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The
Good News
from St. Peter’s by-the-Sea
~ In-person worship has returned !
Sundays at 8am Rite I and 10:30am Rite II
and, Wednesdays at 12:05pm
The Bishop’s guidelines are : 25% capacity, maintain
social distancing and mask wearing should be observed. There
will be no on-line reservations only a sign -up sheet upon
arrival at each service.
Let’s Spread the Love without spreading the
Covid by spreading out !
~ All of our services will continue to be streamed LIVE on
Facebook and on our website
~
Our beachside Moveable Feasts will resume in the near future
!
~ We are still raising funds for the schoolhouse in Kasimire,
Uganda.
CLICK HERE and choose "Uganda" from the dropdown menu to
donate.
~ New Website feature coming,
Forums/Question and Answer page. Check it out !
Contact Gail at
contact@stpetersbytheseagulfport.com to give your
feedback. Let us know what you think or what you’d like to
see.
~ Do you have a green thumb ? We have
Poinsettias from our Christmas Services available for
adoption outside the South church entrance (the back
ramp). No need to call. Pull up and procure your poinsettia
!
Care and feeding of your new plant
HERE.
Revised Worship Schedule
12:05 pm Wednesday In-person and LIVE Streaming Litany of Healing
11:00 am Thursday LIVE Streaming Centering Prayer with Rev.
Liz
8:00 am Sunday Rite I In-person and LIVE Streaming Service
10:30 am Sunday Rite II In-Person and LIVE Streaming Service
Inspiration
Today we celebrate
The Feast of the Conversion of Paul the Apostle
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light
from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground
and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now
get up and go into the city, and you will be told what
you must do."
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they
heard the sound but did not see anyone. Paul got up from
the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see
nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For
three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink
anything.
— Acts 9:3–9, NIV
From
Overview Bible .com
Who was Paul ?
Paul started more than a dozen churches, and he’s
traditionally considered the author of 13 books of the
Bible—more than any other biblical writer. For this
reason, Saint Paul is often considered one of the most
influential people in hi story.
He had a greater impact on the world’s religious
landscape than any other person besides Jesus, and
perhaps Muhammad.
But before he was known as a tireless champion of
Christianity, Paul was actually known for persecuting
Christians. The Book of Acts tells us that Paul was even
present at the death of the first Christian martyr—where
he “approved the stoning of Stephen” (Acts 8:1).
Over the last two millennia, countless books have been
written about Paul and his teachings. In this beginner’s
guide, we’ll explore the basics of what we know—and
don’t know—about this important biblical figure.
[ read more…]
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Readings
for the day:
Collect
O
God, by the preaching of your apostle Paul you have
caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the
world: Grant, we pray, that we, having his wonderful
conversion in remembrance, may show ourselves thankful
to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
From the Episcopal Church website
Saul
was a zealous Pharisee and a persecutor of the Christian
church (Gal 1:13, 1 Cor 15:9, Phil 3:6). He was present
and approving when Stephen was martyred (Acts 7:58).
After Stephen’s death, Saul “ravaged” the church,
dragging off men and women whom he committed to prison
(Acts 8:3). He went to Damascus with authority from the
Sanhedrin to persecute the Christian church, but he was
converted to Christ on the way (Acts 9:1-22). His
conversion has been dated at about 34 A.D. A light from
heaven flashed around Saul and he heard the voice of
Jesus asking “Why do you persecute me?” He subsequently
recalled that Jesus had appeared to him (1 Cor 9:1,
15:8), and he viewed this experience as authority for
his apostolic ministry (Gal 1:15-17). Saul was without
sight for a time after this vision, and he was led to
Damascus by those who were with him. The disciple
Ananias was directed by a vision to baptize him. Ananias
was reluctant to baptize Saul, but the Lord told him
that he had chosen Saul to bring his name “before
Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel.” The
Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle is celebrated on Jan.
25 in the Episcopal calendar of the church year.
After baptism, Saul confounded the Jews in Damascus by
proving that Jesus was the Messiah. Saul attempted to
join the disciples in Jerusalem, but they were afraid of
him because they did not believe he was a disciple.
Barnabas brought him to the apostles, and described
Saul’s conversion experience (Acts 9:26-27). Saul was
accepted as a Christian disciple. Saul and Barnabas were
subsequently commissioned by the church at Antioch for
missionary work. Barnabas and Saul set off upon what was
to be the first of Paul’s three missionary journeys. It
was from the time of this first missionary journey that
Saul was known as Paul.
[
read more…] |
From the
Episcopal Cafe
Contributing author, Rev. Liz Jones
Another Ride
The Conversion of St. Paul
Acts 9:1-19
I was sitting at our kitchen table looking out the window,
one day last week.As I gazed out the window, I was struck
with the knowledge, suddenly new to me of what happened to
Paul. God spoke and Paul fell off his horse, was blinded by
a great light and got back on a different human being.
So I thought to put a question to you, dear reader, of your
own conversion moments. Where were you? Did you fall off
your “horse” and get up a new person? I know I did. This
moment for me on my own “road to Damascus” happened in a
small parish I was serving as its vicar. Here’s what
happened.
I was new; this small acolyte was a young teen with an
insatiable curiosity about everything. Everything. The
questions would begin when I arrived, continued on in hushed
voice during the service and following me out the door as I
left.
Gradually my answers became more and more terse, until I
detested seeing that she was to serve as acolyte. Perched on
my high horse, I viewed her as a necessary nuisance to be
tolerated.
That is, until the end of a particular Sunday service, where
she stood at attention in front of the altar with
processional cross at the ready and I stood on the side
facing her. I happened to look down and as I looked back up
my gaze swept that cross and her hands. They were shaking.
Shaking with the effort to get it right; shaking from my
high and mighty attitude.
As I fell from my perch, that lofty view, my eyesight
blurred and my heart broke. I never quite got over it. From
that moment she could do no wrong. I loved her with
thankfulness and do still. As you can see, I still tell the
story and it was 25 years and some several churches ago.
Like Paul I had a mighty high horse to fall from.
Thankfully, we both got up different human beings.
The Reverend Liz Goodyear Jones and her husband Dave are
living the retired good life, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
just outside New Orleans. Liz is retired after 36 years in
ministry and Dave is a jazz musician.
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Bible Study: Epiphany 3
(B) 
