Holy Eucharist
9:30 am
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Church of Our
Saviour
191 Flanagan Way (Rt 153) Secaucus, NJ 07094
Tel: 201-863-1449
Fax: 201-863-1474
Mark A. Lewis,
Vicar
MLewis@secaucus.org
Dorothy Fowlkes
Pastoral Associate
This page revised 7
May 08
http://www.secaucus.org/
oursaviour
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Sunday
Bulletin
11
May 2008
The Day of Pentecost
Whitsunday
Holy Eucharist - 9:30 am
Announcements
Bible Study in the vicarage every Saturday from 12:30 to 1:15. ·
The vicar will be away to celebrate his mother's 70th birthday from tonight until Friday, 9 May. If you need a priest, please call the Rev. Cooper Conway of St. John's Church in Union City at 201-348-3966.
The flowers at the altar re given in loving memory of George Olsen by Ruth Olsen.
The Executive Committee meets after the service on Sunday, 18 May.
The Word of the
Lord
The
Bible in the Sunday liturgy
This Week on the Internet
Happy Mother's Day! One does not generally think of Mother's Day as a religious holiday; however, it got going in the US with the backing of the World Sunday School Association. In the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Ireland, Mothering Sunday is older yet and retains a religious context going back to the 17th Century or before; it is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Learn more about Mothering Sunday thanks to Woodlands Junior School, including detailed instructions for making a Simnel Cake, traditional for Mothering Sunday.
The story of how America's Mother's Day came about is an interesting tale. Anna Jarvis came up with the idea for Mother's Day and led the campaign. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed Mother's Day as the second Sunday of May. Mother's Day spread around the world and is now celebrated in eighty nations. Anna Jarvis later fought the commercialization of the holiday, combating the florist industry and condemning greeting cards as "a poor excuse for the letter you are too lazy to write." Read more about Mother's Day, especially from a church perspective.
Previously on
This
Week on the Internet
May is Asian/Pacific Heritage Month. A growing portion of America's population traces its roots to this area of the world. People from this huge and diverse region have been generalized as model immigrants. What does this mean for them and for America? Among these immigrants, Indian-Americans have achieved phenominal success. Over 80 percent of Indians arrived in America since 1980; yet the median household income of Indian-Americans is $20,000 higher than the median of all Americans. They have especially made their mark in the lodging industry, where they control 37 percent of all hotel properties in the US, with a total market value estimated at $29.9 billion in franchised properties and $8.1 billion in independent properties. Wow!
As Christians, we may be interested in the role of Christianity among the peoples of Asia and the Pacific region America Magazine discusses the shift in influence in Christianity away from Europe and America. It reports that in the Philippines alone, the number of baptisms in 1998 were greater than in France, Italy. Spain, and Poland combined. Other insights regarding Christianity among Asians are presented as part of a book review.
Finally, look at a rundown on some statistics about Asian Americans. Then let Asian Americans speak for themselves. Find what they have to say in "Asians Rock" on YouTube.
Trinity Wall Street honored Fletcher Harper as a 2008 Transformational Fellow at the Ascension Day service on 1 May. The Transformational Fellows program recognizes clergy and lay leaders in metropolitan New York whose work often confronts societyÕs most difficult issues. Fellows are given the opportunity to renew and strengthen their work in social transformation through a six week self-designed fellowship. The Fellows are supported by a $20,000 grant to cover their time and professional development activities. Fletcher is Executive Director of Greenfaith, an organization which empowers people of faith to embrace environmental issues as central to their beliefs.
Fletcher is a priest associate of The Church of Our Saviour; he and another honored fellow, The Rev Theodora Brooks, are long time friends of Mark Lewis. Fletcher may be viewed in a video clip on the Trinity website. You may also view the Ascension Day service and the sermon by guest preacher Jesse Jackson.
Previously on
This
Week on the Internet
April is National Poetry Month. We Christians are a poetic people. Significant portions of the Bible are written as poetry -- not just the Psalms. And our faith has been incorporated in thousands of hymns. This poetry of Christianity has been compiled for reading on a number of websites. Over 20,000 hymns may be found at the Church Music Management System website. Have you read a good hymn lately?
