We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

Advent

Arts and Faith- Advent 4, relating art and scripture

Commentary is by Daniella Zsupan-Jerome, director of ministerial formation at Saint John’s University School of Theology and Seminary.

John Collier’s contemporary depiction of the Annunciation brings the story of Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel into our present reality. Collier’s The Annunciation stands on the shoulders of Tradition, depicting the encounter in such a way that includes the standard symbols of the past. We see Mary and the angel face-to-face, Mary holding a book as a symbol of her piety. We see the lily as a symbol of her purity, the painted window as a symbol of her virginity, and the dove perching in the background as the symbol of the Holy Spirit. These symbols are the familiar language of many Annunciation scenes and connect this work to those from the great masters of the past.

While using these familiar elements, Collier retells the story for our present day: Mary is a young schoolgirl with a ponytail, still in her uniform, and she lives in a suburban neighborhood. Her shoes are playfully untied—she must have just slipped back into them to come to the door. In bringing together past and present, Collier invites us to see the Gospel scene not as a distant story but as one unfolding in our lives here and now.

As the story unfolds, the encounter between Mary and the angel reveals even deeper meaning. Mary is a young schoolgirl with untied shoelaces, but she is also a figure of strength, steadfastness, and faith. She looks squarely at the angel, who in contrast bows reverently before her, paying homage to God’s grace manifest in his lowly handmaid. The angel’s presence is subtly liturgical—in his dress and posture, he resembles an acolyte serving at the altar, ready to adore the presence of the Lord who will in a moment become flesh in the body of this young girl. The angel-as-server is a beautiful reflection of Christ’s bodily presence in our midst, first welcomed through the faithful “yes” of Mary. Standing at the door with Mary and Gabriel, we are at a liturgy, gathered into one Body to encounter the real presence of Christ in our midst. Like Mary, we are called to say “yes” to this moment and offer ourselves to await his arrival.

Christmas Flowers

Flowers cut on Dec. 13 just after Bible study and then arranged. Thanks to Alice Hughes for leading this effort. (In the full post, click on the photos for a lightbox)

Freshing up the flowers, Sun., Dec 17

Shadows from the window panes

Looking up

The full arrangement

With the poinsettias

Our Christmas Invitation..

This is our Christmas invitation video. Thanks to the Episcopal Church for the footage and voice overlay. The video is somewhat long at 3:20 minutes but it has a vital message. As the carpenter builds a manger, we use the message about Jesus to also build – a better world.

Our Christmas Eve service Dec. 24, 4pm St. Peter’s 823 Water Street, Port Royal, Virginia or on the web

The basis of the video is Luke’s Christmas story from Luke 2. Luke is writing about the true “savior of the world,” one from the line of the great King David. He looks to Bethlehem, the city of David, and not to Rome, the city of Caesar.

The birth is announced to shepherds in the field, and not to the powerful in rich palaces. The scandal of the virgin birth is not so much that Mary was a virgin. The scandal was that Jesus–a poor kid from a backwater town–was born of a virgin.

The word savior appears only three times -Luke 1, Luke 2, and John 4. It was a politically charged term since the Roman Caesar Augustus was known as “the savior of the world.” He had brought peace to the world, the pax Augusta and in gratitude people celebrated his birthday and remembered the gift of peace received in and through him.

Jesus’ peace is not the same as the peace brought about by Caesar Augustus. It has more in common with the quality of life envisioned in the Hebrew word, shalom, (be whole, be complete). In Luke’s scriptures this word meant not merely the end of hostilities, but rather the well-being that comes from God

Throughout his gospel Luke tells the story of the work that helped earn for Jesus the title “Savior.” In a world where Samaritans were despised he showed Jesus telling stories in gratitude to God. In a society which treated women as second class citizens he showed Jesus welcoming them into his fellowship, along with the disciple, and taking them with him on his travels through the cities and villages of Galilee. In a religious community that excluded sinners, he showed Jesus eating and drinking with them, telling stories accenting God’s care for them, and extending his hospitality and best wishes to them. The Jesus of Luke’s gospel was one who broke through the barriers of nationalism, sexism, and religious chauvinism, who awakened repentance, set people free, who opened communities and brought in peace. Indeed, as Luke stated, he was One who had come “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

The shepherds share what they have learned about Jesus. Already, we get signs of the mutuality and reciprocity of the kingdom of God. The shepherds share with each other, and with Joseph and Mary. The words of the shepherds stir “all” who hear them. They return praising God.

