And They Brought Him Gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

We will gather this Saturday evening, the Vigil of the Nativity, and stand in the glory and mystery of God’s great act on our behalf. At Epiphany we will hear of the Magi bringing gifts to the Christ Child, gifts for a prophet, priest, and king. They were of unimaginable value and worth. We, too, will step in their pathway and offer our deepest praise and love for we will receive nothing less than God himself. What words or actions can even begin to capture the power of this coming night?

In Hamlet, Shakespeare captures the beautywhich shatters fear and trepidation,
Some say that ever, against that season comes
Wherein our Saviors’ birth is celebrated,
The bird of dawning sings all night long;
And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad,
The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike,
No fairy tales, nor witch hath power to charm
So hallowed and so gracious is this time.

In this season we will gather to behold the creche, sing from the depths of our being the hymns that extol our joy, pray with the angels, and receive the very Incarnation himself in the Holy Sacrament. We will offer our best to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!! In that spirit we will add one action in our liturgy, and that is the use of incense, one of the Magi’s gifts. Incense is a visual and olfactory experience reflecting the rising of our prayers to God. Likewise it reminds us of the mystery of God’s life among us, and is used to bless people and objects.

Finally, the pleasing aroma leads us to know the sweetness and comfort of God in our lives.

I look forward annually with great joy to our gathering; to seeing you and your praise for the gift of the Messiah; to viewing our children in whose eyes we see delight; to sharing in the great mystery of the Word Made Flesh.

Blessings,

Fr. Mark

Reading the Scriptures, praying together, and sharing a common meal are the ways that Christians from earliest times have enjoyed fellowship with one another and with the risen Lord, and so we continue.

Grounded in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, our worship service is liturgical and based upon the ancient traditions of the Christian faith, and it is also Biblical, rooted in the Word of God.

We welcome visitors by showing forth God's gracious invitation to taste and see that the Lord is good.

St. John's is a community of believers with varying backgrounds, interests and experiences; but in Jesus Christ we are made one body.

Please feel free to contact our parish office or one of our clergy should you desire more information.

SHORT ANGLICAN LESSON FROM FR. MARK

“A Rose by any other Name would…”. Well, Shakespeare had a way with words, but your priest not so much. Some of you have commented that it would be good to understand the titles on our bulletin and in our church practices. Most of you know that a priest is referred to as ‘Father’, since he is the father of the parish. A deacon is usually called ‘The Rev. Mr., and a bishop is ‘The Right Reverend”. However, there are a few additional nuances to the norms. The Presiding or Archbishop is “The Most Reverend”, so Bishop Chad Jones carries that address. A dean or canon is called “The Very Reverend’ while an Archdeacon, a member of the bishop’s household is referred to as “The Venerable”. These have a long history and help identify the role and place of clergy in the life of the church. Most importantly, we are servants of the servants of Christ.

Fr. Mark

Happening

Sunday Eucharist - 10:00 AM
Live steaming on Facebook and YouTube of the 10:00 service

Wednesdays - 5:45 PM -Eucharist

Fellowship - Following Mass on the first and third Sundays.

Choir - Sundays 9:00 AM

Vestry - November 13 @ 11:30
December 11 @ 11:30 (if needed)

Wed. Evening Study Group - 7:30 PM

Children’s Education - 8:45 AM

Baptism: We celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Baptism for Gideon Daniel Elliott, son of James and Sarah Elliott, Sun, Dec. 18

Christmas Eve: Vigil of the Nativity service will be held Sat, Dec 24^th at 6:30pm.

From the Altar Guild: If you would like to make a contribution to the flower fund for flowers in honor/memory of someone, please see a member of the Altar Guild for details or contact Judy Daughtry, 336-317-0595, judithdaughtry@yahoo.com Suggested amount is $25.00. Thank you for your support! If you would like to join the Altar Guild, please see Judy Daughtry.

Choir Announcement: St. John's is welcoming new choir members or instrumentalists for our Music Ministry. Please see Pat King, 336-601-0417, patkingmusic@aol.com if you would like to praise God through music.

Fellowship Committee: If anyone would like to support our Fellowship Committee, please see Nichole Isley. Nichole’s email address: nichole0308@gmail.com

Mary’s Meals: It is more blessed to give, than to receive. Please consider a donation to Mary’s Meals, Their …”vision is that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education and that all those who have more than they need, share with those who lack even the most basic things.” Visit their web site to learn more and to make a caring donation: https://www.marysmealsusa.org

Crisis in Ukraine: Please consider the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) that are deeply involved in the Ukraine crisis. If you would like to make a caring contribution please mail your check or money order to: Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21297-0303 or visit their web site to learn more and to make an online contribution: https://www.crs.org

St. Paul's Catholic Church Food Pantry and the Arc Food Pantry have weekly needs for non-perishable food, personal care items and basic home-cleaning items. All donations are greatly appreciated.

If you know of someone who is ill, in the hospital or desires our prayers for any other reason, or if you need to be contacted by the Rector please inform one of our ushers or speak with Father Mark.

Morning and Evening Prayer

St. John's Anglican Church 6722 West Friendly Avenue Greensboro NC 27410 (336) 392-8000

St. John's Anglican Church
6722 West Friendly Avenue
Greensboro NC 27410
(336) 392-8000