Inspire and strengthen us, O Lord God, by Thy Holy Spirit, to seek Thy will and uphold Thine honour in all things; in the purity and joy of our homes, in the trust and fellowship of our common life, in daily service of the good; after the pattern and in the power of Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ.
Absolutely gorgeous colour in the sky this morning in Glastonbury. It was a bit brisk up the top though 😂🥶 pic.twitter.com/cx7vWc2EZ1
— Michelle Cowbourne (@Glastomichelle) January 20, 2024
Almighty God, whose only-begotten Son hath led captivity captive and given gifts to thy people: Multiply among us faithful pastors, who, like thy holy bishop Wulfstan, will give courage to those who are oppressed and held in bondage; and bring us all, we pray, into the true freedom of thy kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Today the Church of England celebrates Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester, 1095 https://t.co/Kh8xnO2EIM
Image: Detail from window in Worcester Cathedral depicting Wulfstan, who was made Bishop of Worcester in 1062. Photo by Jules & Jenny from Lincoln, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia pic.twitter.com/q8tyFturbj
— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) January 19, 2024
Almighty God, who hast set in thy Church some with gifts to teach and help and administer, in diversity of operation but of the same Spirit: Grant to all such, we beseech thee, grace to wait on the ministry which they have received in the body of Christ with simplicity, diligence, and cheerfulness; that none may think of himself more highly than he ought to think, and none may seek another man’s calling, but rather to be found faithful in his own work; to the glory of thy name in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Bore da i chi o gât clôs ni…mwy o eira dros nôs a wedi rhewi’n gorn…cymerwch ofal bawb❄️❄️❄️
Bore da to you and a gorgeous wintery scene from our farmyard gateway…more snow over night and frozen solid…take care out there❄️❄️❄️@StormHour @ThePhotoHour @Ruth_ITV @S4Ctywydd pic.twitter.com/usu7TOOXxo
— Aled Hall 🏴 (@AledHall) January 19, 2024
Their intervention represents a shift in HTB leaders’ approach to long-running debates in the Church of England. For many years, HTB has sought to avoid public comment, seeking common ground, emphasising the importance of unity and evangelism, and steering clear of divisive questions. This stance also reflected awareness of differing views among leaders and members. HTB’s 10,000-strong congregations include people in gay relationships, it says.
It remains unclear to what extent the churches in the HTB network share the concerns expressed by the signatories to the Alliance letter. Responses to the Church Times email this week indicate that some undoubtedly do.
In the 6 December letter, the Alliance referred to “a growing number of parishes and clergy that wish to come under our umbrella of partners whilst not being linked to any of the main networks that are represented by the Alliance”.
HTB’s allies alarmed by bid to resist same-sex blessings https://t.co/Fyr0wms75E
— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) January 16, 2024
I will take comments on this submitted by email only to KSHarmon[at]mindspring[dot]com.
Almighty Father, who didst inspire Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the Living God: Keep thy Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Today, we celebrate the Blessed Feast of the Confession of St. Peter. pic.twitter.com/ail53NJzZB
— Gage C. Garlinghouse 🦬 (@Acolyte_1) January 18, 2023
O Thou, who givest to thy children liberally and upbraidest not: Preserve us from all envy at the good of our neighbour, and from every form of jealousy. Teach us to rejoice in what others have and we have not, to delight in what they achieve and we cannot accomplish, to be glad in all that they enjoy and we do not experience; and so fill us daily more completely with love; through him in whom thou hast promised to supply all our need, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
#LincsWolds #LoveUkWeather #Winter #Sunshine pic.twitter.com/l5YdDxwOx0
— ianW (@IanW1985) January 18, 2024
A homeless shelter has warned it may have to close because it only has enough money to run for another “four to five months”.
Churches in Reading Drop-In Centre (CIRDIC), a shelter based in St Saviour’s Church Hall in the town, says it costs £100,000 per year to run, and it currently only has about half of that.
Manager Mabel Gregory said it would be “dreadful” for the community if the centre had to close.
