Monday, January 31, 2011

If a Child Then Also An Heir

Today’s Epistle reading is taken from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, where he describes how Jesus has defined our relationship with God:

My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again? You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid that my work for you may have been wasted. (Gal. 4: 1-11).

You and I are God’s children and heirs through Jesus Christ. Those words must have sounded remarkable to the Galatians. They are really revolutionary to us today as well. Sometimes we forget how high Christ has elevated us. God the Son became one of us so that He might raise us to the Father’s throne. You and I, as Genesis tells us, are made in God’s image. Jesus restores that to its fullest sense. If you and I are made in God’s likeness and image, and Jesus carries us to God the Father, you and I must respect that in our brothers and sisters who are likewise made in that image and are heirs crying out, “Abba, Father!”

Let us pray: We thank you for the gift of Your Son who redeemed us and made us heirs as his brothers and sisters. Open our eyes to see Your precious image in all we meet. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.


CALENDAR REMINDERS

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future. I have signed up for 5 people from St. Augustine.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Sing for Joy!

The appointed reading today from the Old Testament is taken from the 49th chapter of Isaiah.

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people,
and will have compassion on his suffering ones.
But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me,
my Lord has forgotten me.’
Can a woman forget her nursing-child,
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.
Your builders outdo your destroyers,
and those who laid you waste go away from you.
Lift up your eyes all around and see;
they all gather, they come to you.
As I live, says the Lord,
you shall put all of them on like an ornament,
and like a bride you shall bind them on.
Surely your waste and your desolate places
and your devastated land—
surely now you will be too crowded for your inhabitants,
and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
The children born in the time of your bereavement
will yet say in your hearing:
‘The place is too crowded for me;
make room for me to settle.’
Then you will say in your heart,
‘Who has borne me these?
I was bereaved and barren,
exiled and put away—
so who has reared these?
I was left all alone—
where then have these come from?’
Thus says the Lord God:
I will soon lift up my hand to the nations,
and raise my signal to the peoples;
and they shall bring your sons in their bosom,
and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
Kings shall be your foster-fathers,
and their queens your nursing-mothers.
With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,
and lick the dust of your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
those who wait for me shall not be put to shame. (Is. 49: 13-23).

What vivid imagery! It is a poem of celebration describing the joy experienced by Israel because of God’s love. Creation itself sings because of God’s love, a love that is more powerful than a mother’s love for her child.

Sometimes we need to be reminded how truly blessed we are. Today’s passage from Isaiah reminds us of that reality. So join in with the mountains and break into song because God has showered love upon you and me; God has shown us compassion through Jesus Christ and sanctifies us with the Holy Spirit.

SPECIAL BLOOD DRIVE

Mrs. McNeill’s family needs help for 11 year old Exavier: The Blood Drive for the Gulf Coast Blood Bank will be Saturday, 29 January at the El Dorado Walmart from 10-2:30. If you are unable to make it you can still donate by going to one of the Gulf Coast Blood Bank neighborhood locations, give them the code R325 and it will still count toward Exavier's drive. Exavier is now 11 years old and has battled sickle cell disease since birth. The disease is a genetic blood disorder characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. Life expectancy is shortened, with studies reporting an average life expectancy of 42 in males and 48 in females. Please pass the word along!

CALENDAR REMINDERS

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future. I have signed up for 5 people from St. Augustine.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.


PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially the Family of Patrick Williams.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Companions in Ministry: A Vital Aspect in Spreading the Gospel

All of us who are engaged in ministry, whether as clergy or laity, have companions in ministry. We could not do our ministry if we did not have people working along side with us. At St. Augustine's, we are all each others' companions in ministry. Working in companionship is vital to the spreading of the Gospel, and today the Church recognizes the importance of our companions in ministry by honoring Sts. Timothy and Titus.

What we know from the New Testament of Timothy’s life makes it sound like that of a modern harried bishop. He had the honor of being a fellow apostle with Paul, both sharing the privilege of preaching the gospel and suffering for it.

Timothy had a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Being the product of a “mixed” marriage, he was considered illegitimate by the Jews. It was his grandmother, Lois, who first became Christian. Timothy was a convert of Paul around the year 47 and later joined him in his apostolic work. He was with Paul at the founding of the Church in Corinth. During the 15 years he worked with Paul, he became one of his most faithful and trusted friends. He was sent on difficult missions by Paul—often in the face of great disturbance in local Churches which Paul had founded.

