August 2026
Spirit of the Eagle
St. John the Evangelist ACC
Spiritual Tidbits & Rector’s Reflections for
August 2026 from Father Tim
“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” ~ S. Augustine of Hippo, B.C.D. (28th). With the arrival of August 2026 it seemed appropriate to begin with a quote from Saint Augustine. This month we also celebrate the Transfiguration of Christ (6th), the Assumption of the B.V.M.(15th), S. Bartholomew, AP. & M.(24th), and five Trinitytide Sundays (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, & 30th). Do you agree with Saint Augustine? Falling in love with God? The greatest adventure? The greatest achievement? Our Christian ancestors certainly did. The Diocletian, or “Great” Persecution, was the most severe campaign to eradicate Christianity in the Roman Empire. Initiated by Emperor Diocletian and his co-rulers starting in 303 A.D., the persecution stripped Christians of legal rights, destroyed churches and scriptures, and mandated universal pagan sacrifice. Christian priests were almost completely eradicated, either by death or apostasy. This dark and evil persecution would last for ten years. And yet the faithful still strove to come together for the Eucharist all through this dangerous decade. One Christian wrote: “At first they drove us out, and . . . we kept our festival even then, pursued and put to death by all, and every single spot where we were afflicted became to us a place of assembly for the Feast – field, desert, ship, inn, prison.” The storm center was the Eucharist. Through it all ordinary men and women (often living in terror) desired nothing more than to be present at the Eucharist together and regularly. Even when a Christian was in prison awaiting execution, friends would take dangerous risks by smuggling in priests and deacons in order that they might celebrate one last Eucharist together as a corporate act before they died. Why did they take such terrifying risks? Because they believed that their Christian worship was more important than life itself. They believed that in the Eucharist as an action, they could be united with the one sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world. They believed they had to receive Communion, or they would have been unfaithful to their Lord, the Savior of the world who said, “Do this”. ~ Father Tim
✠✠✠
Do you know any lost souls looking for romance, adventure, and achievement? If yes, please invite them to church this August where they can learn to worship in the center of the storm. ~ Father Tim
✠✠✠
And on the Lord’s day, after you have come together, break bread together. Break bread and offer Eucharist, having first confessed your offenses, so that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one who has quarreled with his neighbor join you until he is reconciled, lest your sacrifice be defiled. For it was said by the Lord, “In every place and time let there be offered to me a clean sacrifice, because I am the great king;” and also, “and my name is wonderful among the Gentiles.” ~ The Didache, 100 A.D., on Malachi I
✠✠✠
Did you know?
Did you know St. John’s gave a charitable donation to the Fairhaven Rescue Mission of Covington, KY in July? Did you know Saint John’s has begun the process of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places? Did you know our August Book of Life Club will be discussing Making Men Whole, by J.B. Phillips in August? Did you know Bishop Patrick Fodor will be making his episcopal visit at St. John’s on the 16th of August?
✠✠✠
Saint John August Ordo Kalendar
Sun., the 2nd of August, at 9:45 AM, Psalm-Children Sun. School Class
Sun., the 2nd of August, at 10:30 AM, Trinity IX Mass, Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, the 5th of August, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Thurs., the 6th of August, at 10:30 AM, Transfiguration of Christ Mass
Sun., the 9th of August, at 9:45 AM, Psalm-Children Sun. School Class
Sun., the 9th of August, at 10:30 AM, Trinity X Mass
Wednesday, the 12th of August, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Sun., the 16th of August, at 9:45 AM, Psalm-Children Sun. School Class
Sun., the 16th of Aug., at 10:30 AM, Trinity XI Mass, Bishop Fodor
Wednesday, the 19th of August, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Sat., the 22nd of August, at 9:00 AM, The Office of Morning Prayer
Saturday, the 22nd of August, at 9:45 AM, Bible Study
Sat., the 22nd of Aug., at 11:00 AM, Book Club, Making Men Whole
Sun., the 23rd of August, at 9:45 AM, Psalm-Children Sun. School Class
Sunday, the 23rd of August, at 10:30 AM, Trinity XII Mass
Wednesday, the 26th of August, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Sun., the 30th of August, at 9:45 AM, Psalm-Children Sun. School Class
Sunday, the 30th of August, at 10:30 AM, Trinity XIII Mass
✠✠✠
“Daily Bread” may be understood both spiritually and simply, because both meanings help us to understand salvation. For Christ is the bread of life; and this bread is not the bread of all, but it is our bread. And we say “our Father”, because he is the Father of those who understand and believe, so too we say “our bread”, because Christ is the bread of us who touch his body. Now we ask that this bread be given to us today, lest we who are in Christ and receive his Eucharist daily as the food of salvation should be separated from Christ’s body through some grave offense that prohibits us from receiving the heavenly bread. For according to his words: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world.” ~ S. Cyprian of Carthage, 210-258, Bishop of Carthage
✠✠✠
August Birthdays & Anniversaries
Robert and Sarah Kleven – Anniversary – August 15
Sally Thomson – Birthday – August 23
Chris Stockman – Birthday – August 23
John Hoyle – Birthday – August 27
Janet Butler – Birthday – August 28
✠✠✠
Why should we want to worship Jesus well?
And just as a cutting from the vine planted in the ground fructifies in its season, or as a grain of wheat falling into the earth and becoming decomposed, rises with manifold increase by the Spirit of God, who contains all things, and then, through the wisdom of God, serves for the use of men, and having received the Word of God, becomes the Eucharist, which is the body and blood of Christ; so also our bodies, being nourished by it, and deposited in the earth, and suffering decomposition there, shall rise at their appointed time, the Word of God granting them resurrection to the glory of God, even the Father, who freely gives to this mortal immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying which is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O death, where is thy victory? ~ S. Irenaeus of Lyons, 155-191, Bishop & Doctor of the Church
✠✠✠
The Church of Christ has been founded by shedding its own blood, not that of others; by enduring outrage, not by inflicting it. Persecutions have made it grow; martyrdoms have crowned it. ~ S. Jerome, 342-420, Doctor of the Church
✠✠✠
Are we in the habit of coming to the Lord’s table? If so, in what frame of mind do we come? Do we draw near intelligently, humbly, and with faith? Do we understand what we are doing? Do we really feel our sinfulness and need of Christ? Do we really desire to live a Christian life, as well as profess the Christian faith? Happy is that soul who can give a satisfactory answer to these questions. Let him go forward, and persevere. ~ J.C. Ryle, 1816-1900, Anglican Bishop
✠✠✠
✠✠✠
The wicked enemy is so inveterately opposed to the Divine majesty that he would gladly, if it were possible, overturn the throne of God. As he utterly despairs of accomplishing that object, he throws out all his venom against the elect, employs every expedient, and exhausts all his devices to enslave those whom the power of God has torn from his grasp. He assaulted the first Adam in Paradise. He made an attempt on the second Adam in the wilderness, but his efforts were foiled. Disappointed in that expectation, he bends all his attack on those whom Christ has claimed to be his own. ~ Herman Witsius, 1636-1708, Dutch Theologian
✠✠✠
The seeking of Jesus Christ and the quest for chivalry combined lead directly to one place only: Anglican-Catholicism. Courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help and defend the weak and the poor. Welcome to the Anglican Catholic Church. ~ Father Timothy Butler