VBS was Great!

..and such a fun time.  This year's Village VBS was a joint effort of  McClellanville First Baptist, McClellanville Methodist; New Wappetaw Presbyterian, and St. James Santee Episcopal.   We had anywhere from 55 to 70 children who went "Diving Deep" into God's love via Cokesbury's Operation Overboard.  Lots of enthusiastic singing, art projects, teachings, games and snacks made for a fine experience.  And..the decorations were terrific.  Thanks, everyone.   See you next year at VBS 2013!

Fourth of July

...is evocative of so many things...In honor of the day, here is a video of the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps which is followed by a prayer for our nation written by Thomas Jefferson. 

There is a very nice history of this group on the YouTube website....you can get to the history by clicking on the YouTube logo in the bottom right of the frame.

A Prayer for the Nation

Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people, the multitude brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Thomas Jefferson--Washington D.C., March 4, 1801

Village VBS 2012

Village VBS - 2012

July 9th-13th

9-12 pm

         Our theme this year is Operation Overboard  and we will be challenging participants to

Go Deep with God.

 We warmly invite all Village children (preschool to 4th grade)

 to participate. Older children and youth are very welcome

 as helpers.  Join us for a fun and faith-building time.

                                                                 

Pentecost...

...is upon us.  This coming Sunday, we will celebrate one of the great Feasts of the Church - the giving of the Holy Spirit.  We also are celebrating the arrival of our new church musician Mr. Gary Stegall.  In honor of both occasions, here is a rendition of one of the most well known hymns of Pentecost - Veni Creator Spiritus..(English tranlastion of the Latin text below)



Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
and in our hearts take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heav'nly aid,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O Comforter, to Thee we cry,
Thou heav'nly gift of God most high,
Thou Fount of life, and Fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.

O Finger of the hand divine,
the sevenfold gifts of grace are thine;
true promise of the Father thou,
who dost the tongue with power endow.

Thy light to every sense impart,
and shed thy love in every heart;
thine own unfailing might supply
to strengthen our infirmity.

Drive far away our ghostly foe,
and thine abiding peace bestow;
if thou be our preventing Guide,
no evil can our steps betide.

Praise we the Father and the Son
and Holy Spirit with them One;
and may the Son on us bestow
the gifts that from the Spirit flow.

Great Photos from Brick Church Sunday 2012

Dear Folks,

Walter Shockley has published a very nice set of photos from this year's Brick Church service.  The link is here. 

Brick Church 2012 Photos

Brick Church Sunday - April 15

...and we hope you can join us. It will be a great day. Our preacher will be The Rev. Dr. Ladson Mills, III.   The service will be RT I and Holy Baptism.

Service begins at 11:00 am. Bring a covered dish, your most joyful Easter spirits and join us.
The picnic will still be on even if it is raining. In the event of SEVERE weather (tornadoes), the picnic will be moved to the Morrison House (the parish house of the Chapel of Ease - directions to the right).

Happy Easter!!! Jesus is on the Loose!

Look at the vigor of the Risen Christ!  I love this painting by Titian with sunrise on the horizon --Who is the witness on the left?  Here are some thoughts from the Archbishop of York on Easter ..check out his website..

" Someone recently told me that their favourite verse in the bible was Philippians chapter 4 verse 13 which says ‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me’. She said, ‘This tells me that God can make the impossible, possible.’
The resurrection of Jesus that we celebrate today shows us that nothing is beyond God’s power to make a difference, not even death. Because He went to hell and back and that means that there is always hope.
My prayer is the same for all people. I pray that you will know that God loves you and has a purpose for you. I pray that you will be inspired to become all that God has created you to be. I pray that you will be enabled to change your environment and to make it the place that God wants it to become. The challenge starts now and it is a challenge for you and for me!
There is hope, and, whatever our past, together with God, suddenly anything is possible. This is truly fantastic news."

The rest is here     (Click and scroll down)

Good Friday 2012

“The Passion” by George Herbert

Since blood is fittest, Lord, to write
Thy sorrows in, and bloody fight;
My heart hath store; write there, where in
One box doth lie both ink and sin:

That when sin spies so many foes,
Thy whips, thy nails, thy wounds, thy woes,
All come to lodge there, sin may say,
No room for me, and fly away.

Sin being gone, oh fill the place,
And keep possession with thy grace;
Lest sin take courage and return,
And all the writings blot or burn.

 

“The Coming” by R.S. Thomas

And God held in his hand
A small globe. Look, he said.
The son looked. Far off,
As through water, he saw
A scorched land of fierce
Colour. The light burned
There; crusted buildings
Cast their shadows: a bright
Serpent, a river
Uncoiled itself, radiant
With slime.
On a bare
Hill a bare tree saddened
The sky. Many people
Held out their thin arms
To it, as though waiting
For a vanished April
To return to its crossed
Boughs. The son watched
Them. Let me go there, he said.

