Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name;
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness – Psalm 29:2.
All Saints’ offers 18 – count ‘em, eighteen! – opportunities to worship the Lord in the beauty of our holy space every week. Did you know that?
I’ve come to find and greatly appreciate being an Anglo-Catholic priest serving this Anglo-Catholic congregation. Our tradition compels us to offer regular and public times for prayer, worship, and contemplation. It’s the sacramental side of the scale that balances our community engagement within the parish bounds. One doesn’t work well without the other. I am blessed that, as a priest, part of my calling and occupation means I get to spend this time with God. What a privilege! What a gift! What a necessity!
This gift is by no means reserved for priests. No, no, no! All Saints’ offers these 18 opportunities for prayer, worship, and contemplation for you, the members of this congregation, and for the people who live, work, or pass through our parish neighborhood.
Two of the eighteen are Sunday morning Mass. The remaining sixteen happen Monday through Thursday, with Morning Prayer, midday Mass, a Holy Hour of quiet afternoon contemplation, and Evening Prayer. I configured and standardized the weekday schedule of these services in the hopes that even one of these sixteen times pulls you in to receive this gift.
Imagine it … the scriptures broken open and grace of the real presence of the Body of Christ – given for you! – at Mass. The simple, traditional beauty of the psalms and collects, lessons and canticles read at Morning and Evening Prayer. The relief of a few moments’ just sitting in silence with God on a weekday afternoon.
Perhaps you’ve never done Morning or Evening Prayer. I know that some of what we do in church is a bit baffling. I’m a patient teacher, and you’ll learn oh so quickly by doing. You will! And I need your help, too! It’s good to pray and worship with a community. And there’s so much loneliness in the world. An epidemic, some say – especially, paradoxically, in crowded cities like ours. Together we can come together, invite others, and ease that pain.
I’ve published the newly-revised schedule in the announcements section of the bulletin. The service schedule is there every week. You’ll also find it on the church website, on the sidewalk chalkboard, and on the notice board on the outside wall. And because I really want you to know about this, to receive this gift, and to find time to come once on Sunday and even just once during the week, here it is again:
Sunday Mass: 8:00 AM (takes ~ 45 minutes)
10:00 AM (~ 75 minutes)
Morning Prayer: Monday-Thursday at 7:30 AM (~ 20 minutes)
Weekday Mass: Monday-Thursday at 12:30 PM (~ 25 minutes)
Holy Hour: Monday-Thursday at 3:30 PM (take the time you wish)
Evening Prayer: Monday-Thursday at 4:30 PM (~ 20 minutes)
Do you want to have breakfast, coffee, lunch, or cocktail (or mocktail) with me? Let’s make a post-Morning Prayer, post-midday Mass, or post-Evening Prayer date! My treat! – at least the first time. I want us to get to know one another better. I want to discuss what we heard in the scriptures. I’m curious about what you think!
Did you know that All Saints’ is easily accessible by Muni?
The 6, 7, 33, 37, and 43 busses stop a block and a half away.
The N-Judah train is a seven- or eight-block walk from the corner of Carl and Cole, and the 5 bus is the same distance from Fulton and Masonic. You can time transfers to the 43 bus from both the N-Judah and the 5 if you prefer a shorter walk.
I even livestream the services on the church Facebook page (though it’s not the same as coming in person – you really should come in person, if you can, and bring someone along with you).
Look … I know that you are busy with all sorts of important responsibilities. Maybe you weren’t brought up in a tradition that considered mid-week church-going as something good for your soul. Maybe the whole church-thing is new to you. Maybe the thought of one. more. thing. – even a good thing! – gives you the willies. I get it.
But this is your one life, and I care about the health and well-being of your souls. I trust that God has the eternity part figured out. It’s your day-to-day spiritual status, leading to eternity, that God and the Church has entrusted me with. We have something for you here. I hope you can configure your schedule to receive this gift that God desires to give you.
God’s blessings and peace,
Dan +
Comentários