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From Deacon Ron Reno:

Almighty and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost command; through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.

Thanks to Lynda and Julia, the music in the church was much like Nick would have done it!  We miss Nick dearly, but we blessed to have to have Julia and Lynda take on leadership and continue the his work. We owe a deep gratitude to David (Skip) Sopscak and Father Kurt for helping us with the digital end of what we are doing. God is working everywhere when we choose to see and do His good works evolve. God bless, Deacon

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

Thank you Father Andrews for feeding God’s children here in Omaha, Nebraska.  It was wonderful that you offered the full Eucharist and bringing your wife Anneliese with you. We love you both for what you do for this mission church. Father offered the sacrament of the  “Unction of the Sick”  after Mass.  He anointed a few with Holy oil in the Name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Ghost. The sacrament offered was beseeching for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the restoration and blessing of good health and away from sickness and pain.  One of these days after Mass, we should discuss the seven sacraments that were instituted by God, Christ and the Holy Ghost; each being an outward sign of an inward grace.

Our choir with the help of modern technology did a wonderful job. They sang all the songs that were requested by Father for this mass. God is working through our wonderful choir. Thank you Lynda and Julia for all you do for this mission church.

Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve; Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy; forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us the good things which we are not worthy ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen. Collect for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. God Bless, Deacon

A homily by Father Ponec about salvation.

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

God willing, Father Andrews and  Anneliese will be here this Saturday.  Father and Anneliese make this drive from Fort Collins, Colorado, because of their love of our small mission church.  Pray for their safe travel.

Thank you Lynda and Julia for your wonderful voices on our opening hymn, offertory hymn, and closing hymn. We had music Saturday with David’s help with a special flash drive and the organ’s amplifier. They are working on Father’s choice of music and even more liturgical music to be added to this week’s Mass. God is doing His work through our small choir. Thank you choir!

O GOD, who declares thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments may obtain thy gracious promise, and be made  partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Collect for 11th Sunday after Trinity

O that Thou wouldst kindle me, inflame me, and turn me wholly unto Thee; that I may be one spirit with Thee by grace of inward uniting and melting of burning love!  Suffer me not to depart from Thee fasting and dry,  but work in me mercifully; as Thou hast ofttimes marvelously wrought in Thy beloved servants in times past.  What marvel were it if I were all inflamed in Thee and failed in myself; saith Thou art the fire always burning and never failing, the love purifying the hearts and lightening the understanding of all creatures. As written by Thomas A Kempis in Latin and translated into English in the year of our Lord. 1503.

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Thank you Jim, Jane, and Joanna for such wonderful treats after the ‘Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts” last week. You three are such a blessing to this mission church. The beauty of this mission church is the sense of family we have in our little community. It is such a blessing to me that we have so many “God lovers” in our group and are so willing to glorify God. Josh, holding Liam in his hand, read the Epistle for us. Josh did a wonderful job reading for us. Our job is to spread the Gospel and remember that Jesus is our teacher.

LET thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and, that they may obtain their petitions’ make them to ask such things as shall please thee; through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen. Collect for Trinity 10

O ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who didst to thine Apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach thy Word; we beseech thee, unto thy church, to love that Word which he believed, and both to preach and receive the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Collect for Saint Bartholomew the Apostle.

We celebrated Trinity 10 and elements of the Feast of Saint Bartholomew. God bless, Deacon

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

Thank you Bishop Ashman!  Our Bishop came to console our small mission church with its loss of its beloved organist, Nick Behrens. Bishop Ashman brought his grandson, Shaun. It was so caring for this Bishop to take time from his busy schedule to bring comfort and fellowship to Saint John’s. We have a lot of new people and it was a blessing to them to meet our Bishop and his grandson. Bishop Ashman also presented to our Deacon a black scarf. Scarves have special meaning in the biblical world. We can discuss this later. Thank you again Bishop Ashman.

O GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen. Collect for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

Father Andrews suggested adding a prayer for Nick at each liturgy for the next 30 days. We will do that.

I have attached a homily written by Father Robert Ponec for Trinity 8. God bless, Deacon

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Our organist and choirmaster Nick Behrens passed away Monday. We loved him dearly and his loss is and will be felt in ways we can’t adequately express in words.

Nick at the console in the choir loft at St. Cecilia Cathedral, May 2023.

From Deacon Ron Reno:

I have received more information about plans for Nick’s Requiem Mass from his family and from his friend James Pierson.

