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[Download Dec 2007 Calendar (.pdf file)]
Little is recorded of St. Thomas the Apostle, nevertheless thanks to the fourth Gospel, his personality is clearer to us than that of some others of the Twelve. His name is found in all four gospels, but in St. John he plays a distinctive part. It was he who during the discourse before the Last Supper who raised an objection by saying: "Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?". But more especially, St. Thomas is remembered for his incredulity when the other Apostles announced Christ's Resurrection to him: "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe", but eight days later he made his act of faith, drawing down the rebuke of Jesus: "Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed."
The early Christian congregations (as well as the Jewish synagogues) had a program of assistance for needy widows, and some of these congregations complained that their widows were being neglected. The apostles replied: "We cannot both preach and administer financial matters. Choose seven men from among yourselves, respected, Spirit-filled, and of sound judgement, and let them be in charge of the accounts, and we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." Among those chosen was Stephen, and the apostles laid their hands on them. They are considered to be the first deacons, although the Scriptures do not use the word to describe them.
Stephen was an eloquent and fiery speaker, and a provocative one. His blunt declarations that the Temple service was no longer the means by which penitent sinners should seek reconciliation with God enraged the Temple leaders, who caused him to be stoned to death. One of those who saw the stoning and approved of it was Saul (or Paul) of Tarsus, who took an active part in the general persecution of Christians that followed the death of Stephen, but who later was led to become a Christian himself.
As recorded in Matthew's Gospel, after the visit of the Magi, Herod, in rage and jealousy, slaughtered all the baby boys in Bethlehem and surrounding countryside in an attempt to destroy his perceived rival, the infant Messiah.
Since the 6th century, on December 28, the church has celebrated the memory of those children killed because of Herod's rage against Christ. Liturgical tradition refers to them as the "Holy Innocents" and regards them as martyrs.
On December 29, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was slain in his own cathedral in 1170 for his defiance of King Henry II. The death of Thomas reminds us that a Christian, even when safe from pagans, can be in danger from his fellow-Christians. It also reminds us that one can be martyred in a cause where the merits of the particular issue at hand are not obvious to all men of good will. The King claimed that a cleric accused of an ordinary crime ought to be tried in his courts like any layman. Thomas, on the other hand, upheld the rights of clergy to be tried only in Church courts, which could not inflict capital punishment. Henry's position that if the Church court found a clergyman guilty of murder, the Church court would degrade him to the rank of a layman, whereupon the King's Court would try him, and if it found him guilty would order him hanged. Thomas objected that a man could not be tried and punished twice for the same offense.
Thomas was canonised almost immediately (1173) and his shrine established at Canterbury in 1220, to become the goal of the famous Pilgrim's Way. The shrine was demolished at the Reformation, when it was ordered that Thomas' name be removed from the liturgical books of the church, but as more than 80 churches in England alone are dedicated to him it was obviously impossible to eliminate his memory.
Services
Sunday, Dec - 11:15 a.m.
Processional ()
Sermon ()
Offertory ()
Recessional ()
Sunday, Dec - 11:15 a.m.
Processional Hymn ()
Sermon Hymn ()
Offertory Hymn ()
Recessional Hymn ()
Sunday, Dec - 11:15 a.m.
Processional Hymn ()
Sermon Hymn ()
Offertory ()
Recessional Hymn ()
Sunday, Dec - 11:15 a.m.
Processional Hymn ()
Sermon Hymn ()
Offertory Hymn ()
Recessional Hymn ()
Vestry Meeting
Dec Time: __
Birthdays/Anniversaries & Special Events
Dec 1: Mary May Rice Birthday
Dec 2: Kara Kiracofe Shower
Dec 4: John & Jenny Pate Anniversary
Dec 6: John Pate Birthday, Samantha D'Alessandro Birthday
Dec 9: Dan Allen Birthday
Dec 12: Neal Hartwell Birthday
Dec 23: Justin Raver Birthday
Dec 24: 11 p.m. Mass with the Presbyterian Church
Dec 31: Mary Allen Birthday
Special Days
Dec 21: Observance - St. Thomas the Apostle
Little is recorded of St. Thomas the Apostle, nevertheless thanks to the fourth Gospel, his personality is clearer to us than that of some others of the Twelve. His name is found in all four gospels, but in St. John he plays a distinctive part. It was he who during the discourse before the Last Supper who raised an objection by saying: "Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?". But more especially, St. Thomas is remembered for his incredulity when the other Apostles announced Christ's Resurrection to him: "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe", but eight days later he made his act of faith, drawing down the rebuke of Jesus: "Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed."
Dec 26: Observance - St. Stephen - Deacon & Martyr
The early Christian congregations (as well as the Jewish synagogues) had a program of assistance for needy widows, and some of these congregations complained that their widows were being neglected. The apostles replied: "We cannot both preach and administer financial matters. Choose seven men from among yourselves, respected, Spirit-filled, and of sound judgement, and let them be in charge of the accounts, and we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." Among those chosen was Stephen, and the apostles laid their hands on them. They are considered to be the first deacons, although the Scriptures do not use the word to describe them.
Stephen was an eloquent and fiery speaker, and a provocative one. His blunt declarations that the Temple service was no longer the means by which penitent sinners should seek reconciliation with God enraged the Temple leaders, who caused him to be stoned to death. One of those who saw the stoning and approved of it was Saul (or Paul) of Tarsus, who took an active part in the general persecution of Christians that followed the death of Stephen, but who later was led to become a Christian himself.
Dec 28: Observance - Holy Innocents
As recorded in Matthew's Gospel, after the visit of the Magi, Herod, in rage and jealousy, slaughtered all the baby boys in Bethlehem and surrounding countryside in an attempt to destroy his perceived rival, the infant Messiah.
Since the 6th century, on December 28, the church has celebrated the memory of those children killed because of Herod's rage against Christ. Liturgical tradition refers to them as the "Holy Innocents" and regards them as martyrs.
Dec 29: Observance - St. Thomas Becket
On December 29, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was slain in his own cathedral in 1170 for his defiance of King Henry II. The death of Thomas reminds us that a Christian, even when safe from pagans, can be in danger from his fellow-Christians. It also reminds us that one can be martyred in a cause where the merits of the particular issue at hand are not obvious to all men of good will. The King claimed that a cleric accused of an ordinary crime ought to be tried in his courts like any layman. Thomas, on the other hand, upheld the rights of clergy to be tried only in Church courts, which could not inflict capital punishment. Henry's position that if the Church court found a clergyman guilty of murder, the Church court would degrade him to the rank of a layman, whereupon the King's Court would try him, and if it found him guilty would order him hanged. Thomas objected that a man could not be tried and punished twice for the same offense.
Thomas was canonised almost immediately (1173) and his shrine established at Canterbury in 1220, to become the goal of the famous Pilgrim's Way. The shrine was demolished at the Reformation, when it was ordered that Thomas' name be removed from the liturgical books of the church, but as more than 80 churches in England alone are dedicated to him it was obviously impossible to eliminate his memory.