Earth Day is Tuesday, 22 April. The big push for 2008 is a massive call-in for climate. People are urged to let political leaders from the president on down that you're watching their actions on this matter. They will be waiting to see what happens. Call them, go visit them, e-mail them, let them know you are out there. The Earth Day Network will help you make contact. The goal is the biggest call-in in history. Read the letter concerning global warming legislation recently sent to members of the Senate in Washington by our Presiding Bishop, The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori.
The Episcopal Church offers a special Earth Day bulletin for Sunday, 20 March. It emphasizes the link between global warming and global poverty.
Sunday, March 20, enjoy a New York City family outing. After church, pack a picnic, bring a blanket, and head off to Central Park for an Earth Day Celebration for families at the park's Rumsey Playfield from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. This fun and free event will feature a jam-packed schedule of activities including live musical performances, planting and mulching projects, tree care and composting demonstrations, face painting, environmental education, and crafts with recycled materials. For detailed event information go to its website.Be green -- go by bus and subway. Take the 190 bus from Secaucus to the New Yort City terminal, From there take the New York Subway C train to 72nd Street. See the interactiveSubway map and a web page from another event at Central Park which provides a useful map of Central Park and backup directions for getting to to Rumsey Playfield.
National Library
Week -- April 13 -- 19, 2008 -- a great time to visit the Secaucus Public Library and Business
Resource Center.
You'll find special Library Week events listed
on the library's website. 
Moreover, the website will introduce you to
the wealth of services offered by your library. It's
so much more than books on loan. For starters, broaden that
to include audio books, and DVDs. Need a notary?
Need tax forms? Need to send or receive FAXes?
Make copies? Use a computer? Yes, all are
available services. It doesn't stop there: Small
business services. Assistance for sight impaired. Aid in
learning English as a new language. Home delivery of books
to those medically homebound. Events and
exhibits. Special programs and services for
children and teens. Link
to the library for a virtual visit.
Xpatriated Texan. Thurman Hart of our congregation posts a blog on the internet under this name. Yes, his roots are in Texas. You might be interested in his musings. Click to Xpatriated Texan.
Seven Episcopal
priests serve in Iraq as chaplains to American servicemen. Read
their
stories of the war they
have lived through -- with our troops -- and their accounts
of the 
suffering of Iraqi Christians -- targeted
because of their faith. The chaplains give a different
perspective on this conflict. A recent
article in Episcopal Life relates more about the chaplains and
provides information about the Episcopal Church's efforts to
assist returning servicemen and their families and to
support peace in the Middle East. Lastly, link to another
range of resources available to those who have issues created
by the war in Iraq. Pray
for our chaplains.
The confirmands and
those received were
presented with mementos marking those milestones. In
addition to a large certificate, each received a bookplate
and a striking translation of the Bible:
The
Message, completed by Eugene Peterson in 2002. The Message
was written in order to recreate the spirit of the original
language of scripture, the street language of the day.
Peterson notes that in the course of the project, he
realized that this was exactly what he had been doing in his
thirty-five years as a pastor, "always looking for an
English way to make the biblical text relevant to the
conditions of the people." Just for fun, today's lessons are
read from this version. How do you like it?
Confirmation is the sacramental rite in which those who "express a mature commitment to Christ," are presented to the Bishop. The rite includes forms for Reception and the Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows. The Episcopal Church's theology of Confirmation has continued to evolve along with its understanding of baptism. Confirmation is no longer seen as the completion of Christian initiation, nor is Confirmation a prerequisite for receiving communion. Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's body the church. Accordingly, Confirmation has been increasingly understood in terms of a mature, public reaffirmation of the Christian faith and the baptismal promises, which are reaffirmed within this service. The BCP service is available on the web. This information is an excerpt from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church.
Christ is Risen. He is Risen indeed. These Easter salutations were heard earlier than usual at the Church of Our Saviour this year, as we instituted a 6 am sunrise service. The concept of a sunrise service was brought to America by members of the Moravian Church -- the United Brethren or Unitas Fratrum -- who settled around Bethlehem, PA, and Winston-Salem, NC, before the American Revolution. The Moravian Church archives present a discription of this historic sunrise service.