Vigil (Wake) and visitation will be 5-7pm on Tuesday August 5th at the Forest Lawn Funeral Home. Words from 1928 BCP “Order of the Burial of the Dead” will be said at 7pm.

The Requiem Mass will be on Wednesday, August 6th at 10:00a.m. The location will be the Boys Town Chambers Chapel. The Chapel has a wonderful pipe organ. Father Tom Hurley, former Dean at Trinity Episcopal Church, will preside over this Mass. Jerry Kaminksi will be the organist with many of Nick’s choir friends singing.

God willing, after Mass, Father Andrews will finish up the service from the BCP at the grave site at Forest Lawn.

Family and friends can meet at the Cultural Center at Saint Cecilia Cathedral after the graveside service

I am sure Nick would approve of all the music chosen by his family and his friend Jerry. I’m sure Julia and Lynda have a lot to say about the music chosen honoring our dear organist. Our small church family loved Nick and he made our choir great. Julia, Julie and Lynda loved Nick more than I possibly could understand. We love our choir. This earth was a much better place with Nick doing God’s work on it. This loss will be a big change for our small group. Nick was special. May he rest in peace and “we know” he did God’s work on this earth.

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Father Andrews and Annaliese will be here for both Masses this weekend. Father will be here for the 6th Sunday after Trinity Mass. Father also shall preside over The MEMORIAL REQUIEM MASS for Dr. David G. Sherwood scheduled for Sunday afternoon-July 27th 3 PM at the CSM Chapel.

A reception will follow the mass in the 3rd floor student lounge. Your presence and prayers would be appreciated. God willing, Fr (Dr) Tom Holtzen from the Nashotah House will preach. Father was David’s closet friend on the faculty. David was especially close to our own Nick Behrens.

THE God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant; Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that is well pleasing in His sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. BCP

GRANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by they governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen. Collect for the 5th Sunday after Trinity

Pray for traveling mercies for both clergy and others traveling this weekend. God bless, Deacon

Please read Father Andrews attached homily from last weekend. It is an especially worthy homily.

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

Did you know that the summer solstice (our summer) is when one of the Earth’s poles has it largest tilt toward the Sun? I knew it was our longest day but little more than that. Stonehenge is aligned towards sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice. Even the Neolithic people of Stonehenge were leaving from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle and going to farming and the raising farm animals. Just fun information; I was going to use this in some way about the light of Christ that shines within us.

It has been about five years since the beginning of Covid. Covid changed things in many bad ways.  We missionary disciples must take back the mission that our Lord entrusted to the apostles before He ascended into heaven. This call to holiness is the purpose of this mission church. Our job is to introduce to all who we see in personal distress and introduce or reintroduce them to the light of Christ. Keep God on your mind always. We need to figure how to wear Christ on our shoulders and spread His message.

My wife Louise is in the hospital with her second encounter of Sepsis. She is to have surgery tomorrow. Please pray for her. God bless, Deacon

O GOD, the protector of all of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O Heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake our Lord. Amen. Collect from the Book of Common Prayer

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

We were blessed that Father Andrews and Anneliese were here for the First Sunday after Trinity. We are so grateful when they take time to come here and Father doing Mass. It takes a proper priest to do the Eucharist to feed His children; Father Andrews is that priest for us. We believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of bread and wine. It is the source and summit of Christian life. The Deacon at the Deacon’s liturgy can only feed God’s children with the pre-sanctified gifts that Father provides for when he visits. We keep the consecrated elements in a tabernacle that was blessed by a Bishop. We use that when Father is not here. Thank you Father for all you do for this mission church.

O GOD, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Collect for Trinity 1.

I didn’t have Father Andrew’s homily to attach so here is one of Father Ponec’s from 2017. Blessings, Deacon

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

God willing, Father Andrews and Anneliese will be here for our First Sunday after Trinity service. It is always a blessing to have Father to celebrate Mass for us. Pray for traveling mercies for them.

We had a choir of 6 last Saturday: Josh’s daughters Mikhaeli and Aubrey sang with our people. Our choirs first hymn last Saturday was “I Bind unto Myself.” That is one of my personal favorites. The postlude “Sanctus” was especially nice. We are so blessed to have the talent of this group. We were also blessed to have Julie Sopscak singing with them. It is wonderful when David and Julie can come visit from Michigan. We miss them.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world. Without end. Amen………..collect for Trinity Sunday. God bless, Deacon

I have attached a couple of images from Colorado; one from over 13000 feet above sea level. God’s beauty is all around us!

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