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Greetings!
St. Thomas the Apostle is an Episcopal Parish in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. We are called by God to be a holy place where love is found, where all are named and where hearts are freed to change the world. |
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Rector's Corner
Rector's Corner, written 1st March, S David's Day, 2011
The Rector's 'take' on the 'gesima Sundays!'
Although most modern liturgical calendars entitle our current Sundays as "Sundays After.." or "..of Epiphany," in our own Parish we have maintained the slightly more ancient "Gesima" Sunday titles. I have always sensed that these titles give us a slightly more 'realistic' impression of the impending Lenten Season that commences with the Ash Wednesday Masses (8am, 12noon and Choral 7.30pm, 9th March) with Imposition of Ashes. Lent is the Season of Preparation for the Paschal Mysteries (a moving Parish 'joint-journey' that takes us to the climax of Christ's self-offering on Golgotha- and, also, then to the proper preparation to keep the joyful Season of the Resurrection- Eastertide.
Austerity need not be the 'key-note' of your Lenten preparation- indeed, I encourage you to look at many of the excellent books and resources (some available electronically online)- as Dr Jane Williams (whose husband occupies the Seat of S Augustine) these may "add to our stock of knowledge and understanding about the Christian faith- all that is needed is a little time and effort from our hearts and minds."
We will have the usual Lenten and Holy Week liturgies with ample opportunity to join Fr Ledbetter (and myself) on Tuesday evenings following the 7pm Low Mass in the Parish Hall for discussion and soup supper- generously provided by kind Parishioners.
I urge you to take time in prayer in reflection to 'limber up your spiritual being' as we approach Lent as well as keeping our New Zealand Anglican Brothers & Sisters in your daily intercessions. Specifically the Right Reverend Victoria Matthews, Bishop of Christchurch, the Very Reverend Peter Beck Dean of Christ Church, our Cathedral there.
www.cms-uk.org/lent
www.chpublishing.co.uk
www.canterburypress.co.uk
www.continuumbooks.com
I take this opportunity to wish you all a Blessed "Octave of S David, Patron and First Archbishop of Wales!" on whose day I celebrate my ninth anniversary and privilege of becoming your Parish Priest and Rector!
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Shrove / Pancake Tuesday
Tuesday, March 8, 2011 is Shrove Tuesday - the day preceding
Ash Wednesday which is the first day of the season of fasting and prayer called Lent. It is also known as Fat Tuesday. It is the last day of the Mardi Gras / Carnival Season where celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and end on the day before Ash Wednesday - Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday").
The word shrove is the past participle of the English verb to shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by way of confession and doing penance. During the week before Lent, sometimes called Shrovetide in English, Christians were expected to go to confession in preparation for the penitential season of turning to God. The popular celebratory aspect of the day had developed long before the Protestant Reformation, and was associated with releasing high spirits before the somber season of Lent. It is analogous to the continuing Carnival tradition associated with Mardi Gras (and its various names in different countries) that continued separately in European Catholic countries.
In the United Kingdom and many other countries, the day is often known as Pancake Day. Making and eating such foods was considered a last feast with ingredients such as sugar, fat and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the ritual fasting associated with the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. The liturgical fasting emphasized eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure: In many cultures, this means no meat, dairy, or eggs.
Adapted from www.wikipedia.org
Join us at 6:30pm for the annual Pancake Supper at the Rectory on Tuesday, March 8 followed by Mass at 7:30pm and the veiling at 8:00pm. Suggested donation of $10 goes to support the Homeless Breakfast Club. Confessions will be heard at 6:00pm.
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Lenten Series
Father William Ledbetter (Assistant Priest) will be leading the annual Lenten Series this year. The series will occur on Tuesdays following the 7:00pm Mass starting Tuesday March 15, 2011. A soup supper is generously and graciously provided by a generous Parishioner. Exploring the Spirit of the Liturgy "Prayer is at the center of our worship and binds us together as a community of faith. St. Thomas the Apostle is an Episcopal Parish in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. "
Those words are at the beginning of the email [ePrayer] I get each week reminding us that the essence of St. Thomas the Apostle and our chief aim is the Mass where we come together to worship God. All that is good and beautiful and loving about our community is formed and nurtured in the liturgy of our Church. This liturgy is unique in many ways to St. Thomas, yet it is drawn from a rich tradition in the Universal Church and also from our particular Anglo-Catholic, American and even Hollywood setting.
