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.

Creating Pet Blessings for St. Francis Day, Oct. 4

Our Christian Education class for children, “God’s Garden” explored what is meant to be a saint, today (Oct. 1, 2023) as a prelude for St. Francis day on Oct. 4. As an example they told the story of St. Francis taming the Wolf of Gubbio. Then, they made Pet blessings with treats to give out in church to make pets happy on St. Francis Day, Oct. 4.

Three videos show packing the bags, processing into church during the first hymn, and finally handing them out during the announcements. A fun activity for all with the children gaining an appreciation for this popular saint.

1. Making Pet Treats

2 Procession to the church during “Morning has Broken”

3. Distribution of the treats during Announcements.

Sermon, Oct. 1, 2023, Pentecost 18, Season of Creation V

Who can tell me what this is?  Yes, a map.  These days we mostly use GPS to map our trips, but these paper maps can come in handy as well. But when we travel, we have to have the right map to get us where we want to go.  If I’m traveling in Virginia, is this map going to help me?  Which one do I need?

We all know stories about maps that lead us to hidden treasure.  If we follow the map we will find the treasure! 

Now here’s the most important map we can have—a map that gives us the directions we need to get through our lives  without getting lost and also leads us to the treasure, which is the kingdom of God.     

This is the Bible. 

For instance, in today’s Old Testament reading, God says, “Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, (That is, stop going the wrong way!) and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God, Turn then, and live.”  (That is, turn and go the right way!) 

Head  toward safety and life rather than toward danger and death. 

Today I want to tell you the story of a person who was headed in one direction, and then he heard God ask him to turn and go in a different, better direction.  

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St. Francis – brief biography

St Francis is probably one of the best known saints, for he captures our imaginations with his joyful and complete giving of himself to God, and his recognition of the fact that we are all God’s creation. His relationship to the rest of creation is that of radical and transforming love. He thought of all of creation as his beloved relatives. He sought to live in harmony with all of nature.

The witness of Francis’ life is also that our faith in God and our living out of that faith is a process. Franciss didn’t go from a rich, pampered young man to a barefooted wanderer preaching God’s word overnight. He grew in his faith and his understanding of God and creation throughout his life.

Francis lived from 1181-1226; his ministry was predominately in Italy, particularly Assisi. Francis was born the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. As a child and young man, he was pampered and worldly, living an indulgent life.

One day, in a church in San Damiano, he heard the Jesus on the crucifix say three times: “Francis, go repair my house which is in ruins.” Believing that this was a command to rebuild the specific church in which he stood, Francis began selling off some of his father’s things to pay for a church renovation. When his father found out, he was furious. He dragged Francis to the local bishop, to insist he be repaid. It was there that Francis removed his rich garments, renounced his father, and left his wealth. The bishop took pity on him and gave him a rough garment to wear. Sometime after that, Francis was worshiping in another church when the reading was Matthew 10:7-20. “As you go, proclaim the good news, the kingdom of heaven has come near. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. speaking through you.”
In that moment, Francis understood the words as a literal call and began his life as an itinerant: living a simple life and preaching the gospel to anyone he met—including the birds.

During his lifetime, Francis was most known for his joyful asceticism, his powerful preaching, and his service to the poor.

Francis was a man transformed by God’s grace who with dogged determination tried to put the words of the Gospel into practice. He sought to live in harmony with nature. He once preached to a flock of birds, reminding them that everything they had was due to God’s gracious gift and encouraging them to use their beautiful voices to praise God in song.

St Francis is also credited by being the person to create the first living nativity scene as a way to deepen the faith of those who would come to witness it. He included animals in his living nativity, saying that “Surely the animals praised the new Messiah just as the shepherds and the angels did.”