Today, at the historic Moravian centers in North Carolina and Pennyslvaniac hurch members and others gather in the early hours of Easter morning to profess their Easter creed; then, while brass bands play Moravian hymns antiphonally (call and response), they process to the cemetery where their entombed forefathers await resurrection. Facing east, they sing of Christ's triumph over death, sin, and the power of evil as the sun rises. Later on Easter day a rather sleepy congregation returns to church to be roused by the singing of the "Hallelujah Chorus" at the 11 am service. A more comple discription is available on Moravian Music Blog.
Who are the Moravians? A New Jersey congregation provides a website that outlines many of their customs and beliefs, including the creed from their Easter Litugy -- an expanded version of the historic Christian creeds. Neither this creed nor any other is required belief. Their most complete statement of beliefs is expressed in their Ground of Unity and the Moravian Covenant for Christian Living. Although these statements are extensive, in reality Moravians accept much diversity of belief. Their guiding principle is: "In Essentials, Unity, In Non-Essentials, Liberty, and In All Things, Love."
Aside from introducing the sunrise service to America, a great contibution from Moravians to our Episcopal worship is hymn singing. This has come about indirectly: John and Charles Wesley in their early ministry were inspired by Moravian hymn singing, subsequently composed hundreds of hymns, organized the Methodist movement and were influential in making hymn singing a vital part of contemporary worship. An article recounts the great renewal of piety among Moravians in August 1727 which generated the missionary movement that became an inspiration for the Wesleys.
The fun-filled folk traditions of Easter are many -- mostly with no theological basis, and often predating Christianity itself. Here are a few. Follow the links to learn more.
Wash yourself well on Holy Thursday to have a clear complexion throughout the year; ladies, clean your house, then pour the sweepings over the fence so all uncleanliness will pass to your neighbor. - Lithuania
Girls, dye eggs, and decorate the bier of Christ with garlands of flowers so it is ready to receive the image of the body of Christ on Good Friday. - Greece
Between Good Friday and Easter Sunday witches fly. Children, soot your faces, tie scarves around your heads and go door-to-door begging, carrying your broomsticks, coffee pots and bunches of decorated willow twigs. - Finland
Easter! What a time to die! The gates of heaven open on Easter and remain open for the next seven days. During those days you'll enter heaven despite your sins. - Romania
Boys, on the 
Monday following Easter, throw water on the
girls. Girls, give your dousers a little treat and present
your loved one a dyed Easter egg. - Carpathia
Also see how the spring rites of Noruz, celebrated in Iran and Azerbaijan, mirror those of Easter. Whatever their origin, folk traditions enliven the human spirit and, at best, enhance the spirituality of Holy Week and the Feast of the Resurrection.
When was Jesus
crucified? The Bible does
not provide a clear answer. It only provides clues. This
puzzle has intrigued no less a mind 
than Sir
Isaac Newton. To find
an answer one must look to the Bible, Jewish history and
tradition, Roman history, astronomy, mathematics and the
coordination of calendars. Newton went for Friday, 23 April,
34 AD. Many modern scholars endorse Friday, 3 April, 33 AD.
Here's more
information with backup from NASA. But the fact remains: no date holds true
beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Make a palm cross. Easy to follow instructions on the web for your Palm Sunday cross (PDF file) from England's Diocese of Birmingham. Their suggestion: practice by making a cross with paper.
"Sister your work
is over," said one of two
men as they stepped out of the forest. Sister Dorothy Stang
recognized them as the pistolieros, paid killers, who had
been bragging that they were going to murder her. 
They talked for a bit, then she
started on down the road. One of the men called her name. As
she turned, she saw the pistol in his hand. She reached into
her bag. He asked, "Are you reaching for your weapon?"
Sister Dorothy responded, "This is my weapon." She raised
her bible and began to read the Beatitudes. When she reached
the words, "Blessed are the peacemakers," the pistoliero
fired the first shot. Then he stood over her and emptied his
gun into her back and head.
Who was Sister Dorothy Stang? Why was she killed? Why is she important to us? If Sister Dorothy -- this friendly, happy, fun-loving, prayerful person -- if this ordinary Christian could spend a lifetime reverencing the God-given dignity of people who were so different from her, then we can do the same.
