St. James E-Newsletter for Wednesday August 31, 2005
Pax Et Bonum

The Weekly E-Newsletter and Online Worship Resource from St. James Parish

“From Silly Devotions and from sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us.”

                                                                                                       Teresa of Avila

COME I THIS DAY                                                                   
Come I this day to the Father,
Come I this day to the Son,                                                     
Come I to the Holy Spirit powerful;
Come I this day with God,
Come I this day with Christ,
Come I with the Spirit of kindly balm.

  

God, and Spirit, and Jesus,
>From the crown of my head
To the soles of my feet;
Come I with my reputation,
Come I with my testimony,
Come I to you, Jesu;
Jesu, shelter me.
                    Celtic Prayer

Today is the feast day of Aidan of Lindisfarne.  Aidan was a monk from Iona who was asked by Oswald, King of Northumbria, to come as a missionary to Northern England.  He centered his work in Lindisfarne, a small island off the northeast coast of England.  Aidan is attributed as the one who restored Christianity to England – his mission field went as far south as London.
    Aidan died in 651.  The Venerable Bede, an English historian wrote of him:  “He neither sought nor loved anything of this world, but delighted in distributing immediately to the poor whatever was given him by kings or rich men of the world. He traversed both town and country on foot, never on horseback, unless compelled by some urgent necessity.  Whenever in his way he saw any, either rich or poor, he invited them, if pagans, to embrace the mystery of the faith; or if they were believers, to strengthen them in their faith and stir them up by words and actions to alms and good works.”  

St. Aidan’s Prayer for the Holy Island of Lindisfarne

   
    Lord, this bare island,
        make it a place of peace:
    Here be the peace
        of men who do thy will:
    Here be the peace
        of brother serving man:
    Here be the peace
        of holy monks obeying:
    Here be the peace
        of praise by dark and day:
    Be this Island thy holy island:
        I, Lord, thy servant, Aidan,
            make this prayer.
    Be it thy care.             AMEN

A Jump Start for this Day

   Once again this morning I had the privilege of taking part in one of the amazing things that happens here regularly at St. James.  For a bit less than an hour, we participated in what the apostles taught as normative:  the breaking of bread, the fellowship, and the prayers.  At 8:30 every Wednesday morning, a faithful group of people gather in the Meditation Chapel for a service of Healing and Eucharist.  We read the lessons, have a short homily, and then pray for one another using the liturgy for Healing found in the Book of Occasional Services.  We break bread in the Eucharist, and then go on to our morning commitments.  
    Every time I take part in this service, I come away feeling as though I have been truly blessed.  It is a wonderful thing to pray for others, and to receive their prayers for oneself.  It is wonderful to share in the body and blood of Christ in an intimate setting.  It is wonderful to get to know these saints a little better each time I am there.  
    This is not a closed service; it is open to all.  I encourage any and all to come on Wednesdays.  Some may choose to come weekly and join in the community on a more permanent basis.  Some may desire to come on those mornings that a devotional and sacramental “jump start” are most needed.  Either way, all are welcome.

O God of heavenly powers, by the might of your command you drive away from our bodies all sickness and all infirmity; be present in your goodness with your servants, that our weakness may be banished and our strength restored; and that, our health being renewed, we may bless your holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, AMEN

                                                                                                       from the Book of Common Prayer

Debra’s Midweek Meditation




Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8

These three weeks we have been learning fragments of what Paul wanted the Romans to know about community life in Christ.

This section of Romans, from 12:1 to 13:14, is Paul's poetic description of a common life focused on Christ.

As we see in Corinthians, Paul echoes Jesus' own statement about Love being the ultimate law and expression of righteousness.

"Owe no one anything" reminds us to have no other allegiance than Christ.  In that way, we love with a deep love, that comes through us, rather than originates with us.

We are asked to make a conscious decision to seek love in all things so that we might build up the community.

It is so easy to be discouraged in this as we all act like a bunch of human beings!

But, do not despair.  Others are struggling just as you are.
When we share our actual lives, we are loving one another.

At the Sunday School Teachers meeting at Ashland, we talked about the stumbling blocks in community life.

We agreed that we wanted to focus on inclusion rather than exclusion.

When we welcome others, we extend the love that Christ first gave us from the Cross.

Welcome someone this week.
 
Blessings, Debra

MY SOUL'S HEALER
My soul's Healer,
Keep me at even,
Keep me at morning,
Keep me at noon,
On rough course faring,
Help and safeguard
My means this night.
I am tired, astray, and stumbling,
Shield me from snare and sin.
                                                    Celtic Prayer

Daily Morning Prayer

http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html
If the link doesn’t open, highlight it, click copy, and then paste it into your web server address line.

This week at St. James
Tonight:  6:00 childhood Sexual Abuse Prevention training
Sunday:     Holy Eucharist at 8:00 and 10:15 in Susan Tucker Moore Room
                     11:45 Stewardship meeting
Monday:    Labor Day: Office closed
Tuesday:   8:30 Vestry, Staff, and Academy Faculty Eucharist and Brunch
                     7:30 Vestry Admin. Meeting
Wednesday:  First day of School: St. James Academy


Prayers Etc.
We pray especially for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

PRAYER NEEDS FROM ST. JAMES:

Chloe           Sarah J.            Gloria C.           Rose B. and her children            Vallie L.           Anna B.             Lelia G.
Margaret     Jeffrey              Natalie K.         Mary Anne S.                                Matty               Henry H.           Joel B.
Susan L.      Nancy B.          Rosemary         MS                                                 Aris                  Charles             Dave
Paul & Fritz                         Uncle Bob O.    Maria R.                                        Earl C.             David W.           Charlie M.
Ellie            Linda S.           JB, Heather, Chase & Sandy

All wounded sailors, marines, and airmen in our military hospitals.

In Closing

GOD'S AID
God to enfold me,
God to surround me,
God in my speaking,
God in my thinking.

God in my sleeping,
God in my waking,
God in my watching,
God in my hoping.

God in my life,
God in my lips,
God in my hands,
God in my heart.

God in my sufficing,
God in my slumber
God in mine ever living soul,
God in mine eternity.
                                    Celtic Prayer

Pax et Bonum,

Loree+


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