Staying Connected
Please join us this weekend for worship in person (church)
Saturday at 5:30 pm or Sunday at 9:00 am.
|
|
|
|
April 23, 2021
Dear Family in Christ,
In his book, My People Is the Enemy: An Autobiographical Polemic, William Stringfellow, a graduate of Harvard law school, tells of spending much of his professional life working in the East Harlem Protestant Parish in New York City, living among very poor people and advocating for them in their struggles against injustice.
|
|
He did this out of a deep sense of Christian vocation. In his own words: “I came to Harlem to live, to work there as a lawyer, to take some part in the politics of the neighborhood, to be a layman in the church there.”
Seven years later, he was at a gathering of Harvard alumni. A dean of the law school who had just been examining some statistics about the law school’s graduates, complained to Stringfellow that by working with the poor, he was dragging down the average income of his graduating class.
What would that dean have made of the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for his sheep?
See you Sunday!
May God's Love and Light Shine upon you.
Mo. Allison+
551-697-6133
_____________________________________________________________
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like a pastoral visit or a visit from one of our Eucharistic Ministers, please contact
Mo. Allison or Julie in the church office.
|
|
We're Looking Forward to ... |
|
Worship at the Beach, our "Come as your are" service on the 101st St. Beach Pavilion returns July 10th!
We're moving the Saturday service from the church to the beach for the summer months. Plan to join us for a relaxed worship service in a glorious setting!
Our Thursdays on the Lawn concerts are set for Summer 2021 with a terrific line up! We'll get off to a great start with the super popular group Three and One on July 8th. One of our favorites, The Snake Brothers, continues our summer concert series on July 15th, followed by The Quietmen on July 22nd, Marnie and Nate on July 29th, and C. Lynne Smith on August 5th. We'll wrap up on August 12th with Three and One. Bring some friends and plan to join us on the front lawn this summer!
|
|
Coming to St. Mary's this summer... |
|
Summertime will be exploding with fun, fun fun!
IN-PERSON SUMMER CAMPS 2021 AT ST. MARY'S
July 6 - July 30th
|
|
Alive in the Spirit of Prayer
Back at the Monastery, centuries ago, we did a lot of praying, but we didn’t go anywhere. But today, talk about spiritual exercise!
More people are praying while walking, jogging, driving, kneeling, and visiting church. Mobile praying is in. And I'm told the most popular prayers are for peace and prosperity, for the sick and distressed, for loved ones, for jobs, and for support of our ministries and food pantry.
One child prayed that her lost kitty would be found. That one was directed to St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of pets.
Soon after, kitty came home. Truly a wow, meow story!
With prayer, anything is possible!
|
|
Day by Day daily devotion booklets for May, June & July are available in the church narthex. Please help yourself.
If you would a copy mailed to you, please let the church office know. 609-368-5922.
|
|
Andrew Johnston, Ronald Lockhart, Jr., and James Darley on April 26th, Janice Haines & Bethany Hagstette on April 27th, and
Shellie Tibbitts on April 30th!
|
|
Lectionary Text for
The Fourth Sunday of Easter
|
|
A word about the Gospel:
If Christ is the Shepherd, We Must be Sheep
Most of us have grown up with the stained glass image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, carrying the lost lamb on his shoulders. It is a comforting, reassuring image we reiterate every time we repeat the 23rd Psalm.
But how many of us have honestly ever identified ourselves with that lamb and the reasons why he got lost in the first place? We like to describe ourselves as strong as an ox, or as gentle as a dove, or as courageous as a lion … but few of us would choose to compare ourselves with a sheep. And yet that is how the Bible describes us, all of us, and thus we need a shepherd, a Good Shepherd, who is willing to lay down his life, not for the Mother Theresa’s of the world only, but for stupid, fall–over–the–cliff, again and again, sheep. It was for sheep that he died. While we were yet helpless sheep, He gave his life for our life. This is the whole story of Good Shepherd.
|
|
Saturday 5:30 pm in person (church)
Sunday 9:00 AM in person (church) and
|
|
Daily Office and Study Links |
|
|
|
|
|
|
