Palm Passion Sunday

The lections are daunting. You can find them here. Where does one begin? What strikes you as you think about triumph turned to tragedy in a blink of an eye?

Chanting the Decalogue - Fifth Sunday in Lent

This morning we began the service with the Penitential Order which includes, as an option, a recitation of the Ten Commandments (also known as the Decalogue). Having served St. James Santee for just one year now, we are still getting to know each other. To chant the Decalogue or not to chant was the question. We took the plunge and it actually sounded terrific. Well done, people!

There is something about singing words that helps them sink in more deeply. May we praise God in this way often!

"He who sings prays twice"

Attributed to St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD)

Preaching Text for 3/25/07

The Bible passage that I will preach on is the following. I have some ideas, but wonder what you think would be helpful to focus on with this terrific text.

Philippians 3:4-14

⁴even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: ⁵circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. ⁷Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. ⁸More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. ¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, ¹¹if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. ¹²Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Interview with The Rev. Mark J. Lawrence

Just in case you were wondering....

“I am not asking, nor have ever asked, anyone to make a choice about leaving the Episcopal Church. I am saying that many need to awaken from their slumber if they do not want their beloved Church to be dominated by an extremist agenda. I understand that many do not have a stomach for the game and prefer to sit on the sidelines. So be it. But please: You may say I am wrong. You may say I am reactionary. You may say I have a log in my eye. But don’t put words in my mouth. I haven’t asked anyone to leave TEC and I’m making no plans to leave. I have lived with others misrepresenting me for five months. Now it is my turn and I’m taking it. “

The Very Rev. Mark J. Lawrence - March 17, 2007
< http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=18327>

This is followed by a very fine interview with our once and future Bishop Elect The Very Rev. Mark J. Lawrence.

(To get to the article click on the underlined words)

In The Beginning

Today St. James Santee Episcopal Church begins its blog. The purpose of the blog (short for web log or journal) is to have a place to post church notices, articles and links of interest, reflect about upcoming sermons , and to just visit in general. Members, friends, and visitors are all welcome. Please use good sense in posting and refrain from making comments that could be considered slander, gossip or other unpalatable remarks. Our guide is speaking the truth in love. So let the conversation begin!

The E-100 Preaching Plan - Yr. 1

You are invited to read along!

In the Beginning

1. The Creation (Genesis 1:1-2:25 ) September 13, ‘09 – Proper 19B
2. The Fall (Genesis 3:1-24 ) September 20 – Proper 20B
3. The Flood (Genesis 6:5-7:24 ) September 27 – Proper 21B
4. God’s Covenant with Noah (Genesis 8:1-9:17) October 4 – Proper 22B
5. Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) October 11 – Proper 23B

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

6. The Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1-20) October 18 – Proper 24B
7. God’s Covenant with Abram (Genesis 15:1-21) October 25 – Proper 25B
8. Isaac’s Birth and Sacrifice (Genesis 21:1-22:19 )November 1 – All Saints
9. Jacob and Esau Compete (Genesis 27:1-28:22) November 8 – Proper 27B
10 Jacob and Esau reconcile (Genesis 32:1-33:20 ) November 15 –Proper 28B

Break

Christ the King – Last Sunday after Pentecost - November 22

1 Advent C November 29
2 Advent C December 6
3 Advent C December 13
4 Advent C December 20
Christmas 1 December 27
Christmas 2 January 3, 2010

Resume

The Story of Joseph

11. Sold into Slavery (Genesis 37:1-36) January 10 – Epiphany 1C
12 Prison and a Promotion (Genesis 39:1-41:57) January 17- Epiphany 2C
13 Ten Brothers Go to Egypt (Genesis 42:1-38) January 24 – Epiphany 3C
14 The Brothers Return (Genesis 43:1-44:34) January 31 – Epiphany 4C
15 Joseph reveals his identity (Genesis 45:1-46:7 ) February 7- Epiphany 5C

