Here is how we'll pray this Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 8, 2015:
Everlasting God, you give strength to the weak and power to the faint. Make us agents of your healing and wholeness, that your good news may be made known to the ends of your creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
And, because the Gospel is one of the stories in Saint Mark's Gospel in which Jesus heals many, Rites for healing will be included in every liturgy of this day.
- 8:45 a.m. Mass I will preside/Vicar Joseph Shattauer-Paille will preach
- 10:00 a.m. Forum Dr. Eric Stewart presents New Music at Saint Peter's
- 11:00 a.m. Mass I will preside/ Vicar Joseph Shattauer-Paille will preach
- 12:30 p.m. Brunch Thanks to Kit Kreilick & Friends
- Sunday School
- 1:30 p.m. Misa Pastor Arias will preside and preach
- 3:00 p.m. Cena
- 5:00 p.m. Vespers Seminarian Kevin Farrar will preside and I will preach
Since Christmas, the liturgy at Saint Peter's has been particularly festive. Over the past six weeks we have celebrated the Epiphany and the Baptism of our Lord, Saint Peter and Paul and, last Sunday, the Presentation of our Lord in a bilingual liturgy at which our Bishop presided at the confirmation of 30 confirmands as over 300 members of Saint Peter's and Sion rejoiced. February 8 is a Sunday in ordinary time; the only "green" Sunday since mid-November; the only "green" Sunday until mid-June. In the liturgical dialogue at the font last Sunday, we acknowledged that
Here we turn from Christ's birth in a manger to Christ's passion and death on a cross.
As Lent draws near, we trust the mysteries of Easter.
Lent is drawing near - Ash Wednesday is February 18 - yet there is one more particularly festive Sunday yet before us before Lent begins.
Next Sunday is the last Sunday after the Epiphany and celebrates the Transfiguration of our Lord and, while very Sunday is a celebration of Christ's resurrection, the readings, Gospel and themes of the Transfiguration are clear reflections of the Light that is Jesus Christ. At the 11:00 a.m. mass this Sunday, our choir will sing a mass by Wolfgang Amadeus (not Amandus!) Mozart. Funding for this mass is provided through the Philip Lange Memorial Fund.
- 8:45 a.m. Mass Pastor Stahler will preside and preach
- 10:00 a.m. Forum Sion, Saint Peter's and Mary, Mother of God- I will lead this discussion
- 11:00 a.m. Mass I will preside/ Pastor Stahler will preach
- 12:30 p.m. Brunch Thanks to Kit Kreilick & Friends
- Sunday School
- 1:30 p.m. Misa Pastor Arias will preside and preach
- 3:00 p.m. Cena
- 5:00 p.m. Vespers Vicar Joseph Schattauer-Paille will preside and I will preach
After publicly affirming their faith, the following young people were confirmed by Bishop Robert A. Rimbo at the 11:00 a.m. bi-lingual Mass for the Presentation of our Lord, February 1, 2015: Ityael Agripino, Jinell Dulanro, Lucas Godinez,Octavio Godinez,Evelin Gonzalez, Valdimir L�pez, Michelle Rocha Gutierrez,Alexis Rodriguez Mendez, Lisette Rodriguez Mendez, Jose Eduardo Cuenca Mendez, Jose Carlos Miranda Mendez , Maria Mendez, Stacey Morales, Rosie Morales, Desi Morales, Sidney Morales, Michael Penuela,Jennifer Rocha, Joselyn Rocha, Michele Rocha,Marilyn Ruiz, Gisselle Ruiz, Brayan Salazar, Juan Tacuri, Justin K Vargas and Michael Zhagui.
Looking ahead:
The Mass of the Resurrection in thanksgiving for Dr. Birgitta Peterson will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Saint Peter's Church. A reception with opportunities for reflections on her life and legacy will follow in the Living Room.
A series of special Wednesday liturgies and educational opportunities will be announced shortly. These include:
Ash Wednesday Liturgies all day on February 18, 2015
Wednesday evening Lenten Vespers followed by light supper and presentations on From Conflict to Communion, the latest Lutheran-Roman Catholic document, from February 25 - March 18, 2015
Tenebrae with the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, March 25, 2015
Easter Vespers, (70th anniversary of Bonheoffer's martyrdom) light supper and presentation by Dr. Charles Marsh, author of Stranger Glory, the latest biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, April 8, 2015
Yom HaShoah (70th anniversary of the liberations of Nazi death camps) with Central Synagogue at Saint Peter's Church, 6:00 p.m. on April 15, 2015.
I close with the next-to-the last words of last Sunday's liturgy; words that are appropriate for us every day.
Here we stand at the waters of baptism.
Marked with the sign of the cross,
we share in Christ's death
and the promise of resurrection.
Peace and Joy,
Amandus J. Derr
Senior Pastor