January 2025
Spirit of the Eagle
St. John the Evangelist ACC
Spiritual Tidbits & Rector’s Reflections for
January 2025 from Father Tim
Christmas, once again, was beautiful at Saint John’s, a time of beauty, reverence, adoration, and holiness. 2025 has now arrived as Christmastide turns into Epiphany. January begins with the Circumcision of Christ (1st), The 2nd Sunday after Christmas (5th), and on the 6th we celebrate The Epiphany. In addition to the Epiphany Sundays (12th, 19th, & 26th) January also includes the Conversion of S. Paul (25th) and, if you own an Anglican Ordo Kalendar, you will notice the feast of S. Timothy falls the day before (24th). If you study Paul’s epistles to Timothy you will notice a very close relationship between the two men. Paul wrote to the Philippians about Timothy, “I have no one like him.” You will also notice Paul, who was 30 years older, gave the young Timothy detailed instructions on how to minister his small flock of Christians at Ephesus. Paul told Timothy he should be a good person, have strong moral character, be humble, care about others, and be well-thought-of by outsiders. He should be a good teacher, continue studying the gospel and training in godliness, be a good leader in his own home, able to manage his own family well, and have the respect of his children. Paul advised Timothy to treat others with respect, elders as fathers, older women as mothers, younger men as brothers, and younger women as sisters. Everyone should be treated fairly, with dignity, respect, and honor. God ministers to his people through ordinary men like Timothy and, yes, like me. Our Lord created the church not to be another version of a welfare program, nor your priest to be a local superhero who ‘saves the day’ at a parishioner’s every plea, but to be the primary means for your spiritual growth. Trust me, I am no superhero, I am just an ordinary man (and this is not false modesty). I would like to fix everyone’s problems instantly, but the truth is more realistic, I will often fall short of the goal. In order to fully appreciate the work of the priest, you must have a fuller appreciation of the work of the church. Unfortunately, some don’t. Some tend to think the clergy position is an easy job, believing that priests really only work one day a week. However, the truth is, when taken seriously (as it should), the ministry requires a tremendous amount of hard work, and there is never enough time in a week to do it all. That said, I will always do my best to keep the church doors open, because the corporate gathering of God’s people in worship is where we experience the greatest spiritual blessing from the living God. ~ Father Tim
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Do you know someone with little or no knowledge that Christ is the only real and true Superhero? If yes, invite them to church this January where they can discover the young Jesus along with the Magi! ~ Father Tim
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All my theology is reduced to this narrow compass – “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” ~ Archibald Alexander, 1772-185, Theologian & Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary
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Do you know?
Do you know Saint John’s made a charitable donation to Dayton Family Resource Center in December? Do you know our Book of Life Club will begin the book Gospel Allegiance by Matthew Bates at the end of January? Do you know The Usual Suspects will be discussing The Nativity Scriptures in our January 4th Bible Study? Do you know the garden side nave window restoration is now complete (and beautiful!)? Do you know that all the church doors and exterior metal railing have been repaired and repainted?
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Saint John January Ordo Kalendar
Wednesday, the 1st of January, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Saturday, the 4th of January, at 9:00 AM, Morning Prayer & Litany for Mission
Sat., the 4th of Jan., at 9:45 AM, Bible Study, Luke & Matthew I & II
Sat., the 4th of Jan., at 11:00 AM, Book of Life Club, Advent with Eveylyn Underhill
Sunday, the 5th of January, at 10:30 AM Christmas II Mass
Wednesday, the 8th of January, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Sunday, the 12th of January, at 10:30 AM, Epiphany I Mass
Wednesday, the 15th of January, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Saturday, the 18th of January, at 7:30 AM, Rule of Faith Meeting
Sun., the 19th of January, at 10:30 AM, Epiphany II Mass, Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, the 22nd of January, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Saturday, the 25th of January, at 9:00 AM, Morning Prayer
Saturday, the 25th of January, at 9:45 AM, Bible Study
Sat., the 25th of Jan., at 11:00 AM, The Book of Life Club, Gospel Allegiance
Sun., the 26th of January, at 10:30 AM, Epiphany III Mass
Wednesday, the 29th of January, at 6:30 PM, Evening Prayer
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When I was young, I was sure of many things; now there are only two things of which I am sure: one is that I am a miserable sinner; and the other, that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour. He is well-taught who learns these two lessons. ~ John Newton, 1725-1807, Anglican Cleric and Slavery Abolitionist
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This Sweet Savior exhaled from His voluntariness; He was not dragged to His sufferings, but suffered more willingly than we had greedily sinned against God. We had conscience checking us in sinning, but Christ had no conscience checking Him in suffering; it was his meat and drink to do His Father’s will. As God’s order makes His sacrifice capable of being satisfactory, so the free willingness of Christ makes it capable of being accepted for us, and applied to us. ~ Stephen Charnock, 1628-1680, English Puritan Divine
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January Birthdays & Anniversaries
Eileen Hanson – Birthday – January 14
Alyssa Maycock – Birthday – January 19
Kim Marshall – Birthday – January 24
Devan Smith – Birthday – January 25
Jessica Clark – Birthday – January 28
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Why should we want to worship Jesus well?
He bears the keys – to Him we must go for admission into heaven. He is the door – through Him we must enter. He is the Shepherd – we must hear His voice, and follow Him, if we would not perish in the wilderness. He is the Physician – we must apply to Him, if we would be healed of the plague of sin. He is the bread of life – we must feed on Him, if we would have our souls satisfied. He is the light – we must walk after Him, if we would not wander in darkness. He is the fountain – we must wash in His blood, if we would be cleansed, and made ready for the great day of account. ~ J.C. Ryle, 1816-1900, Anglican Bishop of Liverpool
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Do you ask, ‘What is faith in him?’ I answer, The leaving of your way, your objects, your self, and the taking of his and him; the leaving of your trust in men, in money, in opinion, in character, in atonement itself, and doing as he tells you. I can find no words strong enough to serve for the weight of this necessity—this obedience. It is the one terrible heresy of the church, that it has always been presenting something else than obedience as faith in Christ. ~ George MacDonald, 1804-1925, Scottish Author, Poet, & Christian Minister
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The Conversion of Saint Paul
God is not silent. It is the nature of God to speak. The second person of the Holy Trinity is called “The Word.” The Bible is the inevitable outcome of God’s continuous speech. It is the infallible declaration of His mind. ~ A.W. Tozer, 1897-1963, Christian Pastor, Author, & Spiritual Mentor
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When God speaks He speaks so loudly that all the voices of the world seem dumb. And yet when God speaks He speaks so softly that no one hears the whisper but yourself. ~ Henry Drummond, 1893-1957, Scottish Evangelist, Biologist, Writer & Lecturer
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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