December 19, 2021

 4th Sunday of Advent

Join us either in person or on-line for St. Thomas’s Lessons and Carols. Find out how to get on-line by accessing the service at http://www.stthomaswindsor.org
Sunday’s service bulletin is here.

These are the lectionary readings for the Lessons and Carols service:

Isaiah 60:1-6

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Baruch 4:36-5:9

Isaiah 11:1-10

Isaiah 64:1-9

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Isaiah 7:10-16

Micah 5:2-5a

Luke 1:39-55

SARS–a definition and history of the virus from Encyclopedia Britannica (Britannica Online)

SARS, in full severe acute respiratory syndrome, highly contagious respiratory illness characterized by a persistent fever, headache, and bodily discomfort, followed by a dry cough that may progress to great difficulty in breathing. SARS appeared in November 2002 in Guangdong province, China, where it was first diagnosed as an atypical pneumonia.  . . . SARS is caused by a coronavirus, a type of virus usually associated with pneumonia and the common cold.   Read the entire article from Britannica online here.

US Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall

2016-05-27

Peter_MarshallAmerican Minute with Bill Federer Link to original article

Twentieth-Century Fox made a motion picture in 1955 titled A Man Called Peter, about the life of U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall, born MAY 27, 1902.

After World War II ended and as the Korean War began, the U.S. Senate appointed Peter Marshall to be their Chaplain on January 4, 1947.

Peter Marshall prayed:

“O Lord our God, even at this moment as we come blundering into Thy presence in prayer, we are haunted by memories of duties unperformed, promptings disobeyed, and beckonings ignored.

Opportunities to be kind knocked on the door of our hearts and went weeping away.”

 

On January 13, 1947, U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall stated:

“The choice before us is plain: Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration.

I am rather tired of hearing about our rights… The time is come to hear about responsibilities…

America’s future depends upon her accepting and demonstrating God’s government.”

 

Just 6 months before he died, June 11, 1948, U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall opened Congress with the prayer:

“Help us, our Father, to show other nations an America to imitate… the America that loves fair play, honest dealing, straight talk, real freedom and faith in God.”

Liturgical Colors

Liturgical Colors

“Liturgical Colors” in Episcopal worship signify our place in the Church Year:

WHITE, the color of Jesus’ burial garments, for Christmas, Easter, and other ‘feasts’ or festival days, as well as marriages and funerals.

PURPLE/VIOLET for Advent (or ROYAL BLUE) & Lent (or UNBLEACHED LINEN).

RED is used in Holy Week, the Day of Pentecost, and at ordinations.

GREEN is used during Epiphany and the ‘Ordinary Time’ after Pentecost Sunday.

Find the website here that explains the liturgical colors.

MORE Christmas music

This is by The Piano Guys — the world’s best music group. SILENT NIGHT
The Piano Guys O COME O COME EMMANUEL
The Piano Guys AWAY IN A MANGER
George Winston — the world’s best piano soloist CAROL OF THE BELLS
The Piano Guys ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
The Piano Guys GOOD KING WENCELAS
The Piano Guys STILL STILL STILL