Drawing on the 2000 book of the same name by then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and many other sources in Week 1 we will explore what makes Catholic -- including our Anglo-Catholic worship --similar and distinct from its universal and Jewish roots. Week Two we'll examine sacred time and space (architecture) in the liturgy drawing on our own church and other examples. Week Three we'll consider Art and Liturgy, including images and sacred music both in our Church and other Christian traditions. Week Four we'll look at our own liturgy and how all participate both in prayer and movement. The final Tuesday will be a consideration of how our liturgy brings us into the presence of God and how Heaven is made present in our midst in the liturgy. We will examine the worship of the heavenly Jerusalem in the Apocalypse (Revelation) and how our liturgy mirrors that of Heaven. Hope to see you there.
Fr. Bill Ledbetter |
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Rector's Reading Corner
Father Davies has provided this list of books for your pre-Lenten preparations. Any of the following which have received good reviews in the Church press. |
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Episcopal News - Lent Edition
 The Lent edition of the now online-only Episcopal News is available from the Diocese. Click here
for a PDF of the magazine. |
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Movie Night TONIGHT
Friday March 4 following the 7pm Mass is Movie Night!
"Some Like It Hot" is a classic film. When two musicians witness a mob hit, they flee the state in an all female band disguised as women, but further complications set in.
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Sunday before Lent
Celebrant (8am & 10:30am)
The Rev. Ian Elliott DaviesHomilyThe Rev. Ian Elliott DaviesDeaconThe Rev. Walter S. Johnson
Assistant Organist
Thompson Howell
Choir Anthem
Prayer for Transfiguration
Weaver
Readings
Exodus 24. 12 - end
Psalm 2
2 Peter 1. 16 - end
Matthew 17. 1 - 9
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Lent Services
Tuesday, 8 March
6:00pm Confessions
6:30pm Pancake Supper to benefit the Homeless Breakfast Club.
7:30pm Mass
8:00pm Veiling
Ash Wednesday Wednesday, 9 March 8:00am Mass 12:00pm Mass 7:30pm Choral Mass
At each of the 3 Masses the Imposition of Ashes is offered.
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Lenten Retreats
A Lenten silent retreat with Bishop Diane Bruce, "Exploring Different Forms of Prayer," will be held Saturday, March 19, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the ProCathedral of St. John and sponsored by the St. John's chapter of the Daughters of the King. Cost for the day is $10, which includes lunch (checks payable to St. John's Cathedral). For reservations, (requested by March 14), contact the parish office at 213.747-6285 or email to dok@stjohnsla.org. The ProCathedral is located at 514 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles.+++++
The Program Group on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Ministries will sponsor a "Lent Event," a day of learning, prayer, reflection and renewal with Bishop Mary Glasspool, on Saturday, March 19, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Church of Our Saviour, 535 W. Roses Road, San Gabriel. Cost is $10 (for lunch). For reservations, email to troy90048@yahoo.com. +++++
Professor William Countryman (the world-renowned, retired Professor of Bibilical Studies at CDSP, Berkeley) will be leading a Quiet Day Lenten Retreat that is open to all members of our Deanery family at St Bede's Church, Mar Vista, 9am through 4pm on Saturday 26th March 2011. Interested Parishioners should contact St Bede's Parish Office [310-391-5522; 888-802-6722]. St Bede's, 3590 Grand View Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066-1904 |
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Who Does What
Have you ever been curious as to who does what at the Parish? Have you ever wanted to participate with something and weren't quite sure whom to contact?
The annual "Who Does What" booklet has been updated and copies are available at the back of the Church. An online version is also available from the website's Parish page.
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Mother Knows Best
On March 7 in 1530, Pope Clement VII rejected Henry VIII's request to divorce Catherine of Aragon. |
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Coming Soon...
Please join us for many Parish activities. Here's a sampling of upcoming events - a full list is available online
March 4 @ 7:45pm
Movie Night Some Like It Hot
March 8
Election Day
Shrove Tuesday
March 9
Ash Wednesday
March 12 @ 7:00am
Homeless Feeding & Outreach
March 16 @ 7:00pm
Vestry Meeting
March 19 @ 10:45am
Newcomer Orientation
March 20
LA Marathon - traffic issues
March 26 @ 7:00am
Homeless Feeding & Outreach
March 26 @5:00pm
LASchola sings the Mass
March 28 @ 9:30am
USC AID Feeding Program |
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ePrayer
Prayer is at the center of our worship and binds us together as a community of faith. This week we commenced our electronic prayer chain email. A list of persons on the prayer list is sent weekly.
The prayer chain email is an opt-in list only - it will not be sent unless you sign up for it. If you'd like to be on this distribution list, please update your profile (please use link at the bottom of the email, customized with your email) or contact the office.
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