The world has no shortage of fanatics and lunatics. Religious and political leaders rightly condemn acts of violence as deplorable and uncharacteristic of civil human behavior. But demonizing those who might be different from us doesn’t help either. How many incidents in recent weeks have been successful in spreading “terror” amongst the populous; and yet, we realize that the perpetrators suffer from a variety of mental illnesses, or disturbing behaviors which go unaddressed. Mass media is quick to spotlight those who spread such evil, while often overlooking the many acts of love and kindness which are and should be the hallmarks of our Christian faith and life.

What could be equally distressing, from our perspective, is the erosion of Christian principles and values in our culture. Jesus said, “Love one another, as I have loved you. By this the world will know that you are my disciples.” Maybe if more people truly acted like Christians the Church would not have found itself increasingly marginalized in society. Living by the example of Our Lord who gave his life as a ransom for many and speaking the truth in love, are the most powerful and only weapons we have in the spiritual warfare that besets us. Yet, silence is not always golden. According to the 18th c. Irish born statesman, Edmund Burke, “The only thing needed for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing.” Remember, actions do speak louder than words, but we can’t disregard one over the other, for “You may be the only Gospel your neighbor ever reads.”

NOTICES:

Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel.

Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at https://www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.

Sandwiches for St. George’s: Please bring your sandwiches to St. David’s west side parking lot each Thursday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Trimming of Bushes. We will be having a trimming of the palmetto bushes workday on Saturday, May 1 starting at 8:30 am. Bring some cutting tools if you have them. If you do not have tools, please come to help. Lunch will be provided at 12:30 pm.

Shop with Scrip. Gift card fundraising is the best way to raise money. Start giving back to St. David’s the moment you buy a gift card with the RaiseRight mobile app today! You can join the program by downloading the app on your phone or go to https://www.ShopWithScrip.com on your computer. The enrollment code to set up your free family account is BB6656B177722. For more information, please pick up a flyer in the narthex, or email Kimberly Joy Castellotti-Ward at choiceplusrealestate@gmail.com

Sunday School is still in operation with the necessary protocols in place.

Forward Day by Day brochures for the next quarter are now available in the narthex. Donation $3.00

Tuesdays: Holy Eucharist 8:30 am.
Wednesdays: Holy Eucharist and Rosary 6:30 pm.

PLEASE PRAY – For the sick: Alberto, Ampy, Andi, Barbara, Beth, Cindy, Danny, Donna, Jeanne, Joaquin, Kip, Max, Miguel, Patricia, Shelby. For birthday celebrations: John Algood, Therese Guillaume, Janice Jacques. For our expectant mother: Andi.

After one of the school chapel services this week, when it was time for the classes to leave the pews and walk out, one of the little girls said, “Aren’t we going to go up to the altar and look at the crèche?” She remembered that each class as a group came up last week into the sanctuary and examined the Easter crèche with my explanation of the various features and characters. Seeing the disappointment on her face, I thought later about the women who originally went to the tomb on the first Easter Sunday. Did they return just to convince themselves that the person they saw wasn’t a ghost, or a figment of their imagination? We know in fact that the original site is now a pilgrim shrine in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The Gospel accounts following the resurrection record the several appearances of Jesus to his disciples; often at unexpected times. When Jesus appeared to the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, they were caught “off guard,” discussing the events of the past week, trying to figure out just what happened – perhaps avoiding the authorities who were responsible for Jesus’ death. Maybe this road describes the one we’re on. Often times we don’t know what has happened; we’re desperately trying to figure it out. And into such despair and confusion comes Jesus, but we don’t recognize Him because we are so caught up in our own difficulties. We really don’t recognize anything other than ourselves and our own problems – even if the Lord Himself is walking beside us. However, when the disciples invited Jesus into their home, and He took bread and broke it, then their eyes were opened. So, is Jesus an honored resident in our homes and lives, or just an occasional guest? When we lose hope and think it’s the end, God says, “Relax, it’s just a bend, not the end.” Remember: “Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.” — Elton Trueblood

NOTICES:

Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel.

Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at https://www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.

Sandwiches for St. George’s: Please bring your sandwiches to St. David’s west side parking lot each Thursday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School is still in operation with the necessary protocols in place.

Forward Day by Day brochures for the next quarter are now available in the narthex. Donation $3.00

Tuesdays: Holy Eucharist 8:30 am.
Wednesdays: Holy Eucharist and Rosary 6:30 pm.

PLEASE PRAY – For the sick: Alberto, Andi, Barbara, Beth, Cindy, Danny, Donna, Francis, Jeanne, Joaquin, Kip, Max, Miguel, Patricia, Shelby. For birthday celebrations: Earle Williams, Emma Torres, Michelle Gardner, Erin Thomas, Assad Thompson, Patricia Burke, Vince Bianco, Phyllis Gibbs-Thomas, Kathleen Lannaman, Blake Wolliston, Francis Morlu. For anniversary celebrations: Rudolph and Pat Bernard, Victor and Jeanne Champagne, Howard and Karen Brown, Daryl and Shelby Walcher. For the departed: Dottie Watson, Edna Harris. For our expectant mother: Andi.

The seminary I attended for three years had a rich liturgical and spiritual identity. In addition to the daily Mass, Morning and Evening Prayer and Compline (night prayers) were sung in the chapel on a regular basis. Students presided over Morning and Evening Prayer with a rotation list of “officiants.” On one particular weekday, a first year student presided at Evening Prayer and after the second reading and canticle, launched into the Apostle’s Creed with the customary first line, “I Believe in God.” (He apparently forgot that we didn’t say the Creed on weekdays.) Suddenly there came a loud knock on the Principal’s prayer desk in the rear of the chapel, with his deep rich voice, “Not on Thursdays we don’t!” Well, at least liturgically we didn’t, but hopefully all present did believe and practice the words of the Creed, not only on the weekend but every day of the week.

As I’m fond of saying, our Easter faith is not simply for one day, or one season, but a way of life throughout the entire year. To give that same seminary Principal, Dr. Alec Vidler, the last word, “We have for the most part ceased to be aware of another world, an eternal kingdom of heaven; we have ceased to take it seriously. All our interest has been in this world; it never entered our heads that here we are and always shall be “exiles of the Dispersion.” Our horizons make no provision for an unseen world of mystery where all things are being made new, and where we might be even more at home than we are in this world. The time may be coming when we shall realize as we have not done yet that this world is not and cannot be our home, but that we have as a result of the work of Christ, “a better country, that is a heavenly one, and that we might already in this world be living and working as citizens of that imperishable kingdom.”

NOTICES:

Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel.

Sandwiches for St. George’s: Please bring your sandwiches to St. David’s west side parking lot each Thursday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at https://www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.

Sunday School is still in operation with the necessary protocols in place.

Forward Day by Day brochures for the next quarter are now available in the narthex.

Tuesdays: Holy Eucharist 8:30 am.
Wednesdays: Holy Eucharist and Rosary 6:30 pm.

PLEASE PRAY – For the sick: Alfredo, Andi, Barbara, Beth, Calvin, Cindy, Danny, Donna, Francis, Irene, Jeanne, Joaquin, Kip, Max, Miguel, Patricia. For birthday celebrations: Dale Pugliese, Shirley Fenner, Gabriel Falco, Kerry Jackson, Madge Tinglin. For anniversary celebrations: David and Leila South, Walter and Georgette Dzubiak. For our expectant mother: Andi.