She said rising prices had made running the shelter “very, very difficult”.
“Our gas bill has gone up to £1,000 a month,” she said.
It would be beyond terrible were CIRDIC to close. It's been providing vital services for Reading's homeless for many years.https://t.co/dZDISP2hyP
— Karz From The 'Ding 🙄💙🦆☕🍺🍷🥃🦉🐧🧀 (@FFSKarz) January 17, 2024
O God, who by thy Holy Spirit didst enable thy servant Antony to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil: Give us grace, with pure hearts and minds, to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Today's the feast of St Anthony of Egypt, a 3C desert hermit monk who was popular in medieval England. He's usually shown with his little belled pig as on the early 16C screen at Westhall Suffolk. The prophet Elijah stands on the left. 1/2
Westhall: https://t.co/R68FK1zAlF pic.twitter.com/blSUe3AjkX
— Simon Knott (@SimoninSuffolk) January 17, 2024
Almighty God, the giver of strength and joy: Change, we beseech thee, our bondage into liberty, and the poverty of our nature into the riches of thy grace; that by the transformation of our lives thy glory may be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Guten Morgen ☕️🌺 wünsche euch einen traumhaften Tag 🌷
⭐️Idylle am Rhein ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/5zu9iAj26a— Renate Kleine (@RenateKleine) January 17, 2024
A great topic–“Speaking the Truth in Love:The Church and the Challenge of the New Morality”
You may find the list of speakers there and the conference schedule here.
Run, don’t walk, to register for the 2024 Mere Anglicanism Conference! We have an incredible lineup of speakers: D.A. Carson, John Dickson, @RebeccMcLaugh, @amyorrewing, Vaughan Roberts, @calvinrobinson, and Carl Trueman, and more! Register and learn more https://t.co/HMhInevD1D!
— Constantine (@SinnerSaved45) July 26, 2023
O Lord Jesus, who by thy first miracle didst manifest thy glory, so that thy disciples believed on thee: Give us in our measure that faith which dwelt in them. Fill us with the riches of thy good Spirit; change thou our earthly desires into the image of thine own purity and holiness; and finally give us a place at thy heavenly feast; for the glory of thy holy name.
Frosty morning views in Salisbury ❄️ pic.twitter.com/b7qA70JkPD
— Salisbury Cathedral (@SalisburyCath) January 16, 2024
You can find the full text here.
I find it always is really worth the time to listen to and read and ponder it all on this day especially–KSH.
Almighty God, who by the hand of Moses thy servant didst lead thy people out of slavery, and didst make them free at last: Grant that thy Church, following the example of thy prophet Martin Luther King, may resist oppression in the name of thy love, and may strive to secure for all thy children the blessed liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
🧵 On his 95th birthday, I wanted to share some color photos of Daddy. It wasn’t that long ago… #MLKDay #MLK95 #MLK pic.twitter.com/DRNoVDEhbT
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 15, 2024
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Guten Morgen ☀️☕ ☀️☕ ☀️☕ pic.twitter.com/M9iHvDuO4Q
— Brigitta Neurauter (@BrigittaNeurau2) January 15, 2024
Eternal Father, at the baptism of Jesus you revealed him to be your Son, and your Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove: Grant that we, who are born again by water and the Spirit, may be faithful as your adopted children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Baptism of Christ
Painting by Andrea del Verrocchio & Leonardo da Vinci (1475) #dailyart pic.twitter.com/Bxdtex15YT— Gorgeous art (@great_artwork) April 18, 2014
Mitch was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, on his 40th birthday (September, 2021) when vacationing in Portugal. He was rushed to the United States to seek treatment at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston and to be with his family. During his 27-month long journey, he fought for his life seeking many types of treatments as well as traveling to Germany for a custom vaccine, consulting with doctors at Dana- Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and at Duke’s Brain Cancer Center in North Carolina. Mitch’s persistent personality and determination to battle this cancer while continuing to maintain his routine and quality of life helped him to outlive the average glioblastoma patient. While undergoing treatment, he was quick to re-kindle time and make memories with family and friends.