Almost Easter...

..but still Lent.  However, we turned the corner this past Sunday by switching the proper preface for the Eucharistic prayer.  The azaleas are blazing around here and the dogwoods are lighting up as well.  Hope there will be flowers for the flowering of the cross Easter Day - BUT we always wonder and there is always something.  God is good!  Palm Sunday is little less than two weeks away.  The GL Taber azaleas in my backyard are looking a little leggy (wish I could say the same thing about myself) so that means it will be time to do a big cutback.  In a way, this is what Lent can be for us - a chance to cut way back and to get down to the growing heart of our spirits.  It's not too late for this year for you because its still Lent.  Blessings one and all.

My backyard this week.

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes - Coming Right Up!

St. James Family and Friends are warmly invited to our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper - February 21st - featuring pancakes, sausage, and all the trimmings.  Please plan to join us. 

The next day is Ash Wednesday -Feb. 22, service at 6:30 PM.

Happy Twelfth Night! - Epiphany Party this Sat, Jan 7, 5:00pm

Today, Jan 5, is the twelfth day of Christmas. In the Orthodox Churches, Twelfth Night is celebrated the same way we celebrate Christmas Eve. Children receive their presents just as the Three Kings brought presents to the Christ Child and all are admonished to follow the Light of Christ.

Everyone is reminded of our Epiphany Party this coming Saturday at 5:00 pm at the Hurteau home. Please join us for chili, fun and a celebration of the Three Kings.

Fractal Art above by an artist who identifies himself only  as FracFx.  Here is his website  http://fracfx.deviantart.com/  Deviant does not refer to character but to  show fractal variations on a theme in his art. Check it out.

A Lovely Poem for Christmas

The Christ-child
The Christ-child lay on Mary's lap,
His hair was like a light.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here is all aright.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary's breast,
His hair was like a star.
(O stern and cunning are the kings,
But here the true hearts are.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary's heart,
His hair was like a fire.
(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world's desire.)

The Christ-child stood at Mary's knee,
His hair was like a crown.
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down.

GK Chesterton

So this is Christmas

"So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun"  - John Lennon.

Thus begins the song of John Lennon.  It is somewhat melancholy, and Christmas really can be melancholy if its sole purpose is taking stock of what we have done and  left undone. Perhaps, this is one reason gift giving can become so frantic, so unrealistic.

 Now, please understand - I believe that stock-taking is something that we need to do regularly.  Thomas Cranmer, framer of our Book of Common Prayer, understood that we need confession and to hear the Declaration of Forgiveness.  But, we make a mistake if Christmas is about us and our failings.

No, Christmas is about what God has and is doing.  Christmas is, in part, God's response to our failings and, so it is a time of JOY.  God has unilaterally declared peace with us.  "The war is over" as Lennon sang.  While Lennon was most likely referring to the Vietnam War, he spoke more truth than he knew.  For, in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, God has declared "The war is over."    Remember the angels' song "Glory to God in the highest and Peace to his people on earth. "     God  has declared peace with us.  This Christmas, why don't you and I  declare peace with those with whom we have been at odds - family members, neighbors nearby and  those who may be far away.  May you have a Holy and Blessed Christmas and remember "The war is over."

JTCO

Ponder This: A Murmuration

A remarkable glimpse of the mystery of God's creation!  A murmuration...


Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Advent At Last

Thank goodness Advent is here.  Not only is it the start of a brand new year but it has built-in restfulness if we will let ourselves take hold of it.  "Patient Waiting" is plenty hard to do, but it is what we are called to in Advent.  We 21st c. folks in the West do NOT like to wait.  We seem to want instant everything, but then, when we have gained that which we desired to have instantly, we often find ourselves feeling dissatisfied.  So many of the best things in life take time to come into being:  a new baby, a work of art, a disciplined prayer life, a course of study, and intimate relationship whether with others or with God.  We most often see waiting as wasted time, but waiting is never wasted when it is purposeful.   Below are two Advent videos - each with a very differnt feel.  The first, a seeming contradiction to all that I have just written above, is a super speedy introduction to Advent.  The second is a much slower, more meditative approah.  I hope you are blessed by both.

