Joseph Butler

Joseph Butler, Bishop and Theologian, 1752

The Collect:

O God, who raises up scholars for your church in every generation; we praise you for the wisdom and insight granted to your bishop and theologian Joseph Butler, and pray that your church may never be destitute of such gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Joseph Butler was born in 1692 and ordained in 1718. In 1726 he published Fifteen Sermons, preached at the Rolls Chapel in London, which chiefly dealt with human nature and its implications for ethics and practical Christian life. He maintained that it is normal for a man to have an instinct of self-interest, which leads him to seek his own good, and equally normal for him to have an instinct of benevolence, which leads him to seek the good of others individually and generally, and that the two aims do not in fact conflict. Butler served as parish priest in several parishes, and in 1736 was appointed chaplain to Queen Caroline, wife of King George II. In the same year he published his masterpiece, The Analogy of Religion, Natural and Revealed, to the Constitution and Course of Nature (often cited simply as "Butler's Analogy"), a work chiefly directed against Deism. Appended to the main work was a treatise, Of the Nature of Virtue, which establishes him as one of the foremost British writers on ethics, or moral philosophy. When the Queen died in 1737, Butler was made Bishop of Bristol. (In England at that time, bishoprics and parish churches were supported each by a separate source of income that had been established for it perhaps centuries earlier, and in consequence the funding was very unequal. Bristol, being the lowest paid of all bishoprics, was where a new bishop usually started. Later, he might be promoted to another diocese. The Reform movement of the 1830's and its aftermath have remedied this situation.) However, George II had been impressed with him earlier, and in 1746 he was called back to court and the next year offered the post of Archbishop of Canterbury. He refused the post, but in 1750 he became Bishop of Durham (in the north of England, near the Scottish border, and well known even then as having a tradition of bishops whose speeches and writings attract public attention). He died there on 16 June 1752.*

Join us tonight for Evening Prayer and our Bible Project Class to find out more about Joseph Butler, and to learn something new about the Bible.

Zoom Evening Prayer & Bible Project
Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
 
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*The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Joseph_Butler.htm

Evelyn Underhill

Evelyn Underhill, Mystic and Writer, 1947

The Collect:

O God, Origin, Sustainer, and End of all creatures: Grant that your church, taught by your servant Evelyn Underhill, may continually offer to you all glory and thanksgiving, and attain with your saints to the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have promised us by our Savior Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Evelyn Underhill taught that the life of contemplative prayer is not just for monks and nuns, but can be the life of any Christian who is willing to undertake it. She also taught that modern psychological theory, far from being a threat to contemplation, can fruitfully be used to enhance it. In her later years, she spent a great deal of time as a lecturer and retreat director. She died on June 15, 1941.*

*The Lectionary, James Keifer, http://satucket.com/lectionary/Evelyn_Underhill.htm 

 

Basil of Caesarea

Basil of Caesarea, Bishop and Theologian, 379

The Collect:

Almighty God, who has revealed to your church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace that, like your bishop Basil of Caesarea, we may continue steadfastly in the confession of this faith and remain constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; ever one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Basil died on 1 January 379. He is accordingly commemorated on that day in the East. The traditional Western date is 14 June, the anniversary of his consecration. The Roman usage has adopted 2 January. Basil was born in Caesarea of Cappadocia, a province in what is now central Turkey. He was born in 329, after the persecution of Christians had ceased, but with parents who could remember the persecutions and had lived through them. The influence and example of his sister, Macrina, led him to seek the monastic life. Basil served as Bishop and Theologian, and defended of the faith in the time between the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea, 325, and the Second at Constantinople, 381 - years in which it was uncertain whether the Church would stand by the declaration made at Nicea that the Logos (the "Word" -- see John 1:1) was fully God, equally with the Father, or seek a more flexible formula in the hope of reconciliation with the Arians.  Basil is counted with his brother, Gregory of Nyssa, and his friend, Gregory of Nazianzus, as one of the three Cappadocians or early Greek Church leaders.*

*The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Basil_Great.htm

Worship Tomorrow!

 

Join us for “at church” or “virtually” for worship this Sunday, June 13, 2021, The Third Sunday after Pentecost, at St. Alban’s, St. Thomas’, St. Patrick’s, and Iglesia Episcopal La Esperanza de Familias Unidas.

 
Holy Eucharist, Rite Two
St. Alban’s – 8:30 a.m. or at 10:30 a.m.*
St. Thomas' - 10:00 a.m.*
St. Patrick’s – 1:30 p.m.*
 
* These liturgies will be Live-Streamed on Facebook for those who choose to remain at home.
Download a pdf of the leaflet to print or to use on your phone or tablet at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Eu7GzK4tW6GROZBCZwTW6UblT4ytPAye/view?usp=sharing
 
La Santa Eucaristía: Rito Dos
Iglesia Episcopal La Esperanza de Familias Unidas – Domingo - 5:00 p.m.
y vía transmisión en vivo en nuestra página de Facebook.
 
