Today we get to celebrate the life of Ambrose of Milan, who died on this date in 373 A.D. Ambrose was doing just fine, thank us all very much. He had a life as governor in Upper Italy. He had not been baptized, although he had been brought up as a Christian. He only went to Milan that day to mediate between the factions who each wanted to elect their own person as bishop.
There is an apocryphal story that says as Ambrose entered the town square, a dove landed on his shoulder. Be that as it may, both sides in the argument began to shout, "Ambrose shall be our bishop!" But wait - wasn't there one minor detail of getting him baptized first, and how about ordination as deacon and priest before he could be ordained bishop?
Once that was all settled, Ambrose took his job of bishop very seriously and became a "statesman of the church." His ministry included eloquent writing and speaking, which attracted Augustine of Hippo to Christianity. This was reminiscent of St. Andrew bringing his brother Peter to Jesus. Peter seemed to get all the attention after that, just as Augustine overshadows Ambrose.
A meditation attributed to Ambrose includes: "Lord Jesus Christ, you are for me medicine when I am sick; you are my strength when I need help; you are life itself when I fear death; you are the way when I long for heaven; you are light when all is dark; you are my food when I need nourishment." He also wrote hymns which we still sing, which I will save for another time.
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333
"Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why . . ." today is the feast day of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, who died in about 342 A.D. St. Nicholas is one of those saints about which we hear a lot but know a little. He is especially popular in England where four hundred churches are named in his honor. What we do know of St. Nicholas is that he suffered torture and imprisonment before Christianity became legal in the Roman Empire. We know St. Nicholas best as "Santa Claus" who brings gifts to children. We can thank the Dutch Colonialists who settled New York for bringing the concept of Santa Claus to America. One other thing about St. Nicholas - and because my two oldest brothers served in the U. S. Navy it's one of my favorite things -- Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors. We have a lot of sailors around Camden County, especially those connected with the Kings Bay Submarine Base. If you or someone you love is a sailor, remember St. Nicholas on his special day - December 6."Almighty God, in your love you gave your servant Nicholas of Myra a perpetual name for deeds of kindness both on land and sea: Grant, we pray, that your church may never cease to work for the happiness of children, the safety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help of those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen."
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333
Yesterday morning Agnes Strickland died. She was one of our first charter members. Aggie had been ill for some time and most recently was taken from the hospital to Hospice of the Golden Isles. We held a brief memorial service for her family last evening at Our Savior and the funeral service Aggie helped plan for herself will be held in February.
While Aggie was in the hospital growing weaker each day, she would slip in and out of awareness of her surroundings. When I visited her I would usually ask her family members to join me in praying The Lord's Prayer, and somehow Aggie would often muster the strength to join in at some point in the prayer.
The most powerful evidence that she would have peace and a holy death came last Wednesday. When I visited I was sitting there praying prayers for the sick out of The Book of Common Prayer. Then I handed the book to Aggie's son and asked if he would like to read a Psalm or some prayers. He turned to Psalm 23 and began reading. Aggie had not spoken a word for some time, but when her son got to that point of Psalm 23 that says, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me . . ." Aggie chimed in and quoted along with him as he read those words.
May she rest in peace, and may light perpetual shine upon her.
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333
Tomorrow at Our Savior we will celebrate a traditional Anglican event: A Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. This is a lovely way to tell about God's saving acts in history. It begins with the Genesis story of the fall of Adam and Eve, travels through the prophecies that a Savior would come, leads us into the Gospels where we hear once again the stories of the birth of Jesus, and finally into the Prologue to John's Gospel -- the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Interspersed between readings will be the carols of Advent and Christmas - the coming of Jesus the first time and his expected second coming in power and great glory. At Our Savior we don't have a separate choir to sing these hymns, so Lessons and Carols is not a spectator activity. We are all the choir, so please come and join in the singing.
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333
In yesterday's worship service at Our Savior we had the pleasure of the company of several deacons and persons who are studying to become deacons in the Episcopal Church. These persons will represent the church to the world and the world to the church. They are the ones who will bring to our attention those whom society often overlooks.
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer, 826.
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333
Today is the First Sunday of Advent - officially the start of a new church year. In Advent we focus on the coming of Jesus Christ as a baby in the manger, while at the same time giving full rein to our hopes for his second coming to earth in power and great glory. At this time of year we consider justice issues and think what it will be like to dwell in peace.
Our Psalm at morning prayer expresses some of these sentiments:
Psalm 146
Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth,
for there is no help in them.
When they breathe their last, they return to earth,
and in that day their thoughts perish.
Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
Who made heaven and earth, the seas,
and all that is in them;
who keeps his promise for ever;
Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,
and food to those who hunger.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger;
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
The Lord shall reign for ever,
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333
Our Gospel lesson for tomorrow, the First Sunday of Advent, is Matthew 24:36-44:
On the Mount of Olives, Jesus said to his disciples privately about his coming, "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
"For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.
"Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
I will leave Jesus' advice to stand without further comment.
In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333
