Holy Eucharist services are held Sunday mornings at 10:00am.
The first Eucharist of each month will be held in the Chapel.
St. James' has in-person Wednesday morning prayers, usually the Eucharist. It is at 10:00 am.
in St. Luke's Chapel.
St. James' Facebook Live is streaming again.
Sunday closest to July 20
Proper 11
Year A
RCL
Track 2
Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19
Psalm 86:11-17
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
The Collect
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Genesis 28:10-19a
First Reading
Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19
There is no god besides you, whose care is for all people, to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly; for your strength is the source of righteousness, and your sovereignty over all causes you to spare all. For you show your strength when people doubt the completeness of your power, and you rebuke any insolence among those who know it.
Although you are sovereign in strength, you judge with mildness, and with great forbearance you govern us; for you have power to act whenever you choose. Through such works you have taught your people that the righteous must be kind, and you have filled your children with good hope, because you give repentance for sins.
The Psalm
Psalm 86:11-17
Inclina, Domine
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; *
knit my heart to you that I may fear your Name.
12 I will thank you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, *
and glorify your Name for evermore.
13 For great is your love toward me; *
you have delivered me from the nethermost Pit.
14 The arrogant rise up against me, O God,
and a band of violent men seeks my life; *
they have not set you before their eyes.
15 But you, O Lord, are gracious and full of compassion, *
slow to anger, and full of kindness and truth.
16 Turn to me and have mercy upon me; *
give your strength to your servant;
and save the child of your handmaid.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; *
because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
The Epistle
Romans 8:12-25
Brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
The Gospel
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
Jesus put before the crowd another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
From The Lectionary Page: http://lectionarypage.net
ST. JAMES’ DAY
JULY 26, 2026
FR. JERRY THOMPSON
ST. JAMES’ CHURCH, FREMONT, NE
Happy St. James’ Day to all of you!
I’m assuming that you’ve received and read my letter by now. If not, I sent out a letter this past week that shared informed with the congregation that I am retiring completely on All Saints Day, Nov. 1. That day will be my last day as your priest.
I went back and forth in my mind about whether or not to send the letter out the week before we would be celebrating St. James’ Day. I didn’t want to make this Sunday about me.
In the end, I decided that St. James’ Day was a perfect opportunity to begin the time of transition toward the future for this community. We must first acknowledge that the next three months are a holy time, a sacred time, for us all, an opportunity to celebrate the role we have played in each other’s life, and that is holy work.
We have touched one another as we have worked together in ministry in the gracious, loving presence of God, a presence we have striven to be to each other as well.
We have also touched one another as we have walked through life together – births and deaths, anniversaries and illnesses, transitions such as retirements.
We have prayed together as we move forward through it all, trusting in that gracious presence who is always with us, and who carries us all into the future through change.
I will be forever grateful for the time we have shared together. I’m reminded of the end of the Carol Burnett show! I’m so glad we had this time together!
I look forward in the coming months to remembering some of the times we’ve shared.
Times of joy, and times of sorrow. Times when we have gifted each other with our presence. Times when we have loved – loved each other, loved the world for which Christ lived and died, loved Jesus himself.
Saying goodbye is holy activity, as all life is. So let’s be deliberate about it, thankful for the opportunity that we have to do so. And let’s be prayerful as we say goodbye, that is, in touch with the Spirit of God.
Saying goodbye well sets the stage for the next chapter of life – my life as a retired priest; and your life as an ongoing community trusting in Jesus, called to be witnesses to him, bearing the good news of his work in our lives to the people of Fremont and beyond.
After I shared the news of my retirement with a few people last Sunday, I commented to the bishop that, whereas I had been focused on the parish and what you would be going through, by their comments, parishioners last week were ironically reminding me that I myself am going through an enormous transition, a transition I’ve never been through before!
Several people commented to me, “You’re going to love retirement!” You know what, I think you’re very right!
Part of my work in the coming months is not only to say goodbye to you - with a heart filled with gratitude - but also to begin looking ahead, to begin listening differently to the Holy Spirit about where she is calling me in the stage of life into which I am moving.
