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Church of Our
Saviour
Tel: 201-863-1449 Mark A. Lewis,
Vicar Dorothy Fowlkes
This page revised 7
May 08
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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!?
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,"
over 200,000 MP3 albums,
over 100,000 music
CDs
,
over 23,000 music
DVDs
.
Whether your taste is classical, jazz, rock, country,
gospel, r&b, hip hop, or whatever, the selection is
huge. The Amazon MP3
store
store just opened and offers a special promotion to us -- we
will receive 20% on your purchases. Yes, your shopping
benefits your church! For music purchases, always link
through www.secaucus.org/affiliates.html. Tell your friends, too.
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