All Hallows Eve

Today is the Eve of All Saints, or All Hallows Eve. The Feast of All Hallows (All Saints), used to be celebrated on 13 May until the mid-700s when it was changed to 1 November when All Saints Chapel was dedicated in Rome.

The observance of All Hallows Eve, the vigil of All Saint, depended on where you lived in Christendom. In Brittany, the night was solemn and without any merriment. They prayed by their loved ones’ graves during the day, attended church for “black vespers” in the evening and in some parishes proceeded to the cemetery to pray by the bones of those not yet buried or for whom no room could be found in the cemetery singing hymns. They prayed Psalm 130:

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.

Then, they retired for the night.

In Ireland and Scotland and England, All Hallows' Eve became a combination of prayer and merriment. During the time of Queen Elizabeth I, all observances connected with the day after All Saints Day, All Souls’ Day, were forbidden. In spite of her laws, however, customs survived; even Shakespeare in his Two Gentlemen of Verona has Speed tell Valentine that he knows he is in love because he has learned to speak “puling like a beggar at Hallowmas.”

Begging at the door grew from an ancient English custom of knocking at doors to beg for a “soul cake” in return for which the beggars promised to pray for the dead of the household. Soul cakes, a form of shortbread, with currants for eyes.

Although All Saints always falls on 1 November, the Church in the United States celebrates it on the Sunday immediately following 1 November; therefore, we will celebrate All Saints Day on Sunday, 6 November.

Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, who grants us to honor in one feast the merits of all Your saints, we beseech You that You would bestow upon us, through our many intercessors, that abundance of Your mercy for which we long, through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS

THE FEAST IF ALL SAINTS, Sunday, 6 November, where all of those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith and who witnessed to us the Risen Christ will be remembered.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.

THE FISH FRY & YARD SALE: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (proceeds for Church renovation/maintenance), and we are raffling a 32 inch flat screen TV (for the victims of the wildfires in Texas). We are starting to collect items for the yard sale benefiting the Community Garden so bring in your items. Dinner tickets are $7.50 each and the raffle tickets are $2 each of $5 for 3. The Yard Sale is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations for the yard sale can be brought to the church on Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or you can contact Karen at 409-762-0316 to arrange other times.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially Hugh who is recovering from surgery, all of those who are traveling, all of those seeking work, everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, for all who are alone, for those who have no one to pray for them, all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.

“As no darkness can be seen by anyone surrounded by light, so no trivialities can capture the attention of anyone who has his eyes on Christ.” —St. Gregory of Nyssa (c.330-c.395)

Your servant in Christ,

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

Sts. Simon & Jude

Today the Church remembers and honors two apostles, Saints Simon and Jude. James Kiefer writes:

On the various New Testament lists of the Twelve Apostles (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13), the tenth and eleventh places are occupied by Simon the Zealot (also called Simon the “Cananean,” the Aramaic word meaning “Zealot”) and by Judas of James, also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus. …

Some ancient Christian writers say that Simon and Jude went together as missionaries to Persia, and were martyred there. If this is true, it explains, to some extent, our lack of historical information on them and also why they are usually put together.

Simon is not mentioned by name in the New Testament except on these lists. Some modern writers have used his surname as the basis for conjectures associating him, and through him Jesus and all His original followers, with the Zealot movement described by Josephus, a Jewish independence movement devoted to assassination and violent insurrection. However, there were many movements that were called Zealot, not all alike, and Josephus tells us (Jewish War 4,3,9) that the movement he is describing did not arise until shortly before the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

Judas (often called Jude in English, but the Greek has Judas) is variously named, but this is not surprising. Before the Crucifixion, there would be a need to distinguish him among the apostles from Judas Iscariot, and after the Crucifixion there would be an additional reason for being emphatic about the distinction. “Thaddaeus” is possibly a variant of “Theudas,” which in turn is perhaps used as a Greek equivalent of “Judas”. … After the Last Supper it was Jude who asked Our Lord why he chose to reveal Himself only to the disciples. He received the reply: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:22f).

The New Testament Epistle of Jude was written by “Judas the brother of James,” which could refer to either Jude. In any case, we commemorate on this day (1) Simon the Zealot, one of the original Twelve; (2) Judas of James (also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus), also one of the original Twelve; and (3) Jude (or Judas) the brother of James and author of the Epistle, without settling the question of whether (2) and (3) are the same person.