For Women's History Month discover more about the Ohio girl who became a nun, dedicated her life to helping poor farmers in Brazil's Amazon frontier and died a martyr in 2005. You will find a short article about her written at the time of her death, a memorial booklet (pdf file), a diary and interview (WP3 file) with a film maker who documented her work, and the newly released book which has been given a starred review by Publishers Weekly: The Greatest Gift: The Courageous Life and Martyrdom of Sister Dorothy Stang. The latter is available through Amazon.com and the Secaucus Public Library).
Plan for an egg-ological Easter. Avoid waste, save money and revive ancient Easter traditions by using natural dies for Easter eggs. Traditional deep red eggs are created naturally with onion skins (both yellow and red skins create red eggs). Cranberry juice, grape juice, turmeric, the liquid from canned pickled beets, and other natural materials also can be used. The eggs make a great decoration, but ... they are food! Don't waste. Before dying you can easily remove the raw egg from the shell to use in breakfasts and recipes calling for egg (the empty shell is slightly more fragile, but fine for dying). If you boil the whole egg -- take care so it may be eaten -- use nontoxic materials, and don't leave eggs unrefrigerated for more than two hours. Find recipes on the web using hard cooked eggs. All the best for an egg-ological Easter.
Go to the American Egg Board website for just about anything that you might want to know about eggs: recipes, decorating and more. Decorating tips are at "Kids & Family" on the site. Martha Stewart has some ideas for natural dye -- but don't use her varnish finish if you plan to eat the eggs. Nancy Gaifyllia's Greek Food Blog provides details on the traditional Greek method of dying eggs red with onion skins and more about the Greek celebration of Easter. A little more advaced: add a leaf pattern to the egg. Finally, here is a useful picture guide to removing the raw egg from the shell, just in case you want to try it.
You are
invitied to
be a ONE
Episcopalian. Become a member of a grassroots
partnership between the Episcopal Church and the ONE
Campaign to rally Episcopalians --ONE by ONE -- to the cause
of ending extreme poverty in our world and achieving the
United Nations' Millennium Development Goals:
More than one billion of God's people live on less than one dollar each day. More than fifteen-thousand people die each day because of AIDS, tuberculosis, or malaria, all preventable diseases. Sign the ONE Campaign pledge and become a ONE Episcopalian. Learn more about how you can join the campaign to make poverty a thing of the past.The Episcopal Church stands with many other organizations in the ONE campaign.
Lenten Bible Study. There is an excellent program that we'll be using for Saturday Bible study during Lent. It's on the web , so you can see what it's all about and join in with us any Saturday at 12:30 pm. The program is made available by Churches Together in Britian and Ireland and BBC. It uses the same process that we use every week for Saturday Bible Study -- reading a different old testament lesson and going through it to find how it applies in our lives. However,this program has an added dimension: It also applies this to a different aspect of Christian spirituality and prayer each week: The Path of Holiness, The Path of Social Justice, The Devotional Path, The Sacramental Path, The Contemplative Path, The Charismatic Path. The study materials are availalble as a PDF file. Each week is backed up by a BBC streaming radio program ( BBC Radio4, Sunday, 3:10 -3:50 am EST), which can be listened to at any time the following week and can be read thereafter in transcript. Link for a transcript of the 10 February program , the 17 February program, the 24 February program. the 2 March program, the 9 March program and the 16 March program.
African-Americans have done much to shape American music. Hymns and songs of worship and praise are the bedrock of this influence. The Public Broadcasting System website for two outstanding features. The first is "Jubilee Singers, Sacrifice and Glory" from the American Experience series. Then top that off with a visit to the PBS site based upon the series "This Far by Faith." There you'll find a great depth of interesting material concerning the people and events in the African-American journey of faith over three centuries. Click to "Journeys," "Timeline," and "People within the site."
Yet another website worth a visit is NegroSpirituals.com. You'll find more background on the music from the African American experience, including an insight into the hymn, "There is a balm in Gilead."
Lift
Every Voice
and
Sing II
An
African-American Hymnal
Horace Boyer, editor
This popular collection of 280 musical pieces from both the African American and Gospel traditions has been compiled under the supervision of the Office of Black Ministries of the Episcopal Church. It includes service music and several psalm settings in addition to the Negro spirituals, Gospel songs, and hymns. Also available in spiral binding. Read an article about Horace Boyer, editor of this hymnal, in the Washington Window, the publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.
