Sunday Mass – 5th Sunday of Lent – 3/29/20 (VIDEO)
Enjoy this video of our Holy Eucharist celebration and Scriptures for the Day.
Part 2 – Stations of the Cross – 3/27/20 (VIDEO)
3/27/20 Stations of the Cross (part 2) devotional here for you. Please view the updates on Facebook and St. David’s website. We pray wellness and blessings for you and your family, during this crisis due to the COVID 19. All public assemblies cancelled through April 15th. (To retain our YouTube page, please subscribe free; easily done when at the video view, by hovering over the Church logo at the upper left, click on red subscribe button, follow prompts to put in your applicable information.)
Part 1 – Stations of the Cross – 3/27/20 (VIDEO)
3/27/20 Stations of the Cross (Part 1) devotional here for you. Please view the updates on Facebook and St. David’s website. We pray wellness and blessings for you and your family, during this crisis due to the COVID 19. All public assemblies cancelled through April 15th. (To retain our YouTube page, please subscribe free; easily done when at the video view, by hovering over the Church logo at the upper left, click on red subscribe button, follow prompts to put in your applicable information.)
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – March 29th – Fr. Thomas
Hello Friends,
As of now, all liturgical services, meetings, and other gatherings at St. David’s are still canceled until April 15th, but “who knows” beyond that date. Tonight and again next Friday, though, you can watch our Stations of the Cross on FaceBook, YouTube or the Church’s website, or click on the link that will be provided via email. The Sunday mass video will also be posted so you can stay as connected to our church as much as possible. Below are the scripture references and the accompanying commentaries for this 5th Sunday in Lent.
In case of a pastoral emergency, you can leave a message on our voice mail, and we will respond as quickly as possible. Please continue to pray for an end to the COVID-19 virus, for its victims, and for those who are working on preventative measures; and thanks for your continued financial support (check, automated bank transfers or electronic donations via www.myeoffering.com) to the life and witness our congregation in this community.
Please Pray – For the sick: Sandy, Kim, Joe, Steve, Bob, Linda, Francine, Timone, Donna, Ashlyn, Robin. For birthday celebrations: Eric Cohen, Laurette Bagley, Samuel Kalphat, Joe Mee, Lorna Lawrence, Lucas Webber, Victor Champagne, Beverly Wilson. For those celebrating a wedding anniversary: Baldwin & Violet Henry. For the faithful departed, and for our expectant mothers: Dani and Andrea.
5th Sunday in Lent 3-29-19 “The Resurrection and the life”
Ezekiel 37:1-14 To the faithful remnant in Babylonian captivity their nation seemed to be dead, a lost cause. They and their God had been defeated. The prophet’s vision and his message of hope to them was that God could and would breathe new life into the nation of Israel and it would live again.
Psalm 130 The psalmist speaks from depths of despair brought on by sin, and them is able to rise to levels of assurance of divine forgiveness and grace. He experiences in his soul the death-to-life experience of Lazarus.
Romans 8:6-11 St. Paul claims that the sinful nature of humankind is bound up in death, but the indwelling of the Spirit gives life unto eternity.
John 11:1-45 Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead and the subsequent discourse give dramatic emphasis to Paul’s words. “The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:23).
Challenge Questions
Refer to the Old Testament reading for today in Ezekiel 37 and consider what this passage meant for the nation of Israel at the time. What message do these words have for us today, especially in light of the Gospel passage?
Finally, I leave you with the words of this familiar but timeless poem.
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
you’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
Special Weekday Message – March 22nd – Fr. Thomas
Today, March 25 is the Feast of the Annunciation, celebrating the announcement of Jesus’ conception in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, (Luke 1:26-38.) Now how do you think Mary must have felt at the annunciation? An angel, Gabriel, had come to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you!” Was it a dream? Was she hallucinating? Was she crazy? Maybe she wasn’t fully sure.So what do you find most impressive in the story? Maybe it’s Christ’s birth to a virgin. That is impressive, but, for the God who created the heavens and the earth out of nothing, that’s a minor miracle in God’s bag of surprises. OK! So you haven’t had a vision of an angel lately. However, how do we respond to those daily annunciations, those decisions we must face every day either to do the right thing, or the wrong thing? Here’s what the Mother of Jesus did. Mary teaches us how to practice “spiritual availability.” Her yes to God is an example of how we too can provide space where God enters in.
