Good day! For Christmas service information (and other services) please check out our other posts: https://algomadeanery.com/
Saturday, December 28th is the Faith & Fellowship at St. George’s, Echo Bay (159 Church St.); 12-1pm.
Wednesday, December 25th is the Principal Feast of The Birth of the Lord: Christmas Day. What an amazing thing…God loves us so much…The thought leaves me speechless so I’ll let Scripture speak for me. Paul writes:
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
to the glory of God the Father. (Phil.2:5-11)
To read more about the birth of Jesus Christ, go to p.376 here: http://c2892002f453b41e8581-48246336d122ce2b0bccb7a98e224e96.r74.cf2.rackcdn.com/ForAlltheSaints.pdf
Thursday, December 26th is the Holy Day of St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr. The alternate date for this Holy Day is August 3rd. Stephen is the first recorded martyr who died for his faith in Jesus Christ and thus is often referred to as the “protomartyr.” We first hear of Stephen when he is one of the seven deacons chosen and ordained in Acts 6. It wasn’t long before a deadly plot was hatched against this preacher of the Good News and Stephen was charged with blasphemy then stoned to death. Luke makes sure we know that the person before whom Stephen’s killers laid their garments was none other than Saul (later called “Paul”, who would become one of the Lord’s greatest disciples). More info: https://www.thoughtco.com/saint-stephen-542519
Friday, December 27th is the Holy Day of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist. The alternate date for this Holy Day is May 6th. In Christian tradition, John is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, he is the son of Zebedee and brother to James. He is often attributed the authorship of three letters and the Gospel of John. Some also attribute the Book of Revelation to him as well. Of course, scholars debate whether or not he actually wrote those things but, regardless, he was an important leader in the early Church in Jerusalem. John was also one of the three apostles (Peter, James, John) who formed Jesus’ intimate inner circle. For more information – and some interesting legends: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-John-the-Apostle
December 28th is the Holy Day of The Holy Innocents. The alternate date for this Holy Day is January 11th. This is the remembrance of the innocent children slaughtered in Bethlehem on the order of King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill Jesus. This feast most likely originally shared the day of The Epiphany but eventually was designated its own day of observance. It was a day of fasting and mourning. In fact, in medieval England, children were reminded of the solemnity of the day by being whipped in bed. What a way to start your day! For more info: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Feast-of-the-Holy-Innocents
Hope you have a wonderful day and a glorious Christmas!
Deanery of Algoma 