Through his cancer journey Mitch became a strong Christian and was baptized. He became active at the Church of the Holy Cross on Daniel Island forming strong relationships with the community and men’s life group. Mitch wrote his testimony about his journey to Christianity and was passionate about sharing it with others. Through his ministry he reached many people sharing what he learned from his life and the message that it is never too late to seek God.
Mitch is survived by his parents, Jim and Wanda Petersen; his sister, Rebecca Petersen Leddy; his brother-in-law, Lee Leddy; his nephew, Logan Leddy; his nephew, Connor Leddy; his niece, Sophia Leddy; and his aunt, Sandra Garrison.
James Mitchell ("Mitch) Petersen II RIP https://t.co/YbqpOMM5MU #death #family #faith #parishministry #southcarolina
— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) January 13, 2024
Keep us, O Lord, from the vain strife of words, and grant us a constant profession of our faith. Preserve us in the way of truth, so that we may ever hold fast that which we professed when we were baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and may give glory to thee, our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, now and for evermore.
Feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers d.368. Called by St. Jerome a “mighty man of eloquence, the Latin Trumpet against the Arians.” Might be time for a few more trumpets in the present orchestra pic.twitter.com/6taE1v65Qr
— Benedict Kiely (@benedict_kiely) January 13, 2024
O Lord our God, who didst raise up thy servant Hilary to be a champion of the catholic faith: Keep us steadfast in that true faith which we professed at our baptism, that we may rejoice in having thee for our Father, and may abide in thy Son, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; thou who livest and reignest for ever and ever.
13 Jan: feast of Hilary of Poitiers "Hammer of the Arians" (Malleus Arianorum) #otd He died about 367. pic.twitter.com/w6b3TVAXDu
— John McCafferty (@jdmccafferty) January 13, 2024
We thank thee, O God, that thou didst give thy Son Jesus Christ to be the light of the world, and that in him thou hast revealed thy glory and the wonder of thy saving love. Help us to love thee who hast so loved us; strengthen us for the service of thy kingdom; and grant that the light of Christ may so shine throughout the world that men everywhere may be drawn to him who is the Saviour and Lord of all, and the whole earth be filled with thy glory; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
—Let Us Pray: A Book of Prayers for Use in Family Worship, Church Schools and Fellowships, prepared by the Committee on Public Worship and Aids to Devotion of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (London:Oxford University Press, 1959)
“The Adoration of the Magi” by Bartolomeo Biscaino pic.twitter.com/HPJ7xWGxPR
— Dwayne Cogdill (@stdwayne) January 8, 2018
Imagine the kings, the caravans’ stilted procession
As they make for the cave, or, rather, three beams closing in
And in on the star, the creaking of loads, the clink of a cowbell;
(No thronging of Heaven as yet, no peal of the bellThat will ring in the end for the infant once he has earned it).
Imagine the Lord, for the first time, from darkness, and stranded
Immensely in distance, recognizing Himself in the Son
Of Man: His homelessness plain to him now in a homeless one.
Anonim după / Anonymus after
Rafael Sanzio de Urbino (1483-1520)
The Adoration of the Magi
16th century
Oil on canvas
Nostalgie. Amintire. Regăsire. Peisajul european și ruina în secolele XVI-XIX | Muzeul Național de Artă al României, Bucureștihttps://t.co/iH6Mf1pOd9 pic.twitter.com/1774sLInAB— madalina potinc (@madalinapotinc) August 3, 2022
Lyrics:
The wise men came from the East to Jerusalem
asking questions and saying:
Where is he that is born [King of the Jews],
whose star we have seen?
We have seen that star in the East,
and we have come [with gifts] to worship the Lord.
Herod questioned the magi what sign they had seen
above the new-born king? We recognized that brightly shining star
whose lustre lights the world and us.
