St. Edmund of East Anglia, King & Martyr

Today the Episcopal Church remembers a king and martyr who lived over 1200 years ago, Edmund.  He was born around the year 840 in East Anglia, and he became king at the young age of 15 in the year 855.  Edmund is first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written years after Edmund’s death.  Then in about 986, Abbo of Fleury wrote of Edmund’s life and martyrdom. 

East Anglia was destroyed by invading Danes who wiped out all physical evidence of Edmund’s kingdom.  Tradition has it that Edmund died around the year 870 at the hands of the Danes when he refused to give up his faith in Christ.  On the orders of Ivar the Boneless and his brother, Ubbe Rannarsson, the Danes beat Edmund, shot him with arrows and then beheaded him. 

Edmund is an example of someone in power who gives up all that is in his possession, his kingdom, his wealth, and even his life for his life for his faith in Christ.

 

 

 

Let us pray:  O God of ineffable mercy, who gave grace and fortitude to blessed Edmund the king to triumph over the enemy of his people by nobly dying for your Name: Bestow on us your servants the shield of faith, with which we can withstand the assaults of our ancient enemy; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen. 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

RCB Kids:  Jillian and Jo want to thank our St. Aug's family for adopting the Rainbow Connection as your Christmas outreach this year.  The Rainbow Connection is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving children living with cancer or blood disorders, and their families.  Activities include: The Rainbow Connection Camp, community education, holiday parties, parent support activities, quarterly newsletters, and outings.  We have a Christmas party for them each year, with a Santa shop where the children may choose a few gifts.  As mentioned in Church, we are most in need of gift cards and gifts for teenagers.  If you'd prefer, you can give a cash donation to Jillian.  We will be shopping for gifts on December 12, and would appreciate having all donations in hand by then.

Sunday, 25 November, we will celebrate our Thanksgiving feast in Sutton Hall after the 9:00 a.m. service where Fr. Kern Huff will be the preacher and the main celebrant. Please remember to bring your dish to share.

Advent begins on Sunday, 2 December, as well as our new Adult Christian Education series from Kerygma on Handel’s Messiah where we will explore:

         Comfort, Comfort My People

         Who shall Abide the Day of His Coming?

         For Unto Us a Child is Born

         Glory to God in the Highest

PRAYER LIST: Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially all of those who serve in the medical field, all of those who are unemployed, all of those who are alone this Thanksgiving, all of those serving in the Armed Forces who are away from home, all of those who are in the hospital during this holiday season, and for Gladys, Patricia, Betty and Duane.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550