Guía de la iglesia

Happy Saturday, one and all. Just a reminder that today, after our 4:30 Liturgy we shall gather in Holy Innocents Hall for our Annual Family Picnic. Lots of food, family and fun. All are welcome. If you're in the neighborhood, know you are welcome to stop in, share some time with us and grab a bite to eat. At St. Nicholas Episcopal...All are welcome...Period. And Where Love is Fluently Spoken. Let us pray: Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love. We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side. We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us. We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone. Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom. Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know him and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)

"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians: 13:13 "Love is all you need." The Beatles Yes...it's just that easy...to love.

11, July Today the church remembers Benedict of Nursia, Abbot of Monte Cassino, c. 540. 5th Century Europe was a riotous time. Governments were corrupt and the very few controlled the overwhelming majority of wealth and authority. Corruption was widespread and God seemingly was no longer 'necessary.' Many women and men, in an effort to avoid the cruelty of the times escaped and hid themselves becoming hermits or recluses. Benedict of Nursia however chose a different, far more challenging course. In the town of Subiaco and later, in Monte Cassino, Benedict founded the very first monastic communities in Western Europe. Initially, Benedict's communities consisted of laymen. Their daily life within the monastery consisted of daily prayers (The Office), studying Sacred Scripture and the necessary manual labor that helped upkeep the facility and charitable works within the larger community. Nothing within the community was personal property, for all was "common property." At the very heart of the Benedict's Rule was hospitality to all guests, a tradition that continues to this very day, over 1500 years later. After Benedict's death, his monasteries began to draw hundreds and hundreds of men, all seeking a closer communion to Christ Jesus. These monasteries flourished, as did their ministries, which included the running of orphanages, schools, hospitals as well as some of the governmental responsibilities of the villages and towns these monasteries were established. Benedict and his community are largely responsible for the conversion and civilization of England. The magnificent Westminster Abbey in London was for many, many years a Benedictine monastery. Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, your precepts are the wisdom of a loving Father: Give us grace, following the teaching and example of your servant Benedict, to walk with loving and willing hearts in the school of the Lord's service; let your ears be open to our prayers; and prosper with your blessing the work of our hands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)

A wonderful weekend at our beloved St. Nicholas Church. The joyful baptism of little Emmi and the return of Mary, our music and choir director and the shared joys of the entire church family made this a most memorable time. How blessed when we gather to share faith and grace and strength found in the Holy Eucharist. We are truly blessed. In the rush, rush, rush of our busy days, let us be mindful that our God watches over us with tender care and a parent's love. Let us give pause to offer our sincere thanks and gratitude for all the Lord provides. Let us pray: O Lord support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen and the evening come, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen

June 21, 2019 Dear Friends: Today, local and national news outlets are reporting that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will begin rounding up migrant families who have received deportation orders early on Sunday morning in Chicago and other major cities. It is expected that these raids will also result in the arrest of many undocumented immigrants who have not received deportation orders. For the past several years, as federal immigration policy has become harsher, deportations have increased and families, including Episcopalians in our own congregations here in the Diocese of Chicago, have lived in unprecedented fear. This news of new raids and mass deportations threatens to make these fears real as families are torn apart and members of our communities and congregations are wrenched away from lives they have labored for years to build. Coupled with recent reports of inhumane and even deadly conditions in shelters for migrants on our southern border, the threat of these raids makes it difficult not to conclude that our immigration system is failing to operate with common humanity or to embody the highest values of our country or its people. As I wrote to you last year, the story of God’s people fleeing persecution and seeking a promise of peace and plenty is also our story. “You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien,” God tells the children of Israel in Exodus 22:21, “for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” Especially now, those of us who are U.S. citizens must remember our lineage as the people of God and stand in solidarity with the migrants in our midst. The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations provides resources for accompanying undocumented immigrants and other immigration information and advocacy tools. These resources designed specifically for immigrants may be particularly helpful in preparing for immigration raids and family separations. On the Office of Government Relations website, you can also find many opportunities to let Senators Durbin and Duckworth and your U.S. representative know your Christian perspective on our country’s current immigration policies. Most of all, I ask you to join me in praying for our friends, colleagues and fellow Episcopalians for whom this first weekend of summer is an occasion of fear and foreboding. May the peace of Christ, who was himself a migrant seeking refuge in a foreign land, be with us all. Faithfully, The Rt. Rev. Jeff Lee Bishop of Chicago