Mary’s response challenges us to ask of ourselves: When God makes a loving overture into our lives, do we try to avoid the encounter? Do we demand full knowledge before responding, or can we trust without complete knowledge or understanding? Do we let God be in control of my life, my plans, my future? Do we ask of God what cannot be answered, do we dare to say “Yes” that will change us forever?
The greatest gift is not our skills, abilities and possessions. The magi had their gold, frankincense and myrrh. Mary had only space, love, and faith to offer. What part of us prevents Christ from being evident in our lives and presenting Him to the world? Our time, talent, and treasure? What about the gifts and talents of art, writing, scholarship, and social justice? These are all gifts worth having and sharing. But leaders lose their charisma, scholarship can grow pedantic, social justice alone does not suffice. In the end, when all other gifts have lost their luster, the virgin who is boldly in love with God, and who makes a sanctuary of life in us, is the one who delivers Jesus Christ, who then delivers us from sin and death.
This is a perfect feast for Lent; these days of waiting for God’s will to be revealed, our hearts open to God’s presence. In these anxious times the most fearful thing is the loss of God’s presence. But, we have nothing to fear, God is with us, and we have been called by God to bring his Son into our own world and in our own time. God gives us these days to sort it all out, to make sense of it, so that we can say with Mary, “Let it be to me according to your will.”
Maybe there is some decision you’re having trouble saying “Yes” to. What stumbling block needs to be removed before we say Yes to God and trust in him? God will not compel us to say yes. Grace makes us sons and daughters, not slaves; lovers, not clients. God had to be born in Mary’s heart before he could be born in her womb; as someone once said, “In Mary, God fell in love with humanity.”
So, only nine months until Christmas. Isn’t this really the mystery we celebrate not just at Christmas; but every day of the year? Christ is born in us. God is here in us. If we truly grasp this mystery, think how much we can spread the joy and the hope of Christmas all year round to a world which painfully needs some good news these days. Perhaps, like Mary, be a womb of welcome, a sacred place made holy by the God who dwells within. It’s no surprise that she who bore the Son of God, was the channel by which “The myth has become reality, the heavenly becoming earthly, the Word, flesh, God, man.”
Lord, let it be done to me as you say. Blessed are you Mary among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Son of God, Son of Mary.
“O Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of life,
as you overshadowed Mary that she might
be the Mother of Jesus our Savior, so work
silently in my heart, to form within me the
fullness of his redeemed and redeeming
humanity. Give me his loving heart, to burn
with love for God and love for my neighbor;
give me a share of his joy and sorrow, his
weakness and his strength, his labor for the
world’s salvation. May Mary, blessed among
women, Mother of our Savior, pray for me,
that Christ may be formed in me, that I may
live in union of heart and will with Jesus
Christ, her Son, our Lord and Savior. Amen.” -Fr. Cheslyn Jones
Urgent Message – Please continue to pray for an end to the COVID-19 virus and its victims and thank you for your continued financial support (check, automated bank transfers or electronic donations via www.myeoffering.com or Facebook donate button or PayPal) to the life and witness our congregation in this community.
St David’s in the Pines, Wellington, FL – March 22nd 4th Week of Lent (VIDEO)
Video of Mass for the Fourth Sunday in Lent. St. David’s family wishes you are the best of health. Our Church and School campus is closed to all public assemblies. Please feel free to call the parish office to leave a voicemail or send us email. God bless you and your families.
St David’s in the Pines, Wellington, FL – March 20th Special Newsletter (VIDEO)
St David’s in the Pines, Wellington, FL – March 20th Special Newsletter: Stations of the Cross devotional here for you. Please view the updates on Facebook and St. David’s website. We pray wellness and blessings for you and your family, during this crisis due to the COVID 19. All public assemblies cancelled through April 15th.