We have seen, and have come to worship the Lord
“Recently we celebrated the day on which the Lord was born of the Jews; today we are celebrating the one on which he was worshiped by the Gentiles; because salvation is from the Jews (Jn 4:22); but this salvation reaches to the ends of the earth (Is 49:6). On that day the shepherds worship him, on this one the Magi. To those the message was brought by angels, to these by a star. Both learned about him from heaven, when they saw the king of heaven on earth, so that there might be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will (Lk 2:14).”
For he is our peace, who made both into one (Eph 2:14). Already from this moment, by the way he was born and proclaimed, the infant is shown to be that cornerstone; already from the first moments of his birth he appeared as such. He began at once to tie together in himself two walls coming from different directions, bringing the shepherds from Judea, the Magi from the East; so that he might establish the two in himself as one new man, making peace; peace for
those who were far off, and peace for those who were near (Eph 2: 15. 17). Thus it is that those hurrying up from nearby on the very day, and these arriving today from far away, marked two days to be celebrated by posterity, and yet both saw the one light of the world.
–Sermon 199, On The Lords Epiphany
6 January
Sandro Botticelli, Adoration of the Magi, 1475, including self-portrait of the artist at far right, looking directly at the viewer… pic.twitter.com/PfuCReCUDo
— rowenamezzo (@rowenamezzo) January 6, 2024
10. What statement about friendship can be more sublime, more true, more valuable than this: it has been proved that friendship must begin in Christ, continue with Christ, and be perfected by Christ. Come, now: propose what in your opinion should be the first question about friendship.
IVO. I think we should first discuss what friendship is, lest we appear to be painting on a void, not knowing what should guide and organize our talk.
11. AELRED. Is Cicero’s definition not an adequate beginningfor you? “Friendship is agreement in things human and divine, with good will and charity.”
12. IVO. If his definition suffices for you, it’s good enough for me.
–Aelred of Rievaulx Spiritual Friendship I.10-12 (Lawrence C. Braceland, tr., Marsha L. Dutton ed., Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2010), p.57
Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167 pic.twitter.com/JvFmCfvhrR
— Tewkesbury Abbey (@TewkesAbbey) January 12, 2024
Almighty God, who didst endow thy abbot Aelred with the gift of Christian friendship and the wisdom to lead others in the way of holiness: Grant to thy people that same spirit of mutual affection, that, in loving one another, we may know the love of Christ and rejoice in the gift of thy eternal goodness; through the same Jesus Christ our Savior, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Today the Church of England celebrates Aelred of Hexham, Abbot of Rievaulx, 1167
Image: Aelred depicted in a C13th manuscript of The Mirror of Charity, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons pic.twitter.com/QClMgzcZW5
— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) January 12, 2024
Almighty God, who hast manifested thy Son Jesus Christ to be a light to mankind: Grant that we thy people, being nourished by thy word and sacraments, may be strengthened to show forth to all men the unsearchable riches of Christ, so that he may be known, adored and obeyed, to the ends of the earth; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
Today is #Epiphany or Three Kings' day. The Adoration of the Magi by Stefano da Verona Pinacoteca di Brera #Milano https://t.co/2Wpe7iYV5f pic.twitter.com/Qk4njLKzTt
— milanoArte.net (@milanoarte) January 6, 2017
After all, it’s not every day a large and wealthy entourage from Persia arrives unannounced, refers to Messianic prophecies, points to an astrological sign, and asks directions so that they might worship the new king of a people who had been without a monarch for more than five centuries. It was an extraordinary event, and the whole city of Jerusalem knew about it. And it seems that not one soul from Jerusalem went with them.
This is astonishing. So why didn’t the local religious leaders send a delegation along with the Magi? There are, of course, various hypotheses. While it is possible that they simply found the claims of the Magi to be too fantastic to merit serious consideration, many observers believe their reluctance is far from innocent. The interpretation that appears most often in sermons and commentaries is that, despite their impressive knowledge of Scriptures, they lacked the faith exhibited by the Persian wise men. While there may be truth in that view, it is a rather shallow explanation. Another bit of conventional wisdom is that the religious leaders were self-assured in their knowledge and did not want to give credence to the claims of foreign visitors whose Babylonian traditions were out of step with the authorities in Jerusalem. While this is certainly a more satisfactory explanation, I think it only captures part of the story.
