Service for Jan. 29, 2023

 

The Flowers in the Church are in memory of Leonard Sylvester given by Nephew Stephen Holowitz and Great Nephew Adam Corrigan Holowitz and fondly remembered by Teresa.

*Trivia Night.  Raised $2000 for Aluminum risers for our hall. Thank you to everyone who made this a success! We are off to a strong start in our fundraising campaign. 

*Vestry Sunday. Feb. 5.  Vestry Reports.  Sunday January 29.  

*Mint smoothies Sandra $3.

*Meat Pie available. 5$.   Thank you to all workers.  Veg &meat. 

*Crafts Club.  Join the fun.  The 3rd Sat 10 a..m.

*Pancakes at St. James. Tuesday, Feb. 21st, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Cost: $4 for children under 12 , $7 for adults and $20 per family.  Everyone is welcome!  Lets support St. James.

*Ash Wednesday.  Feb. 22.  7:00 p.m.

*St. Patrick’s Day. Friday March 17.  Come at 6:30 to enjoy a beverage and snacks before the show at 7:30. Music by Stephen, Amy, Dave, Grace. Souwesto Kitchen Party follows the show in the Hall till 11 p.m. Corned beef on buns. Veggie meat too! Set Up? Clean up?  Help need! $25.

*Garage/Rummage/Bake Sale.  Sat. May 6.  Sorry we can not store items ahead.  Just no room.

*Denise Pelley and Stephen Holowitz at Epiphany.  Sunday May 7.  2 p.m. 20$  Church fundraiser..

*Penny Social.  Friday May 19.  1:00 set up.  Help very much needed.  Doors at 6:30.  Calling or Drawing at 7:30.

*Epiphany Emporium.  Manor Park Community Market/Crafters Show and Sale. Saturday June 17. Pop Up Sale.  Set Up Friday June 16.  10 a.m. till 3 p.m.

*Jeremy Smith in Concert.  John Denver.  Sunday July 30 at 2:00  !

*Cancelled stamps. Gloria Thompson.

*Rinsed empty drink containers for Keanna. 

*Food Cupboard.  Thank you everyone! Butch. 519-615-9106.

*The Church Website http://www.thechurchofepiphany.com/

*Please Like Our PAGE on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/11Briscoe

*World Day of Prayer.  March 3

 

 

*If you wish, our regular weekly donations or special donations may be sent to our Envelope Secretary:

 

Barb Smallman

4860 Whiteoak Road

London, Ontario

N6E 3Y8

 

519-680-0649

 

Bible Readings for January 29 2023

• Micah 6:1-8 

• Psalm 15  

• 1 Corinthians 1:18-31  

• Matthew 5:1-12

 

Audio Service for January 29 2023

 

 

Opening: 

 

Almighty God,

 to you all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from you no secrets are hidden.

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you,

and worthily magnify your holy name;

through Christ our Lord. Amen

 

 

Thematic Prayer:

Perfect Light of revelation,
as you shone in the life of Jesus,
whose epiphany we celebrate,
so shine in us and through us,
that we may become beacons of truth and compassion,
enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy. Amen

 

Reading Matthew 5:1-12

5:1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.

5:2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

  

Sermon

Matthew 5:1-12

At the start of today’s Gospel reading

 

The crowds have grown. 

 

Jesus had been in Galilee for a while now, 

         speaking, healing,

                   and calling his disciples to follow him.

 

 The leaders from Jerusalem 

        certainly had their spies keeping an eye on him, 

               but with the crowds he was gathering, 

                   all they could do right now was watch and listen. 

 

Wherever Jesus went, 

   there were always a few Pharisees and Sadducees

        We can read Good Religious People 

              in the crowd

                looking for things he might do or say

                       they could use against him 

                             when  they did finally get the chance.

Today, Jesus is walking along the road .

 

 Along with his disciples,

       there was a large group of people following him, 

               more coming down the roads from all directions. 

