Grant me, I beg you, almighty and
Most beautiful God,
Fervently to desire,
Wisely to search out,
And perfectly to fulfill,
All that is well pleasing to you.
- St. Thomas Aquinas

The Book of Common Prayer
Yesterday was the commemoration day for the Book of Common Prayer. For Episcopalians, the Book of Common Prayer is as familiar, and perhaps more so, than any psalm or Bible passage. In this small volume, which has undergone many revisions, is held the very fabric of our Anglican heritage.

It was Thomas Cranmer, first Archbishop of Canterbury, that created the first Book of Common Prayer in 1549. Cranmer became the first Archbishop under Henry VIII, after Henry broke with the Catholic Church over a number of issues (including his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.) Both Henry and Cranmer were highly influenced by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other reformers on the Continent. The prayer book, first published during the reign of Henry’s son Edward VI, shows these influences in its structure: It is written in the common language of the people, not in Latin, as was the custom at that time. It is the same book used by both clergy and laypersons. It emphasizes the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist over the other five. It is intended to be user-friendly, so that anyone can pick it up, and benefit from its contents. In the Book of Common Prayer, we as Episcopalians have an amazing resource at our fingertips. There are several different layouts for daily prayer, including prayers for individuals and families, and those that are based on the Daily Office – Morning, Noonday, Evening Prayers, and Compline. The entire psaltery makes up the middle of the book, and at the end are many resources for spiritual growth – the Catechism, the original 39 articles, which formed part of the Elizabethan Compromise, and other historical documents. For those who really want to know, there is even a formula for finding the date of Easter in any particular year!

Take some time to explore this wonderful resource.

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping…
That awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

Lord you now have set your servant free
To go in peace as you have promised.
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior
Whom you have prepared for all the world to see.
A light to enlighten the nations,
And the glory of your people, Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning is now, and will be forever, Amen.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping.
That awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
- From Compline, p. 134-5

Debra’s Midweek Meditation
Ephesians

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
Eph 4:11-13

Last week we explored the gift of fire at Pentecost; this week we are going to reflect on the gifts of "ruach" or breath.
All are from the same Spirit--all are for the building of the community.

The drama of Pentecost is both exhilarating and a little frightening.
The gifts Paul talks about in Ephesians seem to come upon us gradually, over time, with some space for our identities to settle into the new reality of our call in Christ.

Ephesians talks a lot about the church's call in Christ-to become unified in the face of human divisions.
What a timely message--as both the Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church meet in council this summer to face some of the ways in which we are out of harmony with each other.

Paul tells us that our goal is to grow into the full stature of Christ-through the community.
We need each other--
We need each other desperately if we are to grow in Christ.
The Body of Christ-the Church-will be our garden, our nurture, our testing ground.

Can we support each other through the gifts we are being given?
Can we encourage the gifts God is giving others so that we might experience the unity promised in the Epistle to the Ephesians?

Last summer we studied Romans, this summer we will delve into Ephesians. If you bought Raymond Brown's book on the New Testament, you may already have a head start.

The other text we will explore is Tom Wright's,Paul for Everyone:The Prison Letters: Ephesians, Philipians, Colosians, Philemon.

Blessings,
Debra

Glory to God whose power working in us,
Can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church,
And in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
- Ephesians 3:20,21 BCP, 126

Daily Morning Prayer
http://www.episcopalchurchingarrettcounty.org/morning_prayer.htm

This week at St. James
Wednesday: 1:30 SJA Moving-Up Day; 7-9 SJA Graduation Dance; 7:30 Vestry Admin meeting
Thursday: SJA 8th Grade Retreat; SJA 7th Grade Shadow Day
Friday: 9:00 SJA Graduation Rewards; 7:00 Graduation
Sunday: 9:00 Sunday School Breakfast and Shower; 10:15 Charles & Betty Wilson renewal of Marriage Vows
Monday: 10:00 Narnia Book Study (Dawn Treader)
Tuesday: 9:30 Cathedral Tour and Tea; 7:30 Vestry
Wednesday: 8:30 Healing Eucharist
Coming up: Father’s Day Evensong at 5:00 pm on June 18th. Henry, the Choir, and Loree (presider/chanter) are working to create a beautiful evening of worship and song. Please join us!

A Litany of Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to God our Father for all his gifts so freely bestowed on us.
For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea.
We thank you, Lord.
For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women, revealing the image of Christ,
We thank you, Lord.
For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends,
We thank you, Lord.
For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,
We thank you, Lord.
For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play,
We thank you, Lord.
For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity,
We thank you, Lord.
For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,
We thank you, Lord.
For the communion of saints, in all times and places,
We thank you, Lord.
Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord;
To him be praise and glory, with you, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, AMEN.
(BCP, 837)

Prayers, Etc.

For those who are deployed and their families.
For those who graduate this week.
For Laura and Lyle Brecht.
For those on our prayer list:
Dot; Sue; Lori; Bill; Sarah; Joel
Toni; Anna; Lelia; Philip; David; Bryan G.
Leib and Carlyn; Lovisah

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified; receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, AMEN.

In Closing:

O Lord, you are my portion and my cup;
It is you who uphold my lot.
My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;
Indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel
My heart teaches me, night after night.
I have set the Lord always before me;
Because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.
My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices;
My body also shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon me to the grave,
Nor let your holy one see the Pit.
You will show me the path of life;
In your presence there is fullness of joy,
And in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
(psalm 16) (BCP 600)

Visit this place, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy; let your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in peace; and let your blessing be upon us always; through Jesus Christ our Lord, AMEN
(BCP, 140)

Pax et Bonum,
Loree+

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