Month: December 2023

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Our First Sunday after Christmas service will be at 11:15. It will be a Sung Morning Prayer and Communion of the Presanctified gifts service. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Please remember that Christmas is not just one day; our 12 days of Christmas starts at midnight Christmas Eve and lasts until January 6th on Epiphany Saturday. Within that 12 days, 8 days are called the Christmas Octave (Octave of the Nativity) which continues until January 1st which echoes the Solemnity the Nativity of the Lord. Our church calendar calls this the Circumcision of Christ and the Octave Day of the Nativity. This Octave really is an eight day celebration to impress upon our souls the mystery of God which also imparts joy and grace into our lives.

Our Christmas Day Lessons and Carols with Communion was done on Christmas Eve. Thank you Robert, Deb, Linda and Julia for doing an outstanding job reading the lessons. Thank you Nick and the choir for the wonderful choice of music you provided for this service. It is such a blessing to sing Christmas Carols we know. The choir sang “Remember, O Thou Man” and it was exceptional.

“GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that thou hast poured the new light of thy Word made flesh; so He who doth illuminate our hearts by faith may likewise in our works show forth His glory. “ Collect from Christmas Day. Let us pray for everyone to have a joyous 12 days. God bless Deacon

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin. This mission church will meet at 11:00 this Sunday. The College of Saint Mary’s is having their graduation this Saturday. This move will allow us to have the Deacon’s liturgy this coming “Rose” Sunday. The College of Saint Mary likes having us here and they made sure that Campus security works with God’s mission church here in Omaha. It is such a blessing for us to use this magnificent chapel.

Thank you Lynda for all you do, your love for God’s children and your love of our humble little church family. Lynda is our connection to this chapel.

Gaudette means “rejoice” in Latin. During the season of Advent, we await for the celebration Christ’s birthday and His coming again. Advent is four weeks long but in the middle of it, we get to enjoy a joyful “feast” day. This unique Sunday stands out as a beacon of joy and a brief respite from some of the more somber aspects of the season. Lighting this pink candle reminds us that even in the midst of our preparations, there is joy in the expectation of the Saviour’s arrival.We had a lovely sung MP and Communion of the Presanctified Gifts for the second Sunday in Advent. The choral postlude “Out of Zion” was beautifully done.

Collect from the Second Sunday in Advent
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures be written for our learning, Grant that we may in such wise hear them, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

The homily, student art and a copy of our bulletin is attached. God bless

Adv2(2023)
Bulletin_2023-12-09

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Thank you Father! We were blessed with the full Eucharist by Father Andrews. Father and his wife Anneliese make this journey from Fort Collins, Colorado. They are part of our church family and we must remember to thank God whenever they can come. Traveling mercies and good weather make this journey possible. The opening hymn “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” by Stuttgart was wonderful and the organ postlude “Meditation on Stuttgart” by Broughton was well done! It is such a blessing to have the choir we have, and the great joy they bring this Chapel. Father also used anointing oil on our newest member Robert Sutherlin. Robert has been coming for the last three weeks and decided to swim the Tiber to join us. May God bless Robert.

Advent began last Sunday and there are four Sundays in Advent prior to Christmas. For us this is the Advent season. Advent has two themes for
our preparation for His first coming. We also have an ancient expectancy and ardent desire of the Messiah’s second coming. For us the Christmas season begins the night before Christmas (Christmas Eve) and continues and includes the Sunday after Epiphany.

A  thoughtful explanation of the season was given by Pope Pius XII. “With the coming of the birthday of the Redeemer, the Church would bring us to the cave of Bethlehem and there teach that we must be born again and undergo a complete transformation; That will only happen when we are intimately and vitally united to the Word of God made man and participate in His divine nature, to which we have been elevated.”

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”  KJV Isaiah 7:14

Have a thoughtful Advent season along with this anticipation of Christ’s birth. Saint John’s bulletin and freshman artwork are included, Blessings, Deacon

Bulletin_2023-12-02

From Deacon Ron Reno:

We have many traveling this Thanksgiving holiday, including Nick, David and the Deacon. There will be no Saturday service,  November 25. Please pray for traveling mercies for them, Deb, Madison and the ones of your family traveling to Omaha.

God willing, Father Andrews and Anneliese will be with us again to celebrate Mass for the first Sunday in Advent; which we will celebrate on Saturday December 3. Pray for good weather and traveling mercies for them also. Please remember to bring your wrapped gifts for the Sun Tar Anglican Church children by that date also. Remember how Jesus said “it is better to give than receive.”

O LORD, we beseech thee, absolve thy people from their offenses; that through thy bountiful goodness we may be delivered from the bonds of sin, which by our frailty we have committed. Grant this, O Heavenly Father, for Christ’s sake* our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen “Collect for Trinity 24”

I have attached Father Andrew’s Thanksgiving homily and please take time to read it. It has a historical perspective I think you will find interesting. I have also attached last Saturday’s homily along with our last bulletin. Please be safe and thank God for all the good things in your life.
Another blessed ‘Nebraska through the lens” fall image