Zoom Compline
Sunday -  8:00 p.m.
 
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 838 6168 8528
Passcode: 800
Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 or +1 346 248 7799
 
We hope to “see” you all on Sunday as you are most comfortable!
 
Dawnell+, Whit+, Deacon Rita, and Deacon Rob
 
Art from Clip Art, Steve Erspamer, Liturgy Training Publications – ltp.org

Enmegahbowh

Enmegahbowh, Priest and Missionary, 1902

The Collect:

Almighty God, who led your pilgrim people of old by fire and cloud: Grant that the ministers of your church, following the example of your servant Enmegahbowh, may lead your people with fiery zeal and gentle humility; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Enmegahbowh (c. 1820 – June 12, 1902; from Enami'egaabaw, meaning "He that prays [for his people while] standing"; also known as John Johnson) was the first Native American to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church. Born around 1820, Enmegahbowh (pronounced En-meh-GAH-boe), was the only child of the chief of an Ojibwe Band on Rice Lake near Peterborough, Canada. He was raised in a Christian village near Petersburg which was affiliated with the Methodists. On July 4, 1841 Enmegahbowh married Biwabikogeshigequay (a/k/a Iron Sky Woman and baptized Charlotte), niece of Hole-in-the-Day. He met the Rev. Ezekiel Gilbert Gear, chaplain at Fort Snelling at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, and became an Episcopalian. Gear eventually introduced Enmegahbowh to the Rev. James Lloyd Breck, a missionary who had arrived in Minnesota in 1851, and who baptised Enmegahbowh. Bishop Jackson Kemper ordained the youth a deacon in 1859, and Enmegahbowh went to Crow Wing, Minnesota to assist in founding St. Columba Mission. During the Dakota War of 1862, which began as treaty payments were due for distribution to the starving Sioux at Fort Ridgely, the Gull Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa rose to attack near-by Fort Ripley. Enmegahbowh prevented other Ojibwa bands from joining the Gull Lake Band, for which the rebels imprisoned him. Enmegahbowh escaped and traveled thirty miles at night to warn Fort Ripley. This discouraged the Gull Lake Band from attacking the fort. In 1867 Bishop Whipple ordained Enmegahbowh a priest. In 1869 he encouraged Chief White Cloud's mission to establish peace between the Ojibwe and the Sioux in 1869. Enmegahbowh died at the White Earth Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota on June 12, 1902 at the age of 95, and is buried in St. Columba's churchyard.*

 What a great story!

*The Lectionary, James Kiefer and Wikipedia, http://satucket.com/lectionary/Enmegahbowh.htm,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enmegahbowh

Saint Barnabas

Saint Barnabas the Apostle

Today the Church remembers Saint Barnabas.

“Joseph,” a Levite, born in Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (son of encouragement), sold a field he owned, brought the money, and turned it over to the apostles." (Acts 4:36f). This is the first mention we have of Barnabas. His new name fits what we know of his actions. When Saul (or Paul) came to Jerusalem after his conversion, most of the Christians there wanted nothing to do with him. They had known him as a persecutor and an enemy of the Church. But Barnabas was willing to give him a second chance. He looked him up, spoke with him, and brought him to see the other Christians, vouching for him. Later, Paul and Barnabas went on a missionary journey together, taking Mark with them. Part way, Mark turned back and went home. When Paul and Barnabas were about to set out on another such journey, Barnabas proposed to take Mark along, and Paul was against it, saying that Mark had shown himself undependable. Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance, and so he and Mark went off on one journey, while Paul took Silas and went on another. Apparently Mark responded well to the trust given him by the "son of encouragement," since we find that Paul later speaks of him as a valuable assistant (2 Tim 4:11; see also Col 4:10 and Phil 24).*

We add our prayers for the clergy and people of St. Barnabas in Lafayette.

The Collect:

Grant, O God, that we may follow the example of your faithful servant Barnabas, who, seeking not his own renown but the well­being of your Church, gave generously of his life and substance for the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

*The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://satucket.com/lectionary/Barnabas.htm

Ephrem of Nisibis

Ephrem of Nisibis, Deacon and Poet, 373

The Collect:

Pour out upon us, O Lord, that same Spirit by which your deacon Ephrem declared the mysteries of faith in sacred song; that, with gladdened hearts, we too might proclaim the riches of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Ephrem was a teacher, poet, orator, and defender of the Faith.*

*The Lectionary, http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Ephrem_Edessa.htm