It is, in a different way, the same work you will be embracing. This community, too, is now in a time of transition. Even as we keep this time sacred by saying goodbye with love and intention, you, too, will be thinking about St. James in the next stage of this community’s life, listening for where the Holy Spirit is calling you as you move forward,
faithfully following Jesus.
I know you’ll be very surprised that I have some thoughts to share about what’s ahead for you!
I have always thought before when leaving a parish, and I think it this time, too, that when our Lord calls me into a time of transition, moving from one parish to another, or in this case, into full retirement, it’s also timely for whatever community I am serving; that is, that you have new and wonderful blessings ahead of you. That’s the way Jesus works.
Jesus brings people together for reasons. Jesus brought us together intentionally.
Sometimes we can be so focused on what we want and think ought to be happening
that we forget that Jesus has his own plans!
But really, life goes most smoothly when we let go of that illusion of control and open ourselves to what the Holy Spirit is up to, how God is moving in our lives, what God is asking us to listen to in each other, receive from each other, give to each other.
It’s not always what we anticipate.
I think of a corollary from my own experience. I try to go on an annual silent retreat.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that I usually have something in mind to pray about, to focus on, when the retreat starts.
But often what happens is that Jesus has his own agenda for our time together! And I find that he is calling me to set aside my plan and to follow his.
So of course we follow his desires rather than the agenda I bring to the retreat. And the retreat ends up richer than I could possibly imagine ahead of time.
The relationship between parish and priest is a lot like that. Jesus has his own agenda for the time together. The better we do at listening to his agenda rather than our own, the more fruitful the time will be to the kingdom of God. That’s true for both priest and parish.
Another good analogy is Christian marriage. In a good marriage, people remain open to each other, willing to be touched by the other; and they grow in ways they might not have expected. Of course, that’s true with priests and parishes, too – if both parties are open to receiving the gifts the other has to offer, to be changed by them, to grow more faithful from them, in the ways that Jesus wants us to grow.
Just like on my retreats, and just like in a Christian marriage, which reflects the relationship between Christ and his Church, as we say in the liturgy for Holy Matrimony,
it’s when we listen for the voice of God and let God guide us, when we obey that voice -
that’s when fruit is produced for God’s kingdom.
I have no idea who our Lord will bring to serve with you next. What I do know about your future as a community is that you will need to remain open to being touched and transformed by Jesus through that person – just as they will need to remain open to being touched and transformed by you.
I can tell them that doing so will enrich their lives! Not only have I experienced it, but that is, after all, the way Jesus works! He always wants to bless us through each other;
our job is to obey him and let him.
And just as I can tell him or her that remaining open to the Spirit living through you will bless and enrich their life, so I can tell you that remaining open to the Spirit moving through whoever is standing at the altar will enrich your life – because that’s the way Jesus works!
All parties in the relationship need to remain humble, as our gospel reading reminds us,
not seeking glory for ourselves as James and John seek it, but looking instead for the Spirit moving the community forward together.
It might mean drinking some cups we would rather not drink – but if handed to us by Jesus, well, those cups are still the way toward life.
Your transition is different from mine. I’ve never completely retired before. You have moved through times of a priest leaving before.
I’m fully aware that it’s a time of some anxiety, because you don’t know what or who the future holds, what Jesus will bring into your life next.
After all, you know me – you know my foibles and eccentricities; you know the things about me that you appreciate and the things that drive you crazy! See, it really is like a marriage!
But what will Jesus bring you next?
I encourage you to be intentionally open to the Holy Spirit in the coming months and beyond them, as we say goodbye, and as you look ahead to a new chapter in your life together.
The last seven years together have brought their own gifts and graces from God. The next chapter will as well for both of us! And there’s no way either of us can anticipate all of those blessings and challenges – and challenges are just blessings in disguise – we can’t anticipate all the blessings headed our way as we move forward with Jesus.
Because that’s not the way he works!
What we can always trust in, though, is that Jesus is working, and Jesus is blessing,
and Jesus is bringing into our lives gifts we might otherwise never have known.
Let’s all be ready to receive those gifts, with joy, and with thanksgiving,
and with praise for this wondrous God we worship together.