4, July As a nation, we celebrate our independence and the severing of the ties that had a then, young nation, bound to Mother England. Today, we find ourselves being bound to the destructive forces of pollution, poverty, the dehumanizing treatment of those seeking a better place to live and raise a family and the seemingly endless partisan politics. Let us pray for our country; let us pray for those we entrust with the enactment and practice of following our laws; let us pray for a more peaceful, compassionate and conscientious nation; and let us pray for ourselves, we the people, who, individually and collective is the very fabric of this country. Let us pray... Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)

30, June In today's Gospel from St. Luke, Jesus is making a rather clear statement to those who desired to follow him then and today...to follow Him is a full time commitment! Jesus desires us to join in His ministry and be disciples and the sharers of the Good News. Are we up to the challenge? Do we "have it" within us to truly and with full heart, mind and soul, follow Christ and do His work? The reality is we all can do our share and it starts with prayer and It starts with being part of a community of faith that is welcoming and inviting to all God's children, without exception, nor judgment. And at that worship, to truly give thanks for the myriad of blessings Our Lord bestows upon us. Then, filled with such grace and guidance, we go forth "to love and serve the Lord and one another." Thanks be to God! Let us pray: "Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.: Amen. (Collect; 3rd Sunday after Pentecost. The Episcopal Church)

Each day is a gift from God. Let us all be mindful to embrace what the Creator provides and cherish the time we have with family and friends. Let us pray: O God: Give me strength to live another day; Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties; Let me not lose faith in other people; Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness; Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them; Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity; Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things; Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth; Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness; and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. (Forward Movement. The Episcopal Church)

24, June Today the church remembers The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. "The prophet and forerunner of Jesus was his cousin, John, the only child of Elizabeth and Zechariah. He is sometimes called the last and the greatest of the prophets. John lived very plainly, wearing “camel’s hair and a leather girdle” and eating “locusts and wild honey.” He preached repentance and called upon people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. He baptized his followers to signify their repentance and new life. Hence he was called John the Baptist. Jesus himself was baptized by John in the River Jordan. John had many followers, at least some of whom became Christians. He preached strongly against the notorious sins of King Herod and was finally beheaded by the king at the request of his daughter Salome. John figures prominently in the New Testament, and Luke gives us an account of his nativity. His parents were elderly at the time of his birth. His father, a priest of the temple in Jerusalem, was struck dumb in a vision foretelling John’s birth and did not speak again until the baby was born. The magnificent canticle, Benedictus Dominus Deus (The Book of Common Prayer, pp. 50, 92), is attributed to Zechariah, the joyful father. John is particularly remembered during Advent as a prophet and during Epiphany as the baptizer of Jesus." (Forward Movement. The Episcopal Church) Let us pray; Almighty God, by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church) .

From the Order of St. Helena.

14, June Today the church remembers Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea, 379. "More than any other single man, Basil, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (modern central Turkey), was responsible for the shaping of the Eastern Church. He was handsome, brilliant, wealthy, and educated in the finest schools of his day. He did not turn from poverty of body or intellect to Christianity. He was a close friend of Gregory Nazianzus and his brother was Gregory of Nyssa (see March 9). Basil was an eloquent preacher and a most persuasive statesman. He was one of the key figures in the triumph of Christian orthodoxy over Arianism. He was a major contributor to the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Church which bears his name. Early in his career he founded a monastery on the island of Pontus, and he put forward the monastic rule that still prevails in the Eastern Church. Basil would accept no interpretation of the gospel that called for anything less than radical social action. He founded hospitals and organized a massive program for the relief of the poor, both of which were successful then and for many generations after his death. He called the rich Christians of his city “thieves,” saying, “What other name does he deserve who, being able to clothe the naked, yet refuses?…The clothes you store away belong to the naked; the shoes that molder in your closet belong to those who have none…”: (Forward Movement. The Episcopal Church) Let us pray: Almighty God, you have 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 steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Prayer)

