March 18, 2008
Message from the Metropolitan Bp. Thomas Kleppinger
EASTERTIDE - 2008
Dear Friends,
When our dear Lord cried out from the Cross, "It is finished!" these were words of victory, not
defeat. Jesus came to save you from your sins. He fulfilled in His Person and Work every
requirement of the Old Testament Law. He offered Himself as Priest and Victim upon the Cross to pay the price of sin. He has finished the work of salvation His Father gave Him to do. His is the victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.
St. Peter says, "Christ died, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." The veil in the temple was rent asunder showing that through His precious blood, Christ is the Way to the Father.You can not enter the Presence of God trusting in your own righteousness, but in His great mercy 'under the blood of the Lamb.'
The teaching of the Old Testament is that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.The Lord did not deal with your sin by simply setting it aside, saying everything is alright. He sent His Son into the world to make the acceptable sacrifice for sin. "There was no other good enough / To pay the price of sin, / He only could unlock the gate / Of heaven, and let us in." None can go unto the Father but through His blood.
In the Sixth chapter of St. John's Gospel our Lord speaks most plainly that you must eat His flesh and drink His blood to have His life in you. "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them." Some found this to be a hard saying and they deserted Him. In the Upper Room our Lord instituted the new covenant in His Body and Blood so that you can feed on Him and have His life in you.
The word Lent speaks to the lengthening of daylight as Spring draws nigh. Spring is the renewal of the earth after the time of death of Winter. It is nature's way of proclaiming the blessed hope of the glorious resurrection of our Lord on the third day according to the Scriptures. Easter is the Spring of Souls from the prison of sin, for Jesus as a sun has risen and the Winter of your sins is flying.Those who believe on Jesus have His life to raise them up from sin and death in newness of life to live forever with the Lord.
We trust that you will have a most Blessed Easter and be filled with the confidences that "Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." Because He lives, you, too, will live as you will be glorified together with Him. May the words of Jesus' victory become your words of blessed assurance. "It is finished!"
Yours in that Blessed Hope,
The Right Reverend Thomas J. Kleppinger
Posted by frleo at 3:20 AM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2005
Trinity -- The God I Know, Worship and Love
Do we know and love the God we believe in? This is a good question for Trinity Sunday. We believe in One God, the Father who created us (remember the picture of Michaelangelo's creation of man, God the Father depicted as the graceful grey haired grandpa), the Son who redeemed us (Jesus who died for our sins to save us through His passion, death and resurrection, ascension and His glorious return) and the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of Life, whose life we are still breathing, who is the spirit of wisdom, counsel, understanding, knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
These days our church is revisiting the Nicene Creed and studying the affirmation of faith laid out in the creed in our Christian Education classes, going back to our roots. It is wonderful to see how the entire church came together at Nicea and reaffirmed the divinity and humanity of Christ, at a time when Arius began floating heresies about the nature of Christ, that Christ was only human and not divine. Today we are revisited by the same heresies. Some liberal Christians (can there be liberal ones if we believed in the words of our Lord) continue to twist the truth. We are silent about them. Good to think of this during the season of Trinity. As we celebrate the truth of the Godhead, the Trinity in unity, intellectual ascent alone is not enough. We need to hear, touch and feel God in our everyday lives.
It is also good to consider on an experiential level, who is the God I worship, in whom I live, move and have my being. Is He a God far removed from my cares and worries or one who is close to me? God so loved the world that He donned humanity in His only son who was like us in everything but sin. He knows our every motion and emotion. It is with His spirit that we reach out to Him whenever we call on HIM.
This very son came to bridge the gap that existed between God the Father and humanity and taught us to call Him ABBA, DADDY. It is only with the help of the Holy Spirit that we can call Him in such an endearing term. Even if some of our earthly fathers have let us down, He is THE FATHER and He will never ever let us down because He is faithful.
Even as we read, just take a deep breath and call on Abba, Jesus and the Spirit. Sometimes it is good to call on God even as we take a breather. This is what the saints called UNION WITH GOD. You become so conscious of God's indwelling Spirit within you that you have a hotline always: you can be connected anytime. Let us try this today and be aware of His love and care. God is not too busy to care about you. Each one of us is precious unto Him.
