Church of the Epiphany (Anglican)

Epiphany This Week

This Sunday is the Feast of the Tranfiguration, which gives us a glimpse of Jesus in his glory before we begin the long walk to the Cross on Ash Wednesday.

One of the unfortunate consequences of a shorter Epiphany season is that our sermon series on Mark’s miracles must come to a premature end. So, I’d like to take a little time to highlight what is the climax of the cycle that we have been working through these last weeks, the raising of the paralytic in Mark 2.

What with all the miracles that have been erupting all around Jesus, the crowds now following him are so large that he can no longer enter a village anonymously. Once ensconced in Peter’s house, the crowds actually prevent anyone from entering or exiting the house.

Some first-century “Holmes on Homes” type men, however, refuse to let the crowds keep them from bringing their paralyzed friend to Jesus. They tear a hole in Peter’s roof (wonder what he thought of that?!?) and lower their friend to Jesus on a mat.

Here, Jesus words are most curious. “My son, your sins are forgiven.” It’s not what we readers would expect to hear and a gaggle of critics actually find it blasphemous. It is Jesus’ response to the critics that is most important. He challenges their assumptions by healing the man and taking the name “Son of Man” for himself.

The Son of Man is an end-time figure from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He would be, Daniel says, God’s own king at the time of the end. In taking this title for himself, in healing the man, and most importantly, in forgiving his sins, Jesus makes a startling claim for himself: he is so uniquely God’s agent that he can do things only God can do. This is, of course, the application of his preaching: The Kingdom has drawn near. It is time to repent and believe.

The climax of the miracle cycle, then, is not the miracles. It is that with coming of Jesus preaching the Kingdom, sins are now forgiven and the rift between God and human beings is healed. Not by the strenuous efforts of pious people, but by God’s own Son, who is determined to be gracious.

The question this story poses to us is this: having heard the Good News, will we leave Jesus healed and reconciled to God or will we leave him, as his critics did, still religious yet still unredeemed.

Parish Announcements:

Community Outreach has advised that there is an urgent need for winter boots.  If you have any that are no longer used but are wearable, please bring them to the church; they will be passed on.

Music Notes: This week, Theophony will lead the singing at the 10:30 Service of Choral Eucharist and will offer, among other music,  the beautiful setting of the hymn O Nata Lux de Lumine by Thomas Tallis – composed for the Feast of the Transfiguration. Our setting of Psalm 50 will be to the gentle Irish melody, Star of the County Down, and we’ll bid the use of Alleluia ‘farewell’ as we enter into Lent.  On Saturday, February 25 from 1-2:15 pm do consider participating in the New Adventures Choir – your opportunity to learn the ‘whys and hows’ of our musical offerings. Everyone is welcome!

Annual ACW Meeting will take place in North Bay from Monday, May 14-Wednesday, May 16. Registration packs are available in the office.

Epiphany Name Tags will soon be ordered. There is a sign-up sheet for anyone interested posted in the Algoma Room. For more information, please see Barb Bolton.

YTBN Update: This Sunday (Feb. 19th) from 7:00-8:30 pm, we meet at St. James on Paris St. to hear from Laurie Racine, from the Sudbury CNIB.  Laurie’s life-story is astonishing: she is a teacher, a mother of several kids and is also blind.  Her humour, courage and honesty will leave you with a new definition of what it means to be blind.  Laurie is a teacher at the CNIB office in Sudbury, and works with people who have recently experienced vision loss through macular degeneration or other illness.  All youth between the ages of 8 and 18 are warmly welcomed.   Contact Jan @ jan.buley@gmail.com or at 522-2260 for further info.  New YTBN youth are ALWAYS welcome!

Mission and Outreach Lunch and Learn: Plan to stay after service for our first Lunch and Learn of 2012. Our own Monique Pilkington will speak on her outreach project with the CNIB mobile eye van which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2012. This traveling ophthalmology clinic brings critical eye care services to 30 remote communities in Northern Ontario between March and November each year. A team of two CNIB Ophthalmic Assistants and 25 Ophthalmologists provide eye examinations, minor surgery and treatments for over 5,000 patients annually. Many of the conditions diagnosed and treated on the Eye Van would lead to permanent vision loss if left undetected. This critical service prevents blindness in our northern communities.

Instructed Eucharist: Do you know why we do what we do on a typical Sunday morning? Would you like to find out? On Sunday Feb 26, the 10:30 service will be an “Instructed Eucharist” that we hope will address some of your questions. Come and see.

Baptism, Confirmation, Renewal of Baptismal Vows: Christian Basics Classes begin on Thursday, Feb.23 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, Feb. 25 at 10:30 am. Both classes will take place at 177 Claudia Court.

Men’s Breakfast: The men of Lively/Copper Cliff parish will host a Men’s Breakfast at St. John the Divine, 34 Godfrey Dr.,Copper Cliff on Saturday, March 10. Please contact livelyanglican@bellnet.ca if you are plan to attend. Coffee at 8:00 am and breakfast at about 8:45.  Hope to see you there.

The Wardens would love to hear from you!  The Wardens are always available to hear your concerns, questions or comments.  We can be reached via email at wardens@epiphanysudbury.org.  Or if you prefer you can call us at home.  Gilles’ number is 705-688-5996.  Bettina’s number is 705-525-5979.  Caroline’s number is 705-677-0204.

Liturgy Online: If you would like to follow the service using your smartphone or mobile device, the Book of Alternative Services and the Book of Common Prayer (1962) are available free of charge in .pdf format from http://www.anglican.ca/resources/liturgicaltextsonline/.

SSNUFL: The Church of the Epiphany strives to be a scent-free, smoke-free, nut-free and latex-free environment so that people with allergies are welcome and, more importantly, safe. This is a matter of Christian hospitality, which we extend to both regulars and visitors.

Next week’s schedule:

Monday: Women’s Bible Study is cancelled this week for Family Day.

Wednesday: Eucharist and Bible Study at 10:00 am

Thursday: Quilter’s Group

Saturday: BAS said Holy Eucharist at 5:00 pm

Sunday: BCP said Holy Eucharist at 8:30 am

               BAS choral Holy Eucharist at 10:30 am

Announcements for Epiphany This Week should be sent to rector@epiphanysudbury.org.