May 31, Trinity Sunday

An Introduction to Praying the Anglican Rosary
Hosted by Kelly Brandt and Briony James May 30th at 9:00am
Please join us at the church for an introduction to praying the Anglican Rosary. All are welcome and we have "loaner rosary beads" for those of you who don't have your own as well as a printed handout of the prayer to be recited. After a brief "how to" and introduction to the beads we will pray the rosary together. Praying the Anglican Rosary takes approximately 15 minutes. We hope you will join us! 

The Anglican Rosary:  What in the world is that?

I’m glad you asked that question:  See below

Major religions have for centuries advocated the use of prayer beads as an aid to prayer. A modern twist on this ancient tradition is the development of the Anglican Rosary, also known as "Episcopal Prayer Beads" or "Christian Rosary". Known and used as "Rosary beads" by Roman Catholics, "Mala beads" in the Hindu religion and "Chotki" in the Greek Orthodox tradition, the earliest prayer beads were most probably loose stones carried in the pocket, used to number one's prayers at set times of day. Eventually they were strung together so as not to be so easily lost.

While the Catholic Rosary has 59 beads and the Hindu mala 108, the number of beads in the Anglican rosary has been set at 33, the number of years in Christ's life. A set of Anglican beads is comprised of four sets of 7 beads called "weeks". The number 7 represents wholeness and completion, and reminds us of the 7 days of creation, the 7 days of the temporal week, the 7 seasons of the church year, and the 7 sacraments. Four "cruciform" beads separate the "weeks". They represent the 4 points of the cross and its centrality in our lives and faith, the 4 seasons of the temporal year, and the 4 points on a compass. Anglican prayer beads use a cross rather than a crucifix. Near the cross is the "invitatory bead". The beads may be of wood, glass or stone and the cross of wood or metal.

The Anglican Rosary is more than a simple recitation of prayers. The beads offer a focal point to help keep the mind still while praying, thus allowing the prayer to become physical as well as mental. The purpose of praying with beads is to allow the repetition of words (a Bible verse, mantra or portion of a psalm, for instance) to quiet the mind and bring us into stillness. At the end of the rosary we are invited to sit in silent communion with God.

The Anglican Rosary is limited only by one's imagination. Portions of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, such as the daily devotionals or Prayers of the People, are easily adapted to rosary praying. The daily collects and lectionary readings are another possibility. One might use a favorite canticle or psalm, or the Nicene Creed, or even the verses and refrain of a favorite hymn. The Jesus Prayer, Lord's Prayer or Serenity Prayer also lend themselves well to the rosary, as do adages such as "this, too, shall pass" or "let go and let God". All of these methods are simply a means to the Way, a vehicle to deep, still silence in God's presence, the ultimate form of prayer.

The Holy Trinity

Sunday May 31

What is God?  St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that theology is our talk about God in response to God’s talk about God.  God’s own talk is the very life of the Godhead.  That conversation within the Godhead is, as Christians call it, the “Trinity”: an uttering in love, a Word uttered and Love returned, a sort of tryst.  God himself is, as it were all talk, all love, all loving talk.  And the Trinitarian life of God took the form of a Word made flesh and became speech addressed to us, the Word that is Christ is what St. Thomas calls, “holy teaching.”  Theology as St. Thomas says, is neither more nor less than our human reception of and response to that Word of God that is spoken to us in Christ.  Being in this way our talk about God’s talk about God, the discipline of theology begins and ends in the God it is about, the Trinitarian conversation extended into the human through Jesus’ prayer to his father, so that reciprocally, our human conversation might by grace and prayer extend into the Trinitarian life of God.  Thus does the Christian, through faith, participate in the conversation that is God.       

                                                                                         Aquinas: A Portrait

                                                                                         Denys Turner

Theology does not attempt to demonstrate the Trinitarian faith, but to disclose it to our minds more clearly within a contemplative exercise which is addressed to believers.  This exercise obeys the basic laws of the human mind, which the understanding of the faith cannot avoid:  we illumine that which is less known, or more obscure, by that which is more accessible, that is through realities which are better proportioned to what our own thinking is suited to know.  Unless one does this, one can affirm the Trinitarian faith, but one cannot make it more evident to the mind of believes, which is the very task of theology.

                                                            The Trinitarian Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas

                                                            Giles Emery O.P.

We are compelled to attempt what is unattainable, to climb where we cannot reach, to speak what we cannot utter.  Instead of the bare adoration of faith we are compelled to entrust the deep things of religion to the perils of human expression.