Amen.
St. James' Episcopal Church will be having a plant sale with indoor & outdoor plants on Saturday, May 30th. from 8am - 2pm. The address is 5th and D.
ST. JAMES COMMUNITY GARDEN
St. James Community Garden is located behind the church in the former preschool playground. This area was repurposed with raised garden beds in order to grow fresh produce to place in our St. James Little Free Pantry located adjacent to the Chapel along 5th street.
The garden is open to all of the community for anyone who would like to help plant, weed and harvest the produce. Whoever needs fresh tomatoes, green beans, carrots, strawberries or any of the other garden items growing there are welcome to enjoy.
This space also has a picnic table and benches if you just want to enjoy the beauty and peace that it provides.
If you have questions, please call the church at 402-721-3327 and leave a message for Jan Jordan.
Formation Meeting
The next Formation Meeting will be on Wednesday, July 31st. We will be talking about the Book of Common Prayer. “Book of Common Prayer 101”. Come join us with dinner at 5:30pm. We will end at about 7pm each evening.
Bible Study
Bible Study is meeting on Sunday mornings at Milady’s Coffee Shop at 9 am. The passage to be discussed each week will be sent out through email by Br. Jerry on the Wednesday before; if you wish to be included on that email list to receive the reading, please let him know: brotherjerry91119@gmail.com.
Garage Sale
It’s time to think about St. James’ garage sale. When you do your summer cleaning and don’t know where to take your unwanted items, bring them to the church. The date for the annual garage sale has not yet been determined but probably September. Due to major water leaks in the garage sale room, please store your items at your home until further notice.
St James’ Homecoming Luncheon, July 28, 2024
Everyone is invited to celebrate St. James’ Homecoming Luncheon today after the service.
Back to School Drive
We are doing a back-to-school drive to collect items to distribute in the Little Free Pantry and also to take to The Bridge. Please see the attached information for what is needed. Place your donations on the benches in the Parish hall by 7/29/24.
Here's The Schools Supplies They Need Most:
Backpacks
#2 Pencils (no mechanical or decorated)
Dry Erase Markers (black, large size)
Erasers (pink, large size)
Glue Sticks (regular size)
Headphones
Highlighters
Markers (8-count, original washable, classic colors)
Folders
Notebooks (wide and college-ruled)
Zipper Pockets (for pens, pencils, etc.)
3-Ring Binders (one inch)
The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Last Sunday after the Epiphany
Year B
RCL
2 Kings 2:1-12
2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Mark 9:2-9
Psalm 50:1-6
The Collect
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Old Testament
2 Kings 2:1-12
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.” Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
The Psalm
Psalm 50:1-6
Deus deorum
1 The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken; *
he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, *
God reveals himself in glory.
3 Our God will come and will not keep silence; *
before him there is a consuming flame,
and round about him a raging storm.
4 He calls the heavens and the earth from above *
to witness the judgment of his people.
5 "Gather before me my loyal followers, *
those who have made a covenant with me
and sealed it with sacrifice."
6 Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; *
for God himself is judge.
The Epistle
2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel
Mark 9:2-9
Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
From The Lectionary Page: http://lectionarypage.net
The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Year B
RCL
Isaiah 40:21-31
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Mark 1:29-39
Psalm 147:1-12, 21c
The Collect
Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Isaiah 40:21-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
The Psalm
Psalm 147:1-12, 21c
Laudate Dominum
1 Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God! *
how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; *
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted *
and binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars *
and calls them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; *
there is no limit to his wisdom.
6 The Lord lifts up the lowly, *
but casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; *
make music to our God upon the harp.
8 He covers the heavens with clouds *
and prepares rain for the earth;
9 He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *
and green plants to serve mankind.
10 He provides food for flocks and herds *
and for the young ravens when they cry.
11 He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *
he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
12 But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him, *
in those who await his gracious favor.
21 Hallelujah!
The Epistle
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
The Gospel
Mark 1:29-39
After Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
From The Lectionary Page: http://lectionarypage.net
The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Year B
RCL
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20
Psalm 62:6-14
The Collect
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
The Psalm
Psalm 62:6-14
Nonne Deo?