Another reason the religious leaders chose not to send a delegation to Bethlehem was because doing so would be risky. They probably feared retaliation from Herod, a ruthless leader who was paranoid about losing power. He was infamous for executing his wife, several sons and other relatives, and Jewish leaders whom he perceived as a threat. Sending a delegation to Bethlehem would have suggested they were open to the claims of a rival king and made them vulnerable to charges of disloyalty and treason.
But both the political context and the text itself seem to indicate that fear of death was not the only reason for their reluctance. I believe that the religious and political context suggests that the religious leaders made a more calculated decision to protect their own ambitions and political power.
The Politics of Epiphany https://t.co/kIg6Nn0LV3
— Public Discourse (@PublicDiscourse) December 26, 2023
Dear friends, this is the question that the Church wishes to awaken in the hearts of all men: who is Jesus? This is the spiritual longing that drives the mission of the Church: to make Jesus known, his Gospel, so that every man can discover in his human face the face of God, and be illumined by his mystery of love. Epiphany pre-announces the universal opening of the Church, her call to evangelize all peoples. But Epiphany also tells us in what way the Church carries out this mission: reflecting the light of Christ and proclaiming his Word. Christians are called to imitate the service that the star gave the Magi. We must shine as children of the light, to attract all to the beauty of the Kingdom of god. And to all those who seek truth, we must offer the Word of God, which leads to recognizing in Jesus “the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).
For Epiphany, Twenty of the most beautiful depictions of the Adoration of the Magi from western art. 🧵
1. The Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo da Vinci, 1481 pic.twitter.com/RS1oO7SoKH
— CoffeeWithTheClassics (@CoffeewClassics) January 6, 2024
Whether you take that literally or metaphorically, the point seems to be that coming to Jesus can be hazardous to your health.
This was certainly true for the Magi. Knowing the horror Herod wrought upon baby boys in Bethlehem, it’s not hard to shudder at what he had planned for the Magi had they met up with him again. God warned them in a dream to take the back roads home, and fortunately they were the sort who paid serious attention to dreams. Their lives had been changed. They returned to their own country, but they went back as different people.
As a baby, Jesus already shattered human categories of religion and race and class and privilege. Outsiders are welcome inside. Before the story is over, the homeless and destitute, prostitutes, lepers, Roman centurions, condemned criminals, and the IRS will all be welcomed inside too. But the welcome wasn’t merely an opening of doors and putting out a welcome mat hoping outsiders might drop by. The disturbing beauty of the gospel is how Jesus became an outsider himself: marginalized and outcast, scandalized and condemned, he descended as low as humanity goes in order to raise us up.
New birth feels like death sometimes, because being born again means death to the sinful life you’ve been living, and that can hurt. Yet as painful as new birth can be, the new life it brings gets described, and experienced, as both abundant and eternal, full of grace and joy. We read that the Magi were “overwhelmed by joy” upon coming to Jesus—and he was still just a toddler. They bow before him and pay homage though he’d yet to speak a word or do a miracle. “They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praises of the Lord,” just like the prophet said they would.
3/3 Wonderfully close-up & character-filled Adoration of the Magi, 1500, by Andrea Mantegna. Today has been his day. pic.twitter.com/1f9YA2k3JE
— Dr. Peter Paul Rubens (@PP_Rubens) September 14, 2021
In the cold season, in a locality accustomed to heat more than
to cold, to horizontality more than to a mountain,
a child was born in a cave in order to save the world;
it blew as only in deserts in winter it blows, athwart….
Se pone entre tus manos el precio de nuestra salvación /Adorazione dei Magi (detalle), Cesare di Sesto. pic.twitter.com/JZr7V6rczC
— Paulo Medina (@goya1881) November 7, 2017