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.

Videos, Pentecost 5, July 2, 2023

Hymn of Praise – Many and Great, O God

Sequence Hymn – Lord, I want to be a Christian

Gospel and Sermon – Rev. Catherine Hicks

Post Communion Prayer and Blessing

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Sermon, July 2, 2023, Pentecost 5

Sermon, Proper 8,  Year A 2023 

Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18, Romans 6: 12-23, Matthew 10:40-42

In a Native American legend recorded for You Tube by the Anasazi Foundation, a grandparent tells his grandchild about two wolves who are at war.   The grandparent describes the two wolves. 

One is a bad wolf full of anger, envy, jealousy, regret, resentment, judgement, bitterness, hate, spite, cruelty,  greed, self-pity, guilt, inferiority, lies, false pride, and ego.      

The other wolf, the good wolf, is full of peace, joy, hope, love, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence and generosity, empathy, truth, compassion, self-control, and faith. 

The grandparent places his hand on his grandchild’s shoulder.  “These two wolves are at war inside of me, and also inside of you, and every man, woman and child who walks this earth.” 

The grandchild thinks for a moment and then asks the grandparent, “Which wolf will win?” 

The grandparent replies, “The one you feed.” 

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Sunday Links, July 2, 2023, Pentecost 5

  • Web site
  • YouTube St. Peter’s Page for viewing services
  • Facebook St. Peter’s Page
  • Location – 823 Water Street, P. O. Box 399, Port Royal, Virginia 22535

  • Sun. July 2, 2023, 11am Eucharist YouTube 823 Water St. Port Royal, VA 22535
  • Lectionary for July 2, 2023, Pentecost 5, Proper 8, Pentecost 5
  • July 4 activities at St. Peters, July 4 at St. Peter’s

  • Ecumenical Bible Study, Wed., July 5, 10am-12pm, Parish House Reading Lectionary for July 9
  • School supply donation due July 16
  • July, 2023 Newsletter
  • All articles for Sunday, July 2, 2023
  • Donations and Supplies for Jamaica, Update June 30, 2023

    1. Donations. Donations -collected $2,355 as of June 28. $1,499 is earmarked for the school principal to purchase notebooks, computers (keyboards, mouse and monitors), shipping, customs, checking suitcases on the plane for supplies).

    2. The rest of the funds were available for supplies which Andrea purchased on June 30. We are done! Pencil cases, 280. Rulers, 350 Pens, 100 Toothbrushes, 50 Sharpeners, 156 Erasers, 200 Drawstring backpacks, 220

    Thank you for your donations.

    Notebook Paper Collection for Caroline’s Promise School Supply Distribution

    Sunday, July 16th is the deadline for St Peter’s to collect 8.5”looseleaf, hole punched notebook paper for Caroline County school children, to be distributed by Caroline’s Promise on Saturday, July 29th.   Our goal is 200 packs of 8.5×11 looseleaf notebook paper, 3 hole punched .  There is no specific quantity (200, 500 sheets, etc) to purchase. Most of them have been 150 sheet packs

    [As of July 9 we have collected 37 packs of notebook paper. One week to go. ]

    Bring your donation to church and place it in the back pew.  If you’d like to make a monetary donation toward this project, write a check to St Peter’s and put Notebook Paper/Outreach on the memo line. 

    We have frequently partnered with Caroline’s Promise for school supplies. (Last year it was markers). Caroline’s Promise works to help young people in Caroline County to succeed by providing a healthy start and future, one of their five promises.  You can read more about Caroline’s promise at

    this link.  https://www.carolinespromise.org/

    Their distribution July 29, 10am-12pm

    Caroline Middle School
    13325 Devils Three Jump Road
    Milford VA 22514

    Native American Sunday, July 2, 2023

    The stole has a clue to Catherine’s sermon today, July 2, 2023- It’s a Navajo stole

    In fact the service had a number of references to Native Americans :
    1 “Many and Great,” today’s hymn of praise, was originally written in 1842 in the Dakota Native American language by Joseph R. Renville. Its Dakota title is “Wakantanka taku nitawa”. The original text is based on Jeremiah 10:12-13.
    2. Prayers of the People – opening – “On this Independence Day weekend, let us give thanks for our nation, while asking forgiveness for the ways in which our ancestors systematically removed and tried to destroy the Native Americans who were here before us, in order that today we may strive to live together in unity, working to meet the needs of this world and all our neighbors in your Name.”
    3 The closing prayer in The Prayers of the People is by Lloyd Carl Owle (Cherokee) in American Indian Prayers ad Poetry, edited by J. Ed Sharpe, 1985, Cherokee Publications
    4 The Blessing is a Native American Proverb found in Native American Sunday A Liturgy for Worship Northern Great Lakes Synod Marquette, Michigan

    The bulletin has 1,3,4

    Lectionary, July 2, 2023 – Pentecost 5, Proper 8

    I.Theme –    Living in a new way

    “Jesus and the Children”, Colgate Art Glass Co., 1907”

    The lectionary readings are here  or individually:

    Old Testament – Jeremiah 28:5-9 Psalm – Psalm 89:1-4,15-18 Page 713, BCP Epistle –Romans 6:12-23 Gospel – Matthew 10:40-42

    Today’s readings bring us face to face with the intricate balance of God’s judgment and God’s mercy. Jeremiah challenges his hearers to confront the discomfort of God’s judgment. Paul reminds the Roman community that their baptism was a death to sin and they now have a choice to live for God. In the gospel, Jesus reminds us that the response given to his disciples is also a response to him.

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    It’s Butterfly Time! Part 2

    July is usually considered butterfly month but several have come our way. Here are two submitted by Andrea and Ben on June 21.

    Catherine added the four swallow tails butterflies on June 28. These are the last four images.

    There are about 20,000 species of butterflies worldwide. About 700 inhabit North America.