Mass Schedule – Week of Trinity XIX (October 26, 2014)
27, Alfred the Great, King of England
28, St. Simon & St. Jude, Apostles
29, Martyrs of Uganda
30, Feria
31, All Hallows Eve
01, All Saints Day
+ On the various New Testament lists of the Twelve Apostles the tenth and eleventh places are occupied by Simon the Zealot (also called Simon the “Cananean,” the Aramaic word meaning “Zealot”) and by Judas of James, also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus. (“Judas” in New Testament contexts corresponds to “Judah” in Old Testament ones. Note that masculine names ending in “-ah” when translated from Hebrew directly to English usually end in “-as” when the translation passes through Greek, since in Greek a terminal “-a” is normally feminine, but a terminal “-as” is normally masculine. Thus we have “Elijah” => “Elias,” “Jeremiah” => “Jeremias,” etc.) Some ancient Christian writers say that Simon and Jude went together as missionaries to Persia, and were martyred there. If this is true, it explains, to some extent, our lack of historical information on them and also why they are usually put together. Simon is not mentioned by name in the New Testament except on these lists. Some modern writers have used his surname as the basis for conjectures associating him, and through him Jesus and all His original followers, with the Zealot movement described by Josephus, a Jewish independence movement devoted to assassination and violent insurrection. However, there were many movements that were called Zealot, not all alike, and Josephus tells us (Jewish War 4,3,9) that the movement he is describing did not arise until shortly before the destruction of the Temple in 70 Ad.
+ Among the new nations of Africa, Uganda is the most predominantly Christian. Mission work began there in the 1870’s with the favor of King Mutesa, who died in 1884. However, his son and successor, King Mwanga, opposed all foreign presence, including the missions. James Hannington, born 1847, was sent out from England in 1884 by the Anglican Church as missionary Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa. As he was travelling toward Uganda, he was apprehended by emissaries of King Mwanga. He and his companions were brutally treated and, a week later, 29 October 1885, most of them were put to death. Hannington’s last words were: “Go tell your master that I have purchased the road to Uganda with my blood.” The first native martyr was the Roman Catholic Joseph Mkasa Balikuddembe, who was beheaded after having rebuked the king for his debauchery and for the murder of Bishop Hannington. On 3 June 1886 (see Bio), a group of 32 men and boys, 22 Roman Catholic and 10 Anglican, were burned at the stake. Most of them were young pages in Mwanga’s household, from their head-man, Charles Lwanga, to the thirteen-year-old Kizito, who went to his death “laughing and chattering.” These and many other Ugandan Christians suffered for their faith then and in the next few years. In 1977, the Anglican Archbishop Janani Luwum and many other Christians suffered death for their faith under the tyrant Idi Amin. Thanks largely to their common heritage of suffering for Christ and his Kingdom, Christians of various communions in Uganda have always been on excellent terms.
+ All Saints Day will be celebrated on Saturday, November 1 at 12:15 pm. All Souls’ Day will be celebrated on Monday, November 3 at 12:15 pm. As you have seen from our Mass schedule just about everyday of the week marks the celebration of the life of a specific saint. All Saints Day is tied to the Communion of Saints, a doctrine of comfort that declares that the Church is not divided by death. We affirm this truth in the hymn “The Church’s One Foundation.”
“Yet she on earth hath union
With God, the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won…”
When we celebrate the Holy Communion, we celebrate with our loved ones who are with our Lord. There are more saints than there are days and so on All Saints we celebrate the life and witness of all the saints of God, in a way commemorating the unknown saints.
+ The Monday morning Bible study begins today October 27 in the undercroft of the parish church. This three week study titled “How the Bible Fits Together” is a brief overview of all 66 books with the goal of seeing how they are knit together through overarching themes. On Monday, November 17, the class will embark upon a study of “The Miracle of the Scarlet Thread” by Richard Booker. Booker’s book looks closely at the theme of the blood covenant which God made with Abraham and its fruition in Jesus Christ. It demonstrates in clear language how the Old and New Testaments tell one complete story. For further information contact Priscilla King at kingplk@gmail.com.
+ This coming Wednesday is Agape & Christian Education and I hope you all can come out as well as bring a friend. Thanks goes out to all our cooks, teachers, and helpers and especially to Jackie Jamison for her leadership in organizing and developing our Wednesday Agape. Jackie says, “Things will proceed similarly to last year with three classes led by the same teachers (Sr. Lynda for the preschoolers, me for the elementary kids, and Charlie for upper elementary and middle school). I want to encourage parents to encourage kids not to “age up” to Charlie’s class before fourth grade. Even though that class right now is small, if we let the age creep downward, it won’t serve its purpose as a place for older kids who do end up coming! All teachers please remember that class is over at 7:15!
Another thing that hasn’t changed is our need for a second adult volunteer in each of the three classrooms. I have made a schedule for the first two weeks (see below) that is just parents, and during that time we will recruit non-parent volunteers as well. Two changes are planned: First, we will have a member of the choir run the communal music time at the beginning of the children’s classes each week. I think the plan is for that time to sometimes include a short bit of musical instruction, and then learning a song together. And secondly, we will ring the church bell when the classes start at 6:30 so all kids will know when it’s time to head to class. Please tell your kids that the bell ringing means they need to be in Sr. Lynda’s classroom!”
+ Daily mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 12:15 p.m. You and your family members are all remembered by name at the Altar of God every week. Please take an All Saints parish prayer list home with you & remember your fellow parishioners in your prayers.
+ All Saints Men’s Group will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, October 28 at 7:00 a.m. in the undercroft.
+ All Saints parishioner may obtain a Mass card from the Church office. A Mass card is a greeting card given to someone to inform him or her that a deceased loved one or friend was remembered and prayed for at a weekly Mass. It is a specifically Christian way to express one’s love. Call Julie McDermott at the Church office (434-979-2842) and she will help you fill out the form. The celebrant will sign the card and we will mail it from the Church to the family of the loved one.