Lift Every Voice and Sing, the hymn we sing, is an icon of American culture. It so well represents the yearnings of Afro-Americans that it was adopted by the NAACP and has been referred to as the "Black National Anthem." James Weldon Johnson wrote the words of the hymn; his brother J. Rosamond Johnson wrote the music. It was composed for the 1900 Lincoln Day celebration of the Johnsons' school in Florida.
|
|
James Weldon Johnson |
|
|
J. Rosamond |
Photos: Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
National Public Radio offers a great presentation on this hymn on with links to its own audio presentation, various audio renderings of "Lift Every Voice" and numerous links to learn more about these most interesting and talented people from America's past. Most links primarily relate to James Weldon Johnson. A further perspective of the Johnsons' significant contributions to musical theater may be found at a jazz website , which especially details the long musical career of J. Rosamond Johnson. And here's one more rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing -- in Real Audio format.
Absalom
Jones, the
first African-American priest in the Episcopal Church, and
his close associate, Richard Allen, founder of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, are remembered in the church's
calendar on 13 February, the anniversary of the death of
Absalom Jones in 1818.
In 1786 the white members of St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia decided that its black members should sit only in the balcony. Absalom Jones (1746-1818) and Richard Allen (1760-1831), learned of the decision only when ushers tapped them on the shoulder during the opening prayers, and demanded that they move to the balcony without waiting for the end of the prayer. They walked out, followed by the other black members, and organized the Free African Society with Absalom Jones and Richard Allen as overseers. Subsequently the society split into two groups: one followed Robert Allen to form the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the mother church of the denomination. The other voted to affiliate with the Protestant Episcopal Church, with Absalom Jones as their pastor. This latter group was admitted into the Diocese of Pennsylvania in 1794 as St. Thomas African Episcopal Church. Absalom Jones was ordained deacon in 1795, and priest in1802.
Find more of this story on the websites of Mission St Clare and St Patrick's Episcopal Church., and in a brief web biography of Absalom Jones. Expand your knowledge about Jones and Allen with the help of a PBS website. Meanwhile in this era, in the South David George, George Liele and Andrew Bryan organized the First African Baptist Church of Savannah. For further reading, a new and very well reviewed biography of Richard Allen is available though Amazon.com
The first Sunday in Lent has been designated Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday and Lent is presented to us as a challenge to give up some of what we have so that others in the world do not live in poverty.
"If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, your light will rise in the darkness and your gloom will be like the noonday; you will be called repairer of the breach and restorer of streets to live in." --Isaiah 58:10 and 58:12b
You are urged to learn more and to make your Lenten offering toward the ER&D Millennium Development Fund Inspiration Goals
The Rev Dr Prince
Singh, rector of
St. Alban's Episcopal Church,
Oakland/Franklin Lakes in our diocese, was elected to be the
new bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, on Saturday, 2
February, to succeed the Rt. Rev. Jack McKelvey, also
formerly of the Diocese of Newark. A brief biography,
resumé and other information are available on the
Rochester
search site.
The northern missionaries were a tough bunch, going into the far north of Canada. But nothing would match the journey that won The Rt Rev Isaac Stringer the reputation as the The Bishop Who Ate His Boots.
In 1909, Bishop Stringer, with a
companion, set out from Fort McPherson in the Northwest
Territories to Dawson City in The Yukon -- a 500 mile trek
through muskeg, dense bush, and over a steep mountain
divide. They were dressed in light clothing and
carried
provisions for 8 days, though they expected to complete the
trip in five days. Little did they know they would be lost
in the mountains for 51 days and be on the brink of death.
And yes, when the food ran out, Bishop Stringer cut up his
seal skin boots, boiled the pieces for hours and then
roasted them, for lack of any other food. They both lost 50
pounds during the journey, but they made it back to Fort
McPherson alive.
Read more about the Northern Missionaries and the Bishop who ate his boots on the excellent web site brought to you Virtual Museum of Canada and the Old Long Church Museum in Whitehorse. Use the interactive map to follow Bishoip Stringer's original Journey from Toronto to Fort McPherson 17 years earlier, in 1892. And brouse the photo essay on the Stringers.
The Old Log Church Museum is operated by Yukon Church Heritage Society and is located in the old Anglican Cathedral, one of the oldest structures in Whitehorse. The Society has published the book, The Bishop Who Ate His Boots, by Frank Peake, available from the museum for $43.50 (Canadian), including shipping.