 

Jesus looked around for a spot open enough  

                 to hold everyone 

                          Jesus found a place to sit down.

 

Jesus began speaking. 

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, 

       for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

The folks  knew poor in spirit. 

 

When Jesus said it,

          most of the crowd turned and glanced

                   at  the little group of Pharisees and Sadducees. 

 

Those guys defined rich in spirit.

 

The Pharisees and Sadducees 

           stood out from the crowd. 

                

They were proud of their faith 

            because they knew that their faith 

                                       was the right faith.

 

Their spirits were anything but poor. 

 

If you want to follow Jesus, 

            you have to be humble, ordinary. 

===

Next: 

Blessed are those who mourn.

 

Everyone mourns at some point, 

 

But also Jesus means

 Blessed are those who look at the world

                                    and they mourn. 

 

Their heart aches at how 

           some are being treated; 

                 even the ones

                        they  do not know..

                               they will never meet. 

 

They mourn. 

          In their pain,

               they are blessed.

 

Jesus says

             Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

 

In other words, 

   You are blessed when you long for justice,

              A loving world.

 

Blessed are the merciful.

        Jesus was asking that when you look around you

                 at other people, 

 

do you try to see them through their eyes 

           try to understand who they are 

                     why they are where they are?

 

When someone clearly makes a mistake, 

               do you define them by that mistake

                      or try to understand what led to it happening 

                          and try to understand there is more to that person

                                 than that one mistake? 

 

Pharisees lived in a simple world. 

        You either agreed with them 

                 and followed the biblical laws

                           and were right 

 

                             or you broke the biblical laws 

                                                       and were wrong.

 

 Jesus said you have to be understanding.

             Merciful.

 

Next: 

         Blessed are the pure in heart.

 

Jesus knew that no one in that crowd was pure.

 

 But he knew that even those who made mistakes 

               could have the very best of intentions;

                         they could be pure in heart.

 

We all make mistakes. 

 

But some, 

          once again giving a nod to the Pharisees and Sadducees,

                  some are never quite what they present themselves to be. 

 

They approach you as a friend 

           But watch for ways to attack you.

 

 They speak of justice and love 

          Then pounce on you 

                       when you slip- up.

 ==

 Some people are always planning and plotting.

 

 Everything they do is a step 

        to position themselves for some next step 

                  on their list. 

 

They may seem to care about someone or something, 

                                                  but there are reasons.

 

 They may seem to  have hearts of compassion, 

                but that compassion is there

                         to help them achieve something else.

 

Jesus said blessed are the pure of heart….

 

Blessed are the peacemakers.

 

We realize that when we talk about peace, 

          we might be talking about peace between countries,

                   or peace between people in town,

                               or even just peace in our families.

 

 But regardless, 

             we are all in support of peace. 

 

We try to get along with people. 

 

We go out of our way to even

               be polite to those folks 

                       we had an  argument with before.. 

 

We don’t hang out together,

       but if we happen to bump into each other at church 

            or something we are polite. 

 

           We support peace.

===

 But Jesus did not say, 

            “Blessed are those who support peace.” 

 

He said peacemakers. 

 

Blessed are those who do the things

             that are required to do to create peace,

                     to bring peace where there is now no peace. 

 

Blessed are those who make peace happen.

 

Sure, we think:

    Hey, I’m just here where I live. 

 

I don’t have the power to make countries quit fighting. 

 

I’ll vote for the person I think might do that, 

           but what else can I do? 

 

But  there are still a few opportunities for peacemaking

                          within our reach such as broken relationships.

===

Remember, 

            Jesus didn’t say that we’re blessed 

                  if we do our best to be polite, 

 

or if we say that we’ll stop calling 

          that other person names, 

 

or that we’ll accept their apology 

                        if and when they offer it. 

====

Jesus said blessed are those 

                  who do make peace happen. 

