Spirit of the Eagle – September 2014

Rector’s Reflections
The older I get the faster times seems to pass by. It has been more than four years since I assumed the role of Pastor of St. John’s, which may not seem that long to some (but an eternity to others) yet a lot has taken place in those years. Strong efforts have been made in outreach, to raise our visibility in the surrounding community by participating in local events. The Choir and others have worked diligently to improve our music program in order to enhance our worship experience and the Vestry has worked tirelessly to restore our building and grounds. As always there is more to be done, but even though there may be some tough times ahead, there is such a thing as the Spirit of St. John’s to see this parish through them. There is a tradition here of weathering the storm of tribulation through guidance by the Holy Spirit and faith in God’s protection. St. John’s has persevered for more than 140 years and I have every confidence that it will be here for another 140 years to come.
+Yours-In-Christ, Fr. Bryan Newman+

Sunday 9 a.m. Holy Communion
The 9 a.m. service has been a modest success, in terms of attendance, and will continue through September. Those days are always disorienting for me and I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the Mass every Sunday. However, now that autumn has unofficially begun we must turn our attention back to worshipping together as a faith community at the 10:30 Holy Communion Service, so after September 28th the 9 a.m. service will end. + Fr. Newman +

Wednesday Night Service
There is nothing quite like taking a pause from the daily grind at mid-week to refresh ourselves by receiving our ‘spiritual food for our spiritual journey’. I want to encourage all of you who have made the effort to attend Wednesday services, and those of you who haven’t, to join Fr. Neuroth and Fr. Newman for this rewarding service. In September we will be celebrating the Feast of St. Cyprian and Bl. Lancelot Andrewes. I hope to see you all there!

The Choir Returns to Practice and Services
The Choir is already in mid-season form after their summer hiatus. Practice is every Wednesday at 4:30 pm except the 2nd Wednesday of the month when it is @ 7 pm. As always we need more choir members and if you would like to make a joyful noise unto the Lord we would love to have you join the Choir!

Vestry Meeting
Our Vestry Meeting for September will be on Wednesday, the 17th, at 7:00 PM. If you are a member of the Vestry please make plans to be present. All are welcome.

St. John’s Cookout
Please join us Sunday, September 21st, after the 10:30 Holy Communion service as the Vestry and the A.C.W. join together to sponsor a Cook Out, instead of a picnic this year. This will allow us to celebrate Holy Communion in the proper sacred setting and enjoy picnic food in the comfort of our parish hall. Please come and join us for good food and fellowship!

Bishop’s Annual Visit
His Grace, Bishop Rommie Starks is making his annual visit to St. John’s, on Sunday, October 5th. Please plan to attend our service on that day as this is one of the few opportunities we have to show our appreciation to our Bishop for his leadership. We welcome our Shepherd back to his home parish!

The Flight of the Eagle
The ‘Flight of the Eagle’ is a record of my activities as your pastor over the month just past. Below are the visits and other events, I made in the month of August. I prayed with those I visited and gave them Holy Communion and Anointed them when needed. +God Bless, Fr. Bryan Newman+

8/3 visited Kathy Hougham @ St. E’s Edgewood.
8/6 visited Jack Murray @ St. E’s Ft. Thomas.
8/10 visited Jack Murray @ St. E’s Ft. Thomas.
8/10 visited Kathy Hougham @ Health South.
8/24 visited Jack Murray @ his home.
8/31 visited Jack Murray @ his home.
8/31 visited Helen Foster @ Rosedale Green
8/31 visited Dom Benedict @ Rosedale Green
8/31 visited Don Prigge @ Elmcroft

September Birthdays & Anniversaries
Joanna & Jim Barnett – Anniversary – September 5
Jerri Lenz – Birthday – September 8
Ben Hayes – Birthday – September 8
Robby & Rachel Cornish – Anniversary – September 10
Robert Kleven – Birthday – September 12
Gary Blade – Birthday – September 14
Rich Seyberth – Birthday – September 16
Anne Marie & Kevin Hess – Anniversary – September 18
Lori Seyberth – Birthday – September 20
Don Prigge – Birthday – September 24
Liz & Michael Robbins – Anniversary – September 24
Joyce & Jack Murray – Anniversary – September 29

Spiritual Tidbits for September from Father Tim

Seven Sorrows, B.V.M., 15th of September
1. The prophecy of Simeon: “And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed” (Luke II: 34-35).