FollowUp to Situation in Egypt - Miracles Do Happen

The following is an update from the Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer H. Anis, Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa.
13 October 2011

My Dear Friends,

In the tradition of the Coptic Orthodox Church there was a story of a Muslim Caliph who challenged the Coptic Patriarch and said "you have a verse in your Bible that says, 'by faith you can move mountains.'" The Caliph added, "Show me that this verse is true and move the mountain of Mokottam (in the south of Cairo). If you cannot move it, I will kill all the Christians. "
The Patriarch was very sad and worried because he was not quite sure that the mountain would move. He was contacted by a shoe maker named Simon who said to the Patriarch, "do not worry, let us just pray and fast for three days and our mighty Lord will make a miracle!"
The Patriarch called for prayer and fasting for three days. On the third day, the doubting Caliph came to see if the mountain would move or not. The worried Patriarch was praying with his people, and behind them, Simon was interceding with confidence.
The mountain moved! The Caliph said, "I now know that you worship the true God."
Today was the third day of fasting and prayer. Many of our staff in the Diocese of Egypt, having this story in mind, were expecting a miracle to happen today or tomorrow; a miracle that can show how God will rescue His Church!
Today I have seen a miracle. It was very much like moving a mountain. I went this morning to visit the Grand Imam of AI Azhar. I arrived a bit early and I waited at the office of his advisor. While waiting I saw a bearded Muslim man in his 50's who came to present a proposal to the Grand Imam's advisor. He said, "I am a Muslim and I live between Tahrir Square and Maspero. I came here to witness that the spirit of hatred against Christians has increased a lot. On the night of the 9th of October when the killing of Christians took place, I met a group of people who were searching for Christians to beat after they heard that Christians attacked the army."
The man added, "Hatred is on the rise and I came to witness for this." He proposed then that AI Azhar must respond to all the thoughts that promote this hatred towards Christians. He also said that, "I and a group of Muslim writers and artists are happy to devote our time in order to combat this hatred against Christians. We have a list of books we must respond to and correct the false teachings towards Christians."
The advisor of the Grand Imam said to him, "this is a very good idea. Why don't we have the idea written and I will present it to the Grand Imam."
I did not believe my ears! A group of Muslims are disturbed by hatred of Christians and want to combat this hatred! !!!
To me, this was a miracle!
Who moved the heart of these people? Certainly it is God, who hears our prayers!

Let us continue to pray.

The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer H. Anis
 
Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt
with North Africa and the Horn of Africa
President Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican
Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East

Urgent Prayer Request from Egypt

The following message from Bishop Mouneer Anis was received in the Diocesan Office on October 9, 2011. Please keep our brothers and sisters in Egypt in your prayers.

Dear Friends,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

I do request your urgent prayers as the situation here in Cairo is very inflamed. Many Christians demonstrated after the incident of the burning of a church building in Mari Nab near Aswan (Egypt). The demonstrations started peacefully as the people were requesting that investigations for the incidents of burning and demolishing churches would be completed and the new law for building churches, that was promised four months ago, would be passed.

This evening it turned to be very violent between demonstrators and the military. More than 20 people were killed and more than 100 were injured.
Tomorrow there will be a large meeting for the House of Bishops of the Coptic Orthodox Church and political leaders will have a separate meeting to discuss a way out of this very difficult situation. I would appreciate your prayers for our beloved country.

We will hold prayer meetings tomorrow and I hope that I can meet with Muslim religious leaders in order to discuss a way forward for the situation.

Thank you for your prayers.

--The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis

Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa

President Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East

The Blessing of the Animals - Oct. 9, 4:00 PM

Everyone is cordially invited to St. James-Santee's annual Blessing of the Animals.  It will be held at 4:00 pm, Sunday, Oct. 9 - on the steps of the Chapel of Ease.  Please join us and bring whatever critters you may have.  The Blessing of the Animals is offered in thanksgiving for the life of St. Francis of Assisi.  Here is his Collect (prayer).

 Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfectness of joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

We Are Celebrating

the debut of a book by Bud Hill and  Billy Baldwin.  The official "launch" is Friday, Sept. 23rd at 7:00 pm at McClellanville's Town Hall.  Please join us!

Blessing of the Backpacks is This Sunday- August 21, 10:00 am

Please join us for the blessing and an ice cream party following Church.  All student, teachers, administrators, and helpers of all descriptions are welcome.  Fun aplenty.

 Also,  if you are out and about, pick up one school supply item for the offering.  We'll be taking them to Windwood Farm, one of our domestic mission partners.

 Read more about the wonderful work of Windwood Farm by clicking right  Here.

The Feast Day of our Patron Saint - St. James the Apostle

...was this week - July 25th -- below is a nice write up (heavy on legend)  about St. James and includes a recipe for a well known dish - Coquille St. Jacque - developed in honor of St. James...check it out!

St. James was the son of Zebedee, a Galilean fisherman, and Salome, a pious woman who tended after Christ. He and his younger brother, St. John (Feast Day: December 27), were called as disciples just after Simon Peter and Andrew were called, and Peter, James and John are often mentioned together in Scripture, having been witness to the raising of Jairus's daughter, the Transfiguration, and Christ's Agony in the garden of Gethsemani.