That’s the savior we welcome this Christmas.

Advent 4 – Cry of a Tiny Baby

A post from teacher and theologian David Lose: "So maybe I shouldn’t describe this Christmas carol as “unlikely” in that Bruce Cockburn has explored the Christian story and theology, along with issues of human rights, throughout his forty-year career. But it may very well be unfamiliar to you. If so, you’re in for a treat, as the Canadian folk and rock guitarist, singer-songwriter’s beautiful retelling of the Christmas story blends elements of both Luke’s tender narrative of the in-breaking good news of God to the least likely of recipients – a teenage girl, her confused fiancee, down-and-out shepherds – with Matthew’s starkly realistic picture of a baby that threatens kings by his mere existence. 

Here’s the link to a video with the words .   

Advent 4 – Blessed like Mary

By David Lose

Notice one thing: before Mary says “yes,” she is blessed.

Why does this matter? Because I think it captures not only the important role Mary plays in the Gospel story but also reveals a central dynamic of the Christian life.

First, to Mary. She is regularly hailed as a model of faith for her acceptance of the role God invites her to play as the mother of Jesus. And for good reason. Throughout Luke’s Gospel, the willingness to trust the promises of God is the mark of discipleship. And so Elizabeth believes that in her old age she will nevertheless bear John, and the disciples believe they will fish for people, and the repentant thief believes Jesus is innocent and asks his blessing and so on. Similarly, Mary also believes God’s promises.

But what is it, exactly, that Mary believes? Yes, she believes Gabriel’s announcement that she will bear Jesus. But before that, she believes that God noticed her, that God favors her, that God has blessed her and has great plans for her.

And this, I think, leads us to a central dynamic not only in the Gospel but also the Christian life itself: the first, and in some ways the most important, thing we are called to believe is that God similarly notices, favors, and blesses us. And once we believe that, we can do incredible things.

Blessing, you see, is a powerful thing. And, sadly, a rare thing. We live in a world that seems geared toward rewards and punishments. Whether at work or school or even home, we have been conditioned to expect people to give us only what we deserve. But blessing operates on a different logic. Blessing is never deserved, but always a gift. Blessings intrudes into, interrupts, and ultimately disrupts our quid pro quo world to announce that someone sees us as worthy and special apart from anything we’ve done.

And perhaps because it’s so rare, it’s also hard to believe. Certainly this is true of Mary. She is perplexed by the angel’s announcement that she is favored by God. “What have I done,” Mary may wonder, “to merit God’s notice and favor.” But that’s of course just what blessing is – unmerited and undeserved regard and favor. And as the blessing sinks in, Mary is able to open herself to the work of the Holy Spirit to use her to bless the whole world through her willingness to carry Jesus.

Which is why I think it matters that we notice that before Mary says “yes,” she is blessed.

You see, here’s the thing: I think our people have a hard time believing that God favors them, too. Even that God notices them. Not on Sunday. Most of us figure God is watching us on Sunday, if only to see if we’ll make it to church. 🙂 Rather, we wonder if God even notices us, let along favors us, the rest of the week. Work, school, our home life – these can seem like such mundane things and hardly worth God’s attention. And yet in this story we hear about God noticing and blessing someone who by all accounts is a nobody in the ancient world. And when this nobody young girl believes God’s blessing and accepts God’s favor, the world begins to turn.