Timothy was with Paul in Rome during the Paul’s house arrest. At some period Timothy himself was in prison (Hebrews 13:23). Paul installed him as his representative at the Church of Ephesus.

Timothy was comparatively young for the work he was doing. (“Let no one have contempt for your youth,” Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:12a.) Several references seem to indicate that he was timid. And one of Paul’s most frequently quoted lines was addressed to him: “Stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23).

Titus has the distinction of being a close friend and disciple of Paul as well as a fellow missionary. He was Greek, apparently from Antioch. Even though Titus was a Gentile, Paul would not let him be forced to undergo circumcision at Jerusalem. Titus is seen as a peacemaker, administrator, great friend. Paul’s second letter to Corinth affords an insight into the depth of his friendship with Titus, and the great fellowship they had in preaching the gospel: “When I went to Troas...I had no relief in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.... For even when we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way—external conflicts, internal fears. But God, who encourages the downcast, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus...” (2 Corinthians 2:12a, 13; 7:5-6).

When Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth, Titus was the bearer of Paul’s severe letter and was successful in smoothing things out. Paul writes he was strengthened not only by the arrival of Titus but also “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged in regard to you, as he told us of your yearning, your lament, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.... And his heart goes out to you all the more, as he remembers the obedience of all of you, when you received him with fear and trembling” (2 Corinthians 7:7a, 15).

The Letter to Titus addresses him as the administrator of the Christian community on the island of Crete, charged with organizing it, correcting abuses and appointing presbyters.

Let us pray: Just and merciful God, in every generation you raise up prophets, teachers and witnesses to summon the world to honor and praise your holy Name: We thank you for sending Timothy and Titus, whose gifts built up your Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Grant that we too may be living stones built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

SPECIAL BLOOD DRIVE

Mrs. McNeill’s family needs help for 11 year old Exavier: The Blood Drive for the Gulf Coast Blood Bank will be Saturday, 29 January at the El Dorado Walmart from 10-2:30. If you are unable to make it you can still donate by going to one of the Gulf Coast Blood Bank neighborhood locations, give them the code R325 and it will still count toward Exavier's drive. Exavier is now 11 years old and has battled sickle cell disease since birth. The disease is a genetic blood disorder characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. Life expectancy is shortened, with studies reporting an average life expectancy of 42 in males and 48 in females. Please pass the word along!

CALENDAR REMINDERS

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future. I have signed up for 5 people from St. Augustine.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.


PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially the Family of Patrick Williams.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Conversion of St. Paul

Today the Church celebrates the conversion of St. Paul. There are three accounts of Paul’s conversion: Acts 9:1-8; 22:4-16 and 26: 12-20. Here is Paul’s account as presented in Acts 22:4-16:

“I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.”

“While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. I asked, ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.’ Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.”

“A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there, came to me; and standing beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice; for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’” (Acts 22: 4-16).

Conversion is a process. It is an everyday process; conversion is a lifelong process. Even though St. Paul had a profound experience on the road to Damascus, his process of transformation lasted his entire life. Everyday St. Paul, you and I must cooperate with God’s grace. Every day you and I must decide whether we say “yes” or “no” to God’s grace. The more we say “yes” to God, the deeper we grow in our relationship with God. As our relationship with God becomes deeper, we will witness changes in our relationships with one another. Our relationship with God and our relationships with each other are connected.

Let us pray: O God, who by the preaching of your apostle Paul have caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we pray, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show ourselves thankful to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

SPECIAL BLOOD DRIVE

Mrs. McNeill’s family needs help for 11 year old Exavier: The Blood Drive for the Gulf Coast Blood Bank will be Saturday, 29 January at the El Dorado Walmart from 10-2:30. If you are unable to make it you can still donate by going to one of the Gulf Coast Blood Bank neighborhood locations, give them the code R325 and it will still count toward Exavier's drive. Exavier is now 11 years old and has battled sickle cell disease since birth. The disease is a genetic blood disorder characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. Life expectancy is shortened, with studies reporting an average life expectancy of 42 in males and 48 in females. Please pass the word along!

CALENDAR REMINDERS

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future. I have signed up for 5 people from St. Augustine.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.


PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially the Family of Patrick Williams.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Monday, January 24, 2011

Rethinking One's View of the World

The Epistle reading for today is taken from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. Paul wrote the letter because this community of faith began to focus on legalism. One of the questions swirling in the Galatians was: Are Christian Jews bound, by the Jewish kosher laws, to eat separately from Christian Gentiles, or are they bound by the gospel to eat at the same table with them? As Bishop Tom Wright notes, “Paul was asking them to break the habits not only of a lifetime but of a tightly integrated social grouping that had survived, precisely by maintaining these habits, for hundreds of years.” The Letter to the Galatians: Exegesis and Theology (2000).

Paul’s letter to the Galatians opens:

Paul an apostle—sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the members of God’s family who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!

Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterwards I returned to Damascus. (Gal. 1: 1-17).

Change is difficult. Life in Christ required people to change the way they had been doing things; it forced them to re-examine their world views. Paul knew how hard it was to change. He tells the Galatians that he was zealous in his Jewish traditions; he did not want to give them up. He tells them that he was so committed to the ways of his ancestors that he violently persecuted the Christians. Paul’s encounter with the Risen Christ meant that he had to re-examine his views.

After re-examining his Jewish roots and the promises made to Abraham, Paul comes to the conclusion that that the people whom God promised to Abraham are defined by their faith, not by being born into a particular faith, like Judaism. In his Letter to the Galatians, Paul is not concerned with how one enters the family, but with how, once one has entered, the family is then defined, assured of its status as God’s people. See N.T. Wright, The Letter to the Galatians: Exegesis and Theology (2000). Paul is trying to tell the Galatians that: “God has called and is calling Jews and Gentiles alike to belong to the one family of Abraham, and equipping them to believe the gospel (such faith being the one identifying badge of membership within this family) and to live in love one to another and in witness to God’s love to the world around.” Id. Jews and Gentiles alike are transformed by the Risen Christ.

SPECIAL BLOOD DRIVE

Mrs. McNeill’s family needs help for 11 year old Exavier: The Blood Drive for the Gulf Coast Blood Bank will be Saturday, 29 January at the El Dorado Walmart from 10-2:30. If you are unable to make it you can still donate by going to one of the Gulf Coast Blood Bank neighborhood locations, give them the code R325 and it will still count toward Exavier's drive. Exavier is now 11 years old and has battled sickle cell disease since birth. The disease is a genetic blood disorder characterized by red blood cells that assume an abnormal, rigid, sickle shape. Sickling decreases the cells' flexibility and results in a risk of various complications. Life expectancy is shortened, with studies reporting an average life expectancy of 42 in males and 48 in females. Please pass the word along!

CALENDAR REMINDERS

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.


PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially the Family of Patrick Williams.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Friday, January 21, 2011

St. Agnes

Today the Church remembers and honors St. Agnes, a martyr in the Early Church. James Kiefer writes:

Agnes is a Christian martyr who died at Rome around 304 in the persecution of Diocletian: the last and fiercest of the persecutions of Christianity by the Roman emperors. The anniversary of her martyrdom is observed on 21 January. Her name means “pure” in Greek and “lamb” in Latin. She is said to have been only about twelve or thirteen when she died, and the remains preserved in St Agnes' Church in Rome are in agreement with this.

It is said that her execution shocked many Romans and helped bring an end to the persecutions. Some said, “It is contrary to Roman law to put a virgin to death. Our leaders say that it is necessary to kill Christians in order to preserve the old Roman ways: but they are themselves scorning those ways in the process.”

Others said, “Do young girls constitute such a threat to Rome that it is necessary to kill them?”

Others said, “If this religion can enable a twelve-year-old girl to meet death without fear, it is worth checking out.”

Mr. Kiefer does not tell us why Agnes was martyred, so here is the rest of the story.

Procop, the Governor's son, had made advances on the young Agnes, but she refused him. Procop became quite angry with Agnes, and he continued to pursue her. Agnes kept refusing his advances. Procop then accused Agnes of being a Christian, which of course she was. Procop brought Agnes to his father, the Governor. The Governor promised Agnes wonderful gifts if she would only deny God, but Agnes refused. He tried to change her mind by putting her in chains. Next the Governor had Agnes dragged through the streets naked to a brothel.

Finally, she was condemned to death. When led out to die she was tied to a stake, but the bundle of wood would not burn, whereupon the officer in charge of the troops drew his sword and beheaded her.

Collect of the day: Almighty and everlasting God, who choose those whom the world deems powerless to put the powerful to shame: Grant us so to cherish the memory of your youthful martyr Agnes, that we may share her pure and steadfast faith in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

22 January at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church: funeral for Patrick Williams, 10 a.m.

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.


PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Paul & Marriage

In today’s Epistle passage from the fifth chapter of Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, we hear about the relationship between husbands and wives:

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband. (Eph. 5: 15-33).

In the modern day, this passage has caused some controversy notably in Paul’s description of the husband as “the head of the wife.” But Paul was a man of his time, influenced by the morays of his day and there are portions of his writing that reflect that. But Paul was also far ahead of his time because he was influenced by the love of Christ. Note, however, how Paul speaks of the mutuality of love between a husband and a wife. For Paul’s day, this was certainly revolutionary because women in the first century lacked many freedoms and they were largely restricted. It was even a common belief that women were inferior to men. So when Paul wrote to the Ephesians telling them that husbands should love their wives as themselves, Paul made the husband and wife equals. To say the least, this would have been a radical concept to his readers in Ephesus. Furthermore, Paul uses the marriage relationship, as he redefined it, to describe the relationship between Christ and the Church: “He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church.”

Let us pray: O God, you have so consecrated the covenant of marriage that in it is represented the spiritual unity between Christ and his Church: Send therefore your blessing upon all those who are married, that they may so love, honor, and cherish each other in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven of blessing and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Tonight, 20 January at 7 p.m. at St. Michael Episcopal Church, Lake Road, LaMarque, Pre-Council Meeting.

22 January at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church: funeral for Patrick Williams, 10 a.m.

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Close Your Eyes and Listen for Singing

The appointed Epistle reading for the day is taken from the fifth chapter of Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, and it starts with words that you will easily recognize because they are often used as the Offertory Sentence:

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be associated with them. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Eph. 5: 1-14).

The passage starts with words familiar to us from our liturgy, and it ends with words that were familiar to Paul from the liturgy of his day. The last line is, in all likelihood, taken from an early Christian hymn and is based on Isaiah 60: 1, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”

We don’t often think of the early Christians singing hymns, but they did. In their celebration of the Eucharist in the early Church, they would start out in the synagogue for the Liturgy of the Word where they would listen to God’s Word read to them from the Hebrew Scriptures, and then move to someone’s home for the Great Thanksgiving. The basics were the same then as they are now. The words of institution (“On the night before he died…”) are the same. The Eucharistic celebration is something that transcends time and space. Christ is just as present today when we “do Eucharist” as he was when on that night when he broke bread, gave it to his disciples and said, “take this all of you and eat it, this is my body. … Take this all of you and drink from it, this is the cup of my blood, the new and everlasting covenant which is shed for you and for the many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.” Jesus was present when the Ephesians “did Eucharist”. And if you close your eyes and listen, you can hear them singing: “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

CALENDAR REMINDERS

22 January at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church: funeral for Patrick Williams, 10 a.m.

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.


PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Presiding Bishop's Sermon at St. Augustine of Hippo, Galveston, Texas, 16 January 2011

The Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church celebrated and preached at St. Augustine of Hippo in Galveston, Texas on Sunday, 16 January 2011.

Below is a video link to her sermon:

http://dljstudios.com/tv-st-aug.html

The Confession of St. Peter

Today the Church remembers when the Holy Spirit led St. Peter to acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, and the Son of God. We read about it in the Gospel according to Matthew:

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ (Mt. 16:13-19).

In this second week after Epiphany, Peter sees who Jesus is. He sees that Jesus is a man, but not just a man. He sees that Jesus is much more. Peter comes to realize that in Jesus he can see and experience the very face of God. In response, Jesus tells Peter that he will build the Church upon him and the powers of hell can prevail against it.

Jesus says the very same thing to you and to me. Once you and I acknowledge who Jesus is, then you and I are transformed by the power of Christ, and transformed by Christ we become living stones in the Church. You and I as believers in Jesus are the Church, the Body of Christ. Peter, you and I are given the keys of the kingdom because we are, with Jesus, building the Kingdom of God.

Let us pray: Almighty Father, who inspired Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the Living God: Keep your 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 lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

22 January at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church: funeral for Patrick Williams, 10 a.m.

5 February: Celebrating the Life of Absalom Jones, Eucharist Service, officiated by the Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Special Guest: The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis – Luncheon speaker following the service. The luncheon, featuring Treebeards specials, will be at the Great Hall starting about 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Canon Lewis will also be book signing his new release A Church for the Future.

The Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, Ph.D., D.D., D.C.L. has been the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1996. Since his ordination in 1971, he has served congregations in Honduras, England, Washington, D.C., New Haven, CT and his native Brooklyn, NY. From 1983 until 1994, he served on the staff of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church as Director of the Office of Black Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Divinity from Yale, and a Doctor of Philosophy (in theology) from the University of Birmingham (England). He has also been awarded two honorary degrees: Doctor of Divinity from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale; and Doctor of Canon Law from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. A former research fellow at St. John’s College, Cambridge University, he has also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington; the Center for International Documentation in Cuernavaca, Mexico; and St. George's College, Jerusalem. He is an honorary canon of the Diocese of Bukavu, Congo, and the first recipient of the Mikkelsen Prize for excellence in prophetic preaching, and of the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership from Virginia Theological Seminary. Currently an adjunct professor in church and society at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Dr. Lewis has also taught at the George Mercer School of Theology in Garden City, NY and the General Theological Seminary, and has been visiting lecturer at Anglican seminaries in the Congo, South Africa, Mozambique and Barbados. He was coordinator of the second International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism in Cape Town.

11 and 12 February: the 162nd Diocesan Council in the Woodlands.

12 February: St. Valentine’s Day Dance at St. Augustine.

13 February at the 9:00 a.m. Eucharist, the Renewal of Marriage Vows.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Monday, January 17, 2011

The Body of Christ: the Church

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR MAKING YESTERDAY’S HISTORIC VISIT OF THE PRESIDING BISHOP TO ST. AUGUSTINE’S A BLESSED EVENT! From the Bishops' chairs to the food, from the music to the flowers, from the service program to all of those who participated in the liturgy and the overall spirit of welcome, it was indeed a blessed event. Bishop Doyle conveyed to me that St. Augustine’s has a special place in his heart. The Presiding Bishop was very impressed how a relatively small community could make such a strong impact; it is a testament to the faith of the people that make up St. Augustine’s. Both Bishops stayed until the very end and left only after everyone (except Carol Freeman and the Boys & Girls’ Club who were cleaning up).

And St. Augustine’s cannot let anyone go away hungry. The Presiding Bishop had in her hand a container of food: shrimp and fruit! She welcomed it as she was not able to eat during the reception since she wanted to visit with as many people as she could during her visit.

As we were standing at the door by the sacristy getting ready to load up their luggage, both Bishops and their spouses thanked me and wanted me to convey to everyone at St. Augustine’s their thanks for the wonderful liturgy and reception, for being a blessing in their lives, and most especially to the Church, and not just the Church in Galveston or in the Diocese of Texas, but to the entire Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion, to the greater Church, the Church of God where ever it is.

Bishop Doyle posted the Presiding Bishop’s sermon given at St. Augustine’s yesterday on his blog spot. Here it is:

http://texasbishop.blogspot.com/2011/01/episcopal-presiding-bishop-guest-post.html

In view of the yesterday’s visit and our reflection on it today, the Epistle to the Ephesians which is appointed for today’s Daily Office is especially meaningful in light of the thanks the Bishops wanted me to convey to everyone:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.’ … The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love. (Eph. 4: 4-16).

Present yesterday were some 200 laity, a deacon, 6 priests and 2 bishops: a body of diversity, the Body of Christ celebrating the gifts and the work each of us does in Building the Kingdom of God in love. And the entire communion of Saints, those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, St. Augustine, his mother Monica, Martin Luther King, Jr., all of those who were members of St. Augustine’s for the 127 years prior to yesterday, all singing before the throne of God joining with us as we lifted our voices yesterday. Now that is Church, and what a gift it is! Amen.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Friday, January 14, 2011

My Servant

THIS SUNDAY, 16 JANUARY, AT 9:00 AM THE PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, THE MOST REV. DR. KATHARINE JEFFERTS SCHORI, AND THE BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF TEXAS, RT. REV. C. ANDREW DOYLE, WILL BE CELEBRATING THE EUCHARIST AT ST. AUGUSTINE. 1410 JACK JOHNSON (41ST), GALVESTON, TEXAS.

One of the appointed readings for today is taken from the Old Testament’s Book of the Prophet Isaiah, who writes:

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,*
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.

Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the end of the earth!
Let the sea roar and all that fills it,
the coastlands and their inhabitants.
Let the desert and its towns lift up their voice,
the villages that Kedar inhabits;
let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy,
let them shout from the tops of the mountains.
Let them give glory to the Lord,
and declare his praise in the coastlands.
The Lord goes forth like a soldier,
like a warrior he stirs up his fury;
he cries out, he shouts aloud,
he shows himself mighty against his foes.
For a long time I have held my peace,
I have kept still and restrained myself;
now I will cry out like a woman in labor,
I will gasp and pant.
I will lay waste mountains and hills,
and dry up all their herbage;
I will turn the rivers into islands,
and dry up the pools.
I will lead the blind
by a road they do not know,
by paths they have not known
I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I will do,
and I will not forsake them.
They shall be turned back and utterly put to shame—
those who trust in carved images,
who say to cast images,
‘You are our gods.’ (Is. 42: 1-17).

When I read these words from the Old Testament, it is very easy to see how the Early Church applied these words to their experience of Jesus. As Jesus made his way on the dusty roads of Palestine, he told of God’s love for His people. Jesus reached out to the outcast; he healed the sick. He offered the forgiveness of sins. He brought the good news that God has not forsaken His people; God was walking among them.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, help us to see your face in everyone we meet today. Help us to see your face in the lonely, the elderly, the young, the sorrowful, the sick, the outcast and even in ourselves. We thank you for giving your life for us, and we praise you for your Resurrection. Amen.

OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, MANY HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF THE PRESIDING BISHOP. All you have to do is to look around and see all of the wonderful work. Melva Pope reupholstered the Bishop’s Chair, Lee, Raul and Idell have been polishing brass. Tammie has produced a beautiful service leaflet. Betty Robinson and Idell are preparing the altar and changing the hangings. My thanks go to Fr. Paul Wehner and Grace Episcopal for their tremendous assistance in preparation for this event. They mounted the speakers and improved the sound 1000%. When I heard it yesterday, I could not believe it! Wow. Jo, Jim, Peggy and others are working on the food front, and Bill will be peeling 50 pounds of shrimp after Bubba prepares it! Sherman and the Galveston Heritage Chorale (which includes Jillian and Tom) have practiced for hours, and their sound is not only joyful and soulful, but blessed. This is an all community effort and I know that we will make Bishop Doyle proud of St. Augustine’s as the Presiding Bishop visits the Island.

Please remember the family of Pat Williams who has met his Savior face-to-face.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

St. Aelred

Today the Church remembers Aelred, an abbot who died in 1167. He was born in Durham, England in 1109. He was in the court of the king of Scotland, but found the life an empty one, so he joined a Cistercian monastery at the age of 24.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux encouraged Aelred to write, and he did. The Mirror of Charity was his first book and it dealt with seeking to follow the example of Christ in all things. He also wrote Spiritual Friendship is the fullest medieval discussion of friendship and its associated virtues. He used the example from the Old Testament of Jonathan, son of King Saul, and David.

Aelred also wrote seven works of history, addressing two of them to Henry II of England, advising him how to be a good king, and declaring him to be the true descendent of Anglo-Saxon kings. Until the 20th century Aelred was generally known as a historian rather than a spiritual writer; for many centuries his most famous work was his Life of Saint Edward, King and Confessor.

In 1147, Aelred became abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Yorkshire, a post which he held until his death of kidney disease twenty years later at the age of 57.

Collect of the day: Almighty God, you endowed the abbot Aelred with the gift of Christian friendship and the wisdom to lead others in the way of holiness: Grant to your 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 your eternal goodness; through the same Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

In addition to everyone on our prayer list, please remember the family of Pat Williams who died this morning.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Hope

Today we hear from the Letter to the Ephesians:

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love towards all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Eph. 1: 15-23).

Hope is a subset of faith. The archaic meaning of the word “hope” is trust, reliance. So when Paul prays that the Ephesians may know hope, a hope that God has called them to, he is praying that they put their faith in Christ and what he has done for them, namely, the Resurrection. Paul prays for that same hope for you and me as well. He wants us to put our faith in the Resurrection of Christ which has opened for us “the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints.” In other words, Jesus raises you and me t god the Father as sons and daughters.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, we come before you in thanks for elevating us to the Father’s throne. Bring your heavenly rule into our lives and to give us the grace to be your brothers and sisters acknowledging your lordship in all we say, think and do. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

This Sunday we will be doubly blessed with the presence of the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, and our own Diocesan Bishop, Andy Doyle. Please remember to park in the school parking lot if you are able to make the one block journey to the Church. Also, please get there early as we will have a number of visitors.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Monday, January 10, 2011

He Lavished Grace On Us

Today we hear from the Letter to the Ephesians:

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1: 1-14).