SPECIAL E-NEWSLETTER – Rector’s Message – March 20TH – Fr. Thomas
Dear Friends,
We pray that this finds you all well and in good health. Below you will find some interesting facts about Stations of the Cross along with the upcoming Sunday’s scriptures and commentary. Today and tomorrow we will be filming a couple of videos (Stations of the Cross, Sunday Scripture Service) that will later be posted on Facebook and onto our St. David’s website. The Lord continues to unite us through diverse opportunities for connection through this uncertain time of COVID-19. The latest message from Bishop Peter is that all services and meetings will be cancelled through April 15. We will celebrate the full liturgies of Easter on a Sunday after that date when it becomes feasible.
Stations of the Cross: During the late Middle Ages, when the Turkish occupation of the Holy Land prevented pilgrims from visiting its sacred sites, the faithful made a custom of making simple replicas of those sacred sites in Europe, where they could come to pray. Medieval Christians sought more details about the Passion of the Lord, beyond what was provided by the succinct stories of the gospels. They turned to the writings of the mystics and the apocryphal gospels for more information about the last hours of Jesus. From these sources came the meeting of Jesus and his Mother, the story of Veronica, and the various falls of Jesus, which became part of the Stations of the Cross. One of the most popular of these “pilgrimages at home” was to pray the Stations of the Cross, which were erected in imitation of the stations (or stopping places of prayer) on the street in Jerusalem that led from the judgment hall of Pilate to Calvary. By the end of the sixteenth century the present fourteen stations became the standard for this devotion
Sunday’s Readings 3-22-19 4th Sunday in Lent “The Blind See”
Collect For the Fourth Sunday in Lent Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
1 Samuel 16:1-13 The kingdom of Israel reached its greatest size, power, and influence during the reign of David. This greatness was projected into the future by thinking of the coming Messiah as the “son of David” (Mk. 12:35). The anointing of David as the future king heralds the beginning of Israel’s greatness. So the occasion is a milestone in the salvation history of Israel.
Psalm 23 The familiar shepherd psalm is identified with David but it also is stretched in our minds to include the Good Shepherd. Under this all-embracing concern, we shall lack nothing herein or hereafter. The Good Shepherd who leads us lights our way.
Ephesians 5:8-14 In the ethical section of this epistle, the believer’s attention is focused on Christ, who will throw light on the path of those who would be “imitators of God” (vss.1, 14).
John 9:1-3, 28-38 The account of Jesus healing the blind man makes light and salvation almost identical terms. “I am the light of the world,” said Jesus (v.5). “Once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord,” observed the writer of the Epistle (Eph. 5:8). Because a greater person than David has come, salvation is at hand.
Your dedication and support is greatly appreciated. Continued contributions are very much welcomed (check, electronic giving, bank auto-giving, PayPal and www/myEoffering.com or FB donate button). Thank you, Fr. Thomas
For your convenience, you may bookmark the links below to our new website and Facebook pages…simply click on the link below or copy & paste the URL into your browser, then you may add it to your favorites or bookmark them to your internet online top active bar for quick and easy access….
https://www.facebook.com/SaintDavidsInThePines/
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – March 22nd – Fr. Thomas
What a Lent this has turned out to be. In a season meant to prepare us for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, instead people are on the “edge of their seats” because of the COVID-19 virus, and not “in the seats” here at church. Is there any good news to reassure us? Well, for what it’s worth, we know what the virus is, we can test for it, and we know it can be contained, catching it is not that easy as long as we are careful and follow best sanitary practices, young people are at a very low risk, people are recovering from it, and vaccine prototypes exist. So where is God in all this? What message do we have for the world to speak to the anxiety and fear which exists as a result of the epidemic? If it’s any help, we are offering live-stream broadcasts of our regularly scheduled Stations of the Cross service on Fridays on our Face Book (which later will be posted on our website) and a special devotional on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. https://www.facebook.com/SaintDavidsInThePines/
I’m in no way minimizing the gravity of the situation, but we survived the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) in 2009 which killed 12,469 in the USA alone (out of a total of 60.8 million cases), SARS in 2003-04, and MERS in 2012; and God willing, we’ll get through this crisis as well. God doesn’t want people to suffer, but He gave us the freedom to do the right thing ( or the wrong things) when He created us.