 

Blessed are those who don’t just hope for it 

                               or wait for someone to offer it, 

                                   but those who get up in the morning 

                                     and spend their day to make peace happen.

==

This is the basis of the passing of the peace in church.

 

The peace is based in the idea that

  “if you have any broken relationships 

         or have anyone with whom you are at odds,

                    go and make it right 

                      and then come forward to Christ’s table.”

 

Imagine a person hopping  in their car 

            Going to find those folks

                     they needed to patch things up with 

                                 before they came back to communion?

 

Blessed are those

           who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

                      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Jesus knew what the crowd was thinking.

 

If they actually did the things

                 he was telling them to do,

 

if they were really as different

                as he said they needed to be,

 

                they were going to end up in a heap of trouble. 

 

Even way up there in Galilee,

           if you went against the temple leaders long enough

                               they would find out and come and get you.

 

 You could get arrested. 

 

 For crying out loud, 

          you could even end up being crucified. 

 

If Jesus had a modern day public relations person

  among his disciples, 

           he probably would have suggested that Jesus 

              speak this last one really, really fast, 

 

like those things at the end 

                 of a drug commercial on television.

 

 Yes, they could be persecuted,

                  we really ought to warn them, 

                                but let’s tell them really quickly

 

. That’s why this whole thing is so darned difficult.

 

Being a follower of Jesus of Nazareth

                 is not a difficult thing to understand. 

 

But:

Following Jesus

        Living the beatitudes

             might be the most difficult thing

                      we’ve ever tried to do, 

 

Hymn: Alleluia Sing to Jesus 

Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!
His the scepter, his the throne;
Alleluia! His the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood.
Jesus, out of every nation,
Has redeemed us by his blood.

Alleluia! Not as orphans
Are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! He is near us;
Faith believes nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received him
When the forty days were o’er,
Shall our hearts forget his promise,
“I am with you evermore”?

Alleluia! Heavenly High Priest,
Here on earth our help, our stay;
Alleluia! Hear the sinful
Cry to you from day to day.
Intercessor, friend of sinners,
Earth’s Redeemer, hear our plea,
Where the songs of all the sinless
Sweep across the crystal sea.

Alleluia! King eternal,
You the Lord of lords we own:
Alleluia! born of Mary,
Earth your footstool, heaven your throne:
You within the veil, have entered,
Robed in flesh, our great High Priest:
By your Spirit, left us heavenward,
In the Eucharistic feast!

 

 

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again

to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

Prayers:

Sisters and brothers,

let us lift our hearts in faith

to the one who hears all prayers

and holds close all those in need.

 

Prayers: Hope (Marilyn B.) Jay P.; Maddex; Randy; Rick W.; Shelley and Martin C.; Sharon;  Anne F.; Marcel D.; Tara; Jeff B.; Nicole; Shelley (Sandra); Sarah-Jane P.; Linda H.; Sharon D.; Philip D; Jacquie and Cam D.; Diana, Ian, Edna, Mathew & Annika;   Janice L & Darrin R;  Roland;  Helene.(Suzie D.)  Gloria; Eunice S.; Jean N.; Marilyn B.; Connie C.;  Jack B.; Jack and Julie.  Evelyn Mc; (Church)  Walter; Joel; Melanie; Marlene H. Pam B. (Barb & George);  Ella D., Keanna, Nancy (Dan & Sue); Donna Mc.; (Ron and Jan); Jamie; Drew T. (Gloria); Diane; Norma A,;Dave F.; Peter T.;  Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane);     Marilyn; Val ; Karen T.;Bill, Sheila, Jessica, Sonya, Jamie (Peter);       Brian; Linda; Allan;  (Brian G.); Debbie H (Lorenz); Dori;  Belinda,;  Kim; Ross B., Francis & Bill W.; Jeff G. (Dori & Jack);  Pat P; Grant K; (Jack & Julie); Jean (Bruce J.); Brian (Jeanne); 

 

Holy God, you gather the whole universe

into your radiant presence

and continually reveal your Son as our Savior.