He and his brother must have been quick to anger and zealous as they came to be called "Boanerges" ("Sons of Thunder") -- a nickname given to them by Jesus Himself. After Our Lord's Ascension, tradition says that St. James's zeal for evangelizing took him to parts of Spain for a time, as St. Paul had wanted to do (Romans 15:24), whereafter he returned to Judea for his martyrdom.

In A.D. 44, Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great who tried to have the infant Jesus killed, set out to do the will of the Jews by dealing harshly with local Christians. St. James was accused, and Herod then "killed James, the brother of John, with the sword." (Acts 12:1-2). Church Historian, Eusebius, tells us that St. James's accuser followed James to martyrdom when he converted after hearing the Saint's confession to Herod.

Here tradition picks up again by telling us that James's relics were translated to Spain (of course, legends grew surrounding the event, one strange and lovely one in particular apparently meant to explain why the cockleshell is St. James's emblem. It is said that when the Saint's relics were being conveyed by ship from Jerusalem and approached the coast of Portugal, a man happened to be riding his horse on the beach. The horse disobediently plunged into the sea, with its rider, making for the boat. They sank, of course, but then rose again, covered with scallop shells, and hence the cockleshell became the symbol of our hero). The relics were entombed and rather forgotten after years of Roman persecution, Vandal and Visigoth invasions, and Muslim attacks -- forgotten, that is, until an early 9th century hermit named Pelayo discovered the tomb -- some say after seeing a star marking the place -- in an area that became known as Compostela, which means "Field of Stars." The King built a cathedral to mark the location (Pelayo's Bishop, Theodomor of Iria, is also buried there, refusing to be buried in his See out of his desire to be near the Saint).


The faithful began to make pilgrimages to the site -- so much so that Compostela became the third greatest place of pilgrimage, just after Jerusalem and Rome -- and still make the pilgrimage today. After making one of the many routes, known as "the Camino," pilgrims attach cockleshells or their facsimile to their hats or clothes as "pilgrim badges."

At the time of the Muslim ("Moorish") invasions mentioned above, a particular battle took place that was to seal St. James ever more closely to Spain, where he is known as "Sant  Iago."  (Saint James) At the Battle of Clavijo in A.D. 841, the Christians had lost and were in retreat when King Ramirez of Leon had a dream in which the Apostle assured him of victory. He relayed his vision to his men, and the next morning he had his trumpeters sound the call to battle. There, on the field, the men saw St. James on a horse adorned with cockleshells, waving a banner. He led the Christians on to a clear victory, and ever since, the Spanish battle-cry has been "Santiago!"

St. James is the Patron of Spain, equestrians, blacksmiths, tanners, veterinarians. He is usually depicted in art with his symbols -- the cockleshell, pilgrim hat, sword, Sacred Scripture -- or on horeseback, usually trampling a Moor.

For more (including the recipe)  read on...

http://www.fisheaters.com/customstimeafterpentecost4x.html

Here is..."his" Cathedral in Compostela, Spain

Click on image to enlarge it...

Trinity Sunday - Remember to Breathe

A Beautiful Thought about Our Triune God

And that same Father says to each soul in His infinite loving kindness, "Thou art Mine and I am thine: I am thine and thou art Mine, for I have chosen thee from all eternity." … When we unite ourselves to God by love, then we are spirit: but when we are caught up and transformed by His Spirit, then we are led into fruition. And the spirit of God Himself breathes us out from Himself that we may love, and may do good works; and again he draws us into Himself, that we may rest in fruition. And this is Eternal Life; even as our mortal life subsists in the indrawing and outgoing of our breath.



-John of Ruysbroeck c. 1294-1381

De Septem Gradibus Amoris, ch. 14

 
A Spiral-Shaped God © Jan L. Richardson

Our Annual Brick Church Service....

.....is THIS Sunday - May 1st.  You and yours are warmly invited to join the St. James Santee Parish Episcopal Church Family.  11:00 am, followed by Cover Dish Picinic! 

Scroll down on the right side of this page for directions.

Easter Day 2011

Alleluia!  Alleluia! Alleluia! -

Christ is Risen!

The Lord is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!  Alleluia Alleluia!

Church was so beautiful and  full, music was uplifting, children scampered to pick up 350 plus Easter eggs and the Lord Jesus was glorified.    Resurrection is Real!   Alleluia!

Holy Week 2011

...began with a glorious Palm-Passion Sunday and will continue with Maundy Thursday at 6:30 pm and Good Friday at noon.  Come, walk the week and keep watch.

Here are some more pictures from the Windy Fire...they are such a strong symbol of the desolation that surely was the Lord's as he hung on the cross...

"For us to wicked hands betrayed, scourged mocked, in purple robe arrayed, he bore the shameful cross and death; for us gave up his dying breath."  (O Love, how deep, how broad, how high - Hymnal 1982 - 449)

Click on the pictures to enlarge them