The Epistle reading for today is from the First Letter to Timothy, and the selection is from the start of the letter. Today we read:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my loyal child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I urge you, as I did when I was on my way to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach any different doctrine, and not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations rather than the divine training that is known by faith. But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.
Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, fornicators, sodomites, slave-traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim. 1: 1-17).
This sacred text is known as a pastoral letter where Paul offers advice to his companion in ministry, Timothy. Paul tells Timothy to focus on the message of the Good News because some of those in his charge are focusing on things that don’t matter—they are deviating from the mission. When we focus on something other than what the Gospel is calling us to, we lose our way and get caught up, as Paul tells us, in “meaningless talk”. “Meaningless talk: distracts us from building the Kingdom of God. Be on the lookout for meaningless talk, and when you hear it, remember what the mission is, to build the Kingdom of God where you are, to transform the world we are called to serve.
Let us pray: Loving Father, you sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to save sinners. Open our hearts to the working of Your Holy Spirit so that we may take the Good News of salvation to everyone we meet. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
THANK YOU FOR A FUN ST. VALENTINE DAY DANCE: Thanks to Lee, Idell and Raul who decorated for the dance, and thank you to everyone who shared food to make it a wonderful and fun filled evening.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
History Project. As discussed in Church on Sunday, this month we celebrate Black History month. It is a time to remember the shoulders of those we stand upon who have been courageous in their fight for equality and freedom. St. Augustine's is an integral part of that history not only in the Diocese of Texas, but in the State of Texas. As a tribute to those who have come before us, and as a blessed reminder to those who will come after us, we are duty bound to capture the stories of the people who have made up St. Augustine. I would ask that you collect the stories of your families, photos and news articles so that we may record the treasures that are in our midst.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
20 February, Sunday after the 9:00 a.m. service, Bishop’s Committee Meeting.
19 February, Saturday from 1 pm to 3 pm: Jo Soske and Karen Lehr's ministry takes them to the Rio Grande Valley where they teach English to the children who live in the Colonias. You can be part of that ministry by making sock puppets for the children to use. We will have a sock puppet making day at St. Augustine's--all socks welcome (clean of course), even "holy" socks can be puppets. Please join in on the fun and the reaching out!
MARDI GRAS FUN AT ST. AUGUSTINE'S: Stayed tuned for a new tradition at St. Augustine's to be inaugurated by a famous Mardi Gras King and his Queen at St. Augustine’s!
Clothing is still welcome for the people of Lord of the Streets.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially all those is nursing homes.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my loyal child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I urge you, as I did when I was on my way to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach any different doctrine, and not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations rather than the divine training that is known by faith. But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.
Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, fornicators, sodomites, slave-traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim. 1: 1-17).
This sacred text is known as a pastoral letter where Paul offers advice to his companion in ministry, Timothy. Paul tells Timothy to focus on the message of the Good News because some of those in his charge are focusing on things that don’t matter—they are deviating from the mission. When we focus on something other than what the Gospel is calling us to, we lose our way and get caught up, as Paul tells us, in “meaningless talk”. “Meaningless talk: distracts us from building the Kingdom of God. Be on the lookout for meaningless talk, and when you hear it, remember what the mission is, to build the Kingdom of God where you are, to transform the world we are called to serve.
Let us pray: Loving Father, you sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to save sinners. Open our hearts to the working of Your Holy Spirit so that we may take the Good News of salvation to everyone we meet. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
THANK YOU FOR A FUN ST. VALENTINE DAY DANCE: Thanks to Lee, Idell and Raul who decorated for the dance, and thank you to everyone who shared food to make it a wonderful and fun filled evening.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
History Project. As discussed in Church on Sunday, this month we celebrate Black History month. It is a time to remember the shoulders of those we stand upon who have been courageous in their fight for equality and freedom. St. Augustine's is an integral part of that history not only in the Diocese of Texas, but in the State of Texas. As a tribute to those who have come before us, and as a blessed reminder to those who will come after us, we are duty bound to capture the stories of the people who have made up St. Augustine. I would ask that you collect the stories of your families, photos and news articles so that we may record the treasures that are in our midst.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
20 February, Sunday after the 9:00 a.m. service, Bishop’s Committee Meeting.
19 February, Saturday from 1 pm to 3 pm: Jo Soske and Karen Lehr's ministry takes them to the Rio Grande Valley where they teach English to the children who live in the Colonias. You can be part of that ministry by making sock puppets for the children to use. We will have a sock puppet making day at St. Augustine's--all socks welcome (clean of course), even "holy" socks can be puppets. Please join in on the fun and the reaching out!
MARDI GRAS FUN AT ST. AUGUSTINE'S: Stayed tuned for a new tradition at St. Augustine's to be inaugurated by a famous Mardi Gras King and his Queen at St. Augustine’s!
Clothing is still welcome for the people of Lord of the Streets.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially all those is nursing homes.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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