The Epistle of Jude is a brief document addressed to the Church, and warns against corrupt influences that have crept in. It has some obscure and baffling references to old Jewish traditions, but it includes a memorable exhortation to “contend for the faith once delivered to the saints,” and an even more memorable closing: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding great joy, to the only wise God, or Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

Let us pray: O God, we thank you for the glorious company of the apostles, and especially on this day for Simon and Jude; and we pray that, as they were faithful and zealous in their mission, so we may with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.

JOINT MISSION EFFORT BETWEEN ST. AUGUSTINE & HOLY SPIRIT IN HOUSTON: The Youth from Holy Spirit in Houston will be at St. Augustine’s on Saturday, 29 October at 10:00 a.m. to help us pack snack bags for the visitors at St. Vincent’s House. We will celebrate Eucharist as well. Please join in if you can.

THE FISH FRY & YARD SALE: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (proceeds for Church renovation/maintenance), and we are raffling a 32 inch flat screen TV (for the victims of the wildfires in Texas). We are starting to collect items for the yard sale benefiting the Community Garden so bring in your items. Dinner tickets are $7.50 each and the raffle tickets are $2 each of $5 for 3. The Yard Sale is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations for the yard sale can be brought to the church on Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or you can contact Karen at 409-762-0316 to arrange other times.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially Hugh who is recovering from surgery, everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.

“Surely it is worthwhile to lay ourselves out with all our might in promoting the cause and kingdom of Christ.” —William Carey (17 August 1761 – 9 June 1834)

Your servant in Christ,

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

Fertile Soil

I am back from our 2011 Diocese of Texas Clergy Conference at Camp Allen which was wonderful, and I bring back greetings from Bishop Doyle and Bishop Harrison! We visited about the wonderful happenings at St. Augustine of Hippo in Galveston, and they could not be more delighted. I also had the opportunity to visit with representatives from the Diocese of Southern Malawi who were present at Clergy Conference, but more on that later.

In today’s Daily Office Gospel selection, we hear from the Gospel according to Matthew where we hear the parable of the sower:

‘Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’ (Mt. 13: 18-23).

At St. Augustine, the seed is being sown in fertile soil! What a community of faith we have at St. Augustine’s in Galveston. It was with great joy that I was able to convey the wonderful things happening at St. Augustine’s to Bishop Doyle and all of the clergy at conference. One of the most wonderful things is the new Women’s Bible Study with Jillian Bain. What a joy, people being immersed into the Word of God. I also told everyone about our third annual art show and how that event allowed St. Augustine to be a place where different views met. The Bishop and clergy were also very excited to hear about SASS, as well as the upcoming Fish Fry, Yard Sale and TV raffle. St. Augustine is a place where the seed has been planted in fertile soil.

Let us pray: Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for this parish family. Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent. Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LINK UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF TEXAS: It’s easy to do. To sign up for the Diolog E-News here's the link: www.tinyurl.com/diologenews.

CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.

JOINT MISSION EFFORT BETWEEN ST. AUGUSTINE & HOLY SPIRIT IN HOUSTON: The Youth from Holy Spirit in Houston will be at St. Augustine’s on Saturday, 29 October at 10:00 a.m. to help us pack snack bags for the visitors at St. Vincent’s House. We will celebrate Eucharist as well. Please join in if you can.

THE FISH FRY & YARD SALE: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (proceeds for Church renovation/maintenance), and we are raffling a 32 inch flat screen TV (for the victims of the wildfires in Texas). We are starting to collect items for the yard sale benefiting the Community Garden so bring in your items. Dinner tickets are $7.50 each and the raffle tickets are $2 each of $5 for 3.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially Hugh who is recovering from surgery, everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.

“Remember there's nothing so difficult and no stronghold so impregnable that it can't be broken down (and you built up) by Love.”— St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

Your servant in Christ,

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

"Bring me a letter Mr. Postman."

Today we read the end of Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians. Not how personal he is, especially noting that he is writing the letter in his own hand:

If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord just as I am; therefore let no one despise him. Send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I am expecting him with the brothers.

Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but he was not at all willing to come now. He will come when he has the opportunity.

Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

Now, brothers and sisters, you know that members of the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to put yourselves at the service of such people, and of everyone who works and toils with them. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such people.

The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, greet you warmly in the Lord. All the brothers and sisters send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. (1 Cor. 16: 10-24).

I don’t know about you, but not only like to receive real handwritten letters, but I also like to write them. They are not dashed off quickly like emails which use all sorts of short hand notations. Letters are not like texting which has even more abbreviated language—YKWIM? LOL!

Imagine the Corinthians receiving Paul’s letter. They’re excited to get word from Paul. They open it, and read it to everyone assembled. They read it again when they gather to worship. Every time they gather, they recall his words to them: “Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” They ponder Paul’s words in their hearts waiting to hear from him again. In the meantime, they re-read Paul's letter.

As we read Paul’s words, let us receive them just as the Corinthians did when they first opened the letter written in his own hand.

Let us pray: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

LINK UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF TEXAS: It’s easy to do. To sign up for the Diolog E-News here's the link: www.tinyurl.com/diologenews.

CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.

JOINT MISSION EFFORT BETWEEN ST. AUGUSTINE & HOLY SPIRIT IN HOUSTON: The Youth from Holy Spirit in Houston will be at St. Augustine’s on Saturday, 29 October at 10:00 a.m. to help us pack snack bags for the visitors at St. Vincent’s House. We will celebrate Eucharist as well. Please join in if you can.

THE FISH FRY & YARD SALE: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (proceeds for Church renovation/maintenance), and we are raffling a 32 inch flat screen TV (for the victims of the wildfires in Texas). We are starting to collect items for the yard sale benefiting the Community Garden. Dinner tickets are $7.50 each and the raffle tickets are $2 each of $5 for 3.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially for everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.

“Wherever we find the Word of God surely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to the institution of Christ, there, it is not to be doubted, is a church of God.” —John Calvin

Your servant in Christ,

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

In Times of Need

Today we hear how church communities help each other in a time of need. Paul writes to the church in Corinth:

Now concerning the collection for the saints: you should follow the directions I gave to the churches of Galatia. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come. And when I arrive, I will send any whom you approve with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.

I will visit you after passing through Macedonia—for I intend to pass through Macedonia— and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way, wherever I go. I do not want to see you now just in passing, for I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Cor. 16: 1-9).

Paul begins with directing the Corinthians about a charitable collection on a particular occasion, the distresses and poverty of Christians in Judea, which at this time were extraordinary, partly through the general calamities of that nation and partly through the particular sufferings to which they were exposed. Paul also did the same with the Galatians. Paul also does the same with us. Our brothers and sisters in Bastrop are in need after the terrible wildfires. We are carrying out Paul’s instructions with our raffle of the TV in conjunction with the Fish Fry where we will send the proceeds of the raffle to help our fellow Christians.

Let us pray: O merciful Father, who hast taught us in thy holy Word that thou dost not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men: Look with pity upon the sorrows of thy servants who are victims of the wildfires for whom our prayers are offered. Remember them, O Lord, in mercy, nourish their souls with patience, comfort them with a sense of thy goodness, lift up thy countenance upon them, and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LINK UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF TEXAS: It’s easy to do. To sign up for the Diolog E-News here's the link: www.tinyurl.com/diologenews.

CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.

JOINT MISSION EFFORT BETWEEN ST. AUGUSTINE & HOLY SPIRIT IN HOUSTON: The Youth from Holy Spirit in Houston will be at St. Augustine’s on Saturday, 29 October at 10:00 a.m. to help us pack snack bags for the visitors at St. Vincent’s House. We will celebrate Eucharist as well. Please join in if you can.

THE FISH FRY & YARD SALE: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (proceeds for Church renovation/maintenance), and we are raffling a 32 inch flat screen TV (for the victims of the wildfires in Texas). We are starting to collect items for the yard sale benefiting the Community Garden. Dinner tickets are $7.50 each and the raffle tickets are $2 each of $5 for 3.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially for everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.

Your servant in Christ,

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

St. Luke the Evangelist

Today we remember St. Luke the Evangelist. Here are the opening lines from the Gospel according to Luke:

Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed. (Lk. 1:1-4).