This is why I think this passage is so important, not because it lifts up Mary as the exception, but rather because it identifies her as an example of what can happen when you believe that God notices, favors, and blesses you: you may just change the world!  

We might invite folks to take just a moment or two to imagine where they will go this week, what they will do, whom they will meet, and how in each of these circumstances God is noticing them and blessing them so that they might be a blessing to the world. It might take a while for your people to believe this. After all, so many of the voices in our lives conspire to make us feel like nobody and nothing. But in time, if we can say it again and again, it may just sink in that God has noticed, favored, and blessed us so that we might in turn bless and change the world. 

Toward helping God’s blessing sink in, I’d even invite you to consider ending the sermon – or perhaps the whole service – by re-creating some of this scene, where you might say to your folks, “Greetings, favored ones. The Lord is with you and plans to do great things through you.” In turn, your people might answer, “How can this be?” And you may answer, “Whether at work or school, whether at home or in the world, the Holy Spirit is with you and will guide you in all you do and say so that you may be a blessing to the world.” And your folks may conclude, “Let it be according to your word.”

Christmas Play, 2023

We had about 50 people to view and participate in our play, including members from other churches. New this year – 3 live goats in the field for the shepherds and a reconstructed star to display. Of course there were all the ingredients of a typical Christmas Play.

There were 5 scenes around the church and the next door home:
1. Annunciation
2. Joseph and Mary on the way to the Inn
3. At the Inn
4. Shepherds and Angels in the field
5. Manger scene with Shepherds and Angels and the arrival of the wisemen. Conclusion. See photo above.

Thanks to all who those who directed, acted and viewed the play. It is our gift to our larger congregation and the spread of the Christmas spirit.

1. Photos

(full size gallery)

2. Video – 26 minutes

Recent Articles, Dec. 17, 2023

Advent 3, Dec. 17, 2023
Christmas play – photos, video
Bulletin
Lectionary for Advent 3, Dec. 17
Sermon
Sermon and Offertory
Videos, Dec 17, 2023
Photos, Dec 17, 2023
Advent Candle 3, Joy
Advent 3 Commentary
Arts and Faith, Advent 3
John the Baptist in Art – National Gallery, London
Advent compline
Christmas without Anglicans
Origins of the 12 Days of Christmas

All About Advent
Getting Ready for Advent
Living Compass Advent meditations
Shape of Scriptures in Advent
Advent Season Resources
Advent Online Learning

Ministries
Chancellor’s Village Eucharist, Dec. 12, 2023
Flower arranging for the church windows, Dec. 13, 2023
Christmas play – 25 year tradition
Golden Hour at St. Peter’s
Music of compline, Dec. 7
ECW takes dinner to the “House”, Dec. 5
Giving Tuesday results (updated Dec. 4)
Advent Workshop – the Nativity blocks
Advent Workshop – the Christmas trees
Christmas play poster download
Discretionary Fund in 2023
End of year gift to the Endowment Fund

Advent 3, Year B

Advent 3

Explore Advent, Part 3 – Over the Sundays in Advent there will be a presentation each week focusing on that week’s scriptures, art and commentary and how they demonstrate the themes of advent. Let’s continue with Advent 3.

A. Voices for Advent 3

“In Advent the church emphasizes these ways of continual change: Repentance. Conversion of life. Self-examination. Awakening. Deepening.  “

– Suzanne Guthrie

B. “You Don’t Want to Be a Prophet (Isaiah, Luke)

Christmas without Anglicans?” – Anglican contributions to Advent and Christmas carols.

Voices, Advent 3, Year B

1.  "In Advent the church emphasizes these ways of continual change: Repentance. Conversion of life. Self-examination. Awakening. Deepening.  "

– Suzanne Guthrie
2.

"Advent invites us instead to pause for a moment that we might reflect long enough to assess our deep need and longing for something more, for something beyond ourselves, for something of the divine to penetrate the ordinary even if for just a moment to remind us that there is indeed, something beyond the possible that will save us.  "
 

– David Lose

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