The Canticle of the Sun

earth seen from space

One of St Francis’s most famous prayers, in honor of Earth Day:

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, Praise, glory and honor and benediction all, are Thine. To Thee alone do they belong, most High, And there is no man fit to mention Thee.

Praise be to Thee, my Lord, with all Thy creatures, Especially to . . . → Read More: The Canticle of the Sun

Earth Day

John Constable Extensive Landscape with Grey Clouds

For Fruitful Seasons

Almighty God, who hast blessed the earth that it should be fruitful and bring forth whatsoever is needful for the life of man, and hast commanded us to work with quietness, and eat our own bread: Bless the labours of the husbandman, and grant such seasonable weather that we may gather in . . . → Read More: Earth Day

Saint Anselm

Anselm made Archbishop of Canterbury

“Anselm made Archbishop of Canterbury”, by James William Edmund Doyle (1822–1892) in A Chronicle of England: B.C. 55 – A.D. 1485. From Wikipedia.

Graciously enlighten thy Church, we beseech thee, O Lord: that being illumined by the teaching of blessed Anselm thy confessor and Bishop, it may attain unto eternal gifts; through . . . → Read More: Saint Anselm

Vacation Bible School 2016

St Stephen’s Vacation Bible School, for children ages 4–10, will take place once again this summer during the week of 20–24 June from 9:00–Noon. The cost is $20, and there are scholarships available upon request. This year’s theme is Creation Days. We will explore the seven days of Creation in the Book of Genesis. Please . . . → Read More: Vacation Bible School 2016

The Sermon for Sunday April 17th – Easter III

Fr Michael Belt

Here is the sermon for Sunday April 17th: Easter 3, 2016

Saint Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr

St. Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury, is asked for advice

St. Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury, is asked for advice, from a medieval illumination attributed to the Master of the Cité des Dames. From Wikipedia.

O God, who didst adorn thy blessed Bishop Alphege with the dignity of the priesthood and with the palm of martyrdom: Mercifully grant that we may be so . . . → Read More: Saint Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr

Enough of the ‘Great Unwashed’

Most ‘Bible movies’ are, with a few notable exceptions, sorry evangelists for the Christian faith. Those loosely based on the New Testament generally portray a fey, willowy, Anglo-Saxon Jesus wafting limpidly around an arid landscape, occasionally uttering ‘sound bites’ randomly culled from the Gospels.

The only redeeming aspect of this type of Bible movie . . . → Read More: Enough of the ‘Great Unwashed’

It’s nice to be noble;
 be a patron of our fête!

May Day! May Day! May Day! It’s almost upon us. There are just three weeks to the St Stephen’s Annual Garden Party and Fête. This means time is running out for you to join the ranks of the nobility by signing up as one of our noble patrons.

Prime Minister Lloyd George felt free . . . → Read More: It’s nice to be noble;
 be a patron of our fête!

It’s time for out-of-touch Hollywood to heal itself

It’s rather odd, when you come to think about it, that people will often complain about parsons who preach the word of God for more than 10 minutes at a stretch when they will cheerfully let Hollywood’s self-styled solons preach to them for hours on end.

True, Hollywood’s leading ladies are infinitely cuter than . . . → Read More: It’s time for out-of-touch Hollywood to heal itself

This Week’s Newsletter

new church tower with weathercock-bw

Here is this week’s newsletter: St Stephens News XXVII No 14