Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen….The Collect For Good Friday of The Episcopal Church.
The message of Good Friday is good winning the day. Evil put in it’s place. It’s about sacrifice, love and grace. I think the message of this day is about a humility and heroism embodied by a man who showed by example how to live in the best way possible. I think Jesus is a superhero who never wore a cape but stood up for all people.
For those who don’t know a lot about The Episcopal Church and how we worship its scriptural, sacred and Holy. We celebrate the Eucharist/communion during every Mass/Worship. From the music to the message everything points to Jesus. Our services help us to encounter Christ in ancient practices that has stood the test of time. I am blessed to be a part of the parish of St. Peter’s here in Chattanooga where I am finding faith, hope and love in community. It is also cool to be part of the global Anglican community. A couple of years ago I took one of those online quizzes that the Episcopal church would be a good fit for me and now that I am one it makes a lot of sense now. The Episcopal church is welcoming of everyone and encourages me to think and feel equally. I am grateful to God for leading me (and Laura) there.
For Advent I am doing a social media photo initiative called AdventWord.
It’s organized the Society of St John the Evangelist (SSJE) and the Anglican Communion Office is underway, with Anglicans around the world posting images on Twitter and Instagram in response to themes suggested by the Society.
Today was the first Sunday of Advent in our new church and I took a few picture to capture the experience of the day. It’s going to be great season leading up to Christmas. We are glad to be at St. Peter’s Episcopal in Chattanooga.
Today was a special day at church where my wife and I were confirmed into the Episcopal Church. I am blessed to be in a place that values people and shares Christ to people of all walks of life. Our Bishop came to confirm four people, preach and deliver the Eucharist.
St. Peter’s and the greater Episcopal church allows me to believe with my mind, heart and soul. We are connected with the global Anglican communion which excites me being an Anglophile and all. I am grateful the church has helped me appreciate the power of scripture in worship. Now, as I begin my life in a new place of worship I am looking forward to sharing with you what I discover.
These are some shots of things at church. The sanctuary where we worship, a banner featuring the keys of St. Peter and artwork featuring Jesus and Mary. Our new church home is a place of inspiration and love.
The Tony Burgess Blog 