Happy holiday Monday!

A Reminder: I haven’t mentioned this for some time but, yes, we are having the usual Annual Lay Readers’ Conference beginning the evening of Friday, September 30 and continuing through the day on Saturday, October 1st.  The Friday evening service will be a diocesan-wide acknowledgement of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.  More information will be coming your way very soon. 

Of interest, perhaps: The Anglican Church of Canada is considering adding a few observances to our calendar. One of those is Joseph of Arimathea who, you probably recall, is the one who asked Pilate’s permission to take Jesus’ body and place it in the tomb.  In other provinces of the Anglican Communion, Joseph of Arimathea is already commemorated – today, as a matter of fact. This is the Collect for this day: 

Merciful God, whose servant Joseph of Arimathea with reverence and godly fear prepared the body of our Lord and Savior for burial and laid it in his own tomb: Grant to us, your faithful people, grace and courage to love and serve Jesus with sincere devotion all the days of our life; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Your Devotions:

Wednesday, August 3rd is the Holy Day of St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr (if you didn’t already observe the day in December), martyred in 36 CE. Stephen’s ministry was to the Greek-speaking Jews, some of whom opposed his proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah and arranged for him to be put on trial, claiming that he was blaspheming against Moses and Abraham. In a trial reminiscent of that of Jesus, Stephen was found guilty and was stoned to death in about 34 AD. For more information go to p.228 here: For All the Saints PDF

Saturday, August 6th is the Holy Day of the Transfiguration of the Lord.  Peter, James, and John were invited to accompany Jesus to the mountain top where they were astounded to see Christ’s glory revealed to them for a brief time. Something for you to think about: this amazing event occurs right after the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) record Jesus as telling them, “But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God” (Lk.9:27; see also Matt.16:28; Mk.9:1). Have a look at p.230 here for more information:   For All the Saints PDF

Also on August 6^th: the Memorializing of the Apology.  Although we do not celebrate other memorials or commemorations on a Holy Day, it would be appropriate to acknowledge this day of the apology of our then Primate, Michael Peers, to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada on behalf of the Anglican Church of Canada. Here is a Collect you may wish to pray on this day:

Creator God, from you every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. You have grounded us in your covenant love, and empowered us by your Spirit to speak the truth in love, and to walk in your way towards justice and wholeness. Mercifully grant that your people, journeying together in partnership, may be strengthened and guided to help one another grow into the full stature of Christ, who is our light and our life.  Amen. 

In the hope of Christ,
Susan