12, June Today the church remembers Enmegahbowh, Priest and Missionary, 1902. "The first Native American priest of the Episcopal Church, Enmegahbowh was born in Canada, a member of the Ottawa tribe. He was baptized by the Methodists and he came to the United States in 1832 in the service of that church. Working among the Ojibway, he became discouraged and boarded a ship back to Canada. Enroute the vessel encountered a terrible storm on Lake Superior and had to turn back. It was in this situation that he had a vision of Jonah who said, “Ah, my friend Enmegahbowh, I know you. You are a fugitive. You have sinned and disobeyed God. Instead of going to Ninevah, where God sent you, you have turned aside...” This vision convinced Enmegahbowh that it was God"s will for him to remain among the Ojibway. He solicited the help of James Lloyd Breck (see April 2), the indefatigable Episcopal missionary to the old Northwest. Together they established St. Columba"s mission in Gull Lake, Minnesota, in 1852. Enmegahbowh was ordained to the diaconate in 1859 and in 1867 to the priesthood. His remarkable evangelical and pastoral ministry made a permanent impression on the Ojibway people, and his heroic leadership during the Sioux uprising of 1862 saved many lives on both sides. He oversaw the translation of biblical and liturgical texts into Ojibway and was a pivotal person in the development of Episcopal ministries among Native Americans in the western United States." (Forward Movement. The Episcopal Church) Let us pray: Almighty God,you led your pilgrim people of old with fire and cloud: Grant that the ministers of your Church, following the example of blessed Enmegahbowh, may stand before your holy people, leading them with fiery zeal and gentle humility. This we ask through Jesus, the Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)

10, June Today the church remembers Ephrem of Edessa, Syria, Deacon, 373. "Christianity flourished early in Syria, and Antioch was a major center of the church. Although that land is today dominated by Islam, the Syrian Orthodox Church still has well over a million members. One of the great fathers of the church in Syria was Ephrem of Edessa. Ephrem was the head of a very successful Christian school in Edessa. There he championed the Nicene faith, and in fact he may have been present in Nicaea for the famous council which met there in 325. He became well-known for the austerity and sanctity of his life as well as for his learning. His writings are voluminous and include biblical commentaries, essays on dogma, history, and biography, as well as a host of hymns. Many of the latter have long been an integral part of Syrian Orthodox worship. The Anglican Communion has long enjoyed warm and friendly relations with the Syrian Church. Ephrem"s feast would seem an appropriate time to give thanks to God for this relationship and for the witness of the Syrian Christians today and through the ages." (Forward Movement. The Episcopal Church) Let us pray: Almighty God, who enriched your church with the singular learning and holiness of your Deacon Ephrem: Grant us to hold fast the true doctrine of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and to fashion our lives according to the same, to the glory of your great Name. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)

Blessings to our sister in faith, Rev. Bonnie Perry who has been selected and will now lead the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. God bless and sustain you in your new ministry.

8, June. Tradition was that on this, the eve of Pentecost, those who were to be baptized and welcomed as part of the body of the Church were to wear their white, baptismal gowns. There are those faith communities that uphold this sacred tradition in the face of changing and challenging times. Traditions stay and thrive, while others fade away into distant memories and that which we read of in our history texts. Pentecost remains relevant and rightly so. The Church celebrates this great feast, for it is a "good, right and holy thing" to joyfully recall and commemorate the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which descended upon those chosen few and imbued them with the ability to speak in languages new to them. Let us pray: Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect; Feast of Pentecost. The Episcopal Church)

