraaberg@gmail.com.

Scripture Readings for this Weekend

In the first reading from the Book of Isaiah, the prophet asks probing questions about the origin of the universe:

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to live in;
who brings princes to naught,
and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me,
or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see:
Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
mighty in power,
not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my right is disregarded by my God"?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:21-31)

Psalm 147 sings praises to the Creator of the Universe:

1
Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God! *
how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!
2
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; *
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3
He heals the brokenhearted *
and binds up their wounds.
4
He counts the number of the stars *
and calls them all by their names.
5
Great is our LORD and mighty in power; *
there is no limit to his wisdom.
6
The LORD lifts up the lowly, *
but casts the wicked to the ground.
7
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; *
make music to our God upon the harp.
8
He covers the heavens with clouds *
and prepares rain for the earth;
9
He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *
and green plants to serve mankind.
10
He provides food for flocks and herds *
and for the young ravens when they cry.
11
He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *
he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
12
But the LORD has pleasure in those who fear him, *
in those who await his gracious favor.
21c
Hallelujah!

In the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul speaks of his efforts to bring the Good News of Christ to all peoples, Jews and Gentiles.

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:16-23)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law and numerous ill people who are brought to him:

Jesus left the synagogue at Capernaum, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. (Mark 1:29-39)

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

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

Worship Services for

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 4-5, 2012
Saturday, February 4, at 5:00 pm — Preacher: The Rev. David A. Killian
Sunday, February 5, at 10:30 am — Preacher: The Rev. David A. Killian

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