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From Deacon Ron Reno:

We are all one in Christ Jesus. What a wonderful passage. In just a few verses, we have wiped away all prejudice: racism, sexism, bigotry of all shapes and sizes. These sentences came from one of Father Ponec’s last homilies. This homily was written for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity with a reference from Galatians (3:27). Please take time to read it. This homily was written by our priest in 2020 and is a must read. It shows the love of God this priest had and strength he had to write this homily. I remember Father was very sick at this time and I suspect he sensed his time on this earth was coming to an end. I can see through this homily that Father was fighting as a soldier of God to the end. This was a great man of God and many were blessed to know him.

O GOD, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee; Mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We were blessed to have our choir to sing the responses as the Litany was chanted this last week. The Litany is very old and came from the early church in the fourth century. Our Litany is very similar to the one that Thomas Cranmer used in the 1544 English Church service. Cranmer relied mainly on the medieval Sarum Rite and also the German Litany of Martin Luther. The Anglican Church has a rich history to draw from. God bless, Deacon

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

We were blessed to have Father Andrews and Anneliese for our Michaelmas.  As noted from our email last week, the Church took up this devotion to the archangel Michael from its earliest years. Both in the East and the West churches, we have embraced these God given origin stories.

Saint Micheal is in one of the Church’s earliest confessions:
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary Ever- Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel. to blessed John Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to thee, Father, that I have greatly sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed through my fault, through my own fault, through my own most grievous fault. Therefore I beg Blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the saints and thee to pray to the Lord our God.

O EVERLASTING God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order; Mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels always do thee service in heaven, so, by thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thank you Father Andrews, for sharing your time with us and this Mass. Thank you choir for doing God’s work, God bless, Deacon

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

May your week be blessed with the beautiful change to cooler weather and the start of the season of fall. With the autumnal equinox just starting, we can look forward to the landscape to be exploding with vibrant colors and seeing pumpkins everywhere. We had our Harvest full moon last week; our Harvest moon was also a super-moon that was bright and beautiful.  It is a fantastic  time of year to explore the outdoors and take a moment to thank God for the beauty around us. We get to enjoy most of God’s palette because He is the greatest of all artists and His creation is ours to enjoy. I would suggest doing EP outside as a change of pace. I did MP in the Rockies this summer and found it most gratifying.

Saint Michael is one of the principal angelic warriors, protector against the dark of the night and the Archangel who fought against Lucifer and his evil angels. The roots of Michaelmas is traced back to a fifth century.  Pope Gelasius established this feast and it is on our Liturgical calendar. Saint Michael’s name has the deep meaning of ”Who is like God. ”

God willing Father Andrews and Anneliese will be here Saturday. We need to pray for traveling mercies for them. God willing we will have the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels (Michaelmas) this weekend. It is also associated with the beginning of Autumn. We won’t be eating the fattened goose as they do in the British Isles; but they say in England “Eat a goose on Michaelmas Day, Want not money all the year.”  That may have worked for Queen Elizabeth I in the late 1500’s, but hard work and a belief in God does it for us Americans.

Michaelmas serves as a reminder of our fight against the ongoing evil forces we face daily. We need to look at Saint Michael to be our intercessor for the many spiritual battles we face. Saint Michael is spoken of twice in the OT and twice in the NT and the patron saint of many.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Collect for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. God bless, Deacon

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

Good Day! I pray to the Lord for a good day and a great rest of the week for you. The Deacon will be gone this weekend to take his daughter and granddaughter hiking in the Rockies. We are blessed to have Nick who is a licensed lay reader to do Morning Prayer for you. I know Nick will have a sung MP to lead this Godly prayer service. Thank you Nick for all you do.

ALMIGHTY and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee, that may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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Trinity 13, 2017

From Deacon Ron Reno:

We were blessed to have Father Andrews and his lovely wife Anneliese last weekend. Thank you Father for all you do for this mission church. We had a lovely gathering after Mass before Father and Anneliese continued their journey north to visit their son and his family, We prayed for traveling mercies for Father. We need to pray for traveling mercies for Debbie as she travels overseas. After singing the opening hymn “Praise the Lord” Father aspersed Holy water on everyone while the choir sang the Sprinking Rite. The communion anthem “Ave Verum Corpus” was especially appropriate. The postlude “Fanfare and Air” was well done. Thank you choir!

O GOD, who declarest thy mighty 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 promises, and be partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Collect for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

From “Imitation of Christ” by Thomas A Kempis (15th century theologian)
Bless and sanctify my soul with heavenly blessing that it may become Thy holy dwelling, and the seat of Thy eternal glory; and let nothing be found in the Temple on Thy divinity which may offend the eyes of Thy majesty. According to the greatness of Thy goodness and the multitude of Thy mercies look upon me, and hearth prayer of Thy poor servant, far exiled from Thee in the land of the shadow of death. Protect and preserve the soul of Thy least servant and many dangers of corruptible life, and by Thy grace accompanying me, direct it by the way of peace unto its home of perpetual light. Amen. God bless, Deacon

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From Deacon Ron Reno:

God willing, Father and Anneliese will be here this weekend. Pray for traveling mercies while they travel which includes driving to Minnesota to visit family. It is always a blessing when Father comes to give us the acclamation of God through our liturgy and feed us with the body and blood of Christ, under the humble signs of bread and wine. We are called to be the Body of Christ because we do God’s bidding. The Eucharist is indeed the substantial sacred food He offers.

Nebraska has experienced snowstorms, tornadoes, a derecho and about a week ago, hurricane like winds that destroyed thousands of trees and brought Omaha down to its knees. We need to keep praying for all of our affected friends during a rash of adverse weather. We need to continue praying for the displaced families in California from wildfires and our friends in the Atlantic states. Maybe God is trying to get our attention.