God my Father, thanks be to thee for thy Son my savior and your life-giving Holy Spirit. Guide me along and lead me on through this day, that I may accomplish thy Holy will and find happiness and peace.
Posted by frleo at 8:55 AM
March 24, 2005
Maundy Thursday
The first day of Paschal Triduum that celebrates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, is also known as Maundy Thursday. This day celebrates the commemoration of the Insitituion of the Eucharist (The Lord's Supper), Institution of the Holy Priesthood (Do this in memory of Me) and the
Pedilavium (washing of feet) whose traces of which are found in the most ancient rites and are still being observed by many churches worldwide. The essence of the message is the LOVE OF CHRIST and the New Commandment to Love One Another.
"Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end" Jn13:1
Tonight's Liturgy also observes the Stripping of the Altar indicative of the beginning of the Agony in the garden of Gethsamane and the trials and the torture Jesus is being subjected to.
As we observe this Holy Day, let us remember that Jesus who loved me gave Himself up for me. He could have saved the world by sheer magic. Yet he wanted us to know that He loves us. Every blow, Every scourge and Every throbbing pain He endured for our sake to be the LAMB OF GOD who will take away the sins of the world as well as my own.
Posted by frleo at 7:55 AM
March 20, 2005
Come Celebrate Holy Week
All are welcome to join St. Gabriel's in Springdale to explore and celebrate the mysteries of Holy Week. Following is the schedule:
Palm Sunday -- March 20 -- 10:00 AM. Blessing of the Palms, Procession and Holy Eucharist.
Monday, March 21 -- 6:00 PM. Holy Eucharist.
Tuesday, March 22 -- 6:00 PM. Holy Eucharist.
Wednesday, March 23 -- 6:00 PM. Deacon's Mass at St. Gabriel's.
PASCHAL TRIDUUM LITURGY:
Maundy Thursday, March 24 -- 6:30 PM. Washing of the Feet, Holy Eucharist.
Good Friday, March 25 -- 12:00 NOON to 3:00 PM. Stations of the Cross; Meditations on the Seven Words of Jesus from the cross; celebration of the Lord's Passion; Holy Communion. Lenten Soup and Bread to follow.
Easter Even (Holy Saturday), March 26 -- 10:00 PM. Easter Vigil: Service of the Light; Renewal of Baptismal Vows; Holy Eucharist. Lenten Bread and Soup to follow.
Easter Sunday, March 27 -- 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist. An Easter Egg Hunt using Family Life "Resurrection Eggs" along with Candy Eggs will follow at 11:00 AM for all of the children.
St. Gabriel's United Episcopal Church
1803 W. Emma Avenue
Springdale, AR
479-756-5074
Posted by frleo at 9:03 AM
November 2, 2004
November 2nd -- All Souls Day
WE REMEMBER OUR DEARLY DEPARTED ON ALL SOULS DAY.
We remember with gratitude all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially two whom we lost within the past few months:
Peggy Swindells and J B Taylor
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpertual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen
Here is the tribute from Bill Winkleman to J B TAYLOR:
William Winkleman is the son of Bill and Pat Winkleman, who both played a great role in the beginnings of St.Gabriel's along with the founding members. His mother Pat is the head of St. Gabriel's Altar Guild. William fondly remembers J B Taylor.
Reverend and Dear Sir:Sorry that it has taken me so long to get around to your email.
Should you have the opportunity, please convey my deepest sympathies to
the Taylor family. I spent a lot of time with J B back in the days when we were moving St. Gabriel's to your present location. He did a lot or hard work for the Church, and despite many difficult and frustrating obstacles, J B Taylor always completed his objectives with an admirable and infectious "esprit de corps."I will always remember the day that I spent with him when we went down to buy the Church's pews at a federal auction. We rented a Ryder truck and drove several hours to our destination. I guess neither one of us realized just how heavy those pews would be. It was a job for which we should have had four men at a minimum. After loading the first couple of pews onto the truck, we were ready to quit. You would not believe how tired we were after loading all of them. J B was considerably older than I, and I was dead tired. We make the trip back to Fayetteville, and when J B dropped me off at our house the truck got stuck in the drainage ditch in the front yard. To make things even worse, J B threw his back out from all of the heavy lifting. As I remember, he was several weeks in recovering.