During this epiphany season, the Letter to the Ephesians picks up a theme we encountered in yesterday’s readings. We have come face to face with the judge John the Baptizer spoke of, Jesus, who humbled himself to receive baptism so that righteousness could be fulfilled. In the face of Jesus we see who God is, and today’s Epistles reiterates what we heard yesterday: Jesus the judge comes to us in love, and God the Father “destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.” Jesus came to offer us reconciliation and redemption. God is not the stern judge waiting to catch us in every misstep. No, God lavishes grace on us!

Let us pray: Loving Father, we thank you today for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to be like us and with us in every way. We thank you for pouring the gift of Your Holy Spirit upon us filling us with grace upon grace until our hearts and souls are overflowing with Your bountiful love. Help us to share Your love with the world, with everyone we meet in our daily lives. Amen.


THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO JOINED US IN OUR PRACTICE YESTERDAY FOR THE PRESIDING BISHOP’S VISIT TO ST. AUGUSTINE.

Thank you to the newest members of the Bishop’s Committee, Alicia Gaskin and Angela Lemons, for committing to three years of service for the community. A large thank you goes to our outgoing Bishop’s Committee members, Bill Taylor, Lee Runion and Tammie Taylor.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

This Sunday we will be doubly blessed with the presence of the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, and our own Diocesan Bishop, Andy Doyle. Please remember to park in the school parking lot if you are able to make the one block journey to the Church. Also, please get there early as we will have a number of visitors.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Friday, January 7, 2011

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with cancer, and today is his first day of chemo. What is more than that, his wife has an interview today for a job. These friends are also friends of St. Augustine: Randy and Caroline Furlong, the artist who gifted us with the icon of St. Augustine.

The Holy Spirit is at work today. When I picked up the Daily Office, one of the Psalms appointed for today is Psalm 103. I would ask that you pray this Psalm along with me for Randy and Caroline as they start this journey today:

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits—
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works vindication
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he keep his anger for ever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust.
As for mortals, their days are like grass;
they flourish like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
obedient to his spoken word.
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers that do his will.
Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO FED THE VOLUNTEERS AT WILLIAM TEMPLE LAST NIGHT!

CHOIR PRACTICE FOR THE PRESIDING BISHOP’S VISIT- WHAT A WONDERFUL SOUND. I was present at the Galveston Heritage Chorale last night at their practice at the Church, and they sound absolutely wonderful.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

9 January 2011: The Baptism of the Lord. We will also celebrate the Epiphany with King Cake that Sunday provided by Rose Daniels. The Annual Parish meeting will also be held with an election for 2 Bishop’s Committee persons and a delegate to send to the 162nd Diocesan Council. Rehearsal for the Presiding Bishop’s historic visit to St. Augustine will take place after the Annual Parish Meeting.

16 January 2011: the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and Bishop Doyle will visit St. Augustine. We will have two clean-up days prior to her arrival. We will also have a rehearsal on Sunday, 9 January 2011 after the Annual Meeting.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially, Randy, Caroline, Cindi, Carol, Lee, John, Bob for a speedy recovery from surgery, Jerry Runion and Pat Williams who is in ICU.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Welcome Others As Christ Welcomed You

Today is the eve of the Epiphany. The feast of the Epiphany is when Christ was made manifest to all people. If you stop to think about it, it is, in a way, a celebration of welcoming. The appointed Epistle reading for the eve of the Epiphany is taken from Paul’s Letter to the Romans:

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, ‘Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name’; and again he says, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’; and again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him’; and again Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rm. 15: 7-13).

Welcome one another just as Christ welcomed you. Christ came not only to the Chosen People, but the Gentiles. Jesus came for everyone, not just a select few. If Christ came for everyone, then you and I as followers of Christ must welcome everyone, even those whom others do not welcome. Christ becomes manifest to the world when we welcome others as he did.

Let us pray: Gracious Lord, open our hearts to everyone we meet. Open our eyes to see you in those we meet. Amen.


CALENDAR REMINDERS

6 January 2011 at 6 p.m.: We will feed about 30 volunteers who are working with The Episcopal Diocese of Texas Relief and Development. Please let me know what you will be bringing to this event. We have a reputation to keep up; thus far, St. Augustine’s is everyone’s favorite for food.

9 January 2011: The Baptism of the Lord. We will also celebrate the Epiphany with King Cake that Sunday provided by Rose Daniels. The Annual Parish meeting will also be held with an election for 2 Bishop’s Committee persons and a delegate to send to the 162nd Diocesan Council. Rehearsal for the Presiding Bishop’s historic visit to St. Augustine will take place after the Annual Parish Meeting.

