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.

2024 Sun Oct 13

Connecting our Stewardship Campaign to the Season of Creation

Language from the Bible supports both the Season of Creation and our pledge campaign using the language of – planting, growth, production of fruit, and feeding.

Here’s some of our language and imagery, linking these practices, both ancient and continuing, with our common life at St. Peter’s:

  • Plant: We begin with the seeds: Worship and prayer, baptism, evangelism, welcoming, pastoral care
  • And the seeds soon grow: Education, communications, upkeep of buildings and grounds
  • And produce fruit: Fellowship, belonging, new members, confirmation, marriages
  • To feed people who are hungry in body and spirit: Village Harvest, Christma
  • And our roots are deep: Tradition, reconciliation…
  • Settled into the ground of our being: Jesus Christ
  • Watered by the vows of the Baptismal Covenant – to continue in worship, repent and return, respect the dignity of others.
  • Jesus said, “I am the vine, You are the branches…bear much fruit.”
  • All of this depends on your gifts, regular income that provides the rector and staff; that lights, heats, and cools our buildings, that provides materials for worship, for service, for outreach.

Gospel in Oct., 2024

October 7. Mark 10:2-16 – Jesus tested on divorce

Commentary from The Gospel of Mark, by Mary Healy. “With his pronouncement on marriage, Jesus brings his teachings o suffering, self-denial, humility, and service into the most intimate sphere of human life…The union in marriage is a sign pointing to God’s own mystery and our call to communion with God. God is a communion of “persons”, an eternal exchange of love, and God has destined us to share in that exchange.”
In the second part of the gospel reading, Jesus tells the disciples to let the little children come to him. “To receive the kingdom of heaven is as simple, trusting, and humble an action as receiving the embrace of Jesus. Indeed, to enter the kingdom is nothing other than to enter into a relationship with Jesus.”

October 14. Mark 10:17-31 – The Rich Young Man

This familiar story of the rich young man who asks what he must do to inherit eternal life and Jesus’ comment that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” are reminders that Jesus demands of all of us that we must have total detachment from our possessions if we are to be his disciples.

October 21. Mark 10:35-45 – The request of James and John

In this passage, Jesus reverses the usual understanding of greatness: those who would lead must serve. Jesus doesn’t dispute the idea of greatness, but radically redefines greatness from hierarchical power to “servant power.” Jesus’ own example sanctified the lowly and humble role of discipleship.

October 28. Mark 10:46-52 – The healing of Bartimaeus

When Jesus heals Bartimaeus, three things happen: Bartimaeus can now see, Bartimaeus no longer has to beg, and Bartimaeus serves as a witness and metaphor to others—God can remove what is in the way of our vision, what is causing us to stumble, what is causing us to be stuck, what is causing us to remain oppressed. And God calls us to do what we can to remove barriers from those around the world who are marginalized and oppressed.

 

Indigenous Peoples Day, From Oct. 9, 2023

The Second Monday in October is celebrated as Columbus Day but also more recently as Indigenous People’s Day. This is how St. Peter’s remembered the day in 2023. It is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures

In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Oct 9, 2023), today’s liturgy (Oct 8, 2023) contains Native American resources.  

Here are 4 parts of the service with themes and two videos (Communion Hymn, Prayers of the People, Blessing and Song of Praise):

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