Once those pews were set up in the Church, most folks thought that the place was beginning to look like a "real" church for the first time. I had to admit that they were right, but even so, it was a year of so before J B or I could look at those pews without feeling a twinge of pain in our backs.
I remain, Reverend Sir, your faithful servant in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
William Winkelman
Posted by frleo at 7:29 AM
September 28, 2004
Feast of St. Michael and All Angels
A reminder that St. Gabriel's will have Holy Communion on Wednesday, September 29th at 6:00 p.m. in celebration of the Feast Day of St. Michael and All Angels.
Also, as was announced this past Sunday, we will now hold Eucharistic Services every Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. to honor God and afford parishioners the opportunity to increase their involvment with the Church. Please keep your Church in mind as the Wednesday "hump day" approaches each week, and avail yourself of this opportunity to renew your spirit in Christ.
God Bless.
Posted by frleo at 9:05 AM
September 20, 2004
Feast of St. Matthew the Apostle
On Tuesday, September 21st, St. Gabriel's will celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew with Holy Communion at 11:00 a.m.
St. Matthew was a tax collector who dropped everything to follow Jesus when he was called. He is, of course, author of the Gospel according to St. Matthew. He is also known as Levi in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Hebrew for the benefit of Jewish believers.
We sincerely hope that all who are able will join us for Holy Communion on this special Feast Day.
Posted by frleo at 12:12 PM
September 13, 2004
Feast of the Triumph of the Cross
On Tuesday, September 14th at 11:00 a.m., St. Gabriel's will have Holy Communion in celebration of the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. We hope our parishioners who can work around their daytime obligations will attend.
This feast day commemorates three aspects of the Cross -- the first being its discovery in 326 by St. Helena Augusta, who traveled to the Holy Lands in search of sacred Christian sites after her son, Constantine, became the first Christian Roman Emperor. We also commemorate the consecration (c. 335) of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which housed the discovered Cross, as well as the recovery of relics of the True Cross which had been looted and taken to Persia. Emperor Heraclius led a military campaign into Persia (c. 638), recovered the relics of the Cross, and personally escorted the relics back to Jerusalem.
On this Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross, we are reminded of our victory over sin achieved through Christ's death. We are also reminded of the power of the True Cross, the very instrument utilized by Christ to achieve His ends for our personal and collective salvation.
May our Lord God open our minds and hearts to his precious Son, who is ever ready to receive us and guide us.
Posted by frleo at 2:33 PM
August 18, 2004
Feast of St. Bartholomew
The Feast of St. Bartholomew, one of the original Twelve Apostles also known as Nathaniel, will be commemorated with Holy Communion at St. Gabriel's on Tuesday, August 24th at 11:00 a.m. All parishioners and visitors are invited to attend.
Posted by frleo at 12:16 PM
August 1, 2004
Transfiguration of Christ
There will be a special Eucharistic Service at St. Gabe's on Friday, August 6th at 11:00 a.m. in honor of the TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD CHRIST JESUS.
We encourage all parishioners -- who are able -- to attend. We hope to have some educational information regarding this blessed event posted on the website prior to August 6th, so please check back!
God be with you and keep you!!
Posted by frleo at 6:22 PM
June 26, 2004
Feast of St. Peter
On Tuesday, June 29th we celebrate the Feast of St. Peter the Apostle, who is of utmost importance for the Apostolic succession of the Church. St. Gabriel's will have Holy Communion on that day, at 11:00 a.m.
Posted by frleo at 10:04 AM
June 11, 2004
Feast of St. Barnabas TODAY
The liturgy of St. Barnabas and Holy Eucharist will be conducted at St. Gabriel's today -- June 11th -- at 11:00 a.m. Following, at 12:15 p.m., there will be a ringing of the church bells in honor of the late President Ronald Reagan.
We sincerely hope that, despite this short notice, our parishioners will be able to attend.
Posted by frleo at 8:15 AM