July 2024
Spirit of the Eagle
St. John the Evangelist ACC
Spiritual Tidbits & Rector’s Reflections for
July 2024 from Father Tim
July 2024 is here and the heat is on! Along with the four Trinity Sundays the month contains one BCP Day of Obligation, the feast day of S. James, Apostle & Martyr (25th). Last month I wrote a tidbit reflecting how Christ is building His Church. This month let’s look at one of His warnings to the churches. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. ~ Revelation 3:22. This verse is repeated 7 times in the 2nd and 3rd chapters of Revelation. It is written for our learning. Here is something to remember: God is perfect in all His works. He is a God of purpose. That verse was not repeated by chance, but on purpose. The repetition means we should pay close attention to what Christ says in the “Epistles to the Churches”. When you read this selection in Revelation you will observe there is not one mention of Sacraments or Church government. Are these important? Absolutely. But our Lord’s silence on these two matters point to something more. Christ wants us to understand that repentance, faith, and a holy life is also needed. He wants us to know these are important, and without these we cannot be saved. Attending church, sitting in a seat, only says we are a Christian outwardly. When we come to the altar to receive Holy Communion we must be born again inwardly, full of faith, a brand new creature with the Holy Spirit within our heart. In every Epistle to the Churches Jesus begins with, I know thy works. Jesus is saying that a person’s works are the evidence of a person’s Christianity. If we are to be true Chistians, both outwardly and inwardly, we must show it in our daily actions and behavior. Christ is telling us He sees everything we do, in public and in private. He hears every word we utter, whether it is screamed or whispered. We have never written a note, typed an email, or sent a text He has not read. We have never considered a thought, however brief or secret, that He does not know. Remember the beautiful Collect for Purity in our liturgy each week, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid. This is a very sobering warning, but also, for true Christians, words of encouragement. Our endeavors to do good to others, no matter how weak or feeble, are written by our name in His Book of Life as well. Thus if we live a complete Christian life, I know thy works should humble us, but never make us afraid. ~ Father Tim
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Do you know someone who ignores the warnings of Christ? Are they good people who are simply indifferent to that small, still voice that calls to them? July is a month to invite them to church where they can consider the words of S. James, What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if people claim to have faith but have no deeds? Can such faith save them? ~ Father Tim
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Evidence, evidence, evidence, will be the one thing wanted when the great white throne is set, when the books are opened, when the graves give up their tenants, when the dead are arraigned before the bar of God. Without some evidence that our faith in Christ was real and genuine, we shall only rise again to be condemned. I can find no evidence that will be admitted in that day, except sanctification. The question will not be how we talked and what we professed, but how we lived and what we did. Let no man deceive himself on this point. If anything is certain about the future, it is certain that there will be a judgment; and if anything is certain about judgment, it is certain that men’s “works” and “doings” will be considered and examined in it (Jn. 5:29; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:13). He that supposes works are of no importance, because they cannot justify us, is a very ignorant Christian. Unless he opens his eyes, he will find to his cost that if he comes to the bar of God without some evidence of grace, he had better never have been born. ~ J.C. Ryle, 1816-1900, Anglican Bishop of Liverpool
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Do you know?
Do you know Saint John’s made a charitable donation to Makayla’s Miracle Journey in June? Do you know our Book of Life Club will be reading and discussing The Cloud of Unknowing with introduction by Evelyn Underhill in July? Do you know the Usual Suspects Bible Study will continue discussing the Lamentations of Jeremiah in July? Do you know we recently had the original 1898 blueprints of Saint John’s digitized?
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Saint John July Ordo Kalendar
Wednesday, the 3rd of July, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Saturday Day, the 6th of July, at 9:00 AM, Morning Prayer
Sat., the 6th of July, at 9:30 AM, The Usual Suspects Club, Bible Study Lineup
Sunday, the 7th of July, at 10:30 AM, Trinity VI Mass, Vivienne Miller Baptism
Wednesday, the 10th of July, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Sunday, the 14th of July, at 10:30 AM, Trinity VII Mass
Wednesday, the 17th of July, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Sunday, the 21st of July, at 10:30 AM, Trinity VIII Mass
Wednesday, the 24th of July, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Saturday Day, the 27th of July, at 9:00 AM, Morning Prayer
Sat., the 27th of July, at 9:30 AM, The Usual Suspects Club, Bible Study Lineup
Sat., the 27th of July, at 10:45AM, The Book of Life Club, The Cloud of Unknowing
Saturday, the 27th of July, at 1:00 PM, Game Day in the Parish Hall
Sunday, the 28th of July, at 10:30 AM, Trinity IX Mass, Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, the 31st of July, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
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Paul, joining righteousness to faith and weaving them together, constructs of them the breastplates for the infantryman, armoring the soldier properly and safely on both sides. A soldier cannot be considered safely armored when either shield is disjoined from the other. Faith without works of justice is not sufficient for salvation; neither is righteous living secure in itself of salvation, if it is disjoined from faith. ~ S. Gregory of Nyssa, 335-394, Bishop of Nyssa in Cappadocia
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A true faith in Jesus Christ will not suffer us to be idle. No, it is an active, lively, restless principle; it fills the heart, so that it cannot be easy till it is doing something for Jesus Christ. ~ George Whitefield, 1714-1770, Anglican Priest & Evangelist
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July Birthdays & Anniversaries
Kyle & Alyssa Maycock – Anniversary – July 8
Leslie Shelton & Michael Griswold – Anniversary – July 9
Emily Dunn – Birthday – July 15
Judie Boughner – Birthday – July 21
Mike Lenz – Birthday – July 31
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Why should we want to worship Jesus well?
Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy, cast off that I might be brought in, trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend, surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best, stripped that I might be clothed, wounded that I might be healed, athirst that I might drink, tormented that I might be comforted, made a shame that I might inherit glory, entered darkness that I might have eternal light. My Savior wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes, groaned that I might have endless song, endured all pain that I might have unfading health, bore a thorned crown that I might have a glory-diadem, bowed his head that I might uplift mine, experienced reproach that I might receive welcome, closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness, expired that I might for ever live. ~ Unknown Author
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At the day of Doom men shall be judged according to their fruits. It will not be said then, Did you believe? But, Were you doers, or talkers only? ~ John Bunyan, 1628-1688, English Preacher & Author
Separation of the sheep from the goats. ~ Matthew 25:32
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Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again – until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other. ~ William Booth, 1829-1912, English Minister & Founder of the Salvation Army
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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