Remember that he also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Here are the opening lines of the Act of the Apostles:

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’

So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ (Acts 1: 1-8).

Luke’s writing style is that of a historian of his day. In both accounts, he addresses “Theophilus” meaning, “the lover of God.” His account reaches out not only to the Jewish people, but also to the Gentiles, but to all those who love God. The birth narratives are written from the women’s perspective. We read of Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. We hear the Magnificant (“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…”). From Luke we learn about the angel appearing to Mary. Both the Gospel account and Acts are very rich encounters with God, His Christ, and the birth of the Church.

Let us pray: Almighty God, who inspired your servant Luke the physician to declare in the Gospel the love and healing power of your Son: Graciously continue in your Church the same love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of your Name; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

LINK UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF TEXAS: It’s easy to do. To sign up for the Diolog E-News here's the link: www.tinyurl.com/diologenews.

CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.

JOINT MISSION EFFORT BETWEEN ST. AUGUSTINE & HOLY SPIRIT IN HOUSTON: The Youth from Holy Spirit in Houston will be at St. Augustine’s on Saturday, 29 October at 10:00 a.m. to help us pack snack bags for the visitors at St. Vincent’s House. We will celebrate Eucharist as well. Please join in if you can.

THE FISH FRY & YARD SALE: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (proceeds for Church renovation/maintenance), and we are raffling a 32 inch flat screen TV (for the victims of the wildfires in Texas). We are starting to collect items for the yard sale benefiting the Community Garden. Dinner tickets are $7.50 each and the raffle tickets are $2 each of $5 for 3.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially for everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.

“Let us remember the poor, and not forget kindness to strangers; above all, let us love God with all our soul, and might, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.” —St. Athanasius (296-373)

Your servant in Christ,

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

St. Ignatius of Antioch

Today the Church remembers one of the early bishops of the Church, Ignatius of Antioch who died on this day in 107. James Kiefer writes:

After the Apostles, Ignatius was the second bishop of Antioch in Syria. His predecessor, of whom little is known, was named Euodius. Whether he knew any of the Apostles directly is uncertain. Little is known of his life except for the very end of it. Early in the second century (perhaps around 107 AD, during the reign of the Emperor Trajan), he was arrested by the Imperial authorities, condemned to death, and transported to Rome to die in the arena. By thus dealing with a leader, the rulers hoped to terrify the rank and file. Instead, Ignatius took the opportunity to encourage them, speaking to groups of Christians at every town along the way. When the prison escort reached the west coast of Asia Minor, it halted before taking ship, and delegations from several Asian churches were able to visit Ignatius, to speak with him at length, to assist him with items for his journey, and to bid him an affectionate farewell and commend him to the grace of God. In response he wrote seven letters that have been preserved: five to congregations that had greeted him, en masse or by delegates (Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Philadelphians, and Smyrnaeans), one to the congregation that would greet him at his destination (Romans), and one to Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of the Apostle John.

His letters are available in several modern translations. Perhaps the most accessible is the Penguin Paperback, Early Christian Writings, translated by Maxwell Staniforth. The themes with which he is chiefly concerned are (1) the importance of maintaining Christian unity in love and sound doctrine (with warnings against factionalism and against the heresy of Docetism -- the belief that Christ was not fully human and did not have a material body or really suffer and die), (2) the role of the clergy as a focus of Christian unity, (3) Christian martyrdom as a glorious privilege, eagerly to be grasped.

Let us pray: Almighty God, we praise you for your bishop and martyr Ignatius of Antioch, who offered himself as grain to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts that he might present to you the pure bread of sacrifice. Accept the willing tribute of our lives, and give us a share in the pure and spotless offering of your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.

THE FISH FRY & YARD SALE: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (proceeds for Church renovation/maintenance), and we are raffling a 32 inch flat screen TV (for the victims of the wildfires in Texas). We are starting to collect items for the yard sale benefiting the Community Garden. Dinner tickets are $7.50 each and the raffle tickets are $2 each of $5 for 3.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially for everyone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.

“The cross of Christ is the true ground and chief cause of Christian hope.” —Leo the Great (400-461)

Your servant in Christ,

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