Bishop Stringer's grandson, Richard Stringer, an outstanding Canadian film maker, was making a documentary on his grandfather's life in the Canadian North, but unfortunately died just before its final editing. It is hoped that this film will be completed.
Saturday, 2 February: Candlemas and the Groundhog. Easter has its bunny. Christmas has Santa Claus. And Candlemas? ...The Groundhog!?
- If Candlemas be fair and
bright,
Come, winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go winter, and come not again.
The idea of concecting the end of
winter with Candlemas is an old one, as represented by this
traditional English song. In the US, most people are
ignorant of Candlemas, but know that if the Groundhog sees
his shadow on Groundhog
Day they're in for six
weeks more of winter weather. The legend of the groundhog
weather wizard most likely grew from the traditions of
German immigrants to Pennyslvania. Punxsutawney
Phil 
now is the world's most well known
prognosticating Groundhog. He and his publicity machine have
familiarly transformed Candlemas into Groundhog Day.
Alert: Punxsutawney Phil saw
his shadow shortly before 7:30 am on Saturday, 2 February.
There will be six more weeks of winter
weather.
Although Candlemas continues to be a religious feast day, many Episcopalians take note only when it falls on a Sunday -- not too often. This year Candlemas -- and Groundhog Day -- is Saturday, the Second of February.
Candlemas is the last date in the
Christian calendar measured from Christmas. It's officially
called
The
Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple and
celebrates the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after
the birth of Jesus. Long ago the day came to be called
Candlemas because the church's supply of candles for the
year were blessed then. The date is also the midpoint
between the winter solstice and the spring equinox -- a date
with ancient pagan religious implications, celebrated with
light and fire. A
most interesting and comprehensive
website amplifies all
the above, and the ever helpful website
of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America. provides ample
Biblical and theological background to the event. You may
view images of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple in
many examples of Christian
art.
What a busy
week!
The
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity initiated 100 years ago by the inspiration
of an Episcopal Priest, Paul Wattson, began on Friday, 18
January, and concludes on Friday, January 25.
Monday, 21 January, America honors civil rights hero
Martin
Luther King, Jr.
Wednesday, 23 January, the church remembers the great
19th Century American preacher and author of O Little Town
of Bethlehem, Rt
Rev Phillips Brooks.
Friday, 25 January, is the Feast
of the Conversion of St Paul., that bigger-than-life figure that put
Christianity in the Bible and on the map.
Friday and
Saturday, 25-26 January,
deputies will be attending The 134th Convention
of the Diocese of Newark.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity started on Friday 18 January and ends on Friday, 25 January. The theme of this year's Week is "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5.17). A helpful personal guide for daily reflection, prayer, action, and suggested Bible readings is available on the web, presented by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
The week of prayer was initiated
100 years ago, in 1908, by Episcopal
Priest Paul Wattson ,
co-founder of the Society of the Atonement. A year later, in
1909 he and the Society of the Atonement were received into
the Roman Catholic Church. Soon after, Pope St Pius X 
gave the octave for unity his official
blessing, that all might be united within the Roman Catholic
Church. With Vatican II the Roman Church moved toward
ecumenism and in 1968 there was a joint proclamation of
prayer with the World Council of Churches. The churches
throughout the world now pray for unity in a spirit of
spiritual ecumenism, with the understanding that the vision
of unity may differ among those praying. Unfortunately the
spirit for the Week has diminished somewhat, and
Peter
Steinfels, writing in the New York Times, suggests that "success of the movement for
church unity has itself removed much of the urgency behind
it." Resources
for This year's Week of Prayer were jointly prepared and published by The
Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and The Commission on
Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches. An
interesting history of the movement is included. The later
part of the document sites the ecumenical situation in the
United States, with frequent mention of the Episcopal
Church's activities. Also of historic interest is a
12
minute Google Video on
the history and development of the Society of the Atonment
at Graymoor.
Monday, 21 January, is the national holiday set aside in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. and is also the alternate day in the Episcopal calendar to honor him. (April 4, the date of his assassination in 1968, is his official feast day.) We pray:
Almighty God, by the hand of Moses, your servant, you led your people out of slavery, and made them free at last; Grant that your Church, following the example of your prophet Martin Luther King, Jr., may resist oppression in the name of your love, and may secure for all your children the blessed liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
King's legacy is
large. 