16 January 2011: the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and Bishop Doyle will visit St. Augustine. We will have two clean-up days prior to her arrival. We will also have a rehearsal on Sunday, 9 January 2011 after the Annual Meeting.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially all children throughout the world who are suffering, Randy Furlong, Cindi, Carol, Lee, John, Bob for a speedy recovery from surgery, Jerry Runion and Pat Williams who is in ICU.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Faith Is a Matter of Trust

In today’s Epistle reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, we hear about the strength of faith:

By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger; for he persevered as though he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace. (Heb. 11: 23-31).

Faith is a matter of trust. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews gives us examples of Old Testament figures who put their trust in God especially during difficult times.

For some of us, trust is not easy. Some may find it difficult to trust in God because someone close to us may have betrayed our trust in the past. God, however, keeps his promises. God does not betray our trust. The people in today's reading knew that God was ever present in their lives. Let us like Moses’ parents, Moses, the people of Israel as they passed through the Red Sea, Rehab and so many others who remain nameless, put our trust in God and live by faith.

Let us pray: O Christ Jesus, when all is darkness and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of Your presence, Your love, and Your strength. Help us to have perfect trust in Your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to You, we shall see Your hand, Your purpose, Your will through all things. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

6 January 2011 at 6 p.m.: We will feed about 30 volunteers who are working with The Episcopal Diocese of Texas Relief and Development. Please let me know what you will be bringing to this event. We have a reputation to keep up; thus far, St. Augustine’s is everyone’s favorite for food. Here is the menu thus far:

Chicken: Church
Green Salad: Pat Tate
Baked beans: Peggy Tuthill
Vegetable: Mary Makowski

9 January 2011: The Baptism of the Lord. We will also celebrate the Epiphany with King Cake that Sunday provided by Rose Daniels. The Annual Parish meeting will also be held with an election for 2 Bishop’s Committee persons and a delegate to send to the 162nd Diocesan Council. Rehearsal for the Presiding Bishop’s historic visit to St. Augustine will take place after the Annual Parish Meeting.

16 January 2011: the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and Bishop Doyle will visit St. Augustine. We will have two clean-up days prior to her arrival. We will also have a rehearsal on Sunday, 9 January 2011 after the Annual Meeting.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially all children throughout the world who are suffering, Cindi, Carol, Lee, John, Bob for a speedy recovery from surgery, Jerry Runion and Pat Williams who is in ICU.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Monday, January 3, 2011

“Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.”

Happy New Year to one and all! In the Daily Office, we start this new year of 2011 with an Old Testament reading from Genesis. It is the familiar story of Jacob’s ladder. Listen to what God tells Jacob:

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!’ And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that you give me I will surely give one-tenth to you.’ (Gen. 28: 10-22).

God tells Jacob: “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.” God also tells you and me the same thing, that He is with us wherever we go. And having been born after the coming of Christ, God is with us in a way that Jacob never imagined, in the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ. God is with us as one of us. Just thinking about the wondrous love of God especially as expressed in Jesus is a blessed way to start the new year.

Let us pray: Ever present God and Father, we thank you for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ; send Your Holy Spirit to be our constant companion, to sanctify us and to lead us in the way of Your Son. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

6 January 2011 at 6 p.m.: We will feed about 30 volunteers who are working with The Episcopal Diocese of Texas Relief and Development. Please let me know what you will be bringing to this event. We have a reputation to keep up; thus far, St. Augustine’s is everyone’s favorite for food.

9 January 2011: The Baptism of the Lord. We will also celebrate the Epiphany with King Cake that Sunday provided by Rose Daniels. The Annual Parish meeting will also be held with an election for 2 Bishop’s Committee persons and a delegate to send to the 162nd Diocesan Council. Rehearsal for the Presiding Bishop’s historic visit to St. Augustine will take place after the Annual Parish Meeting.

16 January 2011: the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and Bishop Doyle will visit St. Augustine. We will have two clean-up days prior to her arrival. We will also have a rehearsal on Sunday, 9 January 2011 after the Annual Meeting.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially all children throughout the world who are suffering, Cindi, Carol, Lee, John, Bob for a speedy recovery from surgery, Jerry Runion, Pat Williams who is in ICU, and the family of the Rev. Stacy Stringer as they grieve the loss of her father.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550