Dear Brothers and Sisters of St. Andrew's,
We will celebrate Epiphany on Friday, January 6th at 7:00 pm with New Hope Community Church at their location, 200 Ingleside Ave. in Catonsville. Bp. Chilton Knudsen will preach and I will preside; New Hope's worship team will provide the music.
Fr. Ron will preach and preside on Sunday. Our Rite I service is held at 8:00 and our Rite II service, which we will stream via our Facebook page, our YouTube channel and our website, is at 10:00. Our "Episcopalianism 101" class will resume this Sunday the 8th.
On the third Sunday of each month we take up a special offering to address needs in our community. Our November Healing Sunday offering of $750 was sent to the Rev. Linda Fernandez, a former St. Andrew's supply priest who recently moved to Florida and suffered hurricane damage. Our December Healing Sunday offering will be sent to the Baltimore International Seafarers' Center. Thanks again to Bertha Ryals and Pat Quick for organizing us to put 25 Christmas gift bags together for seafarers.
The Rector's Discretionary Fund enables me to work on the church's behalf to care for those in need in our community, and to support the needs of worthy ministries, as I am made aware of these needs. I am always glad to receive gifts to this fund (either electronically or by checks made out to St. Andrew's with Rector's Discretionary Fund on the memo line), especially at this time when need is increasing significantly. If you are facing job loss or a reduction in your family's income please don't hesitate to reach out to me personally.
--Fr. Jason
Jesus blazed forth
As the benevolent redeemer of all nations.
May all the community of the faithful
Celebrate that with praise and psalms.
The brilliant star glowing in the sky
Was the sign that he was born
And, moving on before the magi,
Led them to his cradle.
They threw themselves down and adored the little child,
Which was wrapped in swaddling clothes;
They bore witness that he was the true God
By bringing him a mystic gift.
Then, when, as far as his body was concerned,
He had lived out of he course of three times ten years,
He sought the water of baptism,
He who was free of all contamination.
The blessed John trembles at the idea
Of immersing in the river the one who has the power
To wipe away the sins of the universe
With his blood.
So the voice of the Father above, coming from heaven,
Testifies that he is his son
And the miraculous power of the Spirit,
The conferrer of the holy gift, is also present.
We all pray to you in suppliant prayer, Christ:
Protect us, you who,
In your power, order the jugs of water
To turn red.
Grant us benevolent relief
Together with constant aid
And, having snatched us from hell,
Let us reign with you in heaven..
Praise be to the Trinity,
As is proper,
And honor, might and glory
Forever throughout the ages.
--Hilary of Poitiers (d. 367)
The Rev. Jason A. Poling, D.Min.
Priest-in-Charge
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
7859 Tick Neck Road
Pasadena, MD 21122
410-255-1070 (o)
410-241-4838 (m)