The
light of many great persons diminishes as years pass. But
King's light grows brighter and brighter. His words do not
lose meaning. They are worth hearing or reading again and
again.
Listen to his famous I have a dream speech on the web (Real Audio) and other speeches as well. Additional online audio is available from The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute and History and Politics Out Loud. PBS presents Citizen King on Martin Luther King Day; and additional useful information is on the PBS web site. The Seattle Times also has an outstanding online collection. Further links to resources for observing Martin Luther King, Jr., Day are available from the Methodist Church.
Outstanding collections of his speeches and sermons have been re-released in CD audiobooks compiled by Dr. Clayborne Carson, Stanford University professor of history and the noted author and editor of several books on the civil rights struggle. He was selected by the estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to edit and publish Dr. King's papers. These books are also available in hardcover and paperback print editions and VCR. The links below are to the CD audiobooks available through Amazon.com:
A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
Also recommended are two DVDs:
Citizen King ~ Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr. - I Have a Dream
Bishop Phillips
Brooks, was the greatest
preacher in the 19th Century America, the author of the
carol, O
Little Town of Bethlehem., and his religious outlook shaped our
Church. His wisdom 
is alive on the internet. Check out his
quotations. His sermons and speeches are still
studied. Read, for example, his sermon on The
Life and Death of Abraham Lincoln, preached at the Church of the Holy
Trinity, Philadelphia, Sunday Morning, April 23, 1865, or
The
Influence of Jesus: The Bohlen Lectures, 
delivered in the Church of the Holy Trinity,
Philadelphia, in February 1879. For more on Phillips Brooks,
see Wikipedia and Bartleby.com. , and a
useful
review of a book about him. This book,
Brahmin
Prophet and
The
Consolations of God: Great Sermons of Phillips
Brooks
are available through our
bookstore affiliate, Amazon.com.
Saint
Paul is undoubtedly one of
the most important figures in the history of the Western
world. Just a quick look at the headlines of his life are
enough to understand his impact; his works are some of the
earliest Christian documents that we have, 
13
of the 27 books of the bible are written by him, and he's
the hero of another, Acts of the Apostles.
Famously converted on the road to Damascus, he traveled tens of thousands of miles around the Mediterranean spreading the word of Jesus and it was Paul who came up with the doctrine that would turn Christianity from a small sect of Judaism into a worldwide faith that was open to all. These paragraphs begin an easy-to-read and enlightening article about St Paul which you may continue reading on BBC's website. Also link to a 27 minute BBC audio documentary offering a perspective on Paul's place in the story of Christianity.
The Baptism of
Christ is celebrated as the
first Sunday after the Epiphany. In Eastern Christianity the
Baptism of Christ is
Epiphany, marking the first appearance of the three persons
of God together in the 
Biblical accounts of Christ's baptism. How
old is Baptism? As old as Christianity, with its origins in
the cleansing rites of the Jews. And the Feast of Epiphany?
It was established on the 6th of January because that day
was the birthday of Aeon, the patron god of Alexandria -- in
it's early history, the church was busy taking over
commemorations for its own use. Orthodox websites provide
interesting background
on the celebration of Christ's baptism and the development
of baptism in Christianity. Wikipedia offers of a useful comparison of the
baptismal beliefs of various Christian denominations. Read
St
John Chrysostom's discourse on the Day of Christ's Baptism, written in
the Fourth Century. Engage his theology and be amused at his
concern that some approach the Holy Table on the day "not
with trembling, but shoving, hitting others, blazing with
anger, shouting, cursing, roughing it up with their fellows
with great confusion." For assistance in "reading" the icon
of Christ's baptism, above in this paragraph, click on the
image.