6 For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
truly, my hope is in him.
7 He alone is my rock and my salvation, *
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.
8 In God is my safety and my honor; *
God is my strong rock and my refuge.
9 Put your trust in him always, O people, *
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.
10 Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, *
even those of low estate cannot be trusted.
11 On the scales they are lighter than a breath, *
all of them together.
12 Put no trust in extortion;
in robbery take no empty pride; *
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.
13 God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, *
that power belongs to God.
14 Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, *
for you repay everyone according to his deeds.
The Epistle
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
The Gospel
Mark 1:14-20
After John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
From The Lectionary Page: http://lectionarypage.net
The St. James’ Bazaar usually held the first Saturday of December has been cancelled for 2020.
St. James’ garage sale has been postponed for 2020. New date is to be determined.
The Lessons Appointed for Use on
the Feast of
First Sunday after Christmas
All Years
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7
John 1:1-18
147:13-21
The Collect
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
The Psalm
147:13-21
13 Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; *
praise your God, O Zion;
14 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; *
he has blessed your children within you.
15 He has established peace on your borders; *
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
16 He sends out his command to the earth, *
and his word runs very swiftly.
17 He gives snow like wool; *
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
18 He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; *
who can stand against his cold?
19 He sends forth his word and melts them; *
he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
20 He declares his word to Jacob, *
his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
21 He has not done so to any other nation; *
to them he has not revealed his judgments.
Hallelujah!
The New Testament
Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
The Gospel
John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.from her.
The Collect
O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your lovingkindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Genesis 21:8-21
The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.” The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17
1 Bow down your ear, O Lord, and answer me, *
for I am poor and in misery.
2 Keep watch over my life, for I am faithful; *
save your servant who puts his trust in you.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for you are my God; *
I call upon you all the day long.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, *
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, *
and great is your love toward all who call upon you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, *
and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the time of my trouble I will call upon you, *
for you will answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord, *
nor anything like your works.
9 All nations you have made will come and worship you, O Lord, *
and glorify your Name.
10 For you are great; you do wondrous things; *
and you alone are God.
16 Turn to me and have mercy upon me; *
give your strength to your servant; and save the child of your handmaid.
17 Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; *
because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
9 I have become a stranger to my own kindred, *
an alien to my mother's children.
10 Zeal for your house has eaten me up; *
the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.
11 I humbled myself with fasting, *
but that was turned to my reproach.
18 Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind; *
in your great compassion, turn to me.'
19 "Hide not your face from your servant; *
be swift and answer me, for I am in distress.
20 Draw near to me and redeem me; *
because e of my enemies deliver me.
The Epistle
Romans 6:1b-11
Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
The Gospel
Matthew 10:24-39
Jesus said to the twelve disciples, “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
CHRISTMAS EVE 2025
FR. JERRY THOMPSON
ST. JAMES’ CHURCH, FREMONT, NE
Merry Christmas to you all!
I’m glad you have joined us in this primary purpose of the holiday, which is worshipping Christ, the Lord of life, as the church marks his incarnation.
The gospel reading we just heard is the one traditionally read for Christmas Eve. This year I am struck by the line that tells us, “Mary treasured all these words, “and she pondered them in her heart.”
What are the words Mary is pondering I her heart?
These words come to her from shepherds, poor workers without much money or power or prestige in their society. These are the people to whom God chooses to send these angels.
Their message? “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: “to you is born this day a Savior, the Lord.” To you, the angels say. To you who are the least and. not the greatest.
Where will you find this Savior? “You’ll find him wrapped in bands of cloth “and lying in a manger in Bethlehem.”
Not in some royal palace, filled with gold. No, in a manger, designed for animals to eat out of. If you want to hang out with God, don’t seek palaces of gold; look instead for those in need of good news.
You’ll find this Savior and Lord of all people in a stable, vulnerable to the forces of the world, alongside his poor and vulnerable parents, alongside animals, other creatures of God, with the presence of God filling them all – especially this small child, vulnerable to the forces of the world. The loving forces. And the evil forces. As all of us are ulnerable,
to both good and bad, in particular the poor and those marginalized by society.