So what can we do to stay connected, even while we practice “ Social Distancing?” We can worship through social media, i.e. broadcast of worship on our Face Book page. Another link is “The Daily Office” https://www.missionstclare.com/ which makes available the services of Morning, Noonday, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayers (Compline). In the event that one is quarantined, remember that God is still with us, even in those still quiet moments of our day, that sacred solitude, particularly appropriate during Lent. And how can we stay in touch with those who are living in isolation? We can send cards, bake a casserole or tasty dish to deliver, and stay connected in whatever ways are available. And most importantly, continue to say our prayers. Here are a couple below which I hope you’ll find helpful during these stressful times. God bless you all, and also, don’t forget that our church still has financial obligations. One can either mail in a check, or pay online or through your bank as directed below in the announcements.
Lord Jesus Christ , Son of the Living God, Physician of the body and soul, You restored sight to the blind, healed the lame and cured those with leprosy. Grant, we beseech You, the necessary knowledge and perseverance to all who are working on a vaccine to quickly end the spread of COVID-19. Have mercy on those who have died, and grant comfort to all who are affected in any way and those who are living in apprehension. Give us the grace each day to trust in You and Your loving mercy. We ask this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Keep us , good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, and lift up all who are brought low; that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
This Week at St. David’s:
Urgent Message – By order of our Bishop all services will be cancelled beginning Sunday, March 15 th and continuing until Monday, March 31 st. In case of a pastoral emergency, you can leave a message on our voice mail and someone will respond as quickly as possible. Please continue to pray for an end to the COVID-19 virus and its victims and thanks for your continued financial support (check, automated bank transfers or electronic donations via www.myeoffering.com or click on the ‘donate’ button on FB) to the life and witness our congregation in this community.
Outreach –accepting donations for the ministry outreach of feeding the homeless at St. George’s on Wednesday, March 25 th at 5:00 p.m. in Riviera Beach, contact Joyce Parker for details.
Stations of the Cross – Friday, during Lent 6:30 p.m. please view Face Book
Donations – Easter flowers to adorn the altar and decorate the Church, deadline to submit is April 5 th
Please Pray – For the sick: Ann, Bill, Kim, Joe, Natalie, Steve, Bob, Linda, Francine, Timone, Donna, Ashlyn, Robin. For birthday celebrations: Meghan Schubert, Austin LaBorde, Dexter Beresford, Inara Elmquist, Faubert Pierre-Paul, Lorna Hughes, Ann Chambers. For our expectant mothers: Dani, Andrea. For the faithful departed: Judy Demane, Marge Jausley.
Annual Champagne Reception – after celebration of the Easter Vigil Mass, Saturday night, April 11th.
For your convenience, you may bookmark the links below to our new website and Facebook pages…simply click on the link below or copy & paste the URL into your browser, then you may add it to your favorites or bookmark them to your internet online top active bar for quick and easy access….
WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – March 15th – Fr. Thomas
The spread of COVID-19 once again raises the question about the likely or unlikely spread of germs via the common chalice. This is not a new situation, and not the first time I’ve had to address the situation. Many others have written about the research, going back generations, which consistently shows that the likelihood of spreading germs by receiving from the chalice is slim and none, especially when compared with other forms of human contact. As far back as 1943, W. Burroughs and E. Hemmens reported, “Experiments on the transmission of organisms transferred from one person to another by common use of the chalice showed that 0. 001% of the organisms transferred even under the most favorable conditions and when conditions approximated those of actual use, no transmission could be detected.” In 1973 Dr. Edward Dancewicz of the Centers for Disease Control confirmed that the risk is miniscule. The number of bacteria on a person’s lips is small, and the chance that there are pathogens among them is not great. Moreover, “even if pathogens are present, the risk of digesting them is small.” In 1988, Dr. O. N. Gill concluded: “Currently available data do not provide any support for suggesting that the practice of sharing a common communion cup should be abandoned.” In 1997, after studying 681 individuals over a ten year period, microbiologist Anne LaGrange Loving reported that she observed no difference in illness rates between those who communed from the chalice on a daily basis and those who never attend mass. And In 1998 the CDC wrote, “The risk is so small that it is undetectable.” The CDC also said that wiping the chalice further reduces any possible risk. In general, exposure to a single virus cannot result in infection. For each disease there is a minimum number of germs (usually millions) that must be transmitted from person to person before infection can occur. Most people have a normal immune system which fights off infectious diseases. Of course, some may wish to err on the side of extra caution and have the Eucharistic Minister “intinct” for them; i.e. dip the host into the chalice. But the cynic might ask, “Doesn’t that transmit germs off the hand and into the chalice?” Moreover, one may also receive the host only, which contains the fullness of Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
In all truth, I think one has a greater chance of transmitting germs by “Passing the Peace;” but if someone is legitimately sick and comes to church, they’ve already spread germs within the first fifteen minutes of attendance. So if you are sick, please remain at home; God will understand and Holy Communion can be brought to your home by one of our Eucharistic Visitors. I’m a theologian, not a physician; but I can say with confidence, if one was likely to contract a disease from the common cup, I’d probably have been dead a long time ago! During these anxious times, trust in the Physician of souls to keep us safe – but continue to wash your hands frequently with soap and hot water.
(Thanks to the DOK who have provided this prayer below for the relief of COVID-19.)
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Physician of the body and soul, You restored sight to the blind, healed the lame and cured those with leprosy. Grant, we beseech You, the necessary knowledge and perseverance to all who are working on a vaccine to quickly end the spread of COVID-19. Have mercy on those who have died, and grant comfort to all who are affected in any way and those who are living in apprehension. Give us the grace each day to trust in You and Your loving mercy. We ask this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
This Week at St. David’s:
Episcopal Church Women – meets Friday, March 13th at 11:00 a.m.
Stations of the Cross & with a Guided Meditation – Friday, during Lent 6:30 p.m. dates to remember: 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/03.
Hospitality Hour – Daughters of the King
Women’s Bible Study – Sunday, 11:15 a.m.
Holy Eucharist – Tuesday 8:30 a.m.
Men’s Bible Study – Tuesday 7:00 p.m.
Holy Eucharist and Rosary – Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
Vestry – meets Sunday, March 15th at 11:15 a.m. in the Church
Youth Group – meeting on Sunday, March 15th, 11:15 a.m. in the big classroom
Prayer Shawl Ministry – meets Tuesday, March 17th, 7:00 p.m.
Cursillo – Grand Ultreya – Saturday, March 21st, 11:00 a.m., Biscayne Park, 305-893-8523
Outreach – accepting donations on Sunday. March 22nd for the ministry outreach of feeding the homeless at St. George’s on Wednesday, March 25th at 5:00 p.m. in Riviera Beach
Daughters of the King – Deanery meeting, Saturday, March 28th, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Please Pray – For the sick: Ann, Bill, Kim, Joe, Natalie, Steve, Bob, Tania, Linda, Laurie, Francine, Timone, Donna, Ashlyn, Robin. For birthday celebrations: Leroy Williams, Lincoln Elliott, Evelyn Medcalf, Suzanne Riddle, Daniel Melton, Stuart Cohen, Alred Dyce, Mathew Hogan, Tom James. For those who are celebrating a wedding anniversary: Jerry & Sally Frenz, David & Jackie Whiting. For our expectant mothers: Dani, Andrea.
For your convenience, you may bookmark the link below to our new website and Facebook pages…simply click on the link below or copy & paste the URL into your browser, then you may add it to your favorites or bookmark them to your internet online top active bar for quick and easy access…