                                                            St. Hilary of Poitiers

 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Level 1

May 31:  The Holy Trinity

 Field Trip

 Children of the Level I atrium will meet at the MAIN church this Sunday, May 31, at 9:15 am.    Most Sundays after their work in the atrium, the children enter into the main sanctuary and are very excited to rejoin their families.    They may participate in the Eucharist, sit until the last hymn is sung, then fly out the door to catch a treat.   Rarely do we take the time to receive all the beauty our little church so freely gives.      

This Sunday, we are going to take our time.   We will sit, “be still” for a moment, listen to the choir if the members are practicing, and enjoy the beautiful environment.    We will look at the front window, the altar, altar cloth, the prayer book, lectern and lectionary, the pulpit, the crucifix, and candles.  We will look for the tabernacle, the cruets, chalice and paten, and even the flowers.   We will go to the back to talk about the baptismal font.    One or two may make the connection between the atrium and the main church.  It is not necessary they do now, but that is where we are headed.   

For those who cannot make it at this earlier time, we will be heading toward the Parish Hall around 10:00 am and begin our time there at 10:15.    We hope to see you at either of those two times. 

A courtesy reminder:  the following week will be the last session of the Level I atrium prior to summer.    On that day, we will meet at the usual time 10:00 am in the Parish Hall. 

 Ms. Georgie 

 Level 4

We continue our exploration of The One and Only True and Authoritative, Historically Correct, and Officially Approved Report of the Amazing Rise, God Fearing Life, Heroic Deeds, and Wonderful Achievements of David the Son of Jesse, King of Judah Seven years, and of both Judah and Israel for Thirty three, Chosen of God and Father of King Solomon.*    Or by it’s working Title:  The King  David Report.   This week:  Consequences of the Cover up! 

* Quoted from the novel, The King David Report,  by East German writer, Stefan Heym

Emmaus Road:  New Book:  The Imitation of Christ

Emmaus Road continues its reading of The Imitation of Christ.   The book presents us with two challenges.  One is to engage the Medieval thought forms, which is a quite different sensibility than our own time.   At first the strangeness can be off putting and one might easily dismiss what Thomas a Kempis is saying.   However, such modern peoples such as Dorothy Day, the founder of The Catholic Worker community, carried it with her at all times.  Penetrating below the surface we encounter the second challenge,  a timeless wisdom about the human condition.   It may be a “distant mirror,” but mirror it is nonetheless.   The book is not very long, only very deep, and it is available from Amazon.  We’ll be using the Dover Thrift Edition which is only $4.00.  

 There is no problem jumping in at any point.  For Monday we’ll read to page 90.

Disaster Preparedness.   Saturday May 30,  9-3 Ascension Parish Sierra Madre

The Disaster Preparedness is proceeding.  Vestry member Stephanie Hseih who is heading it up met with the Finance Committee to begin thinking of how we can continue operating in the event of a major disaster.   Fr. Bob has reached out to Hillsides to see about coordinating our Disaster Plan with theirs.   Fr. Michael Bamberger who consults on disaster preparedness and recover for Episcopal Relief and Development, and who is the Diocesan Disaster Coordinator will host a conference for Parishes and Institutions on disaster preparedness on Saturday May 30 at his parish in Sierra Madre.  Fr. Bob, Stephanie Hseih, and Jim Goltz will attend.  Our next step will be to figure out how the parishioners can be contacted and possibly assisted should a disaster strike. 

Parents and  Children Barbecue  Sunday June 7, 4:30 p.m.

We’ll do our first of two Annual Parent and Children Barbecues at the Rectory on Sunday June 7.  We usually do two, one at the end of school and the other right before school begins again.  Parents and children are invited to the Rectory for fun and food.  Details will follow as we get closer. 

An email has gone out to all parents in the parish.  We look forward to a good event.

Young Adult Barbecue:  Saturday, June 13, 4:30 p.m.

A number of young adults have started attending COA.  In an effort to help connect them to each other and the parish as well, Fr. Bob will host a barbecue at the Rectory on Saturday June 13.   We look forward to a nice gathering and deepening fellowship.  

An email has gone out.  We hope everyone will come. 

Music with the Angels

Jouyssance Concert:     The Song of Songs

Sunday, June 14, 4:00 p.m.

The evocative poetry of the Song of Solomon inspired composers of the Middle Ages and Renaissance to produce some of their most beautiful music.  Enjoy songs of love from Josquin, Victoria, Palestrina, Dunstable, Guerro, and selections from the Montpeillier Codex

$25.00 General Admission

$20.00 Seniors and SCEMS members

$15.00 Students

www.jouyssance.org