What is sometimes missed in this gospel message is its overwhelming political significance. Luke sets it up that way quite deliberately. At the beginning of the passage,
he deliberately mentions the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, and then Luke goes on to contrast Augustus with Jesus, God’s true anointed one, God’s true Savior and Lord.
You see, Augustus called himself Savior of the World and Lord of the world. Luke reminds us that he is not. God alone saves and reigns the world, just as God does in Jesus. He is the true Savior and the only Lord of creation.
Luke deliberately contrasts political leaders of this world, who can claim way more for themselves than they should - Luke deliberately contrasts them with Jesus Christ, who comes into this world as the only source of wholeness in the face of the brokenness with which we human beings live.
Political leaders do not save us; they did not save us at the time of Jesus’ birth, nor do they save us today.
No matter how grandly they might think of themselves, they are just human beings; they are not God and they will never be more than they are.
In fact, some act far less than the human beings they are, as exhibited by the way they use the power entrusted to them, by the way they choose to hurt people rather than to serve them, to serve them as Jesus does, to serve them as Jesus calls us to do with our neighbor.
That’s all part of what Luke is proclaiming in this gospel passage. It is profoundly political in nature, as the good news of Jesus is profoundly political. That is part of the truth we have inherited as Christians. Politics is about how we treat one another, and Jesus has an enormous amount to say about how we treat our fellow human beings.
Luke continues the contrast he has established with the angels and the heavenly host
proclaiming God and saying together, “Glory to God and peace among those whom God favors!”
The Roman state promised peace as well, The Pax Romana, the peace of Rome. This peace was imposed by the state on those who disagreed with the state. It was not a peace that arose organically, not a peace lived into by choice.
It was a lack of conflict imposed by the might of the Roman state, imposed by force as the state crushed opposition to it with fear. Perhaps that sounds familiar to you ion this Christmas Eve as well.
Luke deliberately wants to contrast a lack of conflict created by fear and force with the peace that comes from God, a peace that arises from love of God and neighbor within the human breast, expressed by the way we treat our neighbors. A peace that arises from being vulnerable to one another, like Jesus; the vulnerability of Jesus, in the womb and in the tomb, in the manger and on the cross. A peace that arises not out of force but out of love.
To these shepherds, people who had nothing to gain from Roman rule except fear, all this was indeed words of good news. Those most vulnerable in this world are embraced by God, are one with God, are loved by God are cared for by God.
And God calls the rest of us to stand with them as God himself does. Because ultimately, we all are them, We all are vulnerable and in need of God’s love, in need of one another’s love, whether we realize it or not.
That’s an inherent part of the gospel message, the message that comes to us with the birth of Jesus Christ: that promise, that peace that arises from God being with us, in whatever hill or valley we find ourselves.
That message is for everyone, not just for the powerful; in fact, it might least be for the powerful.
It is good news for everybody – when new realize just how weak we actually are, just how much we are in need of the merciful love of God in Jesus Christ.
It’s no surprise that the angels are sent by God to shepherds, because they were among those who could most easily receive the message that God proclaims to the world this night. They have less to give up, less to let go of, less investment in the systems that exist; indeed, they are among those who suffer from them the most.
Because they have so little investment in those systems, it is easier for them to receive this great gift of God.
It is we who are more deeply invested who are more greatly challenged to receive the gift God wants to give us, the gift God longs to give us. It is we who struggle more to open our hearts to God and one another, each day, including on this great feast of the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ.
These are the words Mary ponders in her heart. Mary treasures all these words brought to her, their meaning, their significance in her life, and their significance in the life of this world.
She ponders this news in her heart, where if we are wise, where if we are faithful, we all will ponder these words, too.
We will ponder them this night, on this great feast of the incarnation of God, and on every day that God gives us breath.
In some way, as Mary holds Jesus in her arms, she must know where his life would lead him, would lead her, and will lead all of us who attach ourselves to the true Savior and Lord of the world, as we die to self, and live ever more deeply to God. And as we call a broken world to do the same.
But Mary also knows something else, and because she knows it, because she trusts more in God than in the powers of this world, she clings to her faith - her trust that God will prevail over the forces of evil in this world.
