Today is the first Sunday Of Advent in many places in the Christian Tradition. I am serving in worship at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church today. The road to Christmas has begun for real. Have a great Sunday everyone.
I think future generations will say the late 20th century and the early 21st century was a time of great convulsions and upheavals.
Bishop N.T. Wright
Tonight, I attended my last meeting as a member of the Vestry of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. The Vestry is the leadership group in the Episcopal Church. For the last three years, I have served my parish during extraordinary times in our world and my own personal loss in 2019.
This experience has taught me a lot about how wonderful my church people are and how we come together to lead during the good and tough times. I will continue to serve in other ways but my time as a church leader has ended and I am grateful for the opportunity I had to do the good work of the church.
The third candle of the Advent wreath represents Gaudete/Rejoice. May this be a time to rejoice in the season. Grace and peace to all.
The first candle of the Advent which means hope. My hope for you all is to find light and love in this season.
Tonight, I begin the fourth and final year of my religious studies course Education for Ministry. I have surveyed the old and new testaments; church history and this year is theology. This promises to be my favorite year, but I know it will be challenging. This gets into the mechanics of faith, and I am ready for it.
The course is produced by The University of The South which is an Episcopal University in Sewanee, Tennessee. I have learned a lot studying with others and I am grateful for the experience.
It’s been a long time since I have worn an alb in service as a Lay Eucharistic Minister at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Today it felt great to be back in action helping my priest and deacon serve communion to all at church this morning.
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week, the last week of the Christian solemn season of Lent that precedes the arrival of Eastertide.
To all celebrating may this be a time of Holy reflection and keeping the events of this week in your thoughts.
The Tony Burgess Blog 