Moses and the Exodus

Break

22 The Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1-34:35) April 18 – Easter 3C
23 Joshua Succeeds Moses (Joshua 1:1-18 ) April 25 – Easter 4C
24 Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3:1-4:24) May 2 – Easter 5C
25 The Fall of Jericho (Joshua 5:13-6:27 ) May 9 – Easter 6C
26 Israel’s Disobedience (Judges 2:6-3:6) May 16 – Easter 7C

Pentecost Day May 23

The Judges

27 Deborah Leads Israel (Judges 4:1-5:31) May 30 – Trinity C
28 Gideon Defeats the Midianites (Judges 6:1-7:25) June 6 – Proper 5C
29 Samson Defeats the Philistines (Judges 13:1-16:31) June 13 – Proper 6C
30 The Story of Ruth (Ruth 1:1-4:22) June 20 – Proper 7C


The Rise of Israel

31 Samuel Listens to God (1 Samuel 1:1-3:21) Jun 27- Proper 8C
32 King Saul (1 Samuel 8:1-10:27) July 4 – Proper9C
33 David and Goliath (1 Samuel 16:1-18:16 ) July 11 – Proper 10C
34 David and Saul (1 Samuel 23:7-24:22) July 18 – Proper 11C
35 King David (2 Samuel 5:1-7:29) July 25 – Proper 12C

The Fall of Israel

36 David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-12:25) August 1 – Proper 13C
37 King Solomon (1 Kings 2:1-3:28) August 8 – Proper 14C
38 Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 8:1-9:9) August 15 – Proper 15C
39 Elijah and the Prophets of Baal (1 Kings 16:29-19:18) August 22 – Proper 16C
40 The Fall of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1-30 )August 28 – Proper 17C

The Psalms and Proverbs

41 The Lord is My Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-6) September 5- Proper 18C
42 Have Mercy on Me (Psalm 51:1-19) September 12 – Proper 19C
43 Praise the Lord (Psalm 103:1-22) September 19- Proper 20C
44 Godly Wisdom (Proverbs 1:1-4:27) September 26 – Proper 21C
45 Proverbs of Solomon (Proverbs 16:1-18:24) October 3 – Proper 22C

The Prophets

46 The Suffering Servant (Isaiah 51:1-53:12) October 10 – Proper 23C
47 Jeremiah’s Call and Message (Jeremiah 1:1-3:5) October 17- Proper 24C
48 Daniel in the Lion’s Den (Daniel 6:1-28) October 24 – Proper 25C
49 The Story of Jonah (Jonah 1:1-4:11) October 31 – Proper 26C
50 The Day of Judgment (Malachi 1:1-4:6) November 7 – All Saints

Directions to Brick Church at Wambaw

Directions to Wambaw (Brick) Church, McClellanville  from Charleston

Take US 17 N from Mt. Pleasant going towards Georgetown – from the Ravenel Bridge, it is a straight shot -You have two choices

1.  At 37 miles, turn left at the intersection of Highways 17 and  45.  Go 2.2 miles and take a right onto Old Georgetown Highway.   Go 3.7 miles and church will be on your left.

or

2. Continue on 17N  past McClellanville turnoff on the right and the blinking caution light (remember to slow down to 45 through that zone because the constabulary love to give people tickets right there).


Approx. 6 miles past the blinking caution light, take a left onto Rutledge Rd. (if you go over a bridge – the South Fork of Santee River, you have missed it. If you pass the sign to Hopsewee Plantation, you have doubly missed it).

Travel about 1.5 miles on Rutledge Rd. You should see a sign on the right that says St. James Santee Episcopal Church. Take a left onto the Old Georgetown Highway.  Go about 4 miles. Church will be on your right.

Coming from both directions

Old Georgetown Highway is a sand dirt road. It will seem as if you are driving in the forest on a  dirt road to nowhere, but suddenly you will come around the curve and see the Church and cars . On the left hand side of the church is a parking lot. Do be careful about the ditches (we have to pull people out every year).

Annual Service is Second Sunday of Easter at 11:00 am followed by covered dish picnic.