That’s what enables Mary to do her part, her faith in God, just as our trust enables us to do our part, and to make the sacrifices we are called to make as followers of Jesus, the Savior and Lord of the world.
That Savior is the one Mary and Joseph welcome this night; the one the angels and the shepherds welcome this night; the one we welcome this night; the one we receive into our hearts; the one to whom we promise our faith and our lives; the one and only one
in whom we have hope in the darkness - hope for all the tomorrows to come, in this life and beyond this life; the one who truly is Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of the Most High God.
So let us join the shepherds this night, as they glorify and praise God for all they hear and see.
And let us join Mary, too, as she holds Jesus close, and as she ponders in her heart the good news she has heard.
Let us join her not just this night but during all the nights to come; let us hold the one who is truly the hope for our broken world, the one who truly is the source of peace,
the only source of light in the darkness in which we live.
And let us faithfully be part of Christ’s great light shining in the darkness.
Amen.
There was no sermon given on December 28th. Christmas hymns were sung.
REFLECTION JUNE 28
Today’s reading from Genesis can be one of the more unsettling Biblical readings. Most of us don’t like the idea of God testing us to begin with, and we certainly don’t like the idea of God’s instruction to Abraham to sacrifice his son – even if it’s only a test. The fact that Abraham gets to the point of picking up the knife to kill Isaac is too close for comfort for most of us.
But when we move beyond these feelings, the reading actually offers some striking theological statements. These statements – in addition to the dramatic observations I just made - make this passage one of the best-known readings in Abraham’s journey of faith with our God. As I talked about last week, Abraham’s story lies at the root of three great religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. So it’s definitely worth paying attention to what scripture reveals to us about our God through this story.
The very first thing we’re told is that “God tested Abraham.” We’re given a context at the beginning of this passage for what follows. Maybe that context is intended to give us some breathing space for the events. If so, I’m not sure it succeeds. The story is still, in one dimension, horrific for those of us who have been parents, and perhaps for everyone.
But this is a test - and a big one at that. Remember that God has miraculously provided Isaac to Abraham and Sarah, and God has promised that it’s through this son that God will provide a multitude of further offspring. Not just biological offspring, but spiritual offspring, a multitude of people who trust in the one God.
Given this reality, it’s not explainable to Abraham why God would now tell him to offer Isaac back to God as a sacrifice. And a very real sacrifice it would be: “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love . . . .” As fathers do, Abraham loves his son Isaac, no doubt with a parent’s boundless love, the kind of love that would sacrificially offer one’s self in his place if given the opportunity. As we find out much later in the Biblical story through the person of Jesus, the divine son, God the Father knows this love from the inside.
However, what is being tested is not Abraham’s love for Isaac but Abraham’s complete loyalty to God. As it will be articulated later through both Moses and Jesus, God expects our complete, our absolute allegiance: “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:30) No one and no thing is allowed to come before God.
You might be reminded of our gospel reading from last week, in which Jesus tells his disciples, “ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
Our Lord reminds us that the moment we begin placing our parent or our spouse or our child or our country or our work or our money or our favorite hobby above God is the moment we slip into idolatry – we begin to worship something other than the only true God. We must, like Abraham, be willing to sacrifice any other allegiance we hold within our hearts to our allegiance to God. And when we’re confronted with such a choice, as we are more often than we recognize, we might find ourselves being tested – by God or by life itself – in much the same way Abraham is tested in our reading.
This tension is sometimes apparent in people’s attitude toward the nation in which they live, and we Americans are no exception. Some of you will remember that saying, “America, love it or leave it.” Aside from not being the most grace-filled way to deal with each other at times of disagreement - it closes down conversation rather than invites it - this attitude also suggests that our country and its leaders can never be wrong, or sinfully blind because they are pursuing goals out of line with God’s, or simply mistaken.