Our Tenth Sunday after Trinity collect says it all.
LET thy merciful ears, O Lord, to be open to the prayers 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.

Our homily and our Sung Morning Prayer with Communion of the Presactified Gifts are attached, God bless, Deacon

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Great updated news! Father emailed, Anneliese and he will be here to celebrate August 10th for “The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.” They will continue to travel to Wisconsin to see their son and his family. We need to pray for people traveling this week; Nick who is going to Wisconsin and Julie Sopscak driving in from Michigan. Julie will be here for Saturday’s service. We miss David and Julie and they are always in our prayers.

Pray for our California friends in and around Chico; they are fighting fires again. This fire is a monster.

Please pray for Janet Rose and her family. Jack passed this morning; “May he rest in peace and the perpetual light shine upon him.” Jack and Janet came often to Saint John’s until Jack’s health and ambulation started failing. We have wonderful memories of them. It is always sad for us who still walk this earth when someone passes.

On a more happy note; the Deacon was blessed to help with our Shakespeare and Sacred Art Camp this week offered by the Chesterton Academy. One of his former students taught sacred arts to the 3rd-7th grade students and the Deacon worked with the older students to do a stage setting for a play by Shakespeare. We will need two more hours Friday to finish the backdrop. Twenty three students 3rd through 12th have spent four days studying Shakespeare and memorizing their parts for this play.  Chesterton teachers worked with these students. This school is doing God’s work.

O GOD, whose never-failing providence ordered all things both on 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. Attached are some images from the school. God bless

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Trinity 08, 2017

From Deacon Ron Reno:

Good afternoon, after several blistering hot days we finally are getting back to temperatures of mid 80’s. We had a lovely sung MP and Communion of the Presanctified Gifts last  Saturday. We had 4 visitors who found us from our website. Thank you David for maintaining our webpage.  Thank you Roberts family for making them feel at home. A special thanks to Joanna who spent time with them on how the service works. Everything we do is for the glory of God and part of our job is introducing people to Him. The organ prelude from Handel’s Royal Fireworks was a nice way to start MP.

LORD of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast made this day honourable for us by the translation of blessed Swithun, thy Confessor and Bishop; Grant thy Church joy in this feast, that we reverently celebrate his memory earthly by his prayers be lifted up to heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 7th century Anglo-Saxon Bishop celebrated on July 15th.

A reading from “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas A. Kempis
Through lightness of heart and neglect of our shortcomings we feel not the sorrows of our soul, but often vainly laugh when we have good cause to weep. There is no liberty nor real joy, save in the fear of God with a good conscience. Happy is he who can cast away every cause of distraction and bring himself to the one purpose of holy compunction. Happy is he that putteth away from him whatsoever may stain or burden his conscience. Strive manfully; custom is overcome by custom. If thou knowest how to let men alone, they will gladly let thee alone to do thine own works.

I have attached Father Andrews wonderful homily from last week. It had wonderful narrative about the founding fathers of this country. I also have attached Father Ponec’s RIP last homily on Trinity 7. God bless, Deacon

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From Deacon Ron Reno (2024-07-04)

We were blessed to have Father Andrews and Anneliese last Saturday. We celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Peter and the celebrant colors were red. Father did the rite of sprinkling water (asperges) right after the opening hymn. The blessing and sprinkling of holy water is a reminder of baptism normally done at Easter but can be done at other times. Father chose to do this on this last Saturday in accordance of the liturgical calendar. The music was great and while the choir was singing, “I sought the Lord,” in my mind I was singing, “I sought the Lord and the Lord won and I sought the Lord and the Lord won.”  That may be a takeoff from an Eric Clapton song. I thought “For thy dear saints, O Lord” as a closing hymn especially reflective of this mass.

O ALMIGHTY God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy flock; Make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the same, that they may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

GRANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

I have attached Father Ponec’s 2017 homily to this email. We were all blessed to hear Father Andrew’s last Saturday. The Feast of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord was July 1 and I have attached 3 pieces of Chesterton student art we did during the school year. It is blessing to teach at a Catholic School where the art department can keep God in mind. Blessings, Deacon

 

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Trinity 05, 2017

From Deacon Ron Reno (2024-06-26):

God willing, Father Andrews and Anneliese will be here for our services Saturday. Pray for traveling mercies for them; our weather in Nebraska has been strange all spring and now even into the summer solstice. We are always blessed to have the full Eucharist when Father comes. It is called the Eucharist because it is an offer of thanksgiving to God. We believe that the presence of Christ is real, true and important for our souls in our relationship with God. When Father comes in celebration, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost.  Father is the instrument of that action. We are fortunate to have Father to come celebrate and set us up with the Pre-Sanctifed Gifts so that this Deacon can fulfill his assignment to serve this mission church. Father is a very humble man and I strive every day to be more like him and Father Ponec, RIP. Please come and celebrate with us this weekend.

We had a lovely sung morning prayer and Communion of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts this past weekend. Thank you Nick for leading us in MP. Your voice is a gift from heaven and our small choir is testimony of God working through you. Robert did a wonderful job reading the first lesson. It is a blessing for us to chant our canticles,  the Venite,  Te Deum and the Benedictus. Learning to chant properly is a work in progress for me.

O GOD, the protector 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 pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, by whose providence thy servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching repentance; Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth’s sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Attached is Father’s homily and a couple of pictures from our vacation to 14000 feet above sea level in the Rocky Mountains. It is quite an experience to do MP at that elevation. It was windy, cold but very spiritual. His vastness, His artists palette of this earth is never ending. God bless, Deacon

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