2. The flight into Egypt: “And after they (the wise men) were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise and take the child and His mother and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy Him. Who arose and took the child and His mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and He was there until the death of Herod” (Matt. II: 13-14).

3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple: “And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day’s journey, and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him” (Luke II: 43-45).

4. The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross: “And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented Him” (Luke XXIII: 27).

5. The Crucifixion: “They crucified Him. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, He saith to His Mother: Woman: behold thy son. After that he saith to the disciple: Behold thy Mother” (John XIX: l8, 25-27).

6. The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross: “Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counselor, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen” (Mark XV: 43-46).

7. The burial of Jesus: “Now there was in the place where He was crucified, a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein no man yet had been laid. There, therefore, because of the parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus, because the sepulcher was nigh at hand” (John XIX: 41-42).

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September has arrived and summer 2014 is drawing to a close. This summer has been no different than any summer of the past. We have experienced both immense occasions of joy and intense moments of suffering. Thus said, there is a lot we can learn from the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The image of Mary as a survivor both of unthinkable blessings and unimaginable woes has always been a Christian ideal to contemplate and imitate. Mary shows us how in a life filled with suffering, there is also grace, and that a world overflowing with challenges awaits our strength and courage. Like Saint Mary, we too can persevere and accept each struggle we are faced with, and use them like rungs to struggle up the ladder of divine ascent, while growing closer and understanding more deeply her Son Jesus Christ. I pray your September is filled with grace, strength, and courage. ~ Father Tim

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If we must contradict someone or oppose another’s opinion to his, we must do so very mildly and carefully so as not to arouse his anger. Nothing is ever gained by harshness. To speak little — a practice highly recommended by ancient sages — does not consist in uttering only a few words but in uttering none that are useless. ~ Francis De Sales, Introduction To The Devout Life

September Spirituality Class
Please join me after Mass on the 28th of September to continue our discussion on Holy Dying. Boy this has been a lively and well attended class! We had 14 in August. If you are missing this class you are missing a lot! Death is a subject we have covered before, but still (in most cases) do our best not to discuss. The subject matter will kill a good party, thus we continue to broach it in our class. It is imperative that we not only educate ourselves, but help prepare our friends and loved ones as well. We will continue this month discussing the thought of dying, and what we should do in order to ensure we pass properly to Paradise. Materials will be provided. Please invite someone who needs a church home to join us!!! ~ Father Tim

Women’s Retreat in September
All ladies in the parish of all ages, and any lady friends outside the parish, are invited to Judy Hulsey’s residence, 1014 Gaskin Road, Cincinnati, Ohio on Saturday the 27th of September 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM for the annual Women’s Retreat. This year’s subject matter will cover “The End For Which We Were Made”, a retreat originally given by Evelyn Underhill. Materials will be provided (part of them before the Retreat). Please join Judy at her beautiful home for a special afternoon! ~ Father Tim

Admiration is so much more humbling to receive and so much more ennobling to give than any criticism can be. Christ never criticized anybody but the respectable and the pious. With everybody else His thought went like a shaft of delight straight to something he could admire. The love shown by the prostitute, the meekness shown by the publican, the faith of the centurion, the confidence of the penitent thief — all the things that irradiate and save humanity — love looks for these first, and one reason why Christ gives rest to the soul is that in His presence we are bound to love and not to criticize. ~ Evelyn Underhill, Sanctity: The Perfection of Love

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Watch over yourself and take care not to judge the actions of other people. We gain nothing by criticizing others, but often are mistaken and thereby offend God. But to judge yourself and your own actions is always profitable. We often judge a thing according to our preference and therefore our judgment is emotional rather than objective. This stubbornness in our own opinions would not dominate our judgments if our hearts were set on God. ~ Thomas A Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

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At Saint John’s it is important we attend regularly to worship Almighty God and support the good we see in each other. Obviously, none of us are perfect, and we need to encourage each other and admire the particular gifts God gave each of us to glorify, and worship, the One Who is Perfect, Jesus Christ. We all make mistakes, but the reason we attend Saint John’s is because we have all set our goals at the highest possible level, no watered down Christianity on O’Fallon Street. So like Underhill and A Kempis above, let’s be careful never to criticize each other, but practice criticizing ourselves. ~ Father Tim