However, we Christians know that isn’t true for any of us, our leaders included. We all are susceptible to placing other things above God and the sacrificial love that we are called into as creatures of God. And we are all accountable to God and God’s way of justice and love at all times. So we have a responsibility to hold our leadership as well as ourselves accountable to the ways of justice and love, a responsibility to speak out in the name of Christ when the way of God is not being followed.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer paid with his life for doing so in Germany during the Second World War. Most of us won’t be asked to make that kind of sacrifice, but Bonhoeffer was clearly willing to make it because his allegiance to God and the way of God was first in his life, as it is called to be for any of us who claim Jesus as Lord, those of us who are called to reflect the faith of Abraham in our lives whatever that might look like.
Because that is precisely what is at stake for Abraham: his faith in this amazing God he is coming to know through God’s self-revelation. Perhaps because God has pulled off Isaac’s existence in the first place, Abraham now responds to this test before him in complete and utter trust.
“Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Isaac asks his father. “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” Abraham does not try to take matters into his own hands, not by ignoring God, nor by arguing with God, nor by finding some way around God’s call, for example finding what Abraham himself conceives as a suitable replacement for the offering he is called to make.
Instead, Abraham listens to God and obeys God, trusting that - as God has provided in the past - God will again provide in order to further God’s purposes in Abraham’s life and in the life of the world. Abraham has come to know that in the most critical realities of life, God alone can provide - and God does provide. And Abraham has learned to place his allegiance to God above everything else.
It’s the choice Jesus is faced with in Gethsemane. In the face even of death, will he trust that his heavenly Father will be faithful to his promise and provide life? Like Jesus, we are faced with the same question: in the extreme realities of life and death, are we going to trust that God is faithful? And in the much smaller realities we face day in and day out?
It’s a decision that we must make in small and big ways each day we take breath. Just like our father Abraham. Just like our Lord Jesus Christ. Just like Mary his mother, and Joseph her spouse. Just like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and all the martyrs before and after him.
Will we, like them all, trust that God is faithful to us, faithful to the word of promise that God has made to the world that God so dearly, dearly loves?
And will we, in turn, be faithful to the giver of our life? Will we live our lives in such a way that our trust in God is evident to others, most specifically to God?
Will we place our allegiance to God above everyone and everything else? Will we follow Jesus, or will we worship some other god?
There will be Stations of the Cross on Wednesdays through April 1st beginning at 5pm.
Reconciliation of a Penitent, or Private Confession, is always available in the Episcopal Church. There’s a saying among Anglicans about private confession: “All may, none must, some should.” Lent is, of course, a time when some people make a private confession. If you feel so called, please speak to Br. Jerry and he’ll make arrangements to sit down with you for this purpose.
The 2020 Episcopal Women’s Retreat will be held on April 17-19, 2020 at the St. Benedict Center in Schuyler. For more information call 308-238-1111.
Join Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hooper, NE on March 7th for a wonderful time to connect with others and experience God’s steadfast, healing, and empowering love. If interested, call the church office at 402-654-3835 to register by March 1st.
The pot luck supper and formation will be on Wednesday on March 18, 2020 at 5:30pm and ending approximately at 7pm. We will start with the pot luck supper and end with Compline. Discussion will be “Praying the Questions”. Please come and bring a friend.
Bishop Barker will be visiting the parish this Sunday, February 26th.
There will be Wednesday Morning Eucharist services at 10:30 am.
· · Sunday, December 29, 10:00 am, First Sunday after Christmas
Our giving campaign concludes today. If you haven’t already done so, please drop your pledge card in the offering plate or return it to the office next week. We’ll close our annual giving campaign after the service today with The Joy of the Saints, where we will share a pot luck lunch. Dessert is being provided.
As our community recovers from the recent flooding, St. James’ will host a community dinner to gather and nurture our neighbors. This meal is free and open to all.
Join us to celebrate the birth of the Savior on Christmas Eve, December 24th. A vigil of readings and hymns begins at 5:00, and Holy Eucharist follows at 5:30. Stay afterward for holiday treats!
We'll have Advent activities and lunch for children on Saturday morning, while parents can do Christmas shopping, run errands, or just relax.
Our annual tradition continues with a luncheon, raffle prizes, and holiday crafts and items for sale.
During our worship service, we’ll offer children’s activities to celebrate the Communion of Saints!
