Hymn of the Day

Every once in a while, a hymn tune hits my head and sends my spirit praying. It took me a while to fully trust this instinct - to look up the tune and revisit the particular words; the fit of the words frequently surprises me in its appropriateness to the moment - a consolation I've taken to be part of the Spirit's "sighs too deep for words". So it is that I re-learned this hymn this morning, and in light of a lingering sadness after perusing the daily news.

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only Light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Triumph o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Day-star, in my heart appear.

Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by Thee;
Joyless is the day’s return
Till Thy mercy’s beams I see;
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.

Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, Radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more Thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.

Charles Wesley

Ultreya at St C's

These photos are from a recent Ultreya hosted at St. Christopher's. Ultreyas are regional celebrations hosted by the Cursillo community and open to all people. St. C's welcomed guests from Victoria, Boerne, Gonzales, Corpus Christi, and across the diocese. We are grateful for the support and prayers of the diocesan community as we look to renew the Cursillo community at St. Christopher's.











Our host, Deb Gardiner





Our speaker, John Moon





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Location:St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Portland, Texas

Parish Workday at St. C's

Some photo highlights from our recent workday. Big thanks to all who gave of their Saturday!




















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Signs of the Times...

I regularly marvel as the Halloween costumes show up in drugstores sometime mid to late August. I'm not above rolling my eyes at the inflatable Santas that, no doubt, will surface just after Labor Day. And yet, there is a sense in which without these forward glances other times would be upon us as if without warning, and we'd wonder why nobody told us. "Is it September already?" a friend recently asked via Facebook. The children will tell you, with enthusiasm. The parents will tell you, with perhaps greater enthusiasm. It's here! Look alive! Lest the anticipated moment too quickly become just another passing moment until the next thing we anticipate arrives and, in its turn, also passes, we do well to look around, breathe deeply the air, and enter the moment - with a fresh sense of God's call and the peace of God's presence - God being present to us.

So I'm walking around the church this morning, both slowly and quickly arriving at the moment that's very nearly upon us - the beginning of Sunday School one week from this Sunday. The signs are clear, as is the response of so many of you, praying, preparing, seeking to be present to God's being present to us. The year ahead is rich with God's promise.

Bless you. May God inspire our hearts again as we enter this new season with Him.

Peace.
JRM+











- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:St. Christopher's