A place to talk about outreach ministry, liturgy, scripture, tradition, and your questions!
 

 
(Article from June Newsletter)
 
Being True to the Word of Scripture
 
Every Sunday at Trinity Church we worship in the manner of 2,000 years of tradition and seek to be true to the faith received by the early church fathers. We preach from the words revealed to us by God and we proclaim the Good News of Christ, received in His Holy Gospels. I pray that you keep your focus on our church family and let your lives model the teachings of Christ, that others in our community may come to know Him and His saving grace through your witness.
 
 

   
(Article from May Newsletter)
     
   
Explanation of Changes
   
   
In 11+ years of Anglo-Catholic ordained ministry, I have never heard as much feedback concerning a change in liturgical worship as the recent movement of the Dismissal at the 10:30am Mass. Fr. Chris and I had discussed this change, as well as others, for over a year but timed the changes in Announcements and the Dismissal with the move back into our church home.
   
   
The amount of feedback and questions has been refreshing, but unexpected, so I apologize for not having discussed this PRIOR to the change. I honestly didn't think anyone would really notice! So, here is the belated explanation for the changes:
   
   
The Announcements: The "topical" announcements we make during worship actually should not appear within the bounds of the Mass [Ref 1]. Only announcements having an impact on our worship should be made within the Mass, such as hospitalizations, deaths. These announcements should come before the Prayers of the People so that they may inform our prayers. Now we know that our announcements are important so we did keep them within the Mass, but moved them to the end after the Post Communion Prayer Benediction so as not to disrupt the flow of worship between the Liturgy of the Word and the Great Thanksgiving.
   
    The Dismissal: Many Protestant Churches that retain the use of a dismissal have placed it after the Recessional Hymn. Sadly, many Anglican/Episcopal Churches have also followed this practice. The Dismissal is the last action of the Liturgy of The Eucharist. As such its proper place is after the Post Communion Prayer Benediction. If you ever worship at our 8am Rite I Mass, you will note that this is in fact where the Dismissal is! If you have ever attend a Roman Catholic Mass, you will note that this is where the Dismissal is ("Go in peace, the Mass is Ended"). Numerous liturgical references trace the development of the Mass from the early first century to the Anglo-Catholic revival in the 19th century [Ref's 2,3,4,5]. So, our movement of the Dismissal at the 10:30am Mass was taken in order to align our worship with our rich liturgical tradition. If you have further questions about our liturgy and its tradition, please be sure to let me know! See you in church.
     
   
Ref 1]. Commentary on the American Prayer Book, Marion Hatchett, pg 419.
[Ref 2]. Marion Hatchett's Commentary on the BCP on page 421
[Ref 3]. Michno's "A Priest's Handbook" on pg 77 (2nd edition)
[Ref 4]. Dom Gregory Dix's "The Shape of the Eucharist" in several references clearly ties the dismissal to the ending of the Eucharistic Liturgy
[Ref 5]. Ormonde Plater's "Deacons in the Liturgy" gives detailed instructions which include that the deacon be at the presider's side during the blessing and dismissal.
     
   
(Article from April Newsletter)
     
   
The Message of Easter
     
   
By the time you see this newsletter we are likely to be in Holy Week or even upon Easter Day. As one who often exhorts all to come into a Holy Lent for pause and reflection, I must confess that this Lent has been neither for me. Several things have conspired to pull me in different directions with a heavy schedule. Oh, I have done all the daily devotions, but the time of meditative silence for spiritual reflection and refreshment just have not been there. Recent events in The Episcopal Church have soured my mood greatly; yet as I look forward to the Good News of Easter, I feel a genuine sense of relief that whatever swirls around us does not change the essential message of Easter: that He is Risen, He has overcome death, and He is the only true path toward redemption and salvation. Let our gathering for worship on Easter morning be a joyous one for sure!! See you in church.
     
   
(Article from March Newsletter)
     
   
A Spiritual Tune-Up
     
   
Although the snow up north looks like it might last forever and even Punxsutawney Phil has forecasted another six weeks of wintery weather, we see the unmistable signs of spring here on the Mississippi gulf coast. Spring time means a number of things, among them are vacation trips to new and interesting places. Now we typically don't go off on a long drive for vaction without getting the car tuned up and checked out. After all, we don't want to break down on our journey to fun!
     
    Bs. Mark Lawrence (South Carolina) reminds us in a recent pastoral letter that Lent is a time for getting a spiritual tune-up. Metaphorically, it's an opportunity to look under the hood (bonnet for you English types) and maybe kick the tires to make sure the soul is ready for the journey ahead.
     
    We pick up bad habits in our daily chores, we neglect the things we should pay attention to, and we all spend more time piling up treasure here on earth than in heaven (count me in on that!). So in Lent, we have an intentional time to slow down, catch our breath, and check to see if we have our priorities in the right place. Book reading, bible study, and spending some time with Clark and Carol Smith in the near future, are all good ways to do some self-examination.
     
    If anything particularly troubles us, the Book of Common Prayer offers the Reconciliation of a Penitent, popularly known as Confession (although it's not all that popular). Speak to any member of the clergy if this is on your heart.
     
   
(Article from February Newsletter)
     
   
Church Culture
   
    As this newsletter goes to print, Mardi Gras season is winding up to a fever pitch. We then pass into Ash Wednesday and Lent, surely a jarring contrast to the memories of the Pass Mardi Gras Parade. This year, I think we would do well to meditate in Lent upon the great gifts which God has bestowed upon us as we prepare to enter back into our church home. It will be tempting to believe that we "deserve" this new building given all the hard work "we" have done to get it back in place. I would suggest that is a dangerous way to think, although it is perfectly human. It is dangerous, because it is spiritually corrosive.
     
    Every church family has a culture about it. Church culture can span a spectrum ranging from a deep spiritual focus, all the way to a worldly-centric focus. For whatever reason Trinity Church, as a church family, tends more toward the worldly-centric focus. That is not a criticism, it is merely an attempt at honest observation. One result of this culture is a tendency to think, act, and react as the world teaches rather than the way deep spiritual meditation would teach.
     
   
I have already heard many suggestions for "open houses", homecoming parties, or community parties to celebrate what we have accomplished after the devastating effects of Katrina. That is all fine and well, as long as we remember also to fall to our knees in total humility to worship Him who at the end of all days will show us that it is He who made it happen.
     
   
(Article from January Newsletter)
   
   
The Light of Christ
     
    The Light of Christ, which was manifested to the world at the Epiphany (January 6), does not shine from the Institutional Church as is often assumed. Rather, the light of Christ shines through and from us, who together are the earthly body of Christ (the Universal Church). This distinction about how the light of Christ is manifested to the current world is crucial because it helps to define how the mission of our Lord and Savior is carried to the world. We do not sit back in our pews and wait for "the church" to do ministry. Ministry emanates from each and every one of us. If we do not carry out the call which God places in our soul, then we in effect are not carrying our weight. The Good News is that God expects us to fall short. He knew this as soon as the apple was eaten in the Garden. Thus, He sent His only Son that we may be saved from our sins and may find redemption as we confess and pray to do better. In these seemingly gloomy times, the mission of the church shines brightly in some interesting places. I will be preaching to you on January 31 (The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany), God willing, and we will explore together one of the shining examples of evangelism in a hurting world.
     
    God Bless and Happy New Year!
   
   
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