Three Kings of Orient there were not. Wise men, yes. Gifts, yes. But kings? Not in the Biblical accounts. But we love the kings, and the majestic hymn We three kings of Orient are provides a dramatic close to the story of Christ's nativity. This hymn was composed 150 years ago, in 1857, by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., while serving as the first music instructor at General Theological Seminary. His father, Hopkins, Sr, had an interesting career in our church. His congregation elected him rector when he was a vestry member -- a layman! Answering the call, he gave up a lucrative career in law and business for the ordained ministry. And in less than nine years he was elected first Bishop of Vermont. He became the seventh Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and took a leading role in the first Lambreth conference. Also link to PoetryX for a slightly different take on Hopkins, Jr. from that in the Hopkins, Sr, link. Hymns and Carols of Christmas provides a most extensive presentation on the carol, Hopkins, Jr, and the Three Kings.
Father Tim is back.
Jan Karon's bestselling
Mitford novels concluded with 25 million copies sold. Now,
to the relief of eager fans, Karon has introduced a new
series featuring the beloved Episcopal priest. In
Home
to Holly Springs Father
Tim returns to his childhood town of Holly Springs, Miss.,
where he 
reconnects with old friends and battles some
old demons. The novel is thick with Father Tim's past, as
Karon uses flashbacks to shed light on his early adulthood,
especially his transition to seminary. This book may be
purchased through our website from Amazon.com or it may be borrowed from the Secaucus
Public Library. See other book recommendations in our
virtual
bookstore.
Hear Christ's birth proclaimed through the words of the 150th Psalm -- Praise the Lord in His sanctuary -- sung in Aramaic, the language of the church in Iraq, and the language of Jesus. Quite beautiful! Listen in Real Audio while you read the psalm. You'll be glad you linked.
Interesting Christmas Traditions. Browse the Virtual Museum of Canada to learn about carols, Yule logs, Christmas feasts and a whole range of interesting communal festivities, religious ceremonies and family celebrations through the ages to the present. The more obscure, the more fascinating: For instance, in some towns in the Middle Ages, the Festival of the Ass was commemorated on Christmas Eve. During the mass, all the prayers ended with "hee-haw." The Church soon banned these celebrations!
If your family name is Lewis, Roberts, Jones, or Williams, at least part of your heritage is probably Welsh. Take a look at some of the Christmas traditions of your ancestors, which involved a lot of singing, a lot of drinking, and some rather strange activities -- all to warm a snowy winter in Wales. For details go to BBC Wales and BBC Wales South West.
Poetry for prayer
and meditation right out
of the Hymnal. Poems of Grace, a text-only edition of our
Hymnal 1982, brings out the beauty and meaning of the poetry
that has moved Christians to ministry for hundreds of years.
Beyond this volume, 
Nancy Roth
has compiled four engaging books, linked to our hymns, for
prayer and personal devotion. Adapting a style of meditation
from the teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola, she provides
guidance in using the hymns selected to accompany our
liturgical cycles for personal devotion. You'll find these
books in the Prayer
Books and Hymnals
"shelf" of our virtual bookstore. Also, at no cost, except
perhaps to your ease of meditation, the poetry of the
Hymnal
1916 is freely
available in text-only on the web. A Universalist
text-only hymnal (large
file) provides background on each hymn, as well as links to
a pdf of the musical score. And there are 20000 hymns
collected at Church
Music Management System.!
Music. Music.
Music. Let The Church of
Our Saviour be your link to music of every genre, in every
format, delivered quickly to your home. Our affiliate,
Amazon.com, has become a primary source of music on the web:
over 2.4 million MP3
songs
Our Church in the News: Pets Blessed at Secaucus Church + Pictures
Vicar reports on state of church. Just like the President of the United States, the vicar here at the Church of Our Saviour has an opportunity to address us once a year, concerning the state of our church. Link
A
reminder:
This web page is renewed by
Thursday of every week. It has all the links mentioned in
the printed bulletin. Sometimes even more. Make it a habit
to check this page weekly.
Tell others about our web site. Is there something that would interest your friends or relatives? Copy the web address of the page and send it along to them in an e-mail. Or to recommend our site in general, just click here.
An index of hymns used at our church in 2007 is available, with links to the lyrics and midi files of the music for most of them. click here.
Want to go back over the thoughts in Mark's Sermons? "Reflections" on his sermons from October 1999 through October 2002 are available by a click from the index on the "Sunday" web page. For a sample sermon, click here.
If you want to send Mark an e-mail, click on the e-mail address in this paragraph, in the column at the left (It's on every church web page) or just go to your e-mail and type in MLewis@secaucus.org.
Church of Our Saviour Financial Reports LINK
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