Bring healing to all wounds,

make whole all that is broken,

speak truth to all illusion,

and shed light in every darkness,

that all creation will see your glory and know your Christ. Amen.

 

As our Savior taught us, let us pray,

 

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done;

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us,

can do infinitely more

than we can ask or imagine.

Glory to God from generation to generation,

in the Church and in Christ Jesus,

for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Prayer based on Scripture for today:

God our deliverer,

you walk with the meek and the poor,

the compassionate and those who mourn,

and you call us to walk humbly with you.

When we are foolish, be our wisdom;

when we are weak, be our strength;

that, as we learn to do justice

and to love mercy,

your rule may come as blessing. Amen.

 

Blessing from the Book of Common Prayer:

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

 

Our Parting Blessing Song:

May God’s blessing surround you each day

As you trust Him and walk in His way

May His presence within guard and keep you from sin,

Go in peace, go in joy, go in love.

Food Cupboard Wish List

 

Here’s an updated wish list for our food cupboard

Brown Beans with or without pork,

Mushroom soup,

Vegetable soup and

Chicken noodle soup,

Canned vegetables except cream corn,

Uncle Bens Rice,

Sidekicks,

Minute Rice,

Pancake Mix (just add water kind),

Pancake Syrup,

Sugar,

Jam,

Cheese Whiz,

Canned fruit,

Any canned meat like Tuna, Flakes of Ham, Chicken or Turkey and luncheon meat.

Laundry soap,

Plus anything else you think of except tomato soup, toilet paper and instant coffee which we luckily have an abundance of.

Thank you  for your generous donations. 

 

Upcoming Raffles

Check out our raffles on our Upcoming Events page.

       O Holy Night Comforter                London Knights Tickets for Feb 24

Reopening our Churches

In Person Services

TO ALL: Clergy, Churches, Wardens, Treasurer, Members of Committees, Lay Delegates to Synod, Anglican Fellowship of Prayer Members, Diocesan Staff and Postulants for Ordination

Dear friends, Thank you for your understanding, co-operation and patience over the last 26 months as we have grappled with COVID-19, particularly how to function safely as Christian communities during this time.  While COVID-19 continues to be a consideration in each of our lives, all current diocesan COVID-19 protocols are being removed effective immediately. There are several important points to mention about this move. Not all parishes are in the same place with regard to the protocols.  Some will feel we are lifting the protocols too soon, some will think we should have done this days, weeks or months ago. I encourage the leadership of each parish (rector and wardens) to take some time to assess the readiness of your congregation for this move, as well as the situation in your community, before you decide how to proceed. You may want to wait before changing protocols in your parish or you may wish to remove some restrictions while keeping others in place. That said, please note that the diocese continues to highly encourage that all persons continue to wear a mask indoors especially when physical distancing may not be possible or proves to be challenging.  Wearing a mask continues to be the safe thing to do, especially for and on behalf of our vulnerable members. I encourage clergy and other parish leaders to continue to wear masks during services except while performing their leadership roles.  As well, please ask people not to comment on whether others choose to wear a mask or not. Continue to  encourage people to get all the shots they are eligible for and keep promoting social distancing. Also, now that the warmer weather is here, please open the windows and the doors throughout the church whenever people are present in it. A well-ventilated space is a safer space. It’s increasingly clear the pandemic is not going away any time soon.  While we are lifting these restrictions at this time, it is important to be aware that restrictions could be implemented again if the virus resurges, as it has the two previous falls, after more open summers. If you have any questions or concerns, please be in touch with Archdeacon Tanya Phibbs at tphibbs@huron.anglican.ca.  Yours in Christ, +Todd The Right Reverend Todd Townshend Bishop of Huron

Click Here for the latest on Reopening our Churches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cans for Keanna

Don’t throw out that aluminum. Save it and bring it to Epiphany. Crush it down first if you are able.