5, June Today the church remembers Boniface, Archbishop of Mainz, Missionary to Germany, and Martyr, 754. The conversion of Germany to Christianity is considered perhaps the greatest achievement of the Anglo-Saxon Christians. Much credit for this conversion goes to Willibrord who first initiated this mission. However, the real credit goes to St. Boniface of Devonshire, England. His real name was Wynfrith, as Boniface was actually a nickname he was given. Translated, Boniface means "good deeds." Undeterred by his earlier efforts and failures in Holland, Boniface ventured deep into the German country where he brought many to embrace and accept Christ. Legend has it that as an act of outward faith and courage, Boniface chopped down the ancient and pagan Oak of Thor. When this image was felled, the natives were amazed and thus, they accepted Jesus and the faith of the Church. Eight German dioceses were established shortly afterword. The famous abbey of Fulda, Germany was founded by Boniface. He was consecrated the first Archbishop of Mainz, Germany. Though spending most of his life ministering in Germany, Boniface did not lose contact with his native and beloved England. He corresponded frequently with friends, who, in kind, sent him all the material goods he needed to establish churches throughout German. Although he gained such success and fame throughout Germany, his earlier failures in Holland troubled him. So, he tried, again, to convert the natives there. He was met with a violent group who attack Boniface and there, he was martyred. Let us pray: Almighty God, you called your faithful servant Boniface to be a witness and a martyr in Germany, and by his labor and suffering you raised up a people for your own possession: Pour out your Holy Spirit upon your Church in every land, that by the service and sacrifice of many your holy Name may be glorified and your kingdom enlarged; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)

St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, where all are welcome...period and where love is fluently spoken.

4, June 8:20am... The sun is struggling, once again, to make an appearance. Yet, this is a gift to us, this very day, with or without the sun's accompaniment, for it comes to us compliments of God. It is the Creator's choice to send us rain, which, in time, will nourish the soil and bring forth vegetation which in kind feeds the world's people. We have had a rather wet spring, but come the summer's unrelenting heat and humidity, pray in thanksgiving for reservoirs that are full. Let us pray: O heavenly Father, who has filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold Your gracious hand in all Your works; that, rejoicing in Your whole creation, we may learn to serve You with gladness; for the sake of Him through whom all things were made, Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)

3, June Today the church remembers The Martyrs of Uganda, 1886. "Africa boasts the world"s oldest Christian kingdom extant, Ethiopia, and also some of the newest Christian countries. Uganda in East Africa is one. A former British protectorate, it is now an independent republic and a part of the British Commonwealth. Christianity was introduced to Uganda by Anglican and Roman Catholic missionaries in the nineteenth century. They were well-received by the powerful king of Buganda, Mutesa. However, he was not converted, and he was succeeded by King Mwanga, a degenerate and perverse individual who sought a return to primitive animism. He expelled missionaries and began systematically terrorizing the native Christians. Many were flogged and mutilated. In 1884 three youths were burned to death for their faith. They were said to have approached martyrdom singing the favorite Swahili hymn, “Daily, daily sing the praises.” We do not know how many Christians died in this persecution but, between May 25 and June 3, 1886, at least thirty-two were martyred, most of them on a great pyre at Namugongo. Out of these afflictions, however, grew a strong indigenous church, a symbol of resurgent Christianity in Africa and of successful cooperation between Anglicans and Roman Catholics." (Forward Movement. The Episcopal Church) Let us pray: O God, by your providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church: Grant that we who remember before you the blessed martyrs of Uganda, may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ, to whom they gave obedience, even to death, and by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful harvest; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)

30, May Feast of the Ascension of our Lord This most holy day commemorates the Christian belief of Jesus' bodily Ascension into heaven. It is an 'ecumenical feast,' in that, all Christian churches recognized and celebrates with worship, prayers and the sharing of the Holy Eucharist. Ascension Thursday is regarded as sacred a day as Easter Sunday and Pentecost. Traditionally, Ascension Thursday is forty days after Easter, in accordance with the passages found in St. Mark and Luke's Gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles, though some Christian communities have moved this feast to the following Sunday. "Then Jesus led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While He was blessing them, He withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God." Luke 24: 53 Let us pray: Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect. Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church)