The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and the environment, falls on October 4 this year. We will celebrate on Sunday, October 6, with a Blessing of the Animals between the 11:00 am and 1:00 pm services in the courtyard.
Today, James is playing music by Joséphine Boulay and Eugène Gigout. Ms. Boulay, blind since the age of three, studied organ and composition at the Paris Conservatoire. Today’s “Toccata” is Gigout’s best-known work, and for good reason! At 9:00, the St. Michael’s Singers will sing two anthems in honor of St. Francis Day, “The Blue Bird,” by C. V. Stanford; and Kevin Siegfried’s arrangement of the Shaker song, “Heavenly Display.”
We don’t often read directly from The Book of Common Prayer on Sundays at St. Michael’s. You probably see it every week, peeking over the pew racks in back of each row, right next to hymnals and miscellaneous information cards. However, except for those who gather at the 7:30 service, we worship together using wonderfully produced, edited and printed worship bulletins that preserve us from having to juggle hymnals and prayer books and allow us to include additional words and prayers from the wider church as we worship together.
A Creation Care Faire will be held at St. Michael’s on Saturday, September 21, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Four other Episcopal churches will join us as we present a wealth of information on ways we can all care for God’s creation.
There’s a lot happening with the St. Michael’s Youth Group! On Sunday, October 6, Lenia will lead her weekly group for middle-schoolers in the Raphael Room at 1:15 pm. From 5:00 to 6:30 pm, all high-schoolers are invited to the Parish Hall for snacks, games and conversation. RSVPs for this gathering and the confirmation class mentioned below are welcome but not required.
Sunday, September 22, is the date of the second of four Sunday Episcopal 101 sessions. Please come to the Nativity Hall at 10:15 for a presentation from Rector R. Scott Painter on the Book of Common Prayer, or BCP. These forums are an opportunity to learn more about The Episcopal Church and being part of the St. Michael’s community.
We continue this Sunday in our Season of Creation. The St. Michael’s Singers will lead settings of Psalm 19: The heavens declare the glory of God. In today’s Gospel, St. Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ.
A few years ago, while I was serving in Houston, a couple of particularly conspicuous guests joined us one Sunday for worship. I may have been the only one in the room who didn’t know them. There was a buzz. Glances shot back and forth across the room.
Sunday Worship Schedule
7:30 – Spoken Traditional language (Rite 2 with no music)
9:00 – Traditional Service with Choir
11:00 – Inclusive Language with Choir
1:00 pm – Misa en Español
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