Today’s account from the Acts of the Apostles picks up where we left off yesterday when we met the first deacons in the Church. We read the story of Stephen, the first martyr:
And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Then the high priest asked him, “Are these things so?” And Stephen replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you.’ Then he left the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God had him move from there to this country in which you are now living. He did not give him any of it as a heritage, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as his possession and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child. And God spoke in these terms, that his descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and maltreat them for four hundred years. ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
“The patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him, and rescued him from all his afflictions, and enabled him to win favor and to show wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. Now there came a famine throughout Egypt and Canaan, and great suffering, and our ancestors could find no food. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on their first visit. On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five in all; so Jacob went down to Egypt. He himself died there as well as our ancestors, and their bodies were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. (Acts 6:15 – 7:16).
Note that the passage opens with a description of Stephen’s face; it was like an angel’s. “Angel” is an appropriate word because it simply means “messenger” (ανγηλως). Stephen recounts the message of salvation history starting with the call of Abraham.
Scripture is a love story between God and His people. In it, God continually chases after humankind, and we rebel time and time again. Although we are not faithful, God is. In tomorrow’s reading, we will hear more of Stephen’s speech to the Council.
Let us pray: Glorious Father, we ask you to help us become better angels, messengers, of the Good News of Jesus Christ; infuse our hearts with the Holy Spirit so that we may proclaim to all people Your faithfulness and forgiveness for those time when we are not faithful to the call in baptism you have given us. Amen.
NEWS:
Our Cambridge scholar, Valerie (Sherman Boyer’s granddaughter), has sent word back home; she is doing very well with two As and one B. Make us proud!
Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., a youth group from Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Houston will be at St. Augustine to clean the furniture and finish the move in.
CALENDAR REMINDERS:
This Sunday, 15 August 2010, the Baptism of Hayden Blevins, at 9:00 a.m.
The Feast Day of St. Augustine & Blessing of the New Facilities:
Dinner celebration on Saturday, 28 August 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Eucharist, Sunday, 29 August 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Please let Pat Tate, Alicia Gaskin or myself know if you or others are coming so that we can get an accurate head count.
The Second Annual St. Augustine Art Show: It will be at the end of September and lasting into October. This year’s theme is “Spirit”.
PLEASE REMEMBER ALL THOSE ON OUR PRAYER LIST and especially:
In thanks giving for the grants from the Anglican Compass Rose Society and First Presbyterian Church in Galveston
Sue and Sean Coleman as Sue recovers from brain surgery
For all those who are traveling
For the intentions of everyone in the congregation
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Then the high priest asked him, “Are these things so?” And Stephen replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you.’ Then he left the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God had him move from there to this country in which you are now living. He did not give him any of it as a heritage, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as his possession and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child. And God spoke in these terms, that his descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and maltreat them for four hundred years. ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
“The patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him, and rescued him from all his afflictions, and enabled him to win favor and to show wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. Now there came a famine throughout Egypt and Canaan, and great suffering, and our ancestors could find no food. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on their first visit. On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five in all; so Jacob went down to Egypt. He himself died there as well as our ancestors, and their bodies were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. (Acts 6:15 – 7:16).
Note that the passage opens with a description of Stephen’s face; it was like an angel’s. “Angel” is an appropriate word because it simply means “messenger” (ανγηλως). Stephen recounts the message of salvation history starting with the call of Abraham.
Scripture is a love story between God and His people. In it, God continually chases after humankind, and we rebel time and time again. Although we are not faithful, God is. In tomorrow’s reading, we will hear more of Stephen’s speech to the Council.
Let us pray: Glorious Father, we ask you to help us become better angels, messengers, of the Good News of Jesus Christ; infuse our hearts with the Holy Spirit so that we may proclaim to all people Your faithfulness and forgiveness for those time when we are not faithful to the call in baptism you have given us. Amen.
NEWS:
Our Cambridge scholar, Valerie (Sherman Boyer’s granddaughter), has sent word back home; she is doing very well with two As and one B. Make us proud!
Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., a youth group from Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Houston will be at St. Augustine to clean the furniture and finish the move in.
CALENDAR REMINDERS:
This Sunday, 15 August 2010, the Baptism of Hayden Blevins, at 9:00 a.m.
The Feast Day of St. Augustine & Blessing of the New Facilities:
Dinner celebration on Saturday, 28 August 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Eucharist, Sunday, 29 August 2010 at 9:00 a.m.
Please let Pat Tate, Alicia Gaskin or myself know if you or others are coming so that we can get an accurate head count.
The Second Annual St. Augustine Art Show: It will be at the end of September and lasting into October. This year’s theme is “Spirit”.
PLEASE REMEMBER ALL THOSE ON OUR PRAYER LIST and especially:
In thanks giving for the grants from the Anglican Compass Rose Society and First Presbyterian Church in Galveston
Sue and Sean Coleman as Sue recovers from brain surgery
For all those who are traveling
For the intentions of everyone in the congregation
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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