The First Reading: Acts 11:1-18
The Jewish followers of Jesus discover through Peter's testimony that God has blessed the Gentiles with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and therefore has opened salvation to every person under heaven. They rejoice greatly in this new revelation.
The Psalm: 148,
page 805, BCP
The Second Lesson: Revelation 21:1-6
The future of perfect joy is revealed to John, complete restoration and union between God and humanity, no brokenness or pain, and all will be redeemed.
The Gospel:
John 13:31-35
Love without killing, without marginalization, without malice, this is the hallmark of the servants of God.
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CHILD CARE IS PROVIDED IN THE NURSERY
(Rm. 205)
During the Service
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JOINT SUNDAY SCHOOL: 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Each week, St. John's children join with our Ministry Partners:
Wellspring UCC & Grace Baptist Church
Room 207/208
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St. John's Sunday School
class for ages 2-4, Room 215
Meets the first Sunday of each month from 10:50 - 11:30
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THE ADULT LECTIONARY FORUM
MEETS EACH SUNDAY IN THE LIBRARY, FOLLOWING THE SERVICE
FROM 10:50 - 11:50 AM
Forum Discussion:
Our saints for today are a trinity of ground breaking 14th and 15th century mystics:
Richard Rolle
(1290–1349) was an English religious writer, Bible translator, and hermit who wrote in both Latin and English. In one of his best-known works,
The Fire of Love
, Rolle provides an account of his mystical experiences, which he describes as: a physical warmth in his body, a sense of wonderful sweetness, and a heavenly music that accompanies him as he chants the Psalms. The book was widely read in the Middle Ages, and describes four purgative stages one must go transit to become closer to God: the open door, heat, song, and sweetness. Because of the wide proliferation of his works, there was a movement to have him canonized. As many of his works were concerned with personal devotion, some, with considerable alterations, were used by the Lollards.
Walter Hilton
(1340 – 24 March 1396) was an English Augustinian mystic who headed a house of Augustinian Canons at Thurgarton Priory, near Newark, Nottinghamshire, England. His spiritual writings were widely influential in 15
th
century England. The most famous of these is the two-volume
Scala Perfectionis
, or
Ladder of Perfection
. It is essentially a guide-book for traveling to the spiritual Jerusalem, which he views as "contemplation in perfect love of God."
Margery Kempe
(c. 1373 – aft. 1438) wrote
The Book of Margery Kempe
, believed to be the first autobiography in the English language. A spiritual and social commentary, it chronicles her extensive pilgrimages to various holy sites in Europe and Asia. It provides the best insight available on a female, middle class experience in the Middle Ages. She was a contemporary of Julian of Norwich, whom we honored two weeks ago.